In Today’s Newsletter:
New Arrivals from Ulysse Colin
Featured New Arrival:
Domaine Tempier Rose
Looking for Burlotto?
Don’t Miss Castello di Verduno’s Barolo
Evening Lands’ Secret Restaurant Pours
Trending
The Rebel of Galicia:
Guimaro’s Mencia Stands Out
Collector’s Corner:
A Slew of Older, Rare Champagne
New Arrivals from Ulysse Colin
Winery cellared release!
Ulysse Collin ‘Les Maillons’ Rose de Saignee Extra Brut, Champagne NV (2012) 750ML ($179.95) $149 special, 4 bottles in stock now
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Featured New Arrival
Domaine Tempier Rose
Looking for Burlotto?
Don’t Miss Castello di Verduno’s Barolo
Castello di Verduno Langhe Nebbiolo, Piedmont 2018 750ML ($26.95) $19 special
Importer Note “The Castello di Verduno, owned by Gabriella Burlotto and Franco Bianco, is a beautiful old building at the top of the village of Verduno, on the edge of the Barolo zone. The Castello di Verduno wine label unites two cellars, one under the castle in the Barolo zone and the other near the famous ‘cru’ Rabajà, in the Barbaresco area. Wines are produced in Barbaresco and bottled and stored in Verduno. If you want a preview of Barbaresco without spending $70 or more, or if you just love good, red, lip-smacking wine, try this Nebbiolo. All of the grapes come from the Barbaresco vineyards Faset and Rabajà. The wine shows elegant notes of red fruits, sandalwood, and rose petal. Lamb chops? Roast chicken? I’m making myself hungry.”
Castello di Verduno Basadone Pelaverga, Piedmont 2018 750ML ($27.95) $24 special
Importer Note “Pelaverga is indigenous to the village of Verduno, it produces red wines that are light in color but savory and distinctive on the palate. Reminds me a lot of Grignolino, another geeky Piedmontese variety. This one is aged in stainless steel before bottling without filtration. The winery’s website cannot be improved on for a description: ‘Soft, though bright ruby red. Intense fragrant nose, showing clear spicy overtones of black pepper and nutmeg, as well as fruity sensations reminiscent of cherries in spirit and strawberries. Nicely-balanced, lingering dry flavour.’ Great with salumi. I would drink this at cellar temperature.”
Other New Arrivals from Barolo:
Giacomo Fenocchio Barolo DOCG, Piedmont 2016 750ML ($49.95) $39 special
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 90 points “This is a hearty and slightly evolved expression. The Giacomo Fenocchio 2016 Barolo offers a broad range of Nebbiolo characteristics with lots of dark fruit followed by spice, tar and tilled earth. That licorice signature is very strong in this wine. The fruit veers toward heavier black and purple fruit tones, with plenty of tar and campfire ash. Instead of sharpness and precision, this Barolo offers a big-picture approach with wide, sweeping flavors.”
Giacomo Fenocchio Barolo Bussia, Barolo DOCG 2016 750ML ($59.95) $55 special
Antonio Galloni 95 points “The 2016 Barolo Bussia is a wine of tremendous character and complexity. Menthol, lavender, black cherry, graphite, cloves and leather all open up in the glass. Virile and layered, with tons of depth, the 2016 Bussia has so much to offer. A few years in the cellar will help the tannins soften, but the 2016 is already quite expressive. It is also one of the very finest wines I have ever tasted from Fenocchio.”
Giacomo Fenocchio Barolo Villero, Barolo DOCG 2016 750ML ($69.95) $59 special
Wine Enthusiast 96 points “Cellar Selection. Woodland-berry, new leather, camphor and fragrant blue-flower aromas align in the glass. Showing youthful tension and depth, the palate is still immaturely austere but delivers juicy Marasca cherry, raspberry and licorice alongside firm, refined tannins. Fresh acidity keeps it well balanced. Drink 2024–2041.”
Antonio Galloni 94 points “The 2016 Barolo Villero is a powerful, clenched wine. Then again, that’s Villero. Readers will have to be patient, that much is clear. White pepper, chalk, dried flowers, dried red cherry and mint open up over time, but the 2016 is sinewy and nervous in feel, with just enough fruit to keep things in balance. Hints of sage, tobacco, leather and menthol add the closing touches of complexity.”
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!)
Evening Lands’ Secret Restaurant Pours
New Arrivals from Ulysse Colin
Featured New Arrival:
Domaine Tempier Rose
Looking for Burlotto?
Don’t Miss Castello di Verduno’s Barolo
Evening Lands’ Secret Restaurant Pours
Trending
The Rebel of Galicia:
Guimaro’s Mencia Stands Out
Collector’s Corner:
A Slew of Older, Rare Champagne
New Arrivals from Ulysse Colin
Perhaps no vigneron exemplifies the New Champagne like Ulysse Collin. Born to a family of grape-growers, he worked tirelessly to free the family land from contracts selling fruit to negociants and now vinifies all of his wines as single-vineyard/vintage bottlings. His wines are profoundly introspective and challenge preconceived notions about what Champagne should be. At the forefront of the new wave of ultra-terroir-driven Champagnes, Olivier produces deeply vinous, mineral and hyper-concentrated wines. True to their terroir, these are reflections of the individual parcels.
“Winemaking as a rule here is as natural and non-interventionist as possible. All fermentation is carried out with indigenous yeasts, which can take a remarkably long time to complete: six to eight months is not at all unusual for Collin, and even when tasting vins clairs in June or July, they are typically still in the middle of their alcoholic fermentations. Both the fermentation and malolactic are carried out in three- to six-year old barriques, and the wine is neither fined nor filtered before bottling, which takes place in the fall after the harvest.” – Peter Liem, Champagneguide.net
Just Arrived:
Ulysse Collin ‘Les Maillons’ Blanc de Noirs Extra Brut, Champagne NV (2016) 750ML ($149.95) $119 special, 24 bottles available
Peter Liem note “Beginning with the 2006 vintage, Collin introduced a second wine, a blanc de noirs from a vineyard called Les Maillons, in the village of Barbonne-Fayel. The soils in this sector are chalk mixed with heavy clay, without the silex found in Vert-Toulon, and these pinot noir vines were planted in 1971.”
