Casanova di Neri 2015 Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova

98+ Wine Advocate  

Tie for top Scoring Brunello of the Vintage!

On Sale $108.99

($653.94 six pack)

The fantastic 2015 Brunellos are rolling out quickly and Casanova di Neri has produced one of the two top wines of the vintage, tied with Il Marroneto's Madonna delle Grazie for the highest score of the vintage in the Wine Advocate at 98+ points. 

But here's the catch - The Madonna delle Grazie is $191.99 lowest price on Wine Searcher. You can almost buy two bottles of the Neri for every one of the Madonnas! The next two highest Brunellos (98 points) are over $150! If you want one of the best wines of the stunning 2015 vintage (and the best value at the top end of the ratings!) don't delay - this wine is limited and all orders are subject to confirmation. Cheers! 

 98+ Wine Advocate: “Giacomo Neri and his family have crafted a wine that impresses from the first sip forward (especially when the wine is given ample time to open). The Casanova di Neri 2015 Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova must be treated with patience, and that patience is returned with many great rewards. Blackberry, plum and summer cherry are slowly folded into lasting flavors of spice, leather and beautiful balsam or medical herb. These are always a distinctive signature of this estate. The aromas flow with seamless transitions, and that fluid and ever-changing nature of the bouquet is what helps to build intensity and staying power. Fruit is harvested from a south- and southeast-facing slope at 250 to 300 meters above sea level. The soils are mixed loosely with crushed rock, allowing access to air and moisture. Indeed, pretty mineral accents appear as the wine takes on more air in the glass. What stands out most in this Brunello is the quality of the bouquet that is rigid and firm, yet not excessively so. You feel the structural texture of the wine as it sits firmly over the palate, yet there is mobility and softness to its many moving parts. I tasted this wine at various intervals over a 24-hour period.”

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2018 Raúl Pérez • Ultreia Saint Jacques

"I tasted a great majority of 2016s, which is a superb vintage, one of the best ever, combining elegance and power. Pérez thinks 2018 is going to follow the line of 2016, perhaps even better. Something to look forward to..." Luis Gutiérrez, The Wine Advocate

$17.99 on sale

Pre-Arrival - Only Available Through this email

After the tasting I attended in New York on Monday, I can tell you two things: Raul was right about the 2018s. These are most likely the best wines he has ever made, in fact his 2018s are some of the most compelling wines being made in Spain. And as for the 2018s being “something to look forward to”, there is no doubt they are, and lucky for us that time is now!

From the affordable and relatively plentiful Ultreia Saint Jacques to his rare flagship Ultreia de Valtuille, Perez's red wines are an absolute must try, and the whites are every bit as good! (Offers on those coming soon!) 

When an $18 wine stands out at the masochistic Skurnik Grand Portfolio Wine Tasting (several thousand people, 1300+ wines and spirits at 196 tables), you know you have found something. Perez's table #93 was so crowded you had to fight your way through a mob to taste - people were taking selfies!

Of the eleven wines being shown, my pick for best bang for the buck was hands-down the 2018 Ultreia St. Jacques. Crafted from grapes grown around the village of Valtuille de Abajo in the  Denominación de Origen (D.O.) of Bierzo in the northwest of Spain, this is the one to buy if you want to understand what this red-hot winery is all about. The vineyards were planted mainly in clay soils between 1900 and 1940, yes they are 80-120 years old!! They are mostly Mencía, with Bastardo (Trousseau), and Garnacha Tintorera (Alicante Bouschet) in the mix. Perez follows organic practices, and the grapes are harvested and then undergo 80% whole cluster fermentation in large oak vats, with macerations of between two and five months. Aging is in various vessels: 225L, 500L, foudre and cement, and the wines are bottled without fining or filtration.

"The 2018 St. Jacques is deeply colored, with incredible aromas of black fruits, floral/violet top notes, tightly wound but not tannic. Great texture, tension and persistence, no doubt in part from the whole cluster fermentation. It is layered, pure, focused and precise - big, but compact. There is a hint of char or smokiness, along with a rocky, stony earth tinge that beautifully offsets all of the wild dark fruit. You can drink it now, but best if you can give a year or two in the cellar and then drink it up for a decade after that. All that in an $18 wine!!" Chris Cree MW, PluckyWines Cellar Note.

