WINE DEALS 4/23
1) Merry Edwards Pinot Noir 2022, Anderson Valley, Mendocino County: $61.99 Merry Edwards Winery has long produced a Russian River Valley appellation blend Pinot Noir that highlights the best characteristics of the AVA. That is also the goal in producing an Anderson Valley appellation blend Pinot Noir. The grapes for this wine come from vineyards located in the warmer Boonville area, from organic sources in Philo and the cool Deep End, making it a true reflection of the primary grape-growing zones of the valley. On the nose, notes of blue fruit, stone fruit, ripe wild berries and strawberries mingle with hints of forest floor and a savory, meaty component. The completely balanced entry features pretty floral, herbal and spice accents of oregano and thyme, showing good depth but still light on its feet. Notes of anise linger on the fine finish.
95 Points “This newly released AVA expression features grapes from vineyards located in the warmer Boonville area, from organic sources in Philo and from the cool Deep End, making them true reflections of the primary grape-growing zones of the Anderson Valley. Bristling with white-peppered cranberries, Italian herbs, cherry pipe tobacco, and sweet soil. Acidity is racy, lifting pomegranate, red licorice, and forest floor to a high pedestal of intensity.” Meridith May, Tasting Panel magazine, July 2024
2) Moffett Grenache 2020, Rutherford, Napa Valley: $77.99 Only 47 cases of this 100% Grenache was made from these Rutherford old vines. Aged 38 months in French Oak before bottling, this wine still has great structure, but shows maturity from all that time in barrel.
3) Dom Perignon A Tribute to Jean Michel Basquiat 2015: $339.99 For this tribute to Jean-Michel Basquiat, Dom Pérignon chose a work by the artist that is as meaningful as it is enigmatic, “In Italian” (1983). In Basquiat’s work, as in Dom Pérignon’s vision, the assemblage is a key element for the intensity of the aesthetic experience. This would not be possible without the greatest attention to the material, since both the narrative material at the origin of the story one wants to tell, and the raw matter necessary to express it, with all its organoleptic and aesthetic characteristics, are decisive for the character of the final work. The series includes three different boxes, each depicting a part of Basquiat’s painting, which can be reassembled by bringing the coffrets together. The design was imagined according to this principle of assemblage, dear to both Dom Pérignon and Basquiat. To further strengthen the sense of the encounter between Dom Pérignon and Basquiat, each of the three parts of the artwork was studied in its components so that the name and emblem of the Maison harmoniously inscribe themselves on the box within the color fields of the painting, maximizing the sophisticated interplay of its forms and lines. A true seal to this tribute, the label on the bottles, also created in three color variants, bears the hybrid emblem of the three-branched crown superimposed on the shield.
When it comes to wine pairing, Dom Pérignon Vintage 2015 expresses its distinctive character particularly well with choice seafood such as caviar, king crab and langoustine. The wine’s aromatic profile also pairs perfectly with meats with tangy notes, such as pork, lamb or duck. Exotic touches of kiwi and guava, along with green curry spices, accentuate the stimulating complexity of this vintage, offering a rich and soothing wine tasting experience. This is a blend of 51% Pinot Noir and 49% Chardonnay with a dosage of 4.5 grams per liter; it will age wonderfully and can be enjoyed now or over the next 20 years.
4) Clos Erasmus Laurel 2022, 1.5 l: $164.99 75% Grenache, 20% Syrah and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Laurel 2022 is the 2nd wine from Clos I Terrasses, sourced from the younger vines combined with selected barrels that were once intended for the Clos Erasmus but did not reach quality and were released to blend with these younger vines. The wine was aged for 21 months in 2º year Clos Erasmus barriques. A very fruity, complex Priorat wine with wonderful minerality. The younger brother of Clos Erasmus which scored 96 Parker Points in 2020.
5) Champagne Philippe Gonet Cuvee Cellier: $61.99 7th Generation Owner of champagne Philippe Gonet, a legendary house in iconic Le Mesnil. She and her mother kept the Domaine alive after the untimely death of her father Philippe. The Domaine has not only survived, but thrived under her leadership (along with her brother who oversees the seller). Last year, they were Guide Hachette’s vignerons d’Anne, one of the biggest awards in the French wine press.