Ulysse Collin ‘Les Maillons’ Rose de Saignee Extra Brut, Champagne NV (2016) 750ML ($179.95) $149 special, 12 bottles available
Peter Liem note “This comes from the pinot noir in Les Maillons, macerated for 18 hours and aged in barrel for one year.”
Also In Stock Now from Ulysse Collin:
Ulysse Collin ‘Les Roises’ Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut, Champagne NV (2014) 750ML ($229.95) $189 special, 2 bottles in stock now
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 95 points “The NV Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Les Roises (2014) is based on the 2014 vintage, supplemented by 10% of reserve wines from 2013, and it was disgorged with 2.4 grams per liter dosage in March 2019 after 48 months sur lattes. It’s already quite open and expressive, in keeping with Collin’s other 2014-based releases, bursting from the glass with aromas of crisp Anjou pear, waxy citrus rind, green mango, blanched almonds and pastry cream. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, broad and enveloping, with ripe but racy acids, a deep and crisply fleshy core of fruit and a long, saline finish. This is quite a textural, gourmand and charming rendition of Les Roises, and it’s exquisitely elegant.”
Antonio Galloni 94 points “Collin’s 2014 Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Les Roises is a wonderfully inviting, nuanced Champagne that captures the interplay of richness and freshness that this south-facing site is capable of. Apricot, melon, mint and exotic white flowers meld together in a dense, textured Champagne loaded with class and personality. This release is mostly 2014, with just 10% reserve wines from 2013. Most importantly, Les Roises is all class. Dosage is 2.4 grams per liter. Disgorged: March, 2018.”
“Winemaking as a rule here is as natural and non-interventionist as possible. All fermentation is carried out with indigenous yeasts, which can take a remarkably long time to complete: six to eight months is not at all unusual for Collin, and even when tasting vins clairs in June or July, they are typically still in the middle of their alcoholic fermentations. Both the fermentation and malolactic are carried out in three- to six-year old barriques, and the wine is neither fined nor filtered before bottling, which takes place in the fall after the harvest.” – Peter Liem, Champagneguide.net
Just Arrived:
Ulysse Collin ‘Les Maillons’ Blanc de Noirs Extra Brut, Champagne NV (2016) 750ML ($149.95) $119 special, 24 bottles available
Peter Liem note “Beginning with the 2006 vintage, Collin introduced a second wine, a blanc de noirs from a vineyard called Les Maillons, in the village of Barbonne-Fayel. The soils in this sector are chalk mixed with heavy clay, without the silex found in Vert-Toulon, and these pinot noir vines were planted in 1971.”
Ulysse Collin ‘Les Maillons’ Rose de Saignee Extra Brut, Champagne NV (2016) 750ML ($179.95) $149 special, 12 bottles available
Peter Liem note “This comes from the pinot noir in Les Maillons, macerated for 18 hours and aged in barrel for one year.”
Also In Stock Now from Ulysse Collin:
Ulysse Collin ‘Les Roises’ Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut, Champagne NV (2014) 750ML ($229.95) $189 special, 2 bottles in stock now
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 95 points “The NV Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Les Roises (2014) is based on the 2014 vintage, supplemented by 10% of reserve wines from 2013, and it was disgorged with 2.4 grams per liter dosage in March 2019 after 48 months sur lattes. It’s already quite open and expressive, in keeping with Collin’s other 2014-based releases, bursting from the glass with aromas of crisp Anjou pear, waxy citrus rind, green mango, blanched almonds and pastry cream. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, broad and enveloping, with ripe but racy acids, a deep and crisply fleshy core of fruit and a long, saline finish. This is quite a textural, gourmand and charming rendition of Les Roises, and it’s exquisitely elegant.”
Antonio Galloni 94 points “Collin’s 2014 Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Les Roises is a wonderfully inviting, nuanced Champagne that captures the interplay of richness and freshness that this south-facing site is capable of. Apricot, melon, mint and exotic white flowers meld together in a dense, textured Champagne loaded with class and personality. This release is mostly 2014, with just 10% reserve wines from 2013. Most importantly, Les Roises is all class. Dosage is 2.4 grams per liter. Disgorged: March, 2018.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Winery cellared release!
Ulysse Collin ‘Les Maillons’ Rose de Saignee Extra Brut, Champagne NV (2012) 750ML ($179.95) $149 special, 4 bottles in stock now
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Ulysse Collin ‘Les Maillons’ Rose de Saignee Extra Brut, Champagne NV (2015) 750ML ($179.95) $149 special, 6 bottles in stock now
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 94 points “Derived entirely from the 2015 vintage, the NV Extra Brut Rosé de Saignée Les Maillons (2015) was disgorged in March 2019 after 36 months sur lattes. A serious, gastronomic rosé, this is one of the more reserved of Collin’s 2015-base releases, unwinding in the glass with scents of raspberries, pomegranate, crushed mint, spices, toasted almonds and citrus rind. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, broad and vinous, with a muscular core of fruit girdled by lively acids and fine-grained phenolics, concluding with a long and sapid finish. A wine that rewards reflection, this is another terrific cuvée from Collin, but it will need a year on cork to really show its cards.”
Portland is one of the greatest cities in the country for Champagne, and we offer one of the largest selections of in-stock Champagnes in the city. Shop Tete de Cuvees, Special Clubs, 100% Biodynamic, 100% Pinot blanc, back-vintages, case deals, demi-sec, cult growers, Methusalehs, and more on our web store!
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 94 points “Derived entirely from the 2015 vintage, the NV Extra Brut Rosé de Saignée Les Maillons (2015) was disgorged in March 2019 after 36 months sur lattes. A serious, gastronomic rosé, this is one of the more reserved of Collin’s 2015-base releases, unwinding in the glass with scents of raspberries, pomegranate, crushed mint, spices, toasted almonds and citrus rind. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, broad and vinous, with a muscular core of fruit girdled by lively acids and fine-grained phenolics, concluding with a long and sapid finish. A wine that rewards reflection, this is another terrific cuvée from Collin, but it will need a year on cork to really show its cards.”
