Give the Gift of Wine: Mixed 12-pack of Top-Quality 2014 Bordeaux Half-Bottles in Wood Box

12-pack of Top-Quality 2014 Bordeaux Half-Bottles in Wood Box $330 SOLD OUT

If you’re looking for the perfect gift for the wine lover in your life – even if that wine lover is you – look no further than our mixed 12-pack of Bordeaux half bottles packed in attractive wood boxes.

We selected an assortment of “Left-Bank” mostly Cabernet Sauvignon-based Bordeaux, ranging from everyday to Classified Growth wines, and we even threw in a bottle of Sauternes.

All wines are from the 2014 vintage, which has shaped up to be the best vintage following the historic back-to-back vintages of 2009 and 2010. The long growing season and a glorious autumn allowed for both maximum ripening and concentration. Yet ultimately it was the cool summer weather that has determined the style of the wines, with low pH and great body the wines of 2014 Bordeaux will generally show both power and freshness.

The sealed gift box includes the following bottles:

Château Lynch Bages (Pauillac 2014) – One Bottle
69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot
This classified “Fifth Growth” estate is one of the most recognized producers in the world. Since 1973 it has been owned by Jean-Michel Cazes and is now run by his son, Jean-Charles.

Château Duhart Milon (Pauillac 2014) – One Bottle
55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot
Classified “Fourth Growth” estate owned by the Rothschild family and adjacent to the vineyards of Château Lafite Rothschild.

Château Maucaillou (Moulis-en-Médoc 2014) – One Bottle
52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot
A property on the rise. Philippe Dourthe is at the helm of this family owned estate known for producing wines with depth of fruit and a firm and tannic structure.

Château Bastor-Lamontagne (Sauternes 2014) – One Bottle
80% Semillon, 17% Sauvignon, 3% Muscadelle
Recently purchased by the Cathiard family, who also own Château Smith Haut Lafitte in Pessac-Léognan and Château Beauregard in Pomerol.

Château Pédesclaux (Pauillac 2014) – Two Bottles 
53% Cabernet-Sauvignon, 47% Merlot
Pédesclaux recently enlarged their vineyard holdings with the purchase of 29 acres situated on the Milon plateau. These vines are located next to parcels owned by Château Lafite Rothschild and Château Mouton Rothschild.

Château du Glana (Saint-Julien 2014) – Two Bottles 
70% Cabernet-Sauvignon, 30% Merlot
A complete renovation in 2003 brought Château du Glana up to the standards of modern times in its wine making and vineyard management techniques. A genuine value wine from Saint-Julien.

Château Chasse Spleen (Moulis-en-Médoc 2014) – Two Bottles 
50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot
One of nine “Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnels” as classified in 2003, and one of the top two producers in the Moulis-en-Médoc appellation (alongside Château Poujeaux).

Château Sociando Mallet (Haut-Médoc 2014) – Two Bottles 
60% Merlot, 37% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc
Sociando-Mallet was a forgotten and derelict property by the time it was bought by Jean Gautreau in 1969. The estate has since seen considerable expansion and modernization, and subsequently a reputation for quality.

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en Magnum

 

If one or two 1.5 liter magnum bottles of Bordeaux make more sense as a gift for your wine loving friend or your cellar, we have a large selection of 2012 Bordeaux to choose from. Prices range from $160 to $290 for some of the top producers of the region, including: Saint-Émilion Premier Grand Cru Classé Château Troplong Mondot, Second-Growth Saint-Julien Château Léoville-Barton, and Third-Growth Margaux Château d’Issan, among many more.

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Posted on 2017.11.30 in France, Bordeaux, Saturday Sips Wines  |  Read more...

 

Beaujolais – The Perfect Thanksgiving Wine?

