Category Archives: Wineries We Cherish

Kelley Fox Wines

2024 Vintage New Arrival Pinot Noirs

Kelley Fox Wines is a small Oregon winery created in 2007 by Kelley Fox along with her father, Gerson “Gus” Stearns.  Kelley is a veteran of the Oregon wine scene and has been a full-time, year-round, on-the-floor winemaker since 2000. Her winemaking experience includes stints at Torii Mor, Hamacher, and Eyrie, as well as ten years as the winemaker at Scott Paul Wines. Since 2015, Kelley has happily worked exclusively on her own wines.

After receiving dual master’s degrees in Biochemistry and Biophysics from Oregon State University, Kelley entered the Biochemistry PhD program but decided to later change her path and pursue winemaking.  She was deeply influenced by her dear friend and former employer, the late David Lett of The Eyrie Vineyards.  David was the ultimate iconoclast who pioneered the Oregon wine industry in the 1960’s. David Lett’s influence has certainly carried over into the style of wines produced at Kelley Fox Wines.  The wines are made to reflect the land, the vines, the fruit, the year, and everything else unknown and unseen that comes with those things. They are Oregon wines that display an honesty and transparency that are truly expressive of its origins and place.

Her annual case production is now around 5000 cases, spread out over many different wines. Having worked so long in Oregon, she has access to some of the top vineyards in the state, many of which were planted in the 70’s or early 80’s. These include the historic Maresh Vineyard, Hyland Vineyard, Freedom Hill Vineyard, Weber Vineyard, Durant Vineyard, Dux Vineyard, Carter Vineyard and Canary Hill Vineyard. All the wines are made with a deft touch so as to allow each vineyard to have its voice.

Kelley’s winemaking has evolved over the years to try and create the transparency she is looking for from these great sites (the details of which she chronicles on her website). The small lot fermentations have always been done with all native yeasts and no additions, enzymes, etc. After pushing a high percentage of whole cluster inclusion in her early days, she now does 30-50% for her Pinot Noirs, with gentle punch downs by hand (no pumpovers). Fermentations last around 12 to 20 days, and all of the wines are aged in 100% used, French oak barrels since 2012, down from 30% new oak in her early days. 

All that said, the wines are not really “made” at all.  Kelley has no end result in mind each year for what the wines will be, but rather lets them express themselves along the way. What she is doing takes a lot of inner and outer work in responding to the essence of the fruit from each block, along with the details of the year (the weather, the stars and the planets, etc. etc.).

Words and photo of the winemaker courtesy of Polaner Selections

New Arrivals Now in Stock:

2024 Kelley Fox Durant Vineyard Pinot Noir

  • Regular price: $89.95                     
  • Vinopolis price: $79
  • 98+ POINTS -JEB DUNNUCK / AUDREY FRICK   “A bright, energetic wine, the 2024 Pinot Noir Durant Vineyard resonates with remarkable purity, offering framboise, violets, sweet tea, sweet orange, and silky tannins. Sourced from old vines, it has extraordinary length, crystalline salinity, and remarkable depth despite its elegance. Nothing here feels lean. Drink over the coming 20 years or more.”

 

2024 Kelley Fox Shafer Vineyard Pinot Noir

  • Regular price: $89.95                     
  • Vinopolis price: $79
  • 97 POINTS – JEB DUNNUCK / AUDREY FRICK “From the Tualatin Hills, the 2024 Pinot Noir Shafer Vineyard is bright and vibrant, with notes of orange zest, cranberry, bright roses, dusty earth, and terrific tension. Medium-bodied, it delivers mouthwatering acidity without ever becoming severe, alongside impressive salinity and elegance. Sourced from 1973 plantings in what Kelley calls a magical place, this is a wine Oregon wine pioneer David Lett would likely have appreciated. Drink over the coming 15 years”

 

2024 Kelley Fox Canary Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir

  • Regular price: $99.95                     
  • Vinopolis price: $89
  • 97 POINTS JEB DUNNUCK / AUDREY FRICK  ”The 2024 Pinot Noir Canary Hill Vineyard pours a transparent ruby color and offers bright aromas of pomegranate, wildflowers, tiny purple flowers, and wild strawberries. Medium-bodied, it has focused tannins, bright acidity, terrific linearity, and tremendous energy and length. Kelley believes this is the finest vintage she has made from this vineyard. The House Block combines basalt with fossilized sedimentary soils containing shells and is surrounded by mature oak trees. Drink this wine over the coming 20 years.”

 

2024 Kelley Fox Weber Vineyard Pinot Noir

  • Regular price: $89.95                     
  • Vinopolis price: $79
  • 97 POINTS – JEB DUNNUCK / AUDREY FRICK 97 POINTS “A deeper ruby color, the 2024 Pinot Noir Weber Vineyard carries a touch of youthful reduction alongside darker notes of wild cherry, tea leaf, and refined fruit. Medium to full-bodied, it has greater breadth to the tannins than Kelley’s other Dundee vineyard, moving across the palate with impressive richness while remaining beautifully balanced. Drink over the coming 15 years.”

 

2024 Kelley Fox Carter Vineyard Pinot Noir

  • Regular price: $119.95                   
  • Vinopolis price: $99
  • 100 POINTS – JEB DUNNUCK / AUDREY FRICK “From a site farmed biodynamically, the 2024 Pinot Noir Carter Vineyard pours a bright ruby red and saturates the palate with profound depth, ripe, refined tannins, gravelly earth, wild cherry, black raspberry, and remarkable persistence. It carries genuine Grand Cru character, unfolding beautifully in the glass. Sourced from self-rooted vines planted in 1983, this is an exceptional wine. Bravo. Grab it if you can find it. Wow. Perhaps a wine of the year candidate.”

