New Cameron Arrivals; Chateau Thivin and Other Beaujolais Highlights; Occhipinti SP68; New German Arrivals; Staff Picks: Big Reds Edition; Deals by the Dozen; Throwback German Wine/Pricing; Guillemot’s Soulful Savigny; Cases on Cases of Deals
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Re-arrived! New Releases From Cameron
Cameron Winery Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2015 750ML ($24.95) $21.90 special
VinopolNote: Mostly from Briscoe Vineyard with some declassified Abbey Ridge and Clos Electrique fruit.
Cameron Winery ‘Cameroni Giovanni’ Pinot Bianco, Willamette Valley 2016 750ML ($19.95) $16 special
VinopolNote: 80% Pinot Blanc with Chardonnay & Pinot Gris. All Abbey Ridge fruit.
Cameron Reserve Chardonnay, Dundee Hills, 2014 750ML ($39.95) $33 special
VinopolNote: The ‘Reserve’ level of Cameron Chardonnay is an incredible deal. Made of declassified barrels of Clos Electrique and Abbey Ridge, so without the new oak that the lower level bottling sees, this wine shows facets of the grace and intensity of Abbey and the Clos without the pricetag of those higher end bottlings. In 2014, all of the Abbey Ridge was moved to this bottling, making it an even better deal than usual.
Additionally, we still have some of the 2014 Single Vineyard wines in stock as well as a few other oddities (Ramato/Rouge de Gris) kicking around as well. You can see the our complete selection of Cameron wines (and everything else in our inventory) at www.vinopoliswineshop.com but we wanted to highlight a few things here:
Cameron Winery Saignee Pinot Noir Rose, Dundee Hills 2015 750ML (21.95) $18 special, 34 bottles available
VinopolNote: Abbey Ridge Dijon clone Pinot with some Pinot Meunier. Aged for 12 months in neutral oak to add texture and soften fruit aromas.
Cameron Winery Clos Electrique Blanc, Dundee Hills 2014 750ML ($79.95) $66 special, 26 bottles available
Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2014 Chardonnay Clos Electrique was tasted from barrel, although the final selection was still to be made. It has a stunning, tensile bouquet that ranks alongside many a white Burgundy that I have tasted – wonderful mineralité and tension here, one of the best you will encounter in Oregon. The palate is medium-bodied with fine definition, crisp acidity, hints of brioche tincturing the citrus fruit, a little nutmeg surfacing towards the long and sustained finish. This is a killer Chardonnay that should present many years of pleasure to those savvy enough to grab a few bottles.”
Cameron Winery ‘Abbey Ridge’ Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2014 750ML (79.95) $66 special, 36+ bottles available
Wine Advocate 91-93 points “The 2014 Pinot Noir Abbey Ridge Unfiltered has a crisp and minerally bouquet. Apparently they have decided not to use any Pommard clone here, as it was not providing the density that it usually imparts. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, blackberry and boysenberry fruit, good backbone here, a fine bead of acidity with a very focused, elegant finish that lingers in the mouth. Very fine, very classy.”
Cameron Winery Clos Electrique Rouge, Willamette Valley 2014 750ML ($79.95) $66 special, 22 bottles available
Wine Advocate 92-94 points “The 2014 Pinot Noir Clos Electrique has the most Burgundian bouquet from barrel with gorgeous, detailed brambly red fruit that blossoms from the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, finely judged acidity, plenty of redcurrant and raspberry fruit with a harmonious and quite effortless finish that leaves a minerally residue in the mouth. Not powerful, but it does not need to be. This is exquisite Pinot Noir.”
Cameron Winery Dundee Hills Rouge de Gris, Willamette Valley 2014 750ML ($39.95) $33 special, 8 bottles available
Winery note “We are proud to present 2014 Rouge de Gris, our newest red wine! This wine is dedicated to the late Stanko Radikon and his son, Saša of Radikon Oslavia, who made us realize the potential locked up in the Pinot gris grape. Its nose is respendent with juicy strawberries, bing cherries, violets and a touch of straw. The crisp palate with flavors of umami and ripe and supple fruit tannins make this a truly quaffable red wine. The label honors the Italian plums that were planted on the site by early Oregon settlers prior to its current status as a Pinot gris vineyard at Abbey Ridge. We wish that David Lett were here to see what is possible with Pinot gris!”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
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Featured New Arrivals
From the Trendiest Region This Year!
It’s bizarre (but cool) to any grizzled veteran of the wine industry, but Beaujolais may be the hottest region of 2017. It’s probably time that the area gets the respect it’s due, too, as the wine quality outpaces prices by a good bit (though cool it with the myopic focus on 2015, guys! The last several vintages have been delicious). We love the wines and wanted to highlight a pair of new arrivals from Thivin, one of our favorite producers. They make incredible wines from Brouilly and the Cote de Brouilly which are lively, seductive bottlings that are delicious young and age well, too. We also have a few other picks that we think are some cherries in the Beaujolais section and worth your time, too.
