NV Derafica Grotta Del Gelo Etna Rosso DOC Sicily Italy

NV Derafica Grotta Del Gelo Etna Rosso DOC Sicily Italy

with No Comment $30-$40ItalyKevin VogtRosso

Serafica

Grotta Del Gelo
Etna Rosso DOC
Sicily, Italy NV

NV Derafica Grotta Del Gelo Etna Rosso DOC Sicily Italy

High on the southern slopes of Mount Etna, where molten rock meets chilled alpine air, Serafica’s Grotta del Gelo Etna Rosso captures the elegance born from hardship. The vines root deep into fractured basalt, their struggle translating into purity and precision. It’s a red that feels both elemental and precise, channeling the power of Sicily’s most extreme terroir into a wine of haunting elegance.

Grotta del Gelo distills Etna’s raw, shifting energy into harmony. Although bottled non-vintage, this wine hails from the 2021 vintage and is drawn from vines perched nearly 900 meters above sea level. Days drenched in Sicilian sun ripened the fruit to vivid concentration, while cool nights sculpted vibrant mountain purity and freshness. 

This wine’s core of Nerello Mascalese brings precision and lift, while Nerello Cappuccio adds depth and spice, their partnership weaving a tapestry of red currant, tobacco leaf, and crushed herbs. Its tannins are polished but resolute, as though shaped by wind and stone. It’s a wine that feels composed, orchestrated by nature and refined by hand.

Serafica
Grotta Del Gelo
Etna Rosso DOC
Sicily, Italy NV

Your Price: $38

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“The Serafica Grotta del Gelo Etna Rosso is composed predominantly of fruit from the 2021 vintage, and paints a picture of its volcanic origin with aromas of graphite and pencil lead, juicy red and black cherries, pomegranate, dried herbs, savory spices, and sunbaked clay. On the palate, the wine is bright with juicy, red fruits, truffles, cracked pepper, and a mineral-driven tension balanced by smooth, velvety tannins. The wine’s concentration and complexity unwind as the wine opens up and reveals more and more with a friendly approachability.”

94 Points

NV Gimonnet Gonet L'Origine Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Champagne

NV Gimonnet Gonet L’Origine Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Champagne

with No Comment $60-$70ChampagneChampagne/SparklingFranceKevin Vogt

Gimonnet-Gonet

L’Origine Grand Cru
Blanc de Blancs Champagne
Le Mesnil Sur Oger NV

NV Gimonnet Gonet L'Origine Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Champagne

High on the chalky slopes of Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Champagne’s most revered village, Gimonnet-Gonet’s L’Origine Blanc de Blancs delivers a portrait of purity and precision that belies its price. This wine reflects its legendary terroir with crystalline clarity. From its electric minerality to its tensile backbone of acidity, L’Origine channels the distinctive tension and elegance for which Le Mesnil is famed.

Crafted exclusively from Chardonnay and drawn from vines averaging 35 to 40 years in age, the wine gains quiet authority and layered depth. The cuvée is composed of a reserve of multiple vintages, assembled to maintain house character and amplify nuance. 

Fermented in stainless steel and kept deliberately free from malolactic conversion, L’Origine preserves a lifted, stony brightness. It then rests 22 to 36 months on the lees, gaining volume and creamy texture without sacrificing its driving core. Disgorged just six months before release, the wine retains its precision and vibrancy. This is Blanc de Blancs in its purest form: linear, luminous, and deeply evocative of place.

Gimonnet-Gonet
L’Origine Grand Cru
Blanc de Blancs Champagne
Le Mesnil Sur Oger NV

Your Price: $65

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“The Champagne Gimonnet Gonet L’Origine Blanc de Blancs from Le Mesnil Sur Oger is nothing short of extraordinary. The nose begins with notes of chalky minerality, and the cold, crisp essence of winter’s first snowfall. Aromas unfold with elegant layers of lemon zest, apple, quince, pear, and raw almonds that transfer to the palate, with a burst of vivacious acidity, and a hint of a slightly glazed, flaky pastry lending a delicate richness and balance to match the wine’s innate brightness and finesse.”

