|
|
 |
|
|
$7.95
|
|
|
WA 87
Australia
-
Red
In stock, 12+ available
|
List $12.00
|
|
87 points Jay Miller (Wine Advocate): "[$12 list] The 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon is dark ruby-colored with a nose of spicy black fruits. Ripe, concentrated, and surprisingly lengthy for its modest price, it will drink well for another 3-4 years. (Dec 2009)"
|
|
|
|
|
|
$13.95
|
|
|
Austria
In stock,
6
available
|
List $30.00
|
|
Producer notes: "This Riesling is a blend of wines sourced from different terraced (=high quality) vineyards. The elevated terraces consist of stonier soils that bring fruit driven wines with mineral nuances and good aging potential. The vines from lower sited terraces grow partly on layered fertile loess and bring earlier maturing wines that are very expressive in their youth. By combining those two characteristics, we obtain a Riesling that shows both finesse and a certain vigor. Tasting note:
Impressive primary fruit in this vintage (classic apricot & peach and also tangerine & citrus), flowery elements some herbs and green tea, still a bit yeasty, yet open at the front, with a hint of minerals and flowery aromas, straightforward and fresh on the palate again with surprising fruit, medium body, mineral nuances, good structure and balance, already accessible showing good potential. Food pairing:
Seafood, cold starters, grilled fish, white meat, fried or roasted chicken and different Asian dishes if not too hot."
|
|
|
|
|
|
$49.95
|
|
|
IWC 92
Austria
In stock,
4
available
|
List $80.00
|
92 points Peter Moser (International Wine Cellar): "[$80 list] Medium green-yellow. Inviting bouquet of peach, greengage plum, honey and dried apricot over a subtle background of smoky flint. Intense and concentrated peach and pineapple are wrapped in a transparent veil of sweetness and elegantly suspended by a firm acid spine. Finishes with lingering hints of papaya and pineapple. Drink 2011 to 2023. (Nov/Dec 2009)"
Bill Mayer (The Age of Riesling): "The 'Lyra' is the most sheerly beautiful of all Willi's Rieslings, a masterpiece of cool minerality combined with sensational fruit. Impossible to have a conversation drinking this wine."
|
|
|
|
|
|
$17.95
|
|
|
Italy
-
Campania
In stock,
1
available
|
List $28.00
|
|
Sandro Lonardo makes a tiny amount of a white wine called Grecomusc', which is made from a variety called Roviello Bianco, or Grecomusc' by the locals. The variety is indigenous to the town of Taurasi and the villages around Taurasi. Made from purchased fruit (some has also been planted at Lonardo's estate in Taurasi); the wine is fermented with the skins for a day or so to extract flavor, then fermented in stainless steel using indigenous yeasts. The wine is aged in used puncheons for four months, then in stainless steel, and bottled unfined and with only a coarse filtration. Lonardo's Grecomusc' is distinctive, excellent white wine, showing striking complexity in aroma and flavor, great length, and excellent fresh acidity; notes include almond, citrus skin and apple, as Sandro says, but also a beeswax note reminiscent of fine Chenin Blanc. Less than 200 cases produced.
|
|
|
|
|
|
$6.95
|
|
|
IWC 88
Italy
-
Tuscany
-
Other
In stock,
10
available
|
List $10.00
|
88 points Ian D'Agata (International Wine Cellar): "($10 list; an 85/15 blend of sangiovese and cabernet sauvignon; no oak; 12.5% alcohol) Light, bright red. Aromas of red berries, pipe tobacco and underbrush. Tangy and penetrating but not hard in the mouth, with fresh acids framing the red fruit and tar flavors. Finishes bright and simple, with a lingering sweetness. (Jul/Aug 2010)"
Producer notes: "Sangiovese 85%, Cabernet Sauvignon 15%. Remole ’08 greets the eye with a deep, brilliant purple. The bouquet is a dense complex of fruit aromas, such as blackberry, raspberry, cherry, and redcurrant, lifted with fragrant hints of spice and black pepper. The palate is velvet smooth, very warm and rich, with a perfect balance of its components and a refreshing crispness. A long-lingering finish mirrors nicely the fruit on the nose."
