Weekend VinopolPick 7-31-20

In Today’s Newsletter:

Featured New Arrivals
Back Vintages of Leonetti and Figgins


A Steal on Day Wines’ Flagship Pinot
Save Over $20 per Bottle!


Collector’s Corner
The Iconic Hubert Lignier’s 2017’s
Including the Brand New “MCMLV”


Tuscan Steals and Deals
Including the Return of Il Poggione Rosso di Toscana!


Ending Soon!
Chateauneuf du Pape Subscriber Special


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Featured New Arrivals

Back Vintages of Leonetti and Figgins


Leonetti is always one of our most anticipated offers of the year.  The winery is one of the two or three most collectible in Washington and they’ve been a standard bearer in both quality and scarcity for decades.  These are powerful, bold reds with a long track record of ageability and complexity.  From their iconic Reserve bottling on down, each of these wines is one of the pinnacles of their categories.

We jumped at the chance to offer you a special closeout of back vintage wines released by the winery. These are drinking beautifully now, but will age with grace for next next decade or more. So follow Jeb Dunnuck’s suggestion and snatch these up!


Just Arrived, In Stock Now:

Leonetti Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley 2016 750ML ($129.95) $99 special
Jeb Dunnuck 98 points
“The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon checks in as a blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Petit Verdot, 3% Malbec, and 2% Merlot that spent 22 months in 75% new French oak. Its deep ruby/purple color is followed by a sensational, full-bodied, layered wine that’s overflowing with notions of crème de cassis, crushed rocks, smoked tobacco, and hints of camphor. Seamless, elegant, and layered, yet also powerful, it rates with the top wines of the vintage. Readers should snatch this beauty up.”
James Suckling 98 points “This regal wine really sets the tone for delivering poise, balance and elegance. Such distinctive cabernet redcurrants, cassis and red cherries, framed in cedary oak and tobacco. The palate is cast in noble tannins that deliver elegance and length. Deeply flavorful blackcurrants and dark cherries with chocolate that’s laced into the finish. A blend of 82% cabernet sauvignon, 13% petit verdot, 3% malbec and 2% merlot. Drink for the next decade and then some.”
Wine Advocate 95 points “A blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Petit Verdot, 3% Malbec and 2% Merlot, the 2016 Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon offers up a focus of fruit on the nose that is rarely seen in wine, along with a bold, plush, vibrant core of fruit that exudes power and a velvety roundness. Dark red, black and even hints of blue fruit are found in the mouth, with a rich and vibrant core that gives way to chewy tannins. With a bold spiciness and layers of oak, the bold, full-bodied wine lingers with intensity and a long, thought-provoking, complex finish that is focused and delivers pleasure as the wine puts a smile on my face. Only 2,900 cases were made, and they are worth every penny!”

Leonetti Cellar Merlot, Walla Walla Valley 2017 750ML ($99.95) $79 special
Wine Spectator 94 points
“Polished and multilayered, with expressive red currant, smoky spice and green olive accents that take on richness toward fine-grained tannins. Drink now through 2025. 1,866 cases made. — TF”
James Suckling 94 points “Notes of iodine and some smoky nuances, as well as sappy, foresty freshness to the red plums and darker berries. The palate has rich tannins and dark-plum flavors pervade the assertive finish. A blend of 94% merlot, 4% cabernet franc and 2% cabernet sauvignon. Try from 2023.”
Jeb Dunnuck 93+ points “The only 2017 I was able to taste from this terrific estate, the 2017 Merlot reveals a saturated purple color as well as a terrific perfume of black cherries, cassis, toasty oak, and graphite. It’s medium to full-bodied, plump, and rounded, with ample tannins as well as purity of fruit. It needs 2-4 years of bottle age but is a beautiful, outstanding, incredibly promising Merlot. The blend is 94% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon and it spent 15 months in 60% new French oak.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
The average price is $92

Leonetti Cellar Reserve, Walla Walla Valley 2016 750ML ($189.95) $149 special
Jeb Dunnuck 99 points
“The 2016 Reserve is similar in color (it might be even inkier at the rim) and is a blend of 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Malbec, and 5% Cabernet Franc that spent 22 months in a mix of 75% new and 25% once-used French oak barrels. It offers sensational notes of crème de cassis, graphite, crushed rocks, smoke tobacco, and perfectly integrated oak. These all flow to a ripe, powerful, yet seamless and incredibly elegant wine that has nothing out of place, building tannins, awesome purity of fruit, and a massive finish. Reminding me of the 2010, yet made in a more elegant style, this magical wine is drinkable today but will benefit for 4-5 years of bottle age and keep for 3-4 decades. Hats off to Chris Figgins for another awe-inspiring wine.”
James Suckling 97 points “Beautifully stylish, this is a complex, youthful red with attractive, barrel-derived charcuterie, built around precisely ripe blackcurrants, red plums and dark cherries, as well as cedary-tobacco nuances and dark chocolate. So classic. The palate has a succulent, smooth and astutely groomed texture with tannins that are so nicely worked and deliver length with elegance. Black-cherry, blood-plum and dark-chocolate flavors abound. A blend of 73% cabernet sauvignon, 22% malbec and 5% cabernet franc. Try from 2024.”
Wine Advocate 96 points “A blend of 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Malbec and 5% Cabernet Franc, the 2016 Walla Walla Reserve is the king of the range with expressive, bold fruit that demonstrates finesse and power, with crème de cassis, blackberry skin and dark cherry jus that connects with a spiced core and oaky essence on the nose. Full-bodied on the palate, the wine bursts with flavor teeming with tension and ripe tannins that will carry this for decades to come. Lush and round, it ends with a long, thought-provoking finish with impeccable balance. 911 cases produced.”
Stephen Tanzer – Vinous 96 points “Bright red-ruby. Very dark, vibrant scents and flavors of blackberry, cassis, boysenberry, licorice and violet. Incredibly silky and concentrated on the palate, with terrific mineral lift intensifying the wine’s fruit. The remarkably long, slowly building finish features noble tannins. It’s hard to scrape this off the palate, and yet this brilliant wine shows no excess weight. Incidentally, this wine is made from all four of the estate’s vineyards plus some old vines in Seven Hills. Should be very long-lived.”
Wine Spectator 95 points “Graceful, polished and dynamic, with layered blackberry, toasty allspice and espresso flavors that take on richness toward refined tannins. Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2028. 911 cases made.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $176

