K&L Rhône News: 100-Point CdP Stars, Direct-Import Stunners, & Best Buy Values

Remarkable depth of rewarding selections: discover your next favorite bottle... Monday Apr 4th, 2022 [View in Browser]( [KL-emailheader.gif]( [Rhône News]( [Today's Newsletter]( is returns us to one of our very favorite regions in the world for both incomparable value stunners and blue-chip collector's trophies alike. Rhône buyer Keith Mabry recently made his first trip back to the region in three years, and he's returned with fresh insight and ton of renewed energy and excitement for the category. First up, Keith shares with us three of his very best buys from Châteauneuf-du-Pape, wines that represent unbeatable quality and class in their respective price tiers. Next, we'll shine a spotlight on two standout, direct-import domaines that are bringing us incredible wines at even more incredible prices. For the fanatical Rhône enthusiast, we've saved you some legwork and compiled a thrilling selection of Châteauneuf all-star collectibles from the monumental 2019 vintage. Three of the greatest names in the appellation are waiting for you below. Finally, a long-time favorite, boutique domaine from the Northern Rhône has returned to the California market after a brief absence, and we're sure you're going to love the trio of stellar new releases from the always exceptional Eric & Joël Durand. [Châteauneuf-du-Pape] --------------------------------------------------------------- Keith's Hand-Picked Best Buys from Châteauneuf-du-Pape Fresh off the plane from the other side of the pond, Keith has the Châteauneuf bug in a big way. From a deep stable of options, he's selected three can't-miss, under-the-radar best buys whose quality far outpaces their price points. In a generational vintage like 2019, value stunners often reach new heights, and Jeb Dunnuck dubs the sub-$35 2019 Chante Cigale "wonderfully pure, seamless ... a smoking classic Châteauneuf." Our newest direct-import addition, Domaine Benedetti serves up a stellar 2016 flagship bottling that carries glowing press from Dunnuck and Wine Advocate, offering one of the best cellar-worthy buys still on the market from this now-iconic vintage. Speaking of iconic 2016s, Domaine Durieu's Bois-Lauzon is a JD98 "powerhouse of a wine ... full-bodied, concentrated, and flawlessly balanced," with a profile and potential lifespan that puts it squarely among the region's most hallowed wines. Châteauneuf fans can confidently stack their cellars full of QPR excellence with any and all of these wonderful offerings. Vintage Item Name Score Retail Link 2019 Domaine Chante Cigale Châteauneuf-du-Pape 93 $34.99 [View]( 2016 Domaine Benedetti "Larmes Papales" Châteauneuf-du-Pape 96 $59.99 [View]( 2016 Domaine Durieu "Lieu-Dit Bois-Lauzon" Châteauneuf-du-Pape 98 $89.99 [View]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Ferraton & Sénéchaux: Direct-Import All-Stars from North & South As our direct-import stable continues to grow with stellar new additions, we're still fully enthralled with two of our mainstays. Ferraton in the Northern Rhône and Sénéchaux in Châteauneuf-du-Pape continue their unbroken track records of thrilling new releases and even manage to throw in a surprise library star ringer. The highly allocated 2018s from Ferraton are now in stock, led by three superb reds that show the very pinnacle of what this Chapoutier-run estate is all about. The 95-point Cornas Les Eygats is a pure expression of arguably the appellation's greatest vineyard, while the pair Hermitage bottlings show the kind of collectible substance and appeal you'd expect to find in wines bearing names like Ogier and Chave, but for a mere fraction of the price. If you haven't discovered Ferraton yet, here is your gateway. We've also enjoyed tremendous success with Sénéchaux down south, and their 2017 CdP captures all the character of an under-the-radar year that Dunnuck calls "a classic vintage for the region, [in which] the wines ooze Provençal charm." Finally, the domaine has supplied us with a perfectly aged 2010 bottling that now shows us exactly what this benchmark vintage looks like in full form. It's nearly unheard-of to find 2010s on the open market nowadays, and even more so at just $64.99, but that just