New Reviews for Spottswoode & Krug; Freemark Abbey – Winery-Cellared & New Releases; New Wine Spectator Reviews for Chateauneuf du Pape Wines; 2013 First Look Barbaresco & New Releases from Cascina delle Rose; Bongran Magnum Sale; Wonders from Washington: Reynvaan, Gramercy, K Vintners & more!; Exploring Burgundy: Nuits-Saint-Georges; Outstand Release from Crowley: 2014 Four Winds Chard; Great Ganevat – Diverse Selection Arriving September 16th; DuMOL – California RRV Classic: Arriving Mid-September; Von Winning – New Scores / Arriving Fall 2016; Breaking News – 2009 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Arriving Tuesday
Spottswoode Scores
Stellar New Wine Advocate Reviews
Back to Back Vintages / Back to Back 99 points
When Robert Parker remarks that Spottswoode is “truly a Napa first-growth estate,” any serious Napa connoisseur will take note. Purchased by the Novak family in 1982 and meticulously run by them ever since, Spottswoode has risen from great to stellar. Part of their success rests on the ancient river bed soil, a mix of clay, loam, and gravel that composes the estate’s 37-acre monopoly vineyard. Organic farming over the last thirty years has allowed the vines to thrive, and the mesoclimate around St. Helena is world-known for its first-class quality. Furthermore, Spottswoode has found one talented winemaker after another over the decades.
All of these factors, and more, combine to raise Spottswoode above the average Napa winery, putting them in the A class. This, of course, means that Spottswoode can be hard to come by, not to mention spendy. But the savvy collector knows to jump on a good Spottswoode offer when one appears. And here’s a chance. We’ve got the 2012 and 2013 Spottswoode Cabernet (both 99-point Parker wines, by the way) at prices designed to help fill cellars with some of California’s finest wine.
Just Arrived: 2013 Spottswoode:
Spottswoode Family Estate Grown Cabernet Sauvignon, St. Helena 2013 750ML ($219.95) $179 special
Robert Parker 99+ points “Yields continued to increase in 2013, with just over 4,000 cases of wine from a blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot. This is another killer effort from Spottswoode. Inky bluish purple to the rim, it has hints of violets intermixed with sweet foresty notes, blackcurrants, chocolate and a touch of subtle smoke and earth. It is dense, with higher acidity and more noticeable structure than the 2012, but is as concentrated, dense and promising. Some patience is warranted in 2013, and I would suggest waiting another 5-6 years before pulling the cork on one. It is a 50-year wine at the very minimum and a great classic.”
Available Here Now: 2012 Spottswoode:
Spottswoode Family Estate Grown Cabernet Sauvignon, St. Helena 2012 750ML ($219.95) $199 special
Robert Parker 99 points “With the lowest percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon in of any of the wines from this vertical, the 2012 final blend was 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. Production across the board in 2012 was high, and reflected in the 3,977 cases made at Spottswoode. This is a dramatic, flamboyant, modern-day version of the 2002. Dramatic blueberry, black raspberry and blackcurrant fruit, along with camphor, charcoal, white flowers and foresty notes all emerge from the impressive aromatics that soar from the glass. The intense, explosively rich, full-bodied palate is layered with beautiful purity, stunningly sweet, silky tannins and terrific presence and complexity. This is a gorgeous wine on a relatively fast evolutionary track, I suspect, but certainly it has 30 years of upside left.”
Krug Still King – New Wine Spectator Review
Near Perfection from the Clos du Mesnil
Krug Clos du Mesnil Blanc de Blancs Brut, Champagne 2002 750ML ($999.95) $899 pre-arrival special, 4 bottles available, ETA September 2016
Wine Spectator 98 points “A lovely, lacy Champagne, with ripe apricot, fennel seed and espresso aromas. This caresses the palate with a finely detailed mousse and expansive flavors of pineapple pate de fruit, toasted brioche, fleur de sel and grated ginger. Long and chalky on the finish, this is a prima ballerina, showing power cloaked in grace. Disgorged wine 2015. Drink now through 2032.”
Newly Arrived Freemark Abbey
130 Year of Classic Cali Wine
Winery-Cellared & New Releases
Freemark Abbey Chardonnay, Napa Valley 2014 750ML ($27.95) $21.90 special
Case-12 Freemark Abbey Chardonnay, Napa Valley 2014 750ML ($299.95) $239 special (that’s only $19.92/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Robert Parker 91 points “The 2014 Chardonnay is a non-malolactic 100% Chardonnay that’s 45% barrel-fermented. The wine is sensational. There are nearly 10,000 cases of this wine, which shows loads of white peach, honeysuckle, green apple and melon notes in a distinctive, clean, steely Chablis-like style. There is some tropical fruit, such as pineapple, but the overall character is one of great acid, medium to full-bodied mouthfeel, and no real oak influence. Drink it over the next 4-5 years.”