Figgins Estate Red, Walla Walla Valley 2014 750ML ($119.95) $89 special
Wine Advocate 94 points
“Chris makes a single Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated red that’s brought up all in small new and used barrels. The 2014 Estate Red Wine is a blockbuster that comes from estate vineyards in Walla Walla and incorporates a splash of Merlot and Petit Verdot. Cassis, blackcurrant, roasted herbs, graphite and scorched earth all give way to a full-bodied, structured, impressively balanced red that has polished tannin (and lots of them), a core of sweet fruit and a great finish. Give it a few years of bottle age and drink over the following 10-15+ years. JD”
Stephen Tanzer – Vinous 93+ points “(the Figgins Estate is at a very high 1,500 to 1,700 feet above sea level, which Chris Figgins noted is great in hotter years but was a challenge in the very cool summer of 2011; these vines were just finishing their flowering on the day of my visit this year, June 29): Bright medium ruby. Less of a fruit bomb than the 2014 Leonetti Cellars Reserve Red Wine, also made by Figgins, offering aromas of cassis, redcurrant, licorice, fig and cocoa powder. Quite plush on entry, then powerful and dry in the middle, with the Petit Verdot component contributing focus and verticality (the Merlot makes a more horizontal wine, notes Figgins), not to mention a note of dried fig. Finishes with strong black fruits and real mountain-style tannins. This wine does not offer quite the breadth or thickness of the Leonetti Reserve Red but it’s more tightly wound and energetic, not to mention very long and alive.”
James Suckling 93 points “Impressive ripeness and freshness with violets, black olives and tarry notes across ripe plum and blackberry fruits. Sinewy tannins that deliver sleek power and carry ripe red- and black-fruit flavors long and even. Blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot and petit verdot. Drink or hold.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $115

Only three magnums available!
Figgins Estate Red, Walla Walla Valley 2015 1.5L ($219.95) $199 special
Jeb Dunnuck 96 points
“Made from a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit Verdot aged 21 months in 69% new French oak, the 2015 Red Wine from Figgins is a beauty that’s all from their estate vineyard located on the eastern, cooler side of the Walla Walla Valley. Deep, rich, full-bodied, and incredibly opulent, with loads of blackcurrants, smoked herbs, graphite, and chocolate aromas and flavors, it stays beautifully balanced and elegant on the palate, with sweet tannin. It’s a killer Washington State red that’s going to drink nicely for 10-15 years.”
James Suckling 93 points “Ripe dark cherries with attractive, brambly forest berries and bracken, too. The palate has a fresh, lithe and attractively grainy tannin core that delivers a plush and ripe dark-berry finish. A blend of cabernet sauvignon, petit verdot and merlot. Drink or hold.”
Stephen Tanzer 93 points “(aged in “mostly low-impact” Boutes barrels, according to Chris Figgins): Bright medium ruby. Aromas of black raspberry and sexy oak spices convey excellent depth and musky sweetness. Plush, sweet and very ripe, and distinctly broad for this normally more linear bottling from a high-altitude site. With its densely packed black raspberry fruit and firm tannic spine, I’d give this at least a few more years in the cellar to lose some baby fat and absorb a bit of its alcoholic warmth. But even today there are no rough edges. (14.5% alcohol)”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $220.01

Also In Stock Now:

Leonetti Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley 2017 750ML ($149.95) $119 special, 7 bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 97 points
“Lots of cassis, camphor, spice, and violets notes as well as background oak emerge from the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon, which is all Cabernet Sauvignon aged in 22 months in new barrels. With full-bodied richness, awesome purity of fruit, and a powerful, mouthfilling style, it’s in the top two or three Bordeaux blends in the vintage. Give this remarkable 2017 3-5 years of bottle age, longer if you can, and it’s going to be very long-lived. There are 2,863 cases produced.”

