SOME NEW ALLOCATIONS

I have been begging for Vintner Select to bring these wines in from Eric Solomon for years. While they have a lot of the Spanish collection from Eric Solomon’s portfolio, they omit the French part of the book largely because VS imports a lot of French wines themselves. But at last, I have a tiny allocation of Chateauneuf du Pape from Domaine Giraud and Domaine de la Janasse.

Domaine Giraud Chateauneuf du Pape Tradition 2005, our price $39.98/bottle. 92 points, Wine Spectator, “Very dark and juicy, with lots of boysenberry, fig and blackberry fruit backed by ganache, dark licorice, roasted vanilla bean and a long, structured finish, where a nice hint of black tea chimes in. Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre. Best from 2009 through 2025.” 89 points, Robert Parker, “The 2005 Chateauneuf du Pape displays plenty of garrigue, ground pepper, black cherry jam, spice and earth characteristics. It is a fresh, medium to full-bodied effort revealing slightly higher acidity than its 2006 counterpart, but also a more compact, structured style, even though it is accessible. Drink it over the next 10-12 years.” We only received 4 bottles so this is first-come-first-served. Please reserve yours by emailing [email protected].

Domaine Giraud Chateauneuf du Pape Tradition 2007, our price $39.98/bottle. 94 points, Wine Spectator, “Gorgeously ripe and totally inviting, with lush plum, crushed fig, macerated currant and boysenberry fruit all gliding along seamlessly, over graphite, tar and charcoal notes. The superlong finish has well-embedded acidity. Shows terrific poise, despite its explosive fruit. Best from 2010 through 2025.” 93 points, Robert Parker. The 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape is a big-time sleeper of the vintage. Deeper-coloered than Les Grenaches de Pieree, it offers beautiful, ripe black raspberry, licorice, cherry, roasted herb, and meat-juice-like notes, full body, a voluptuous texture, and a superb finish that last for 40-45 seconds. A blend of 60% Grenache, 35% Syrah and 5% Mourvedre from 70-year old vines, all except the Syrah is aged in steel tanks and concrete. The Syrah component spends time in small barrels. It should drink well for 15 years.” We only received 12 bottles of this wine. Please reserve yours by emailing [email protected].

Domaine de la Janasse Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Chaupin 2006, regular price $90. Our price=$69.98/bottle. 95 points, Robert Parker, ” The 2006 Chateauneuf du Pape Chaupin’s deep ruby/purple hue is followed by a phenomenal nose of black cherry liqueur, melted licorice, incense, asphalt, truffles, and a hint of earth. This dense, full-bodied effort is a candidate for wine of the vintage. Consume it over the next 12-13 years.” 93 points, Wine Spectator, “Really juicy, with a sappy core of cassis, raspberry and currant confiture backed by notes of bittersweet cocoa, fruitcake and mulled spice. The long finish is muscular but well-integrated. Best from 2009 through 2028.” Only received 6 bottles. Please reserve yours by emailing [email protected].