K&L Top 10 Picks: September 2021

NZ Sauv Blanc, Library Bordeaux and Châteauneuf, Single-Vineyard DI Champagne, and more... Monday Sep 13th, 2021 [View in Browser]( [KL-emailheader.gif]( K&L Top 10 Selections: September 2021 Featuring: Best-Selling NZ Sauv Blanc, Unbeatable Rioja Value, Back-Vintage Oregon Pinot, a DI Champagne Star, and Library Vintages from Bordeaux and Châteauneuf Icons --------------------------------------------------------------- September's Top 10 brings us a pair of winery-direct domestic buys that offer some of the biggest bang for the buck in our inventory. The 2015 ...And... Wine Co. Yamhill-Carlton Pinot Noir is an exceptional regional example from a top-notch winemaking talent for an unbelievable price, and the same can be said of the library vintage 2007 Balcom "Mascaret" Napa Valley red blend. Our newest favorite go-to Sauv Blanc is the Mt. Beautiful "12 Barrels" at a fraction of its previous market rate, and Bodegas Chacra's 2020 Cincuenta y Cinco Pinot Noir is once again a revelatory expression of the New World style. K Vinters has turned out another stellar value in the 2017 "The Deal" Syrah, proving once again that Charles Smith is one of the most dynamic winemakers in the U.S. [Mt. Beautiful]( The Bodegas Olarra "Laztana" Gran Reserva Rioja offers what only Rioja can—a perfectly aged cellar gem at an absolute steal, while Petrolo's "Bòggina C" is yet another knockout Tuscan red that we've come to expect from the monumental 2015 vintage. Fallet-Dart is a direct-import star from Champagne that brings their absolute best effort in the collectible "Clos du Mont" bottling, from a single, walled vineyard in the epic 2004 vintage. Finally, a pair of ex-château standouts from France's most famous red wine regions offer unparalleled character and substance. Latour-Martillac's 2010 speaks beautifully to a thrilling vintage in Pessac, and Xavier Vignon's "2000" is a quintessential expression of the heights that properly aged Châteauneuf can achieve. This month's Top Ten truly has something for anyone and everyone. Vintage Item Name Score Retail Link 2018 Mt. Beautiful "12 Barrels" Sauvignon Blanc North Canterbury (Elsewhere $28) 93 $17.99 [View]( 2011 Bodegas Olarra "Laztana" Gran Reserva Rioja 95 $19.99 [View]( 2015 ...And... Wine Co. Yamhill-Carlton District Pinot Noir (Elsewhere $60) $24.95 [View]( 2017 K Vintners "The Deal - Sundance Vineyard" Wahluke Slope Syrah 94 $29.95 [View]( 2015 Fattoria Petrolo "Bòggina C" Toscana 95 $34.99 [View]( 2020 Bodega Chacra "Cincuenta y Cinco" Pinot Noir Rio Negro Patagonia 98 $49.99 [View]( 2007 Balcom Family "Mascaret" Napa Valley Bordeaux Blend (Previously $125) $59.95 [View]( 2010 Latour-Martillac, Pessac-Léognan 93 $69.99 [View]( Fallet-Dart "Clos du Mont" Brut Champagne (2004) $79.99 [View]( 2000 Xavier Vignon "2000" Châteauneuf-du-Pape 94 $99.99 [View]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [2018 Mt. Beautiful "12 Barrels" Sauvignon Blanc North Canterbury (Elsewhere $28)]( Mt. Beautiful "12 Barrels" Sauvignon Blanc North Canterbury (Elsewhere $28)]( ($17.99) 93 points Wine Enthusiast: "On the restrained side, relatively speaking, this white offers attractive aromas of tangerine, lime blossom and honeysuckle, with just a suggestion of oak. The palate harmonizes texture with refreshment, echoing the nose, but adding white spice on the lengthy finish. The oak supports, adding weight, texture and complexity. (CP)" (09/2020) Wine Spectator: "An elegant expression, featuring ripe peach and pear flavors that are round and lush, with fresh acidity and hints of lemongrass on the finish. (MW)" (08/2020) Smith]( | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: September 06, 2021 I was thrilled when we had the opportunity to bring in this totally unique wine from Mt. Beautiful. The estate is widely known for crafting beautiful, mineral-driven Sauvignon Blanc from the Waipara region of New Zealand's South Island. They are excellent counter-points to the explosive, tropical wines of Marlborough and show the breadth and depth of Sauvignon Blanc styles being made in New Zealand today. But the "12 Barrels" is something particularly special. This reserve bottling from Mt. Beautiful is made from the top blocks in their vineyard, and only the best 12 barrels make the cut. The house style of Mt. Beautiful is definitely on display here in elevated form. What I find particularly wonderful is the inclusion of two new French oak barrels in the blend, resulting in hints of passion fruit, tangerine, and wildflower married to both bright, mineral-driven freshness and Bordeaux blanc-inspired richness. Despite the depth of fruit, it is still light and energetic with bright acidity. This is stone-cold delicious. This was originally made only for restaurants, but with conditions as they are, we were able to secure an unbelievable deal. It's not often that you see a winery's