Weekend Vinopolpick -September 27th

 September 27, 2014

Maison Pol Roger is one of the last Great Houses of Champagne to remain family-owned.  Pol Roger founded the house after selling his first wine in 1849.  His father’s sudden illness thrust him into business at the age of 18.  He produced his wine in the Brut style, which was much preferred by consumers in Great Britain, where it quickly established a strong base.  His sons, Maurice and Georges, took over the business after his death in 1899.  They oversaw the expansion of the brand despite a massive cellar collapse that destroyed several buildings, Prohibition in the US, and the two World Wars.  In honor of their father, they changed their last name to Pol-Roger.Several crowned heads of state and some of the top restaurants along the Champs-Elysees in Paris were customers, not to be outdone by the decades of loyalty by Sir Winston Churchill.  He was known to drink their Champagnes as early as 1908.  His personal friendship with the family began in 1945 during a luncheon tribute to the liberation of Paris by the British ambassador to France.  In honor of him and his friendship with the family, they began producing a vintage Champagne in 1975, 10 years after his death in his preferred rich, mature and age-worthy style.In the early 2000s, the winery was enlarged and renovated.  Steel fermentation vats were added.  The cellar is split over two levels with four miles of chalk passages.  These tunnels are cooler in temperature than most producers in Champagne.  The cooler temperature slows the second fermentation, producing more complex flavors and a finer mousse.  Today, the winery sources almost 50% of its fruit from 200 acres of estate vineyards.  The rest is from Premier and Grand Cru vineyards rated 95 points or higher on the Echelle des Crus system, making their sourced grapes some of the highest quality available to the Grand Marques.  Each lot is vinified and aged separately before the final blending takes place.  The Vintage wines are made from at least 60% Pinot Noir.  The Brut NV is a blend of all three major Champagne grape varietals.  The base wines are at least 3 years old.

Pol Roger Blanc de Blancs Brut 2004 ($134.95) $109 pre-arrival special
Winery notes “This 100% Chardonnay is sourced exclusively from vineyards Grand Cru vineyards of Cramant, Les Mesnil, Oger, Avize and Oiry in the Cote des Blancs. The unblended wines are aged entirely in stainless steel to retain their focused, pure character, which is followed by 7 years of bottle aging in the Pol Roger cellars prior to release.”Pol Roger Brut 2004 ($119.95) $89 pre-arrival special
Winery notes “A golden yellow straw-like color, bright and full of intensity with attractive lingering bubbles. A fine nose with enticing notes of fresh honey, candied grapefruit and lime. On the palate a dominating fruitiness with light biscuit character. A full and long texture displaying freshness and viscosity. The wine is balanced with remarkable harmony. An amazingly pure champagne.”Pol Roger Extra Cuvee de Reserve Brut Rose 2006 ($119.95) $99 pre-arrival special
Winery notes “A deep salmon pink color with a fine stream of small bubbles. The nose has aromas of ripe fruits with elements of citrus fruits (blood orange), pomegranate and small wild red berries. On the palate, a deep mineral character fine, creamy ripeness and a hint of vanilla. The wine is tender and smooth with a balance of delicate freshness and refined elegance. A discreet vinosity with a clean and precise finish.”

Pol Roger Cuvee Sir Winston Churchill 2002 ($279.95) $219 pre-arrival special
Pol Roger Cuvee Sir Winston Churchill 2002 1.5L ($549.95) $459 pre-arrival special
Winery notes “The wine displays a mid golden yellow color and continuous stream of delicate bubbles. An elegant and powerful nose with toasted brioche over fresh quince, peach and apricot with an underlying oral character and high-toned cinnamon spice with hints of lime leaf. A balanced palate with weight, power, a velvety texture and a long persistent pure acidity. With weight and complexity characteristic both of the terroir and vintage. A long after taste with a light touch of citric acidity bringing together a wine of undeniable majesty. Already drinking well now and will continue to improve over the medium term.”