Freemark Abbey Merlot, Napa Valley 2013 750ML ($29.95) $24 special
Case-12 Freemark Abbey Merlot, Napa Valley 2013 750ML ($319.95) $256 special (that’s only $21.33/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Winery note “The dominant flavor of this rich and smooth Merlot is black cherry, with nuances of milk chocolate, integrated spicy oak and arugula. Great balance of fruit, body, tannin and acidity. The depth and richness of flavor provide a smooth profile that delivers from the initial sip and continues on the palate for a long beautiful finish.”
“I tasted two Merlots from Freemark Abbey. The 2013 Merlot Napa, which comes from multiple sources, is their biggest cuvée (89.1% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec aged almost 16 months in oak). A deep ruby color, with notes of mocha, white chocolate, black cherry and dried herbs, the wine is medium-bodied, shows loads of supple, lush fruit, easygoing soft tannin and a round juiciness. Isn’t this exactly what buyers of Merlot are looking for?”–Robert Parker
Freemark Abbey Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, California 2012 750ML ($37.95) $31.90 special
Case-12 Freemark Abbey Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, California 2012 750ML ($399.95) $333 special (that’s only $27.75/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Robert Parker 93 points ‘An absolutely fabulous value is the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa. This comes from multiple sources and there are 46,000+ cases of it. A stunning Cabernet Sauvignon and a classic example of Napa viticulture, this blend of 75.5% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec, was aged just over two years in oak. Loads of sweet blackcurrant fruit, cocoa, a touch of toast, earth, and baking spice are all present in this wine that has terrific fruit on the attack and mid-palate, a full-bodied mouthfeel, no hard edges and a luscious, opulent, gorgeously pure style. Drink it over the next 10-15 years. Although I wouldn’t be surprised to see it last longer. For old-time reader/subscribers, this might be the modern-day equivalent of the great 1974 Souverain Vintage Selection that I recommended back in the late 1970s and is still going strong today.”
Freemark Abbey Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon, California 2012 750ML ($89.95) $69 special
James Suckling 93 points “The blueberry, walnut, shiitake mushroom and stone aromas are impressive. Full body, chewy tannins and a solid core of fruit. Needs two or three years to resolve the tannins but excellent. Try in 2018”
Freemark Abbey ‘Sycamore’ Cabernet Sauvignon, Rutherford 2004 750ML ($119.95) $89 special
Wine Enthusiast 95 points “A real success story for this hot vintage. Feels gracious and generous in the mouth, offering complex, fat flavors of blackberries, cherries, raspberries, mocha and cedar that turn spicy on the finish. The tannins are elaborately ripe and fine.”
Wine Advocate 93 points “Kudos to winemaker Ted Edwards. Lastly, the 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon Sycamore Vineyard, which is just to the south of Bosche, is 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc, from the gravelly, clay and loamy soils of this area. It, too, was aged 24 months in French oak and seems dense, full-bodied, powerful and backward as well. Most of the 2004s are far more open than this cuvee and the Bosche, but there is plenty of ripe fruit, moderate tannin and a deep black currant, blackberry, smoky sweetness, with a full, voluminous mouth texture. Give this one another 2-3 years of bottle age and drink it over the following 15-20.” WA
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
2013 Chateauneuf du Pape
Triple 93 point scores from Wine Spectator
for this delightfully precocious vintage
Domaine Charvin Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2013 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 36+ bottles available
Case-12 Domaine Charvin Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2013 750ML ($599.95) $499 special, 2 cases available (that’s only $41.58/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Wine Spectator 93 points “Solid, with an alder and juniper spine driving through the core of steeped plum, blackberry and red currant fruit. Lots of tobacco notes smolder on the finish. Best from 2017 through 2028.”
Domaine de Ferrand Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2013 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 36+ bottles available
Wine Spectator 93 points “Solid, with an ample core of plum cake, raspberry preserves and red licorice flavors, backed by sweet toast and warm fruitcake accents. Sappy grip on the finish. Best from 2018-2028.”