Tenuta delle Terre Nere

An Icon of Mt. Etna

” ‘The Etna is the Burgundy of the Mediterranean,’

says the man whose career as an importer of fine Italian wines is legendary…”

“I love the way Marc De Grazia refers to the Sicilian volcano with a definite article in front of its name. To him, it is “the Etna,” and he expresses his deference to the dangerous mountain with every mention.”

 

–Monica Larner of The Wine Advocate writing about Marc de Grazia of Tenuta delle Terre Nere

 

Mt. Etna is an active volcano (stratovolcano to be specific) on the eastern edge of the island of Sicily, in southern Italy. There’s a long history of viticulture on the slopes of Etna (like, way back with the ancient Greeks, long history), but it hasn’t been until much more recently that the region has commanded much respect for its wines. Lucky us.

 

  • Etna become Sicily’s first DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) on August 11, 1968.
  • It took until the late 1980s for pioneering producers like Benanti to begin bottling real wines of distinction from Mt. Etna sites. Benanti introduced high-end, single-varietal wines, from native grapes like Nerello Mascalese and Carricante.
  • These varieties are often likened to the Pinot noir and Chardonnay of Burgundy, but with their own distinct character, and with the unique imprint of the vineyards of Mt. Etna.
  • A codified system of “Contrade” defines historic vineyard sub-districts or crus.
  • Tenuta delle Terre Nere, since its founding in 2002, has embraced both the Burgundian Cru model, chasing expression of terroir in vineyard designations, and a Burgundian winemaking aesthetic, favoring elegant and sumptuous wines over wines of power and impact.

Here and Vinopolis, we have championed the wines of Terre Nere for many years now, and are thrilled to share that we have an ample offering of the most recently released vintages. Please read on to learn more about each of our many different Terre Nere offerings

Currently Available Tenuta Delle Terre Nere Wines:

ROSSO 

Calderara Sottana  2021 $81.90

  • Nerello Mascalese 100%
  • North side, 600-700m. Randazzo. Stoniest soils, pumice & basalt
  • 96 POINTS – DECANTER “Another of Terre Nere’s ‘Grande Terroir Ellittico’ wines, Calderara Sottana is from stonier, rockier volcanic soil than even San Lorenzo to the west. Vinified and aged in the same way – as are all of Marco De Grazia’s contrada reds – it offers a deep, full aroma of pure red and black fruits with some violet, spice, balsam and cocoa overtones. Fleshy, succulent and sapid, this is an incredibly beautiful Nerello Mascalese, with purity of red fruits underlined by some spice and stoniness, a hint of salinity and a long, silky, creamy finish. So inviting. (JB)” 

Calderara Sottana 2024 – $76

  • Nerello Mascalese 100%
  • North side, 600-700m. Randazzo. Stoniest soils, pumice & basalt
  • 97 POINTS ROBERT PARKER “The Tenuta delle Terre Nere 2024 Etna Rosso Calderara Sottana shows a blue-fruit character that I do not find in the other wines. More autumnal in personality, it is born dark, with deep fruit, dusty spice and additional complexity. This wine is remarkably self-controlled, playing on depth and length rather than textural impact. Its spice is especially pronounced on the palate, and the precision of the vineyard’s identity resonates throughout time.”

Dagala of Bocca d’Orzo 2024 – $149

  • Nerelo Mascalese 100%
  • An “Island” within a lava flow – a real “Monopole”, just .5ha, Elliptic Soil (oldest in which to plant)
  • North side. Randazzo. Three barriques of superlative wine
  • 98 POINTS ROBERT PARKER “From a half-hectare monopole adjacent to San Lorenzo, the Tenuta delle Terre Nere 2024 Etna Rosso Dagala di Bocca d’Orzo is a 1,500-bottle release, compared to just 900 bottles in 2023. Marco de Grazia discovered the tiny vineyard and its little house while planting in San Lorenzo, purchasing the parcel in 2018 and producing the first vintage in 2019. The Sicilian word “dagala” describes an island of land surrounded by lava. This has a darker and more emphatically volcanic character, combining the unrelenting rigor of Calderara with the richness of San Lorenzo. Austere and tight, it recalls a dark lava-stone wall. The wine plays on depth, tension and volcanic power, holding firm without letting go.”

Feudo di Mezzo “Quadro delle Rose” 2024 – $59

  • Nerello Mascalese 100%
  • North side, 600m, Castiglione di Sicilia, specific parcels
  • 95 POINTS ROBERT PARKER “The Tenuta delle Terre Nere 2024 Etna Rosso Feudo di Mezzo Il Quadro Delle Rose comes from a distinctive old-vine parcel within Feudo di Mezzo, Etna’s largest contrada. The name refers to a traditional cadastral division of approximately 6,000 square meters. Once divided between two families, this became one of the largest contiguous holdings on Etna. The vineyard, dotted with peach, quince and prickly pear, is planted to vines now approximately 65 years old. Fruit from vines younger than 50 is excluded from this bottling. It is also among the estate’s first parcels harvested, generally around October 4 to 6. The 2024 has a darker cast to its fruit and a heavier center of gravity. “This pisses me off,” Marco de Grazia jokes. Immediately after being racked off the skins, the wine was almost complete. There is a frustrating effortlessness to it. Chalky tannins and ample fruit convey the exuberant character of the vintage, yet the wine remains composed. Il Quadro delle Rose also has a proven ability to age beautifully.”

Guardiola 2024 – $79

  • The first Tenuta delle Terre Nere wine
  • Nerello Mascalese 100%
  • North side, highest altitude 900-1000m, Castiglione di Sicilia, 1ha vineyard
  • 97+ POINTS ROBERT PARKER “The 2024 is gorgeous, initially showing richness, sensuality and softer, fuller tannins. The fruit folds over the structure, making the wine feel complete. However, when I returned to it at the end of the tasting, its relative leanness became clearer. It does not have the same richness or weight as the wines poured later in the portfolio. Guardiola remains the “leanest and meanest” of the group, shaped by its cool climate, high elevation and exposed terraces.”

