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4 Kilos "Motor America" Red, Mallorca Spain
$ 24.99
4 Kilos was started in 2006 by two friends on Mallorca, Francesc Grimalt and Sergio Caballero, who had been working in other wineries and wanted to do their own thing. We're excited to have the small-production wines in the U.S. for the first time.
Francesc is a Mallorcan winemaker known for working with native grape varieties. His partner Sergio Caballero is a musician and director of the Sonar music festival. Together they started 4 Kilos in 2006, garagiste-style, vinifying their first vintage in milk refrigeration units on a sheep farm (Mallorca has lots of these). By the next year they were able to ‘upgrade’ another old sheep farm into a winery to make their line-up of 3 wines, all from indigenous varieties grown organically by small farmers. The carbonic, no-added-sulfur Motor America, named in tribute to Francesc’s father who worked in the auto industry, is straight-up juicy raspberry punch that demands to be drunk. It’s a rare red wine that is satisfying as an aperitif but totally works with a range of food.
4kilos 2019 “Motor America” is made 100% with an indigenous varietal called Callet; aged briefly in clay amphorae, it is a light, bright red with aromas and flavors of wild berries and refreshing acidity.
4 Kilos 2017 "Tierra de Mallorca" Red, Spain
$ 44.99
95 points Parker
From the sunny island of Mallorca comes this amazing cult wine, 4 kilos, from a team that operate out of an old converted sheep farm! Despite the artistic label this is a serious wine made from Callet, Cabernet & Merlot. Black cherries, red currents, cedar & spice develop onto a full, ripe palate with well integrated oak. Stunning stuff.
95 Points Robert Parker: "I tasted an unbottled sample of the 2017 4 Kilos that was assembled from different lots. The wine shows very good freshness and elegance for an extremely warm year. In 2017, they had to sort and select the grapes and ended producing fewer bottles (perhaps 3,000 bottles less than the usual). A triumph for the vintage."
4 Kilos was started in 2006 by two friends on Mallorca, Francesc Grimalt and Sergio Caballero, who had been working in other wineries and wanted to do their own thing. We're excited to have the small-production 2017 Tierra de Malllorca Red in the U.S. for the first time.
Francesc is a Mallorcan winemaker known for working with native grape varieties. His partner Sergio Caballero is a musician and director of the Sonar music festival. Together they started 4 Kilos in 2006, garagiste-style, vinifying their first vintage in milk refrigeration units on a sheep farm (Mallorca has lots of these). By the next year they were able to ‘upgrade’ another old sheep farm into a winery to make their line-up of 3 wines, all from indigenous varieties grown organically by small farmers. The carbonic, no-added-sulfur Motor America, named in tribute to Francesc’s father who worked in the auto industry, is straight-up juicy raspberry punch that demands to be drunk. It’s a rare red wine that is satisfying as an aperitif but totally works with a range of food.
Almaviva 2019 Proprietary Red, Puente Alto Chile
$ 164.99
98 Points - limited
One of Chile's finest wines, the Almaviva is a delicious Cabernet blend.
Almaviva is a joint venture between Concha Y Toro and the Rothschild family, begun in 1998. Like her father before her saw in the Opus One project, Baroness Philippine de Rothschild saw the potential to create a world-class claret from these own-rooted, 37 year old vines on purely alluvial soils high in the “Puente Alto” zone of the Maipo Valley.
98 Points Decanter: "Founded by Baron Philippe de Rothschild and Concha y Toro in Puente Alto, Almaviva excels with its Bordeaux-inflected reds created by Michel Friou. Its 2019 cuveé – 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Carmenere, and the rest made up of Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Merlot – enjoyed an extraordinary year resulting in a fragrant nose of dark fruit, lavender, eucalyptus, blackcurrant and cigar box aromas. The refined palate has a fresh core and velvety feel."
97 Points James Suckling: "The aromas of iodine and blackcurrants with roses and lavender make the wine extremely perfumed. It’s full-bodied with a tight, fine-tannined palate that shows linear flow through the center palate. It’s vertical and integrated, adding depth and serious quality to the wine."
95+ Points Robert Parker: The 2019 Almaviva is a blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Carmenère (from Peumo), 5% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot and 1% Merlot, higher in Carmenere and reflecting a warmer and drier vintage when then bottled wine reached 15% alcohol. It fermented with destemmed grapes in stainless steel and matured in French oak barrels, 75% of them new, for 18 months. Here, the Carmenere adds herbal freshness and changes the aromatic profile when compared with the 2019 Epu. 2019 was a good year for Carmenere, which suffers in extremely warm years like 2017, but in moderately warm years like 2019, the variety displays that herbal character and has good density. It's full-bodied and round, with saturated tannins, tasty, spicy and long, with a dry, serious finish. It's balsamic, with notes of camphor and a silky and velvety texture
Altesino 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva, Tuscany
$ 129.99 $ 150.00
96 points - limited
One of the top-scoring Brunello Riservas from the stellar 2012 vintage! Limited.
96 Points Robert Parker: "The Altesino 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva holds tight to its unique character and power. The classic 2016 vintage produced generous wines that are layered and rich but also coiled tightly at their core. This wine exemplifies this point, adding lots of tart Sangiovese fruit and freshness along the way. It also shows an impressive richness of flavors with dried cherry, licorice, pressed violets, balsam herb and dusty limestone. The caveat with this wine, should you decide to drink it early, is that it needs extra time to open (and a double decanting would also help). This 10,000-bottle production opens beautifully in time."
A Cellar Selection
Altesino is a reference point producer in Brunello di Montalcino, sought after in every vintage, especially in the top vintages. Brunello Riserva offers a solid, full body and excellent aging potential. Its ample and complex bouquet is reminiscent of violets, wild berries, cedar, leather, tobacco and spices. On the palate, it is austere and seductive with a perfect blend of fruit, acidity and mouth coating tannins. This is the perfect bottle for Brunello lovers. Pair with Steak au poivre, rack of lamb or beef carpaccio.
Antinori 2018 "Solaia" Toscana Proprietary Red, Italy
$ 399.99
New release of the cult Super Tuscan Solaia from Antinori! One of Italy's finest.
98 Points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): "Antinori’s 2018 Solaia captures all of the elegance of this important vintage. The bouquet alone is mesmerizing. It speaks to the stunning beauty and pedigree of Cabernet Sauvignon as grown at the Antinori family’s Tignanello property. Sweet scents of crème de cassis, lavender, graphite, mint, spice and espresso lead into a fine, delineated palate. Bright and energetic, Solaia is decidedly medium in body in 2018, with striking purity and exceptional beauty. I can’t remember ever tasting a young Solaia with this much sheer appeal and balance in the early going. In 2018 Solaia is 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Sangiovese and 7% Cabernet Franc. Production is down to around 60,000 bottles because of strict selection."
97 Points James Suckling: "Very aromatic and lively on the nose with currants, fresh herbs, white pepper and cherry blossoms. Full-bodied with a vertical, multilayered structure and ultra fine tannins. Velvety texture. Extremely long and focused. Complex and succulent. This is the smallest production of Solaia ever. Great length. This is a beautifully complex red that’s open now, but needs another three to four years to show even more of its excellence."
The Antinori family of Florence, one of the world's oldest and most distinguished wine producers, has lived in Tuscany since the 14th century and celebrated its 625th anniversary as wine makers in 2010.
Antinori 2019 "Tignanello" Toscana Proprietary Red, Italy
$ 159.99
New release of the cult Super Tuscan Tignanello! One of Italy's top wines. Limited.
95 Points James Suckling: "Extremely perfumed and vivid, with fresh mushrooms, cherry stones and blackberries. Medium-bodied with very fine tannins that are long and complete. Fresh acidity. Tangy and vibrant. Lovely is the word. Drink or hold."
95 Points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): "The 2019 Tignanello is one of the most reserved, understated young wines I can remember tasting here. In so many vintages Tignanello is quite showy, but in 2019 the nervous energy and brightness of Sangiovese takes center stage. That’s intriguing, because the 2019 blend has a bit more Cabernet Sauvignon than normal, a decision made to compensate for some of the lighter qualities in the Sangiovese. With air the 2019 shows gorgeous depth and captivating inner perfume, even if it is clearly still coming together. The 2019 spent about 14 months in oak, with 50% new wood. Things are always in constant evolution at Antinori. This is the first vintage to incorporate some larger 500L barrels, an approach I think will work brilliantly. Drinking window 2027 - 2041."
100 Points Luca Gardini: "A milestone in the contemporary Italian winery. The first Sangiovese aged in barrique, blended with untraditional varieties, the proof that great Bordelais could be created in Italy as well. A selection of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, shows an intense and velvety nose recalling blackberry and blueberry, scents of fresh pepper leaf, then licorice. Rich and fulfilling mouthfeel with iodized tannins and balsamic touches. Persistent aftertaste.”
