The Best Tignanello Ever?
Vinous Raves About the Northern Rhone
Wine Spectator Insider Highlights Felsina’s ’16’s
Mosel Fine Wines ❤’s 2018 Merkelbach
Bila-Haut’s New World Attitudes (and New Lower Pricing)
Sunny Rosé for Fall Days
New Arrivals
Including Pierre Gimonnet, Keller,
Comando G, Dani Landi, Diebolt-Vallois,
Owen Roe, Peter Lauer and More!
The Return of a Vinopolis Best Selling Rioja
The Italian Legend Re-Arrives at Even Better Pricing
In Stock Now:
Marchesi Antinori Tignanello Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2016 750ML ($149.95) $119 special
Antonio Galloni 98 points “The 2016 Tignanello is flat out stunning. Dark, dense and resonant, the 2016 is a wonderfully complete wine that will provide readers with decades of pure drinking pleasure. The 2016 is especially dark and brooding, and yet the tannins are incredibly polished to the point of being perceptible. In the glass, the 2016 is complete and regal, perhaps because of the super-classic blend of 80% Sangiovese, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc. The pedigree of the vintage comes through in the wine’s extraordinary balance and total sense of finesse. I don’t think there is another wine anywhere in the world made entirely from estate fruit that can match Tignanello for quality, consistency and value within its peer group of top-flight reds.”
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 97 points “To hit the market in June, the 2016 Tignanello is a rock-solid wine and a stunning beauty. The wine offers an impeccable level of precision and laser-focus delivery of fruits, spices, tilled earth, espresso beans and Mediterranean herbs. This vintage follows the classic blending formula of 80% Sangiovese with about 13% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Cabernet Franc. The vines are now 15 to 20 years old. Compared to the 2015 vintage that ultimately appeared more chewy and succulent, this expression from the iconic 2016 vintage is more vibrant, nervous and jazzed. It shows more savory spice, saltiness and minerality, with a beautifully integrated quality of tannins. Some 320,000 bottles were produced. This wine is at the top of the list of some of the best Tignanello ever made, including the vintages 2007, 2009, 2010, 2013 and 2015.”
Wine Spectator 97 points “A big, lush style, this red delivers pure aromas and flavors of black currant, cherry, violet, flint, tobacco and baking spices, ending with a sweet, ripe finish. Though supple, this is backed by a firm, dense matrix of tannins, so all the components are there, but this just needs time to integrate. Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2022 through 2040. 5,000 cases imported.—B.S.”
Vinous Raves About the Northern Rhone
The 2016 vintage has been a hot topic here at Vinopolis—is it merely very good and charming or does it hit true greatness. Raynolds reports that several producers “especially those whose wines favor elegance, like Franck Balthazar – have told me since early on that they believe 2016 deserves to be considered a top-notch, even great vintage based on freshness and balance. My own impression, which tracks that assertion, is that the wines, in most cases, will surprise many of us with their longevity.” Indeed, “many come across as nothing less than Burgundian in style, which the old-timers will tell you is the quality that made the appellation’s name and reputation in the first place.”
The 2017’s, by contrast, show the characteristics of a warmer year, with big personalities, rich fruit and surprisingly soft tannins. Raynolds described them as “clearly opulent wines that will satisfy oenophiles who look for richness, even opulence, in their Syrah.” The logical comparison is to the excellent 2015’s, but ’17 has the edge in young drinkability. He notes that “compared to their 2015 siblings, the tannins in the 2017s, which are typically softer in the first place, tend to wrap gently around and into the ripe fruit….by no means a bad thing if one lacks cellar space, patience or even a personal taste for mature Syrah.”
In Stock Now:
Domaine Auguste Clape Cornas Renaissance, Rhone 2016 750ML ($119.95) $99 special
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 94 points “Glass-staining ruby. Highly perfumed aromas of red and blue fruit preserves, licorice, olive paste and peony are complemented by a sexy floral overtone. Stains the palate with intense, mineral-accented black raspberry, boysenberry and spicecake flavors, while a floral pastille nuance gains strength with air. Velvety, even tannins shape an impressively long, floral finish that shows outstanding clarity and dark fruit thrust.”
