Selbach Alte Reben Riesling
$40.99
The ambitiousness of Johannes Selbach has made this estate the region’s most prominent rising star. Since 1989, always among the very best wines in this collection, and 2001 is no exception. Johannes describes his style: “You may have noticed our wines are a bit drier the last two vintages than they used to be,” said Johannes Selbach. “We know how to make reductive fruit-bombs that get high scores and stand out in big tastings,” he continued, “but the problem is everyone writes about those wines but nobody drinks them. We want to make wines for food, that people can use in their everyday lives.” The 2020 Alte Reben is juicy and bursting with stone fruits and citrus and a bottle tends to dissapear quickly.
Dr. Loosen Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling
$55.99
Dr Loosen has been in the same family for more than 200 years and its present guardian, Ernst Loosen, is one of the great characters of the wine world. He assumed ownership of the estate in 1988 and immediately realised that with ungrafted vines averaging 70 years of age, in some of Germany's best-rated vineyards, gave him the raw materials to create stunningly intense, world-class wines. To achieve this, he dramatically reduced his crop size and stopped all chemical fertilization, preferring only moderate use of organic fertilizers. And, most importantly, he turned to gentler cellar practices that allowed the wine to develop its full potential with a minimum of handling and technological meddling.
The "Sundial of Wehlen" is one of the greatest vineyards in the Middle Mosel. The soil is almost nothing but broken shards of blue Devonian slate, which gives a lively minerality to the wines. Citrus and white peach flavours predominate when the wines are young, turning to a pure expression of the mineral soil as they age. 100% Riesling from vines of more than 100 years of age. Fermented with indigenous yeast in a 3,000-litre, neutral oak, cask; matured on the full lees for 12 months; no bâtonnage.
Denizot Sancerre Osmoze
$56.99
This is a 19-hectare estate centred in Verdigny, Sancerre, the greatest percentage of vines (90%) are grown on the iconic caillottes soil of Sancerre, which is a gravel-rich limestone-clay soil of Oxfordian origin that produces delicate and elegantly perfumed grapes. Denizot “grand cru” holdings of caillottes include parcels in les Bouffants, Côte de l’Épée, and Monts Damnés. The 8th generation winemaker ---Thibauld Denizotat, is known as the most talented practitioners of blending in Sancerre.
Brick House Ribbon Ridge Chardonnay
$58.99
Founded in 1990 by Doug Tunnell and Melissa Mills, this Ribbon Ridge-based vineyard has become a beacon of organic and biodynamic viticulture. Their journey began with a pledge to forsake conventional herbicides and potent chemicals, resulting in the certification of their entire forty-acre estate for organic production. Today, the Demeter- certified biodynamic® farm emblem graces every bottle, symbolizing their enduring dedication to a holistic and eco-conscious way of life.
Martin Ray Concrete Chard Green Valley
$39.99
The name Martin Ray resonates deeply in the history of California Winemaking. Martin Ray was a pioneer dedicated to crafting single-varietal, region-specific wine from 1943 through 1972 in Saratoga, in the heart of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Mentored by Paul Masson, he took a Burgundian approach to his winemaking and developed what is now one of the most historical properties in California, Mount Eden.
Nearly twenty years later, Courtney Benham stumbled upon 1500 cases of Martin Ray wine in a San Jose warehouse. Recognizing his good fortune, and his intent and drive to produce terroir-driven wines, Ray’s historical significance and philosophy resonated with him. Courtney purchased the brand, and since 1990 has been committed to the production of artisanal wines.
Tissot Patchwork Chardonnay
$68.99
A blend of multiple blocks (25 years or older). This is Stéphane’s opening salvo for those who want to tango with his chardonnay before committing to his single parcel bottlings—sure to convert any skeptic.
“Aromas strongly suggest tart lemon zest, toasted coconut, roasted almonds, sour green olives, cardamom, yellow flowers and sweet marzipan. Suspend all expectations of “Chardonnay-ness.” The startling bouquet of tropical, spicy and savory tones — as well as the interplay of zestiness and creaminess on the palate — makes this is a multidimensional wine. The joyride of acidity from this wine is like a rollercoaster, it twists and turns with each sip, and leaves you salivating for another sip on the finish.” - Kevin Day
Lopez Heredia Tondonia Gr. Reserva White
$289.99
*** LIMIT OF 1 PER PERSON OR HOUSEHOLD
For 148 years, four generations of the López de Heredia family have devoted themselves to producing exceptional wines. The wines are viniferous masterpieces which have fulfilled the vision of the founder, Rafael López de Heredia y Landeta, wines that came to be defined in the late nineteenth century as the "Supreme Rioja". Vineyard care, a scrupulous selection of grapes, ageing in oak barrels in the heart of deep underground caves, and the later ageing in bottles, all contribute to making these illustrious wines with their exceptional aromas and complex array of flavours. This is from the winery:
"Special mention ought to be made of our white wines. If there is one bodega experienced in producing old white wines, it has to be López de Heredia. To talk in our bodega of white wines being exclusively young and uncomplicated would be asking for trouble. We have never been averse to ageing white wines in oak for as long as reds, and the result is much more surprising than might be expected. When this type of wine has spent a long time in contact with oak, the oaky tastes and aromas are overly noticeable and even unbalanced. Nevertheless, when left for a few more years in bottles, the rough edges of oak become sufficiently polished and balanced to create a seductive bouquet of spice, bitter almonds, vanilla and walnut, trademarks of the majestic and opulent Viña Tondonia whites."
La Saraziniere Macon
$52.99
Father and son Philippe and Guillaume Trébignaud are the 3rd and 4th generations to farm a selection of well-situated parcels in the southern Mâcon. Their parcels contain a swathe of older vines, including single old vine parcels of Chardonnay and Gamay planted in 1926. Even the domaine’s entry-level bottling is made with fruit from vines averaging 60 years old.
The domaine boasts an array of single parcel bottlings, both white and red, all of which are single varietal – each showcasing a unique terroir. In true Burgundian fashion, Philippe is fascinated by the subtle differences of each parcel and its unique exposition, working intuitively to coax the nuanced expression of each site. Limestone subsoil is the geological common thread, and father and son let it take center stage in each cuvée. The vines dig deep into the limestone bedrock, allowing the duo to hone the racy and vibrant qualities that make their wines so compelling.
They have always worked with the conviction that the only way to farm is with living soils, regularly plowed and not treated with pesticides and herbicides. Fermentations are always done with native yeasts. In 2018, they began transitioning to organic certification through Ecocert.
Domaine de la Sarazinière is named after a small river and is located in the village of Bussières, one of approximately 40 recognized villages in Mâcon-Villages. The first vines were planted in 1926 by Philippe's uncle Claude Seigneuret, and the fruit from those vines still go into the domaine's leading old vine cuvées - "Cuvée Claude Seigneuret" for the blanc, and "Les Devants" for the rouge. The domaine's 6 ha are divided between Aligoté, Chardonnay, and Gamay, and average 60 years old.
Anselmo Mendes Loureiro Vinho Verde
$26.99
Anselmo Mendes is recognized not only for the excellence of the wines he produces but also for the surprising and consistent way he innovates. Combining the use of age-old techniques, such as fermentation on skins, with bold winemaking methods such as the fermentation of Alvarinho in oak casks, he is established in Portugal and abroad with an original design and his own identity. Anselmo Mendes wines are the result of a long, faithful connection to the land, an experimentalist and studious spirit and a philosophy of respect for the ecosystem that translates into methods of integrated production. He is widely regarded as the best producer of white wines in Portugal.