Bibi Graetz 2019 "Testamatta" Rosso, Tuscany
$ 99.99
100 points - limited
One of the top-scoring Italian Reds from the stellar 2019 vintage! Limited.
100 Points Decanter: "Finely textured, with a nuanced perfume that fills the glass and takes you to the intense underbrush of Tuscany. Succulent and yet savoury, this has a lilting freshness that is overlaid with ripe berry fruits, sage and white pepper spice, and clear minerality in terms of its scraping texture that makes your mouth water on the finish. Feels light and sculpted and yet has an intensity that skewers you to the spot. This is a great wine, with scope and imagination that doesn't want to let you go. Genuinely stands out among the wines of this tasting, and these are a fine array of wines. As with Colore, Bibi Graetz selects only old vines, the youngest 50 years old from five different vineyard sites across Tuscany, all farmed organically,"
97 Points James Suckling: "Very attractive combination of dried fruit and spices with black cherries and plums. Aromas of flowers and sandalwood, too. Full-bodied and very refined, yet intense, with plush, velvety tannins that are wonderfully integrated and intertwined with the fruit. Ripe center palate. Tight at the end, suggesting the need for some serious bottle age. Very structured. Try after 2025."
Bodega Faustino 2006 Gran Reserva Rioja, Spain
$ 29.99
95 points The Tasting Panel: "[$40 list] From what was considered to be a very good vintage in Rioja, this blend of 86% Tempranillo, 9% Graciano, and 5% Mazuelo aged 26 months in American oak followed by an additional three years in bottle. On the palate, teeth-coating tannins encounter red-peppered red fruit, cinnamon-spiced rose petals, and tobacco before a hint of peppermint cools the mouth. A glorious red that has flawlessly endured the passage of time. (Jun 2020)"
93 points Wine & Spirits: "This is the kind of light and fragrant Rioja that makes me smile. It stands out in a crowd of modern, concentrated wines with its delicate rose-petal scents and plump freshness. Still youthful, its 12 years of age show in a heady richness that underlies the fruit, as if the darkness of mazuelo had begun to saturate the austere structure of tempranillo, all of it energized by a touch of purple graciano in the mix. It’s easy to imagine the lamb chops coming straight off the grill as you taste this wine. (Dec 2018)"
91 points Wine Enthusiast: "Smooth, welcoming aromas of cola, black fruits and integrated oak are soft and indicate that this is ready to drink. A plump, sappy palate delivers ripe berry and chocolate flavors, while this is fleshy on a finish weighted down by berry pulp. Drink through 2021. Alcohol 13.5%. (Dec 2018)"
Casanova di Neri 2017 "Tenuta Nouva" Brunello di Montalcino
$ 139.99
98 Points - limited
One of the top-scoring Brunellos from the great 2015 vintage. Limited.
96+ Points Robert Parker: "This is one of my all-time favorite Brunellos, and although personal tastes are fluid and may change from time to time, there is something timeless and solid about this wine. It's like a touchstone. The Casanova di Neri 2017 Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova is graced with a similar interlude of elegant rose or crushed flower that we saw in the annata wine. It appears more prominently here, and with more shape and focused intensity. Make no mistake, Giacomo Neri builds wines for pleasure and sensual impact, and this wine (helped by a hot growing season and 15% alcohol) ticks all those boxes. But it also shows floral elegance and sour cherry freshness that defies our expectations of the vintage."
Giacomo Neri and his family have crafted a wine that impresses from the first sip forward (especially when the wine is given ample time to open). The Casanova di Neri 2017 Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova must be treated with patience, and that patience is returned with many great rewards. Blackberry, plum and summer cherry are slowly folded into lasting flavors of spice, leather and beautiful balsam or medical herb. These are always a distinctive signature of this estate. The aromas flow with seamless transitions, and that fluid and ever-changing nature of the bouquet is what helps to build intensity and staying power. Fruit is harvested from a south- and southeast-facing slope at 250 to 300 meters above sea level. The soils are mixed loosely with crushed rock, allowing access to air and moisture. Indeed, pretty mineral accents appear as the wine takes on more air in the glass. What stands out most in this Brunello is the quality of the bouquet that is rigid and firm, yet not excessively so. You feel the structural texture of the wine as it sits firmly over the palate, yet there is mobility and softness to its many moving parts. I tasted this wine at various intervals over a 24-hour period."
Casanova di Neri 2019 "Giovanni Neri" Rosso di Montalcino
$ 69.95
Rare release from Casanova di Neri, the Giovanni Neri is a Brunello level quality in a Rosso di Montalcino. Limited.
"Giovanni Neri" Rosso di Montalcino is a new wine from Casanova di Neri and is dedicated to the founder of the estate in celebration of the winery's 50th anniversary. The grapes for this wine come from the new Tocci vineyard located in the Sesta area of southern Montalcino, which was acquired in 2018. The vines are 45 years old on average and the vineyard has exceptional soils and an ideal exposition all of which help create a wine that respects the philosophy, style and quality of Casanova di Neri. This is the second vintage produced.
93 Points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): "The 2019 Rosso di Montalcino Giovanni Neri is hauntingly dark, with masses of ashen crushed stone and exotic spices that unfold to reveal rich blackberry and plum. This is so soft and silky yet vibrant, cascading ripe red and black fruits across the palate with ease, as minerals slowly saturate. It’s lightly structured with ripe plums and spice, hints of licorice and a flourish of salty minerals. The 2019 will be enjoyable right out of the gate, but it will also hold up nicely through short-term cellaring."
93 Points James Suckling: "Aromas of blackberries, plums, chestnuts and cloves. Medium-to full-bodied with chewy tannins. Round and textured in the mouth with structure and bright acidity. Flavorful finish with length. Drink from 2024."
Robert Parker: "There is a lot of buzz surrounding the untapped potential of the Rosso di Montalcino appellation, so when you get a new wine from a headline estate like Casanova di Neri, you can really start to bank on that potential. The hope is that many more will forge forward in this direction, giving greater definition and identity to this Brunello-adjacent entry-level wine. The Casanova di Neri Rosso di Montalcino Giovanni Neri offers a pure window onto Sangiovese from this hamlet in southern Tuscany. Indeed, the grape here is called Brunello or "Sangiovese Grosso" precisely because it tends to offer dark ("bruno") fruit flavors and rich intensity in its most natural state. This is a naked and transparent wine that allows you to accurately taste the so-called bruno in Sangiovese without too many extra bells or whistles. There are savory and wild characteristics with forest fruit, bitter almond, dried herb and balsam herb. That initial wave of aromatics is followed by tilled earth and subtle spice. The wine is named after Giacomo Neri's father, who shares the name Giovanni with his grandson. This inaugural vintage celebrates the estate's 50th anniversary..
This is a new wine from Casanova di Neri to mark the estate's 50th birthday."
Castello Di Volpaia 2018 Chianti Classico Riserva
$ 39.99
94 Points - limited
Wine Spectator’s Highest Rated Chianti Ever from Castello di Volpaia - Limited.
previous vintage 97 Points Wine Spectator: "Enticing aromas of black cherry, black currant and violet are allied to flavors of iron, wet earth and spice in this red, which is loaded with fruit, vibrant acidity and well-mannered tannins. Shows terrific harmony now, yet possesses the structure to age. The long, mouthwatering finish extends the dark fruit and mineral elements. Best from 2021 through 2040."
94 Points James Suckling: "A red with plenty of ripe fruit, such as berries and cherries with some fresh-herb and lemon undertones. It’s medium-to full-bodied with bright fruit and fine tannins. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold."
93 Points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): "The Chianti Classico Riserva Castello di Volpaia is an immensely rewarding, inviting wine. Juicy and racy, with no hard edges, the Riserva captures the allure of this warm, dry year. There is plenty to like in the 2017, starting with its depth and volume, I won't be surprised if the Riserva turns out to be even better than this note suggests. Sweet red fruit, cedar and blood orange give the 2017 striking aromatic intensity and lift."
92 Points Robert Parker: " If you have a platter of fatty porchetta and are looking for a worthy Tuscan wine for that party, look no further. Packaged in a black label, the Volpaia 2017 Chianti Classico Riserva Castello di Volpaia (made with organic fruit) does a great job of showing purity and freshness. This Riserva reveals delineated tones of cherry and dark berry with crushed limestone, blue flowers and some of the wild herbs and bramble that I often recognize in wines from this corner of Tuscany. I happily recommend it to all Sangiovese enthusiasts."
Castello Di Volpaia 2017 Chianti Classico Riserva
Celler de Capçanes 2017 "Mas Donis" Old Vines Red, Montsant
$ 14.99
Spain is a treasure trove of affordable, top quality wines. The Mas Donis from Capcanes if one of the best buys we've found.