Portland is one of the greatest cities in the country for Champagne, and we offer one of the largest selections of in-stock Champagnes in the city. Shop Tete de Cuvees, Special Clubs, 100% Biodynamic, 100% Pinot blanc, back-vintages, case deals, demi-sec, cult growers, Methusalehs, and more on our web store!
Featured New Arrival
Domaine Tempier Rose
Little introduction is needed for Domaine Tempier, our most in-demand rosé. Their pink wine from Bandol is considered to be one of the finest examples of the genre, and the wine that sparked the craze for dry rosé in the United States (thanks largely to Kermit Lynch, Tempier’s importer). We’re excited to finally be able to announce that our allocation of the ’19’s just arrived Prices are up a bit due to tariffs, but the wine remains sui generis and one of the best editions in years.
Just Arrived, In Stock Now:
Domaine Tempier Bandol Rose, Provence 2019 750ML ($59.95) $55 special
Domaine Tempier Bandol Rose, Provence 2019 1.5L ($149.95) $119 special, only two magnums remaining!
Importer Note “The thing about Domaine Tempier’s Bandol rosé is that every time you open a bottle—no matter how many you’ve uncorked in your lifetime—it feels like a special occasion. That peachy-pink hue and iconic label turn any moment into a small celebration. Certainly, Bandol rosé is complex and pedigreed, but make no mistake: it is traditionally an apéritif wine. I like to honor it as such by taking the time to prepare as many salty and spreadable treats as I can scoop up with, or pile on top of, toasty croutons: a briny anchoïade, an earthy tapenade, or a bright and tangy sun-dried tomato purée are all great options. Avoid sticky, creamy cheeses, as they may stand in the wine’s way. The more olive oil, dried herbs, and fresh garlic, the better. Maybe you can find some plump octopus to grill and swipe with aïoli, or dip into a summery pistou. As 2020 continues to challenge us, let’s refuel our tanks with the fruits of one of the better things to happen to America in the last fifty years—Kermit importing Tempier rosé. A reason to celebrate!”
Just Arrived, In Stock Now:
Domaine Tempier Bandol Rose, Provence 2019 750ML ($59.95) $55 special
Domaine Tempier Bandol Rose, Provence 2019 1.5L ($149.95) $119 special, only two magnums remaining!
Importer Note “The thing about Domaine Tempier’s Bandol rosé is that every time you open a bottle—no matter how many you’ve uncorked in your lifetime—it feels like a special occasion. That peachy-pink hue and iconic label turn any moment into a small celebration. Certainly, Bandol rosé is complex and pedigreed, but make no mistake: it is traditionally an apéritif wine. I like to honor it as such by taking the time to prepare as many salty and spreadable treats as I can scoop up with, or pile on top of, toasty croutons: a briny anchoïade, an earthy tapenade, or a bright and tangy sun-dried tomato purée are all great options. Avoid sticky, creamy cheeses, as they may stand in the wine’s way. The more olive oil, dried herbs, and fresh garlic, the better. Maybe you can find some plump octopus to grill and swipe with aïoli, or dip into a summery pistou. As 2020 continues to challenge us, let’s refuel our tanks with the fruits of one of the better things to happen to America in the last fifty years—Kermit importing Tempier rosé. A reason to celebrate!”
Looking for Burlotto?
Don’t Miss Castello di Verduno’s Barolo
While Burlotto’s cru Barolos have skyrocketed in price and scarcity over the last two years, the other major producer in their village, the Castello di Verduno, remains a relative bargain. This is a classically styled producer making wonderful, traditional wines and for the immediate future they’re both available and exceptionally priced. To an Italian from Piemonte, the discrepancy in pricing between Burlotto and the Castello di Verduno would seem fantastical—cases are easily made for both producers as being the top dog in the town—which means that this is a prime buying opportunity for us.
The Castello di Verduno, as you might guess, is a historically important producer of Barolo, located in Verduno, but also owns a cellar and important vineyard property in Barbaresco. The estate is owned by Gabriella Burlotto and Franco Bianco, who have made it a mission to create some of the finest wines in the region. Their holdings are heavily skewed towards great vineyards—Rabaja and Faset in Barbaresco and Monvigliaro in Barolo, meaning their entry level wines show incredible class and purity as well. Everything they do (including the rare Pelaverga) is very traditionally vinified, with aging in older barrels (or stainless) and no new or small-format oak.
These are wines to pay attention to, both for their absolute quality and for the value they represent in a world of increasingly expensive Barolo and Barbaresco.
We just received their 2016 Barolo normale—a stunner that hails from the same neck of the woods as Burlotto, except that we can actually put it on our shelves. We also just received their top value Nebbiolo, Barbera and Pelaverga to put on the shelves, as well.
Just Arrived, In Stock Now:
Castello di Verduno Barolo, Barolo DOCG 2016 750ML ($59.95) $49 special
Antonio Galloni 93 points “The 2016 Barolo is a pretty and accessible mid-weight Barolo that will drink well with minimal cellaring. Sweet pipe tobacco, cedar, mint, dried flowers and crushed berries are all nicely laced together. Understated and gracious, the 2016 offers considerable appeal. Sweet floral and spice notes linger on the expansive, layered finish. This is very nicely done, especially within its peer group.”
The Castello di Verduno, as you might guess, is a historically important producer of Barolo, located in Verduno, but also owns a cellar and important vineyard property in Barbaresco. The estate is owned by Gabriella Burlotto and Franco Bianco, who have made it a mission to create some of the finest wines in the region. Their holdings are heavily skewed towards great vineyards—Rabaja and Faset in Barbaresco and Monvigliaro in Barolo, meaning their entry level wines show incredible class and purity as well. Everything they do (including the rare Pelaverga) is very traditionally vinified, with aging in older barrels (or stainless) and no new or small-format oak.
