2017 Castello Romitorio Brunello di Montalcino Filo di Seta (750ml)
Sangiovese from Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy
B-21 Top Recommendation
Read More

Perched on a hilltop overlooking northwest Montalcino, Castello Romitorio has built a solid reputation over the last three decades for its exquisite, age worthy Brunello di Montalcino wines, producing a range of highly rated selections “able to deliver the most classic and profound expressions of Brunello from nearly every vintage,” according to Vinous critic Eric Guido and certain to thrill Brunello fans and collectors at best on the market pricing.

Surrounded by dense, verdant forests with a history dating back to Roman times, the abandoned, partly renovated Castello Romitorio was purchased in 1984 by esteemed Italian artist Sandro Chia, who set about completing the manor house renovations and overhauling its vineyards with the goal of reestablishing its rich winemaking legacy. Located at altitudes ranging from 220 to 500 meters, the northwest-facing vineyards are cooler than most of Montalcino, divided into smaller one to two hectare parcels and grown in a patchwork of varied soils including galestro, clay and albarese that are vinified separately before blending, the diversity contributing balance and depth. Crafted by Sandro’s son and winemaker Filippo Chia, the fresh and perfumed 94 pt. 2017 Brunello di Montalcino is a harmonious expression of terroir and vintage boasting bright fruit and vibrant acidity, described as “a total success” by Eric Guido of Vinous offering “so much value.” Sourced from Romitorio’s oldest plots planted in 1987 with local Sangiovese clones sourced from Biondi-Santi and Soldera, the powerful and lush 98 pt. 2015 Riserva has been crafted only 9 times in the last 40 vintages, described as “full-bodied with juicy tannins and a long, flavorful finish” by James Suckling while summed up simply as “flat out stunning” by Eric Guido. Situated on the lowest slopes of Romitorio directly in front of the Montosoli hill and considered one of the best areas of Montalcino, the Filo di Seta vineyard is named for a nearby creek (Filo de Seta translating as “thread of silk”), the rich and dense 95 pt. 2017 Filo de Seta called “one of the top wines” of the vintage by Eric Guido who describes it as “mixing the most delicate and vivid fruit with the body of a well-muscled dancer.”

Boasting distinctive labels featuring Sandro’s original paintings, each of these Castello Romitorio selections reflects the combined dedication and artistic perfection of Sandro and his son Filippo, all elegantly transparent and impeccably balanced Brunello wines to make room for in the cellar and enjoy over the next decade or more.


95WA 95JS 94V

This is a very interesting wine that tests a cool growing site in a hot vintage. The Castello Romitorio 2017 Brunello di Montalcino Filo di Seta comes from a high-altitude vineyard with dark soils and pockets of slate and shale. It is isolated in the mountains and surrounded by thick forests and Mediterranean shrub oak. That combination of unique elements has shaped a very articulate and attuned expression that boasts vibrant fruit, smoke, spice and wet stone. The finish is sharp and especially focused with age-worthy tannins and bright acidity.

95 points, Monica Larner, Wine Advocate (Feb 2022)

This is a muscular 2017 with a dense palate of airy tannins that give form and composure to the young wine. It’s full and flavorful with white-truffle, cherry and orange-peel flavors at the end. Needs time to soften. Try after 2025.

95 points, James Suckling (Sep 2022)

The remarkably fresh 2017 Brunello di Montalcino Filo di Seta opens slowly, blossoming in the glass to offer a captivating mix of dusty rose, spicy citrus, black cherry and smoky crushed stone. This is cool-toned yet powerful in feel, fleshing out across the palate with an elegant display of mineral-tinged tart berries under an air of sweet florals, as fine tannins settle in. It turns quite savory and slightly salty through the finale, tapering off with unprecedented length, along with a staining of primary concentration offset by residual acids that keep the mouth watering. Mixing the most delicate and vivid fruit with the body of a well-muscled dancer, this leaves me very impressed. The 2017 Filo di Seta is one of the top wines of this difficult vintage.

94+ points, Eric Guido, Vinous (Dec 2021)

$119.99

17 bottles in stock and ready to ship.
1
2020 Clos Apalta Le Petit Clos (375ml)
Carmenere from Apalta Vineyard, Colchagua Valley, Chile
B-21 Top Recommendation
Read More

“Bright, brooding and intense”

Georgina Hindle, Decanter

Sourced from the same vineyard as its iconic flagship cuvee, the rich 95 pt. 2020 Clos Apalta Le Petit Clos boasts fresh, vibrant dark fruit hinting of cedar and spice and soft, plush tannins on a long-lived finish, a luscious Bordeaux-inspired blend described as “one heck of a second wine” by Jeb Dunnuck expertly crafted by the Clos Apalta team for an unbeatable value price.