Drappier
Just Arrived

Drappier Champagne Carte d’Or Brut NV ($49.95) $39 special 12+ bottles available
Wine Spectator 91 points “Granny Smith apple, toasted almond, currant and whole-grain toast flavors are fresh and well-meshed, structured by bright acidity and a lively bead. Offers a creamy finish, with hints of smoke and honeycomb. Drink now through 2018. 900 cases made.” Kosher Certified too!

This is the lowest price in the USA today!
The average price listed is $49!

Burgundy 2008 through 2005

2008- For 2008, the true successes were made in the vineyard, not the cellar. Only conscientious vignerons who watched their vines managed to produce wines that have enough flesh to counterbalance 2008’s acid levels. At the end, 2008’s cool weather and late drying sunshine created a good balance of bright acidity and ripeness. Reds and whites alike fared well. Acid levels are notably high, but provided the vines were pruned well and reached full ripeness, the highish acidities come through just enough to ensure that the wines will keep well. The whole vintage is built on its acidity, the wines are bright and lean, with fruit that is more than wonderful. Five years on – with the wines having had over two years in bottle – results for 2008 Burgundy is positive. The wines have character and harmony, the best have depth and richness, and should not be neglected. It was not easy with the challenges vines had to contend with, but for those that were able to work through the trials of the vintage, the hard work has been more than worth the effort.2007– In 2007, vintners rose to the challenge the weather provided. Through new practices of green harvesting and sorting to reduce yields, winemakers were able to pull through great wines from a vintage riddled with rainstorms and cold weather that prevented full ripening. In order to make good red wines, producers needed to select ruthlessly, both in the vineyards and as the grapes arrived at their cellars. Most domaines and houses reported that yields for their reds were about 20 percent lower than average, while the volume of the Chardonnay production was normal. The wines are marked by their lean and racy characters, the whites vibrant and mineral driven, the reds elegant and fresh.2006– As a whole, 2006 was a year of extremes that brought far more challenges than the preceding year. Afer a cold winter, temperatures rose quickly, resulting in quick ripening grapes and , in some instances, rot. Quick picking and fast work was required, as September produced ideal weather for harvest. Burgundy lovers will find rich, fruity whites and supple reds that will be enjoyable much sooner than their 2005 counterparts.

2005– Heralded as one of the greatest vintages of the last generation, 2005 was a glorious year for Burgundy’s reds and whites alike. A dry, sunny summer without any exceptional heatwave or bad weather to worry the growers. These immensely concentrated wines had an ideal balance of acid and tannin, and showed the capability, and the necessity, of lasting for decades. The 2005 vintage for red and white Burgundy has everything you could want: ripe fruit, fresh acidity, well-integrated tannins and great balance. Even at the young stage, many revealed gorgeous fruit and terroir, flavors that will only continue to evolve in these densely structured wines.

With increasing knowledge, skill and technique in the wine world, the properly prepared and educated winemaker has the skills and tools necessary to produce great wines every vintage. Gathered below is a collection of our wines from vintages 2008 – 2005, four vintages that provide different experiences and tastes, but quality across the board.

Bitouzet-Prieur Meursault Santenots Premier Cru 2008 ($79.95) $59 special 5 bottles available
Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2008 Meursault Les Santenots is powerful yet balanced in a broad, expansive style that caresses the palate with tons of rich, honeyed fruit. Lighter, floral notes appear on the finish, adding brightness to what is otherwise a fairly masculine style of Meursault. All of the elements work nicely here. Anticipated maturity: 2013+. “Lafon Meursault Genevrieres Premier Cru 2007 ($319.95) $289 special 2 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 94 points “Knockout aromas of musky lime, lemon, minerals and powdered stone; nothing exotic about this. Rich, sweet and wonderfully pure, offering an uncanny combination of intensity, power and elegance. Finishes with explosive length. An outstanding bottle of Meursault.”Michelot Meursault Les Narvaux 2007 ($69.95)$59 special 4 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer & Wine Advocate 89 points “Pale color. Sweet peachy aroma shows good lift. Peach, licorice and iodine flavors are nicely framed by ripe acidity and supported by lively minerality. Showed intriguing nuances of tarragon and saffron with aeration.”