New Arrivals from Chateau Thivin:
Chateau Thivin Cote de Brouilly, Beaujolais 2015 750ML ($29.95) $24 special
Wine Advocate 94 points “Bottled 3 weeks prior to my visit, the 2015 Côte de Brouilly was very closed on the nose though you can tell that it is packed to the rafters with fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with intense red and black fruit, superb mineralité and harmony, gradually building in the mouth with a compelling, tensile finish. What a fantastic Beaujolais in the making – about as good as it gets to be quite honest. If I taste a better QPR wine this year…no, just impossible.”
Josh Raynolds 93 points “Limpid ruby-red. Bright and energetic on the nose, displaying incisive red and dark berry, floral pastille and Asian spice scents and a zesty mineral topnote. Palate-staining raspberry and bitter cherry flavors deepen and become sweeter as the wine opens up. Delivers a serious dose of densely packed fruit flavor while coming off graceful, showing no rough edges and an impressively long, mineral-driven finish. This year’s rendition of this classic bottling is a must-buy for longtime fans of this historic estate.”
Chateau Thivin Brouilly ‘Reverdon’, Beaujolais 2015 750ML ($27.95) $21.90 special
Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2015 Brouilly Reverdon, which had been bottled about one month prior to my visit, has a powerful but primal bouquet, clearly laden with plenty of fruit. The definition is here though. The palate is fleshy and supple on the entry but then those tannins cloak the mouth, without overwhelming, finishing in quite a sensual style. This has much more to give but it should be given 3-4 years to allow the terroir to really be expressed. What are you waiting for? This is a knockout Brouilly.”
Josh Raynolds 91 points “Bright violet. Powerful, mineral-tinged dark berries, violet and licorice on the perfumed nose. Densely packed bitter cherry and boysenberry flavors are enlivened by a jolt of juicy acidity. Fleshes out on the youthfully tannic finish, which hangs on with strong, floral-driven persistence.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
We offer 37 different Beaujolais wines in stock and available here now (that’s 1,118 bottles!). We’ve featured five bottlings below. You can check out the full list below. Visit our web store at www.vinopoliswineshop.com to read reviews or order online!
Chateau Grange Cochard Morgon Cote du Puy, Beaujolais 2014 750ML ($27.95) $24 special, 36+ bottles available
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 93 points “Deep ruby. Mineral-accented cherry and blackberry aromas are underscored by a spicy element that gains strength as the wine opens up. Sappy and penetrating, offering sweet dark berry flavors with complicating suggestions of star anise and violet. The spice and floral qualities build steadily through an impressively long, sappy finish, which is framed by harmonious tannins that fold easily into the intense fruit.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Jean Foillard Morgon Les Charmes Eponym, Beaujolais 2013 750ML ($49.95) $39 special, 30 bottles available
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 93 points “Bright magenta. Mineral-accented aromas of ripe raspberry, cherry pit, licorice and Asian spices, complemented by a sexy floral nuance that emerges with air. Silky and focused, offering vibrant bitter cherry and red berry flavors, a hint of candied lavender and a refreshingly bitter jolt of blood orange. Finishes gently tannic, sweet and impressively long, leaving red fruit liqueur and spicecake notes behind.”
Guy Breton Regnie, Beaujolais 2014 750ML ($34.95) $26 special, 28 bottles available
Josh Raynolds 91 points “Brilliant ruby. Mineral-tinged aromas of black raspberry, cherry and lavender pastille, along with a hint of white pepper in the background. Lithe and appealingly sweet, offering dark berry and spicecake flavors lifted by juicy acidity. Shows very good clarity and minerally cut on the finish, which is framed by sneaky, harmonious tannins.”
Nicolas Chemarin Regnie Les Haute Ronze, Beaujolais 2014 750ML ($21.95) $18 special, 36+ bottles available
Josh Raynolds–Vinous 92 points “Vivid ruby-red. Sexy, mineral-laced aromas of ripe red and dark berries, violet and licorice. Sappy and penetrating, offering bitter cherry and black raspberry flavors that become sweeter as the wine opens up. Concentrated yet lithe, delivering excellent finishing clarity and strong, mineral-driven persistence.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Pierre-Marie Chermette Domaine du Vissoux Brouilly Pierreux, Beaujolais 2015 750ML ($29.95) $24 special, 36+ bottles available
John Gilman 93+ points “As I have mentioned in the past, the Brouilly “Pierreux” bottling from Pierre-Marie Chermette hails from the southern part of Brouilly appellation, just to the east of the village of Odenas, and often this wine has more in common with bottlings of Côte de Brouilly as a result. The 2015 Pierreux is fairly low octane for the vintage, coming in at 13.5 percent, but offering plenty of depth and structure, which are the hallmarks of this year. The complex bouquet is a bit more black fruity out of the blocks than the 2014 was at a similar age, offering up scents of black cherries, pomegranate, a striking base of soil tones, woodsmoke, fresh rosemary, chicory and a nice touch of meatiness. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, tangy and laser-like in its focus, with a rock solid core, some firm, well-integrated tannins and superb soil drive on the very long and youthful finish. This is going to be a stunning bottle of Brouilly, but, like many of the very best 2015s, it is going to want some time in the cellar. 2019-2045+. 93+.”