6) Dominus Estate by Christian Moueix 2012, Yountville, Napa Valley: $374.99 The Dominus 2012 exemplifies the finest qualities of Cabernet Sauvignon from an ideal vintage. The intriguing nose offers a depth of aromas including lavender, Asian spices and cedar. Soft, supple tannins buoy layers of dark earth and cocoa. The wine is racy yet refined with a long elegant finish. Blend: 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot.
98 pts. Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate The exuberance and drama in the stunning nose of the dense plum-colored 2012 Dominus offers up notes of Asian spice, ripe, black currants, kirsch, tobacco leaf and Christmas fruitcake. It is full-bodied and opulent, with no hard edges, a seamless integration of acidity, wood and tannin and a density and richness that are built to go on for 25-30 years. Rating: 98+
Vinous 100 pts. Review Date: 05/2024 The 2012 Dominus is a wild, exotic wine. Harvest began on October 9 and finished on the 21st, very late by present-day standards. Ripe red cherry, kirsch, cinnamon, rose petal, incense and rose petal soar out of the glass. Deep and vibrant, with terrific freshness, Dominus is very clearly one of the wines of the year. I loved the 2012 from barrel, but found it quite closed after bottling. Now, after all these years, I finally see the realization of the potential suggested in my barrel tastings. Magnificent. (AG)
7) Dominus Estate by Christian Moueix 2021, Yountville, Napa Valley: $397.99 Dominus Estate is the Napa Valley property of Bordeaux producer Christian Moueix. The wine is bottled from the historic Napanook Vineyard. Located at the foothills of the Mayacamas, the vineyard was planted in 1838 and continues to evolve under the stewardship of Christian Moueix. The estate’s Bordeaux varietals benefit from the Yountville microclimate where temperatures are moderated by cool breezes from the San Pablo Bay. The resulting wine is a uniquely refined expression of this special terroir. The 2021 vintage is voluptuous and vibrant, with dense evergreen forest floor, incense, profound depth, rich plum and an extremely long finish.
Blend: 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc.
100 pts. Jeb Dunnuck One of the legendary Dominus, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon is unquestionably in the same league as the 2018, 2016, 2015, 2013, 2010, and 1991, and to my mind, wine simply doesn’t get any better. Sporting a dense purple hue as well as an incredible perfume of blackcurrants, crushed stone, cedar pencil, smoke tobacco, and baking spices, its rich, full-bodied, and voluptuously textured, with ripe yet building tannins. It reminds me slightly of the 2010 (maybe the 2013), and I suspect it will have a similar evolution. Hide bottles for 7-8 years, and it will evolve gracefully for 30+ years. Hats off to the team of Christian Moueix and director Tod Mostero.
8) Numanthia Numanthia 2018, Toro: $64.79 The wine is a ripe cherry color with ruby reflections. Expressive and deep, with hints of red berries, smoky notes, garrigue aromas and a background of sweet spices. The attack is soft and quickly fills your palate with a great intensity. The velvety and mature tannin beautifully goes along with the generous and voluminous texture. Black fruit such as blueberries and blackcurrants, notes of violet and hints of black pepper, cloves and a tobacco leaf generate complexity and length, surrounded by a good acidity.
95 pts. Vinous The 2018 Numanthia, sourced from old vines in Toro, spent 18 months in French oak (60% new, 1/5 in 400-liter barrels). Garnet in hue. It exudes red fruits, plums and wild herbs on the nose, with cedar, vanilla, dried flowers and furniture wax. Dry and rich, it offers a creamy, overwhelming palate with polished tannins and a silky texture, leading to a plush, flavorful finish. This is a well-balanced and nuanced Toro.
9) Left Coast White Pinot Noir 2023, Willamette Valley: $22.99 What began in 2011 as a small experimental wine quickly blossomed into one of Left Coast’s most unique and popular wines. The fruit is crushed at extremely cold temperatures to ensure minimal coloration from the skins. The pure Pinot Noir juice is fermented in stainless steel and then aged on the lees. The result is a wine that bears the body and aromas of a classic Pinot Noir with the composition and brightness of white wine flavors. Soft gold in color, displaying aromas of honeysuckle, shortbread, and ripe pear. Its palate is rich and round, with flavors of dried apricots and pineapple, finishing with a dry mineral finish.