These are wines to pay attention to, both for their absolute quality and for the value they represent in a world of increasingly expensive Barolo and Barbaresco.
We just received their 2016 Barolo normale—a stunner that hails from the same neck of the woods as Burlotto, except that we can actually put it on our shelves. We also just received their top value Nebbiolo, Barbera and Pelaverga to put on the shelves, as well.
Just Arrived, In Stock Now:
Castello di Verduno Barolo, Barolo DOCG 2016 750ML ($59.95) $49 special
Antonio Galloni 93 points “The 2016 Barolo is a pretty and accessible mid-weight Barolo that will drink well with minimal cellaring. Sweet pipe tobacco, cedar, mint, dried flowers and crushed berries are all nicely laced together. Understated and gracious, the 2016 offers considerable appeal. Sweet floral and spice notes linger on the expansive, layered finish. This is very nicely done, especially within its peer group.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Castello di Verduno Langhe Nebbiolo, Piedmont 2018 750ML ($26.95) $19 special
Importer Note “The Castello di Verduno, owned by Gabriella Burlotto and Franco Bianco, is a beautiful old building at the top of the village of Verduno, on the edge of the Barolo zone. The Castello di Verduno wine label unites two cellars, one under the castle in the Barolo zone and the other near the famous ‘cru’ Rabajà, in the Barbaresco area. Wines are produced in Barbaresco and bottled and stored in Verduno. If you want a preview of Barbaresco without spending $70 or more, or if you just love good, red, lip-smacking wine, try this Nebbiolo. All of the grapes come from the Barbaresco vineyards Faset and Rabajà. The wine shows elegant notes of red fruits, sandalwood, and rose petal. Lamb chops? Roast chicken? I’m making myself hungry.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Castello di Verduno Basadone Pelaverga, Piedmont 2018 750ML ($27.95) $24 special
Importer Note “Pelaverga is indigenous to the village of Verduno, it produces red wines that are light in color but savory and distinctive on the palate. Reminds me a lot of Grignolino, another geeky Piedmontese variety. This one is aged in stainless steel before bottling without filtration. The winery’s website cannot be improved on for a description: ‘Soft, though bright ruby red. Intense fragrant nose, showing clear spicy overtones of black pepper and nutmeg, as well as fruity sensations reminiscent of cherries in spirit and strawberries. Nicely-balanced, lingering dry flavour.’ Great with salumi. I would drink this at cellar temperature.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Other New Arrivals from Barolo:
Giacomo Fenocchio Barolo DOCG, Piedmont 2016 750ML ($49.95) $39 special
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 90 points “This is a hearty and slightly evolved expression. The Giacomo Fenocchio 2016 Barolo offers a broad range of Nebbiolo characteristics with lots of dark fruit followed by spice, tar and tilled earth. That licorice signature is very strong in this wine. The fruit veers toward heavier black and purple fruit tones, with plenty of tar and campfire ash. Instead of sharpness and precision, this Barolo offers a big-picture approach with wide, sweeping flavors.”
Giacomo Fenocchio Barolo Bussia, Barolo DOCG 2016 750ML ($59.95) $55 special
Antonio Galloni 95 points “The 2016 Barolo Bussia is a wine of tremendous character and complexity. Menthol, lavender, black cherry, graphite, cloves and leather all open up in the glass. Virile and layered, with tons of depth, the 2016 Bussia has so much to offer. A few years in the cellar will help the tannins soften, but the 2016 is already quite expressive. It is also one of the very finest wines I have ever tasted from Fenocchio.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Giacomo Fenocchio Barolo Villero, Barolo DOCG 2016 750ML ($69.95) $59 special
Wine Enthusiast 96 points “Cellar Selection. Woodland-berry, new leather, camphor and fragrant blue-flower aromas align in the glass. Showing youthful tension and depth, the palate is still immaturely austere but delivers juicy Marasca cherry, raspberry and licorice alongside firm, refined tannins. Fresh acidity keeps it well balanced. Drink 2024–2041.”
Antonio Galloni 94 points “The 2016 Barolo Villero is a powerful, clenched wine. Then again, that’s Villero. Readers will have to be patient, that much is clear. White pepper, chalk, dried flowers, dried red cherry and mint open up over time, but the 2016 is sinewy and nervous in feel, with just enough fruit to keep things in balance. Hints of sage, tobacco, leather and menthol add the closing touches of complexity.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
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!)
Evening Lands’ Secret Restaurant Pours
We’ve got a rare and unique value offering for you today—two Evening Land wines whose exact (vineyard) origins are unknown, but which represents a fantastic value play. Bottled to be the house Pinot Noir and house Chardonnay for an upscale restaurant group by Evening Land, the famed Willamette producer, the wines are only available to you because the COVID crisis caused the restaurant to default on its commitment to the winery.
What does that mean? It means two wines that were produced and priced to be exceptional glass pours are now available to you at prices that are hard to believe, given their origins. While the winery (and restaurant) are keeping mum about where exactly the fruit for these was sourced, they live up to the expectations we have for an Evening Land wine, especially for the price. They’re made in a more forward, drink-now style than ELV’s other more cellar-oriented releases, so perfect for a quarantine stockpile.
In Stock Now:
Evening Land “Brasserie 19” Chardonnay, Eola-Amity Hills 2016 750ML ($39.95) $21.90 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-12 Evening Land “Brasserie 19” Chardonnay, Eola-Amity Hills 2016 750ML ($419.95) $219 special (that’s only $18.25/bottle!)
What does that mean? It means two wines that were produced and priced to be exceptional glass pours are now available to you at prices that are hard to believe, given their origins. While the winery (and restaurant) are keeping mum about where exactly the fruit for these was sourced, they live up to the expectations we have for an Evening Land wine, especially for the price. They’re made in a more forward, drink-now style than ELV’s other more cellar-oriented releases, so perfect for a quarantine stockpile.