goes to show one of the many benefits that these relationships confer upon us and our clients year after year. Vintage Item Name Score Retail Link 2018 Ferraton Père et Fils "Lieu-Dit Les Eygats" Cornas 95 $49.99 [View]( 2018 Ferraton Père et Fils "Les Dionnières" Ermitage 97 $79.99 [View]( 2018 Ferraton Père et Fils "Le Méal" Ermitage 96 $110.00 [View]( 2020 Domaine des Sénéchaux Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc 93 $39.99 [View]( 2017 Domaine des Sénéchaux Châteauneuf-du-Pape 94 $44.99 [View]( 2010 Domaine des Sénéchaux Châteauneuf-du-Pape 94 $64.99 [View]( --------------------------------------------------------------- 2019 Châteauneuf's Brightest Collectible Stars The press is fully in on the 2019 Châteauneuf-du-Pape vintage, and it is an undisputed, monumental barnburner in which the top estates have truly reached jaw-dropping heights. Three of the most standout performers of the vintage are listed below, and their wines represent some of the year's absolute must-have collectible buys. Domaine de la Janasse once again dominates the sub-$100 sphere with a pair of 98-point achievements, while Domaine de la Vieille Julienne blows the doors off with a Les Hauts Lieux that notched a JD98+ rating alongside a towering, 100-point Réserve. It's Clos Saint-Jean, however, that takes the crown for bringing us not one but two utterly mind-blowing, 100-point wines, each for under $150. The Combe des Fous and the Deus Ex Machina are arguably the greatest ever renditions of these two cherished cuvées, and both deserve a showcase place in any collection of the region's most revered wines. Vintage Item Name Score Retail Link 2019 Domaine de la Janasse "Tradition" Châteauneuf-du-Pape 95 $49.99 [View]( 2019 Domaine de la Janasse "Chaupin" Châteauneuf-du-Pape (Pre-Arrival) 98 $69.99 [View]( 2019 Domaine de la Janasse Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes (Pre-Arrival) 98 $99.99 [View]( 2019 Clos Saint-Jean Châteauneuf-du-Pape (Pre-Arrival) 94 $42.99 [View]( 2019 Clos Saint-Jean "Combe des Fous" Châteauneuf-du-Pape (Pre-Arrival) 100 $139.99 [View]( 2019 Clos Saint-Jean "Deus Ex Machina" Châteauneuf-du-Pape (Pre-Arrival) 100 $149.99 [View]( 2019 Domaine de la Vieille Julienne "Les Trois Sources" Châteauneuf-du-Pape (Pre-Arrival) 96 $79.99 [View]( 2019 Domaine de la Vieille Julienne "Les Hauts Lieux" Châteauneuf-du-Pape (Pre-Arrival) 98+ $109.99 [View]( 2019 Domaine de la Vieille Julienne "Réserve" Châteauneuf-du-Pape (Pre-Arrival) 100 $339.99 [View]( *Pre-Arrivals: please see specific product pages for arrival details. --------------------------------------------------------------- The Triumphant Return of Cornas' Domaine Durand One of our favorite boutique Northern Rhône producers has returned to the California market with a triumphant trio of new releases. Eric & Joël Durand garnered a solid following over several vintages, culminating in their impeccable 2016s, and after a brief absence they're back in stock with a pair of can't-miss 2018 QPR champions from Cornas and a stellar, entry-level St-Joseph from the outstanding 2019 vintage. The Les Coteaux is "a big, plush example of [St-Joseph], concentrated and rich, with a long, velvety finish" according to Wine Advocate and an unbeatable in-stock value at under $30. Meanwhile, the 94-point 2018 Empreintes Cornas is described by Decanter as "very well judged, with great focus and intensity." The crème de la crème, however, is the JD96 Confidence Cornas that Dunnuck calls one of his favorites from the appellation and "a headturner." As impeccable as the winemaking and terroir expressions are, the pricing is truly the most astouding feature of the Durand line-up. Even with a sterling track record of critical acclaim over several vintages, these remain some of the most razor-sharp buys in the Northern Rhône, and we're over the moon to see them on our shelves again. Vintage Item Name Score Retail Link 2019 Eric & Joël Durand "Les Coteaux" St-Joseph 92 $29.99 [View]( 2018 Eric & Joël Durand "Empreintes" Cornas 94 $44.99 [View]( 2018 Eric & Joël Durand "Confidence" Cornas 96 $54.99 [View]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [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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