10) Catena Zapata High Mountain Vines Cabernet Sauvignon 2022, Mendoza: $20.99 The Catena wines are a special assemblage of High Mountain Estate Vineyards made by fourth generation vintner, Laura Catena and chief winemaker, Alejandro Vigil. Although we have found that most of the Catena wines are consumed shortly after release, we are pleased to see that they age beautifully for ten to twenty years. Through decades of study and exploration within Mendoza’s high altitude mountain terroirs, the Catena family has identified special locations for its Estate vineyards. From the marriage of these historic vineyards emerges a wine of unique character that has natural balance, concentration and a distinct varietal identity.
11) Vicus Falanghina 2023, Campania: $25.99 Falanghina is one of the best “everyday” grapes of Italy and in Naples, the Amalfi, and Campania it makes noteworthy, if easy, white wines. This example comes from a sustainability-focused, female owned winery in Campania. This wine is somewhere between sea breeze and inland herbs and is a really tasty example of what the grape can do. Tangerine Skin, Pineapple, Green Apple, Fresh Acidity.
12) Borgo San Daniele Arbis Ros 2018, Isonzo del Friuli: $59.99 Comprised of 100% Pignolo, this low-yielding, rare, native grape is making a comeback. With intense tannins, it takes a masterful approach and a lot of patience to tame this grape. Mauro and Alessandra have done so with this wine, crafting a wine that is both elegant and powerful. The aromatics are of pepper, red fruit skins, dried flowers, and hints of forest and fir. The palate is strong with noticeable tannins that are both pleasant and intense through the finish. Pignolo is a rare grape that almost went extinct in the 20th century because farmers preferred planting higher-yielding grapes like Merlot. It is also a highly tannic grape that needs patience and skill to craft. This wine spends up to 2 years in French Tonneau barrels before further aging in large Slavonian oak. Fermented with native yeast from biodynamically farmed vineyards, the grapes are harvested on a fruit day according to the biodynamic calendar.
13) Philippe Brocourt Chinon Rouge “Les Coteaux” 2020, Loire: $27.99 Cabernet Franc. “Les coteaux” means “the hills” in English and references the hillside parcels used for this cuvée. With a deep garnet-red color, the aromas are complex with smoked peppers, charred tobacco leaf, and wild berries. The palate is rich with voluptuous dark fruits, pepper, and earth. A noticeable acidity helps freshen the length and solidify the structure. This age-worthy structure integrates well with tannins that will soften with time and air.
14) Corte Volponi Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore 2020: $27.99 The cousin of the famous Amarone. This style (Ripasso) is one of the more complex winemaking processes anywhere. Traditionally made from three grapes, Corvina, Rondinella, and Molinara – the finished wine is passed over the pressed raisins used in the production of Amarone. In this process, the wine picks up more sugar and yeast which results in a secondary fermentation thereby increasing alcohol, body, and complexity. Corte Volponi is a masterpiece. It is from a single hillside from old vines trained in the traditional Pergola style and there are only 1600 cases of this wine produced! Maintaining good freshness and acidity, this is a fruit driven wine with both dark fruits like blackberry and plum, balanced with red fruits like cherry. Black pepper leads the non-fruit flavors and the weight is med/full with a short but lively finish. This wine is versatile. Another staple for the foodie. The combination of fruit, acidity, and spice, make it great for most meats, Chinese food, Indian, and of course classic Italian dishes like lasagna or pizza. Corvina 55%, Corvinone 25%, Rondinella 20%.
Some of you may remember Mary Taylor. She has been here and during Covid, she did Zoom tastings and even did a tasting as she was on a train in NYC and took us through Grand Central Station. She is delightful and wants to represent European wines (all Sustainable!) that showcase the terroir. She also wants to make it more simple and easy for people to know whats in the bottle. And she has amazing wines and the prices are ridiculously reasonable!