Domaine Auguste Clape Le Vin des Amis, Rhone 2017 750ML ($49.95) $39 special
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 90 points “Youthful purple. Primary dark fruits, olive and a peppery nuance on the fragrant nose. Smooth and expansive on the palate, offering juicy black and blue fruit flavors that tighten up and develop a faint gamy nuance on the back half. Fine-grained tannins lend gentle grip to the finish, which hangs on with very good, spice-tinged persistence.”
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 94 points “Brilliant magenta. Powerful, mineral-accented boysenberry, cherry preserve, violet and olive aromas are complemented by a smoky mineral nuance that builds in the glass. Palate-staining dark berry, licorice and bitter chocolate flavors pick up notes of candied flowers, vanilla and smoky minerals on the back half. Powerful but surprisingly lithe in style, finishing extremely long, with sharp delineation and gently gripping tannins that emerge slowly.”
Domaine Vincent Paris Cornas Granit 30, Rhone 2017 750ML ($49.95) $39 special
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 92 points “Bright purple. Highly perfumed blue fruit, violet and candied licorice aromas show excellent clarity and pick up hints of woodsmoke and menthol as the wine opens up. Juicy and appealingly sweet, offering sappy boysenberry, cherry and spicecake flavors and a touch of smoky bacon. A sexy floral note emerges on the gently tannic finish, which hangs on with strong, spice-tinged persistence.”
Domaine Vincent Paris Cornas Granit 60, Rhone 2017 750ML ($69.95) $55 special
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 93 points “Inky ruby. Smoke-accented dark berries and cherry liqueur on the highly perfumed nose. Juicy and seamless in texture, offering appealingly sweet blackberry and boysenberry flavors underscored by a smoky mineral quality. Fine-grained tannins build steadily on a long, floral-tinged finish that leaves a salty olive note behind.”
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 94 points “Opaque ruby. A deeply perfumed bouquet evokes ripe cherry and black currant, along with suggestions of smoky bacon, tobacco and incense. Seamless and broad on the palate, offering sweet black and blue fruit preserve and floral pastille flavors given spine by a core of juicy acidity. Rich yet energetic in style, displaying youthfully gripping tannins and impressive finishing clarity and persistence. This is the only wine from the Paris cellar to be made entirely with whole clusters”
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 91 points “Deep brilliant ruby. Smoke- and pepper-accented dark berry and cherry aromas pick up suggestions of licorice and pungent flowers with air. Sweet and lively on the palate, offering ripe black and blue fruit and spicecake flavors that unfold as the wine opens up. Finishes long and smooth, with lingering dark fruit notes, supple tannins and a touch of spiciness.”
Emmanuel Darnaud Crozes-Hermitage Au Fil du Temps, Rhone 2016 750ML ($49.95) $39 special
Emmanuel Darnaud Crozes-Hermitage Au Fil du Temps, Rhone 2016 1.5L ($99.95) $89 special
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 92 points “Inky ruby. Blueberry, cherry, olive, candied flowers and a hint of cracked pepper on the highly fragrant nose. Appealingly sweet and plush in the mouth, showing very good depth to the juicy, smoke-accented black and blue fruit and spicecake flavors. Shows a repeating floral quality and bright, spicy lift on the subtly tannic finish, which leaves behind sweet vanilla and dark fruit liqueur notes.”
This is the only listing for a magnum in the USA today!
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 93 Points “Deep magenta. Smoke- and spice-accented aromas of fresh black and blue fruits, minerals, candied violet and olive, along with a hint of cracked pepper that builds in the glass. Sweet, palate-staining cassis, blackberry, floral pastille and cola flavors turn livelier with air and take on exotic spice nuances. Bright and distinctly energetic thanks to a spine of smoky minerality. That minerality carries through the impressively long, spicy finish, which features mounting tannins and lingering florality.”
The next best price is $66.94
The average listed price is $77
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 91 points “Brilliant violet. A highly perfumed bouquet evokes mineral-accented blackberry, exotic spices and olive, along with a potpourri nuance that builds with air. Sappy black and blue fruit flavors are complemented by licorice, olive and violet pastille flourishes. Appealingly sweet and nicely concentrated, displaying sharp focus and fine-grained tannins on the long, penetrating finish.”