Josh Raynolds 91 points “Bright violet. Ripe cherry and dark berries on the powerful, spice-accented nose. Supple and open-knit, offering fleshy cherry and cassis flavors lifted by a jolt of juicy acidity. Shows very good energy and breadth on the gently tannic, dark-fruit-dominated finish, which leaves a sappy blue fruit note behind.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
As promised, here’s the full list of all Beaujolais wines we offer, both in stock and arriving soon!
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The Occhipinti Bandwagon Gets More Crowded:
New Review from Grapelive!
Azienda Agricola Arianna Occhipinti SP68 Sicilia Rosso IGT, Sicily 2015 750ML ($27.95) $24 special
Grapelive 93 points “The latest from Arianna Occhipinti is her Nero d’Avola and Frappato blend, the SP68 Rosso Terre Siciliane from her estate near Vittoria. It’s everything her fans and world was expecting and a little bit more, showing an earthy harmony, silky layers of medium weight fruit and her classic natural highlights. The 2015 is a richly detailed wine with admirable poise and vibrancy delivering a delectable selection of wild fruits, minty spices and savory/rustic charms unleashing a mix of dried flowers, raspberry, lingonberry, tart cherry and zesty currant and strawberry along with a hint of balsamic, lavender oil and loamy stones. Light and bright on the palate, this is an expressive vintage that adds a bit more complexity and fine quality to already very desirable wine. Impressive in style and substance, you’ll want to have this edition of Arianna’s SP68. This is fun stuff and will be great with lots of cuisine options and even great on its own with a slight chill to keep it fresh, like a good Cru Beaujolais. This is a great summer red, and while still delicately lighter in focus, it has the warm vintage sexiness. Occhipinti is a star and this new SP68 will seduce, drink this over the next 2 or 3 years. This is a wine without pretense with old world character and will never bore you.”
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Featured New Arrivals
From Germany
Weingut Donnhoff Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Spatlese, Nahe 2015 750ML ($59.95) $47 special
Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2015 Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Riesling Spätlese opens with an aristocratic bouquet of coolish, flinty slate and citrus perfume along with concentrated Riesling flavors. There is great complexity and expression here! On the palate, this wine is highly elegant and its seamless, silky texture is like that of the Dellchen GG. Very salty, full of finesse and tension on the palate–this is a great, perfectly balanced Spätlese. There is no other Riesling in the Nahe that has such nobly aristocratic attitude. It’s one of the finest Spätlese Rieslings you can buy from this vintage.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $56
Weingut Donnhoff Oberhauser Leistenberg Riesling Kabinett, Nahe 2015 750ML ($27.95) $21.90 special
Wine Advocate 91 points “Coming from argillaceous shale soils, the 2015 Oberhäuser Leistenberg Riesling Kabinett opens with a very clear and coolish, slightly flinty bouquet with white Riesling and some refreshing lemon flavors. Full-flavored and intense on the palate, this is a lovely, light-hearted, piquant and racy Riesling with intensity and persistency. The 40+ grams of residual sugar are almost fully eaten by the minerality and piquancy of this picture book Kabinett.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Weingut Donnhoff Roxheimer Hollenpfad Riesling Trocken, Nahe 2015 750ML ($39.95) $33 special
Wine Advocate 93 points “From a steep, south-facing vineyard on red sandstone soils, the 2015 (Roxheimer) Höllenpfad Riesling Trocken opens with warm and generous yellow apple fruit, but also a coolish and piquant sand stone expression with spicy and even peppery lemon flavors. “The grapes are always smaller here than in the Kahlenberg and the berries [are] very intense in their fine fruit aromas,” says Helmut Dönnhoff. The roots can go through the sandstone, which is not the case in the volcanic soils of Niederhausen and Oberhausen. As a result, drought stress is very rare and that makes the Höllenpfad a perfect origin for dry Rieslings. On the palate, this is a generously fruity, but also pure, piquant and finely racy Riesling with lingering salinity and lemony freshness. The wine is dense and generous, but precise, fresh and rather cool instead of warm. It is a gorgeous Riesling that combines the warmth of the northern Nahe, closer to the Rhine river, with the purity and salinity of the Niederhausen/Oberhausen. The finish is pretty, long and aromatic, and the ripe apples remain on the palate as do the stony flavors.”
