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$9.95
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France
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Loire
In stock, 12+ available
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List $14.00
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87 points David Schildknecht (Wine Advocate): "...bright, bracing lemon and lime and borderline grassiness are accompanied by cooling mint, attractively pungent caraway, and a palpable sense of extract and chalky minerality... this gets high marks for sheer tenacity and for its light bulb-like, wake-up personality. (Aug 2008)"
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$7.95
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WA 87
Australia
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Red
In stock, 12+ available
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List $12.00
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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)"
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$13.95
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Austria
In stock,
6
available
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List $30.00
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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."
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$49.95
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IWC 92
Austria
In stock,
4
available
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List $80.00
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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."
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$21.95
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Spain
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Red
In stock, 12+ available
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List $44.00
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Wine Spectator on the 2003 vintage: "This chewy red offers black cherry, dried cherry, mountain herb and mineral flavors, unvarnished by oak."
Red Grenache, Carignan and Cabernet Sauvignon. Grenache and Carignan from old vines (more than 25 years), Cabernet Sauvignon from young vines (from 5 to 12 years), from the districts of Bellmunt del Priorat, la Vilella Alta, Gratallops, Torroja, La Vilella Baixa and El Molar.
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$14.95
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WA 92
WS 90
Argentina
In stock,
8
available
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List $29.00
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92 points Jay Miller (Wine Advocate): "Colome’s Estate Malbec is annually one of Argentina’s better values. The 2009 Estate Malbec (85%) contains small amounts of Tannat, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah in its blend. It spent 15 months in barrel, 30% new American, the balance second-use French with the fruit sourced from some of the world’s most elevated vineyards. It is purple in color with a captivating nose of cedar, Asian spices, incense, violets, black licorice, espresso, and assorted back fruits. Made in a racy style with uplifting acidity, it is a beautifully proportioned offering with exceptional elegance and length. Give it several more years of cellaring and drink this fantastic value from 2013 to 2024. (Dec 2011)"
90 points Wine Spectator: "Offers good density to the blueberry, raspberry and blackberry coulis notes that are backed by vibrant acidity. Floral and mineral notes play out on the long, tangy finish. Drink now through 2014... (11/15/11)"
Producer notes: "This Colomé Malbec is produced mainly from pre-phylloxera vines planted in 1854. Bodega Colomé vineyards are bio-dynamically and sustainably farmed at an altitude of 5,500 to 8,500 feet and are believed to be the highest vineyards in the world. The sandy and alluvial soils yield small crops and produce deeply colored and concentrated wines which capture the soul of this distinct terroir.
Our Estate Wines represent the unique character of cooler climate Argentine Malbec, the country’s signature red grape. Grown in the northern province of Salta at high elevations, the grapes and wines express bright fruit profiles, while retaining acid and tannin for structure, a combination rare in Argentina. Cabernet Sauvignon, Tannat, Syrah and Petit Verdot are blended for complexity, structure, and a rich, supple mouthfeel to produce a truly remarkable wine. Tasting notes: The color is deep, dark red with a magenta hue. This wine is layered on the nose with blackberry, licorice, violet, bitter chocolate and spices. The flavors are rich with layered fig paste, plums, cassis and blackberry fruit. Subtle French oak flavors are well balanced and fully integrated through the mid-palate and well into the finish, which is long and round."
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$11.95
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WS 88
RR 87
France
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Rhone
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Other
In stock, 12+ available
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List $17.00
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88 points Wine Spectator: "Round and juicy, with a jammy hint to plum, red currant and blackberry fruit flavors that are laid over a licorice-filled finish. Drink now. 200 cases imported. (2009)"
87 points Rhone Report: "An even split of Grenache and Syrah, the 2007 Domaine Constant-Duquesnoy Cotes du Rhone Villages Lou Combaou is a solid southern Rhone that displays loads of sappy garrigue, spiced cherries, mineral, and licorice to go with a medium-bodied, juicy, and edgy palate. There.s a serious kick of acidity here, as well as a firm, edgy core that should soften over the coming year. It should continue to drink well for 3-5 years. (Mar 2012)"
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$17.95
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Italy
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Campania
In stock,
1
available
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List $28.00
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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.
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$15.95
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WA 87
France
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Burgundy
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Beaujolais
In stock, 12+ available
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List $18.00
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87 points David Schildknecht (Wine Advocate): "An abundance of dark berry fruit meets a strong aura of game and firm underlying tannins, resulting in a low-toned, slightly-chewy, but satisfyingly, sweetly ripe finish. Enjoy this 2009 over the coming year. (Aug 2010)"
From organically grown vineyards; no sulphur, unfiltered.
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$14.95
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WA 88
France
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Alsace
In stock, 12+ available
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List $20.00
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88 points David Schildknecht (Wine Advocate): "The Dirler-Cade 2005 Pinot Cuvee Vieilles Vignes is true Pinot Blanc (or Klevner, as it is often locally known) with not a drop of Auxerrois. Apple and citrus dominate in the nose and mouth, with a hint of apple seed bitterness balanced by a subtle hint of sweetness, and a creamy, chalky, yet clear-fruited finish. (Jul/Aug 2007)" Organic/biodynamic since 2002 (certified by Biodyvin).