The next best price is $32.49
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 92 points “Vivid magenta. Lively, mineral-accented black and blue fruit and violet scents are complemented by a suggestion of peppery spices. Fleshy, juicy and appealingly sweet, offering intense, spice-inflected boysenberry, black raspberry and salty olive flavors that tighten up slowly with air. Densely packed yet lively in character, finishing with sharp delineation, solid thrust and smooth, well-knit tannins.”
The next best price is $32.99
Felsina Rancia, Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2016 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 16 bottles in stock now
Felsina Rancia, Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2016 1.5L ($119.95) $99 special, 17 magnums in stock now
Felsina Rancia, Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2016 375ML ($34.95) $28 special, 36+ half-bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 95 points “This features ripe, juicy black cherry and black currant fruit, with licorice, earth and tobacco flavors. Firm tannins frame the elements, imparting structure and complexity for the long haul. Terrific texture. Best from 2022 through 2042.—B.S.”
Felsina Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG, Tuscany 2016 750ML ($34.95) $29 pre-arrival special, ETA September
Case-12 Felsina Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG, Tuscany 2016 750ML ($419.95) $315 pre-arrival special, ETA September
Felsina Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG, Tuscany 2016 1.5L ($89.95) $79 special, 24 magnums in stock now
Wine Spectator 93 points “This red offers density and focus, creating an ideal frame for the cherry, strawberry, almond, leather and earth flavors. A firm backbone of tannins lends structure and the finish persists, leaving an accent of bitter almond. Best from 2022 through 2040. —B.S.”
“Should we all buy more Merkelbach? Yes, of course”
Arriving ETA December:
Weingut Alfred Merkelbach Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Auslese Urgluck, Mosel 2018 750ML ($49.95) $39 pre-arrival special
Mosel Fine Wines 93 points “The 2018er Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Auslese Urglück was harvested at 102° Oechsle in this prime part of the vineyard still planted with ungrafted vines, and was fermented down to fully sweet levels of residual sugar (80 g/l). It offers a beautiful nose made of apricot, cream, strawberry, smoke and herbs. The wine is beautifully playful and delicately zesty on the fruity and nicely creamy palate. The finish is sweet but still remarkably mouthwatering. 2028-2048.”
Mosel Fine Wines 92 points “The 2018er Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Auslese AP 10 was harvested at 102° Oechsle in the part above the cellar higher up the hill, and was fermented down to fully sweet levels of residual sugar (78 g/l). It offers a beautiful nose of melon, pear, grapefruit, herbs and spices. The wine is delicately creamy yet also subtly zesty on the palate and leaves a beautifully clean and floral feel in the finish. This is a gorgeous wine which remains remarkably pure in the after-taste. 2028-2048.”
Mosel Fine Wines 92 points “The 2018er Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Spätlese AP 07 was harvested at 98° Oechsle in the Fischerei and Urglück part of the vineyard, and was fermented down to sweet levels of residual sugar (70 g/l). It offers a beautiful nose of strawberry, white p each, melon, floral elements and spices. The wine is superbly zesty and playful on the palate and leaves an amazingly zesty feel in the long and refined finish. This beautiful fruity-styled wine may be cut along Auslese measures but it is immensely rewarding. 2028-2048.”
Mosel Fine Wines 91 points “The 2018er Kinheimer Rosenberg Riesling Auslese AP 01 was harvested from partially botrytized grapes at 101° Oechsle and was fermented down to sweet levels of residual sugar (70 g/l). It offers a comparatively opulent and intensely aromatic nose made of apricot, coconut, pear and melon, all pepped up by pungent earthy spices. The wine remains playful and elegant on the almond and fruit infused palate. The finish is smooth but also elegantly refined and long. 2028-2048.”
Mosel Fine Wines 91 points “The 2018er Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Kabinett was harvested from old un-grafted vines at 90° Oechsle in the part of the vineyard situated above the cellar of the Merkelbachs, just behind the village, and was fermented down to fruity-styled levels of residual sugar (50 g/l). It offers a hugely aromatic nose of white peach, apricot, floral elements and spices. The wine is beautifully balanced on the palate and leaves a long and refined feel of herbs in the finish. 2028-2048.”
