A Previous Sell-Out, Southern French Blockbuster at a Price Too Low to Show!

This is more of newsflash as opposed to a fresh offer. The story has been told, the wine sold, but we recently got a ‘last shot’ at this awesome wine at a price that was just too low to show.

Here’s the story:

After 27 years importing wine, Importer/winemaker/proprietor Dan Kravitz took the plunge a few years back and purchased 13.5 acres of vineyard land in Roussillon. Named Cabirau after the vineyard’s original designation, the domaine lies on a hill below the famed Cathar fortress of Queribus. Planted to Grenache, it includes a prized 3.5 acre parcel of 60 year-old vines.

Dan’s Maury Sec Serge & Nicolas sourced from this vineyard has the whole package. Incredibly lifted aromatics from the old-vine high-elevation Grenache (60+ years old) and fabulous floral aromas allied with a killer spice box/kirsch note that I taste/smell only in the finest Chateauneuf du Papes.

It is silky, seamless and streamlined on the palate. The old-vine, hillside Grenache, combined with old vine Carignan and younger Syrah, again makes for a ‘disciplined’ wine that knows how to party. It’s hefty, but maintains a balance not seen from this area.

The guys that try to make ‘elegant’ wine from here fail. The guys that make ‘typical’ wines from here usually make them too ‘big’, ponderous, blowsy. This is neither of those things. This is perfect Roussillon wine.

A year or so ago, during a high power tasting where the 2011 vintage of this wine was poured, Robert Parker remarked, “…most of us agreed on the top 3 wines, just differed on the order...that said Peuch Haut's 2011 Reboussier blew my ass away(brain and palate too) but so did the 2010 Pegau Capo and Dan's own estate in Maury-his 2011 Cabirau Maury sec(I rated it 95)...but here's the fly in the vinous ointment....Capo sells for $450, Cabirau Maury sec for $25....anyone loving full-flavored Provencal-inspired juicy reds has to be nuts not to (be) stock-piling the Cabirau.”

That pretty much depleted any and all 2011 Serge and Nicolas we had remaining in stock…with folks begging for more.

The 2012 was ‘in the numbers’ again, this time pulling down a 91-point score from Jeb Dunnuck, who remarked, “…Dan Kravitz’s 2012 Maury Sec Serge & Nicolas is a rock star in this, at times, erratic vintage. A blend of 60% Grenache, 28% Syrah and the rest Carignan, that was fermented in tank, aged in demi-muid (the Grenache is brought up all in tank), this medium to full-bodied beauty has terrific ripeness in its sweet blackberry, black cherry, truffle, peppery herbs and spice-driven aromas and flavors. Concentrated, rich and structured, with rocking levels of fruit, it will drink nicely for 5-6 years.”

It is again one of the unbeatable values in Rhone-inspired wine on a global level. That freaky Chateauneuf-type thing is in full display again, with perhaps a finer, tender-er edge to the fruit and even greater brightness on the palate, with a mélange of sweet herb and cran-raspberry fruit reminiscent of Chateauneuf’s north side.

We sold a ton of this $25 MSRP wine at $18.98 on release. But wait until you get a load of our Too Low to Show Price! Operators are standing by…