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The following are relatively recent arrivals arranged by category. We have well over 1000 other wines that are not listed on the web site, but these are some of our recently acquired wines that are interesting, worthy, and sometimes unusual. They are listed on each page by price and under appropriate subcategories. New Wines Purchased at Auction
Approximately
once a year, I attend an auction held by one of my suppliers. They essentially
try to "clean house" of wines that haven't sold well or that they
need to sell to make room for new vintages. Many of these wines haven't sold
well for a reason: they stink! Others are sleeping gems that have been
overlooked. My job is to find the gems and hopefully get them at a price that
allows me to offer you great values. I tasted about 50 wines this time and
found 10 that I really liked. Two of those were still too expensive. I bid on
eight wines and won four of them. Surprisingly, two of them are Champagnes.
All of them are delicious and represent savings ranging from 27% to 52% off
the original prices.
Domaine Marc Kreydenweiss Kritt Gewurztraminer "Les Charmes," 2004 (Was $27.99, Now $12.99) - Refined style with good body and a complex flavor that reminds one of peach, pear, honey, & quince. Like most Alsatian wines, it smells as if it will be sweet, but it tastes dry to just off-dry. This is the perfect wine for Asian food, and it is an absurd value at this price. The history of the domaine is complicated but can be traced to two Abbeys prior to the French Revolution. Alfred Gresser bottled the first wines from the estate in 1850. Vine grower Rene Kreydenweiss married Gresser's daughter. His son, Marc, took over the family business in 1971 at the age of 23 and has managed the 12-hectare domaine ever since. In 1983, he cut yields to 40 hl/ha in order to upgrade quality, and in 1989 he began practicing bio-dynamic principles which are ultra organic vineyard techniques. "Kritt" refers to a semi-hilly, rocky area with solifluction deposits. It is not officially a Grand Cru, but Marc feels that it is distincitive enough to warrant the name Kritt. Its wines tend to be delicate yet expressive with aromas of roses, wax, spices, and honey. More information can be found at http://www.kreydenweiss.com/en/index.html.Delbeck Brut NV (Was $39.99, Now $25.99) - Reviewed by the Wine Spectator numerous times over the years. Most recent: 90 "A bold toast aroma introduces this rich Champagne, whose honey and hazelnut flavors lend warmth and richness, yet it shows finesse. Very fine length and intensity on the palate, with a nutty finish." The Delbeck Champagne house was established in 1832 by Félix-Désiré Delbeck in Reims. A Flemish banker who invested heavily in vineyards, Delbeck was also the husband of Balsamie Ponssardin, niece of the renowned Veuve Clicquot. Delbeck champagne quickly became a favorite of the King and his Court, and in 1838 it was named the official Champagne of the French monarchy. As a result, Delbeck is the only Champagne allowed to carry the royal emblem & the motto "Fournisseurs de l'Ancienne Cour de France." The Champagne became very well-known circa 1870-1912, and was the 3rd largest Champagne imported by the United States and Canada in 1884. In the 20th century, the popularity of Delbeck was eclipsed by other houses that instituted massive advertising campaigns, especially Moet & Chandon and most recently Clicquot, and to a lesser extent Piper Heidsieck, Taittinger, Perrier Jouet, Roederer, and Mumms. In quality, however, Delbeck is second to none of these and superior to many. We have a limited supply of this wine. Louis Michel Chablis, 2001 ($14.99) Was $22! A very traditional style. With medium body, beautifully rendered Chardonnay fruit, and some mature complexity, this is a steal. Very limited. Louis Michel Chablis 1er Cru “Montmaine,” 2001 ($19.99) - Was $32! A very traditional style. Louis Michel is one of Chablis’ most respected producers. This premier cru is similar to the AC listed above, but with a rounder texture and substantially more fruit and character. Limited. Serres Côte-Rôtie, 1998 and 1999 ($19.99) - Was $40! One of the finest wines of the northern Rhône, Côte-Rôties are mostly Syrah grapes with a little Viognier (to expand the bouquet). They typically show fascinating meat (including bacon) and floral aromas and flavors. These are not the biggest or best examples of Côte-Rôtie we have ever tasted, but they are tasty wines at half the price of most. They are medium-bodied with plenty of mature fruit and finesse. Limited Chateau Malartic La Gravières, Pessac-Léognon, 2000 ($39.99) Was $55! This very serious Bordeaux is approaching its prime drinking years. It will continue to evolve. Wine Spectator: 92! “Really well-done. Best I have had from here. Extremely refined and well-crafted, with delicate spice, fresh meat, and berry character. Full-bodied, with super-well-integrated tannins.” Robert Parker 90: “A model of elegance, symmetry, and balanced power, it displays sweet aromas of plums, currants, tobacco, and smoke. It has abundant power, concentration, extract, glycerin, and length. This elegant, expansive, juicy, layered, medium-bodied effort should prove reasonably long-lived.Drink 2006-2020.” Limited.
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