Domaine Raymond Usseglio & Fils Chateauneuf-du-Pape Cuvee Imperiale 2013 750ML ($79.95) $39.90 special, 36 + bottles available
Wine Spectator 93 points “A big ball of currant paste, raspberry preserves and cherry reduction. There’s ample anise, roasted alder and tobacco notes in the background. Best from 2018 through 2028.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
“Regal Classicism”
New Arrivals from Cascina delle Rose
Our first look at 2013 Barbaresco
The small, 3 hectare Cascina delle Rose estate has been family run since 1948. From the clayey soils of the Rio Sordo Valley and the calcareous soils of the Tre Selle vineyard, the family produces elegant and perfumed wines. The steep hillside vineyards are hand harvested and the wines are aged in old large botti after a natural fermentation.
Cascina delle Rose Donna Elena Barbera d’Alba Superiore, Piedmont 2013 750ML ($31.95) $28 special
Cascina delle Rose Barbera d’Alba, Piedmont 2014 750ML ($24.95) $21.90 special
Cascina delle Rose Dolcetto d’Alba ‘Elizabeth’ 2015 750ML ($21.95) $18 special
Cascina delle Rose Nebbiolo Langhe, Piedmont 2015 750ML ($29.95) $26 special
Cascina delle Rose Barbaresco Rio Sordo, Barbaresco DOCG 2013 750ML ($69.95) $59 special
Cascina delle Rose Barbaresco Rio Sordo, Barbaresco DOCG 2013 1.5L ($149.95) $119 special
Cascina delle Rose Tre Stelle, Barbaresco DOCG 2013 750ML ($59.95) $49 special
Cascina delle Rose Tre Stelle, Barbaresco DOCG 2013 1.5L ($149.95) $119 special
Cascina delle Rose Tre Stelle, Barbaresco DOCG 2013 3L ($299.95) $249 special
2013 Barbaresco alert: While the wine by wine reviews remain unpublished, 2013 is no doubt a stellar vintage. In a preview article, Antonio Galloni at Vinous Media summed it up in two words- Regal Classicism; and went on to say “… the 2013s – from one of the latest years in recent memory – embody all the qualities that make Nebbiolo one of the world’s most noble grapes; soaring aromatics, pulsating energy, structure, and, most importantly, the rare ability to transmit the essence of site…. Two thousand thirteen…, is shaping up to be an epic vintage of classic proportions and superb pedigree. The growing season was much more stable than 2012, but it is the last month of the year, a perfect September with warm days and cool nights, that yielded Barbarescos endowed with regal intensity. The 2013s remind me of the 2010s, but with more inner sweetness and mid-palate richness. Vinous readers will recall that 2010 was an uneven vintage in Barbaresco. From what I have seen so far, 2013 does not have the austerity nor the inconsistency of 2010. The late October harvest was one of the latest on record. Some of the region’s younger producers told me they had never seen such a late-maturing vintage!”
Under-the-Radar Burgundy
On Sale Now!
Jean Thevenet – Domaine de la Bongran
Before the term ‘natural winemaking’ became popularized, Marcel Lapierre, Pierre Overnoy and Jean Thevenet worked these philosophies as outliers in their respective regions of Beaujolais, Jura and Vire-Clesse in the south of Burgundy. Thevenet only produces one bottling of Vire-Clesse which is held in cellar until he feels the wine is ready. It is a wine that would delight and intrigue those looking to explore Chardonnay’s potential when picked at a greater maturity than typically found in Burgundy. The wines are lush and expressive: high in alcohol, balanced with acidity, full bodied and full of expressive minerality due to the vineyards’ chalky limestone soil.
We’re dropping our prices on three new arrivals in magnum – sale ends Monday, September 5th at midnight
Domaine de la Bongran Vire-Clesse 2005 1.5L ($119.95) Was $99, Now $89, 6 magnums available
Wine Spectator 93 points “Fully mature, this white features caramel, honey, spiced apple and bacon fat flavors. Sinks into the palate, unfolding into a long, expansive aftertaste of spiced apple and caramel. Charming.” 9/2013
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Domaine de la Bongran Vire-Clesse 2009 1.5L ($99.95) Was $79, Now $69, 12 magnums available
Stephen Tanzer–Vinous 91 points “Pale, bright, gold-tinged yellow. Full of life yet youthfully inexpressive on the nose, hinting at dried fruits, grapefruit, menthol and toasted biscuit; this very rich wine seems to be shutting down today. (Gautier Thévenet told me he’s finishing selling this wine now but will probably wait another five years to drink it.). The palate shows very ripe fruits along with smoke and saline nuances, with a hint of marzipan suggesting some evolution. Very rich but edgy wine, perhaps passing through an awkward stage today.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Domaine de la Bongran Vire-Clesse 2010 1.5L ($99.95) Was $79, Now $69, 6 magnums available
Stephen Tanzer–Vinous 92 points “Paler in color than the 2011: light yellow with gold highlights. Sexy aromas of orange, stone fruits and truffle lifted by tangy botrytis tones. Sweet, silky and voluptuous (14.2% alcohol), boasting outstanding concentration and saline minerality. Slowly saturates the palate on the very long, wonderfully harmonious back end. Possesses healthy acidity (4.3 grams per liter) but shows a texture of liquid velvet. This is already accessible but will last for a long time in bottle.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Our sale pricing ends Monday, September 5th
Mid-West, East & South
Summer Shipping Saver
For the summer season we are offering
UPS Three Day Select Service for the price of UPS Ground
for shipments normally travelling 4 or more business days.