reserve wine at the same price as its entry level, but when you do, act quickly. After all, there were only 12 barrels of this exquisite Sauvignon Blanc made. --------------------------------------------------------------- [2011 Bodegas Olarra "Laztana" Gran Reserva Rioja]( Bodegas Olarra "Laztana" Gran Reserva Rioja]( ($19.99) 95 points Decanter: "Grupo Bodegas Olarra was founded in 1973 and is now a large organisation producing wines under three different bodega names in Rioja and beyond. The Laztana 2011 is a blend of about 80% Tempranillo with 10% Garnacha and the remainder Graciano and Mazuelo, from vines aged on average for more than 30 years. Fermentation in stainless steel was followed by malolactic fermentation and nearly three months on lees in new 225-litre Allier oak barrels, then six further months in new oak before cask-ageing up to 27 months in total in a mix of new to five-year-old Allier and US barrels. The wine was subsequently cellared for 40 further months in bottle prior to its first release. Sarah Jane Evans MW - Truffly, balsamic, cherry aromas. Full-bodied and fleshy in the mouth, a really youthful wine, packed with energy. Notes of oranges, blackberries and redcurrants abound, then following through with a firm structure of tannin. Christine Parkinson - Spicy aromas of turmeric, cumin, strawberry and dark chocolate, which all carry through to the palate. Creamy layers of tannin are very appealing, and the strong core of acidity makes this a great wine for food. Very long, confident, concentrated finish. Beth Willard - Attractive nose of rose petal, peach and red cherry. Very ripe, jammy fruit, strawberry, with a touch of white pepper on the finish and fresh acidity. A more fruit-forward style of wine, with well balanced oak" (01/2021) K&L Notes: Bodegas Olarra was founded in 1973 and is located just across the Ebro River from the picturesque town of Logroño. Olarra shocked the region early on by managing to convince local winemaking legend Ezequiel "El Brujo" García to jump ship from CVNE. Olarra has been making solid, traditionally-styled Rioja ever since, and their wines have a sneaky tendency to over-deliver at their respective price points. Walker]( | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: September 08, 2021 One of the great things about wine is that it will always surprise you. There is always something new to experience or learn. I have been very lucky that over the last couple of days that I have been able to sit and think about Rioja. I wish that more of my job was just to sit and think about wine, but I am not getting paid to write a book. My job is to sell wine. We have recently received this Gran Reserva in stock, and what a treat it is. This has that wonderful settled-in thing that you can only get from a Gran Reserva Rioja. No other older wine delivers that type of experience. Red fruits and spice upfront followed by a soily, mushroomy earthiness and a very clean but worn leather tone. The palate is medium full, with fine but firm tannins that frame the wine. The fruit has a little freshness to it, but that drying red fruit is present. The palate is all red fruit backed by very fine spice and faint minerality. It is that mineral character which led to my surprise. It is similar to what you find on the Northern banks of the Ebro river, but not quite the same. That got me searching the interwebs. The vineyards for this wine are located around the village of Viana, in Rioja Oriental. This is where the Rioja falls into the state of Navarra. I do not normally think of wines from the Oriental region to have this character, but these are vineyards that are planted into the rough hillsides of the Sierra Cantabria. This is also the place where the Atlantic influence starts to fade and the wines become more Mediterranean. This wine tastes like that! I absolutely love when you find a piece of a puzzle that you didn’t know you were looking for. What is even better is how drinkable this wine is. It is not round, but the edges are a little softer, and the wine has an easy poise. And it is all too easy to drink. Smith]( | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: September 05, 2021 Why arent we all drinking more Rioja? This has become something of a constant refrain for me. There is nowhere else on the planet producing top quality, full-bodied reds with as much value for price as Rioja. The 2011 Laztana is a perfect example. The aromas kick off with dark blueberry, baking spice, black cherry, and savory undertones. There's plenty of complexity here, with new aromas presenting themselves every time I return to the glass. The body is full, almost plump with additional strawberry and red cassis fruit to follow, its acidity playing a backseat role on the palate. What I love about this wine is that it is unmistakably old-world, and a great expression of what Rioja is all about. And yet