91 Points Robert Parker: "The 2017 Mas Donis Old Vines is a blend of 50% Garnacha, 30% Cariñena and 20% Syrah fermented separately in stainless steel, and the Syrah and Cariñena matured in barrique until the components were blended before bottling in June 2019. It's a heady Mediterranean red blend—generous and round with a pretty floral nose and the aromatic power of the partial carbonic maceration. It has a juicy texture, clean, fruit-driven flavors and a textured mouthfeel. An incredible bargain."
From the D.O. of Montsant in Cataluña. The appellation and its 2,000 hectares of vineyard were designated in 2001 to highlight the superior quality of the region. Montsant actually wraps around the celebrated Priorat. While the soils generally contain less schist than Priorat, the measure of quality in the wines is perhaps more importantly enabled by their old vine status, highly calcareous parcels, and variety of mesoclimates, which are generally cooler than in Priorat.
Chapoutier 2015 Ermitage Blanc L'Ermite, Rhone Valley
$ 730.00
100 Points - limited
Extremely limited new white from Rhone Valley master Chapoutier.
100 Points Jeb Dunnuck: "One of the most singular wines I’m able to taste each year is unquestionably the l’Ermite Blanc from Chapoutier and it certainly lives up to the billing in 2015. Offering what I can only describe as a liquid rock (a liqueur of rocks?) character intermixed with notes of buttered citrus, pineapple, smoked meats, charcoal and toast, the 2015 Ermitage l’Ermite is full-bodied, decadent and locked and loaded on the palate. It needs 2-3 years of cellaring and I suspect will keep for half a century."
98 Points Wine Spectator: "Bright and pure, with a beautiful core of white peach, heather, yellow apple, star fruit and mirabelle plum notes backed by light citrus oil and verbena threads on the finish. Shows energy and tension throughout, with depth in reserve thanks to a long quinine echo at the end. Really stunning. Drink now through 2040. 204 cases made."
Chateau Cos D'Estournel 2018 St. Estephe (Bordeaux), France
$ 319.00
100 Points - top Bordeaux
A rare 100 Point Bordeaux from the heralded 2016 vintage. Extremely limited.
99 Points James Suckling: "The richness and beauty of this wine is impressive with blackcurrant, cherry, berry and fresh cloves. The fruit is so pure here. Full-bodied with tannins that are so integrated and refined that you don’t feel them, yet they are there! Very creamy and layered with great length and beauty. It turns to tar and licorice at the finish. Tight now, but the texture is special. Try after 2027."
98+ Points Jeb Dunnuck: "An incredible wine from this estate that's as good as anything in the vintage, the 2018 Château Cos D'Estournel checks in as 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot that was brought up in 50% new French oak. While some 2018s are going to offer pleasure right out of the gate, this isn't one of them, but rather it's a backward, tannic powerhouse of a wine that has flawless balance as well as a level of purity that's off the charts. Thrilling crème de cassis fruit, notes of lead pencil, damp earth, cedarwood, violets, and acacia flowers, full-bodied richness, masses of ultra-fine tannins, and a great, great finish all make for a legendary Saint-Estèphe that will need a good decade of bottle age yet evolve for 50 years or more. If you are tempted to try a bottle in its youth, it needs lots of air."
98 Points Robert Parker: "The 2018 Cos d'Estournel is a blend of 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc, aged in 50% new oak barriques. The alcohol weighs in at just over 14.5%. Sporting a deep purple-black color, it needs a lot of swirling to begin to unlock a powerful nose of crème de cassis, stewed plums, wild blueberries and chocolate-covered cherries, followed by nuances of Sichuan pepper, star anise, tree and clove oil, plus a waft of charcoal. The full-bodied palate is densely packed with taut, muscular black fruits and earthy layers, framed by super firm, ripe, grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing very long and wonderfully earthy. A very impressive behemoth, this is going to need a good seven to 10 years to truly show its stuff and should drink for a good 40 years and beyond."
Chateau de Beaucastel 2018 'Hommage a Jacques Perrin' Chateauneuf-du-Pape
$ 489.00
99 Points
One of the top-rated Chateauneufs from the vintage - limited. *Pre-order now for delivery in November*
99 Points Robert Parker: "Red-fruited and garrigue-laden, the nose of the 2018 Chateauneuf du Pape Hommage à Jacques Perrin is glorious, showing remarkable complexity in its notes of cherries, raspberries and strawberries, all accented by hints of bay leaf, lavender and thyme, plus deeper bass notes of black olives, roasted meat, espresso, star anise and dark chocolate. Full-bodied and intense, it seems to have added structure since last year, with a firm matrix of tannins holding it all together and lingering on the lengthy finish. Put this Mourvèdre-based blend (approximately 60%) away for five or more years; it should drink well for a couple of decades beyond that."
98 Points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): " Opaque ruby. Powerful dark berry, cherry cola, incense, potpourri, musky earth and spicecake aromas show outstanding clarity and pick up a smoky mineral nuance with aeration. Sweet and seamless in the mouth, offering deeply concentrated but energetic black raspberry, cherry preserve, five-spice powder and lavender pastille flavors given lift and spine by a core of juicy acidity. Blends richness and finesse with a deft hand and finishes incredibly long and precise, with youthfully firm tannins adding shape and final grip."
97 Points Jeb Dunnuck: "Lastly, the 2018 Châteauneuf Du Pape Hommage A Jacques Perrin showed beautifully, and while it doesn’t hit the heights of the 2001, 2007, 2010, 2016, or 2017, it’s a beautiful expression of this cuvée that deserves a place in the cellar. Revealing a deep purple hue as well as a kaleidoscope-like array of blueberries, charred meat, graphite, ground pepper, violets, and garrigue, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a layered, seamless texture, building tannins, and a magical finish. It doesn’t have the sheer wealth of material found in truly great vintages and stays compact and focused on the palate, but it has beautiful depth of fruit and intensity as well as a seamlessness to its tannins. I suspect it will be relatively approachable by this cuvee’s standards, yet it still has enough structure and tannins to warrant a solid 7-8 years of bottle age. Given its balance, freshness, and purity, it’s going to age beautifully.
Chateau de Beaucastel 2019 'Hommage a Jacques Perrin' Chateauneuf-du-Pape
$ 479.00
100 Points
One of the top-rated Chateauneufs from the vintage - limited.
100 Points Robert Parker: "Marvelously complex, deeply fruited and massively concentrated yet wonderfully drinkable, the 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape Hommage à Jacques Perrin challenges the number of superlatives that can be thrown at it. Scents of violets, tree bark, truffle, purple raspberries and blackberries all appear on the nose, while the full-bodied palate is rich, dense and velvety, and the finish shows enormous richness and length. Breathtaking stuff.
Always one of the highlights of my visits in Chateaneuf du Pape, the cellars at Beaucastel were a bit dusty when I arrived, as the long-awaited expansion had just gotten underway. Built using the latest practices in sustainability and conservation, it's expected to be completed in 2024. The 2021 Syrah had just been picked, and the expectation was that the Grenache would be harvested beginning the following day. Something worth noting, although the family doesn't actively promote it, is that Beaucastel's farming has been certified organic since 1966, and the vineyards have been farmed along biodynamic principles since 1974 (although not certified as such)."
99 Points Jeb Dunnuck: "The tiny production 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Hommage A Jacques Perrin is the customary blend of roughly 60% Mourvèdre, 15% Grenache, and the rest Syrah and Cinsault that’s brought up in foudre. One sexy, powerful, full-bodied Southern Rhône, it sports a dense purple hue as well as a kaleidoscope-like array of blueberry, scorched earth, candied violets, pepper, and some almost northern Rhône-like meaty, smoky nuances. Full-bodied and incredibly pure, with a stacked mid-palate and ripe, supple tannins, it’s another vintage of this cuvée that will undoubtedly offer pleasure in it youth yet won’t hit prime time for a solid 7-8 years, and it should see its 30th birthday in fine form."
98 Points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): " Opaque ruby. Powerful dark berry, cherry cola, incense, potpourri, musky earth and spicecake aromas show outstanding clarity and pick up a smoky mineral nuance with aeration. Sweet and seamless in the mouth, offering deeply concentrated but energetic black raspberry, cherry preserve, five-spice powder and lavender pastille flavors given lift and spine by a core of juicy acidity. Blends richness and finesse with a deft hand and finishes incredibly long and precise, with youthfully firm tannins adding shape and final grip."
Chateau de Beaucastel 2020 Chateauneuf-du-Pape Rouge
$ 109.00
One of the top-rated Chateauneufs from the vintage - limited.
97 Points Robert Parker: "Beaucastel's 2020 Chateauneuf du Pape is shaping up as a blend of 30% each Grenache and Mourvèdre, with 10% each Counoise and Syrah, plus 20% other permitted varieties, including a healthy proportion of white grapes. Complex and red-fruited, with hints of flowers and garrigue, it's expansive and richly textured on the palate, finishing long and silky."