15) Mary Taylor Odile Delpon Cahors 2022, Southwest France: $18.99 Cahors once covered 48,000 hectares of vines, but after phylloxera shrank to 4,000 hectares. Nowadays there is less wine made in Cahors, but generally the quality is much higher. Our friend Didier Pelvillain farms at the highest level of sustainability and biodynamic conversion is in process. Only indigenous yeasts are used. The outcome is a floral, savory, peppery wine of refinement – clean and fresh – dark plum fruit with more mineral qualities than barnyard.
16) Mary Taylor Lucia Ferreira Dao Branco 2020, Portugal: $20.99 92 Points (2020 vintage review) -John Gilman, View From the Cellar “2020 Dão Branco- Lúcia Ferreira (Mary Taylor Selections) The 2020 Dão Branco from Lúcia Ferreira is crafted from a cépages of twenty-five percent Encruzado, thirty-two percent Malvasia Fina, nineteen percent Bicoal and fourteen percent Gouveio. The wine is fermented and aged in stainless steel. The 2020 version is drinking beautifully today, delivering a refined bouquet of white peach, fresh lime, a touch of casaba melon, white soil tones, gentle floral tones and a hint of beeswax in the upper register. On the palate the wine is bright, full-bodied, focused and complex, with a lovely core of fruit, fine soil undertow and grip and a long, well balanced and very classy finish. This is an excellent wine that still has years and years of life ahead of it. 2023-2040+. 92.”-John Gilman, published by View From the Cellar. Suggested drinking: 2023-2040+
17) Mary Taylor Lucia Ferreira Dao Tinto 2020, Portugal: $22.99 This wine comes from the highest vines in the Dão region – and all of Portugal for that matter! These vines represent an authentic mountain vineyard as the only sites in the region cultivated in terraces, planted between 100 and 600 meters. Their extreme altitude and climate, protected from the intense winds from Spain and distanced from the sea air mass of the Atlantic, mark an exceptional territory that translate into wines of unique character. 60% touriga nacional, 40% tinta roriz.
18) Mary Taylor Finca El Molar Bobal 2022, Manchuela, Spain: $19.99 91 Points – Hidden Gem – Wine Enthusiast The Mediterranean “Solano” wind blows across the high-altitude plains where Rus Jimenez runs her family farm named Finca El Molar in Albacete. Rus has been running the property since her early twenties, when her father passed it on to her. She works alongside Luis, her enologist, and a few vineyard hands who live on the property. Finca El Molar is in the wine-making region of Manchuela, and currently a free-standing DO since 2004; previously an IGT in the Castilla-La-Mancha region. This high-altitude region is situated between two rivers and boasts a very sunny and dry climate while the Solano wind refreshes the night during ripeness. Finding the right distribution between alcohol and polyphenols is a balancing act. Pre-fermentation maceration or cold soak for 4 days to extract varietal aromas followed by fermentation with skins in stainless steel tanks for 10 days. After racking, maturation requires contact with fine lees resulting in a truly balanced wine. Rus prides herself on her passion for minimal intervention methods while keeping sulfur to a minimum. All Finca El Molar wines are certified organic. Tasting notes: intense red color, smooth body, red fruit aroma, fresh, and well-balanced tannins. 100% Bobal.
19) Mary Taylor Filipe Ferreira Douro Branco 2023, Portugal: $18.99 30% Malvasia Fina, 30% Viosinho, 25% Gouveio, 15% Rabigato. This lovely white wine starts off with aromas of apricot, lemon oil, tangerine zest, and sea spray minerality. With a bit of air, the wine leans into refreshing citrus and mineral qualities as it opens. The palate broadly matches its aromatic profile, with more prominent flavors of juicy tangerine and saline minerals— especially on the finish. 90 Points – Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast, winemag.com “Lightly mineral in texture and with a fine bite of acidity, this wine is tight and textured. It has an edge of perfume from the Malvasia in the blend and some touches of spice. Drink the wine from 2023.” – Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast, December 1, 2022.
