- Just in time for the holidays we’ve gotten some glorious additions to the Champagne section. A wildly diverse list of big gun releases includes Salon Brut Blanc de Blancs Le Mesnil 2012, Pierre Gimonnet & Fils Extra Brut Special Club Cramant 2015, Marc Hebrart Grand Cru Blanc de Noirs Noces de Craie 2016, Pierre Peters Brut Blanc de Blancs Cuvée Spéciale Les Chétillons 2015 as well as a few rare magnums, and Egly-Ouriet Brut Blanc de Noirs Grand Cru Les Crayères (2015 base). Tis the season.
- Talk about forgotten labels, we had a session with Pedroncelli the other day. Founded in 1927, it’s one of those historic labels that doesn’t come into the conversation much in a world that seems to prize the new and different. Of particular interest was a fine effort that recalled days of yore and California’s history with this varietal. The Pedroncelli Mother Clone Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley 2020 is produced from vines that are all developed from the original old-vine clone (massal). Classic berries and spice, a touch of pepper, this is delicious Zin that shows the best elements of traditional Sonoma ‘0ld school’ that is still relevant today and it’s still at a throwback price ($16.98).
- We were a little surprised to find out there was still more of the Pertimali di Lorenzo Sassetti Montecucco Rosso La Querciolina 2016 available, arguably one of the best value Italians we presented this year. Their 2016 Brunello was a 100-point selection but this delicious, well priced effort from the lesser known appellation of Montecucco from this elite Tuscan house is something special that is in everyone’s wheelhouse pricewise. Super juicy, a Vinous 93, and only $17.98, grab it while you can!
Tag: sassetti
BRIEFS
-You have another brief opportunity to pick up some of the stylish 2019 Cristom Pinot Noir Cuvee Jefferson, a delicious Pinot from one of our favorite sources in that part of the world. The wholesaler got in a last shipment and we grabbed some more. Their 2019 lineup as a group got exceptional reviews with this particular effort getting 97 points from James Suckling and the following notes, “This is very seductive on the nose with ripe strawberry, spice, flowers and hints of cloves. Full-bodied, but very reserved and tight with chewy, polished tannins and a long, long finish. Racy and structured. Try after 2024.”
Add to that a 95 point nod from Wine Advocate, and a sub-$40 price, and you’ve got a pretty sweet buy on an exceptional Pinot. Limited this time around.
-The exceptional efforts from one of Argentina’s superstars, Matias Riccitelli, continues. We just received a limited shipment of his 2018 Riccitelli & Father blend of 70% Malbec and 30% Cabernet Franc. Wine Advocate’s Luis Gutierrez tells the story, “Matías Riccitelli keeps turning out some of the most exciting wines from Argentina, this time with the addition of some “natural” wines. He also keeps exploring the zone of La Carrera, a high-altitude zone of Mendoza where he started with some Sauvignon Blanc but has since planted four more hectares, looking for diversity of soils and altitudes, and hopes to reach 20 hectares in total. They are planting from 1,600 meters in altitude and hope to reach as high as 2,000 meters. Exciting!”
His take on the Matias Riccitelli Riccitelli and Father Mendoza 2018, “The most impressive 2018 Riccitelli & Father is a collaboration between Matías Riccitelli and his father, Jorge, for many years winemaker at Norton (among other things). The wine combines classical and modern characteristics, quite clean and fruit-driven but with a core of deep and ripe fruit and high-quality oak. It’s ripe without excess (14.5% alcohol) and reveals fine-grained and abundant tannins that give it structure and clout. This wine is always serious and concentrated but with very good balance. It should be long lived…95 points.”
We also, amazingly, still have some stock of his “lights out” Matias Riccitelli Malbec Viñas Viejas En Pie Franco 2018 (JS 95, VM 95) and Matias Riccitelli Cabernet Franc Viñedos de Montaña 2018 (JS 94, VM 94, WA 94). These are benchmark efforts and some of the most compelling and interesting efforts we have tasted from Argentina in quite a while.