Free service upgrade only applies on single orders shipped during the promotional period.
Additional fees will apply to orders held for any reason until after the promotional period
and shipped by Three Day Select.
Offer not valid on pre-arrival items that arrive after the promotional period.
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These rates do not apply to orders held in storage here for any reason.
Multiple orders consolidated into one shipment
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Wonders from Washington
Re-arriving Tuesday, September 6th
Latta Northridge Vineyard Malbec, Wahluke Slope 2011 750ML ($59.95) Was $49, Now $44 pre-arrival special
Wine Advocate 95 points “Rock star stuff, especially in the vintage, the 2011 Malbec Northridge Vineyard gives up classic blackberry, pepper and assorted flowers and spice aromas and flavors to go with a full-bodied, seamless and elegant feel on the palate. Gaining more than one “awesome” in my notes, this should not be missed by any Washington State wine lover. This is a new project by Charles Smith winemaker Andrew Latta, and the wines are awesome across the board. This is one bandwagon to get on. His 2011 Malbec is the best example of the variety I’ve tasted from Washington.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
We offer 66 red wines from Washington State
Explore some of our in-stock best sellers – and most anticipated pre-arrivals – below!
Exploring Burgundy: Nuits-Saint-Georges
Bookending the Côte de Nuits on its southern flank, the vineyards of Nuits-Saint-Georges make a powerful pair with the northern bookend, Gevrey-Chambertin. Nuits wines, like those from Gevrey, are powerful, concentrated, and long-lived. Important differences exist, however. You won’t find any Grand Cru wines from Nuits: the town mayor, Henri Gouges, elected to not single out any of the appellations vineyards for Grand Cru in the 1930s. But some of the Nuits vineyards, like Damodes and Chaignots, count as first-rate Premiers Crus, while Les Saint-Georges often produces Grand Cru-like fruit, all at no-hype prices.
Just as the Côte de Nuits, and the whole Côte d’Or, differ geologically from north to south, so does Nuits-Saint-Georges. On the Vosne border, the soil remains mostly limestone, and the wines, especially Aux Boudots, suggest that prestigious commune’s elegance. Around the busy little town of Nuits, heading south, the soil’s clay content increases, and the wines become sturdier. Farther south, on the road to Beaune, sand and gravel lighten up the clay, and the wines show Nuits’ typical, mineral, full-bodied character at its best: Les Cailles, Poirets/Porrets, Les Saint-Georges. From south of here come gems like the Clos de la Maréchale, exquisitely, and exclusively, crafted by the amazing J.F. Mugnier.
Burgundy would not be the same without Nuits-Saint-Georges, whose wines, like Pommard’s, play tenor to the sopranos of Chambolle and Volnay; nor without Nuits producers like Henri Gouges, Robert Chevillon, Thibault Liger-Belair, and Domaine Faiveley, all of which we offer in a variety of vintages. In the grand scheme of red Burgundy (yes, Nuits does make some white) Nuits-Saint-Georges will always be a key village, one whose wines are consistently overlooked, to the shrewd collector’s benefit.