Moganazzi 2024 – $66

  • Nerello Mascalese 100%
  • North side, 700-750m, Castiglione di Sicilia, 1.5ha vineyard
  • 95 POINTS ROBERT PARKER “The Tenuta delle Terre Nere 2024 Etna Rosso Moganazzi comes from a north-slope vineyard at approximately 750 meters in Castiglione di Sicilia, managed by the estate since 2009. This is a powerhouse, with a broader, bigger mouthfeel and greater fruit weight, yet it remains elegant and beautifully composed. Dark rose, wild plum and sensual dark fruit shape the bouquet, while the palate shows notable power and a more pronounced tannic side.”

Calderara Sottana Prephylloxera “La Vigna di Don Peppino” 2022 – $165

  • Nerello Mascalese 100%
  • North side, Randazzo. .8ha, 140 y.o. vines, ungrafted. Elliptic soil.
  • 96 POINTS ERIC GUIDO-VINOUS “Darkly alluring and youthfully backward, the 2022 Etna Rosso Prephylloxera La Vigna di Don Peppino Calderara Sottana smolders up with a blend of sweet spices, dusty violets and ash, giving way to dried black cherries, sage and cloves. This is velvety yet finessed, with a polished wave of ripe red and blue fruit that flows across a juicy stream of acidity. Hints of sour citrus add contrast toward the close. It finishes remarkably fresh and energetic, still tannic but lively, as crunchy tannins resonate and an air of lavender slowly fades. This is an elegant and genuinely harmonious edition of this cuvée. Simply stunning.”

Calderara Sottana Prephylloxera “La Vigna di Don Peppino 2023 – $159

  • Nerello Mascalese 100%
  • North side, Randazzo. .8ha, 140 y.o. vines, ungrafted. Elliptic soil.
  • 97 POINTS ERIC GUIDO-VINOUS “The 2023 Etna Rosso Prephylloxera La Vigna di Don Peppino Calderara Sottana opens like a flower shop on the nose, intensely layered with depths of black cherry and spice. This is more lifted and graceful than expected, with a sour citrus tinge, tart wild berry fruits and mineral tones. Edgy tannins pinch at the cheeks as the 2023 resonates with blue and purple inner florals and a bitter licorice concentration that lingers impossibly long.”

 Calderara Sottana Prephylloxera “La Vigna di Don Peppino  2024 – $189

  • Nerello Mascalese 100%
  • North side, Randazzo. .8ha, 140 y.o. vines, ungrafted. Elliptic soil.
  • 97+ POINTS ROBERT PARKER “The Tenuta delle Terre Nere 2024 Etna Rosso Calderara Sottana Prephylloxera le Vigne di Don Peppino comes from a triangular parcel enclosed within the larger rectangular Calderara Sottana vineyard, planted to pre-phylloxera vines approximately 150 years old. The wine does not hold back; in 2024, it reveals itself immediately. It evokes the opulence of Marie Antoinette’s boudoir, says vintner Marco de Grazia, with softness, richness, sweetness, an almost lavish sense of wealth and beauty. The tannins are subtle, but considerable power remains beneath them, creating a deep and lasting sensation in the mouth.”

San Lorenzo 2024 – $79

  • Nerello Mascalese 100%
  • North side, 700-850m, Randazzo, 50-100 y.o. vines, Elliptic soil. Coldest climate
  • 97 POINTS ROBERT PARKER “The Tenuta delle Terre Nere 2024 Etna Rosso San Lorenzo is part of the “Grande Terroir Ellittico” series. San Lorenzo, at approximately 750 meters in elevation, is harvested before the higher Guardiola vineyard. Although the two sites share Ellittico origins, they behave very differently: Guardiola reaches 850 to 900 meters and has poorer soils, while San Lorenzo’s deeper, more generous soils produce greater ripeness and opulence. The 2024 San Lorenzo is softer, fuller and more voluptuous, with a level of richness not found in the Guardiola from the same vintage. Guardiola remains more defined by texture and restraint, whereas San Lorenzo embraces ripe fruit and generosity.”

San Spirito 2024 – $66

  • Nerello Mascalese 100%
  • North side, 700-850m. Castiglione di Sicilia
  • 95 POINTS ROBERT PARKER “The Tenuta delle Terre Nere 2024 Etna Rosso Santo Spirito shows the richness and sensuality that Marco de Grazia associates with this site. “Dressed to kill,” he calls it—the Ava Gardner of the wines—with generous curves, softness and a perception of sweetness from the fruit. The wine is structured in the mouth, and its youthful, chalky tannins will need time to integrate.”

 

BIANCO

Etna Bianco DOC 2025 – $33

  • Carricante, Catarratto, Inzolia, Grecanico, Minnella.
  • North/East side, 600-900m
  • 93 POINTS ROBERT PARKER “The Tenuta delle Terre Nere 2025 Etna Bianco is not 100% Carricante but a traditional blend of approximately 70% to 80% Carricante with Catarratto, Minnella, Grecanico and Inzolia. It was born almost accidentally from the white varieties historically interplanted among old red vines on Etna’s north slope. Marco de Grazia originally separated those grapes so that his Etna Rosso could be pure Nerello Mascalese, but he liked the resulting white blend and continued the tradition.”

 Etna Bianco Superiore ‘Le Vigne Niche- ‘Caselle’  2024 – $51.90

  • Carricante 100%
  • South side, 900m, Milo, 90+ y.o. vines (Only Superiore designation for Etna Bianco)
  • 94 POINTS JAMES SUCKLING “Fresh and floral but with white pepper and a noticeably assertive smoky minerality. Light-bodied, this shines with silky texture and zesty yet integrated acidity. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.”

Montalto 2024 $49

  • Carricante 100%, 6,000 bottles
  • South side, 900-950m, Montalto district, Biancavilla municipality (Catania)
  • Winemaker Note “Tenuta delle Terre Nere Etna Bianco Montalto is characterized by a voluptuous softness and spicy and “warm” aromas, underlined by a full alcoholic vigor and a balanced freshness resulting from the combination of full exposure at noon and a very high altitude.’