Bila-Haut’s New World Attitudes
(and New Lower Pricing)
We have two wines in stock, the top-value Occultum Labidem and their top end wine, the Rectificando Invenies. We’ve just dropped the price on the Occultum Labidem, bringing it under $25/bottle and for that price it’s hard to think of many wines that are bigger, bolder and better made. Likewise, the R.I. is a direct competitor to wines like Sine Qua Non or Colgin, just at a half or a third of the price of the big names. Both are in stock now and should be in your cellar ASAP.
In Stock Now:
Chapoutier Domaine de Bila-Haut Cotes du Roussillon Villages ‘Occultum Lapidem 2016 750ML ($34.95) Was $28, Now $24.50 special
Jeb Dunnuck 95 points “Deep ruby-colored, the 2016 Côtes du Roussillon Villages Latour de France Occultum Lapidem checks in as a blend of 50% Syrah, 40% Grenache and 5% each of Carignan and Mourvèdre. It’s one of the finest vintages to date for the cuvée and offers fabulous blackberry, currants, crushed rocks, and violets. Deep, rich, voluptuous and sexy, with an incredible texture, it’s a screaming value to drink over the coming decade. It’s just another brilliant wine from the Roussillon team at Chapoutier.”
Wine Advocate 98 points “As always, the 100% Syrah 2015 Cotes du Roussillon Villages Lesquerde Rectificando Invenies (Ri) shows more minerality than the VIT release and offers blockbuster styled aromas and flavors of blackcurrants, crushed rocks, toasted bread and chocolate. Made in a voluptuous, pedal-to-the-metal style, with huge fruit and texture, it has building tannin and an uber sexy, incredibly layered and decadent palate. Drink it anytime over the coming decade. This cuvee was completely destemmed and aged 18 months in demi-muids.”
Sunny Rosé for Fall Days
Pride of the Mediterranean
In Stock Now:
Domaine Vetriccie Rose, IGP Ile de Beaute 2018 750ML ($14.95) $11.90 special
Importer Note “Located in the town of Aghione, on the Costa Serena, the Vetriccie estate (bought by the Barcelo family in 1966) expresses all the attributes of a premium Corsican wine. Pale pink in color with salmon hints. The wine is harmonious, fruity and crisp on the nose. It is well-balanced and bold on entry to the palate with good length and a rich finish. The ideal partner for a summer aperitif or to accompany salads, white meats and grilled meats. Serve chilled 50°F.”
Jeb Dunnuck 91 points “Light pink-colored, the 2018 Miraflors Rosé is another great vintage for this cuvée. It has beautiful white peach, orange zest, and salty sea breeze aromas and flavors in its vibrant, crisp profile. It’s as pure and vibrant as it gets, a classic, Provençal-style beauty to drink over the coming summer months.”
Domaine Bunan Mas de la Rouviere Bandol Rose, Provence 2018 750ML ($27.95) $24 special
Wine Advocate 90 points “Hints of crushed stone accent melon and lime scents on the nose of the 2018 Bandol Rose Mas de la Rouviere. It’s light to medium-bodied, not terribly intense, but fine and silky, with a long, harmonious and refreshing finish.”
Neal Rosenthal note “Comprising 75% Mourvèdre, 15% Cinsault, and 10% Grenache, with an average vine age of 40 years, the 2018 Côtes de Provence Rosé is even closer in character to its Bandol counterpart than it normally is. Serious and strapping, it offers a penetrating chalky minerality, robust red fruits, and a whisper of tannin that contributes to a particularly long and clinging impression on the palate.”
Josh Raynolds 90 points “Brilliant pink. Incisive and highly perfumed, displaying intense aromas of fresh red berries, tangerine and succulent flowers that show impressive delineation and mineral lift. Stains the palate with juicy raspberry, pink grapefruit and candied lavender flavors that deepen steadily on the back half. Finishes long, minerally and smooth, with repeating citrus fruit and floral character and a touch of spicy white pepper. This wine delivers superb bang for the buck.”