In Stock Now:
Evening Land “Brasserie 19” Chardonnay, Eola-Amity Hills 2016 750ML ($39.95) $21.90 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-12 Evening Land “Brasserie 19” Chardonnay, Eola-Amity Hills 2016 750ML ($419.95) $219 special (that’s only $18.25/bottle!)
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Evening Land “Brasserie 19” Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills 2014 750ML ($29.95) $24 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Case-12 Evening Land “Brasserie 19” Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills 2014 750ML ($419.95) $249 special (that’s only $20.75/bottle!)
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Vinopolis Wine Shop Curbside Pick Up
Don’t want to stop in?
Order Online / By Phone / By Email
When you’re ready to pick up, just park in our lot,
give us a call, & we’ll bring your order to your car.
(If another adult is picking up for you, please let us know
their name when placing your order.)
#503-223-6002
Trending
A wine for all seasons and all meals—AG said it best: “the 2017 is superb value.”
G.D. Vajra Barbera d’Alba, Piedmont 2017 750ML ($24.95) $19.50 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 90 points “The 2017 Barbera d’Alba is a joyous wine that is sure to put a smile on readers’ faces. Pliant, supple and full of character, the 2017 offers superb density and tons of pure deliciousness. Sweet dark cherry, plum, mocha and sweet spice are pushed forward in this engaging, arrestingly beautiful Barbera. Best of all, the 2017 is a superb value.”
Wine Spectator 90 points “This is round, exuding black cherry, blackberry and iron flavors that are deftly integrated with the polished texture. The flavors build to a lengthy conclusion. Drink now through 2024. 2,500 cases made.”
G.D. Vajra Barbera d’Alba, Piedmont 2017 750ML ($24.95) $19.50 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 90 points “The 2017 Barbera d’Alba is a joyous wine that is sure to put a smile on readers’ faces. Pliant, supple and full of character, the 2017 offers superb density and tons of pure deliciousness. Sweet dark cherry, plum, mocha and sweet spice are pushed forward in this engaging, arrestingly beautiful Barbera. Best of all, the 2017 is a superb value.”
Wine Spectator 90 points “This is round, exuding black cherry, blackberry and iron flavors that are deftly integrated with the polished texture. The flavors build to a lengthy conclusion. Drink now through 2024. 2,500 cases made.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
A classic rosé of Burgundy
Domaine Collotte Marsannay Rose, Cote de Nuits 2019 750ML ($24.95) $19 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Importer note “Pinot Noir from clay & limestone soils. Sustainable. Ripe pomegranate, strawberries and raspberries. Medium body.”
VinopolNote: Marsannay is the only village in Burgundy that permits rosé bottled under its AOC. As you might expect, the rosé from the village is outstanding stuff and Domaine Collotte’s offers excellent value (just like their reds, for what that’s worth). Made from 100% Pinot Noir, the Marsannay rosé shows the dry and serious side of the genre, while managing to be delicious and fresh at the same time. If you love Pinot rosé from the Willamette Valley, you owe it to yourself to try the original.
Bosquet’s Gigondas is super user friendly and delicious. Pop and go!
Domaine des Bosquets Gigondas, Rhone 2016 750ML ($31.95) $26 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 92 points “Leading off the wines from bottle, the 2016 Gigondas is a classic wine from this estate, offering a deeper ruby/purple color as well as tons of garrigue, peppery spice, and earth intermixed with ample red and black fruits. Polished, rounded and sexy, with sweet tannin, it has a modern style that won’t appeal to traditionalists yet is beautifully done. The blend is 60% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre, and the rest Cinsault.”
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 92 points “Vivid ruby-red. Lively, expansive red berry, floral pastille and white pepper scents, along with suggestions of garrigue and smoky minerals. Sweet, focused and seamless in the mouth, offering juicy raspberry, spicecake and lavender flavors that deepen steadily on the back half. Clings with very good authority on the gently tannic finish and leaves succulent floral and herb notes behind.”
Joe Czerwinski-Wine Advocate 92 points “Hints of garrigue accent raspberries and Rainier cherries in the 2016 Gigondas. This blend of 60% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre and 5% Cinsault is full-bodied and supple, with no hard edges, just lovely fruit. Long, seamless and delicious for drinking over the next 6-7 years, it’s a terrific introduction to the fruit-forward style at this estate. Tasted twice with consistent notes.”
Domaine Collotte Marsannay Rose, Cote de Nuits 2019 750ML ($24.95) $19 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Importer note “Pinot Noir from clay & limestone soils. Sustainable. Ripe pomegranate, strawberries and raspberries. Medium body.”
VinopolNote: Marsannay is the only village in Burgundy that permits rosé bottled under its AOC. As you might expect, the rosé from the village is outstanding stuff and Domaine Collotte’s offers excellent value (just like their reds, for what that’s worth). Made from 100% Pinot Noir, the Marsannay rosé shows the dry and serious side of the genre, while managing to be delicious and fresh at the same time. If you love Pinot rosé from the Willamette Valley, you owe it to yourself to try the original.
Bosquet’s Gigondas is super user friendly and delicious. Pop and go!
Domaine des Bosquets Gigondas, Rhone 2016 750ML ($31.95) $26 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 92 points “Leading off the wines from bottle, the 2016 Gigondas is a classic wine from this estate, offering a deeper ruby/purple color as well as tons of garrigue, peppery spice, and earth intermixed with ample red and black fruits. Polished, rounded and sexy, with sweet tannin, it has a modern style that won’t appeal to traditionalists yet is beautifully done. The blend is 60% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre, and the rest Cinsault.”
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 92 points “Vivid ruby-red. Lively, expansive red berry, floral pastille and white pepper scents, along with suggestions of garrigue and smoky minerals. Sweet, focused and seamless in the mouth, offering juicy raspberry, spicecake and lavender flavors that deepen steadily on the back half. Clings with very good authority on the gently tannic finish and leaves succulent floral and herb notes behind.”