Joseph Drouhin Corton Bressandes Grand Cru 2008 ($129.95) $79 special 9 bottles available
Burhgound & Wine Advocate 92 points “Cassis flower and hints of black cherry, stone and warm earth blend seamlessly into the rich, full and refined medium full flavors that possess a seductive texture and excellent volume on the driving finish. The tannins are relatively fine and while there is a hint of tanginess, it comes across more as vibrancy than dryness.”Pousse d’Or Volnay Bousse d’Or Premier Cru 2008 ($149.95) $119 special 12 bottles available
Antonio Galloni 95 points “The 2008 Volnay Clos de la Bousse d’Or is impeccable from start to finish. Elegant, refined aromatics weave into layers of fruit as this substantial Volnay shows off its class and purity. The finish is supple and delicate, with plenty of reserve. Anticipated maturity: 2023-2038.”Violot Guillemard Pommard Clos de Derriere St. Jean Premier Cru 2008 ($84.95) $59 special 4 bottles available

Chandon De Briailles Corton Bressandes Grand Cru 2007 ($99.95) $79 special 10 bottles available

Chandon Briailles Aloxe Corton Les Valozieres Premier Cru 2007 ($59.95) $49 special 12 bottles available

Tollot-Beaut Aloxe-Corton 2007 ($59.95) $49 special 1 bottle available
Wine Spectator 90 points “A ripe, modern style, featuring black cherry and raspberry notes accented by new oak. The oak needs to be integrated, but there’s sweetness on the finish. Best from 2012 through 2021. 110 cases imported”

Michel Lafarge Beaune Greves Premier Cru 2006 ($119.95) $99 special 3 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 90 points “A very subtle hint of wood frames earth suffused red pinot fruit and plum aromas with a slight hint of crushed leaf that lead to more serious and more somber medium-bodied flavors brimming with dry extract on the impressively deep and moderately austere finish. There is simply another dimension here relative to the Aigrots with better integration of the underlying structure.”

Pousse d’Or Volnay Clos Audignac Premier Cru 2006 ($119.95) $99 special 1 bottle available

Domaine du Chateau de Chorey Beaune Les Teurons Premier Cru 2005 ($89.95) $79 special 8 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 91+ points “Bright, full red. Sexy aromas of dark raspberry, leather, game, iron and spices. Suave on entry, then juicy and pure in the middle; this appears to be in the process of shutting down. An intensely flavored wine with a serious tannic spine and noteworthy finishing energy. All of these 2005s were destemmed but this comes across as quite spicy. I like this…”

Domaine Maillard Corton Renards 2005 ($199.95) $149 special 3 bottles available
Domaine Ravaut Ladoix Rouge 2005 ($24.95) $21.90 special 12+ bottles available

Chevillon Nuits-St-George Les Roncieres Premier Cru 2008 ($89.95) $69 special 6 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 89-92 points “Medium-deep red. Sexy aromas of raspberry, flinty minerality and smoked meat. Sweet, bright and showy, with lovely cut and definition to its dense berry flavors. Combines brisk acidity and an impression of thorough ripeness. Very pure on the aftertaste.”Chevillon Nuits-St-George Les Vaucrains Premier Cru 2008 ($119.95) $99 special 12+ bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 91-94 points “Deep, bright ruby-red. Black raspberry and chocolate aromas are complemented by sweet oak. Less refined than the Saint-Georges or Cailles but solidly built and quite powerful, with a youthfully medicinal character to the blast of dark fruit flavors. Extremely primary and impressively long. This may need the most patience of this excellent set of 2008s”

Claude Dugat Gevrey Chambertin 2008 ($119.95) $69 special 5 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 89 points “Good red-ruby color. Dark fruits, spices, game and leather on the nose. Good density of material is currently fighting strong acidity, giving the wine a slightly tart quality and a disjointed character. Rather severe today, but the penetrating spicy acidity extends the finish. This very serious village wine will require at least a few years of bottle aging.”Pierre Damoy Chapelle-Chambertin Grand Cru 2008 ($199.95) $99 special 6 bottles available
Wine Advocate 93+ points “The 2008 Chapelle-Chambertin is a huge wine endowed with striking purity in its rich, dark fruit. Despite its sheer richness, the Chapelle also shows great tension in structural elements. In short, it’s all there in this magnificent, compelling Burgundy. Today the oak is a bit dominant and the fruit needs to settle down, but this is shaping up to be a magnificent wine. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2038.”