Importer note “For us, this wine is the classic representation of the pink-tinted wines of this region and is the workhorse wine of the estate. It carries a pale rose color, a lovely fruit blossom nose and finishes crisply dry with a stony touch that gives it class and elegance. The grape blend is usually Cinsault, Grenache and Syrah in varying percentages. The average age of the vines is 25 years or more. The Rosés of Peyrassol are made from the direct press method. The grapes undergo cold maceration before being pressed. This gives them their beautiful watermelon pink color. The fermentation takes place under controlled temperatures and is exceptionally long, resulting in rosés that are both lively, fresh and full-bodied. As production has increased at Peyrassol with the additional plantings, we too have increased our purchases.”
Chateau Gassier Cotes de Provence ‘Esprit Gassier’ Rose 2018 750ML ($21.95) $18 special
Case-12 Chateau Gassier Cotes de Provence ‘Esprit Gassier’ Rose 2018 750ML ($249.95) $196 special (that’s only $16.33/bottle!)
Josh Raynolds – Vinous 90 points “Vivid orange-pink. High-pitched strawberry, peach and jasmine scents are complemented by building floral and herb nuances. Silky and energetic on the palate, offering fresh red berry and pit fruit flavors and a hint of bitter orange pith. Finishes silky and precise, displaying very good persistence and a repeating floral note.”
Wine Enthusiast 90 points “This wine is the heart of the production from this estate. The blend of Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah and Vermentino creates a wonderful freshness, while also showing richness and a touch of spice. It is intensely fruity and ready to drink now.”
Importer Note “‘Esprit Gassier’ is the ‘Gassier Spirit’ that combines the exceptional terroir of the Sainte-Victoire region with Côtes de Provence varietals to produce a wine that expresses the family’s passion, expertise and creativity. The beautiful label, designed by a local artist, is silk-screened on the bottle to create a striking package. A very clear rosé with shades of peach. Intense nose with delicate aromas of white flowers and white fruit (peach). A second nose unveils spicy notes as well as scents of clementine. The mouth is round with notes of citrus fruits and a slight and healthy final acidity.”
France
Importer Note “Viognier/Roussanne. From vines planted on North facing slopes within the Cornas appellation. This is a rare glimpse at the flavors of Cornas through the lens of white wine grapes. A very unique & limited production Rhône white which tops out at around 200 cases annually. ”
Decanter 97 points “The best-value sparkling wine of any kind that I have tasted in the past five years. In all its raw, youthful innocence, this is the epitome of introverted, tightly coiled restraint. A beguiling transparency of pure acid drive propels an incredible finish that splashes long and strong with breathtaking, scintillating, crystalline minerality. This is a cuvée of effortless poise and boundless energy. Drinking Window 2023 – 2038.” [Review is for the 750ml, which is bottled as the Special Club. This is the same wine, bottled in magnum.]
Wine Spectator 92 points “Elegant and well-meshed, this layers lively, lightly mouthwatering acidity, a fine, chalky texture and a delicate range of poached apple and pear fruit, dogwood blossom and biscuit notes, and minerally saline and oyster shell accents. Disgorged July 2017. Drink now through 2028. 100 cases imported.”
The next best price is $149
(No reviews yet for the 2014 vintage)
“Efflorescence is from an east-facing vineyard with 40-year-old vines (sélection massale) on Kimmeridgian soils. Fermented and aged for one year in pièces and 36 months on the second lees before the disgorgement…” –Stephan Reinhardt, Wine Advocate, writing on the 2013 vintage
The next best price is $64.89
Wine Spectator 91 points “Bright, with citrusy acidity, this harmonious Champagne offers a creamy mousse and a minerally underpinning layered with flavors of apricot, honeysuckle, salted almond and biscuit. A crowd-pleaser. Drink now through 2020. 125 cases imported.”
The average price is $40
Wine & Spirits 94 points “It’s a delicate, pure chardonnay that becomes dramatic in its intensity and breadth. The precision of the flavors will serve this well as it ages.”
