Our case of the year is in stock now. For those of you not familiar, Rich and I have spent the last six months searching for exceptional wines, then negotiating sweet deals. In total, we brought in 400 cases. And we are down to about 140! "What? This is the first I've heard of this!" Well, the truth is we offered to last year's buyers as a sneak peek and the response was incredible. Now it's your turn to got some! 


Total for the case is $179.88 net - a ridiculous $14.99 per bottle.

Do you know what I am going to say next? That combined price Beats the Best US Price for these four wines!!!

Note: These wines are not for sale individually at this time. The Case of the Year consists of three bottles of each of these wines. No substitutions or changes in the number of each are available at this time. 

The Deal – Let’s go bullet points to emphasize the excitement…

• The regular price on a mixed case (3 of each) would be $261
• Assuming a 15% case discount, that would come out to $221.85
• I’m going to offer this for a ridiculous $179.88 – Just $14.99 per bottle
• That’s 31% off the regular price – oh, and beats the Best US Price for all of these wines by over $23!

Chateau le Grand Moulin Blaye Cotes de Bordeaux 2016

Regularly $24

92 pts Wine Enthusiast

“92 point Bordeaux for $13.75? Seriously? “

C’mon, this is how we roll! I stole it from a national chain who was slow to pick up.

The sheer density of fruit and tannins is what I find particularly compelling in this wine. It drinks like $30+ Bordeaux, just stacked with layer after layer of black plum, currant and black cherry flavors all with a fine layer of firm tannins in between – like the most perfect Bordeaux cake ever made! Don’t get me wrong… this is not fruit bomb; along with the tannins, there are balancing notes of truffles, anise and spice. Wine Enthusiast says to drink starting in 2022, but no way we are going to wait. You can pop and pour, or decant for as long as you like, and serve with full, rich meat dishes!

“Dense and full of tannins, it also offers ripe fruits. Its structure and density match the intensity of the fruit, meaning the wine has a great future. With a dense aftertaste, the wine will age, so drink from 2022.”

Nielson Pinot Noir Santa Barbara County 2017

Regulary $19

90 pts Wine Advocate

Fom legendary Santa Barbara producer Byron comes this spectacular blend. “Uh, Todd… isn’t this just 100% Pinot Noir?”

“Um… blend?”
Yes!

You see, in order to craft this beauty, winemaker Ryan Pace utilizes fruit from the three major Pinot Noir growing regions within Santa Barbara County. Each one has unique characteristics imbued by their soil and proximity to the Pacific Ocean. Santa Maria Valley is cool, with well-drained soils and a long growing season, bringing lovely aromas and red fruit flavors to the wine. Los Alamos is slightly warmer and adds darker cherry and blackberry flavors. Finally, Santa Rita Hills, with is steep vineyard slopes, adds power, minerality and tannins. Put it all together and you have one heck of a Pinot Noir!

“The 2017 Pinot Noir Santa Barbara County was sourced from multiple sites across the county and aged in 5% new French oak. Pale to medium ruby, it has a perfumed nose of violet, tangerine peel, Earl Grey tea leaves, crushed blackberries, cranberries, rhubarb, woodsmoke and pipe tobacco with an earthy undercurrent. The palate is light to medium-bodied with a good core of earthy fruit framed by grainy tannins and great freshness, finishing earthy.” WA

Guillaume Gonnet Lirac “le Virtuose” 2018

Regularly $25

No review – previous vintages have been 90 pts Wine Advocate

Ok… what the heck is Lirac? Lirac is the southernmost village in the Cotes du Rhone region. But this is no mere Cotes du Rhone. In 1947, it was granted status as a “Cru” in the same category as the famed Chateauneuf du Pape. But the connection, and comparison, to Chateauneuf runs deeper – well, it runs as deep as the soil… You see, if you look at a map, Lirac lies nearly due west from Chateauneuf, on the opposite side of the Rhone River, about exactly the same distance from the river and the same elevation. So? So… hello? It’s the soil that makes the wine – and Chateauneuf is famed for its soil that resulted from the Rhone River washing quartz pebbles and clay down from the Alps. The heart of Lirac is composed of the same soil from the same geological age.  

“Okay, Todd. I can see where you’re going… but really? I should believe Lirac is of the same caliber as Chateauneuf du Pape? Then why haven’t I heard of it?”

Fair questions. Yes, Lirac can be produced at the same level as Chateauneuf. But the region is tiny in comparison. In 2013, Chateauneuf du Pape produced 623% more wine than Lirac! When you slice and dice the numbers, approximately only 9,625 cases of Lirac came into the United States last year.

So, here, Guillaume Gonnet takes his wealth of knowledge from his family’s generations of production in Chateauneuf and applies it to Lirac. 80% Grenache, aged in stainless steel and concrete to maintain the fruit’s purity, is blended with 20% Syrah that is aged in large oak barrels. A seductive perfume of wild strawberries wafts from the glass along with sensual floral notes, easing gently into a seductive mouthful of fruit. But don’t be deceived – this gem is packed with flavor and fine tannins on the finish linger and build with each sip. A beautifully crafted wine, carefully balancing impact with elegance, fruit with earth, spice with floral notes… for $15? Wow. All I can say is… Wow. 

Barco de Piedra 2018

Regularly $19

91 pts Wine & Spirits

Yikes! How do they pack so much into the bottle? Hard to imagine that little cork can contain the aromas, as they explode from the btle before you even have a chance to pour. In the glass, enticing wafts of violets, wildflowers and cassis lead into a swirling array of exuberant black cherry, blackberry and raspberry flavors, all balanced by an undercurrent of smoky spices and anise. Fine tannins give the finish a little oomph without overwhelming the fruit - meaning you can slug it down now, or leave it alone for a year or two. 

This singular vineyard has some pretty incredible neighbors - Pesquera and Vega Sicilia. According to our buddy Schmitty, when he visited a couple years ago, "Literally at the top of the hill, you look left and it's Pesquera, and you look right and it's Vega.  20% of the fruit from this v'yd goes to those two properties every year! And these vineyards are 90-100 years old!!!"

So who is this Pesquera and Vega Sicilia of which I speak? Essentially, they are THE pioneers in Ribera del Duero. Pesquera routinely rates 91-96 points and retails for $30-200 depending on the bottling. Vega Sicilia is even more obscene, rating 94-99 points regularly and selling for $100-$1000 dollars!

Given the average price for a Ribera del Duero of this caliber is near $40, how in the heck can we offer this so inexpensively? Easy... Ole, Ole, Ole Ole... (c'mon, sing it with me...)

Our old friend Patrick Mata from Ole Imports, our top Spanish purveyor, has teamed with Borja Osborne to purchase and produce this wine from a single vineyard. Estate owned and produced, combined with direct importation eliminates a load of middle-man markups. Combined with our favorable position as one of the largest Spanish wine retailers in the country, and we've got quite a deal. Pork and veal have an essentially sweet “bass note” that is complimented nicely by Tempranillo's sweet nature, so these meats pair extremely well with Barco de Piedra. Ribera del Dueros are some of the most robust reds from Spain, usually showing a black fruit, mineral and “meaty” character that many people feel is a better match with beef steak than any California Cabernet or Zinfandel. For simple fare, aged hard cheese like manchego, jamon iberico, Spanish almonds, Sevilla olives and crusty bread are exceptional accompaniments for this wine.


Or reply. The wine is available now in both stores.