San Spirito 2024 – $49

  • Carricante 100%
  • North side, 700-800m, Castiglione di Sicilia
  • 94 POINTS – WINE ADVOCATE “Aromas of Meyer lemon, nectarine, honeysuckle and an exotic hint of guava. This is a terrific buy; in fact, all these wines offer outstanding value. Fermentation takes place at low temperatures in stainless steel, followed by nine months of maturation in steel.”

 

ROSATO

Etna Rosato DOC 2025 – $33

  • Nerello Mascalese 100%
  • North side, 600-800m, Castiglione di Sicilia and Randazzo
  • 93 POINTS ROBERT PARKER “The Tenuta delle Terre Nere 2025 Etna Rosato is, according to Marco de Grazia, the best rosé the estate has made in 10 years. First produced in 2008, the wine sees three to four hours of skin contact before being pressed directly into vats. Some lots undergo malolactic fermentation and others do not, allowing the team to balance creaminess and glossiness with brightness. The 2025 has remarkable intensity and a precise point of acidity that gives it depth. Herbal and floral notes add lovely complexity. De Grazia calls it a “wine of the Mediterranean,” and the versatility of Nerello Mascalese is remarkable.”

Remelluri: Iconic Wines from Telmo Rodríguez 2-27-24


 
On Sale Now
 
Telmo Rodríguez is one of the most talented and well-respected winemakers in all of Spain. He spearheads several highly praised projects around the country, including Ladeiras do Xil, Pegaso, and Molino Real, but nothing compares to the wines of his family’s estate: Remelluri.
 
Originally founded in the 14th century, the estate was purchased by Rodríguez’s father in the 1960s. Telmo and Amaia Rodríguez Hernandorena, his sister, took over the estate in 2010, the same year the estate became fully organic. It’s located in Rioja Alavesa, the smallest part of the region. Wines here are known for their intensity and power, which Rodríguez couples with his preference for French oak over American (which he finds too aggressive). To further showcase the fruit and terroir, he only uses sparing amounts of new oak.
 
Amaia is the viticulturalist for the estate. Under her expert care, the vines grown along the slopes of the Sierra de Toloño Mountains are organically farmed using regenerative and agroforestry practices, which emphasizes diversity from roots to canopy. She re-converted the garnacha vines to their traditional bush-growth and increased co-plantings of alternative varieties.
 
Together, Telmo and Amaia’s iconic wines show unrivaled finesse and terroir, and offer some of the most profound expressions in all of Rioja.
 
“Telmo Rodriguez, one of the most iconic and best winemakers of his generation…. has accomplished himself as a champion of terroir over varietal and employs artisan craftsmanship in the cellar, with his wines hardly ever showing overt oak or aggressive alcohol, they always show distinctive purity and a sense of place.” -Kerry Winslow, Grapelive
 
Lindes de Remelluri (“Borders of Remelluri”):
 
The Lindes de Remelluri wines are a collaborative project with neighboring growers in the villages surrounding the Granja Remelluri estate. The project was developed to showcase the unique terroirs of the region. In the 2020 vintage, Telmo expanded the project to encompass six of Rioja’s most important villages: Labastida, San Vicente de la Sonsierra, Ábalos, Peciña, Rivas de Tereso, and Salinillas de Buradón.
 
Labastida represents cooler, higher-elevation sites offering a lower-alcohol wine with complex layers of acidity, perfumed red fruit, and tannin. The Viñedos de San Vicente de la Sonsierra is a rich and silky wine, offering a sumptuous red from the poor, rocky soils. For the Ábalos wine, Telmo sourced fruit from the Marqués de Legarda estate. With its high proportion of Graciano, this organic red is stern and austere, promising a rewarding wine with some cellaring.
 
Peciña, to quote De Maision, offers “perfumed and floral aromatics with notes of Mediterranean herbs, taut acidity, and austere tannins from the high-altitude vineyards.” Rivas de Tereso is a remarkably small hamlet home to only 30 people. Here the limestone soils give a unique mineral impression on the herbal and floral profile. Lastly, Salinillas de Buradón offers up a stony profile from the bush-trained garnacha and tempranillo vines grown in the unique combination of quartz, iron-rich clay and blue marl soils.
 
5% off any 6-11 bottles of in-stock Remelluri wines
10% off any 12 or more bottles of in-stock Remelluri wines
 
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Discount ends Friday, March 1st at 9 am Pacific
 
In Stock and On Sale Now from Remelluri:
 
The Blanco is a truly astonishing wine, and the wine in which Telmo Rodríguez first cut his teeth before becoming a cult sensation. It was where his father let him experiment, rather than risk the failure of the estate’s precious reds. Taking inspiration from Rhone greats such as Chave, Clape, and Château de Beaucastel, Telmo co-planted white grapes along the mountainside vineyards to coax the terroir, or terruño, from the land. The results are minuscule amounts of this profound wine, worthy of a long rest in your cellar.
 
Remelluri Rioja Blanco, Rioja DOCa 2020 750ml Displayed Price: $119 special, that’s $113.05 at 5% off and $107.10 at 10% off, 4 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 96 points “The exceptional 2020 Blanco is from vines between 605 and 805 meters above sea level that were harvested over multiple passes after one episode of hail. This vintage had a slow fermentation, and it feels like a year of finesse and elegance. The wine has fluidity, elegance but also intensity, depth and very pure flavors, with a very saline finish, super tasty. This could very well be the finest vintage for the white… It’s not a shy wine, with 14.2% alcohol and a low pH of 3.3, denoting very good freshness”
 
Remelluri Lindes de Remelluri Vinedos de Labastida, Rioja DOCa 2019 750ml Displayed Price: $33 special, that’s $31.35 at 5% off and $29.70 at 10% off, 28 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 93+ points “The 2019 Lindes de Remelluri Viñedos de Labastida is a selection from 14.1 hectares of vineyards in 34 plots from growers in the village of Labastida at 440 to 710 meters in altitude on the alluvial terraces of clay and limestone soils. It fermented with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel and matured in barrels of different sizes and origins for 13 months. This is ripe and expressive, with a juicy palate and chalky tannins. 57,800 bottles and 490 magnums produced. It was bottled in May 2021.”
 