Wine Spectator 90 points “Pretty floral and spice notes are delicately woven with flavors of ripe green apple, slivered almond, fleur de sel and biscuit, while citrusy acidity and a minerally note drive the finish. Drink now through 2021. 375 cases imported.” [Review is for June 2017 disgorgement]
Winery note “The Champagne Blanc de Blancs Prestige is made entirely from vines in the village of Cramant (a village classed 100% Grand Cru). The reserve wines age 2 to 3 years in 40 hl casks. These reserve wines bring richness, complexity and roundness to this 100% chardonnay cuvee Blanc de Blancs Prestige.”
The average price is $59
Wine Advocate 94 points “The NV Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Non Dosé Révolution is the new name of the former Cuvée Vendémiaire Extra Brut, and it is sourced only in grand cru villages. This intensely yellow colored cuvée is based on 2011 (plus reserve wines from 2010, 2009, 2008 and 2007). It offers a deep, ripe and intense but pure, fresh, very precise and expressive nose with ripe, concentrated citrus fruit aromas and some greenish chalky notes that demand further bottle aging. Full-bodied, round and creamy, with great elegance, finesse and complexity, this is another promising cuvée from Charles Doyard who sadly passed away in April 2017. It is nicely finessed but needs even more years to find its final character. Highly promising, though. Tasted April 2018.”
The next best price is $64.99
Wine Spectator 93 points “An elegant Champagne, with a rich, savory streak of mineral underscoring the layered pear tart, lime blossom and crushed white cherry flavors. Creamy, with finely honed acidity chiseling the finish. Drink now through 2027. 330 cases made.”
The next best price is $89.89
The average price is $102
Owen Roe Sharecropper’s Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley 2017 750ML ($17.95) $14 special
Wine Enthusiast 93 points “Editor’s Choice. Delicate floral notes mingle with smoke and struck flint on this gorgeously composed Riesling sparkling. The palate is delicately pétillant with soft, tiny bubbles that fill the mouth with layers of caramelized sugar, fresh pears, blossom and minerals. Striking acidity drives a long, umami-touched finish.”
Weingut Keller Kirchspiel RR Riesling, Rheinhessen 2018 750ML ($79.95) $59 special
John Gilman 93 points “The 2018 von der Fels Riesling Trocken is magnificent this year and is probably the very finest bargain in the universe of dry Rieslings in all of Germany in this vintage! The wine offers up a beautifully pure and vibrant bouquet of pink grapefruit, tart orange, chalky minerality, dried flowers, citrus peel, a dollop of wild yeasts and a gently smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, precise and impressive tensile for the vintage, with a great core, superb elegance and focus, outstanding backend mineral drive and a very long, very pure and complex finish. Great juice. 2023-2060+.”
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 92 points “I tasted the 2017 La Bruja de Rozas from one of the most challenging vintages of recent times. The result is spectacular, but volumes are much lower. In this warmer and riper year, they also used a portion of the must without skins or stems to try to achieve a lighter wine with more freshness. It has the Rozas floral character, with a little more tannin, as I often see with warmer vintages. 35,000 bottles were produced in this vintage affected by hail, which also greatly affected this village.”
Comando G ‘Rumbo al Norte’ Navarrevisca, Sierra de Gredos 2016 750ML ($279.95) $219 special
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 100 points
The next best price is $249.99
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 97 points “The breathtaking 2016 Las Umbrías is all about finesse and subtleness. The color is very pale, it looks almost like a rosé. Everything is delicate, the aromas are reticent at first, with flinty/reductive characteristics, lots of dried rose petals, juicy pomegranate and watermelon on the palate with incredibly fine-grained tannins, faintly chalky and somehow salty on the finish, which makes it extremely tasty. 1,722 bottles of this heavenly nectar were filled in February 2018. Grab one if you can!”
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 95+ points “The 2016 Cantos del Diablo, single vineyard from the village of Real de San Vicente, the one plot that is bottled separately from within the Méntrida zone of Gredos, had notes of pomegranate, blood orange and wild cherries, showing elements of ripeness and restraint. It’s much more mineral, with a chalky sensation on the nose and palate. In fact, it started with a reductive personality, so decanting in advance might not be a bad idea. This cool year is quite pale and sharp, at times closer to a white than a red that is wild in nature and has a sharp palate. This is going to be phenomenal in four or five years. 1,737 bottles and 50 magnums were filled in March 2018.”