Joe Czerwinski-Wine Advocate 92 points “Hints of garrigue accent raspberries and Rainier cherries in the 2016 Gigondas. This blend of 60% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre and 5% Cinsault is full-bodied and supple, with no hard edges, just lovely fruit. Long, seamless and delicious for drinking over the next 6-7 years, it’s a terrific introduction to the fruit-forward style at this estate. Tasted twice with consistent notes.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
A serious Albarino worth cellaring
Bodegas Nanclares ‘Soverribas de Nanclares’, Rias Baixas 2018 750ML ($49.95) $45 special, 35 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutierrez – Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2018 Soverribas is a single-vineyard Albariño from a plot in Meaño on sandy granite soils. The grapes fermented with indigenous yeasts in a 2,200-liter oak vat from 2004 (so, already very neutral). This is a bit of a chameleonic wine that needs time in bottle and can often be confusing when drunk very young. This is austere and mineral, and it might be a good idea to decant this in advance if you are going to pull the cork any time soon. There are notes of wet granite, white flowers. This is a long-distance runner. This also transcends its price level. Amazingly enough, this wine was rejected by the appellation of origin! 2,669 bottles and 40 magnums produced.”
Importer note “Soverribas Albariño comes from a single, southwest-facing parcel named Paraje Manzaniña, located in the parroquia of Padrenda (Meaño). After a wet and cool spring and summer, it turned dry and hot in August, with hand-harvesting on Sept. 10th through Oct. 6th. Grapes were pressed whole-cluster and fermented and raised on the lees in an old 2,200L French oak tina for 11 months with battonage for the first 3 months, bottled on Aug. 21st (fruit day) without fining or filtration, and modest amounts of SO2. An angular and serious vin de garde Rías Baixas wine. Decant before serving.”
The Rebel of Galicia
Guimaro’s Mencia Stands Out
Pedro Rodriguez is probably the foremost producer of Mencia in the world. His estate, Guimaro (meaning “rebel” in Galician), in Ribeira Sacra produces wines that exemplify why wine geeks love the region. From steep slate vineyards, the wines are reminiscent of Burgundy in their balance, but with a distinct minerality and flavor profile that’s entirely Galician.
Ribeira Sacra, Rodriguez’ home, is a cool climate region through and through. The closest analogue to the vineyards might be the Mosel, in Germany, as both have extremely steep slate vineyards that make you wonder who would think it would be reasonable to farm them. The best wines from here are lean and taut, but with enough fruit to give the structure definition and detail. Guimaro is clearly at the top of the heap and it’s always a treat to be able to offer their top wines, even if in small quantities.
In Stock Now
Guimaro Finca Capelinos, Ribeira Sacra 2017 750ML ($79.95) $69 special, 4 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 96+ points “There are no single vineyards bottled in 2016, as the grapes were destroyed by hail, so I tasted the 2017 Finca Capeliños. They used 65% full clusters in 2017 and a shorter maceration than in other years, perhaps because the very short growing season (the grapes were harvested earlier than ever) delivered less ripe seeds and stems, so that a longer maceration would have extracted harsher tannins. The dry and warm year was saved by some rain just before the harvest that allowed the grapes to develop flavors and aromas, because they were not present before. The result is very impressive. This is always the most elegant from the single-plot bottlings; the extremely old vineyard seems to provide an extra degree of nuance, and the grapes are nicely balanced, maintaining the acidity to provide the wine with freshness. 2017 is a warm year with powerful wines, a little in the style of 2015, but I see a tad more elegance and better balance here. There is power and concentration, with ripeness that is not noticed (there’s 14% alcohol). It has plenty of fine-grained tannins that would benefit from some time in bottle. It should develop effortlessly for a decade. A great Capeliños. 800 bottles produced.”
Importer Note “Finca Capeliños is a single 0.6 hectare southwest-facing plot of very old Mencía vines at the foot of the Amandi slope. The grapes are hand-harvested, foot-trodden with 40% whole cluster, and fermented in open-top foudre with a long maceration. The wine is raised for 12-14 months in mostly used Burgundy barrels, and bottled without fining or filtration. Capeliños exhibits classic Ribeira Sacra traits of bramble fruits, rose petals, and deep spicy qualities woven into a beautifully structured and elegant wine.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Guimaro Finca Pombeiras, Ribeira Sacra 2017 750ML ($79.95) $69 special, 6 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 95+ points “There was no 2016 as the vineyards were hit by a terrible hailstorm the 15th of August 2016, so I only tasted the 2017 Finca Pombeiras. This is always more powerful and has a little more tannin than Finca Capeliños. This is from a south-facing plot on mainly schist soils (but there’s also a little granite), and it was fermented with 100% full clusters, which usually lends to a more powerful wine. In 2017, the character of the vineyard clearly comes through. It’s always a wine that takes longer than Capeliños to open up. They have been fine-tuning these single-plot wines, especially after 2013; they’ve been harvesting earlier, trying to get more freshness and improve the drinkability of the wines. This is still extremely young, primary and undeveloped and should blossom with one more year in bottle, but it’s not harsh at all and could be enjoyed young with powerful food. Some 800 bottles produced.”
Importer Note “Finca Pombeiras is a single 0.45 hectare south-facing plot of old Mencía vines. The grapes are hand-harvested, foot-trodden with 100% whole cluster, and fermented in open-top foudre with a long maceration. The wine is raised for 8-10 months in used 500 liter French oak barrels, and bottled without fining or filtration. This is the adega’s only cuvée fermented entirely with whole clusters, and is markedly more umami, savory, and earthy in comparison to the other single vineyard cuvées.”
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 95+ points “There was no 2016 as the vineyards were hit by a terrible hailstorm the 15th of August 2016, so I only tasted the 2017 Finca Pombeiras. This is always more powerful and has a little more tannin than Finca Capeliños. This is from a south-facing plot on mainly schist soils (but there’s also a little granite), and it was fermented with 100% full clusters, which usually lends to a more powerful wine. In 2017, the character of the vineyard clearly comes through. It’s always a wine that takes longer than Capeliños to open up. They have been fine-tuning these single-plot wines, especially after 2013; they’ve been harvesting earlier, trying to get more freshness and improve the drinkability of the wines. This is still extremely young, primary and undeveloped and should blossom with one more year in bottle, but it’s not harsh at all and could be enjoyed young with powerful food. Some 800 bottles produced.”