it is still extremely well-crafted with pure, clean fruit and well-restrained oak that adds to the wine without distracting from it. A perfect example of great Rioja at a great price. --------------------------------------------------------------- [2015 ...And... Wine Co. Yamhill-Carlton District Pinot Noir (Elsewhere $60)]( ...And... Wine Co. Yamhill-Carlton District Pinot Noir (Elsewhere $60)]( ($24.95) A very unique vineyard in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA. Sitting high on the crest of a ridge, the vineyard's very thin soil is littered with large chunks of fractured basalt. These rocks have been piled up under the vine rows and give radiant heat back to the vines. The subsoils are ancient marine sediment of the Willakenzie Series. The ...And... Wine Co. wines are made by talented winemaker Jared Etzel who has worked at famed wineries including Beaux Frères, Cristom, Brick House, Domaine Roy in Oregon, and in Napa Valley at Kapscandy, Blankiet, and Fisher Vineyards. Regarding its unusual name, the winery explains, "[t]he idea of universal connectivity was very exciting to us as a metaphor of how we see our wines – a connector of people, places, ideas, senses, nature’s rhythms, and family." Woodhouse]( | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: August 16, 2021 Alright...here we go again! We keep blasting through these phenomenal wines from ...And...Wine Co., but thankfully we got our hands on another vintage! If you haven't heard the story yet, these wines are from a small, family-owned estate vineyard on the top of an exposed ridge in the famed Yamhill-Carlton AVA of the Willamette Valley. The winemaker, Jared Etzel, is something of a winemaking prodigy as the son of Mike Etzel, founder of the iconic Beaux Frères winery. Jared now has a very impressive resumé of his own including Beaux Frères, Cristom, Brick House, and time in Napa Valley at Kapscandy, Blankiet, and Fisher Vineyards! As soon as I saw Jared's name associated with the project I got every sample I could. After tasting them, we bought the wines direct from the winery in Oregon and trucked them down to K&L at incredible pricing. These wines quickly became big-time staff favorites, and we've blown through the 2018 and 2013 and now have the 2015 to offer. 2015 was a powerful, a warm, dry vintage in the Willamette. Low yields and above-average temperatures led to wines with deep, concentrated fruit and rich textures. This wine has more forward fruit than the 2013 bottling, leading with dark cherry, raspberry coulis, lifted baking spices, and fragrant sandalwood. Round and fleshy on the palate with dusty earth and dry leaves. A nice brambly lift from the whole-cluster adds layers to the wine and provides a fine, elegant structure to the finish. Rocky minerals persist with exotic spices and red berries. Once again, we took every case available and are offering it at 50% off the original price. This is another surefire winner from Jared Etzel. --------------------------------------------------------------- [2017 K Vintners "The Deal - Sundance Vineyard" Wahluke Slope Syrah]( K Vintners "The Deal - Sundance Vineyard" Wahluke Slope Syrah]( ($29.95) 94 points Jeb Dunnuck: "The 2017 Syrah The Deal comes from the Sundance Vineyard and gravelly, sandy, volcanic soils. It was not destemmed and was brought up in 30% new puncheons. It's another ethereal, complex, yet powerful wine that has loads of black raspberry and blackberry fruits, smoked game, leafy herbs, and tobacco aromas and flavors." (04/2020) 94 points James Suckling: "This is very typical of an excellent syrah with sweet tobacco, berries, dried meat and spice. Medium to full body. Chocolate, spice and ripe-fruit flavors through to the finish. Vivid and rich." (05/2020) 93 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "Opening with a delightful nose, the 2017 Syrah The Deal Sundance Vineyard gives up classic aromas of blackberry reduction, black peppercorn, savory dried herbs, umami and elegant French oak tones. Full-bodied, the wine is generous and balanced on the palate, showing precision and finesse with lively acidity and lifting yet fine-grained tannins. The wine concludes with a delightfully long finish, leaving a dusty sensation of bitter dark chocolate and blackberry skin flavors in the mouth. Brilliant! (AM)" (12/2020) 93 points Wine Spectator: "Polished and structured, with bold raspberry, rose petal and smoked beef accents that build tension toward broad-shouldered tannins. (TF)" (08/2021) 92 points Vinous: "Bright, dark red with ruby tones. Pungent, distinctly more floral nose (from sandy soil, no doubt) combines boysenberry, blackberry, black cherry and violet aromas. At once smooth, silky and juicy, with its dense dark berry flavors energized and lifted by notes of pepper, lavender and rose petal. This is one of the most fruit-dominated Syrahs in the K line-up