Dugat-Py Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes 2008 ($139.95) $89 special 4 bottles available
Wine Advocate 91 points “The 2008 Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes, from vines ranging from 30-50 years of age, shows superb length in a mid-weight, mineral-driven style. With time in the glass the silkiness of the tannins emerges as the wine takes shape. Elegant and refined throughout, the Vieilles Vignes possesses captivating balance and a great sense of harmony. This is a beautiful wine from Dugat-Py, but it needs time. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2028.”

Faiveley Gevrey Chambertin Les Cazetiers Premier Cru 2008 ($99.95) $79 special 3 bottles available

Faiveley Latricieres Chambertin Grand Cru 2008 ($189.95) $149 special 8 bottles available

Faiveley Mazis Chambertin Grand Cru 2008 ($249.95) $159 special 4 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 94 points “Good deep red. Ineffably complex aromas of wild red fruits, menthol, white pepper, minerals and powdered stone. A wine of great nobility, a bit imploded on entry, then wonderfully complex and aromatic in the middle, with terrific sappiness and energy to the lightly saline flavors of red fruits, spices, licorice and crushed stone. The rising, endless finish titillates the taste buds. This makes the Latricieres seem dry in comparison.”

Faiveley Nuits St Georges Les St Georges Premier Cru 2008 ($129.95) $89 special 12+ bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 92-94 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.”

Geantet-Pansiot Charmes Chambertin Grand Cru 2008 ($219.95) $159 special 11 bottles available

Louis Latour Corton Grancey Grand Cru 2008 ($119.95) $79 special 11 bottles available
Perrot Minot Gevrey Chambertin Les Fontenys Premier Cru 2008 ($159.95) $79 special 2 bottles available

Perrot Minot Morey St Denis La Riotte Premier Cru 2008 ($159.95) $99 special 2 bottles available
Jacques Prieur Chambertin Grand Cru 2008 ($399.95) $259 special 5 bottles available

Chevillon Nuits-St-George Les Roncieres Premier Cru 2007 ($69.95) $66 special 11 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 88-91 points “Bright, full red. Dark raspberry, spices and an element of leathery reduction on the nose. Then densely packed but youthfully imploded and a bit reduced, with a distinctly darker character to the blackberry, blueberry and violet flavors. In a fruit-driven style, but this will require a good four or five years to blossom in bottle. Finishes supple, fruity and long, with excellent intensity”

Chevillon Nuits-St-George Les Vaucrains Premier Cru 2007 ($109.95) $89 special 12+ bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 91-93 points “Good dark red. Wilder on the nose than the Saint-Georges, offering black cherry, dark chocolate, smoke and a whiff of game. Wonderfully sweet in the mouth but youthfully closed, with a medicinal menthol note supporting the impression of power. Can’t quite match the Saint-Georges today for complexity or personality, but this is also very convincing on the back end. And this too calls for six or seven years of cellaring.”