96 Points Jeb Dunnuck: "The Chateau de Beaucastel 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape was scheduled to be bottled the week after this tasting, and it's the usual blend of 35% Mourvedre, 25% Grenache, and the rest Syrah, Counoise, and other permitted varieties. While the estate compares this to their 2016, it reminds me slightly of their 1990 and has a wonderful perfume of red, blue, and black fruits, as well as sappy garrigue, saddle leather, and ground pepper. It's beautifully textured, medium to full-bodied, has a good sense of freshness, and fine tannins, as well as a tight, focused style on the palate that bodes well for longevity. It deserves 7-8 years of bottle age and should be long-lived."
Chateau de Pez 2018 St. Estephe, Bordeaux
$ 55.95
One of the best buys in 2018 Bordeaux we've found. Limited.
94 Points Jeb Dunnuck: "From the team of Nicolas Glumineau at Pichon Comtesse de Lalande, the 2018 Château De Pez is a gorgeous 2018 that should be on every Bordeaux lover's radar (and should be a great value as well). Notes of blackcurrants, blueberries, candied violets, and graphite define the bouquet, and it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, rockingly polished tannins, terrific purity, and a great finish. It's terrific and is going to have 15-20 years or more of longevity. The blend is 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 49% Merlot, and the balance Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc."
92 Points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): "The 2018 de Pez is even more impressive from bottle than it was from barrel. Time has given the Pez gorgeous finesse, softening the contours, to match the natural radiance of the year. Silky tannins wrap around a core of inky red/purplish fruit, pipe tobacco, cedar, mint, spice and leather. The en primeur sample was decidedly flashier, but, then again, that wine was presented in 100% new oak. The finished wine, with one-third each new, one year-old and two year-old barrels, is wonderfully refined and poised. "
Founded in the 15th century, Pez is the oldest domaine in Saint-Estèphe. The Pontac family, then-owners of Château Haut-Brion, gave Pez its vineyards. The property remained in the hands of descendants until the French Revolution. Sold as a property of the state, the domaine belonged to a succession of families until 1995, when it was purchased by Champagne Louis Roedererer. Château de Pez is one of the oldest properties in Bordeaux’s Left Bank and consists of 118 continuous acres with 103 acres planted to prime grape varieties, mainly Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Thanks to the quality of its production, Château de Pez is counted among the most highly reputed crus of the Médoc and was reclassified as a Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel in 2003.
Chateau Montrose 2018 St. Estephe, Bordeaux
$ 299.99
One of the top-scoring Bordeaux of the vintage. Limited.
100 Points Jeb Dunnuck: "A full-bodied powerhouse as well as a perfect wine, the 2018 Château Montrose is a final blend of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, and 6% Cabernet Franc that was raised in 60% new French oak. Boasting a deep purple hue as well as awesome levels of crème de cassis and smoky blackberry fruits and notes of tobacco, lead pencil, scorched earth, and chocolate, it's deep, opulent, and incredibly concentrated on the palate, with no shortage of mid-palate depth, tannins, or length. It reminds me a little of a fresher version of the 2003, although there's more Cabernet Sauvignon in 2018 as well as less Merlot. It has that classic Montrose minerality and backward, mineral-laced style, yet I suspect this will be drinkable in just 5-6 years and should evolve into a modern-day legend from this terroir."
98 Points Jeb Dunnuck: "Purity and beauty on the nose with blackberry, blueberry, raspberry, crushed-stone and violet character. A full-bodied red with masses of polished tannins and intense flavors of currants and blackberries. Juicy finish. Super depth to this. Goes on for minutes. Try after 2027."
Château Montrose is one of the leading wine properties of St.Estéphe, and produces some of the longest-lived wines in the Médoc. Montrose had been owned by Jean-Louis Charmolue from 1962 until 2006, when it was sold to Martin and Olivier Bouygues, owner of the eponymously named construction firm Bouygues, is located in the east of the appellation, just north of the hamlet of Marbuzet, on a gravel knoll only 800 metres from the Gironde estuary. The proximity of the estuary ensures a microclimate that protects against frost, and the vines, which lie on deep clay-gravel soils, benefit from a south-easterly aspect.
Chateau Pape Clement 2009, Pessac-Léognan
$ 299.99
99 Points
Rare release of one of Bordeaux's top-scoring wines.
99 Points Robert Parker: "Medium to deep garnet colored, the 2009 Pape Clement struts flamboyantly out of the glass, featuring beautifully opulent preserved black fruits, Morello cherries and Chinese five spice with underlying notions of truffles, iron ore and tobacco plus a waft of sandalwood. Full-bodied, the voluptuous fruit has a firm foundation of super ripe, grainy tannins and bags of freshness supporting layer upon layer of black fruit, exotic spices and earth-laced flavors, finishing very long."
Chateau Peby Faugeres 2010 St. Emilion, Bordeaux
$ 199.99
97 Points Parker
One of the top-rated 2010 Bordeaux - limited.
97 points Robert Parker: "A very limited production cuvee, the 2010 Peby Faugeres is sold in a specially designed bottle from Silvio Denz, who also owns Lalique Crystal. It comes from the oldest portion of the Faugeres vineyard, which is actually more of a completely separate entity under Denz than it was under the previous owners. The 2010 is 100% Merlot and again 15% natural alcohol. The vines were cropped at 20 hectoliters per hectare, but harvested about a week before the harvest finished for the main Faugeres vineyard. Most observers would tend to look at this wine as a modern-style, massive, intense St.-Emilion, with an opaque purple color, a floral nose shaded by notes of blueberry liqueur intermixed with black raspberries, vanillin, subtle smoke and barrique smells. It is full-bodied and built for two decades of longevity, but should be reasonably drinkable in 5-6 years because of the 100% Merlot content. This is a thrilling wine, as it has been in nearly every vintage where it has been produced...
...Acquired by Swiss native Silvio Denz a number of years ago, this property continues to overachieve in virtually every vintage. Behind the scenes, Stephan von Neipperg, the proprietor of La Mondotte, Clos de l’Oratoire, and a number of other properties, consults on viticultural matters, while harvesting, winemaking and elevage are guided by Michel Rolland." ."
Chateau Pesquié 2020 "Les Terrasses" Cotes du Ventoux
$ 16.99
94 Points
A fantastic discovery from the South of France that is also one of the best buys of the vintage.
91 Points Jeb Dunnuck: "Longtime readers will know that I love this cuvée, which is year in, year out, one of the great value buys out there. The Ventoux Terrasses is a normal blend of 60% Grenache and 40% Syrah that was mostly destemmed and brought up in a mix of concrete and stainless steel. It offers a rocking bouquet of black cherries, ground pepper, flowers, and violets, with almost marine- like hints in its minerality. Medium to full-bodied, fresh, focused, pure, and with fine tannins, it's another winner from this domaine...I continue to sing the praises of Château Pesquié, which is one of the leading estates in the Ventoux region and is run by the talented brothers, Alexandre and Frederic Chaudiere. Don’t let the prices fool you, these wines are the real deal.
91 Points Robert Parker: "A welcome return to form, the Ventoux Terrasses is a floral, herbal and red-fruited version of this unoaked cuvée. It's medium to full-bodied, with ample concentration, velvety tannins and lovely hints of tea and spice on the long finish. It should drink well through 2024 or so....Château Pesquié is one of the great estates of the Ventoux. For many consumers, this this be the entry point to Ventoux, so it's important that the wines represent the region well—thankfully, they do. With Frédéric recently being elected head of the appellation, expect more visibility for this underrated region. While Fred is the globetrotting marketer, his brother Alexandre handles the viticulture and winemaking at the estate, whose impressive chateau nestles in the bucolic countryside above the small village of Mormoiron. It should come as no surprise to anyone familiar with the geography of the southern Rhône that the soils in the shadow of Mont Ventoux are rich in limestone, or that the vineyards are located at a higher elevation than in the neighboring Rhône Valley, or that older vines produce more concentrated and complex fruit. At Château Pesquié all of the conditions combine to create wines that are rich in fruit with remarkable balance and purity.
Chateau Puy Blanquet 2018 St. Emilion, Bordeaux
$ 34.99
Fantastic buy One of the best buys from the 2018 vintage in Bordeaux!
94 Points Jeb Dunnuck: "Deeply colored, the 2018 Château Puy-Blanquet checks in as 85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon from a 20-hectare parcel of clay and limestone soils. Beautifully ripe and sexy, with a massive bouquet of blackcurrants, macerated black cherries, and smoked earth, it's full-bodied, opulent, and layered on the palate, with serious fruit. This brilliant wine will be approachable in its youth yet also evolve gracefully for 15 years or more. It should also be an incredible value."
Chevalier de la Crée Montagny Blanc Premier Cru White Bordeaux
$ 39.99
This exquisite white burgundy is owned by Oregon's Domaine Serene. A beautiful Premier Cru Chardonnay from the Côte Chalonnaise region of Burgundy! Limited.