Leonetti Cellar Merlot, Walla Walla Valley 2018 750ML ($119.95) $99 special, 2 bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 94 points
“Already bottled, the 2018 Merlot comes from a mix of vineyards in Walla Walla (Loess, Mill Creek, and Leonetti) and spent 15 months in new and once-used French oak. Juicy, vibrant, and pure, yet also with plenty of power, it is loaded with ripe currants and black cherry fruit as well as notes of chocolate, leafy herbs, and graphite. Rich, full-bodied, and concentrated, with ripe tannins, it’s a rocking Merlot that’s going to benefit from just a year or two of bottle age and drink brilliantly for 8-10 years.”
 
Leonetti Cellar Reserve, Walla Walla Valley 2017 750ML ($219.95) $179 special, 3 bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 97+ points
“I had two off bottles of the 2017 Reserve, both showing huge volatile acidity, yet I had two great bottles as well, which are represented by this note. A blend of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Petit Verdot, and 10% Malbec, all aged 22 months in new barrels (as well as some neutral oval botti), it reveals a stunning bouquet of lead pencil shavings, toasty oak, incense, and dried tobacco, and it’s complex, nuanced, and layered aromatically. There’s not a hard edge to be found in this deep purple-hued effort, which offers the essence of blackberry liqueur fruits as well as full-bodied richness, beautiful concentration, and an opulent, expansive, yet precise mouthfeel. Made in a more elegant style than the 2015 and not far off the magical 2016, it’s going to benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and should have 3-4 decades of overall longevity.”

Leonetti Cellar Sangiovese, Walla Walla Valley 2017 750ML ($119.95) $95 special, 6 bottles in stock now

Figgins Estate Red, Walla Walla Valley 2016 750ML ($119.95) $99 special, 4 bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 98 points
“Winemaker Chris Figgins has produced one of the wines of the vintage and his 2016 Estate Red Wine checks in as a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit Verdot that spent 23 months in 50% new French oak. It offers a deep ruby/purple color as well as a killer bouquet of crème de cassis, toasted spice, tobacco, and earth. Incredibly pure, full-bodied, and layered on the palate, it’s a magical wine that has no hard edges, building tannins, and a gorgeous finish. It’s the finest wine under this label to date.”

Love Washington Reds?

Check out our extensive collection of wines from Charles Smith, including K Vintners, Substance, CasaSmith & more!
 
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A Steal on Day Wines’ Flagship Pinot

Save Over $20 per Bottle!


Brianne Day is one of the Oregon wine industry’s rising stars, building a reputation that lead to a recent James Beard nomination. Sourcing fruit from throughout the Pacific Northwest, she crafts some of the region’s most distinctive and exciting wines.  Today we’re thrilled to offer an incredible deal on Day’s 2016 Momtazi Vineyard Pinot Noir. At $21 off the winery’s price per bottle (and over $25 off by the case!), this is an opportunity we had to pass along.

Day describes their Momtazi bottling as their “our flagship Pinot Noir from one of Willamette Valley’s most prized biodynamic vineyards and our most age-worthy wine.”  It‘s normally the most expensive Pinot in the Day Wines lineup at $54, but we’re able to offer it for just $33 per bottle and $28.75 per bottle on case purchases.

For those unfamiliar with Momtazi Vineyard, it is one of the Willamette Valley’s most prized biodynamic vineyards.  This reputation owes to the fact that no chemicals have been used on the property since it was planted to vine in 1997.  And today, the Momtazi family uses strict biodynamic practices.  This is a vineyard that many of the state’s most celebrated wineries source from and display the vineyard name proudly on their label.

So take advantage of this killer deal and see what one of Oregon’s up and coming winemakers can do with some of Oregon’s most cherished fruit. 


Just Arrived, In Stock Now:

Day Wines ‘Momtazi Vineyard ‘ Pinot Noir, McMinnville 2016 750ML ($53.95) $33 special
Case-6 Day Wines ‘Momtazi Vineyard ‘ Pinot Noir, McMinnville 2016 750ML ($299.95) $189 special (that’s only $31.50/bottle!)
Case-12 Day Wines ‘Momtazi Vineyard ‘ Pinot Noir, McMinnville 2016 750ML ($599.95) $345 special (that’s only $28.75/bottle!)
John Gilman 93 points
“The 2016 Momtazi Vineyard bottling of Pinot Noir from Day Wines is the ripest of these 2016s, as it comes in at fourteen percent octane. It is beautifully black fruity on the nose (as all the examples from Momtazi have been that I have been fortunate enough to taste), offering up scents of black plum, sweet dark berry, black tea, balsam bough, a beautiful base of soil tones, chicory, gentle spice tones and a bit of cedar. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, complex and beautifully balanced, with a fine core of fruit, great mineral drive and grip, ripe, well-integrated tannins and a long, tangy and promising finish. While this is the ripest of the 2016 pinots from Brianne Day, it is no less pure or precise and is a great bottle in the making. 2024-2055.”
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 92 points “Limpid red. A highly aromatic bouquet evokes fresh dark berries and baking spices, along with smoky mineral and musky earth overtones. Juicy and broad on the palate, offering alluringly sweet black raspberry, cherry, rose pastille and spicecake flavors that deepen steadily with air. Delivers a suave blend of power and energy and finishes with finely woven tannins and strong, floral-driven persistence.”
Winery Note “Momtazi Vineyard is a certified biodynamic site nestled in the foothills of the Cascade Range, composed primarily of uplifted marine sedimentary loams and silts with alluvial overlays and an underlying base of basalt. One of the revered vineyards in Willamette, this is our cornerstone source for Pinot noir. We are always thrilled to work with this fruit, as it’s some of the most coveted in in the Valley. Many people wish they could get their hands on it, and we’re fortunate that we do. Easily our most intense and deeply fruited Pinot noir, the wine displays hallmark Momtazi notes of black cherry and black raspberry, both on the nose and on the palate. Additional notes of sandalwood spice and forest floor emerge with air, giving a glimpse at the complexity to come. It’s a moody, broody teenager at present, which is no surprise given the vineyard’s reputation for structure. The tannins are suave but sturdy, and the well-integrated acidity holds everything together seamlessly in an enchanting marriage of power and finesse. As flagship wines go, the 2016 Momtazi is a worthy standard-bearer.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Compare to $54 directly from the winery!
 