Village Nuits-Saint-Georges Wines Available Here Now
Robert Chevillon Nuits-Saint-Georges Vieilles Vignes 2011 750ML ($69.95) $49 special, 18 bottles available
Burghound 87-89 points “A discreet touch of wood sets off equally fresh and bright red berry fruit and soft earth aromas that give way to mouth coating, delicious and vibrant medium-bodied flavors that possess good mid-palate concentration, all wrapped in a seductively textured, balanced and solidly persistent finish.”BH
Domaine Henri Gouges Nuits-Saint-Georges 2012 750ML ($69.95) $49 special, 7 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 89-91 points “The 2012 Nuits St. Georges is utterly exquisite. Sweet floral and spice notes lift out of the glass, followed by a host of blue/black fruits, spices, mint and licorice. The flavors are classic Nuits but the villages is surprisingly weightless, aromatic and polished. I especially like the freshness of the finish.” AG
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Louis Jadot Nuits-Saint-Georges 2011 750ML ($52.95) $39 special, 16 bottles available
Burghound 87-89 points “An earthy and quite somber nose of dark berries, underbrush and cassis aromas slides into attractively round and supple flavors that possess good volume before culminating in a delicious if mildly rustic finish. The tannins are ripe and well-integrated and this is a classic Nuits villages in character and style.” BH
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Premier Cru Nuits Saint Georges Wines Available Here Now
Domaine Henri Gouges Les Chaignots, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2010 750ML ($99.95) $89 special, 16 bottles available
John Gilman 92 points “I did not have a chance to really taste the 2010 Chaignots out of barrel in November of 2011, as the wine was quite reduced and in need of a racking at the time of my visit. A year later, I was very happy to revisit the wine out of bottle and see that it was very promising, offering up a youthful and classy bouquet of black cherries, gamebirds, woodsmoke, a beautiful base of soil and a fine topnote of fresh herbs. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and very pure, with laser-like focus, a sappy core of fruit, tangy acids and a very long, suavely tannic and still very closed finish. This will want most of the decade to blossom in bottle, but it is destined to be a great vintage of Chaignots from the Gouges family. 2020-2070.”
Stephen Tanzer 91+ points “Palish red. Redcurrant, cherry, spices, minerals and a whiff of game on the nose. Sweet, silky and fairly deep, offering a fine-grained texture and very good energy and intensity to its red fruit flavors. This juicy, bright premier cru relies as much on its acids as on its tannins for balance and structure. Finishes subtle and long. Half of these vines were replanted in 1986 following the 1985 frost, and so this wine has been getting better and better in recent vintages, noted Gregory Gouges.” ST
Domaine de la Vougeraie Les Damodes, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2011 750ML ($119.95) $69 special, 24 bottles available
Burghound 90-93 points “Here the wood treatment is more obvious though still relatively modest as it allows the ripe, earth and appealingly spicy red currant, plum, violet and rose petal aromas to shine. I very much like the mouth feel of the distinctly mineral-tinged medium-bodied flavors that possess outstanding complexity while concluding in a tension-filled and impressively persistent finish. The balance of structural elements is perfect and this should age effortlessly for up to a decade.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Jacques-Frederic Mugnier Clos de la Marechale, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2011 750ML ($109.95) $89 special, 31 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 91+ points “Plums, tobacco and smoke are some of the notes that inform the 2011 Nuits-Saint-Georges Clos de La Maréchale. Underlying veins of graphite and minerals give the 2011 much of its energy. I very much like the sense of contrasts here. At times, the Clos de La Maréchale is wild, while at others it oozes with polish and sophistication. Clos de La Maréchale remains the hidden jewel in Mugnier’s range. Because of its relatively large production, it can often be found in the market at a reasonable price without too much effort.”
Stephen Tanzer –Vinous 91+? points “Good bright, dark red. Very rich, chocolatey nose. Rich and ripe but at the same time saline and classically dry; much more backward than the Fuees. Slightly disjointed today, with a candied quality juxtaposed with fresh herbs and a menthol reserve. Finishes with substantial tannins that call for patience. Less pliant than the Chambolle bottlings here.”
Burghound 90-92 points “A pure and appealingly fresh nose of relatively elegant red berry fruit is liberally laced with earth and spice hints. There is a lilting mouth feel to the energetic, intense and equally pure medium-bodied flavors that possess plenty of that beguiling sense of underlying tension that makes wines like this so refreshing. There isn’t the class of the Fuées but this is really very good plus I very much like the balance and harmony of the firm and lingering finish.” BH
Thibault Liger-Belair Les Saint-Georges, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2012 750ML ($179.95) $159 special, 13 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 92-95 points “(just 11 barrels produced from two hectares in 2012; vinified with 20% whole clusters and aging in 45% new oak): Good deep red. Slightly reduced aromas of black and red fruits, leather and minerals. Dense and thick, with terrific sappy intensity and complex soil character. At another level of complexity in the way it combines deeply pitched earth tones and high-pitched flowers and minerals. Wonderfully tactile wine with an explosive finish. This was the last to finish its malolactic fermentation, at the end of September. Liger-Belair is one of the leaders of an ongoing effort to have this vineyard elevated to grand cru status, and this wine could make his point.” ST
