New Release Watch: Geek Chic
Jean-Paul & Benoit Droin Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons 2009
Droin Vineyards in Chablis, France
Jean-Paul Droin's family have been making wine in Chablis for nearly four centuries. Today, he produces 14 different wines including seven Premier Crus and five Grand Crus.
2009 is turning out to be a fantastic vintage for white Burgundies. This wine is really great. In fact, it is our kind of Chardonnay. Bright and crisp and minerally, but with some stuffing too.
"A rounded palate; ripe and textured, with some weight. Quite mouth filling with a long finish." (Decanter Magazine)
Decanter Magazine: 17 out of 20 points
"Citrus and stone aromas. Silky and easygoing, with nicely concentrated ripe citrus flavors and good volume. This has been harmonious from day one, noted Droin." (International Wine Cellar)
International Wine Cellar: 89 points
Jancis Robinson, Master of Wine: 16.5 out of 20 points
Burghound: 89-92 points
$24.99/bottle or $239.90/12 pack case ($19.99/bottle) or just $19.99/bottle in a mixed case of wine. This 1er Cru really packs a sophisticated punch for under $20!
Damien Coquelet Chiroubles 2009 (Beaujolais, France)
The 2009 vintage in Beaujolais is turning out to be legendary. Robert Parker's Wine Advocate rated the overall 2009 vintage as being an "extraordinary" 97 points, the highest he has ever scored on record for the region.
All Beaujolais wines are made from the Gamay grape. There are 10 crus in Beaujolais, one of which is Chiroubles. This cru has vineyards at some of the highest altitudes among the Cru Beaujolais.
This wine really impressed us at the Louis Dressner wine tasting at the Bistro du Midi restaurant in Boston a few weeks ago. The elusive wine buyer for the wholesaler personally showed us this wine with which he was enamored. We thought it was lovely. This wine and a roasted chicken would make us both very happy.
The style of the wine is at first thick and fruity, offering up gobs of sweet, ripe berries but, as the wine opens (and it does take a while), brambly, spicy flavors arrive. Decant this one if you can for a few hours.
"Purple plum and dark cherry mingle with beef marrow, smoky black tea, and a chalky mineral hint in Coquelet’s 2009 Chiroubles, another outstanding value every bit as intensely-fruited as the others in his 2009 collection, but with an underlying sense of fine-grained tannic structure and sheer density – paired to formidable grip – that suggest a candidate for several years of cellaring and the likelihood that further complexity will emerge along the way." (Wine Advocate)
Wine Advocate: 91 points
International Wine Cellar: 88 points
$21.99/bottle or $211.10/12 pack case ($17.59/bottle) or just $17.59/bottle in a mixed case of wine.
Mas Carlot Les Enfants Terribles 2009 (Southern Rhone, France)
We've been tracking the release of this wine for months. Watching and waiting. And then the wholesaler did something which drives us absolutely crazy.
As soon as it landed in the warehouse they featured it in a routine sales meeting and all the salespeople went beserk, running off to sell as much as they could (we liken this to a wine hijacking). So, due to forces beyond our control we're afraid this amusing little wine won't be around for very long.
"The 2009 Costieres de Nimes Les Enfants Terribles is superb. Its dense ruby/purple color is accompanied by notes of blackberries, blueberries, camphor, licorice and sauteed mushrooms. The wine exhibits good density and richness as well as a heady finish. It should drink nicely for 5-6 years. This is one of the best run estates in Costieres de Nimes." (Robert Parker, Wine Advocate)
Wine Advocate: 90 points
$14.99/bottle or $143.90/12 pack case ($11.99/bottle) or just $11.99/bottle in a mixed case of wine.
Terre di San Leonardo Vigneti delle Dolomiti (Trentino/Alto Adige, Italy)
Vias Imports is one of those importers whose name you can trust on a bottle. They have one of the most important Italian portfolios in the United States and we love them to bits. In Vias we trust!
"The 2007 Terre di San Leonardo is a pretty entry-level red with good juiciness in its plums, wild cherries and grilled herbs. A soft, plump red, the Terre di San Leonardo is best enjoyed over the next few years. The Terre di San Leonardo is Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. San Leonardo is one of the reference point wineries in Trentino." (Wine Advocate)
Wine Advocate: 88 points
$19.99/bottle or $191.90/12 pack case ($15.99/bottle) or just $15.99/bottle in a mixed case of wine.
Routestock Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 (Napa Valley, CA, USA)
You've been seeing a lot of Napa Valley Cabernet offers lately, but most of them have been high end. Today's offering is really a great bargain for this region. And the press is terrific too!
"This wine has simple goodness - lean black currant tartness in a straightforward and delicious cabernet. It's firm and complete without being sweet. Buy a case to enjoy this winter with any roast meats." (Wine & Spirits Magazine)
Wine & Spirits Magazine: Top 100 Best Buys of 2010
Wine & Spirits Magazine: Year's Best Cabernet!
Wine & Spirits Magazine: 90 points
$19.99/bottle or $191.90/12 pack case ($15.99/bottle) or just $15.99/bottle in a mixed case of wine.
Craggy Range Te Muna Road Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (Martinborough, New Zealand)
Craggy Range is back in the store, both in Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay varietals. Craggy Range is a reference point winemaker in New Zealand, producing single vineyard wines of distinction.
This Sauvignon Blanc has rich aromatics of fresh lime juice, elderflower, lemongrass, grilled citrus and ripe nectarine. The palate is concentrated and dense, yet retains remarkable linearity and focus. Zesty citrus, stone fruit, herb and floral flavors fill the mouth, and a fine chalky mineral texture tightens and focuses the finish.
"A lively white, with pretty Asian pear and lime flavors at the core." (Wine Spectator)
Wine Spectator: 85 points
"Pungent aromas of pineapple, grapefruit, green apple and fresh herbs, with a suggestion of lanolin. Then dense, smooth and dry in the middle, with bracing citrus pith and pepper flavors." (International Wine Cellar)
International Wine Cellar: 87 points
$20.99/bottle or $201.50/12 pack case ($16.79/bottle) or just $16.79/bottle in a mixed case of wine.
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