Crafted by the venerable Chevalier de la Crée estate, the Knight's Templar Cuvée offers clean, pure expressions of Premier Cru Burgundian terroir. The Montagny Premier Cru comes from 100% Chardonnay fruit grown in the limestone-rich soils that make Montagny the most highly regarded region for Chardonnay in Burgundy’s Côte Chalonnaise.
The 2018 Chevalier de la Crée Montagny Premier Cru Chardonnay is fresh and fruit driven with floral hints of honey suckle, and delicate expressions of apple, pear, and pure stone fruit tendencies. A concentration of acidity and minerality coats the palate with a lovely weight and viscosity, as the flavors and sea salt-driven aspect linger in the mouth for a long persistent finish.
Courier 2015 Red Blend, Cotes Catalanes France
$ 24.99
A fantastic tiny-production discovery from the South of France. One of the best buys under $30 we've found this year. Don't miss!
94 Points Jeb Dunnuck: "The 2015 Courier checks in as normal blend of 70% Grenache and 30% Carignan, with the Grenache coming from 70-year-old vines and the Carignan from 100-year-old vines. Yields are on the order of an insanely low ¼ ton per acre. Aged three years in neutral, 500-liter barrels, it offers a similar weightless, elegant texture as well as beautiful notes of blackberries, currants, gamey garrigue, and olive tapenade. It’s more structured than the 2014 and I suspect will benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and keep for upwards of a decade. Hats off to Kimberly Jones for having the courage to follow her own path and creating a singular, unique wine."
De Martino 2015 "Vigno" Old Vines Carignan, Chile
$ 44.99
96 points Parker
The name Vigno holds a special place in the hearts of Chilean winemakers. This is a dedication to old vine Carignan grapes. The De Martino Vigno was harvested from Carignan planted on granite fields with some vines dating back to 1955. We really love the texture and red berry earth notes. Super tasty and powerful. Love it!
96 Points Robert Parker: "Surprisingly enough, the 2015 Vigno Single Vineyard la Aguada was bottled at the same time as the 2014 vintage, so I also got to taste it even though the wine won't see the light for some time. Even if 2015 was a warmer year, it was also the year the dry-farmed vineyards of Maule saw more rain than in the last three years. This helped the plants to regain balance, but the ripening was heterogeneous, which they think helped this field blend to keep the acidity. In fact, the wine is only marginally higher in alcohol and also higher in acidity than the 2014. The difference here is that the élevage in second use 5,000-liter oak foudres was shortened to 21 months. This feels very austere, incredibly young and vertical, with a texture clearly influenced by the granite; they thought the wine didn't need any more time in oak, and it has kept fantastic freshness. However, this won't be sold until early 2018, so it will have time to rest in bottle. It seems like the rains of 2015, even if the year was a little warmer, helped the dry-farmed vines to produce fresher wines. The nose shows more the character of the vintage while the palate is angular and with marked acidity. I believe this is going to age superbly."
Derived from the Spanish word for wine, “vino,” with the letter “g” borrowed from Carignan, which makes up majority of the blend. Vigno is a single-vineyard Carignan produced from a 70-year-old, dry-farmed, head-trained, and non-grafted vineyard called La Aguada situated in the Maule Valley. A beautiful, perfumed nose with elegant, yet rustic touches of cured meats, tree bark, smoke, ripe cherries, and subtle sweet baking spices.
Delas Freres 2019 "Saint Esprit" Cotes du Rhone Rouge
$ 14.99
An amazing value from the South of France - hurry!
95 Points Decanter: "60% Syrah, 40% Grenache. Lovely rich opulent and floral, black berry and plum nose, the palate is big with well layered fruit, attractively firm but soft tannin and hints of oak, a big wine with a lovely finish. *Gold Medal Winner Decanter Asia Wine Awards.*
Robert Parker: "A blend of 60% Syrah and 40% Grenache, the Cotes du Rhone Saint-Esprit is a screaming value. If offers bold black cherry and blueberry fruit aromas, lively fruit flavors, silky tannins and a crisp, lengthy mocha-tinged finish. Drink this fun, bouncy little wine over the next couple of years."
Descendientes de J. Palacios 2019 Petalos de Bierzo, Spain
$ 19.99
93+ Points Parker
One of our favorite discoveries from Spain that sells for a song!
93+ Points Robert Parker: "I tasted the 2019 Pétalos, a very balanced vintage that shows moderate alcohol and great balance. It is very approachable right now, open aromatically, and despite what the parameters might read, the wine comes through as fresher than the 2020. This is a wine produced with around 80% purchased grapes and 20% grapes from their own vineyards. There are notes of berries but also plenty of herbs; it's aromatic, complex and with very fine tannins. It's a classical continental vintage from Bierzo."
...This is the best collection they have produced since they set foot in Bierzo in 1999. And to understand my excitement, let me just summarize it as the best vintage ever for the most coherent, reliable and serious wine project in Spain. Simply breathtaking. Bravo!!"
Domaine de la Janasse 2019 Chateauneuf-du-Pape Vielles Vignes
$ 119.99
99 points
Over the last quarter century, Domaine de la Janasse has become one of the most highly-regarded estates in Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Led by siblings Christophe and Isabelle Sabon, the estate combines the best of both traditional and modern techniques to craft a collection of truly riveting wines.
99 Points Jeb Dunnuck: "Lovers of brilliant Châteauneuf du Pape should snatch up bottles of the 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Vieilles Vignes, which comes mostly from the northeastern sector of the appellation, from the La Janasse lieu-dit as well as from the La Crau lieu-dit. Revealing a deeper ruby/plum color to go with a spectacular bouquet of peppery garrigue, smoked meats, blackcurrants, black cherries, and truffly earth, this beauty hits the palate with full-bodied richness and has no hard edges, with building tannins and another blockbuster of a finish. While this wine is always rich and powerful, it’s the level of elegance and purity that really sets it apart in this vintage. Give bottles 2-3 years in the cellar and enjoy over the following 20+ years or more.
98+ Points Robert Parker: "Black cherries, blackberries and garrigue all appear on the nose of the dense, concentrated 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes. Yes, the wine boasts some formidable tannins, but they're ripe, and the fruit is vibrant and intense, with all of the ingredients for cellaring up to two decades. With time, it might even approach the performance of the 2009 (99 points) or 2010 (100)."
98 Points Wine Enthusiast: "In contrast to Janasse's varietal Châteauneuf-du-Pape bottlings, this expression of old vines dating as far back as 1920 blends Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah and other grapes from four distinct vineyard sites. Matured primarily in foudres, it offers piercing blackberry and black-plum flavors softened by flurries of peppercorn and anise as well as ripe, feathery tannins. Anchored by a firm earthen undertow, the wine will improve through 2040 and hold further. "
97 Points Decanter: "Lovely density of dark fruit, full and weighty on the palate. Powerful, long, concentrated and fresh. The alcohol is a little warming, but generally the impression is one of warmth, generosity and endlessly deep, dark fruit. One for the cellar. Fermented in concrete, matured for 12 months in foudre and demi-muid."
Domaine de la Mordoree 2020 Cotes-du_Rhone Rosé
$ 19.99
One of the finest rosés from France! Limited.
91 Points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): ""Bright orange-pink. Powerful aromas of ripe red berries, cherry pit and blood orange, plus a floral note in the background. Palate-caressing raspberry, bitter cherry and tangerine flavors reveal a deeper suggestion of nectarine. Smooth and expansive on the persistent finish, which repeats the pit and red fruit notes"
Domaine de la Mordorée is a 33-year-old domaine that was founded and run heart-and-soul by Christophe Delorme (a Lafond cousin) until his sudden death by heart attack in 2015. Delorme was known as a conscientious winemaker and biodynamic grower, one of the only left to fully hand-harvest his Tavel. He produced a string of stellar Châteauneuf-du-Pape vintages, excellent Lirac and distinctive Tavels.
Domaine des Bosquets 2017 Gigondas, France
$ 39.99
93 Points - Great New Discovery
A great new discovery from the Southern Rhone! One of the top wines of the vintage.
94 Points Wine Enthusiast "Editors Choice": "Traditional Rhône varieties like Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre and Cinsault are augmented by a small proportion of Petite Syrah in the Domaine des Bousquets Gigondas. Seductive on the nose, it offers perfumes of rose petal and crème de cassis accented by clove and thyme. Glossy blackberry flavor broods on the palate and finishes on ripe, velvety tannins. Lovely already, the wine should improve through 2030."
93 Points Jeb Dunnuck: "Leading off the reds from this terrific estate, the Domaines des Bosquets 2017 Gigondas checks in as an unusual blend of 40% Grenache, 35% Syrah, 20% Mourvèdre, and the rest Cinsault that was brought up in a mix of vessels (the Grenache is in demi-muids, the Syrah in barrel) for 18 months. Its deep purple-tinged color is followed by a great bouquet of kirsch and black raspberry fruits intermixed with lots of spicy, peppery, and garrigue. It’s soft, sexy, and rounded on the palate, with medium to full-bodied richness. Drink it over the coming decade or more."