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Collector’s Corner

The Iconic Hubert Lignier’s 2017’s

Including the Brand New “MCMLV”
 
Hubert Lignier is one of the finest names in Burgundy.  The wines have been a core of the Neal Rosenthal portfolio since the 1978 vintage and have always been one of the jewels of the portfolio.  These are some of the defining wines of Morey-St. Denis, different from Dujac stylistically but no less important or profound.

The 2017’s just arrived—a fantastic and charming year across Burgundy and the wines chez Lignier are no exception.  These promise to be amongst the best wines of the vintage, per usual, and the standard for 2017 is very high.  If you’re already familiar with these wines, just click here to head straight through to a list on our website.  If you aren’t you should browse below and make sure to try a bottle or two.

“Hubert Lignier has rapidly become one of the most dependable producers in Morey-Saint-Denis. I sometimes feared that such expansion across so many different vineyards and appellations might stretch Laurent and Hubert too much, and yet year after year they maintain quality control. There are several wines to mention. At the heart of their range is their Morey-Saint-Denis Premier Crus, and although the single-vineyards are tempting, I consistently find their Morey-Saint-Denis Vieilles Vignes 1er Cru on the money, thanks to old vines that suffer millerandage and concentrate the berries. If you do insist on your Morey-Saint-Denis affixed to a specific vineyard, then look no further than their excellent Les Chaffots, courtesy of vines up to 90 years old. Throughout their range, one can see assiduous use of whole bunch addition: adding judiciously where necessary, de-stemming in total if that is what they feel is best. Nothing here is done by rote.

“The jewel in the crown is their single hectare of 50- to 60-year-old vines in Clos de la Roche, split between 0.62 hectares in Monts Luisants and 0.28 hectares in Les Fremieres. Occasionally it can be a contender for the best wine in the Côte de Nuits, and though the 2017 growing season probably means that it does not rank alongside the 2015 or 2016, it is still a very impressive wine, amongst the finest from this Grand Cru.” –
Neal Martin, Vinous


Just Arrived, In Stock Now:

Only one bottle available
Hubert Lignier Clos de la Roche “MCMLV” Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits 2017 750ML ($1,499.95) $1,199 special
Neal Rosenthal note
“For the first time, Laurent Lignier produced a separate cuvée of Clos de la Roche in 2017 in honor of his grandfather Henri. The Clos de la Roche “MCMLV” comes entirely from Henri’s first planting in 1955: 27 rows of Pinot Noir in the Monts Luisants climat, which he used to propagate the rest of his holdings during the 1960s. This original parcel is highly susceptible to millerandage, which results in small berries of immense concentration, and Laurent harnessed the full power and intensity of such fruit in this stupendous bottling—of which he produced a mere two barrels. A wine such as this embodies Burgundy’s most profound essence: the continuous spirit and presence of a family whose members’ very hands have worked these same vines, this same parcel, since the vines were planted. How could Henri Lignier, when he was breaking earth in 1955, have ever imagined the course his home region would take over the ensuing decades, or the global acclaim that would be heaped on his son’s and his grandsons’ wines? Yet, despite the incredible changes those ensuing 65 years have witnessed, a Lignier has steadfastly worked each vine among these 27 rows of Clos de la Roche, vintage after vintage, gradually building its reputation as one of red Burgundy’s pinnacles. “MCMLV” is not just a great wine, then; it is an emblem of all that makes Burgundy special.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!

“can be a contender for the best wine in the Côte de Nuits” – Neal Martin, Vinous
Only six bottles available
Domaine Hubert Lignier Clos de la Roche Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits 2017 750ML ($599.95) $499 special
William Kelley – Wine Advocate 95-97 points
“The king of the cellar, Lignier’s 2017 Clos de la Roche Grand Cru is superb, wafting from the glass with a complex bouquet of red and black cherries, cassis, warm spices, incense and grilled game bird. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, layered and complete with striking depth and dimension, rich but satiny structuring tannins and excellent structural tension at the core, concluding with a long and penetrating finish. It’s a magical wine that will merit ardent pursuit when it’s released next year.”
Neal Martin – Vinous 93-95 points “The 2017 Clos de la Roche Grand Cru has a complex, engaging bouquet of ample black and red fruit, candied orange peel and light rose petal aromas that gently unfold in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannin, quite Clos Saint-Denis in style. The masculine, uncharacteristically stoic finish suggests it has longevity in mind. For those with the intention to cellar only. Impressive, but I am expecting more charm to manifest with the requisite bottle age.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
This is the only listing for a magnum in the USA today!