Kruger-Rumpf Binger Scharlachberg Riesling Spatlese, Rheinhessen 2006 750ML ($27.95) $21.90 special
Terry Theise notes: “Scharlachberg is a Grand Cru, but in fact a Rheinhessen Grand Cru, as it sits across the (mighty!) Nahe from Münster-Sarmsheim; it’s a serious prow of hillside acting as a kind of warm-up to the Rüdesheimer Berg just to its north over the Rhine – though on a radically different soil; a mélange of rotliegend and various volcanic derivatives (e.g., porphyry). The wines are, or can be, superb, seeming to mingle the succulence of Hipping or Pettenthal with the exotics of Felsenberg or Dautenpflänzer.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $24
Kruger-Rumpf Binger Scharlachberg Riesling Spatlese, Rheinhessen 2015 750ML ($27.95) $21.90 special
Terry Theise Notes: “An entirely typical, which is to say riotously super ripe fruity wine from this vineyard, an old-school “sweet” Spätlese anchored to a big earthy richness.”
Kruger-Rumpf Munsterer Dautenpflanzer Riesling Spatlese, Nahe 2015 750ML ($27.95) $21.90 special
Terry Theise notes: “Shows the loam and lemony face of this spicy exotic vineyard; picked ginger, earthy clove and duck skin; freesia and mint—what a glorious Grand Cru this is. Earthy yet tastes like it was visited by extraterrestrials, who threw down seeds for a phosphorescent moss.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average price is $24
And We’ve Brought Merkel-back! Surprise New Arrivals From Our Favorites:
Weingut Alfred Merkelbach Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Spatlese #1, Mosel 2015 750ML ($29.95) $21.90 special
Mosel Fine Wines 91 points “An expressive nose of fresh fruits including pineapple, grapefruit and peach leads to a mouth-coating feel on the palate and a lively and energetic structure in the zesty finish. The grapefruit and citrus driven finish is full of freshness and lightness. This is a superb Spätlese in the making. 2023-2035.”
Terry Theise: “I have to point out: this wine has been a core-list item for us, and we usually blend Fuders in order to give us (relatively speaking) “volume” under one s.k.u. But this year there are just three contributing lots, and they’re so distinct from one another that I’m shipping each separately, though all as core-list. This will be random, as it would be utter chaos for y’all to “pick” the Fuder you preferred. I will note them separately. And this one is pure, pure licorice, classic kiwi and sassafrass; a look into the very bones and capillaries of Uerz-Würz, like an MRI of terroir. A completely amazing Mosel wonder of a very fundamental nature.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Weingut Alfred Merkelbach Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Spatlese #6, Mosel 2015 750ML ($29.95) $26 special
Mosel Fine Wines 92 points “This Spätlese was made fruit with moderate sugar levels (less than 90° Oechsle). It offers a very fine and elegant aromatic profile driven by notes of zest, grapefruit, mint and pineapple. A clean, zesty and zippy structure delivers a dynamic and playful wine on the palate. The fruit driven aromatics lead to a clean and focused long finish. This is quite a superb light yet intense Spätlese. 2025-2040.”
Terry Theise: “A little bottle-sick but all elements in place, especially saltiness and minerality. Has some reduction to shed, but often these turn out to be the best wines, and this one’s potentially superb.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Weingut Alfred Merkelbach Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Spatlese #7, Mosel 2015 750ML ($29.95) $26 special
Terry Theise: “This is complete and entirely striking, for its purism and lack of (nor need for) makeup; it’s the opposite of spiffy, a genius but an autodidact, with savant-like expressiveness; force, dignity and length, it squares the circle and culminates the culture.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $29.99
Merkelbach Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Auslese #8 “Lang Pichter” 2015 750ML ($41.95) $33 special
Mosel Fine Wines 92 points “Harvested at a full 110° Oechsle, this ostentatious and fruit driven Auslese offers complex flavors of pineapple, canned yellow peach, aniseed spices, almond paste as well as some bakery products and honey. A smooth, juicy and round palate with plenty of honeyed flavors is nicely pepped up by some smoky flavors in the long finish. This is a structured and rather powerful Auslese. 2025-2040”
Terry Theise: “The greatest wine I’ve tasted from Rolf and Alfred. Incomprehensibly articulate, rich, taut and gorgeous; lysergically vivid and expressive; has more fruit than Urglück, kiwi-lime-strawberry-salt, leading to an ecstatically beautiful implosion of beauty and complexity. Just sit still, pour, inhale, taste and worship joyfully. Soon it will be gone.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Weingut Willi Schaefer Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spatlese, Mosel 2015 750ML ($41.95) $37 special
Mosel Fine Wines 93 points “Shy on the nose (where it only hints at more than exhibits fresh fruity scents of grapefruit, tangerine and a touch of mango as well as mint) this Spätlese proves surprisingly open on the palate as smooth and ripe flavors of juicy fruits play havoc with one’s senses. The finish has great intensity and presence with more fresh ripe fruits. This is a superb Spätlese in the making. 2025-2040.”