We were lucky enough to have Raul here at the Inn for a tasting seminar last year, and it was without doubt one of the most informative and interesting events we’ve done. During the event I noted that Raul had been named “best winemaker in the world for 2015” by the trade publication Bettane+Desseauve. In his humble way he replied “I am not sure how they figure that...I pick the grapes, I put them in the barrels, and basically do nothing.” Trust us, there is more to it than that, and the proof is in his extraordinary wines. Stock up now, wine arrives next week!

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94 Point Bordeaux Gem from the Spectacular 2010 Vintage

 Château Lafon Rochet Saint Estèphe 2010

94 Points The Wine Advocate

$59.99 on sale

94 Points, The Wine Advocate: "Deep garnet in color, the 2010 Lafon-Rochet comes bounding out of the glass with sit-up-and-beg notes of crème de cassis, blackberry pie and blueberry preserves followed by suggestions of Chinese five spice, potpourri and tilled soil. Full-bodied and concentrated, with loads of black and blue fruit layers, it has a rock-solid backbone of grainy tannins and compelling freshness, finishing long and fragrant." 

The 2010 vintage will go down in history as one of Bordeaux's finest, and as these great wines enter their second decade we have been happy to be able to offer them at very competitive pricing - and with perfect provenance. Racking up a double 94 point score from both Neal Martin and Lisa Perrotti Brown, this tremendous bargain is a wine you can cellar or drink for decades. Wine arrives next week. Limited availability, subject to prior sale and confirmation so don't delay - Cheers!

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Trousse-Chemise Cellars 2018 

McMinnville Pinot Noir Hyland Vineyard

"..a beautiful year," Ken Wright, Ken Wright Cellars

$24.99 on sale

Pre-Arrival Week of March 

$24.99 on sale

Price only available through this offer

Oregon racked up another great vintage in 2018 when hot dry weather was followed by just enough rain and cooler temps in September to revive the vines, giving them the energy they needed to get to the finish line in great condition. The result is a crop loaded with rich, ripe fruit, yet balanced by freshness and acidity. We are happy to offer this beautiful wine from a historic single vineyard site, crafted by Anne Sery, the producer of some of the best values in Pinot coming out of Oregon. 

"An incredible wine for the money, Anne Sery's 2018 Hyland Vineyard Pinot Noir is infused with beautiful notes of freshly crushed red and dark cherry fruits that fully capture the sunny ripeness of the growing season, yet it is tempered and perfectly balanced by fresh acidity, supple, textured tannins, and a lovely plum core. 

Drink this now and over the next 3-4 years with anything from grilled meaty fish (especially salmon), to grilled or roasted chicken or game birds, to wild mushroom risotto and light meats like pork, veal or even filet mignon. This is a beautiful single vineyard Oregon Pinot Wine at the price of many generic blended wines, don't miss it! Arrives week of March 6th." Chris Cree MW, Plucky Wines Cellar Note 

Hyland Vineyard, McMinnville AVA

Hyland vineyard is one of Oregon's oldest and largest vineyards,  first planted in 1971 by four families (Kreimeyers, Markleys, Welches, and Trenhailes). The 200 acre property has about 180 planted to vines and is situated on a south facing bench between 600 to 800 feet of elevation in the foothills of the Coastal Range in the McMinnville AVA. Here,cooler temperatures in the summer and warmer temperatures in the winter provide a longer and more balanced ripening period.

Soils are mainly volcanic Jory, somewhat akin to those of the Dundee Hills. Planted to self-rooted Pommard, Wädenswil, and Coury Pinot Noir vines, along with newer plantings in 1989 of  Dijon 115. This diversity, along with the age of the vines, creates a range of elements in the grapes that add complexity to the wines from this site.

The 2018 Trousse-Chemise Hyland Vineyard McMinnville Pinot captures all of the superb nature of the vintage's near-perfect growing conditions. The summer was hot and dry with fruit coming in with beautiful ripeness and cool, balancing acidity at the end. Anne's incredible value priced Hyland Vineyard Pinot comes from one historic vineyard located just north of the VanDuzer Corridor, tempering the climate and providing a long, even growing season - critical in a hot year like 2018.

