June 12th 2018 Newsletter - The Grape Tray

June 12th 2018 Newsletter

Wine Spectator 93
REICHSGRAF VON KESSELSTATT Riesling Spätlese Mosel Josephshöfer 2013

Juicy and rich, with a tangerine tang to the apple, ripe pear and dried apricot flavors. Offers hints of honey and plenty of savory notes that extend on the minerally finish. Drink now through 2038. 300 cases made. –KM $34 Our Price $25.99

Antonio Galloni, Vinous 97+
Taittinger 2006 Comtes de Champagne

The 2006 Comtes de Champagne is striking, especially in the way it brings together elements of ripeness and freshness in a hypothetical blend of the 2002 and 2004. Smooth and creamy on the palate, the 2006 is all about texture. There is a real feeling of density and weight in the 2006, qualities I expect to see grow with time in the bottle. All the elements fall into place effortlessly. The 2006 has been nothing short of magnificent both times I have tasted it. Comtes de Champagne remains the single best value (in relative terms) in tête de cuvée Champagne. I suggest buying a case and following it over the next 20-30 years, which is exactly what I intend to do. There is little doubt the 2006 Comtes de Champagne is a magical Champagne in the making. Drinking 2016 – 2046. $200 Our Price $129.99

Wine Spectator 92
SAGET LA PERRIÈRE Vouvray
Marie de Beauregard 2015

Juicy and ripe, with pear, quince and fig flavors laced with light ginger and honeysuckle notes. Shows a flash of hazelnut through the finish. On the hedonistic side, but has the freshness for balance. Drink now through 2024.—J.M. $18 Our Price $14.95

Wine Spectator 90
SANTA BARBARA WINERY Chardonnay Santa Barbara County 2016

Offers rich white fruit and spice flavors, supported by bright acidity. Green apple, fig and ripe melon dominate on the palate, mixing with buttery accents and ending with hints of sage honey on the finish. Drink now through 2023. 11,500 cases made. –KM $18 Our Price $12.99

2015 Frank Family Napa Zinfandel

Winemaker Notes: This wine appears ruby in color, and aromas of black pepper, savory spices and ripe red fruits waft out of the glass. This bright, fresh zinfandel has a smooth, silky mouthfeel, and bold flavors of grilled plum, fruit compote and fresh raspberries entice the palate. $35 Our Price $29.95

Wine Advocate 92-94
2015 Walter Hansel Winery
 Estate Chardonnay

The 2015 season resulted in tiny clusters and small berries with production levels off by a minimum of 25%. The following 2015s will be bottled unfined and unfiltered. The 2015 Chardonnay Estate is a killer bargain at $25.00 a bottle. The wine is a blend of the 95, 76 and the Hanzell clones. The 4-acre parcel from which the wine was produced was planted in 1976, so it has some age to it. This is a great Chardonnay with loads of honeysuckle, buttered citrus, orange and white peach notes, a medium to full body, terrific energy and purity. This is a terrific wine that tastes like a Chardonnay that should be selling for three or four times the price. So, consumers take note. Drink it over the next 4-5 years. $25


2017 CHÂTEAU DU ROUET "TERES" ROSÉ

Producer Notes: Settled in the heart of Frejus, Provence, Les Teres’ beautiful vineyards are surrounded by forest and protected from the northern winds by the red rock mountains of Esterel. The estate has a few hectares of noble varietals planted on red sandstone and volcanic rock that is representative of the archetypal terroir of Frejus. At only 15 km from the sea, the vineyards benefit from the cool air that flows in from the Mediterranean.

Brilliant rosé. Pale pink hues, lovely colour. On the nose, we can find small red fruit notes. On the palate the wine is light and elegant. Crispy rosé! 60% Cinsault, 30% Grenache 10% Tibourene. $17 Our Price $13.95

Wine Advocate 94-96
2015 Walter Hansel Winery
 Pinot Noir South Slope

Made from 100% Dijon clone 777, the 2015 Pinot Noir South Slope had the largest yields of any of the parcels in 2015, although still way below normal production. The deepest color of many of these Pinot Noirs, the wine has loads of damp earth, spice box and forest floor, this is a deep blue-fruited Pinot with a lovely texture, plenty of body, surprising concentration and richness. This is a stunner from 18-year-old vines. Drink it over the next decade or more. The 2015 Pinot Noir North Slope, 100% from Dijon clone 115, also performed spectacularly, no doubt because of the extremely tiny yields. This wine has a dense purple color, a gorgeously compelling nose of forest floor, spring flowers, blue, red and black fruits, followed by a full-bodied, layered and concentrated Pinot Noir that is as light as a ballerina on the palate, but at the same time, intense and rich. The finish just goes on and on. Drink it over the next decade or more. $42 (Back in stock)

Wine Enthusiast 88 Points
2016 Sinor LaValee SLO Estate Pinot Gris

Winemaker Notes:This bottling is Alsatian in style and almost reductive, with pink grapefruit pith, bitter orange, rounded peach and quinine touches. It's tightly wound on the palate, with high-toned petrol flavors accenting its crisp stone fruit core. $23 Our Price $18.99


Wine Advocate 94
2013 Laird Family Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Flat Rock Ranch

The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Flat Rock Ranch, from another Yountville site, is softer than the Mast Ranch, with sweet tannin, dense purple color, plenty of crème de cassis, blackberry and blueberry. There is a nice floral element as well, and the wine finishes full, rich and impressive. Give it 3-4 years of cellaring and drink it over the following two decades. $80 Our Price $74.99

Wine Spectator 90
TABLAS CREEK Rosé Patelin de Tablas Paso Robles 2017

Floral and distinctive for the savory spice, raspberry and watermelon flavors. Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah and Counoise. Drink now. 3,770 cases made.—T.F. $25 Our Price $21.99

Antonio Galloni, Vinous 93 Pts.
2013 Keenan Napa Cabernet

The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon is deep and powerful from the get go, with beams of supporting tannin and acidity that give the wine its sense of proportion. There is plenty of nuance in the dark fruit, along with terrific aromatic complexity, but today the tannins are imposing, to say the least. Readers should be prepared to cellar the 2013 for at least a few years, but even that may not be enough. This is another terrific example of the vintage. $56 Our Price $47.99

Wine Advocate 96
2016 Hartford Family Winery Hartford Court Chardonnay Four Hearts Vineyard

Already in bottle, the 2016 Hartford Court Chardonnay Four Hearts Vineyard opens with lemon tart, pink grapefruit, pineapple and ripe apple notes with touches of nutmeg and croissant. Medium to full-bodied, rich and with a pleasantly oily texture, it delivers ripe tropical fruit flavors and a long, creamy finish. 1,600 cases were produced. $50 Our Price $39.99

Wine Advocate 98
2014 Peter Michael Winery Chardonnay Cuvee Indigene

The 2014 Chardonnay Cuvée Indigène shows more orange marmalade and caramelized citrus along with plenty of butter, honeysuckle and leesy, almost hazelnut notes. Both are magnificent Chardonnays to drink over the next decade or more. Market Price $215-$285. (2 bottles available at $225/bottle)


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