this year, and yet it comes across as drier and more peppery than the Milbrandt. Perhaps most impressive today for its echoing finish. (ST)" (12/2020) Woodhouse]( | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: August 19, 2021 The very aptly named K Vintners "The Deal" Syrah is indeed an outrageous deal in top-notch Washington Syrah. Coming from the Sundance Vineyard in the Wahluke Slope AVA, this explosive and perfumed Syrah expertly combines fresh, floral notes of rose petal and violet with exuberant ripe, red fruits, boysenberry, cherry liquor, and then more savory notions of hot stone, freshly ground black pepper, and dried herbs. Medium to full bodied with plenty of lush fruit mixing with more umami accents the varietal is so known for. This is a big, powerful wine with big scores to boot...the only diminutive thing here is the price point! Smith]( | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: September 07, 2021 Washington Syrah is a thing all its own. I get why the comparison is made to the Northern Rhône—there are definitely some aromatic similarities to the wines of Côte Rôtie. But for me, these wines absolutely deserve their own class. And it's hard to argue that anyone has had more of an influence than Charles Smith of K Vintners, one of the state's most prominent advocates of Syrah. The 2017 Deal Syrah is a shining example of the style that's come to dominate Washington Syrah, with soaring aromatics of peach, blackberries and floral tones, with a faint reductive savoriness that gives complexity and distinctive character. On the palate, the wine is rich and full with a powerful level of concentration and density that washes over the palate, leaving a resonating finish of umami and black plum. --------------------------------------------------------------- [2015 Fattoria Petrolo "Bòggina C" Toscana]( Fattoria Petrolo "Bòggina C" Toscana]( ($34.99) 95 points James Suckling: "A dense and beautiful young Sangiovese with dried cherry, orange rind and flowers. Full body, tight and silky with a long and seamless finish. Tannic and structured. A fantastic Sangiovese. Aged in cask. No new wood." (08/2017) 92 points Wine Spectator: "A bright, cherry-flavored red, with accents of leafy tobacco and earth adding counterpoint. Firm and pleasantly astringent, echoing cherry, earth and tobacco notes. Shows fine intensity and freshness. Aged in large cask. Sangiovese. (BS)" (01/2018) 91 points Jeb Dunnuck: "The 2015 Boggina C comes from the best barrel of Sangiovese from the Boggina Hill vineyard, which was planted in 1950. It's a pretty, perfumed expression of Sangiovese offering lots of red fruits, spice, dried flowers, and dried herb-like aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied, taut, energetic and vibrant on the palate, with nicely integrated acidity, it's a classy, nicely balanced effort that should keep for a decade. (AF)" (03/2018) Smith]( | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: September 05, 2021 There are few wines that I've tasted in recent months that have just stopped me in my tracks like the 2015 Petrolo Boggia C. For Sangiovese, I found this to be incredibly distinctive: this isn't Brunello, this isn't Chianti, this is a whole different beast. There's this unique dichotomy in its aromatic expression that shows both floral, delicate elements and somehow a massive, underlying power. Forest floor, game, sweet ripened cherries, stone fruit blossom—I could keep going, but it doesn't quite do it justice. With a taste, the wine comes in big and full, touching every corner of the palate but without any sense of viscosity or overbearing weight. Somehow this is beautifully lifted with just a hint of tannin that sizzles through the finish. Wow. Outstanding, unique, complex; this is phenomenal. --------------------------------------------------------------- [2020 Bodega Chacra "Cincuenta y Cinco" Pinot Noir Rio Negro Patagonia]( Bodega Chacra "Cincuenta y Cinco" Pinot Noir Rio Negro Patagonia]( ($49.99) 98 points James Suckling: "Extremely perfumed and beautiful with ripe strawberries and citrus fruit, as well as aromatic flowers. Full-bodied with plenty of fruit and creamy, chewy tannins that are polished and very impressive. Long and linear. One of the best of this bottling. Drink after 2023, but already a gorgeous bottle." (03/2021) K&L Notes: Piero Incisa della Rocchetta, the grandson of Sassicaia founder Mario Incisa della Rocchetta, ended up in Patagonia after tasting a bottle of Pinot Noir he fell in love with. This wine comes from 60-year-old, head pruned vines in the Rio Negro Valley of Patagonia. Fermented in very small, enamel-lined tanks and then transferred to French oak barrels (20% new), this is a beautiful, bright, and nuanced expression of Pinot Noir, with succulent fruit and elegant texture. An eye opener for the potential of Pinot Noir in northern