Only three bottles available
Domaine Hubert Lignier Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits 2017 750ML ($419.95) $379 special
Neal Martin – Vinous 92-94 points
“The 2017 Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru includes 20% whole bunches, matured in one-third new oak. It has a gorgeous bouquet of cranberry and raspberry fruit with veins of cassis; later, brown spices emerge. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannin, good depth and fine grip, perhaps just missing a little precision toward the finish but still very fine.”
Burghound 91-93 points “An agreeably discreet application of wood sets off the attractively fresh and markedly floral aromas of black cherry, plum and abundant earth scents. There is a subtle minerality and vibrancy to the sleek and intense middle weight flavors that possess a caressing mouthfeel that contrasts somewhat with a mildly austere finale that exhibits fine depth and persistence. This is both stylish and pretty and like the Griotte, could be approached with pleasure on the younger side if that’s your preference.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Only four bottles available
Domaine Hubert Lignier Morey-Saint-Denis Premier Cru Vieilles Vignes, Cote de Nuits 2017 750ml ($299.95) $299.95) $249 special
William Kelley – Wine Advocate 92-94+ points
“The 2017 Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru Vieilles Vignes is superb, wafting from the glass with a complex bouquet of warm spices, raspberries, cherries, dark chocolate and candied peel. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, layered and textural, with the most depth and dimension of Lignier’s premiers crus, its deep core of fruit largely concealing the wine’s fine-grained structuring tannins, concluding with a saline finish. This cuvée hails from a parcel that straddles the climats Faconnières and Chenevery that was planted in 1936, 1942 and 1943, and which the Lignier family has always vinified as a single cuvée.”
Neal Martin – Vinous 91-93 points “The 2017 Morey-Saint-Denis Vieilles Vignes 1er Cru includes 25% whole bunch fruit. It has a tightly wound bouquet that opens in confident style to reveal red cherries, strawberry and fine mineralité. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, quite airy in style, but then suddenly exerts fine grip on the persistent, chalky-textured finish. Excellent.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $305

Only six bottles available
Domaine Hubert Lignier Les Chaffots, Morey-Saint-Denis Premier Cru, 2017 750ML ($219.95) $179 special
Neal Martin – Vinous 91-93 points
“The 2017 Morey-Saint-Denis Les Chaffots 1er Cru, from vines up to 90 years old, has a refined, quite floral bouquet, scents of peony tincturing the red fruit. The sorbet-fresh palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, a citric line of acidity and a harmonious, elegant finish. Bon vin.”
William Kelley – Wine Advocate 91-93 points “The 2017 Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru Les Chaffots reveals aromas of sweet cassis and cherries that mingle with nuances of cinnamon, licorice, dark chocolate and nori. On the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied, layered and tangy, with a tauter, more acid-driven profile than the other premiers crus by virtue of its higher-altitude locate, displaying excellent concentration and high-quality structuring tannin.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Only twelve bottles available
Domaine Hubert Lignier Morey-Saint-Denis Trilogie, Cote de Nuits 2017 750ML ($149.95) $119 special
Neal Martin – Vinous 90-92 points
“The 2017 Morey-Saint-Denis “Trilogie,” which includes 25% whole bunch fruit from vines that tend to suffer millerandage, offers vivacious dark cherry and raspberry coulis scents on the nose. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannin, a fine bead of acidity, good focus and a mineral-infused finish that delivers a pleasant sour edginess. Excellent.”
William Kelley – Wine Advocate 89-91 points “The 2017 Morey-Saint-Denis “Trilogie” hails from three lieux-dits, this year working out at around 60% Chenevery, 30% Porroux and 15% Clos Solon, and it was vinified with 25% whole cluster. Offering up aromas of sweet berries, cassis, licorice, cinnamon and chocolate, it’s medium to full-bodied, satiny and layered with a rich but lively core of fruit and fine but chalky structuring tannins. As usual, it’s one of the finest renditions of the appellation.”

Domaine Hubert Lignier Gevrey-Chambertin Les Seuvrees, Cote de Nuits 2017 750ML ($119.95) $99 special
Domaine Hubert Lignier Gevrey-Chambertin Les Seuvrees, Cote de Nuits 2017 1.5L ($269.95) $219 special
Neal Martin – Vinous 89-91 points
“The 2017 Gevrey-Chambertin Les Seuvrées contains around 20% whole bunch fruit. It has a fresh, generous bouquet, hints of brown spice infusing the red fruit. The palate is well balanced with sappy red fruit laced with orange peel, quite firm grip in the mouth and a slightly austere finish at the moment. Give this three or four years.”
William Kelley – Wine Advocate 89-91 points “The 2017 Gevrey-Chambertin Les Seuvrées is showing very well, unfurling in the glass with suggestions of cassis, raspberries, sweet soil tones and spices. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, ample and nicely concentrated, with good depth at the core and fine-grained but firm, even chalky, structuring tannins. This should evolve well in bottle.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
This is the only listing for a magnum in the USA today!