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 97 points “As a result of a soil study, the 2016 Las Iruelas comes only from the higher altitude part of the vineyard, a stonier and convex part that deliver more subtle wines with positive intensity, subtleness and detail. It felt a little shy and reticent, with finesse, tons of white pepper, wildflowers, herbs and berries with a depth and clout, which I had not seen in previous years. This can feel a little tight, even reductive at first and decanting it in advance can be a good idea. This character tells me that this wine might behave brilliantly in the bottle and have a long and positive evolution. 2,821 bottles and 50 magnums were filled in February 2018.”
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 95 points “The Cebreros vineyard was divided into two sections in 2016. In fact, there are two different wines bottled, differentiated by a small code on the lower right corner of the labels, RVL and RV, Reventón Ladera (slope) and Reventón proper, the names they have been using in the winery. The 2016 El Reventón RVL corresponds to the slope on the right-hand side, a west-facing plot in a very narrow valley that has more clay and achieves higher ripeness. Grapes there ripen up to 15 days earlier than the ones in the other, cooler plot. This has a more Mediterranean character within the style of the vintage, cool and fresh, with plenty of aromatic herbs and the classical Cebreros character, lavender, thyme, even curry. A more powerful Garnacha from Gredos.”
Daniel Landi ‘Las Uvas de la Ira’ Garnacha, Mentrida 2015 750ML ($39.95) $30.90 special
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2015 Las Uvas de la Ira is pure Garnacha from the village of El Real de San Vicente. It comes from four different plots—three owned and one from purchased grapes—and each brings something, minerality, elegance, structure and fruit. It has an organic, earthy touch and a juicy palate with some chalky minerality; this is a polished 2015, with fine tannins, intense flavors and good freshness. 2015 was a dry and warm vintage but quite healthy and good yielding for Garnacha. It was harvested in early September, after some rain that eased the natural conditions of the growing season a little. Superb showing for the vintage, it really doesn’t show any heat. 15,000 bottles were filled in August 2016.”
Luis Gutierrez-Wine Advocate 92+ points “Also bottled and ready for tasting, the 2017 Las Uvas de la Ira shows the progress that started from 2015 (which I also tasted for reference), a wine from the Real de San Vicente village, three from owned vineyards and one purchased. This new vinification is inspired by the reds of Ganevat and Occhipinti, with some 35% of the bunches pressed and vinified in white, so there are fewer skins and stems in the vat and more liquid and the cap is totally immersed in the wine. Other 30% of the wine was inspired by Charme from Niepoort, which sees a very short but extracted vinification, and the rest is vinified traditionally. He thought this village needed a twist to gain in freshness and drinkability. It results in a very elegant and fresh wine, especially in a warm vintage like this 2017, with an impressive nose, open, very aromatic and floral, with citrus freshness within the style of the vintage. The palate showed very round, polished and elegant tannins, which makes it very approachable. It really transcends the vintage. I retasted the 2015, an even hotter vintage, and none of the three (including 2016) showed any heat. Remarkable. 11,500 bottles produced. It was bottled in August 2018.”
Arriving Friday, September 13th:
Rio Madre, Rioja DOCa 2016 750ML ($14.95) $11.90 pre-arrival special
Josh Raynolds 90 points “(aged for six months in one to three year old French oak barrels) Inky ruby. Pungent black and blue fruits, licorice, vanilla and cola scents are complemented by a smoky nuance that builds in the glass. Chewy and focused on the palate, offering concentrated bitter cherry and cassis flavors that are lifted and braced by a spine of juicy acidity. The smoke and cherry notes echo on the youthfully tannic finish, which shows sharp delineation and strong persistence. For the price point this is quite a serious wine, and one that will reward some patience.”
Jeb Dunnuck 90 points “Made from 100% Graciano aged in neutral oak, the 2016 Rio Madre offers a ripe bouquet of black cherries, blackberries, dried flowers, leather, and damp earth. Rich and nicely concentrated, it’s medium-bodied, well-balanced, and has a solid, layered texture as well as a great finish. It blossoms with time in the glass, has plenty of fruit and character, and is a rock-solid value.”