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Staff Picks: Big Rich Wines Edition
“It seems France’s Roussillon region was made to grow fine wine. Proximity to the vine’s favorite sea, the Mediterranean, and planted in classic limestone-clay soil, winemaking talent thrives in this area. Founded by a pair of Frenchmen in 2002, Domaine de l’Edre produces ripe yet balanced and stylish wines of terrific character and terroir definition. Here’s the perfect match to a leg of lamb or even a pot au feu, to veggie dishes rich in grilled peppers and eggplant, and of course to charcuterie and cheese. Celebrate the French way of good living by uncorking a bottle of L’Edre Roussillon!” – Daniel
Domaine de L’Edre Cotes du Roussillon Villages 2013 750ML ($49.95) $41.90 special, 36+ bottles available
Case-6 Domaine de L’Edre Cotes du Roussillon Villages 2013 750ML ($299.95) $239 special, 4 six-packs available (that’s only $39.83/bottle!)
Wine Advocate 95 points “One of the wines of the vintage is the 2013 Cotes du Roussillon Villages Domaine de l’Edre. While this cuvee had a rustic edge in the past, today it’s incredibly polished and pure, with brilliant aromatics of cassis, black raspberries, licorice, crushed flowers and chalky minerality. Medium to full-bodied, ripe, yet elegant and balanced, it’s a classic Roussillon that can be enjoyed today or cellared for a decade.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
“The wines that Giampero Bea makes at the estate bearing his father’s name are some of the finest in Italy. They also occupy an odd corner of the market, in which they are relatively unknown and yet hard to acquire. That’s largely because the wines have an extremely devoted following, and this wine, made from Sagrantino, the flagship grape of Umbria, is largely the reason why. This wine combines power and elegance, class and rusticity, in a way that is very unique in the world of wine. If you love anything from Natural Wine to classic Barolo, you’ll find something to enjoy and be captivated by here.” –Saul
Paolo Bea Pagliaro Secco, Sagrantino di Montefalco DOCG 2008 750ML ($89.95) $79 special, 17 bottles available
Importer note “The fabled local grape of Montefalco is the Sagrantino and the Pagliaro vineyard, situated at 1300 feet in altitude, is dedicated in large part to this grape variety. The harvest of Sagrantino normally occurs during the second half of October. The cuvaison extends for forty to fifty days. The wines is then aged for one year in stainless steel, another two years in large Slavonian oak barrels and, finally, spends one more year in bottle (the wine, like all Bea wines, is unfiltered) before release. Annual production from the Pagliaro vineyard is 15,000 to 20,000 bottles.”
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Our Current
Shipping Promos:
Welcome to the club, Colorado!
Along with Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and California,
we now offer flat rate shipping to Colorado. Here’s the scoop:
Single orders of any quantity of wines qualify for the flat rate;
this does not apply to orders held in storage for any reason
or multiple orders consolidated into one shipment.
The flat reach for each state is, as follows:
-to Oregon for $17,
-Washington & Idaho for $20,
-and California & Colorado for $25
Take Advantage of the Flat Rate!
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Dozen Deals
A case of VinSanity!
There is no party, no world even, where fewer bottles of (good) wine are desirable. If there’s a constant in wine world, it’s that having an extra bottle or three on hand is a good thing. We feel strongly about this and so wanted to highlight a few case deals that are extra special to us (plus check out the full list of case deals farther down!). Our single bottle prices are always great, but the case deals today are absolute steals! Everything from daily drinker Chard and Cab to special occasion Champagne at once-a-week prices: the choice (and the cases) are yours.
Case-12 Saintsbury Chardonnay, Carneros 2013 750ML ($299.95) $199 special, 4 cases available (that’s only $16.58/bottle!)
Saintsbury Chardonnay, Carneros 2013 750ML ($27.95) $18 special, 18 bottles available
Wine Enthusiast 91 points “An approachable screwcap wine that is made in larger numbers than many of the producer’s vineyard-designates, this is just as impressive in flavor and presence, employing less oak to provide a honeyed, tropical and fresh sensibility of drying tannin and a tangy finish.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Case-6 Vouette et Sorbee Cuvee Fidele Extra Brut, Champagne NV (2012) 750ML ($479.95) $336 special, 4 six-packs available (that’s only $56/bottle!)