|
|
|
|
|
|
$19.95
|
|
|
Italy
-
Trentino-Alto Adige
In stock,
9
available
|
List $30.00
|
Antonio Galloni (Wine Advocate): "[$30 list] The 2008 Weissburgunder Terlaner (Pinot Bianco) is wonderfully fresh and nuanced in its crisp, floral fruit. Medium in body, the mineral-driven Weissburgunder reveals notable elegance and a long, zesty finish. This is a classy effort from Niedrist. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2012. (Oct 2009)"
Some of the best white wines from the Alto Adige have been made from the Weissburgunder (Pinot Bianco) variety, the best examples of which are minerally, earthy wines that repay 3 - 5 years in the cellar. The Terlaner zone seems to produce particularly good examples. This wine is fermented and aged in stainless steel, with no contact with wood and no malolactic fermentation. Estate bottled. Tasting notes: Pale straw color; wet-stone aroma with hints of green apple and herbs; fresh, long and minerally on the palate. Drink now with seafood or vegetable appetizers, or age for up to 5 years.
|
|
|
|
|
|
$11.95
|
|
|
WS 87
Argentina
In stock, 12+ available
|
List $18.00
|
87 points Wine Spectator: "[$18 list] Shows a mix of violet, pastis and ripe boysenberry fruit, backed by ample spice and toast. The fleshy finish lets the toasty edge hang on. Malbec, Bonarda and Petit Verdot. Drink now. (12/31/10)"
Producer notes: "80% Malbec, 12% Bonarda, 8% Petit Verdot. This blend presents a violet red color with shades of purple. At first the classic floral aromas of Malbec fill the nose, to be latter enhanced by notes of red fruits, such as strawberries, typical of the Bonarda variety. On the palate, it has the trademark Malbec silkiness, buoyed by the structure and depth of Petit Verdot. This wine achieves a unique combination where Bonarda and Petit Verdot add freshness and structure to a foundation composed of our renowned and beloved Malbec. A unique wine with a persistent and long finish. Its tannic structure and complex nose makes it a perfect choice to accompany beef and stews."
|
|
|
|
|
|
$8.95
|
|
|
Italy
-
Tuscany
-
Chianti
In stock,
6
available
|
List $15.00
|
16.5/20 points Julia Harding, JancisRobinson.com: "Fragrant cherry fruit as only Sangiovese can do. Even very slightly floral. Then a firm, fresh dry depth. Mouthfilling and fresh and a long dark cherry tang on the finish. Good Value."
Well made Chianti from the Montalbano district near Florence. A blend of Sangiovese with Canaiolo and Malvasia Nera, aged in large botte. Deep in color, richly textured with warm and ripe cherry fruit and a nice spicy finish. Great value.
|
|
|
|
|
|
$14.95
|
|
|
RP 89
WS 88
Chile
In stock, 12+ available
|
List $24.00
|
89 points Robert Parker: "The 2008 Alpha Chardonnay is light gold colored with an aromatic array of buttered popcorn, mineral, poached pear, and apple. Smooth-textured and friendly on the palate, this tasty effort can be enjoyed over the next 4 years. (12/23/2010)"
88 points Wine Spectator: "[$24 list] A direct, polished version, with solid apple, fig and piecrust notes that stay focused on the floral-tinged finish. Crowd-pleaser. Drink now. (9/30/10)"
Producer notes: "Vinified with clean must separating three different lots using three different strains of selected yeasts: D', Montrachet and native. Fermented and aged in French oak barrels for 1 year, 40% of the wine undergoes malolactic fermentation. Grapes sourced from Casablanca Valley. The wine remains in its original cask for one year using a monthly batonage to enhance buttery flavors and complexity that emphasizes the union of refined flavors of tropical fruit and aromas. Full bodied and creamy in the mid palate and very complex. One of the few Chilean whites that will improve over the years."