Our first rule for selecting Thanksgiving wine is not to freak out. The meal is far too diverse with textures, flavors and aromas to labor over perfect pairings. The wines should be light, refreshing and energetic, with moderate alcohol, lots of fruit, a lively acidity, and versatile enough to complement everything from the roast bird to Aunt Grace’s green bean casserole. Perhaps even more importantly, you should have plenty of wine. Thanksgiving is time for merriment and the wine should be as bountiful as the food without being too pricey — A magnum (1.5 liter bottle) on the table is always an invitation to celebrate. Beaujolais checks all the boxes. It is a wine that is somehow simultaneously uncomplicated and consequential.

Stop by this Saturday to sample a few different Beaujolais ideal for your Thanksgiving celebration and stock up with special discounts on all featured wines. All prices based on purchase of six or more bottles.

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~$16 Château Thivin Rosé (Beaujolais Villages 2016) SOLD OUT
The benchmark domaine in the Côte de Brouilly. The Geoffray family has been farming their steep, south-facing slopes of decomposed pink granite for over a century. The Rosé is sourced from a 2.5 acre plot of 50 year old vines. It is produced by direct pressing the grapes and allowing the skins to macerate with the juice for one day before vinification in cool, temperature-controlled stainless-steel cuves.

~$26 Château Thivin “Clos de Rochebonne” (Beaujolais Blanc 2016) SOLD OUT
100% Chardonnay vinified in one to 10-year-old barrels and aged on the lees for eight months.

~$22 Château Thivin Reverdon (Brouilly 2016) SOLD OUT
Sourced from the Reverdon sector of Mont Brouilly, an area known for producing wines of great finesse. Whole cluster fermentation for about a week and then aged in concrete tank for eight months.

~$25 Château Thivin (Côte de Brouilly 2016) SOLD OUT
From vineyards situated on steep slopes with a 48% grade and exposed to the South, East, and Southeast. The wine ages in oak foudres for six months before bottling.

~$24 Domaine Thibault Liger-Belair “Les Jeunes Pousses” (Beaujolais-Villages 2015)
The renowned Nuits-Saint-Georges producer Thibault Liger-Belair recently purchased eight prime parcels of vines in Moulin-à-Vent and is producing classic Burgundian Beaujolais.

~$28 Domaine Robert-Denogent “Cuvée Jules Chauvet” (Beaujolais Villages 2015)
In 1988, Jean-Jacques Robert took over 12 acres of his grandfather’s vines in the Mâconnais region of Burgundy just outside the village of Fuissé and soon came under the influence of one of the masters of terroir-focused Beaujolais, Marcel Lapierre. “Cuvée Jules Chauvet” is made from a parcel leased from the niece of another Beaujolais legend, Jules Chauvet. The wine is made with rigorous sorting in the vineyard and minimal intervention in the cellar and then aged for 16 months in seven-year-old barrels.

~$31 Jean-Paul Thévenet (Morgon 2016) SOLD OUT
Jean-Paul Thévenet is another disciple Jules Chauvet, returning Beaujolais production to more traditional practices. He farms his small 12 acre domaine with his son, Charly, who also makes his own wine from the neighboring Cru Régnié. Since 2008 the two have taken the domaine to the next level by adopting organic and biodynamic viticultural practices.

~$26 Charly Thévenet “Grain & Granit” (Régnié, 2016) SOLD OUT
Only 525 cases produced, “Grain & Granit” is the essence of serious and seriously drinkable Cru Beaujolais. The fruit is perfectly ripe, with thick skins and ideal acidity. This translates to a wine that clearly shows its Burgundy pedigree. High-toned violet, raspberry, and cherry licorice aromatics precede a sip that is sublimely balanced between firm, fresh fruit and mineral structure.

~$23 Guy Breton (Régnié 2013) SOLD OUT
Guy Breton’s Régnié is sourced from the hills between the Côte de Brouilly and the Côte du Py of Morgon, around the village of Régnié-Durette. Guy’s grandfather handed down the two parcels that go into this wine: one with 100-year-old and the other with 35-year-old vines. The shallow soil of sand and decomposing stones gives the vines easy access to the bedrock, creating firm wines with more grip and acidity than in Morgon.