20) Mary Taylor Filipe Ferreira Douro Tinto 2023, Portugal: $18.99 This blend brings together the aromatic intensity of Touriga Nacional, sophisticated delicacy of Tinta Roriz (better known in Spain as Tempranillo), and the structure and elegance of Touriga Franca. Fresh red fruits on the nose persist through the palate, announcing a young, energetic wine with swirling, well-integrated tannins and a lovely, long finish.
93 Points (2021 vintage review) -John Gilman, View From the Cellar “2021 Douro Tinto- Filipe Ferreira (Mary Taylor Selection) The 2021 Douro Tinto from Filipe Ferreira is crafted from a cépages of sixty percent Touriga Nacional, twenty-five percent Tinta Roriz and fifteen percent Touriga Franca. The wine comes in at 13.5 percent octane this year, which is nicely measured for the Douro. The bouquet is deep, black fruity and complex, wafting from the glass in a mix of dark berries, cassis, saddle leather, cigar wrapper, dark soil tones and a smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is deep, focused 47 and full, with superb depth at the core, excellent soil signature and grip, ripe tannins and lovely balance on the long and complex finish. The lack of new oak here is quite refreshing and fairly rare for most dry reds from the Douro these days. Like all of Mary Taylor’s producers, this is another simply outstanding value! 2028-2065+. 93.”
91 Points – Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast, winemag.com “This rounded wine is softly textured, with great black fruits set beside the juicy acidity and ripe berry flavors. The balance is impeccable, with a fresh edge set against generous dark fruits. Drink now.” – Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast, December 1, 2022.
21) Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon 2021, Napa Valley: $76.99 The 2021 Heitz Cellar Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is in a ripe but fresh style, with polished tannins and ample acidity that will serve well for medium to long-term cellaring.
93 pts. Vinous The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley) is fabulous. Plump and vibrant, with good up-front fruit and bright acids, the 2021 captures the essence of modern classicism that is typical of the Heitz wines today. This is a superb entry-level offering from Heitz. Floral overtones brighten the finish.
22) Heitz Cellar Lot C-91 Cabernet Sauvignon 2018, Napa Valley: $109.99 2018 is a spectacular vintage that started off beautifully with abundant spring rains. The generous summer sun and cooler marine influences from San Pablo Bay created the ideal conditions for Cabernet Sauvignon. Lot C-91 continues to embody the legacy of Heitz Cellar and the vision for this wine that began in 1969. The fruit comes only from their prized single vineyards and is blended after each parcel has had the opportunity to show its true potential, allowing their winemaker, Brittany Sherwood to select only the most expressive barrels to make the final Cuvee. Always made in the classical style that Joe Heitz pioneered in the early 1960s.
93 pts. Wine Spectator Expressive, with a bold menthol note followed quickly by boysenberry and blackberry compote flavors wrapped in black licorice. The long finish has a tug of earth amid a generally velvety feel, while the menthol note curls around the fruit. Distinctive.
Decanter 95 pts. Review Date: 02/2023 In 1969, Joe Heitz made a cuvée that was more outstanding than his Napa Cabernet, but not a single-vineyard bottling. In 2018, after the winery was bought by Gaylon Lawrence Jr., the team at Heitz discovered four bottles and decided they should set out to recreate Joe’s experiment. It is the boldest of the bunch: a delicious hedonistic pleasure filled red with excellent balance and teeming with pure dark fruit notes, rich earthen spices, dried purple florals, cedarwood, tobacco, and dark chocolate — a firm acid backbone frames fine-grained tannins. There is plenty of richness, balanced by tension and energy. Lawrence Wine Estates Master Sommelier and CEO Carlton McCoy calls it the ‘uber Napa cuvee’ and the best multi-site expression of Heitz for the vintage. (JC)
23) Borgo San Daniele I Mauri Friulano 2023, Isonzo del Friuli: $31.99 Straw yellow. The aroma is fresh, with pleasant hints of wildflowers that leave room for notes of candied orange peel. Soft and fresh on the palate; excellent persistence with a pleasant almond aftertaste, typical of this vine. It goes well with fish, white meat and soft cheeses but also with vegetable soups. Must try with seafood risotto.