Sassicaia 2022
$447.99
From a previous vintage:
In the 1920s the Marchese Mario Incisa della Rocchetta dreamt of creating a ‘thoroughbred’ wine and for him, as for all the aristocracy of the time, the ideal was Bordeaux. This is how he described it in a letter to the esteemed wine critic, Luigi Veronelli dated 11 June 1974:
“…the origins of my experiment date back to the years between 1921 and 1925 when, as a student in Pisa and often a guest of the Salviati Dukes in Migliarino, I drank a wine produced from one of their vineyards…which had the same unmistakable “bouquet” as an aged Bordeaux….”
In the 1940s, having settled with his wife Clarice on the Tenuta San Guido on the Tyrrhenian coast, he experimented with several French grape varieties (whose cuttings he had recovered from the estate of the Dukes Salviati in Migliarino) and concluded that the Cabernet had "the bouquet I was looking for."
A wine made mainly from Cabernet Sauvignon was a fundamental change to the Tuscan and Piedmont tradition of Sangiovese and Nebbiolo, respectively. The innovative decision to plant this variety at Tenuta San Guido was partly due to the similarity Mario Incisa had noted between Tuscan terrain and that of Graves in Bordeaux.
‘Graves’, or ‘gravel’ in French refers to the rocky terrain which distinguishes the Bordeaux area; similarly, the gravely vineyard sites in Tuscany impart the same characteristics on Sassicaia, "stony ground", as its cherished French brother.
The Marchese's first vintages were not warmly received. Critics accustomed to light, local wines were not encouraging; it was not taken into consideration that wines made from the more complex Cabernet Sauvignon grape would need more time to mature and develop.
And thus from 1948 to 1967, Sassicaia remained a strictly private affair, only to be consumed at Tenuta San Guido.
Each year, a few cases were stored to age in the Castiglioncello di Bolgheri cellar. The Marchese soon realized that by ageing the wine it improved considerably.
Friends and relatives now urged Mario Incisa to experiment further with his project and perfect his revolutionary winemaking style. It was not until 1968 that Sassicaia was first commercially released – the welcome was worthy of a Bordeaux Premier Cru.
Over the next few years, the cellar was moved to a temperature-controlled location, steel fermentation vats replaced wooden vats, and French barriques were introduced to the aging process.
Tenuta San Guido's newest release is the 2021 Bolgheri Sassicaia.
"This is a classic vintage of an Italian icon now celebrating its 50th vintage. The Tenuta San Guido 2018 Bolgheri Sassicaia lays out a familiar blueprint that borrows from the proven track record of this landmark estate that extends into the hills just beyond the Tyrrhenian shores of Tuscany. This vintage is crystalline and pure in its delivery, and if you are familiar with previous editions, it is impossible to mistake this wine for anything but Sassicaia.
The growing season started off cool and wet but turned to warm and dry conditions comfortably before the harvest. Cabernet Sauvignon with Cabernet Franc in a supporting role deliver a graceful mid-weight texture that holds back style-wise in terms of phenolic density. The wine's careful balance is achieved thanks to the nuanced character of the fruit, the present acidity, the well-managed structure and the contained alcohol. The palate is lifted and bright, the finish is polished and long, and the wine skips over any heaviness on the mid-palate. The bouquet is especially intriguing with a very lively plummy fruit element that is enhanced by baker's chocolate, pepper spice, iron ore, caramel and pie crust. There is also a green character that adds positively to the bouquet with aniseed, tea leaf, soya, menthol rub and black olive. The fruit maturity is spot-on with no elements that feel over or underripe. Overall, the 2018 Sassicaia weighs in with a svelte frame and long persistence. Moreover, it is distinguished by the archetypal elegance and pedigree of the classic vintages of the past. This new release gives you much pleasure to await."
- Robert Parker - 100 Points
Wittmann Brunnenhauschen Riesling
$144.99
Another rarity from the esteemed Wittmann domain in the Rheinhessen. A single vineyard dry wine (as all wines bearing the Grosses Gewachs/Great Growth designation must be) from the exceptional 2021 vintage. Tempting to drink now but this wine will age gracefully for 20 years or more.