Importer Note “Finca Pombeiras is a single 0.45 hectare south-facing plot of old Mencía vines. The grapes are hand-harvested, foot-trodden with 100% whole cluster, and fermented in open-top foudre with a long maceration. The wine is raised for 8-10 months in used 500 liter French oak barrels, and bottled without fining or filtration. This is the adega’s only cuvée fermented entirely with whole clusters, and is markedly more umami, savory, and earthy in comparison to the other single vineyard cuvées.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Guimaro A Ponte, Ribeira Sacra 2017 750ML ($69.95) $54.50 special, 12 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 93+ points “The red 2017 A Ponte is a blend of equal parts of Mencía, Caíño, Merenzao, Brancellao and Souson from a vineyard planted in 2010. The full clusters fermented in a wooden vat with a maceration of 35 days (shorter than the average). I really like the nuance and complexity provided by the varietal blend, and the wine feels quite complete and harmonious, clean and balanced, with no traces of oak, very pure and more on the elegant side even if it has more concentration than the initial 2015. This is only the second vintage—they couldn’t produce it in 2016 since the vineyard was basically destroyed by a terrible hailstorm that even killed some 12% of the plants in the summer that year. This is going to be a reference in Ribeira Sacra, a clear indication of how the blend of grapes can provide an extra dimension. 3,500 bottles produced. It was bottled in September 2018.”
Importer Note “A Ponte is a new cuvée (2015 is the inaugural vintage) from a young plot planted above Finca Meixeman, comprised of Mencia, Sousón, Brancellao, Merenzao and Caiño grown on granite, slate and sand. Grapes are hand-harvested, fermented whole-cluster in tank with 50 days maceration, then raised in eight used Burgundy barrels for around 14 months. The finished wine was bottled without fining or filtration.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Guimaro Finca Meixeman, Ribeira Sacra 2017 750ML ($54.95) $49 special, 24 bottles in stock now
Importer Note “Finca Meixeman is a single 1.2 hectare southeast-facing plot of old Mencía vines. This is the original family-owned vineyard that helped create their adega. The grapes are hand-harvested, foot-trodden with 40% whole cluster, and fermented in open-top foudre with a long maceration. The wine is raised for 12-14 months in mostly used Burgundy barrels, and bottled without fining or filtration. With a core of kirsch-like red fruit, spices, and minerals, this is a serious wine to pair with wild game, offal, braises, stews, roasted or grilled meats.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Guimaro Camino Real, Ribeira Sacra 2017 750ML ($37.95) $29 special, 32 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2017 Camiño Real now contains all the plots that they intended to include in the initial 2016 but couldn’t because many vineyards in the Amandi zone were destroyed by a terrible hailstorm on August 15th that year. It fermented with 80% full clusters and the rest uncrushed grapes in oak vats with a maceration of 35 days and matured in those vats for seven to eight months. Half of the wine was then moved to barrique and was kept there for five months, while the rest continued maturing in the 10,000-liter vat. The wine has notes of wild berries, flowers and herbs, with good complexity and a medium-bodied palate with fine-grained tannins. It has more complexity and depth than the young, unoaked wine and the single-vineyard bottlings. It has a nice mouthfeel and is quite approachable, a round and somewhat immediate vintage. 25,000 bottles.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Collector’s Corner:
A Slew of Older, Rare Champagne
A Slew of Older, Rare Champagne
Among true aficionados of Champagne Piper is best known for their top end “Rare” bottlings—wines with astounding complexity, depth and nuance that are among the most coveted in Champagne.
Only four bottles available
Piper-Heidsieck Rare Brut Millesime, Champagne 2002 750ML ($199.95) $169 special
Wine Spectator 97 points “Impeccably balanced and silky, with finely honed acidity shaping the expansive flavors of toasted brioche, crushed blackberry, lemon preserves and honey, revealing hints of Frangelico liqueur and smoked nut. Rich and vivid, with a lasting finish. Drink now through 2027. 2,500 cases made.”
Jeb Dunnuck 97 points “A gorgeous wine that’s a legend in the making, the 2002 Rare Brut is a blend of 70% Chardonnay and 30% Pinot Noir, with just under 10 grams of dosage. Offering incredible notes of stone fruits, brioche, white flowers, and hints of toasted nuts, this flat out awesome wine is concentrated and opulent, yet still dances on the palate with vibrant acidity and great, great finish. It’s going to drink beautifully for another two to three decades. Bravo! This cuvee has only been made in 1976, 1979, 1985, 1988, 1990, 1998, 1999, 2002, and in 2007.”
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 95 points “The pale gold, greenish shimmering 2002 Rare Millesime – 30% Pinot Noir and 70% Chardonnay – offers a very intense and rich, yet fresh nose of exotic fruit aromas of pineapples, mango, kiwi and passion fruit. On the palate, this is a mouthful of luscious Champagne: powerful and intense, but pure and with the complexity of matured wines. The finish is very exotic in its fruit aromas, but also persistently mineral.”
Decanter 95 points “Looks like becoming another legendary Piper in the same style and league as 1988, ’76 and ’55. Already focused and concentrated. Tough acids might scare some but sublime coffee and biscuity complexity is building up slowly. Sensual wine for all occasions.”
Taittinger Comtes Rose is one of those nearly impossible-to-find wines, especially with some bottle age. To secure six magnums of the ’00? Well, we’re the only source in the USA.
Only six magnums available
Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Brut Rose, Champagne 2000 1.5L ($1199.95) $899 special
Stephen Tanzer 93 points “Light pink. Spicy strawberry, redcurrant, blood orange and minerals on the nose, plus a hint of jasmine. Nervy, focused and light on its feet, with fresh red fruit and tangerine flavors underpinned by juicy acidity. The racy finish offers excellent lift and a lingering minerality. A rose of elegance more than power.”
This is the only listing for a magnum in the USA today!