|
|
|
|
|
|
$19.95
|
|
|
Italy
-
Trentino-Alto Adige
In stock, 12+ available
|
List $28.00
|
|
Georg Mumelter's farm, Griesbauerhof, is situated outside Bolzano, the principal city of the Alto Adige. His tiny cellar is underneath the house, with the vineyards just outside. Mumelter is meticulous and quiet; his wines show great character and are exceedingly well-made. Isarcus is comprised of 94% Schiava and 6% Lagrein. The delicious Schiava varietal is Italy's answer to Beaujolais, and Lagrein is one of the great Italian red grapes and deserves to be much more well known. The best examples are deep purple in color, with aromas of blackberries and Assam tea.
|
|
|
|
|
|
$7.95
|
|
|
Italy
-
Friuli-Venezia Giulia
In stock, 12+ available
|
List $12.00
|
Wine Enthusiast: "Light and fresh, floral and peachy; this is textbook Pinot Grigio that delivers all the easy drinkability you require from an informal, affordable wine like this. You can pair it with fresh summer foods and salads. (Nov 2010)"
Palmadina is the second label from the Primosic family of Friuli. The Palmadina style is fresh, fragrant and immediate. This wine is clean, fresh and bright -- classic Pinot Grigio with a very slight coppery hue.
|
|
|
|
|
|
$71.95
|
|
|
AM 92
WA 91
France
-
Burgundy
-
Cote d'Or Red
In stock,
4
available
|
List $80.00
|
92 points Allen Meadows (Burghound): "(from a .5 ha parcel). A notably pure nose of extract of red pinot fruit, red currant and blue berry hints combine with mineral and earth nuances, both of which can also be found on the rich, full and naturally sweet big-bodied flavors that possess excellent mid-palate fat and fine length on the balanced finale. This is a classic Bressandes that blends volume, power and refinement. This too is exquisite juice. Comments: Sweet spot. Drink: 2020+. (Apr 2010)"
91+ points David Schildknecht (Wine Advocate): "The Pousse d’Or 2008 Corton Bressandes displays deep, roasted meaty richness -- very domesticated and clean rather than gamey -- allied to dark cherry and plum tinged with their pits and crushed stone. Landanger opines that his Bressandes is more struck by their very recent bottling than are his three (at the time I tasted) already-bottled premier crus, but I found this broadly rich Corton notably fine-grained in tannin and savory. I’m inclined though to take his word for it that there is even more here than currently meets the palate. In any case, I suspect there is 12-15 year potential. (Jun 2010)"
|
|
|
|
|
|
$49.95
|
|
|
AM 89–92
France
-
Burgundy
-
Cote d'Or Red
In stock, 12+ available
|
|
|
89-92 points Allen Meadows (Burghound): "A fresh, expressive and ripe nose of plum, violets, earth and a game nuance that is also reflected by the rich, full and impressively scaled medium weight plus flavors that evidence a trace of minerality on the firm, balanced and strikingly long finish. Lovely and this is a Pommard of refinement but still a Pommard. Comments: Sweet spot Outstanding. Drink: 2018+. (Apr 2010)"
|
|
|
|
|
|
$29.95
|
|
|
IWC 91
New Zealand
In stock, 12+ available
|
List $45.00
|
|
91 points Stephen Tanzer (International Wine Cellar): "[$45 list] Bright medium red. Pure aromas of raspberry, cherry, spices and orange peel showed increasingly liqueur-like ripeness with extended aeration. Dense but high-pitched, with a juicy blood orange note that initially reminded me of Chambolle-Musigny. Finishes with a nicely restrained sweetness and a light touch. This is still quite young. I would have scored it even higher but for some emerging suggestions of superripeness. (Sep/Oct 2009)"
|
|
|
|
|
|
$8.95
|
|
|
WS 89
IWC 88
WE 88
Australia
-
White
In stock, 12+ available
|
List $14.00
|
89 points Wine Spectator: "[$14 list] Taut and distinctive for its range of pear, melon, tobacco and spice flavors, deftly balanced as the flavors persist gently. Drink now through 2012. (11/30/09)"
88 points Josh Raynolds (International Wine Cellar): "[$14 list] Pale gold. Exotic tropical and pit fruits on the nose, with dusty mineral and quinine qualities adding verve. Juicy and fresh in the mouth, with pliant peach and pineapple flavors joined by a slow-building mineral quality that lingers on the aftertaste. (Jul/Aug 2009)"