97 Points

NV Lortum Riche Cabernet Sauvignon Cask #9 Row 48 Napa Valley

NV Lortum Riche Cabernet Sauvignon Cask #9 Row 48 Napa Valley

with No Comment $30 and underCabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaUSA

Lortum Riché

Cabernet Sauvignon
Cask #9 | Row 48
Napa Valley NV

NV Lortum Riche Cabernet Sauvignon Cask #9 Row 48 Napa Valley

Lortum Riché Vineyards, a family-owned winery now in its second generation, is dedicated to crafting wines of exceptional concentration and authentic luxury. Their modern winemaking facility, combined with strong relationships with Napa Valley’s most respected growers, ensures unwavering quality.

The name “Lortum” combines “lor” and “tum,” forming a “ripe exclamation of surprise,” and combined with “Riché” signifies a “rich, ripe exclamation of surprise,” reflecting the essence of the quality of fruit found in each bottle. 

Winemaker Kevin Morrisey, renowned for his work at Ehlers Estate, brings his expertise to Lortum Riché. He strives to create wines of energy, focus, and complexity, achieved through meticulous viticulture and gentle fruit handling.

The Lortum Riché ‘Row 48 – Cask 9’ is a masterfully blended non-vintage wine that captures the spirit of Napa Valley. It offers enticing aromas and a satiny, vibrant, medium/full body. The finish is warm, layered, and remarkably long, with beautifully balanced fruit.

Lortum Riché
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cask #9 | Row 48
Napa Valley NV
Retails at: $85

Your Price: $25

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“Kevin Morrisey, formerly of Ehlers Estate, crafted this multi-vintage blend of 2019, 2021, and 2022 fruit. It offers an easy-drinking profile with red and black fruit character, complemented by sweet cedar spices. Medium-bodied, it features notes of dark chocolate and fine-grained tannins, leading to a tremendously satisfying finish.”

92 Points

NV Boomslang Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

NV Boomslang Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

with No Comment $30 and underAtlas PeakCabernet SauvignonDiamond MountainHowell MountainKevin VogtNapaUSA

Boomslang

Cabernet Sauvignon
NV Napa Valley

NV Boomslang Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

Innovation fuels the spirit of Thurlow Cellars, and their Boomslang Cabernet Sauvignon is a bold embodiment of this ethos. This dynamic, multi-vintage blend – artfully combining fruit from the 2019 to 2022 harvests – defies convention, earning an impressive 94-point rating and captivating wine enthusiasts with its exceptional quality at an accessible price. Decanter Magazine has lauded this groundbreaking approach, encouraging more wineries to explore the untapped potential of multi-vintage winemaking.

Guided by the visionary winemaker Kevin Morrisey, formerly of Ehlers Estate, Boomslang is a symphony of Napa Valley’s finest high-elevation vineyards. Grapes sourced from esteemed sites like Atlas Peak, Diamond Mountain, and Howell Mountain converge to showcase a captivating interplay of terroir and time. Embracing a minimalist, hands-off approach complemented by cutting-edge technology, the Thurlow Cellars team allows the vineyards to speak for themselves, preserving the unique character and complexity of each parcel.

Boomslang Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon invites you on a journey through Napa’s diverse landscapes and vintages, weaving together the essence of each growing season. This captivating blend entices you to savor the layers of innovation, terroir, and artistry, all offered at a compelling value.

Boomslang
Cabernet Sauvignon
NV Napa Valley
Retails at: $68

Your Price: $60

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“Boomslang is a multi-vintage blend of 2019, 2021, and 2022 fruit, and is crafted by Kevin Morrisey (formerly of Ehlers Estate). It’s an incredibly easy-drinking, smooth Cabernet with just enough fine-grained tannins to layer in a bit of grippy texture, but for the most part, it’s a pretty, red-fruited elegant Cabernet with good tension and energy. This makes me wish California wineries would do more non-vintage blends.”