Robert Parker: "...Owned by the Brechet family (of Chateau Vaudieu in Chateauneuf du Pape) Domaine des Bosquets covers 75 acres (65 of which are in Gigondas) and is run by the young, yet incredibly talented, Julien Brechet. Philippe Cambie also consults here, and while the style emphasizes fruit and texture, these never lose their southern Rhone style. This is an estate that needs to be on every reader’s radar!"
This 26 hectare estate is one of the top Domaines in Gigondas. The winemaker here is Laurent Brechet who displays the same attention to detail and emphasis on quality as he does for the wines he makes at Château de Vaudieu in Châteauneuf du Pape. Located at the south west of the appelation, the ‘Lieu Dit‘ lies on exceptional sandy soils which give the Grenache its fine tannins, airy flavours and wonderful acidity which balances its power so well.
Domaine des Bosquets 2018 Gigondas, France
Sold Out
Sorry we have sold out - but we do have a small amount of the 2017 vintage available while its lasts.
95 Points Robert Parker: "Smart money will be chasing the Bosquets 2018 Gigondas, which is nearly as stunning as the special cuvées this year. A blend of 45% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 20% Mourvèdre and 5% Cinsault, it boasts complex aromas of garrigue, cola, blood orange and raspberries. Full-bodied, silky-textured and long on the finish, it should drink well on release and for at least a decade thereafter...The wines emanating from this meticulously run estate must now be considered at or near the very top of the heap within Gigondas. This is an estate that needs to be on every reader’s radar!"
95 Points Decanter: "The original blended Domaine des Bosquets Gigondas is now available in two cuvées: Font des Bosquets (young vines, shorter ageing, no oak) and Réserve (older vines, 14 plots vinified separately including fruit from the top single vineyard sites, maturation in different types of oak for 18 months depending on the variety). The result is an extraordinary exercise in elegance, beautifully silky tannins and deeply vinous fruit. This is long, shapely and tapered with depth, freshness, elegance, and a seamless character. It's quite an expressive, almost showy wine, but it will be excellent when it's ready. Not as strongly characterful as each of the single vineyard expressions, but better balanced, and more quintessentially Gigondas. In organic conversion."
94 Points Jeb Dunnuck: "Leading off the 2018s from bottle, the Domaine des Bosquets 2018 Gigondas Réserve is a mix of Grenache, Mourvèdre, and Syrah, and can be thought of as the classic cuvée of the domaine. It’s beautifully done and shows the style of the domaine in its full-bodied, rich, yet also elegant profile. Offering a mix of red and black fruits, herbes de Provence, peppery garrigue, and flowers, this beauty is flawlessly balanced, has a round, layered mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and just tons of character. Drink this little gem anytime over the coming decade."
This 26 hectare estate is one of the top Domaines in Gigondas. The winemaker here is Laurent Brechet who displays the same attention to detail and emphasis on quality as he does for the wines he makes at Château de Vaudieu in Châteauneuf du Pape. Located at the south west of the appelation, the ‘Lieu Dit‘ lies on exceptional sandy soils which give the Grenache its fine tannins, airy flavours and wonderful acidity which balances its power so well.
Domaine Grand Veneur 2019 Chateauneuf-du-Pape Rouge Vielles Vignes
$ 134.99
99 Points
A great new discovery from Chateauneuf-du-Pape. One of the best wines of the great 2019 vintage from Domaine Grand Veneur.
99 Points Jeb Dunnuck: "The 2019 Grand Veneur Châteauneuf Du Pape Vieilles Vignes is based on 45% each of Grenache and Mourvèdre, with the balance Syrah, all destemmed and raised in 55% new French oak. Gorgeous cassis, violet, graphite, fruitcake, and peppery herbs define this brilliant effort, and it's full-bodied, with a pure, seamless texture, wonderful tannins, and one heck of a great finish. This magical 2019 is going to benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age (it's brilliant even today) yet keep for 20 years or more. Châteauneuf du Pape lovers need to have this in their cellar!"
95 Points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): 'A highly perfumed bouquet evokes ripe red/blue fruits, vanilla and candied flowers, along with Moroccan spice and smoky mineral nuances. Sweet and pliant in the mouth, offering assertive Chambord, boysenberry, lavender and spicecake flavors that deepen steadily through the back half. Plush tannins come in slowly, adding shape to a very long, blue-fruit- and floral-dominated finish."
Located in the Orange commune of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the Jaume family has been dedicated to the art of wine growing since 1826. Since 1979, the domaine has been run by 5th generation Alain Jaume, who is now helped by his children Christophe, Sébastien, and Hélène. The 225-acre estate covers several AOCs and 13 grape types. The Grand Veneur and Clos de Sixte vineyards are certified organic. Plots are located in the northern part of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, where the soil is marked by the violence wrought by the Rhône River. It consists of a layer of marine morass of the Miocene period covered by alpine alluvium. The presence of a great number of rounded stones known as "galets" in the earth is evidence of the time when the Rhône, then a torrent, tore fragments of rock from the Alps and deposited them on the plain.
Domaine Jerome Gradassi 2018 Chateauneuf -du-Pape
$ 54.99
An exclusive Chateauneuf-du-Pape that is one of our favorite discoveries from the Rhone Valley. Tiny producer, great price and delicious bottle of wine make this a real winner.
The new Jerome Gradassi Chateauneuf du Pape 2018 was rated by the Revue du Vin de France (France’s most respected wine publication) as one of the 4 best Châteauneuf du Pape of the vintage – alongside Rayas, Capo de Pegau and Clos du Mont Olivet (at a price far less than those)!
We continue to hunt in the Rhône Valley for exciting emerging talent, and in Jérôme Gradassi we have struck the jackpot. Jérôme, 50 years old, was the boss and chef of a Michelin starred restaurant, L’Isle Sonnant in Avignon, until he sold it in 2003 to take up a mere 3½ hectares of vines left to him by his grandfather. In the cellar it’s all very traditional - into old stone tanks for the vinification, then a short ageing in old barrels. 75% Grenache. Scented, perfumed - very herbal and sweet on the nose - and with well-integrated fruits with a hint of cumin and white pepper. Much more accessible than most young Châteauneufs. This has the freshness of the vintage and is really a very accessible example. No rough edges. This has come on very nicely in bottle. Well done!
Domaine Lafage 2018 "Bastide Miraflors" Cotes du Rousillon
$ 15.99
94 pts - best buy
One of the Best Buys of the year from France! A fantastic value.
95 Points Jeb Dunnuck: "Based on 74% Syrah and 26% Grenache brought up in in a combination of concrete tanks (for the Grenache) and one year old demi-muids (for the Syrah), the 2018 Cotes Du Roussillon Bastide Miraflors is a knockout bottle of wine. It offers loads of black fruits, roasted herbs, peppered meat, violets, and bacon fat as well as full-bodied richness, a round, opulent style, ripe tannins, and a blockbuster finish. It’s one of the finest values out there."
“A steal from Lafage is the Bastide Miraflors...This is one to buy by the case.”
-- Robert Parker
Jean-Marc Lafage has knocked it out of the park once again with this high-quality, low-cost stunner of a wine. Domaine Lafage is housed in their facility just outside the city of Perpignan. One of the most advanced wineries in the region, Jean-Marc and his wife Elaine are crafting "must buy" wines from the region of Roussillon. The Bastide Miraflors is a blend of Syrah and old-vine Grenache. The vineyards for this wine are practicing organic with an average vine age of 55 years. The last three years, this has been one of our ten best sellers of the year. We expect no less again.
Domaine Tempier 2019 Bandol Rouge, France
$ 67.99
New release -
One of our favorite reds from the South of France, the Domaine Tempier Bandol Rouge is the textbook example of the appellation and always sells out early. Highly recommended.
92 Points Robert Parker: "An impressive barrel sample, the Domaine Tempier Bandol Cuvee Classique shows surprising depth and concentration in the vintage. Notes of dark fruits, mineral and peppery, Provencal herbs all emerge from this medium to full-bodied, beautifully pure, elegant that should drink reasonably well on release."
Dominio de Pingus 2019 PSI Red, Ribera del Duero
$ 34.99
A fantastic value
New wine from Dominio de Pingus who make the legendary Pingus Red. A fantastic value!
94 points James Suckling: "Blackberry and black-cherry aromas with lavender, cedar and hints of cloves and white pepper, following through to a medium body with ultra-fine tannins and a beautiful, creamy finish. Another impressive PSI. Give it until 2022."
94 Points Robert Parker: "The 2019 PSI combines their knowledge of the vineyards and their new winery. They learned a lot in 2018, a more heterogeneous vintage, and their sorting machine for grapes had to work a lot. 2019 was more homogeneous, an easier harvest when most people made better wine. In the winery, they invested in a simple building but top technology. They used some 10% Garnacha in the blend, which was done one year after aging the lots separately. It really reminds me of the young wines from Ribera del Duero from the early 1990s, with some aromas of orange peel, earthy and smoky (very mild) and with fine-grained tannins. It has good ripeness at 14% alcohol and integrated acidity but great balance. It showcases the style of the 2019s here, fresher than expected and still a sunny vintage, when 2018 was more crystalline. A triumph over the natural conditions of the year. They finally bottled the expected 345,000 bottles. It was bottled in July 2021."