Remelluri Lindes de Remelluri Vinedos de San Vicente de la Sonsierra, Rioja DOCa 2019 750ml Displayed Price: $29.50 special, that’s $28.03 at 5% off and $26.55 at 10% off, 11 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2019 Lindes de Remelluri Viñedos de San Vicente de la Srra. is mostly Tempranillo, with some Garnacha, Graciano and other local grapes from external suppliers from the village of San Vicente de la Sonsierra, from 38 plots that total 15.38 hectares of vineyards worked by 14 different grape growers. It fermented in stainless steel with indigenous yeasts and matured in oak barrels of different sizes for 13 months. It feels riper and more candied than the one from Labastida, round and juicy, with ripe flavors and a dry finish.”
 
Remelluri Lindes de Remelluri Mixed Village Six-Pack 2020 750ml Displayed Price: $249 special, that’s $236.55 at 5% off and $224.10 at 10% off, 3 six-packs in stock now
Six pack contains a limited-edition booklet and one 750ml bottle of each of the following, no substitutions
1 x Vinedos de Salinillas de Buradon 2020
1 x Vinedos de Pecina 2020
1 x Vinedos de Labastida 2020
1 x Vinedos de Abalos 2020
1 x Vinedos de Rivas de Teres, 2020
1 x Vinedos de San Vicente de la Sonsierra 2020
 
Remelluri Lindes de Remelluri Viñedos de Ábalos 2020 750ml Displayed Price: $39 special, that’s $37.05 at 5% off and $35.10 at 10% off, 22 bottles available
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 93+ points “The serious and austere new 2020 Lindes de Remelluri Viñedos de Ábalos was produced with grapes on marl and limestone from the Marqués de Legarda, who is mentioned on the label. It’s a blend of 73% Tempranillo, 17% Graciano, 6% Garnacha and 4% other varieties, presented in a straight Bordeaux bottle. It reflects more the character of Haro than the Rioja Alavesa, wines with more Graciano. It’s medium to full-bodied with 14.17% alcohol and has fine-grained, chalky tannins. 13,205 bottles were filled in May 2022.”
 
Remelluri Lindes de Remelluri Viñedos de Peciña, Rioja DOCa 2020 750ml Displayed Price: $39 special, that’s $37.05 at 5% off and $35.10 at 10% off, 22 bottles available
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 94 points “The perfumed and floral 2020 Lindes de Remelluri Viñedos de Peciña is the smallest cuvée from a narrow amphitheater in the parish of San Vicente de la Sonsierra. It’s a blend of Tempranillo with 25% Garnacha and therefore presented in a Burgundian bottle, reflecting the high percentage of Garnacha. It has notes of Mediterranean herbs, some coolness from the high altitude of the vineyards and some austerity in the tannins. 7,149 bottles produced. It was bottled in May 2022.”
 
Remelluri Lindes de Remelluri Viñedos de Rivas de Tereso 2020 750ml Displayed Price: $39 special, that’s $37.05 at 5% off and $35.10 at 10% off, 23 bottles available
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 93+ points “Rivas de Tereso are parishes of San Vicente de la Sonsierra, but the difference with the 2020 Lindes de Remelluri Viñedos de Rivas de Tereso is that the vineyards are at higher altitude and the percentage of Garnacha is much higher here (38%), so there’s more mountain character and more herbal notes in the wine. It has 57% Tempranillo and some 5% other varieties. Despite a moderate 13.95% alcohol, the nose shows good ripeness, and there is some wilderness here, perhaps a little more rusticity too. The soils are very stony and rich in limestone, and the altitude gives the wine an austere twist. 19,742 bottles produced. It was bottled in May 2022.”
 
Remelluri Lindes de Remelluri Viñedos de Salinillas de Buradón 2020 750ml Displayed Price: $46.50 special, that’s $44.18 at 5% off and $41.85 at 10% off, 34 bottles available
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2020 Lindes de Remelluri Viñedos de Salinillas de Buradón, a parish of Labastida, was produced with a blend of 91% Tempranillo, 4% Garnacha and 5% other varieties from south-facing vineyards behind the Sierra de la Cantabria, the last vineyards that they recovered on quartz salt, gypsum and red clay soils. These are the last grapes to be picked, and the wine has 14.22% alcohol but doesn’t show any heat. It comes through as serious, shy and austere, a little closed at first. The tannins are a little rustic, but the wine has a strong mineral streak that made it my favorite from the lot. 20,114 bottles produced. It was bottled in May 2022.”
 
 
 
Muller-Catoir Sale Ending Friday
 
5% off any 1-5 bottles of in-stock Muller-Catoir wines
10% off any 6 or more bottles of in-stock Muller-Catoir wines
 
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Muller-Catoir: Kings of the Pfalz Sale 2-24-24

Every wine region in the world has one or two estates that immediately come to mind when you hear the name of the region: Chateau Margaux in Margaux, Romanee-Conti in Vosne-Romanee, and Donnhoff in the Nahe. Muller-Catoir occupies that space in the Pfalz region of Germany.

The Pfalz as a region focuses on powerful, dry wines. Closer to Strasbourg than Berlin, the Pfalz is nestled between the Haardt Mountains and the Rhine River in a veritable oasis of forests and hills. Archeological records show that the district was one of the first areas in the entire world to have widespread consumption and production of wine, dating back to 550 B.C.E. 