Chevillon Nuits-St-Georges Vieilles Vignes 2007 ($54.95) $49 special 9 bottles available

Claude Dugat Gevrey Chambertin Premier Cru 2007 ($179.95) $139 special 4 bottles available

Claude Dugat Gevrey Lavaux St Jacques Premier Cru 2007 ($209.95) $179 special 2 bottles available

Clos De Tart Grand Cru 2007 ($499.95) $249 special 12+ bottles available
Wine Spectator 94 points, Stephen Tanzer 92-95 points “Intense aromas of graphite and mineral make an immediate impact, with black cherry, black currant and spice flavors adding depth and dimension. This has concentration and a juicy texture, pushing the long, peppery aftertaste. Shows fine harmony and expression overall. Best from 2012 through 2024.”WS

Leroy Clos De La Roche Grand Cru 2007 ($1799.95) $1399 special 3 bottles available
Wine Advocate 96 points “Kirsch, rose hip, and soy intensely scent the Leroy 2007 Clos De La Roche, which reveals brightness and finesse as well as a saline savor unusual for its appellation. To be sure, notes of leather and crushed stone as well as smoked and roasted meats contribute further and perhaps more site-typical complexity. But it’s the sheer finesse, buoyancy, and vibratory energy on display that most amaze, leaving your tongue and gums a quiver and your salivary glands pumping helplessly. There is also a faint hint of heat, but its effect is negligible given what’s going on around you when you swallow (or, in my case, spit). Look for 20 or more years of excitement.”

Maume Gevrey-Chambertin Lavaux St Jacques Premier Cru 2007 ($119.95) $99 special 5 bottles available

Maume Mazi-Chambertin Grand Cru 2007 ($159.95) $99 special 4 bottles available

Noellat Romanee St Vivant Grand Cru 2007 1.5 LITER ($999.95) $599 special 3 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 93 points “Good medium red. Highly perfumed nose combines raspberry, strawberry, cocoa powder, white pepper, blood orange and a resiny headshop spiciness. Pungent, complex and weightless; a wonderfully lively, delicate wine with sneaky intensity and superb penetrating energy and lift. Finishes dry and understated. Suave rather than large. My recorked bottle lost some verve with 24 hours, suggesting that this wine is probably best for mid-term drinking-say, beginning in five years.”

Serafin Gevrey Chambertin Les Cazetieres Premier Cru 2007 ($159.95) $136 special 12+ bottles available

D’ardhuy Clos De Vougeot Grand Cru 2006 ($179.95) $149 special 1 bottle available

Faiveley Mazis Chambertin Grand Cru 2006 ($159.95) $129 special 9 bottles available
Faiveley Nuits St Georges Les Porets St-Georges Premier Cru 2006 ($69.95) $59 special 7 bottles available

Forey Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru 2006 ($199.95) $149 special 7 bottles available
Lucien Le Moine Nuits St Georges Les St Georges Premier Cru 2006 ($149.95) $119 special 3 bottles available
Wine Advocate 93 points “Ripe strawberry and cherry along with charred, roasted meat scent the nose of the Le Moine 2006 Nuits St.-Georges Les St.-Georges. This is broad and rich, more pliable on the palate than the corresponding Les Cailles – though still full of fine-grained tannin – and with a mind-bending suggestion of things mineral: chalk, iodine, ineffable, ore-like impingements. But don’t imagine for a minute that this is merely cerebral stuff. On the contrary, the bright, energetic finish here will set your bodily juices flowing. I would give it 2-3 years and then expect another 8-10 of delightful profundity.”

Louis Latour Corton Grancey Grand Cru 2006 ($99.95) $79 special 11 bottles available

Potel Chambertin Grand Cru 2006 ($199.95) $169 special 3 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 92 points “Good medium red. Explosive, wild aromas of black raspberry and smoked meat. At once suave and powerful, with a compellingly layered texture and great depth to its flavors of black fruits, game, pepper and earth. Wonderfully thick, powerfully structured wine with great back-end breadth and persistence. A powerful expression of soil, and built for a long life in bottle. The finish shows an intriguing suggestion of black olive.”