Don’t worry there’s more—too much more to list here
(we have 22 new 2017’s from Lignier in stock now).
You can see them all (plus a few scattered ’16’s)
in a full list in our webstore.

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Have Wine Ready to Pick Up?

Stop by our shop 10 am – 6 pm daily
Feel free to call ahead before you arrive or for curbside service:


#503-223-6002


(You’ll help free up some space for your next order!)


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Tuscan Steals and Deals

Including the Return of Il Poggione Rosso di Toscana!


Il Poggione is best known as one of the best producers of Brunello out there—a verified legend in Tuscany, making some of the best bottles in Montalcino.  What most people don’t know, though, is they make a baby-Super-Tuscan and it’s an absolute stellar value.  A blend of Sangiovese, Merlot and Cabernet, this is one of the best pizza/pasta night wines we’ve seen in a while.

What takes the wine from a good to a great value is our price on it.  We’re able to offer you this wine for $14 even and under $12.50/bottle by the case.  We offered this wine back in March and it sold out in a flash, even after multiple re-stocks.  We’ve finally secured more at this incredible price, just re-arrived.


In stock now:

Il Poggione Rosso Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2017 750ML ($24.95) $14 special
Case-12 Il Poggione Rosso Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2017 750ML ($299.95) $149 special (that’s only $12.42/bottle!)
Winery Note
“A younger, more fruity wine, it is produced from Sangiovese, Merlot and Cabernet grapes. After the fermentation it ages in large French oak barrels and barriques. The winemaking and the combination of these three varieties, make this wine soft and ideal for the everyday enjoyment. Ruby red in colour; on the nose it is intense, with notes of red fruit, sweet spices and vanilla. On the palate it is soft and with a good and pleasant acidity. A wine for every meal, ideal with white meats, pasta and medium strength cheeses, and even a casual pizza.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $15.99
The average listed price is $18


Other top deals in stock now:

Camigliano is one of our favorite producers of Brunello (we have their excellent Brunello arriving next month and their Rosso di Montalcino in stock now), but their entry-level Super Tuscan “Poderuccio”  is perhaps the best value in their entire lineup.  This powerful 90 point Bodeaux+Sangiovese blend is a quarantine special—under $20 and ready to drink now.
Castello di Camigliano Poderuccio Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2018 750ML ($21.95) $18 special
Case-12 Castello di Camigliano Poderuccio Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2018 750ML ($249.95) $189 special (that’s only $15.75/bottle!)
James Suckling 90 points
“Lots of blackberries and tar, together with black-olive character on the nose and palate. Full-bodied and structured. A little raw, but should come around nicely with bottle age. Drink from 2020.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!

Wine Spectator rated this vintage the best ever of this wine, even higher than their 2009 which was a Spectator Top 100!
Rocca di Frassinello ‘Le Sughere di Frassinello’ Maremma Toscana, Tuscany 2016 750ML ($29.95) $21.90 special
Wine Spectator 93 points
“SMART BUY. Wild rosemary, thyme and camphor aromas lead off, with concentrated flavors of blackberry and black currant. An iron edge sinks in as this unfolds to the long, staining finish. Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Best from 2020 through 2032. 11,000 cases made, 5,500 cases imported.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
The average price nationally is $23

Made from the younger vines in Castelnuovo, it’s basically a baby declassified Brunello. This wine spends 4 months in Slavonian botti.
La Gerla ‘Poggio gli Angeli’ Sangiovese Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2017 750ML ($21.95) $18 special
Case-12 La Gerla ‘Poggio gli Angeli’ Sangiovese Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2017 750ML ($249.95) $199 special (that’s only $16.58/bottle!)
Eric Guido – Vinous 90 points
“La Gerla’s 2017 Poggio gli Angeli displays a mix of fresh, wild red berries, savory, spicy herbs and hints of cedar. On the palate, soft textures give way to crushed raspberry and cherry, with hints of sweet spice and sage. The finish is long and fresh, elevated by zesty acids, and showing hints of strawberry and inner floral notes.”