The beneficial growing conditions make for some of the most interesting and diverse expressions of German wine, with Riesling still being the crown jewel. The warmer average temperature that’s seen creates Rieslings with deep minerality and concentrated stone fruit flavors. Aromas usually feature a headier and effusive quality in comparison to other regions.
 
The Pfalz is a major hub for dry Riesling and features some of the most full-bodied expressions of the category, with sweeter examples being far rarer. In spite of being one of the largest growing districts, the soils are relatively uniform, with sandstone, limestone and loess being the most commonly found, further boosting the organoleptic qualities of the finished wine.
 
From grand and aristocratic Riesling, to wild and exciting Scheurebe, to arguably the best Pinot Blanc (Weissburgunder) we sell, Müller-Catoir’s wines are top-class in every category. Focusing on dry wines long before it was fashionable in Germany, Müller-Catoir owns some of the greatest vineyards in the region. This family estate, founded in 1744, knows their lands well and has a special touch with them.
 
The “House style” is characterized by minimal intervention in the cellar with extended lees aging to emphasize crisp minerality, aromatic complexity and a refreshing salinity British wine critic and writer Jancis Robinson describes the Pfalz as “One of Germany’s most exciting regions” and it’s clear to see why. The results are some of the best values in the world for breathtakingly mineral-driven wines. 
 
We offer a wide range of their wines from several vintages showcasing the various varietal expressions offered by this glorious estate, on sale now until Friday!
 

5% off any 1-5 bottles of in-stock Muller-Catoir wines
10% off any 6 or more bottles of in-stock Muller-Catoir wines
 
Discount will not display online or in your cart,
We will adjust your invoice before processing your charge.
 
Discount ends Friday, March 1st at 9 am Pacific

 
Browse the full list at the bottom of this newsletter or jump on over to our webstore to shop the sale now!
 
Highlights In Stock and On Sale Now from Muller-Catoir:
 
Muller-Catoir Haardter Burgergarten ‘Im Breumel’ Riesling Grosses Gewachs 2018 750ml Displayed Price: $39, that’s $37.05 at 5% off and $35.10 at 10% off, 36+ bottles in stock now
Stuart Pigott (Jamessuckling) 97 points “Very floral with pretty herbal undertones, ranging from coriander to dill to mint. The flowers range from jasmine to honeysuckle to almond blossom. Understated and elegant from the outset. The palate has a very chalky feel to the texture with overlapping, firm lines of acidity and dainty citrus fruit. Immaculately ironed-out edges and well-defined, linear crease. Drink now or hold.”
 

This is the only listing in the USA today!
(Our 2020 vintage listing is the lowest price in the USA today)

 
Muller-Catoir Gimmeldingen Riesling Trocken 2017 750ml Displayed Price: $21.90, that’s $20.81 at 5% off and $19.71 at 10% off, 17 bottles in stock now
Stuart Pigott (Jamessuckling) 93 points “Ripe white and yellow peaches and just enough acidity to lift the medium-full body and give the long finish some real drive. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.”
 

This is the only listing in the USA today!
(Our 2018 listing is also the only listing in the USA today)

 
Muller-Catoir Haardter Burgergarten Riesling Spatlese 2018 750ml Displayed Price: $28, that’s $26.60 at 5% off and $25.20 at 10% off, 36+ bottles in stock now
Stuart Pigott (Jamessuckling) 94 points “Crushed dill and coriander meet with bright citrus, loquats and pears. Only off-dry and very balanced with a well-judged component of acidity doing wonders for the mineral, expressive finish. Dialed-in and beautiful to drink now, but better to cellar for a decade. Drink now.”
 

This is the only listing in the USA today!

 
Muller-Catoir Gimmeldingen Riesling Kabinett 2018 750ml Displayed Price: $20.90, that’s $19.86 at 5% off and $18.81 at 10% off, 36+ bottles in stock now
David Schildknecht-Vinous 91 points “Very ripe but coolingly mint-infused and muskily peony-tinged peach and fig inform the nose and the overtly sweet, glossy palate. The inner-mouth perfume and herbal essences lend the long finish an almost ethereal cast that complements its sense of alcoholic levity. (Drink between 2021-2030)”
 

This is the only listing in the USA today!

 
Muller-Catoir Haardter Muskateller Trocken 2020 750ml Displayed Price: $26.50, that’s $25.18 at 5% off and $23.85 at 10% off, 24 bottles in stock now
Stuart Pigott (Jamessuckling) 95 points “Absurdly strong for a village wine, this has a truly mind-boggling nose of exotic fruit (star fruit, passion fruit and mangosteen) and tropical flowers. A dry white essence of the muscat grape with lightning strike freshness that dazzles with its concentration and delicacy. Nature is strong! Drink or hold.”
 

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $38.99
(Our 2018 listing is the only listing in the USA today)

 
Muller-Catoir Haardter Riesling Trocken 2018 750ml Displayed Price: $21.90, that’s $20.81 at 5% off and $19.71 at 10% off, 27 bottles in stock now
Stuart Pigott (Jamessuckling) 93 points “Dried honeysuckle, loquat, mirabelle plums and dried lemons make for a concentrated and gripping nose. Warm and very structured on the full-bodied palate with some serious density and phenolics. Drink now.”
 

This is the only listing in the USA today!
(Our 2020 listing is the only listing in the USA today)

 
Muller-Catoir Haardt Weissburgunder Trocken 2020 750ml Displayed Price: $24, that’s $22.80 at 5% off and $21.60 at 10% off, 33 bottles in stock now
Stuart Pigott (Jamessuckling) 93 points “Cool yet effusive nose of garden peas and a wide range of white fruit, with the emphasis on pear. Only medium-bodied with spot-on balance of ripeness and elegance. The same level of balance at the long, silky finish. Drink or hold.”
John Gilman 90 points “Though the 2020 villages level bottling of Haardt Weissburgunder from Müller-Catoir includes some younger vines in its blend, the range here is from ten to forty-three years of age, so this is not a young vine cuvée by any stretch of the imagination. The wine is fermented and aged in stainless steel and comes in at 12.5 percent octane this year, with residual sugar of 2.7 grams per liter. The wine offers up a pretty nose of peach, apple, a touch of orange peel, a fine base of soil, white flowers and just a wisp of savory notes in the upper register that suggest wild fennel. On the palate the wine is bright, full-bodied, focused and youthfully complex, with a fine core, excellent soil signature and cut, lovely balance and a long, serious finish. This is a fine bottle of pinot blanc! 2021-2035+. (Jan/Feb 2022).”
 