Domaine Faiveley Les Saint-Georges, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2008 750ML ($129.95) $99 special, 36+ bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 92-94 points & Burghound 91-93 points “Palish medium red. Medicinal red cherry, minerals, crushed stone, violet, rose petal and white pepper on the noble nose. Wonderfully silky and pure, with ineffable flavors of red fruits, spices, flowers and minerals. This is wonderfully delicate, and not a fleshy wine, yet saturates every square millimeter of the palate with flavor. The long, sweet, rising finish offers terrific cut and floral lift. Should make a worthy successor to the outstanding 2007, which also transcends its village. Hervet says that this will be bottled by hand, without filtration.”ST
Domaine Faiveley Les Saint-Georges, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2000 750ML ($149.95) $119 special, 5 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer–Vinous 88-90 points “Deep red. Fresh aromas of cassis, minerals and leather. Dense, chewy and rather powerful, with bright, distinctly cool flavors but plenty of fat. Rather suave wine, finishing with ripe tannins and a sneaky persistence.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Louis Jadot Les Boudots, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2011 750ML ($99.95) $69 special, 17 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 91 (+?) points “Medium red. Brooding aromas of dark fruits, mint and menthol. Rich and deep on the palate, with spicy red fruit flavors lifted by a note of orange peel. Finishes with substantial dusty tannins and juicy persistence.” ST
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Robert Chevillon Les Cailles, Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru 2011 750ML ($139.95) $99 special, 25 bottles available
Burghound 92-94 points “As complex as the Pruliers is, the Les Cailles ratchets it up yet another notch with its spicy and pure blend of cassis, plum, violet and distinct iron-infused earth. There is excellent richness to the cool and equally pure medium-bodied flavors that possess excellent focus on the explosively long finish. The tannins are dense but quite fine and this offers outstanding upside development potential.” BH
Crowley Four Winds Chardonnay
Arriving September 9th
Crowley Four Winds Vineyard Chardonnay, Willamette Valley 2014 750ML ($44.95) $39 pre-arrival special
Winery note “Four Winds is an ideal vineyard site for the fresh, acid driven and austere Chardonnay that we aspire to make. Located high in the foothills of the McMinnville Coast Range, these 20 year old Wente clone vines deliver pristine Chardonnay with personality and restrained elegance.”
VinopolNote “Outstanding! Aged on the lees with no stirring for 20 months in two neutral barrels and one second fill barrel. 100% Wente clone.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Great Ganevat
Arriving September 16th
Between Burgundy and the border of Switzerland in eastern France is the obscure and intriguing wine producing region of the Jura. Vineyards are mostly planted along the lower-lying western section of the Jura Mountains facing south to maximize sun exposure. The soil throughout the Jura is composed of Jurassic limestone and marlstone, similar to Chablis and the upper Loire, and was named for the Jura Mountains. The summers in the region are warm and dry and the winters are cold. Due to the region’s isolation, traditional winemaking techniques are still in common practice and its unique regional grape varieties still dominate the landscape.
Since 1650, Jean-Francois Ganevat’s family has grown wine grapes and produced wine in the hamlet of La Combe in the Jura. Jean-Francois Ganevat, after working for his father and Domain Jean-Marc Morey in Burgundy, took over the domaine in 1998 as the fourteenth generation of the family. From his small 21 acres of land, he produces up to forty different wines each year; a potpourri of small quantities. Some of these varieties are ancient native varieties not allowed under the AOC, such as Petit Béclan, Portugais Bleu, Enfariné, Argant, Poulsard Blanc. These are inter-planted in his vineyards, and he is in the process of declassifying his wines to allow for their legal inclusion.
Ganevat’s vineyards are grown along slopes in this cool climate. His vineyard practices are exacting and biodynamic. He is known for hand trimming individual grapes from the stems directly into old barrels to ferment whole-berry. This preserves a small section of the stem and keeps the berries completely intact. In the winery, Ganevat ages his whites for extended periods on the lees, so he only needs minute amounts of sulfur, if any, during bottling. His whites undergo malolactic fermentation and are aged for at least two years before bottling. His reds are aged in barrel at least one year. His wines are light and elegant in style.
We’re proud to announce our diverse allocation of Ganevat wines arriving September 16th:
Arriving Mid-September
From DuMOL
Fine wine from California’s Russian River Valley
DuMOL is a small estate in the Russian River Valley that focuses on high density planting in poor soils to create concentrated yet balanced wines. They plant about 3,600 plants per acre or around three times the average. The winery opened in 1996 and harvested their first vintage from their estate in 2007. They have developed a strong cult-like following and are now highly allocated. We are pleased to offer a selection of their releases, arriving mid-September:
DuMOL Chardonnay, Russian River Valley 2014 750ML ($61.95) $53.50 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni 91-94 points “The 2014 Chardonnay Estate Vineyard is endowed with a real sense of phenolic weight and richness. Deep, creamy and beautifully layered throughout, the 2014 is all about texture at this stage. Today, the wine is embryonic. This tightly-spaced vineyard yields wines of density and volume, and that is exactly what comes through here. Like all of the 2014s, the Estate offers tremendous freshness and energy.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
DuMOL Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley 2008 750ML ($89.95) $59 pre-arrival special
Stephen Tanzer–Vinous 93 points “Bright red. Deeper and darker in character than the Aidan, displaying black raspberry and cherry qualities and notes of licorice and black tea. Then brighter in the mouth, offering sweet red and dark berry flavors and a touch of bitter cherry pit. Impressively focused pinot with strong finishing cut and persistent spiciness.”