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$169.95
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France
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Burgundy
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Cote d'Or Red
In stock, 12+ available
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List $225.00
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96+ points Sonoma Wine Journal: "Violet robe. Exceptionally pure nose of spicy cherries, and with aeration the bouquet also shows notes of raspberries, iron, minerals, cinnamon, and flowers. The attack is all pure stalky Pinot fruits, still too young to fully enjoy but showing all the hallmarks of a great wine that simply needs time to evolve. Delicious and vibrant, the finely delineated tannins are enmeshed in the silken finish that lasts for nearly 60 seconds. Remarkable balance between the generous composition of fruit, acidity, tannins. For parents with children born in 2007 and who can afford this beauty, this would be an excellent Grand Cru Burgundy to cellar until your child's 21st birthday or other special occasions. From Laurent Ponsot. 13.5% alc. Drink now-2030. (Oct 2010)"
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$15.95
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WA 87
France
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Loire
In stock,
1
available
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List $25.00
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87 points David Schildknecht (Wine Advocate): "The wines are also released at a leisurely pace, so that Domaine Aux Moines’s 2006 Savennieres - Roche Aux Moines represents their current release... offers a fascinating combination of peach, citrus oils, raw mushroom, and alkaline, wet stone suggestions of things mineral. In the mouth, this is richly peachy with prominent citrus oil and peach kernel bitterness. It preserves more than a modicum of fresh fruit juiciness... I would plan to serve this wine over the next couple of years. (Aug 2010)"
Producer notes: "Our Estate offers a single dry vintage wine: the 'Domaine aux Monies'. This is a dry white wine, made from 100% Chenin Blanc grown on a clay shale terroir, with excellent ageability."
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$295.00
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Germany
In stock,
2
available
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List $400.00
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Wine Spectator: "[$200/375ml list] Deeply colored, this tastes like baked apples, caramel and spice, in a concentrated, lively frame. It's compact and tangy, with a moderate finish. Drink now through 2010. (2003)"
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$74.95
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France
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Burgundy
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Cote d'Or Red
In stock,
4
available
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List $100.00
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Bettane & Desseauve's Guide to the Wines of France: "...thanks to Christine Dubreuil's more precise, fruit-driven approach, the 2002s -- and all of the wines since -- can be counted on to seduce even the most demanding connoisseur: robust, classically tasty reds and tauter-than-average whites that need several years' cellaring. (2011)"
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$229.95
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FWR 93
AM 90–93
France
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Burgundy
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Cote d'Or Red
In stock,
1
available
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List $295.00
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93 points Fine Wine Review: "The Charmes-Chambertin is lighter than the Combottes, almost lacy, with purity, but it needs some time to develop. I’d expect to drink it 2014-2032. (Issue #126; 2009)"
90-93 points Allen Meadows (Burghound): "(from both Charmes proper and Mazoyères). This is shut down tight with thick reduction blocking any reasonable evaluation of the nose though the relatively big and weighty flavors are concentrated, serious and solidly structured. This seems quite promising as the underlying material is impressive but note that this will not be a precocious example of Charmes. Drink: 2016+. (Jan 2008)"
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$6.95
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IWC 88
Italy
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Tuscany
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Other
In stock,
10
available
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List $10.00
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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."
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$8.95
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IWC 89
WE 89
Australia
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Red
In stock,
1
available
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List $30.00
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89 points Josh Raynolds (International Wine Cellar): "Deep ruby. Pungent, exotically perfumed bouquet displays cherry, blackberry, apricot and smoky herbs. Midweight cherry and dark berry flavors are brightened by tangy minerals and firmed by dusty tannins. Finishes clean and brisk, with an echoing peach pit quality. (Jul/Aug 2008)"
89 points Wine Enthusiast: "This open-knit, easily accessible Cabernet exhibits classic aromas and flavors of cassis and toasty oak. The soft, velvety texture and vanilla-tinged flavors should give it plenty of mass appeal. Drink now-2015. (Sep 2009)"
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$8.95
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Greece
In stock,
2
available
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List $15.00
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A full bodied Nemea (Greece) wine with a strong dark red color and subtle developed aromas of dry fruit, vanilla and chocolate.
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$19.95
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Italy
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Trentino-Alto Adige
In stock,
9
available
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List $30.00
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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.
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$11.95
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France
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Other
In stock,
10
available
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List $19.00
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From the Altesse varietal, Jacquin's Roussette de Savoie Marestel is another delicious, thirst-quenching wine from Savoie, this time with more body than Jacquère or Chasselas, and more subtle aromas than Roussanne. Quince, flowers, apricot and a touch of honey rise from the medium-bodied palate, which finishes with just a hint of mountain tonic. A wonderful match for light to medium-bodied white fish, cold chicken salads, shrimp dim sum, and crab fritters.
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$49.95
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France
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Loire
In stock,
1
available
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List $70.00
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2003 vintage rated 94 points by Wine Spectator, which wrote: "With an auburn color and dark notes of maple, date and sugared walnut, this will be a different paradigm for most. Yet manages to stay fresh and focused, with a mouthwatering finish that lets the green tea and ginger notes linger. A wild wine. Drink now through 2017. 25 cases made."
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$11.95
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WS 87
Argentina
In stock, 12+ available
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List $18.00
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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."
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$49.95
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Germany
In stock,
8
available
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List $110.00
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Auction bottling.
David Schildknecht (International Wine Cellar): "Peach, ginger spice and high-toned maraschino aromas. Cherries and peaches continue to figure on the palate, which features an imposingly liqueur-like intensity, volatility and texture. For all of its upfront intensity, this leads to an elegant, polished, refined and remarkably long finish layering peach, candied citrus, red fruit, nut oils, honey, slate and spice."
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$94.95
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WS 93
Germany
In stock,
2
available
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List $144.00
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93 points Wine Spectator: "A luscious BA, nectarlike yet well-balanced by tangy acidity, setting the stage for clean, pure flavors of apricot and honey. Lovely finish, too. Drink now through 2009. 40 cases made."
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$8.95
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Italy
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Tuscany
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Chianti
In stock,
6
available
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List $15.00
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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.
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