Patagonia. *Organic, Biodynamic* Walker]( | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: September 08, 2021 Two of the wines that I most look forward to tasting every year are the Chacra Sin Azufre and the Cincuenta y Cinco. If you have gotten to this point, you already know what the differences are between the wines. This wine is so good! It could be that in my position I do not taste as much Pinot Noir as some other buyers, but I doubt it. I taste plenty. Rarely are they as good as this. Rarely do they have the pedigree that this wine has, regardless of their appellation. This wine is beautiful. It is slightly floral and has a mix of ripe berries, without a hint of over ripeness. There is a subtle exotic spice to it and a distinctive earthiness. It is everything that a Pinot should be on the nose. And then you get to the palate. Expansive, supple, yet driving, energetic and coiled. Bright, pure mixed berries, very muted mellow spice and minerality. This is the prettiest bottling of this wine that I have tried. It might lack a fraction of the intensity of the two previous vintages, but I couldn't care less. I so rarely experience the delicate complexity of this variety. What a rare treat. [Tim Telli]( | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: August 11, 2021 The wines of Chacra are always fun, and this is a beautiful example of Pinot Noir from Argentina that can go head to head with Pinot from anywhere in the world. A perfumed nose of spice and red fruits hits you, and then on the palate a silky, velvety mouthfeel shows great craftsmanship. The wine is light in color and medium-bodied, with good fruit concentration yet light on its feet. This is a really good example of a pretty, more feminine style of Pinot Noir that is very easy to drink. I would love to take this to a blind-wine tasting and see people guess its origins. I bet no-one would say Patagonia. --------------------------------------------------------------- [2007 Balcom Family "Mascaret" Napa Valley Bordeaux Blend (Previously $125)]( Balcom Family "Mascaret" Napa Valley Bordeaux Blend (Previously $125)]( ($59.95) We recently received a parcel of these beautifully mature wines from Balcom Family. The wines were made by renowned winemaker Craig Becker, formerly of Robert Mondavi, Opus One, Spring Mountains Vineyard, and currently Director of Winemaking at Sommerston Estate. The fruit for these wines was sourced from Constant Vineyard high on Diamond Mountain, and Somerston Estate's hillside blocks in Napa's Vaca Mountains. The wine's name, "Mascaret," pays tribute to the Bordeaux region that inspired the wine. The Mascaret is a wave, or tidal bore, that runs up the Gironde, Dordogne, and Garonne Rivers. Woodhouse]( | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: August 11, 2021 Here's a very rare opportunity to get your hands on some perfectly aged Napa Cab blends at a deeply discounted price! To be honest, I had never heard of Balcom Family wines before, but a little digging around revealed that these would most certainly be worth checking out. After tasting them, I took everything available! Balcom Family was a small winery that stopped releasing wines after the 2009 vintage. The winemaker for the project was Craig Becker. Craig has an impressive resumé that began with time spent in the hallowed cellars at Robert Mondavi. He also worked just across the road at Opus One. From 1998 to 2003, he was the winemaker at the iconic Spring Mountain Vineyards, proving himself a master of mountain fruit. The 2007 Balcom "Mascaret" Proprietary Red comes from two prestigious vineyards on opposite sides of the Valley—Constant Estate high on Diamond Mountain and Somerston Estate in Napa's eastern hills, where Craig has been the Director of Winemaking since 2006. The wine is drinking superbly; there's still plenty of that boisterous, rich, ripe fruit the 2007 vintage is famed for. Also, some delicious secondary development tones of sweet leather, cedar, and unsmoked cigar. Then there's that powdery grip of the mountain fruit tannins still giving structure under all the exotic '07 fruit some fourteen years later. If you like bigger, richer styles that still have structure, and you like wines with a little bottle age, don't delay. This is a one-time opportunity of limited quantities. --------------------------------------------------------------- [2010 Latour-Martillac, Pessac-Léognan]( [2010 Latour-Martillac, Pessac-Léognan]( ($69.99) 92-93 points James Suckling: "I love the mid-palate in this young and attractive red, with silky tannins and alluring mineral, berry and stone character. Enchanting." (04/2011) 93 points Vinous: "The 2010 La Tour Martillac vindicates itself as perhaps the "insiders' choice" from Pessac-Léognan. It has a well defined bouquet with blackberry, cassis, black olive and estuarine scents bouquet that is very complex and involving. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, a fine bead of acidity and a pinch of black pepper towards the smooth and harmonious finish. It remains very backward but there is immense potential here. (NM)" (04/2020) 92 points Wine Spectator: "Dense, but supple along the edges, offering a packed core of cassis, blackberry and black cherry fruit. The lovely licorice, dark tobacco and violet notes glide to the finish, which shows solid, latent grip. (JM)" (03/2013) --------------------------------------------------------------- [Fallet-Dart "Clos du Mont" Brut Champagne (2004)]( "Clos du Mont" Brut Champagne (2004)]( ($79.99) Westby]( | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: August 27, 2021 When I tasted this on my visit to Champagne in March, the first thing I wrote in my notebook was, "this is going to be hard to top on this trip." Nothing else did. This bottle has it all—the concentration of old vines, the unique expression of one of the few walled vineyards of Champagne, and the texture that only long aging on the lees can bring. The wine has a delicate brioche aroma and manages to be creamy in the mouth without losing any energy or mineral drive. The finish swells up, fans out on the back end, and goes on forever in that rare peacock's tail that I only find in the best wines. Any Champagne fan should taste this at least once. Most everything of this quality costs more than double. Turk]( | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: May 13, 2020 Ten years—TEN YEARS—on the lees for less than $100? Less than $80, even? Incredible. This is one sophisticated yet hugely accessible Champagne, with depth, texture, and a honeyed quality that's saved from being too fruity by the 80% Chardonnay and a backbone of acidity. Plus, there's that coveted toastiness. I first met Paul Fallet at our annual Champagne Tent Event in 2017, where he charmed with his shy, sincere personality, and then dazzled us with his high-quality wines. Fallet-Dart is a great family-run, Direct Import house to support, and even without the backstory, I'd want to drink these delicious, complex Champagnes. Plus, this is fruit from a Clos and the 2004 vintage! We always have customers come too late to this party, only realizing how lovely this Champagne is when our limited quantity is gone. Don't let that be you. --------------------------------------------------------------- [2000 Xavier Vignon "2000" Châteauneuf-du-Pape]( Xavier Vignon "2000" Châteauneuf-du-Pape]( ($99.99) 94 points James Suckling: "Wild-blackberry, potpourri, tobacco and dark-chocolate aromas. It's full-bodied with firm, velvety tannins. Intense and polished with delicious praline layers. Still has plenty of energy and structure. Gorgeous balance." (02/2021) K&L Notes: Xavier Vignon's greatest strength as a winemaker is his ability to establish long-lasting and unique relationships with his partner winemakers and growers. For 25+ years, Vignon has made exciting and sumptuous modern wines, but he has also indulged in a few unique and interesting projects along the way. The "2000", like the "1972", is from a single source, but instead of concrete aging, the 2000 has been brought up entirely in wooden tank for the past 20 years. It is composed of 80% Grenache, 15% Mourvèdre with the remainder Cinsault and Syrah. All from red clay soils with rolled pebbles, it reflects the stellar vintage of 2000. Warm, rich fruit, plush tannins, and a mix of potpourri and baking spices make for one of the most fabulous wines you will drink this year. Fully mature and ready-to-drink or perfectly capable of aging for another decade or more. A must buy! Mabry]( | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: January 27, 2021 Upon opening a bottle, the Xavier Vignon immediately offers a promising nose of red cherry, lavender, and incense. As it unfolds, the palate joins the nose and fleshes out with a silky and inviting texture. It is amazing that the juice is 20 years old, as the wine is still so fresh and youthful. Cinnamon, allspice, and dried rose petals contribute to the fascinating palate. Almost seamless texture. An extraordinary and memorable wine built to last for another decade and maybe even two. --------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------- [New Feed]( [Auction]( [Local]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [On the Trail (K&L Blog)]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [Instagram]( [YouTube]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [BORDEAUX]( | [NAPA]( | [BURGUNDY]( | [CHAMPAGNE]( | [ITALY]( | [RHÔNE]( | [SPIRITS]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [My Account]( | [Wine Clubs]( | [Events]( |[Gift Cards]( | [Accessories]( | [Delivery]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Missed an offer? Check out recent opportunities at our [Email Archive]( page. 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