$27 Guy Breton “Vieilles Vignes” (Morgon 2014) SOLD OUT
Guy Breton’s principal wine, the Morgon “Vieilles Vignes” is sourced from 2.5 acres of 80 year old vines in the Saint Joseph and Grand Cras subzones of the appellation, which give fine, stony wines. A high-lying sandy parcel contributes more complexity, structure, and acidity to the blend. After fermentation, the wine is aged on fine lees in Burgundian barrels (of at least the third passage).

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en Magnum (1.5 Liter Bottle)

~$37 Château Thivin Rosé (Beaujolais Villages 2016)

~$53 Domaine Chignard “Les Moriers” (Fleurie 2015)

~$71 Charly Thévenet “Grain & Granit” (Régnié, 2016)

~$89 Jean-Paul Thévenet (Morgon 2016)

$144 Domaine Thibault Liger-Belair “Les Vignes Centenaires” (Moulin-à-Vent 2014)

Double Magnum (3 Liter Bottle)

$180 Château Thivin (Cote de Brouilly 2016) SOLD OUT

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Posted on 2017.11.21 in Saturday Sips Wines, France, Beaujolais  |  Read more...

 

Classic Mediterranean Red from a Rising Star in a Rising Appellation

Domaine Saint Sylvestre Red (Terrasses du Larzac 2015)
Special 6-Pack Price: $216 ($36/bottle)

It seems absurd to think that a winemaking region as old and storied as the Languedoc in southern France would have sub-regions to “discover” but the truth is, historically speaking, the Languedoc is better known for vats of uninteresting co-op wines harvested mechanically from the flat lands of the Languedoc plains. Times they are a-changing. In the past few decades production of regional wines has decreased by half and appellation wine production has increased fivefold. While quality-focused producers in the established appellations are the major part of this pivot to a higher standard, there is also a new breed of young winemakers staking their claims in sub-regions that have only recently come to prominence.

There’s no better example of this new breed of Languedoc winemaker than Vincent Guizard of Domaine Saint Sylvestre in the newly minted appellation of Terrasses du Larzac. Together with his wife Sophie, Vincent is cultivating less than 20 acres of prime vineyards in this appellation known for its unique climate that benefits from both the warm Mediterranean sea and the cool air that blows down from the Larzac plateau on summer nights, creating wines that are fresh, yet delicate, with silky tannins and the earthy garrigue aromas characteristic of the Languedoc.

Vincent was raised working in the vines with his grandfather. In the late 90’s, he worked a couple of vintages with the renowned Olivier Jullien at Mas Jullien in Montpeyroux. From 2003 to 2010, he was part owner, in association with Frédéric Pourtalié, of Domaine de Montcalmès. It was 2010 that Vincent decided to break away from Montcalmès, taking 17 acres of vines with him, and creating Domaine Saint-Sylvestre with it’s first vintage release in 2011.

Vincent and Sophie employ a sustainable approach to viticulture, along the lines of “lutte raisonnée” (the reasoned struggle) and use no synthetic fertilizers or herbicides in the vineyards. Fermentation is completed using only indigenous wild yeasts. Domaine Saint Sylvestre Terrasses du Larzac Red is a blend of 70% Syrah, 20% Grenache, and 10% Mourvedre aged for two years in used barrels before blending and bottling. It exudes a heady nose of blackberry, garrigue, and smoke before a sappy yet balanced sip. While drinking well now, this wine will reward a few years of patience stored in a proper cellar.

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Domaine Saint Sylvestre White

Domaine Saint Sylvestre White (Languedoc 2016)
Special 6-Pack Price: ~$225 (~$38/bottle)

Exclusive to Elie Wine Co., Domaine Saint Sylvestre white is under the Languedoc appellation mainly because Terrasses du Larzac is presently only admitted for red wines. A blend of 45% Marsanne, 45% Rousanne, and 10% Viognier aged in used barrel for one year, the aromatic bouquet is incredibly complex with notes of flowers, spices, and orchard fruits. This is a superbly balanced white wine with just enough bracing minerality on the finish to match its gloriously ripe fruit.