Muller-Catoir Haardter Herzog Rieslaner Trockenbeerenauslese 2018 375ml Displayed Price: $99, that’s $94.05 at 5% off and $89.10 at 10% off, 36+ half-bottles in stock now
David Schildknecht-Vinous 97 points “Corresponding to the most desiccated (yet still virtually botrytis-free) berries picked out from the material that otherwise became this year’s Beerenauslese, here we have one of those phenomenally concentrated Müller-Catoir essays in Rieslaner’s unique dessert wine potential. Take the pear drops, honey and vanilla cream of the corresponding B.A. in all their aromatic intensity and glossy, glowing richness, and add almost buttery textural creaminess and enhanced viscosity set against a blazingly bright and invigorating evocation of fresh pineapple, clementine and lemon. The tension is, to say the least, productive…yet almost unbearable as you work the wine around in your mouth. Any sense of caramelization – such as was prominent in the corresponding Auslese – has been left behind (though perhaps some decades from now it will emerge). Smoky black tea and citrus peels lend piquant counterpoint to a mouth-shakingly vibrant, preternaturally persistent finish. The qualitative curve has in my long experience never before been this steep from Rieslaner Auslese to TBA. ‘If you could have seen how dramatically the grapes differed for each of them,’ noted Franzen, ‘then this wouldn’t surprise you.’”
 

This is the only listing in the USA today!

 
Shop the sale on our webstore now!

Remelluri: Iconic Wines from Telmo Rodríguez 12-22-23


Reminder: Mountains of Magnums Sale Ends Sunday!

5% off any 3-5 in-stock magnums
10% off any 6+ in-stock magnums
Offer Ends Sunday, December 24th at 4:30 pm Pacific
 
Offer only applies to in-stock, non-sparkling wines.
Does not apply to Champagnes, other sparkling wines, or pre-arrivals.

Discount will not display online or in your cart
We will adjust your invoice before processing your card

Shop all 121 options on our sale on our webstore now!

 
Remelluri

Telmo Rodríguez is one of the most talented and well-respected winemakers in all of Spain. He spearheads several highly praised projects around the country, including Ladeiras do Xil, Pegaso, and Molino Real, but nothing compares to the wines of his family’s estate: Remelluri.

Originally founded in the 14th century, the estate was purchased by Rodríguez’s father in the 1960s. Telmo and Amaia Rodríguez Hernandorena, his sister, took over the estate in 2010, the same year the estate became fully organic. It’s located in Rioja Alavesa, the smallest part of the region. Wines here are known for their intensity and power, which Rodríguez couples with his preference for French oak over American (which he finds too aggressive). To further showcase the fruit and terroir, he only uses sparing amounts of new oak.

Amaia is the viticulturalist for the estate. Under her expert care, the vines grown along the slopes of the Sierra de Toloño Mountains are organically farmed using regenerative and agroforestry practices, which emphasizes diversity from roots to canopy. She re-converted the garnacha vines to their traditional bush-growth and increased co-plantings of alternative varieties.

Together, Telmo and Amaia’s iconic wines show unrivaled finesse and terroir, and offer some of the most profound expressions in all of Rioja.

“Telmo Rodriguez, one of the most iconic and best winemakers of his generation…. has accomplished himself as a champion of terroir over varietal and employs artisan craftsmanship in the cellar, with his wines hardly ever showing overt oak or aggressive alcohol, they always show distinctive purity and a sense of place.” -Kerry Winslow, Grapelive

Lindes de Remelluri (“Borders of Remelluri”):

The Lindes de Remelluri wines are a collaborative project with neighboring growers in the villages surrounding the Granja Remelluri estate. The project was developed to showcase the unique terroirs of the region. In the 2020 vintage, Telmo expanded the project to encompass six of Rioja’s most important villages: Labastida, San Vicente de la Sonsierra, Ábalos, Peciña, Rivas de Tereso, and Salinillas de Buradón.

Labastida represents cooler, higher-elevation sites offering a lower-alcohol wine with complex layers of acidity, perfumed red fruit, and tannin. The Viñedos de San Vicente de la Sonsierra is a rich and silky wine, offering a sumptuous red from the poor, rocky soils. For the Ábalos wine, Telmo sourced fruit from the Marqués de Legarda estate. With its high proportion of Graciano, this organic red is stern and austere, promising a rewarding wine with some cellaring.

Peciña, to quote De Maision, offers “perfumed and floral aromatics with notes of Mediterranean herbs, taut acidity, and austere tannins from the high-altitude vineyards.” Rivas de Tereso is a remarkably small hamlet home to only 30 people. Here the limestone soils give a unique mineral impression on the herbal and floral profile. Lastly, Salinillas de Buradón offers up a stony profile from the bush-trained garnacha and tempranillo vines grown in the unique combination of quartz, iron-rich clay and blue marl soils.

Newly Arrived and In Stock Wines from Remelluri:

The Blanco is a truly astonishing wine, and the wine in which Telmo Rodríguez first cut his teeth before becoming a cult sensation. It was where his father let him experiment, rather than risk the failure of the estate’s precious reds. Taking inspiration from Rhone greats such as Chave, Clape, and Château de Beaucastel, Telmo co-planted white grapes along the mountainside vineyards to coax the terroir, or terruño, from the land. The results are minuscule amounts of this profound wine, worthy of a long rest in your cellar.