Vouette et Sorbee Cuvee Fidele Extra Brut, Champagne NV (2012) 750ML ($89.95) $59 special, 36+ bottles available
Antonio Galloni 95 points “The NV (2012) Extra Brut Fidele is another fabulous wine from Vouette & Sorbée. Here, the richness of Pinot Noir comes through loud and clear in the wine’s depth and overall richness. Creamy and beautifully layered throughout, the 2012 hits all the right notes. Red berry, mint, flowers, sweet spices and candy fill out the wine’s broad frame effortlessly. What a gorgeous wine this is. Simply put, the 2012 is a total knock-out.”
Case-6 Tyrus Evan Ciel du Cheval Vineyard Claret, Columbia Valley 2015 750ML ($119.95) $99 special, 3 six-packs available (that’s only $16.50/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Tyrus Evan Ciel du Cheval Vineyard Claret, Columbia Valley 2015 750ML ($21.95) $18 special, 15 bottles available
Winery note “Ken Wright, known for his highly-rated, single-vineyard Pinot Noir, introduced a new label in 2001, Tyrus Evan. The name on the vintage western label came from Ken’s two son’s middle names. The wine, all made in Carlton at Ken Wright Cellars, is from fruit sourced from Ciel du Cheval vineyard in Washington State’s Red Mountain AVA and Seven Hills vineyard which lies on the Oregon side of the Walla Walla AVA. The vineyard Ciel du Cheval lies in the heart of the tiny Red Mountain American Viticultural Area (AVA) in southeast Washington. Initially planted to just three acres in 1975, the vineyard now encompasses 120 acres and provides outstanding fruit to 26 wineries in the northwest. As owner Jim Holmes puts it, ‘This is a hobby that has gone crazy.’ 43% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc, 6% Petit Verdot”
Case-6 Chateau Vaillart la Mongie, Bordeaux 2010 750ML ($99.95) $76 special, 4 six-packs available (that’s only $12.67/bottle!)
Chateau Vaillart la Mongie, Bordeaux 2010 750ML ($17.95) $14 special, 19 bottles available
Vinopolnote: An aromatic and silky Cabernet-Merlot blend geared towards everyday enjoyment.
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Case-6 Altesino Montosoli, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2011 750ML ($499.94) $449 special, 4 six-packs available (that’s only $74.83/bottle!)
Altesino Montosoli, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2011 750ML ($99.95) $79 special, 12 bottles available
James Suckling 94 points “A very ripe style with prune, berry and salted-nut aromas and flavors. Full body, savory intensity and a long, flavorful finish. Lots of juicy, fabulous fruit. Shows the greatness of the vineyard. Drink or hold.”
Case-6 Marchesi de Frescobaldi Castelgiocondo, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2011 750ML ($359.95) $219 special, 5 six-packs available (that’s only $36.50/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Marchesi de Frescobaldi Castelgiocondo, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2011 750ML ($69.95) $39 special, 36+ bottles available
James Suckling 93 points “A firm, silky red with blueberry, blackberry and mineral aromas. Hints of chocolate. Full body, pretty fruit and a long, flavorful finish. Very refined. A standard-bearer.”
Wine Advocate 91 points “Boasting an elaborate style, the 2011 Brunello di Montalcino is a plump, juicy and opulent red wine from southern Tuscany. The wine is packed tight with the sunshine and the brilliant luminosity of its birthplace. The quality of fruit is quite ripe and soft. The tannins are similarly textured. This is an immediate wine that can be consumed within the next few years. Or, if you have the patience to wait, it promises a steady medium-term evolution. The bouquet is redolent of red fruit, cherry cola and grilled herb.”
Antonio Galloni 91 points “The 2011 Brunello di Montalcino is a very pretty wine. Succulent, open-knit and racy, the 2011 offers lovely purity of fruit in a racy, forward style that is best enjoyed sooner rather than later, while the flavors retain their brightness. Sweet red cherry, flowers and spices reappear on the finish, adding a closing burst of energy.”
Case-12 Paitin di Pasquero-Elia ‘Serra’, Barbaresco DOCG 2011 750ML ($419.95) $359 special, 5 cases available (that’s only $29.92/bottle!)
Paitin di Pasquero-Elia ‘Serra’, Barbaresco DOCG 2011 750ML ($41.95) $31.90 special, 26+ bottles available
Wine Spectator 94 points “Rich and velvety, yet also vibrant and complex, this red boasts floral, berry, anise, leather and mineral flavors. Harmonious, this turns slightly chewy in texture on the lingering finish. Best from 2017 through 2027. 1,000 cases made.” WS
Antonio Galloni 93 points “Crushed flowers, sweet red berries, spices and mint race across the palate in the 2011 Barbaresco Serra. This is one of the most intense, tannic 2011 Barbarescos readers will come across. Far from an easygoing wine, the 2011 is going to need considerable patience. Hints of sweet tobacco, mint and anise add nuance on the layered, super-expressive finish. The 2011 Serra spent two years in 50-hectoliter casks.” AG
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Case-12 Peter Lauer ‘Barrel X’ Saar Riesling, Mosel 2015 750ML ($279.95) $219 special, 7 cases available (that’s only $18.25/bottle and the lowest listed price in the USA today!)