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Posted on 2017.11.11 in France, Saturday Sips Wines, Languedoc-Roussillon  |  Read more...

 

Château Lillian-Ladouys – Unique & Inexpensive “Left Bank” Bordeaux

Château Lilian Ladouys (Saint-Estèphe 2014)
Special 6-pack price: $146 (~$24/bottle)

There are few places in France where the complex truths of terroir are explored with subtler articulacy than the “Left Bank” of Bordeaux. Although each of the top appellations share a similar climate and vineyards planted on the well-drained gravel banks set back from the marshy lowlands, it is perhaps what is unseen that counts most. Most wine pundits will tell you that, of all the significant appellations, it is Saint-Estèphe that is the most stern and stony of the bunch, possibly due to a mixture of iron in the appellation’s gravel base.

This might explain why the historic estate of Château Lilian Ladouys has released their Classified Cru Bourgeois 2014 vintage with Merlot as the base of the blend, allowing for a bit more richness and softness earlier in the wine’s developmental arc. Indeed, this blend of 56% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot from low yielding vines is a bit more approachable than your typical newly released Saint-Estèphe wine. But this doesn’t make it a jammy fruit bomb. The wine is finely structured with muscular tannins and tight acidity. Although clearly Merlot-based, the significant amount of Cabernet Sauvignon truly brings out a black-currant fruitiness.

The current owners, Jacky and Françoise Lorenzetti, acquired the estate in 2008. They quickly launched a vast re-parceling program and constructed a new semi-underground vat house to allow for gravity-fed production, promptly improving the quality of the wines. The couple are no strangers to Bordeaux winemaking, also owning “Fifth-Growth” Château Pédesclaux in Pauillac and half of the “Third-Growth” Château d’Issan in Margaux.

 

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More from Saint-Estèphe 2014

There are plenty more fantastic 2014 Saint-Estèphe wines to choose from here at the shop, from Cru Bourgeois to “Second-Growth.” All prices based on the purchase of six or more bottles (mix-and-match).

~$34 Château Meyney
With the consultation of Hubert de Boüard of Château Angélus the 2014 vintage of Chateau Meyney is quite possibly the best wine produced in the history of the estate.

~$44 Château Lafon-Rochet
Since purchase in the late 1950s by the Tesseron family, this classified “Fourth-Growth” estate has continually improved. Today, it’s Basile Tesseron continuing the focus on quality.

~$46 Château Phélan Ségur
One of nine “Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnels” as classified in 2003. In 2011 the estate finished extensive renovations in their wine making facilities and cellars, shifting to smaller stainless steel fermentation vats that allow for more precise vinification on a parcel by parcel basis.

$126 Château Calon-Ségur
Classified “Third-Growth” estate. Very recent renovations allowing vinification on a parcel by parcel basis and a completely new, 100% gravity-fed vat room illustrate the commitment to quality at Calon-Ségur.

~$52  Les Pagodes de Cos (second wine of Château Cos d’Estournel)
$162 Château Cos d’Estournel
Classified “Second-Growth” estate. Cos d’Estournel’s recently renovated world-class cellars are operated entirely by gravity to allow for pure and complete expression of their extraordinary terroir adjacent to Château Lafite-Rothschild.

$198 Château Montrose
Classified “Second-Growth” estate. One of the leading properties of St. Estéphe that produces some of the longest-lived wines in the Médoc. Recent multi-million dollar renovations make Château Montrose not only one of the most modern estates in the world but also one of the most sustainable.

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Posted on 2017.11.10 in France, Bordeaux, Saturday Sips Wines  |  Read more...

 

Domaine Paul Pernot – Pre-Arrival Offer of 2015 Burgundy from Top Producer in Puligny-Montrachet

With significant vineyard holdings in the commune of Puligny-Montrachet, and an adherence to traditional winemaking that focuses on wines that speak of place, Domaine Paul Pernot is considered one of the top producers in the appellation.

Join us this Saturday to taste several wines from Domaine Paul Pernot and the 2015 vintage. Not all the wines have arrived at the shop yet so we are offering a Pre-Arrival sale with significant discounts on six bottles or more.