Having established Pingus as a new benchmark for greatness in Spanish wine, Peter Sisseck has embarked on a new quest: to produce a wine that captures the soul of Ribera del Duero. And he intends to do so by harnessing the passion of the region’s growers who have, for far too long, lacked the tools, capital, and vision to make wine that is truly “theirs.” And thus PSI was born.
It is a Utopian idea, born of Peter's passionate belief in organic and biodynamic farming as well as his gratitude to the region for giving a young Danish winemaker the opportunity to make arguably Spain's most coveted wine.
Gaja 2017 Barolo Sperss, Langhe
$ 359.99
Perfect 100 points!
Rare 100 Points score! It is nearly impossible to overstate the influence of Angelo Gaja on Italian wine and its lofty reputation among connoisseurs.
100 Points Jeb Dunnuck: "The Gaja Barolo Sperss is another smoking good 2017 that shows the sunny warmth of the vintage in its massive bouquet of blackcurrants, kirsch liqueur, red plums, Asian spices, violets, and flowery incense. It reminds me of the incredible 1997, and Barolo doesn't get any more sexy or opulent. This brilliant, full-bodied wine has ripe, velvety tannins, beautiful depth of fruit, and a great finish. It needs a solid hour in a decanter if drinking any time soon and will benefit from 5-7 years of bottle age. It should drink brilliantly over the following 25-30 years."
98 Points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): "The Gaja Barolo Sperss shows all of the darkness and muscle that are so typical of Serralunga. Black cherry, plum, licorice, incense, gravel, cured meats and scorched earth infuse this potent, backward wine with tremendous character. My impression is that the extraction and oak are all a bit more pushed here relative to the other wines in the range."
97 Points Robert Parker: "In the Gaja Barolo Sperss, you can taste the iron rust and minerality that is so specific to the soils of Serralunga d'Alba where this wine is born. It is very bold and represents the more powerful of these two wines from Barolo. Cerequio is always the more floral, while the Sperss has an immediate cherry and some lingering, bold, blackberry aromas that make a strong impact. However, this wine does not have the austerity of a classic Barolo. Instead it shows a richer texture and it casts a wider net of flavors. Serralunga d'Alba fruit is marked by stronger concentration and ripeness, with a very firm and unyielding quality of tannin that should hold the wine steady as it moves through its aging evolution. This is a truly beautiful albeit brawny Nebbiolo."
Hacienda Monasterio 2018 Ribera del Duero
$ 54.99
95 Points - Spanish gem
One of our top picks from Spain and the Ribera del Duero - don't miss this gem from Pingus winemaker Peter Sisseck.
previous vintage 95 Points Jeb Dunnuck: "The Crianza from Hacienda Monasterio is a blockbuster effort that’s a blend of 75% Tinto Fino, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the balance Merlot, all of which spent 18 months in 30% new French oak. Its deep ruby/purple color is followed by terrific notes of blueberries, violets, graphite, and crushed rocks. Full-bodied, deep, concentrated, and elegant, with a traditional style and building tannin…. It’s no doubt beautiful today yet will keep for a decade or more. Even at $50, it’s a smoking value!”
94 Points Robvert Parker: "The 2018 Hacienda Monasterio, the wine that was previously labeled as Crianza, is a blend of 80% Tinto Fino, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot and 2% Malbec selected from the 100 hectares of their organically certified vineyard in the west part of Ribera del Duero. It had a traditional fermentation, destemmed and in 8,000-liter stainless steel tanks (a change from the 20,000-liter vats used in 2016) with indigenous yeasts, and it matured for 18 months in French oak barrels, 25% new. This wine represents the character of the property, including all the grapes. It's still a little young, with a creamy twist, a little biscuity with hints of cereals, juicy and with tannins but with balance. This is a vintage that has great balance and freshness—but it should develop nicely in bottle. They are now in the process of replacing the Merlot with Malbec, because they think Malbec can work well in the Ribera del Duero. 220,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in June 2020."
Hacienda Monasterio has a special place in our hearts and cellars. Having remained at the vanguard of the evolution of the DO of Ribera del Duero since its founding in 1991, Hacienda Monasterio continues to innovate and seek new ways to make wines that embody the region’s potential for power as well as elegance and finesse. Guiding this evolution is Peter Sisseck, who joined the estate shortly after its inception and while he has pushed the envelope in the DO with his own wine Pingus, he’s remained at the helm of Hacienda Monasterio: overseeing the purchase and planting of new vineyards, grafting over existing vines to the local Tempranillo, Tinto Fino, and incrementally improving vinifications by championing native fermentations, experimenting with whole clusters and employing larger 500L French oak barrels for aging.
Isole e Olena 2017 Cepparello, Toscana Rosso
$ 89.99
97 Points - limited Super-Tuscan
Cepparello is one of Italy's most iconic wines and a reflection of Paolo De Marchi's career. Today Cepparello, named after a small seasonal stream among the vineyards, is a selection of the estates best fruit. Soils primarily Galestro, vineyards orientated Southwest and are 400 meters above sea-level. Paolo believes that vintage is part of terrior and wines of origin reflect the vintage. Limited.
97 Points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): "The 2017 Cepparello is another in a series of stunningly beautiful Cepparellos from Paolo de Marchi. Bright and beautifully focused in the glass, with tremendous depth, the 2017 is positively stellar from the very first taste. Succulent dark cherry, plum, licorice, spice, menthol and coffee all open up with a bit of air. Here, too, Paolo De Marchi has done a tremendous job in preserving freshness in the wine. Readers who can muster the patience will be rewarded with a spectacular wine."
95+ Points Robert Parker: "The Isole e Olena 2017 Cepparello is one of the great Sangiovese-based wines of the vintage. From a growing season that was challenging for almost everyone in Italy, this wine sails through, pushed by a profound sense of varietal purity. This dark, mid-weight red reveals lifted tones of cherry, wild rose, rosemary essence, toasted almond and potting soil. These components come together with seamless transitions and a polished finish. The tannins are elegant and integrated. The wine defies the expectations of the vintage."
Isole e Olena 2018 Chianti Classico, Italy
$ 33.00
A fantastic new Chiantico Classico from one of Italy's best producers, one of the best every vintage.
93 Points Decanter: "It is strange to see a bright red wine, and to smell ripe pinky-yellow peach. But I am told that peach is not such an unusual note for the Sangiovese from this hillcrest, along which the great estates Isole e Olena, Paneretta and Monsanto sit, looking out towards the Tyrrhenian sea. Winemaker Paolo de Marchi is a great fan of the native Canaiolo Nero and blends in 15%, contributing a black/violet colour, breadth, softness and spice to balance the austerity of Sangiovese. A consistently excellent wine."
91 Points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): "The 2017 Chianti Classico is fabulous. Bright, punchy and so full of character, the 2017 is absolutely delicious. Sweet berry, cedar, tobacco, rose petal and subtle earthy notes all grace the 2017, an exquisite wine that will drink well with minimal cellaring. More than anything, I am so impressed with the wine's energy."
90 Points Decanter: 'While Isole e Olena was able to avoid frost damage in 2017, owner Paolo de Marchi estimates losing 40% of production due to drought conditions. He always picks as late as possible and vinifies gently to avoid rustic, green tannins. Aromas are restrained hinting at black currant, sage and spice with an undertow of espresso. On the palate there is a sumptuousness yet no lack of acidity and smart sophisticated tannin shore in ripe, generous fruit."
Isole e Olena Chianti is a wine of incredible finesse. Supple, elegant and perfumed, this blend of Sangiovese and Canaiolo is the result of pristine quality fruit grown in high-density, naturally farmed vineyards. Year in, year out, winemaker Paolo de Marchi sets the highest standard for the wine of the region.
Juan Gil 2019 Silver Label Jumilla Red, Spain
$ 19.99
A phenomenal value
A phenomenal red from Spain that sells for a song from Bodegas Juan Gil. Big and full-bodied, California wine lovers will take to this wine easily.
93 Points Robert Parker: "The 2018 Juan Gil (silver label), from a cooler and rainier, more continental vintage than the 2017 I tasted next to it. The origin is the same, Monastrell from their own old, non-irrigated vines fermented in stainless steel and matured in French oak barrels for around 12 months. This is the first vintage that is certified organic. There were some challenges, but they resulted in a fresh and balanced wine with integrated oak and a juicy and round palate. They have introduced optical sorting of the grapes, and perhaps that's why there is more precision and purity. They cannot do manual sorting at this price point, but optical sorting seems like a good alternative. 2018 is a more difficult vintage than the 2017, yet this wine is better, juicier and seems to absorb the oak better, with just a smoky touch that reminded me somehow of a Northern Rhône. Really impressive."