88 points Wine Enthusiast): "[$14 list] This Chardonnay from the cool-climate Adelaide Hills offers plenty to like for the price: hints of toast and vanilla frame fruit that ranges from grilled peaches and pears to ripe melons. Round without being overly rich, this could be served as an apéritif, or with chicken or fish dishes. (Nov 2009)"
|
|
|
|
|
|
$11.95
|
|
|
Italy
-
Trentino-Alto Adige
In stock,
9
available
|
List $24.00
|
|
Dry muscats (and these wines are bone-dry, with very fresh acidity) make wonderful aperitifs, and are also very good with cured or smoked meats such as the local 'Speck' ham, occasionally available here in the US. This is a typical example, showing huge exuberant aromas of peaches, flowers, and muscat spice. It is bone-dry on the palate, very flavorful and crisp. Wine-lovers and beginners alike will love it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
$6.95
|
|
|
South Africa
In stock,
9
available
|
List $12.00
|
|
Producer notes: "Villiera was amongst the pioneers of (partially) wooded Chenin Blanc in the Cape, which results in a very integrated wine. The aim was to produce a rich, ripe wine which could handle a dimension of oak and would improve over an extended period. Intense fruit with a hint of wood spice on the nose, including pineapple, guava and citrus. On the palate, this wine is rich and full bodied with good balance and a long finish."
|
|
|
|
|
|
$16.95
|
|
|
WA 87
Germany
In stock, 12+ available
|
List $23.00
|
|
87+ points David Schildknecht (Wine Advocate): "Vollenweider's dry-tasting 2008 Riesling -- another first-time label-designation at this address, although in this year at least, it comes entirely from the Krower Steffensberg -- smells of pumpkin, yellow plum, sage, nettle and hints of wood smoke. Fresh lemon, tomatillo, and plum skin lend this invigoration, and despite 12% alcohol and a certain sense of substantiality, it exhibits vintage-typical buoyancy. This relatively water-retentive site promotes acid retention -- as strong vintage characteristic anyway -- even when harvested late and at high must weight, as here. I'd plan to enjoy it within 3 years, and it may come to terms more effectively with its acidity even in the short run. (Feb 2010)"
|
|
|
|
|
|
$42.95
|
|
|
WA 91
IWC 91
AM 90
United States
-
Pinot Noir
-
Oregon
In stock, 12+ available
|
List $60.00
|
91+ points Jay Miller (Wine Advocate): "The 2008 Pinot Noir Terres Basses is my favorite of the vineyard designates. It is a harmonious offering with an inviting perfume of smoke, exotic spices, floral notes, and dark fruit aromas. Nicely proportioned on the palate, it displays excellent concentration and a lengthy, fruit-filled finish. It will deliver prime drinking from 2013 to 2023. (Oct 2011)"
91 points Josh Raynolds (International Wine Cellar): "Bright ruby-red. Cherry-vanilla and cola on the nose, with a spicy element increasing with aeration. Deeply pitched, nicely concentrated dark fruit flavors are complemented by notes of black cardamom and clove. Dusty tannins build on the impressively long, gently chewy, sweet finish. I'd let this rest for another couple of years. (Jul/Aug 2011)"
90 points Allen Meadows (Burghound): "(14.2%). A reserved, indeed almost circumspect nose speaks of plum, anise and dark berry liqueurs that introduce rich, supple and very generous flavors that enjoy good dry extract levels that impart a sappy and textured character to the chewy, dusty and solidly persistent finish. This isn’t as robust as the Emery or as refined as the Kiana but this is certainly attractive in its own right. Drink: 2014+. (Oct 2011)"
Producer notes: "Terres Basses means the low lands, and comprises our lowest vineyard blocks ranging in elevation from 310' to 380' on very gentle south facing slopes. Although this is still a very youthful wine, the aromatic profile (once it’s seen a bit of air) is anything but simple. Aromas evolve from wood spice, cedar, coffee and vanilla into Christmas spices, doug fir, cassis and a touch of citrus. The palate promises many years of deepening texture and complexity yet already offers rich black fruits, structured tannins and well-integrated acidity. The finish suggests blue fruit, rose petals and pepper. Age this wine for 10+ years and pair with Coq au Vin or Duck Confit."
|