Taupenot-Merme Charmes Chambertin Grand Cru 2006 ($99.95) $79 special 12+ bottles available

Louis Latour Corton Grancey Grand Cru 2005 ($119.95) $99 special 7 bottles available

Jacky Truchot Chambolle-Musigny Les Sentiers Premier Cru 2005 ($899.95) $799 special 3 bottles available
Jacky Truchot Charmes-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes 2005 ($999.95) $799 special 1 bottle available
Jacky Truchot Clos De La Roche Vieilles Vignes 2005 ($1199.95) $999 special 1 bottle available
Jacky Truchot Gevrey Chambertin Aux Combottes Premier Cru 2005 ($899.95) $799 special 3 bottles available
Jacky Truchot Morey St Denis Vieilles Vignes 2005 ($799.95) $699 special 1 bottle available
Jacky Truchot Morey St Denis Blanchards Premier Cru 2005 ($899.95) $799 special 3 bottles available
Jacky Truchot Morey St Denis Clos Sorbes Premier Cru 2005 ($899.95) $799 special 3 bottles available
Jacky Truchot Morey St Denis Ruchots Premier Cru 2005 ($899.95) $799 special 3 bottles available

Chardonnay

Columbia Crest Grand Estates Chardonnay, Columbia Valley 2012 ($11.95) $9.90 special 60 bottles available
Case 12 – Columbia Crest Grand Estates Chardonnay, Columbia Valley 2012 ($149.95) $99 special (that’s only $8.25 a bottle) 5 cases available
Wine Spectator 90 points “Silky and seductive, with pear and spicy grapefruit flavors on a taut, polished frame, lingering with intensity and brightness on the glowing finish. Impressive for the price. Drink now.”

Chardonnay

Louis Jadot Le Montrachet Grand Cru 2009 ($549.95) $399 special 3 bottles available
John Gilman 95+ points “The 2009 Jadot Montrachet (which hails from the Chassagne side of the vineyard, by the way) is also exceptional. The nose offers up a great and compelling mélange of apple, white peach, lemon, great minerality, floral tones and vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and superbly structured, with a rock solid core of fruit, beautiful focus and balance, impeccable grip and a very long, racy and refined finish. A wonderful bottle of wine. 2020-2050”

Louis Jadot Le Montrachet Grand Cru 2011 ($419.95) $349 special 6 bottles available

Louis Jadot Le Montrachet Grand Cru Cote de Beaune 2012 ($699.95) $599 pre-arrival special
Wine Spectator 94-97 points , Wine Advocate 92-94 points “There are five barrels of the 2012 Montrachet Grand Cru in 2012 compared to the usual ten. The nose is surprisingly reticent at first, opening gradually in the minerality poking its head from under the covers. Coming back after three minutes, the aromatics are accelerating away. The palate is very well-balanced as one would hope, very focused with subtle, spicy notes under the carapace of citrus fruit.”
From the winery “Le Montrachet has a very nice, bright and shiny gold colour. It is a complex and powerful wine. Its comparable depth, intense fruit elegance, and layers of complex, textural richness, reflected in a sublime bouquet reminiscent of honey toast, culminate with a persistent finish. This wine best suits « haute cuisine » : ‘crustacés à la nage’, poached fish in cream sauce, liver pâtés.”

Ruinart Blanc de Blancs Brut NV ($79.95) $51.90 special
Stephen Tanzer 92 points “Pale yellow.  Complex, high-pitched aromas of orange zest, lemon pith, iodine, smoky minerals, anise and jasmine.  Sappy and tactile on the palate, offering impressive volume to its ripe citrus and orchard fruit flavors accented by smoke and minerals.  Finishes tangy and long, with lingering smokiness and an echo of anise.”

Pierre Peters Reserve Blanc De Blancs NV 750ml ($59.95) $48 special
Pierre Peters Cuvee Reserve Blanc De Blancs NV 375ml ($37.95) $27 special
Pierre Peters Cuvee Reserve Blanc De Blancs 1.5LITER ($149.95) $119 special

Vouette Et Sorbee Blanc d’Argile NV Base 2010 ($99.95) $79 special
Antonio Galloni 92 points “Sweet flowers, honey, mint and pine all take shape in the Blanc d’Argille. In this vintage, the Blanc d’Argille is quite restrained, subtle and nuanced, but it opens up nicely in the glass, with pretty hints of almond, lemon peel and crushed rocks. Expressive floral notes add lift and fragrance on the finish.”