La Fortuna is one of absolute favorite Brunello estates and their Rosso is a stellar deal, even by their standards.  
La Fortuna Rosso di Montalcino, Tuscany 2018 750ML ($24.95) $21.90 special
Grapelive 91 points
“The 2018 La Fortuna Rosso di Montalcino is ripe, textured and silky smooth with pure Sangiovese character. It goes wonderfully with simple cuisine and shows a good cut of freshness for easy youthful drinking pleasure. The 2018 vintage is less serious than 2016 in the Montalcino area, but still offers plenty of flavor and value to savvy Tuscan fans. The Rosso di Montalcino “Baby Brunello” offerings are going to be fun and there will be plenty of bargains to be found, like this La Fortuna with its polished and elegant styling. Fresh out the box the La Fortuna is smoothly rich with vine-picked tangy blackberry, wild plum, cranberry, strawberry and tart cherry fruits along with blood orange, tobacco leaf, potpourri florals, rosemary, lavender and spiced cedar notes. A richer form comes out with air and food, making it a medium to full bodied Sangiovese that has a lot of charm, especially for the price. This 100% Sangiovese Grosso (Brunello clone) was crafted with traditional care and made for early drinking with grapes coming from vineyard parcels that range from 15 to 25 years on the semi volcanic soils of the region and was fermented in temperature controlled tanks with about a 20 day maceration on the skins to give it that dark burgundy hue in the glass. After fermentation this La Fortuna Rosso di Montalcino is racked mostly to large Slovenian oak casks for six months and aged a further six months in mainly 1 and 2 times filled small French barriques, which explains the luxurious velvety mouth feel, before bottling. This estate goes back a long way with the Zannoni [family] first arriving at “La Fortuna” back in 1907 to work the farmstead and through the generations rose up to finally purchase the property and become a private winery and label with fifth generation Gioberto Zannoni now in charge at this highly regarded Brunello label. I suggest buying the 2013 and 2016 if you can still find them, but don’t overlook these tasty and graceful 2018s either.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

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Ending Soon!

Chateauneuf du Pape Subscriber Special


We don’t need to say too much here: save 5% on purchases of 6-11 bottles of in stock CdP and 10% on purchases of 12+ bottles (mix and match or all the same wine).  We’ve got over fifty different bottlings available to choose from, all perfect for your cellar or next cookout.

5% Off Any 6-11 bottles of in-stock Chateauneuf du Pape
10% Off Any 12+ bottles of in-stock Chateauneuf du Pape 
Discount does not apply to pre-arrival wines
Discount does not apply to case-6 or case-12 specials
Offer Ends Saturday, August 1st at 10AM
Discount Will Not Display Online or In Your Cart
We will adjust your invoice before processing your card



In Stock Now:

Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe Chateauneuf-du-Pape La Crau, Rhone 2016 750ML ($89.95) $79 Displayed Price, that’s $75.05 at 5% off and $71.10 at 10% off!
James Suckling 98 points
 “Impressive, complex array of wild cherries, raspberries, garrigue herbs, lightly spiced pastry and stony, chalky minerals. Super-fresh florals. The palate has superb texture, roundness, completeness, depth and detail. Powerful yet elegant with powdery tannins and essence-like red fruit. Super-fleshy, supple and dense core, then strong at the edges. Layer upon layer peels away on the finish. Resounding finesse and equilibrium, showing the full potential of the plateau La Crau. Drink or hold.
Wine Advocate 96 points “Undoubtedly one of the top vintages of this wine, the 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape La Crau features classy notes of crushed stones and black tea to go along with ripe raspberries and black cherries. Full-bodied yet silky, there’s more power and richness in La Crau than in Piedlong, yet there’s commensurate elegance and finesse. The wine grows in intensity on the finish without ever seeming heavy or overripe, instead offering hints of tea and licorice.”
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 95 points “Brilliant ruby. Ripe cherry and red berries on the deeply perfumed nose, along with hints of smoky minerals and potpourri. Palate-staining cherry and raspberry liqueur flavors show impressive clarity and depth, and a spine of juicy acidity provides lift and focus. Finishes extremely long and sweet, delivering solid thrust, a hint of candied flowers and suave, harmonious tannins.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Chapelle Saint Theodoric Chateauneuf-du-Pape La Guigasse, Rhone 2016 750ML ($89.95) $69 Displayed Price, that’s $65.55 at 5% off and $62.10 at 10% off!
Wine Advocate 95-97 points
 “As I predicted last year, the 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape La Guigasse has smoothed out considerably and seemingly absorbed the stemmy elements I noted previously. Still not yet bottled, it now offers wonderful fruit purity and intensity. Raspberries and cherries are delivered on a full-bodied, rich and creamy palate that somehow avoids any sense of heaviness. It looks to be a stunning example of 70-year-old Grenache from the sandy lieu-dit of the same name.”
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 94 points “Limpid magenta. Intense, mineral-tinged aromas of ripe red fruits, candied lavender, baking spices and incense show sharp delineation and energetic lift. Palate-staining red and blue fruit preserve flavors are complemented by floral pastille and spicecake qualities that firm up slowly on the back half. Distinctly rich but fresh and structured as well, showing superb finishing clarity, well-knit tannins and lingering floral and mineral notes.”
Jeb Dunnuck 94-96 points “Made from 100% Grenache in the La Guigasse lieu-dit, the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Guigasse boasts a deeper ruby/purple color as well as a sensational bouquet of kirsch and black raspberries, spring flowers, rose petals, and exotic spice. This beauty builds on the palate, with terrific concentration, yet it always holds onto the more ethereal, elegant, seamless style of this estate.”

This was the lowest listed price in the USA today,
Now it’s even lower!