94 Points

NV Bouquin-Dupont Grand Cru Champagne Blanc De Blancs Brut

NV Bouquin-Dupont Grand Cru Champagne Blanc De Blancs Brut

with No Comment $50-$60ChampagneChampagne/SparklingFranceKevin Vogt

BOUQUIN-DUPONT

GRAND CRU CHAMPAGNE
BLANC DE BLANCS BRUT NV

NV Bouquin-Dupont Grand Cru Champagne Blanc De Blancs Brut
The Echelle des Crus was established in 1911, ranking Champagne’s wine-producing villages and the vineyards surrounding them on a scale from 80-100%, and out of the 319 villages in the region, just 17 were awarded a 100% rating and given the prestigious Grand Cru status. Bouquin-DuPont’s Grand Cru Champagne is a prime example of classification’s majestic and regal quality.
This wine originates from Bouquin DuPont & Fils’ Grand Cru vineyard in Avize in the heart of the Côte des Blancs, an area home to vineyards owned by famous Champagne houses such as Moët & Chandon, Roederer, and Taittinger. This ‘Blanc de Blancs’ is a 100% Chardonnay blend from the house’s base wines aged four to ten years on the lees, creating a wonderfully developed, complex wine with a superb balance of focused, linear flavors and aromas.
BOUQUIN-DUPONT
GRAND CRU CHAMPAGNE
BLANC DE BLANCS BRUT NV
Your Price: $55
“Indescribably brilliant with a freshness and vibrancy that need to be experienced to be believed , this otherworldly Champagne cascades wave after wave of candied citrus, quince, yellow plum and green pear fruit with elements of wet stone/saline-like minerality, toast, white flowers and a hint of ginger. On your palate, it takes over and puts your swallow reflex into overdrive, then the expansive finish grows for a minute plus, leaving you begging for another sip. It’s simply my new favorite Champagne.”
97 Points
NV Marquis de la Mysteriale Cuvee Grand Esprit Champagne

NV Marquis de la Mysteriale Cuvee Grand Esprit Champagne

with No Comment $30 and underChampagneChampagne/SparklingFranceKevin Vogt

MARQUIS de la MYSTERIALE

CUVÉE GRAND ESPRIT
CHAMPAGNE NV

NV Marquis de la Mysteriale Cuvee Grand Esprit Champagne
How much would you expect to pay for a bottle of Champagne? Champagne commands a higher price tag than other sparkling wines due to strict requirements on aging and the fact that the region is roughly 8% of the size of Sonoma County. Champagne wines must spend at least 15 months in the bottle before release, which is longer than any other Sparkling, and they usually start above $40-$60/btl. There’s a reason why Marquis de La Mysteriale Champagne is just $29.99. The company that produces it has decided to discontinue this particular wine, which creates a grand opportunity for you.
 
Maison de Grand Esprit crafts their Champagne in a toasty and rich style, which they achieve through aging on the lees for a full 15 months. Their winemaking team sourced the grapes from small family growers, and they completed the blend with 59% Chardonnay and 41% Pinot Noir. 
 
Winemaker Florent Gauthier has an inherent passion for wine he’s developed in France, Switzerland, Australia, Chile, Argentina, and California, even working for a brief time at Stags’ Leap Winery. He believes in minimal intervention winemaking and allowing for each wine’s finesse and elegance to express itself.
 
MARQUIS de la MYSTERIALE
CUVÉE GRAND ESPRIT
CHAMPAGNE NV
Retails at: $60
 
Your Price: $29.99
 
 
“This wine is soft and well balanced. An attractive predominance of Chardonnay in the blend with Pinot Noir gives an edge of minerality as well as fresh apple flavors. The wine is ready to drink.”
90 Points
 
“Rich and complex yet fresh, our Champagne possesses a beautiful, intricate aroma of toasted bread, almond and nougat combined with a fine, persistent mousse.”
NV Haute Couture Rose French Bubbles

NV Haute Couture Rosé French Bubbles

with No Comment $30 and underChampagneChampagne/SparklingFranceKevin Vogt

HAUTE COUTURE

FRENCH BUBBLES
ROSÉ NV

NV Haute Couture Rose French Bubbles
Haute Couture French Bubbles unites the worlds of wine and fashion by fusing an ideal combination of flavor, style, packaging, and price. Their winemaking team perfectly unified traditional French winemaking with a new-world like fruit and mouthfeel, and at $28, this wine will make many friends… 
 
The winery is owned by Jean-Charles Boisset, who grew up at his parents Château du Clos Vougeot. He now operates one of the most impressive family-owned wine empires, with around 20 estates from France to California.
 
The blend combined Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes from several regions in France, and the wine team crafted it using traditional methods. After fermenting the grapes into still wine, they add a specific amount of liqueur de tirage (a liquid solution of yeast, wine, sugar,) to begin secondary fermentation. The next step is the dosage, which adds sugar back into the wine to soften it, and the results are stunning.
 
HAUTE COUTURE
FRENCH BUBBLES
ROSÉ NV
Retails at: $30
 
Your Price: $28
 
“Pale pink in color with enticing aromas and flavors of juicy cherry, blackberry and raspberry. On the palate, this rosé is creamy and has the perfect dosage for a delicately sweet finish”