DuMOL Russian River Valley Syrah, Sonoma County 2012 750ML ($69.95) $44.80 pre-arrival special
Wine Spectator 94 points “Pure, rich and layered, with dense, mocha-laced blackberry, black licorice, dill, anise and cedar notes. The flavors keep unraveling, ending with a long, sustained finish. Best from 2015 through 2028.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $48.60
DuMOL Russian River Valley Syrah, Sonoma County 2014 750ML ($69.95) $59 pre-arrival special
Von Winning
Winning Scores from Stephan Reinhardt of Wine Advocate
Arriving Fall 2016
The Von Winning estate dates back to 1849, and still makes some of the finest Pfalz wines. After a change in ownership in 2009, the vineyard and winery became even more focused on producing the highest quality wines possible. High-density planting and sustainable viticulture deliver excellent results in ancient vineyards like Langenmorgen and the famous Kirchenstuck of Forst. Oak barrels of various sizes hold the unracked wine on its lees until bottling, and Von Winning refuses to fine or filter, which leaves the wines and their character intact. The powerful beauties of 2015 cannot be missed. “These are simply classic forceful Pfalz wines,” writes German wine expert Terry Theise.
Newly Reviewed Wines from Von Winning, Arriving Fall 2016:
Von Winning Deidesheim Grainhubel Riesling Trocken, Pfalz 2015 750ML ($54.95) $39 pre-arrival special
Stephan Reinhardt – Wine Advocate 93-94 points “Von Winning’s citrus-colored 2015 Deidesheimer Grainhübel Riesling Trocken GG has a coolish, clear, fresh and concentrated lemon aroma. It also has precise and smoky flavors of crushed rocks. Round and piquant, this is a very salty, vital and linear Riesling that is very stimulating, finessed and elegant. The wine reveals a nice phenolic grip and lemony aftertaste with white stone fruit aromas. This is a still restrained, but spectacularly concentrated Riesling classic and pretty fresh and vital for 2015.”
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Von Winning Kirchenstuck Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Pfalz 2015 750ML ($139.95) $99 pre-arrival special
Stephan Reinhardt – Wine Advocate 93-94 points “The citrus-colored 2015 Forster Kirchenstück Riesling Trocken GG opens with the aromatically discreet, yet deep and complex nose of a great wine. There are flinty aromas of crushed rocks with lemon oil flavors and a certain refreshing greenness (lemon tree leaves). This wine is full-bodied, dense and compact on the palate, with an elegant texture, fruit flavor and a vital acidity. This is a creamy textured, very complex and powerful wine with a lot of grip and tension. It reveals the persistent finish you may expect from a Forster Kirchenstück, but is also characterized by some oak tannins. The 2015 is really firm and tight and adequately closed; it will open up slowly only next year or the year after.”
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Von Winning Deidesheimer Langenmorgen Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Pfalz 2015 750Ml ($79.95) $59 pre-arrival special
Stephan Reinhardt – Wine Advocate 92-94 points “The 2015 Deidesheimer Langenmorgen Riesling Trocken GG is deep and dusty, with its coolish and lemony fruit flavors; this is less fruit intense than the other 2015 von Winning Riesling crus from Deidesheim. Crushed stone flavors intermix with lemon juice and lead to a full-bodied, very intense and elegant palate. The wine has a nice mineral grip and a citrusy piquancy. The Langenmorgen has the freshness and tension you could eventually miss in many other 2015s from the Mittelhaardt. So if you prefer a rather fresh and coolish style, with a vivacious acidity and stimulating purity, the Langenmorgen is a serious candidate to satisfy your passions.”