Chateau de Vaudieu Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Rhone 2017 750ML ($49.95) $41.90 Displayed Price, that’s $39.81 at 5% off and $37.71 at 10% off!
Jeb Dunnuck 94 points
 “Moving to the 2017s and starting with the base Châteauneuf Du Pape, it’s a blend of 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah that was brought up mostly in demi-muids. Revealing a ruby/purple hue as well as notes of black raspberries, kirsch, garrigue, incense, and loamy soil and earth, this beauty hits the palate with beautiful depth of fruit, a layered, rounded, sexy texture, no hard edges, remarkable purity, and just tons of charm. Drink it any time over the coming decade or more.”
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 91-92 points “Deep red. Highly perfumed red berry and floral aromas are complemented by suggestions of cracked pepper and smoky minerals. Sweet and penetrating on the palate, offering ripe raspberry, cherry and floral pastille flavors braced by a core of juicy acidity. In a seamless, energetic style, displaying a smooth blend of richness and finesse and finishing gently sweet and impressively long, with even tannins and building spiciness.”

Chateau de Vaudieu Chateauneuf-du-Pape Amiral G, Rhone 2017 750ML ($119.95) $99 Displayed Price, that’s $94.05 at 5% off and $89.10 at 10% off!
Jeb Dunnuck 98 points
 “The 2017 Châteauneuf Du Pape Amiral G. is, as always, all Grenache brought up all in demi-muids. It’s unquestionably the most opulent, sexy, and expansive in the lineup, with overflowing notes of kirsch and blackberry fruits, incense, dried garrigue, and spice, full body, and no hard edges. Its incredible opulence and decadence are delivered with no sensation of weight or heaviness. This magical, thrilling beauty needs to be tasted to be believed. It’s going to benefit from short-term cellaring and keep for 15+ years or more.”
Wine Advocate 96 points “Like the l’Avenue, the 2017 Chateauneuf du Pape Amiral G is 100% Grenache aged in demi-muids. Unlike the l’Avenue, the Amiral G is more about opulence and power. It’s full-bodied, ripe and plush, with impressive layers of black cherries, stone fruit, licorice and chocolate spice cake. Concentrated and chewy on the finish, it has all the ingredients for greatness—and it should get there relatively quickly, then drink well for at least a decade.-JC”

This was the lowest listed price in the USA today,
Now it’s even lower!

Domaine Grand Veneur Chateauneuf-du-Pape Les Origines, Rhone 2016 750ML ($69.95) $59 Displayed Price, that’s $56.05 at 5% off and $53.10 at 10% off!
Jeb Dunnuck 94-96+ points
 “Possibly the finest vintage of this cuvée to date, the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Origines (50% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre, and the balance Syrah) offers a full-bodied, unctuous, yet thrillingly pure style in its black raspberry, cassis, licorice and spice aromas and flavors. It has a smoking good mid-palate, building, ripe tannin and a huge finish.”
Wine Spectator 93 points “Inviting, with layered flavors of boysenberry, fig and blackberry preserves forming the foundation, while melted black licorice, warm fruitcake and wood spice notes are inlaid throughout. A lingering ganache echo adds more base through the hefty finish. Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah. Best from 2022 through 2035.”

Domaine de la Mordoree Chateauneuf-du-Pape La Dame Voyageuse, Rhone 2016 750ML ($59.95) $49 Displayed Price, that’s $46.55 at 5% off and $44.10 at 10% off!
Jeb Dunnuck 95 points
 “The new entry-level release from this estate is the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Dame Voyageuse, a more Grenache-dominated blend of 90% Grenache, 4% each of Mourvèdre and Syrah, and the balance Counoise and Vaccarèse. Aged mostly in tank, with 15% in old barrels, it boasts a deep violet/purple color as well as a full-bodied, voluptuous style in its blueberry and cherry fruits, violets, damp earth, and spice-laced aromas and flavors. This cuvée is always more upfront and sexier compared to the more structured La Reine des Bois cuvée, and it’s already drinking brilliantly today. Nevertheless, it will keep for a good 10-15 years if you’re so inclined.”

This was the lowest listed price in the USA today,
Now it’s even lower!

Domaine Raymond Usseglio & Fils Chateauneuf-du-Pape Cuvee Imperiale, Rhone 2017 750ML ($79.95) $66 Displayed Price, that’s $62.70 at 5% off and $59.40 at 10% off!
Wine Advocate 96 points
 “The 2017 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Imperiale (from vines planted in 1902) is firm and structured to age magnificently. Roses, black tea and red raspberries all appear on the nose and palate, framed by fine-grained tannins. I suspect it will close down shortly, but there is terrific material here, and the wine will drink well for two decades.”
Jeb Dunnuck 96 points “The 2017 Châteauneuf Du Pape Cuvee Imperiale kicks the intensity up a notch and offers rocking notes of black cherries, garrigue, ground pepper, and incense. More expansive, full-bodied, concentrated, and pure, it’s a brilliant, brilliant wine that stays tight and compact at the moment yet has beautiful concentration, present tannins, and a great finish. It has everything, but it needs 4-5 years or bottle age.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
 

5% Off Any 6-11 bottles of in-stock Chateauneuf du Pape
10% Off Any 12+ bottles of in-stock Chateauneuf du Pape 
Discount does not apply to pre-arrival wines
Discount does not apply to case-6 or case-12 specials
Offer Ends Saturday, August 1st at 10AM
Discount Will Not Display Online or In Your Cart
We will adjust your invoice before processing your card
 
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