Peter Lauer ‘Barrel X’ Saar Riesling, Mosel 2015 750ML ($24.95) $19 special, 24+ bottles available
Importer note “You all know by now the stratospheric work Florian is doing in the Saar. This has always been the ambassador wine from the winery but this vintage elevates to Senior levels of complexity.”
Eric Asimov 20 Wines under 20 Pick for Fall 2016 ““Barrel X” is the entry-level Riesling of Peter Lauer, which has become something of a cult producer. Its wines are precise and jewel-like, and this one is no different, rocky on the palate with an almost razor-like focus and just the most tender touch of residual sugar.”
Case-12 Zorzal Eggo Mixed Case, Tupungato, Argentina MV 3 each of 4 different wines ($319.95) $279 special, 4 cases available (that’s only $23.25/bottle!)
A mixed case containing 3 bottles each of the following Zorzal wines:
Zorzal Eggo Blanc de Cal Sauvignon Blanc 2014
Wine Advocate 92 points “Sauvignon Blanc from two different vineyards in Gualtallary…. This is more subtle and earthy, less Sauvignon, with the fruit expressing itself in a lower-pitched voice, more of a baritone…. Groundbreaking Sauvignon.” LG
Zorzal Eggo Cabernet Franc 2015.
Wine Advocate 93 points “….It shows a mixture of herbal and candied berry aromas, hints of beef blood and iron. The absence of oak shows the naked tannins and provides an earthy side, which to me is very much the wild character of Gualtallary”
Zorzal Eggo Pinot Noir 2014
Wine Advocate 92 points “…carbonic maceration in cement vats and like the whole Eggo line, it matured in cement eggs for some nine months and never saw any oak…. The palate is medium-bodied, with floral flavors, very good acidity and a fine texture.”
Zorzal Eggo Tinto de Tiza Malbec 2014
Decanter 96 points ‘Top 10 Exciting Buys’ “Refreshing, beautiful nose with herbal and minty cool notes…. Bags of red fruits and lemon on the palate, vibrant, with a sensational invigorating freshness….This is the treasure of Argentina.”
Wine Advocate 94 points “….silky texture, pure flavors and a mineral-driven finish. At this price I’d buy it by the case. Super!”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
See the complete list of all Case-12 and Case-6 deals at the bottom of this newsletter!
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What Ever Happened to $16 Kabinett?
Highlighting Throwback Riesling
“I remember when you could get good Riesling Kabinett for fifteen bucks” is up there with “back in the day, first growth Bordeaux only cost a full day’s wages” as laments we hear on a frequent basis. Unlike with Bordeaux, though, there are good reasons for the price increases–most notably that it’s a royal pain to farm steep slope vineyards in the Mosel. You have to do it by hand and you have to go back and forth, because the vineyards are often too steep to walk straight up.
That said, there are a few producers making good wine for what might be described as “throwback” prices, foremost among them Willi Haag. The less famous of the two Haag wineries makes more-than-solid Mosel wines (in styles ranging from dry to slightly off dry to fruity) and all are outstandingly reasonable for their prices. Additionally, the wines we have right now are from 2013 and 2014, two vintages that are not as ‘grand’ as 2015 but are incredibly useful at the table. If you pine for Kabinett that isn’t Spatlese in disguise, then these are your vintages (especially 2014). The feinherb and trocken wines are not to be missed either.
We’re excited to offer these useful wines today, at prices that will make you want to stock up and pour freely, all available here now:
Weingut Willi Haag Brauneberger Juffer Riesling Kabinett Feinherb, Mosel 2015 750ML ($21.95) $16 special, 21 bottles available
“Stony, almost dusty note on the nose over light citrus. Tastes drier than you might expect from feinherb thanks to an assertive lime-citrus streak.” – Jancis Robinson
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Weingut Willi Haag Brauneberger Juffer Riesling Kabinett, Mosel 2013 750ML ($21.95) $16 special, 19 bottles available
VinopolNote: This is a classic Kabinett from a really solid producer. The Juffer is one of the most famous vineyards in Braunberg and the different branches of the Haag family are the most important owners. Light, fresh and delicately sweet, this is everything you want from a Kabinett at an old-school price.
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Weingut Willi Haag Riesling Trocken, Mosel 2014 750ML ($19.95) $11.90 special, 14 bottles available
VinopolNote: If you’re looking for a house white for spring/summer, this is your wine. The 2014 vintage yielded smaller scaled wines that aren’t as ripe or rich as some recent vintages and this wine carries that lightness perfectly. Lean and minerally, with a nice lemon oil citrusyness, this is something that would be perfect with oysters or just a front porch and some sunshine.