Marchand Tawse Morey St Denis 1er cru
$184.99
The story of the Maison Marchand-Tawse in Burgundy begins with the extraordinary story of Pascal Marchand, the French Canadian boy wonder, who in 1985 at 22 years old, took the reins of the Clos des Epeneaux in Pommard. He became an overnight sensation, and in the process pretty much defined modern Burgundy. The collaboration of Pascal with another French Canadian, Moray Tawse of the Tawse Winery in Niagara, one of Canada’s most recognized wineries, gave birth to the new Maison Marchand-Tawse in 2011.
Spottswoode Cabernet
$397.99
This is one of the classic California Cabs, and the 2016 vintage, the 35th, earned a perfect 100pt score from Wine Advocate. This Cabernet Sauvignon is big and rich without being overwrought. Lovely aromatic nuances give way to great mouthfeel and length with wonderful, dynamic energy. Aged 20 months in French oak barrel (60% new). The blend is 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc and 6% Petit Verdot.
Wine Advocate, Lisa Perrotti-Brown 100 POINTS: "An extraordinary wine of profound and complex character displaying all the attributes expected of a classic wine of its variety. Wines of this caliber are worth a special effort to find, purchase, and consume. Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon is still very tight and youthful, slowly unfurling to reveal a multifaceted wine with tons of black, blue and red fruit sparks – plums, cherries, black currants and red currants – with dark chocolate, cedar chest, black tea and red roses in the background plus wafts of pencil lead and prosciutto. Medium-bodied and firmly textured by superbly ripe, grainy tannins, it has a fantastic core of intense, complex layers, finishing on an edifying mineral note. Wow! 2022–2060. (October 2018)"
DuMol Wester Reach Pinot Noir
$143.99
From the incredible Dumol Estate comes the Wester Reach Pinot Noir. Composed of Pinot from DuMOL Estate (20%), Macintyre Estate (20%), 18% Occidental Road (18%), Flax Estate (6%), and Dutton Ranch Vineyards (6%). Pinot Noir clones used include Calera, Swan, Pommard and Dijon, vine age is 6-24 years. Aged 12 months in 25% new French oak barrels, followed by 3 months settling in tank.
Leonetti Cabernet
$213.99
Leonetti was founded by Gary and Nancy Figgins, in 1977 as Walla Walla’s first commercial winery. What is far less understood is that the presence of this family in Walla Walla spans over a century-long into the deep silt loam of this valley. Gary was incredibly fortunate to know his grandparents, Francesco and Rosa Leonetti, and grew up making weekend trips the short distance down the old dirt road to the Leonetti farm they established in 1906. This is the same site where, with a few cuttings of Cabernet Sauvignon and Riesling, Gary would come to plant his first commercial vineyard in 1974 and unknowingly establish an entire industry for our valley. Building off the inspiration he gleaned from his grandfather’s bubbling fermentations on the farm’s dirt floor basement, the only logical thing to do to honour his family’s roots would be to name the winery Leonetti Cellar. Through these experiences, Gary and his son acquired a certain perspective and reverence for our family heritage that guides them to this day. The wine has become the benchmark for Washington Cabernet, capable of aging for 20 years or more.
Quintarelli Amarone 2015
$559.99
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Quintarelli Alzero Magnum 2014
$1,549.99
A legendary wine from a legendary producer! "The late, great Maestro del Veneto, Giuseppe Quintarelli, succeeded in establishing his mythical and legendary estate during an amazing sixty-year career. All of the tradition, love, heart, and soul of crafting one of the world’s finest wines continue at the Quintarelli home and winery in the hills north of Verona," according to Kermit Lynch. Alzero is made by letting Cabernet Franc grapes air-dry before pressing. One of the last wines to be made by Quintarelli, who died in 2012. Serious collectors of top Italian wine will not want to miss out on this rich, intense beauty.
Doubleback Cabernet
$194.99
Medium ruby in color, this wine is beautifully aromatic. Juicy red fruit- fresh cherries, strawberries, currant, and a subtle hint of tobacco, black licorice, and pencil shavings. On the palate, this wine may be the most true-to-form Doubleback we have made yet — pure unadulterated elegance, but richness and balance to back it up with an uber long finish. Sandalwood, red rose petal, fine grained tannins — approachable now but will age gracefully for the next two and a half decades. 2016 is proving to be an incredible year in Walla Walla. This will only get better with time, drink now through 2041.22 months in new and second fill French oak barrels and puncheons.