Winemaker Anne Sery - Trousse-Chemise

Anne grew up on Reunion Island, located off of Madagascar in the middle of the Indian Ocean. While it may seem to be one of the most unlikely places on earth for a winemaker to be born, her father turned out to be a serious collector of Burgundy. At fourteen years of age, when her parents purchased a vineyard in Burgundy, she started working summers in the vineyards and developed her lifelong passion for wine.

She later graduated from the École Nationale Supérieure des Sciences Agronomiques de Bordeaux Aquitaine in Bordeaux with her Master’s degree in Viticulture and Enology and received her National Diploma of Enology from the University of Bordeaux. She then went to work for some of the most prestigious vineyards in Burgundy.

Soon after, she decided to go to the U.S. to perfect her English and try her hand in another Pinot Noir region of the world, the Willamette Valley. After working for Beaux Freres, she met Laurent Montalieu and worked first for Soléna Estate and later became the winemaker for Hyland Estates.

While keeping her day job at Hyland, she decided to set out on her own and launched her own brand Trousses Chemises in 2012, one of the best vintages of the last 20 years. It was a huge hit, yet it stayed somewhat under the radar, snapped up by a few top wine shops and restaurants with the ability and confidence to recognize the up and coming stars. We were among the early adapters, and still find her wines to be some of the best Pinot for the money coming out of Oregon today. 

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Previous Offer

Dominique Roger's Sancerre Domaine du Carrou 2019

Crisp, mineral, and deliciously refreshing - "textbook Sancerre"!

$22.99 on sale

In Stock Now  

Price only available through this offer

"As I ate the oysters with their strong taste of the sea and their faint metallic taste that the cold white wine washed away, leaving only the sea taste and the succulent texture, and as I drank their cold liquid from each shell and washed it down with the crisp taste of the wine, I lost the empty feeling and began to be happy and to make plans." A Moveable Feast, Ernest Hemingway

Take it from Ernie - there is no better way to wash away the winter doldrums than with this racy, mineral-laden gem from Dominique Roger! I don't know about you, but after the riper character of the 2018 vintage am glad to be back to a year with more classical elements of crisp acidity and mineral focus. 

Carrou's beautiful 2019 serves it up in spades - crystal clear pale green/straw hue with brilliantly focused aromas of cool stoniness; crisp, mineral and focused on the palate with tightly wound green apple and citrus notes, persistent and layered into the finish wrapping up with refreshing acidity. Textbook Sancerre from one of the best in the business - Enjoy!" Chris Cree MW, PluckyCellarNote 

Snapshot: 100% Sauvignon Blanc from 30+ year old vines in sloping vineyards composed of caillotes, terres blanches, and silex soils surrounding the village of Bué, one of the top locations in the appellation. It is hand harvested, then fermented using only indigenous yeast with maturation aged in tank to preserve its stony, crisp minerality. The quintessential seafood and shellfish wine, we are also offering it by the glass at the Inn. Perfect with oysters or clams, tuna tartare, chilled shrimp, sushi and all kinds of salads and appetizers. Stop in, have a glass and try before you buy! 

The Roger family’s history in the Sancerre region is measured in centuries, but it was only in 1950 that Dominique Roger’s father Maurice started Domaine du Carrou in one of Sancerre’s top villages, Bué. One of the highest elevations in the AOC, the sloping vineyards are composed of all three of the region's famed soil types: terres blanches, caillotes, and silex, from which the wines draw their brilliant minerality.

Dominique focuses on the vineyards, working the soil and caring for the vines meticulously, encouraging the roots to reach deep into the limestone bedrock. Farming is sustainable, chemical herbicides and pesticides are never used, and the grapes are hand harvested (most now mechanically harvest).

Only native yeasts are used, and fermentation is in stainless steel to conserve the precisely focused mineral "cut" the wine wine draws from its location in the exceptional terroir of Bué. The Domaine is considered one of the top estates in all of Sancerre by La Revue du Vin de France, top Sommeliers, and is on wine lists in some of the finest restaurants in the world. 

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