Remelluri Rioja Blanco, Rioja DOCa 2019 750ml $99 special, 2 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 94+ points “The white 2019 Blanco comes from a year that was marked by hail and frost in April and May, which resulted in a small crop that ripened early in a warm growing season. It fermented with indigenous yeasts and matured in used barriques, foudres and 1,200-liter concrete eggs. The wine is powerful at 14.4% alcohol but has good freshness showcased by a pH of 3.21. This is a very serious and complex white, with spice and smoke, balanced and harmonious, combining power with elegance. It’s a little more fluid, with more finesse and delicacy, despite the fact that they had low yields and the wine has natural concentration.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Remelluri Rioja Blanco, Rioja DOCa 2020 750ml $119 special, 6 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 96 points “The exceptional 2020 Blanco is from vines between 605 and 805 meters above sea level that were harvested over multiple passes after one episode of hail. This vintage had a slow fermentation, and it feels like a year of finesse and elegance. The wine has fluidity, elegance but also intensity, depth and very pure flavors, with a very saline finish, super tasty. This could very well be the finest vintage for the white… It’s not a shy wine, with 14.2% alcohol and a low pH of 3.3, denoting very good freshness”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Remelluri Lindes de Remelluri Vinedos de Labastida, Rioja DOCa 2019 750ml $33 special, 36 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 93+ points “The 2019 Lindes de Remelluri Viñedos de Labastida is a selection from 14.1 hectares of vineyards in 34 plots from growers in the village of Labastida at 440 to 710 meters in altitude on the alluvial terraces of clay and limestone soils. It fermented with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel and matured in barrels of different sizes and origins for 13 months. This is ripe and expressive, with a juicy palate and chalky tannins. 57,800 bottles and 490 magnums produced. It was bottled in May 2021.”

This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!

Remelluri Lindes de Remelluri Vinedos de San Vicente de la Sonsierra, Rioja DOCa 2019 750ml $29.50 special, 24 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2019 Lindes de Remelluri Viñedos de San Vicente de la Srra. is mostly Tempranillo, with some Garnacha, Graciano and other local grapes from external suppliers from the village of San Vicente de la Sonsierra, from 38 plots that total 15.38 hectares of vineyards worked by 14 different grape growers. It fermented in stainless steel with indigenous yeasts and matured in oak barrels of different sizes for 13 months. It feels riper and more candied than the one from Labastida, round and juicy, with ripe flavors and a dry finish.”

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
The average price nationally is $36

Remelluri Lindes de Remelluri Mixed Village Six-Pack 2020 750ml $249 special, 1 six-pack in stock now
Six pack contains a limited-edition booklet and one 750ml bottle of each of the following, no substitutions
1 x Vinedos de Salinillas de Buradon 2020
1 x Vinedos de Pecina 2020
1 x Vinedos de Labastida 2020
1 x Vinedos de Abalos 2020
1 x Vinedos de Rivas de Teres, 2020
1 x Vinedos de San Vicente de la Sonsierra 2020

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Remelluri Wines Arriving Tuesday:

Remelluri Lindes de Remelluri Viñedos de Ábalos 2020 750ml $39 pre-arrival special, 24 bottles available
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 93+ points “The serious and austere new 2020 Lindes de Remelluri Viñedos de Ábalos was produced with grapes on marl and limestone from the Marqués de Legarda, who is mentioned on the label. It’s a blend of 73% Tempranillo, 17% Graciano, 6% Garnacha and 4% other varieties, presented in a straight Bordeaux bottle. It reflects more the character of Haro than the Rioja Alavesa, wines with more Graciano. It’s medium to full-bodied with 14.17% alcohol and has fine-grained, chalky tannins. 13,205 bottles were filled in May 2022.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Remelluri Lindes de Remelluri Viñedos de Peciña, Rioja DOCa 2020 750ml $39 pre-arrival special, 24 bottles available
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 94 points “The perfumed and floral 2020 Lindes de Remelluri Viñedos de Peciña is the smallest cuvée from a narrow amphitheater in the parish of San Vicente de la Sonsierra. It’s a blend of Tempranillo with 25% Garnacha and therefore presented in a Burgundian bottle, reflecting the high percentage of Garnacha. It has notes of Mediterranean herbs, some coolness from the high altitude of the vineyards and some austerity in the tannins. 7,149 bottles produced. It was bottled in May 2022.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Remelluri Lindes de Remelluri Viñedos de Rivas de Tereso 2020 750ml $39 pre-arrival special, 24 bottles available
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 93+ points “Rivas de Tereso are parishes of San Vicente de la Sonsierra, but the difference with the 2020 Lindes de Remelluri Viñedos de Rivas de Tereso is that the vineyards are at higher altitude and the percentage of Garnacha is much higher here (38%), so there’s more mountain character and more herbal notes in the wine. It has 57% Tempranillo and some 5% other varieties. Despite a moderate 13.95% alcohol, the nose shows good ripeness, and there is some wilderness here, perhaps a little more rusticity too. The soils are very stony and rich in limestone, and the altitude gives the wine an austere twist. 19,742 bottles produced. It was bottled in May 2022.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!

Remelluri Lindes de Remelluri Viñedos de Salinillas de Buradón 2020 750ml $46.50 pre-arrival special, 36 bottles available
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2020 Lindes de Remelluri Viñedos de Salinillas de Buradón, a parish of Labastida, was produced with a blend of 91% Tempranillo, 4% Garnacha and 5% other varieties from south-facing vineyards behind the Sierra de la Cantabria, the last vineyards that they recovered on quartz salt, gypsum and red clay soils. These are the last grapes to be picked, and the wine has 14.22% alcohol but doesn’t show any heat. It comes through as serious, shy and austere, a little closed at first. The tannins are a little rustic, but the wine has a strong mineral streak that made it my favorite from the lot. 20,114 bottles produced. It was bottled in May 2022.”

This is the only listing in the USA today!




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