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Weingut Willi Haag Spatlese Trocken Alte Reben, Mosel 2015 750ML ($29.95) $18 special, 20 bottles available
VinopolNote: This is a sneaky great deal. From some of the oldest vines W. Haag works with (hence the Alte Reben designation) this is a bone dry wine in the style of a Grosses Gewachs. While it won’t replace a GG from a famous producer in your cellar, it’s from a richer vintage and open for business today–giving you something to drink instead of your high dollar gems. Really nice stuff.
This is the only listing in the USA today!
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Guillemot: Savigny with Soul
Let’s cut to the chase: the wines coming out from Domaine Pierre Guillemot are everything we’re looking for in Savigny-les-Beaune (and in reasonably priced Burgundy in general). Judging by the number of winemakers and other industry insiders who buy these wines from us, it looks like they aren’t a secret anymore, either.
If you aren’t familiar with Guillemot, allow us to give you the quick rundown: small, family run domaine in Savigny makes affordable wines that tend to be red fruited, fresh, a little rustic and priced fairly. These aren’t wines which aspire to “greatness” but simply seek to be the most honest expression of their terroirs as possible—unmasked by new oak or techniques like cold soaking. In vineyards like Serpentieres, the honest terroir is a age worthy and profound wine, but in all of the wines the dirt speaks.
Moreover, the wines tend to drink well young—they are nervy, snappy examples of Burgundy. The Savigny “VV” and the Picotins, in particular, are wines to try now while you give the rest of the lineup a few years rest. We also have supreme confidence that these wines will age into interesting and beautiful examples, but honestly, it’s hard to keep your hands off of them now. Just know that these can’t stay an industry secret much longer…
Domaine Pierre Guillemot Wines Available Here Now
Domaine Pierre Guillemot Aux Gravains, Savigny-les-Beaune Premier Cru 2014 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 7 bottles available
Winery note “Deep soil; scree; alluvial mixed with gravel; south exposed; 270 m altitude. Grapes are sorted and 70% de-stemmed; traditional vinification; 16-day maceration; the cap is punched down manually. Fifteen months in 1- to 3-year-old barrels, with 10% new oak. Aromas of black cherry; smoky notes.”
Domaine Pierre Guillemot Les Jarrons, Savigny-les-Beaune Premier Cru 2014 750ML ($49.95) $44 special, 32 bottles available
Winery note “Vineyards on an east-facing slope near the town of Savigny-lès-Beaune. Steep slopes; deep sandy soil; 260 m altitude. Fifteen months in 1- to 3-year-old barrels, with 10% new oak. Aromas of black cherry; vanilla; mineral notes.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Pierre Guillemot Savigny-les-Beaune Les Grands Picotins, Cote de Beaune 14 750ML ($39.95) $33 special, 35 bottles available
Winery note “Village-level vineyards near the town of Savigny-lès-Beaune. Clay-limestone scree; rocky. Grapes are sorted and entirely de-stemmed; traditional vinification; 16-day maceration; the cap is punched down manually. Fifteen months in 1- to 3-year-old barrels. Aromas of bing cherry; blackcurrant; raspberry.”
Domaine Pierre Guillemot Les Serpentieres, Savigny-les-Beaune Premier Cru 2014 750ML ($49.95) $44 special, 15 bottles available
Winery note “Vineyards on a south-facing slope near the town of Savigny-lès-Beaune. The soil is composed of marl and brown earth. Fifteen months in 1- to 3-year-old barrels, with 10% new oak. Aromas of berries; strawberry; cherry; bing cherry; licorice root; peony.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Pierre Guillemot Savigny-les-Beaune Vieilles Vignes, Cote de Beaune 2014 750ML ($37.95) $33 special, 32 bottles available
Winery note: “Village-level vineyards near the town of Savigny-lès-Beaune. Clay-limestone scree and marl. Grapes are sorted and entirely de-stemmed; traditional vinification; 16-day maceration; the cap is punched down manually. Fifteen months in 1- to 3-year-old barrels. Aromas of berries; raspberry; cherry; roses; vanilla.”
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Give the Gift that Never Expires!
Can’t decide on the perfect gift?
Let them!
We offer gift certificates in any amount with no taxes, fees or expiration date.
Gift certificates are not available through our web store. To order, please stop in, call or email. We are happy to mail gift certificates to any domestic address at no charge.
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Dozen Deals
While most of our wines may be on (low) net pricing, there are a bunch of cases that we have special deals for! You can view them all at www.vinopoliswineshop.com or in this spreadsheet below:
Thank you for reading!