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Von Winning Deidesheimer Paradiesgarten Riesling Trocken, Pfalz 2015 750ML ($34.95) $24 pre-arrival special
Stephan Reinhardt – Wine Advocate 90 points “The 2015 Deidesheimer Paradiesgarten Riesling Trocken offers a coolish, clear and very precise bouquet; there are stony and leafy flavors intertwined with white stone fruit and ripe lemon aromas. Dry, medium-bodied, very elegant and nicely piquant on the palate, this is a tightly woven, very well focused and perfectly balance Riesling. It is aromatics and juicy with stone fruit, passion fruit and mango flavors in the persistent, stimulatingly salty finish. It’s a pleasure to drink this wine today, but it will certainly benefit from further bottle aging.”
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Von Winning Pechstein Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Pfalz 2015 750ML ($119.95) $79 pre-arrival special
Stephan Reinhardt – Wine Advocate 93-94 points “The 2015 Forster Pechstein Riesling trocken GG opens clear, concentrated and lemon-fresh on the slightly oaky nose; it comes along very attractive, precise and flinty, though young and less developed than the Deidesheim crus. Creamy, with a noble texture and fine tannins, this is a full-bodied, piquant and firmly structured Riesling. The wine has power, grip and tension. A full-bodied and complex Riesling, with a very good grip and aging potential, but is still influenced by oak tannins and flavors.”
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Von Winning Ruppertsberger Reiterpfad Riesling, Pfalz 2015 750ML ($39.95) $29 pre-arrival special
Stephan Reinhardt – Wine Advocate 92 points “The von Wining 2015 Ruppertsberger Reiterpfad Riesling Trocken (classified VDP Erste Lage, so premier cru) offers a dense, pure, aromatic and mineral nose of ripe white fruits, lemons, crushed chalk and some nice vegetal or floral aromas. This is medium-bodied (in terms of alcohol), but tightly woven, very mineral, with a ripe and well-concentrated fruit on the palate. It is a very refreshing, complex and expressive Riesling that is still restrained, but full of potential. The finish is tight and very salty.”
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Von Winning Ungeheuer Riesling Grosses Gewachs Trocken, Pfalz 2015 750ML ($59.95) $49 pre-arrival special
Stephan Reinhardt – Wine Advocate 92-93 points “The citrus-colored 2015 Forster Ungeheuer Riesling trocken GG opens a bit reductive, but pure, clear and fresh with a lovely flinty aroma. Tight, fresh and grippy on the palate, this is elegant and vital, but still pretty closed. This Ungeheuer seems cooler and fresher, and more on the edge than the Deidesheim crus; it’s less luscious, but straight, firm and racy-piquant. Thoroughly promising.”
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Breaking News
Giacomo Conterno Francia Barolo DOCG, Piedmont 2009 750ML ($179.95) $128 pre-arrival special, ETA September 9th
Wine Advocate 96 points “Because Monfortino was not produced this vintage, the 2009 Barolo Cascina Francia benefits from the extra fruit that would have otherwise gone toward the world’s most celebrated Barolo Riserva. I tasted the 2009 Barolo Cascina Francia in barrel two years ago and am delighted by its steady evolution. This is a wine of sophisticated intensity and persuasion. The bouquet peels back to reveal dark fruit, licorice, tar and dried rose. The vintage was warm, resulting in extra plumpness and roundness in terms of mouthfeel. The style is slightly more immediate, but this is a great aging wine nonetheless.”
Antonio Galloni 95 points “Conterno’s 2009 Barolo Cascina Francia wraps around the palate with gorgeous depth. A wine of volume and breadth, the 2009 fleshes out beautifully on the palate with layers of harmonious, silky fruit. Sweet tobacco, mint, flowers, spices and the most beautiful pure fruit all flesh out on the voluptuous, inviting finish. All the elements are in place for the 2009 to develop into a superb Barolo, but readers will have to be patient as the wine was just bottled. I remember what happened the last time Conterno bottled a Cascina Francia, but no Monfortino. The vintage was 2007, and I deeply regretted not having purchased that wine.”
James Suckling 95 points “This has a wonderful long and beautiful style with super fine and persistent tannins. It’s full yet so elegant. The perfumes are of roses and dark fruits while it’s quite savory on the palate. Roberto Conterno made no Monfortino this vintage so declassified the entire production into this wine as he did in 2007. Drink or hold.”
Stephen Tanzer 94 points “Good bright medium red. Deep, expressive nose offers strawberry, camphor, marzipan and earthy minerality. Like liquid silk on entry, then very rich, ripe and sweet in the middle, offering complex notes of red berries, roasted herbs, leather and smoked meat. Finishes sappy and very long, with lush tannins and serious breadth. The tannins are more than supported by the wine’s strong mid-palate material. This wine includes the fruit that would normally go into the Monfortino bottling.”
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The next best price is $134.95
The average price is $160
Have a lovely weekend!