The Gil family from Jumilla have built a brand new winery that has 100% renewable energy, and all the waste is reused (water goes to humus, etc.). All of their vineyards are organically farmed even though they don't have a full certification in order to avoid bureaucracy. 2017 was a Mediterranean year in the style of 2015, and 2018 was cooler, more in the style of 2016, both very challenging harvests. The Juan Gil Silver Label Red is one of our favorite buys from Spain!
La Massa 2017 Toscana, Italy
$ 24.99
An amazing value...
La Massa’s entry-level “La Massa” Super Tuscan is a blend of Sangiovese with Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Alicante. Grown in La Massa’s idyllic “Conca d’Oro” estate, the wine gives a sneak peek into the potential of this producer's high end wines.
This full-bodied, energetic red from the Chianti Classico region of Panzano combines warm richness with balance and length that makes it widely popular year after year. Winemaker Stephane Derenoncourt, one of Bordeaux's most renowned winemakers, crafts the wine with Bordeaux influences including aging in French oak, 20% new, to produce a luscious mouth-feel. This wine is one of the best values in the market place.
93 Points James Suckling: "A plush red with sweet-berry and spice aromas and flavors. Hints of vanilla. Full body. Lush and delicious. Needs a little time to come together, but already very attractive."
91 Point Robert Parker: "Beautiful and seamless, the 2017 La Massa beats the heat. There is little sign of a warm vintage in this blend of 70% Sangiovese, 15% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon plus Alicante Bouschet. The wine turned out terrifically bright and nuanced with its light spice and blackberry notes. Present it alongside a veal tagliata with rosemary. You get terrific value here."
La Scolca 2020 Gavi dei Gavi Black Label Bianco Secco, Italy
$ 44.99
Gavi dei Gavi, the prestige of La Scolca, is acheived through the most rigorous respoect for nature, according to the most traditional rules of cultivation, from pruning to harvest of vineyards that reach up to sixty years of age. The benchmark for quality worldwide.
Tasting Notes: "Pale straw in color with delicate greenish highlights. Intense lemon citrus fruit with floral and flinty notes on the nose, comparable to the best wines from Chablis. Medium bodied, with apple and more citrus fruit on the palate as well as notes of almonds and hazelnuts. The finish is crisp, refreshing and long.
La Scolca led the movement to establish an exciting, new quality level for dry Italian white wines when the Soldati family launched their trademarked "Gavi dei Gavi" in 1966. Gavi comes from a small growing area in northwestern Italy located north of Genoa on the steep slopes of the Ligurian Apennines. The 62-acre La Scolca estate, owned and directed by Giorgio Soldati, is situated in one of the best communes, Rovereto.
La Scolca is an artisanal winery, which pioneered modern, controlled vinification in stainless steel to preserve the subtle fruit of the Cortese grape. Yields are kept low, well below the legal maximum, through severe pruning and thinning. The oldest vines and best sites are reserved for their Gavi dei Gavi, packaged in a clear Burgundy-style bottle with a distinctive black label.
Luca 2019 Old Vines Malbec, Uco Valley Argentina
$ 34.99
Laura Catena, proprietor of Luca Winery, is a fourth generation vintner, who also happens to be a Harvard and Stanford educated emergency medicine physician. Following the birth of her first child, Luca, she felt compelled to create a legacy of small production Argentine wines. The Luca Old Vines Malbec is from fruit grown in the Uco Valley, and is, in typical Luca style, a big, broad shouldered, structured powerhouse of a wine.
93 Points Robert Parker: "Fom new plantings in Gualtallary, the Luca Malbec has increased the proportion of fruit coming from this cool place to make it approximately a 50/50 blend of Malbec fruit from Gualtallary and La Consulta, both in the Valle de Uco. There is a big jump in precision and harmony along with more freshness and elegance. The expansive palate has great depth and fruit with very good freshness. This could well be the best vintage of Luca Malbec and I think the best might be yet to come, as the new vineyard matures...Luca is the personal project of Laura Catena."
93 Points James Suckling: "Beautiful aromas of blackberry, black licorice and spice follow through to a full body, with ultra-fine tannins and a blueberry, dark chocolate and light nut aftertaste. Drink or hold."
Marchese Antinori 2019 Tenuta Tignanello Chianti Classico Riserva, Italy
$ 47.99
New release from Marchese Antinorio, producer of the legendary Super Tuscan Tignanello!
94 Points Wine Spectator: "A harmonious red, offering an expression of cherry, blackberry and floral aromas and flavors offset by a vibrant, well-integrated structure. Shows iron, tobacco, smoke and a hint of wild herbs, which weigh in as this evolves on the palate toward a lingering aftertaste. Delivers finesse and energy. Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Best from 2024 through 2038."
94 Points James Suckling: "A tight, fruity red with black-cherry and blueberry aromas and flavors. It’s full-bodied with chewy yet fine-grained tannins. Love the polish and focus. Driven and linear. Drink after 2023."
92 Points Robert Parker: "This wine is made with fruit from the 130-hectare Tignanello estate and is Sangiovese with a smaller part Cabernet Sauvignon. The Marchesi Antinori Chianti Classico Riserva Marchese Antinori is a dark and sultry expression with a higher degree of evident richness and concentration in this vintage that produced smaller, more compact berries. The tannins stand out tallest here, and there is some bitterness that is more in line with my expectations of the vintage. In fact, among these new Marchesi Antinori releases this wine most accurately reflects the hot vintage especially in terms of mouthfeel. There is a pretty menthol note on the close. Fermentation occurs in stainless steel, and the wine ages in French and Hungarian oak barrels for one year."
Marqués de Murrieta 2016 "Finca Ygay" Rioja Riserva
$ 27.99
94 Point Rioja
One of Rioja's finest Riservas from Marques de Murrieta.
94 Points James Suckling: "This is very structured and powerful with a dense and rich palate of ripe fruit and hints of toasted oak. Full and layered. Structured. Released February 2020. Needs a few years of bottle age.
94 Points Robert Parker: "I also tasted an unbottled sample of the Marques de Murietta 2016 Rioja Reserva, which should be bottled in a couple of months, before the summer. What I tasted was the final blend, and it represents the year—2016 was a cooler year, and the wine also goes in that direction. 2016 saw a large crop, and the grapes for this cuvée were harvested at the end of September, going toward more finesse and subtleness, combined with the natural power. There was a change in the winery in 2016 that was finalized in 2018 with the new winery. The wine is textured and fine, and it's more elegant than the 2015 I tasted next to it. The detail and texture on the palate is different, and the quality of the tannins is completely different. This should be released in early 2020."
Though it's one of the oldest Rioja bodegas, dating back to the mid-19th century, Marqués de Murrieta has not rested on its laurels. They continue to produce excellent wines that are big hits with their customers and critics alike. They farm all their own grapes on their large, contiguous vineyard just outside of Logroño, which boasts old vines, a variety of soils from chalky clay to very stony parcels, and a climate that particularly favors not only Tempranillo but some of the region's finest Mazuelo.
Marqués de Murrieta Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial Rioja 2011
$ 199.99 $ 229.00
99 Point Rioja
One of Rioja's finest reds from Marques de Murrieta, the Castillo Ygay Grand Reserve Rioja is a beautiful wine - limited.
99 Points James Suckling: "Marvelous aromas of crushed berries, tobacco, cedar and mushrooms. Some dried cheese. Then turns to flowers. Very complex. Full and intense with fantastic depth and power. It goes on for minutes. It is a wine that exudes tradition but gives a sense of modernity with precise winemaking. Two years in oak, one in concrete and three or four in bottle. Drink on release and age onwards."
97 Points Wine Enthusiast "Cellar Selection": "Deep violet-red to the eye, this wine has a nose of raspberry, white chocolate and juniper berry. Still youthful on the palate, it offers ever-present tannins supporting flavors of dark plum, black cherry, caramel and violet that slowly fade into a soft cherry-pie finish. Drink through 2042. Alcohol 14%."
97 Points Robert Parker: "It has greatness and finesse and is a very attractive wine with all the stuffing and balance that is needed for a long (and positive) aging in bottle. This is one of the finest modern day vintages of Castillo Ygay. This is going to develop in the direction of the classical bottlings from yesteryear."
Only the finest vintages from the 741-acre (300-hectare) Ygay Estate are used to make Castillo Ygay. This Gran Reserva Especial is made from Tempranillo and Mazuelo from vineyards located at 500 meters above sea level. Limited in production and sought after all over the world, it is the worthy choice for our emblematic Castillo Ygay label. The Cebrian-Sagarriga family, who in 1983 acquired the Marques de Murrieta winery, established in 1852, has a distinct winemaking philosophy that is founded in the pursuit of quality and excellence through tradition and innovation.
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