Pundits are deeming 2015 an “extraordinary” vintage throughout the Côte d’Or. Typical of warm, sunny years the 2015 whites are clean, pure and rich, favoring ripe orchard and soft citrus fruits over bracing minerality. These are wines that don’t necessarily need time in the cellar to show their full expression.

Paul Pernot began the domaine that carries his name in 1959. He started with about 25 acres of vines, most of which had been in the family for nearly 200 years. Today it is Paul’s sons, Paul and Michel, who manage the estate. Over the years the two sons have expanded holdings and now farm over 50 acres of vines, most within the commune of Puligny-Montrachet, including two Grands Crus – Bâtard-Montrachet and Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet, as well as four other top Premiers Crus: Les Champs-Canet, Les Folatières, Clos de La Garenne, and Les Pucelles.

The wines are meticulously made, with minimal batonnage to keep them pure. The regional wines are fermented in tank but all of the higher appellation wines are fermented in barrel. No new oak is used for the regional and village wines. Premiers Crus get about 30% new oak, and the grand crus between 40-50%, depending on the vintage. At present, 80% of the wines produced by Domaine Paul Pernot are sold to négociants in Beaune under contract. But the 20% that the estate retains and bottles themselves are some of the finest representations of Puligny-Montrachet in existence.

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Featured Wines

~$64 Puligny-Montrachet (2015)
Vinified from four different separate lieux-dits within Puligny-Montrachet and Blagny with vines that average 50 years of age.

~$93 “Les Folatières” (Puligny-Montrachet, Premier Cru 2015)
Vinified from a 7.6 acre parcel of 45+ year old vines.

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White Wines from Domaine Paul Pernot

~$22 Bourgogne Aligoté (2015)
Aligoté is the other white grape of Burgundy. Light, crisp, and refreshing.

~$26 Bourgogne Blanc (2015) SOLD OUT
Vinified in stainless steel from Puligny-Montrachet vines on the border of Meursault.

~$81 “La Pièce sous le Bois” (Meursault, Premier Cru 2015)
Vinified from a 1.6 acre Premier Cru parcel bordering Puligny-Montrachet.

~$93 “Clos de la Garenne” (Puligny-Montrachet, Premier Cru 2015)
Vinified from a 1.7 acre parcel that was purchased by Paul Pernot’s great-grandfather and that was replanted in 1957.

~$93 “Champ Canet – Clos de la Jacquelotte” (Puligny-Montrachet, Premier Cru 2015)
Clos de la Jacquelotte is a climat within Champ Canet. There is only one other owner of vines in this clos besides Pernot.

~$136 “Les Pucelles” (Puligny-Montrachet, Premier Cru 2015)
One of the top Premier Cru in all of Burgundy “Les Pucelles” is basically an extension of the Grand Cru of Montrachet. Vinified from less than an acre parcel of 35+ year old vines.

~$246 Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet (Grand Cru 2015)
One of the finest expressions of Chardonnay in the world. Vinified from two parcels of vines totaling less than an acre.

~$280 Bâtard-Montrachet (Grand Cru 2015)
One of the finest expressions of Chardonnay in the world. Vinified from three parcels of vines totaling close to 1.5 acres.

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Red Wines from Domaine Paul Pernot

~$47 “Clos du Dessus des Marconnets” (Beaune 2015)
A monopole of the domaine upslope from the Premier Cru “Les Marconnets” and bordering the commune of Savigny-lès-Beaune.

~$55 “Les Teurons” (Beaune, Premier Cru 2015)
Vinified from a tiny Premier Cru parcel just over half of an acre in the center of Beaune.

~$59 “Carelle sous la Chapelle” (Volnay, Premier Cru 2015)
Vinified from old vines of an indeterminate age from a tiny Premier Cru parcel just over half of an acre and downslope from the village of Volnay.

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Posted on 2017.10.26 in Saturday Sips Wines, France, Burgundy  |  Read more...

 

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