De Venoge is one of the more overlooked old-school Champagne houses, a fact that means even their finest and rarest wines continue to be undervalued relative to their peers. Case in point? The Louis XV bottlings, which are held back on the lees for exceedingly long periods of time and true monuments of vintage bubbly.
De Venoge Louis XV Brut Millesime, Champagne 1996 750ML ($219.95) $189 special
James Suckling 96 points “This is really complex, old Champagne with puff-pastry, dried-apple, spice and salted-nut aromas and flavors. Full body. Ultra fine bubbles with an extremely fine and creamy mouth feel. Extreme edge to it. This spent 21 years on the lees. Disgorged in 2018. Every year they disgorge 3,000 bottles”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
De Venoge Louis XV Brut Millesime, Champagne 2008 750ML ($299.95) $249 special
James Suckling 95 points “This is really punchy and broad-shouldered with muscular structure and citrusy undertones. Full body. Lightly tannic and a fresh and vivid finish. This is the first vintage without malolactic fermentation ever. One for the cellar. Better in 2022.”
Wine Advocate 93+ points “The straw-yellow/white-golden colored 2008 Louis XV Brut Millésimé blends 50% Chardonnay (20 % from Avize, 15% from Oger and 15% from Mesnil) with 50% Pinot Noir (41.5% from Verzenay and 8.5% from Bouzy). Disgorged in January 2018 with a dosage of six grams per liter, the 2008 displays a clear, pure, fresh, chalky-tinged and vinous nose with lemon, white fruits, brioche, hazelnuts, white blossoms and some caramel notes. Pure, lean, fresh and elegant on the palate, with a lingering hazelnut flavor, this is a straight yet complex cuvée with grip and a long, well-structured and textured finish. This 2008 is still terribly fresh and should benefit from further bottle aging. For the moment, I am missing the mouth-filling generosity of the 2006 and 1995. Mind that this is the first vintage of de Venoge’s prestigious Louis XV where the base wines didn’t undergo malolactic fermentation! Total production: 10,326 bottles. Tasted October 2018.”
James Suckling 95 points “This is really punchy and broad-shouldered with muscular structure and citrusy undertones. Full body. Lightly tannic and a fresh and vivid finish. This is the first vintage without malolactic fermentation ever. One for the cellar. Better in 2022.”
Wine Advocate 93+ points “The straw-yellow/white-golden colored 2008 Louis XV Brut Millésimé blends 50% Chardonnay (20 % from Avize, 15% from Oger and 15% from Mesnil) with 50% Pinot Noir (41.5% from Verzenay and 8.5% from Bouzy). Disgorged in January 2018 with a dosage of six grams per liter, the 2008 displays a clear, pure, fresh, chalky-tinged and vinous nose with lemon, white fruits, brioche, hazelnuts, white blossoms and some caramel notes. Pure, lean, fresh and elegant on the palate, with a lingering hazelnut flavor, this is a straight yet complex cuvée with grip and a long, well-structured and textured finish. This 2008 is still terribly fresh and should benefit from further bottle aging. For the moment, I am missing the mouth-filling generosity of the 2006 and 1995. Mind that this is the first vintage of de Venoge’s prestigious Louis XV where the base wines didn’t undergo malolactic fermentation! Total production: 10,326 bottles. Tasted October 2018.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
What needs to be said about Grand Siecle, especially from a vintage like 1990? One of the hallmark bottlings out there from one of the grandest vintages of the decade.
Only three bottles available
Laurent Perrier Grand Siecle Cuvee Millenaire, Champagne 1990 750ML ($599.95) $499 special
Stephen Tanzer 94 points ” Medium orange-gold color. Musky, wild aromas of strawberry, raspberry, smoke and earth; rather pinot noir-like and expressive of its soil. Rich, ripe and dense with material but not at all heavy; red berry flavors offer a compellingly tangy quality. Very concentrated and still very young. Finishes with superb lift and length.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Even the most “picky” houses declare 5-6 vintages a decade, but Heidsieck will only release this wine under the most perfect of circumstances (the last vintage released was the epic 1995). The resulting wine is powerful, intense but beyond elegant, as only Chardonnay given extended lees aging can provide
Charles Heidsieck Blanc des Millenaires, Champagne 2004 750ML ($199.95) $169 special
Decanter 98 points – World Wine Awards 2019 “This Blanc de Blancs Champagne is a bright morning gold in colour, with fine-seamed bubbles and rich, expressive and expansive aromas. Beaten cream, pounded hazels, a hint of baking apples, brioche fresh from the oven. But all these notes are drawn with great subtlety, underscoring the fruit quality of the Chardonnay vineyards used in this blend. On the palate, the wine retains all that aromatic grace and amplitude, marrying it to a shapely fruit presence, vibrant though now well-rounded acidity and textural charm, too. A head-turner. Drink 2019-2028.”
Wine Advocate 95 points “Disgorged in November 2017 after 13 years on the lees, the stunning 2004 Blanc des Millénaires is a worthy successor to the 1995. Unfurling in the glass with aromas of green apple, pear, brioche and fresh pastry that are framed by a lovely smoky, autolytic top note, the wine is full-bodied, ample and concentrated, with ripe acids, superb depth at the core and a textural, vinous quality while remaining very classical in profile. The finish is long and expansive. A blend of Chardonnay from Cramant, Avize, Oger, Mesnil-sur-Oger and Vertus, it saw nine grams per liter dosage. This is a terrific blanc de blancs from Charles Heidsieck that has a long and glorious future ahead of it. Sadly, the price of this cuvée has finally caught up with the quality.”
Wine Spectator 95 points “A seamless Champagne, showing a texture of raw silk, this weaves vibrant acidity with an expressive range of glazed apple and poached white cherry fruit flavors, with pickled ginger and saffron spice details and rich notes of pastry cream, toast and coffee liqueur. More about finesse than power, this is long and creamy on the mineral-tinged finish. Drink now through 2028. [Reviewed Dec 2018]”
[Disgorgement dates may vary from reviews]
Thanks for reading!