Commissioned by owner and Grand Marnier heiress Alexandra Marnier Lapostolle, the stunning Clos Apalta winery in Santa Cruz is an architectural marvel, a spectacular seven level underground complex built into the granite hillside, its cylindrical roof surrounded by wooden slats depicting the staves of an open air barrel and the excavated rock repurposed throughout the structure from floor tiles in the gravity fed cellars to a rooftop sundial. Established in 1997 to craft a world class wine in Chile’s Colchagua Valley, Clos Apalta founders Alexandra Marnier Lapostolle and her husband Cyril de Bournet hired renowned French oenologist Michel Rolland to produce a uniquely Chilean blend of the indigenous Carmenere with Bordeaux varietals crafted with French winemaking expertise, garnering unanimous acclaim over the next decades including becoming the only South American wine ever to garner the coveted #1 spot on the Wine Spectator’s Top 100. First crafting the second wine in 2014 as a youthful expression of the Clos Apalta terroir, winemaker Jacques Begarie sourced the 2020 Le Petit Clos from a mix of mostly younger vines planted in the granite soils of the estate’s organically and biodynamically farmed El Condor vineyard, its unique microclimate in the shadow of the towering Cordillera Mountains creating optimal conditions for ripening Carmenere while maintaining its freshness and acidity. Blending 40% Carmenere, 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot, Begarie aged the elegant 2020 Clos Apalta Le Petit Clos for 26 months in a mix of 53% new French oak barrels and 47% in second use French oak barrels, bottling it without filtering or fining to reveal fresh, luscious fruit hinting of peppery spice with bright acidity and outstanding length promising to age gracefully over the next decade.

Reflecting its exceptional Chilean terroir, the lush and powerful 95 pt. 2020 Clos Apalta Le Petit Clos is a delicious and enticing second wine crafted with same meticulous attention to detail as the iconic Clos Apalta at a fraction of the price, a terrific opportunity for Clos Apalta collectors and fans of top tier Chilean reds to pull the cork more often.


95JS 94V 93WA

A beautiful delivery of Petit Clos with spiced black cherries, cassis, olives and some red capsicums to the nose. Chalky tannins are densely packed on the medium- to full-bodied palate. Tight, structured and fine-grained. Very long. Drink or hold.

95 points, Zekun Shuai, James Suckling (Apr 2023)

The 2020 Blend Le Petit Clos is a mix of mostly Carménère and Cabernet Sauvignon from Apalta, Colchagua. Dark garnet red in hue. The complex nose offers plum jam, hints of sweet spice, herbs and pepper against a backdrop of cigar box, graphite and a whiff of violets. A ripe, broad, full-bodied red with precise acidity and a juicy, grippy flow, the finish is intense and complex. The 2020 vintage is notably lean compared to other vintages.

94 points, Joaquín Hidalgo, Vinous (Jun 2023)

The second wine from Clos Apalta, the 2020 Le Petit Clos, was produced with the grapes from younger vines and in a different proportion than in the grand vins; it's a blend of 40% Carmenere, 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot from their granite soils in the warm Apalta valley from a warm and ripe year. The wine has the lush and ripe signature, with 15% alcohol, decadent and showy, with a nose of violets and camphor, ripe berries, herbs and spices and integrated oak. It fermented with indigenous yeasts, with five to six weeks of maceration, manual punch-downs and malolactic in French oak barrels. The élevage was 26 months in 53% new oak and 47% second use oak. It has the velvety tannins from a warm vintage—fine-grained and abundant—with a long finish with a bitter twist. 77,580 bottles produced. It was bottled in July 2022.

93 points, Luis Gutiérrez, Wine Advocate (Aug 2023)

$24.99

34 bottles in stock and ready to ship.
1
This item is a 375ml half bottle. Did you intend to order a half bottle?
2015 Domaine La Soumade Fleur de Confiance (1.5L)
Grenache from Rasteau, Rhône, France
B-21 Top Recommendation
Read More

"Located on steep, south-facing slopes and mostly clay soils, Rasteau produces deep, concentrated wines that have distinct minerality to go with savory, chocolaty, earthy aromatics. While most drink well on release, the best can easily keep for 10-15 years. It’s worth pointing out that while the region was known in the past for making more rustic, alcoholic wines, that’s no longer the case, and the wines today show much more polish, elegance, and balance. The top wines are a match for anything coming out of the Southern Rhône Valley today."
– Jeb Dunnuck

Dunnuck designates the top seven domaines of Rasteau, La Soumade among them along with three other properites we work with. Don't miss Fleur de Confiance that Wine Advocate writer Joe Czerwinski declared "the most impressive Rasteau to have ever passed these lips."


94WA

The most impressive wine in the stable, the 2015 Rasteau Cuvee Fleur de Confiance displays some exotic spice notes (cumin?), red raspberry fruit and a rich, velvety texture. It's a star in the making that could use another year or two in the bottle to fully knit together. It's effectively all Grenache grown on blue-clay soils, which perform well during hot, dry years.

94 points, Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate (Issue # 233 - Oct 2017)

$99.99

9 bottles in stock and ready to ship.
1
2020 Clos Apalta Le Petit Clos (1.5L)
Carmenere from Apalta Vineyard, Colchagua Valley, Chile
B-21 Top Recommendation
Read More

“Bright, brooding and intense”

Georgina Hindle, Decanter

Sourced from the same vineyard as its iconic flagship cuvee, the rich 95 pt. 2020 Clos Apalta Le Petit Clos boasts fresh, vibrant dark fruit hinting of cedar and spice and soft, plush tannins on a long-lived finish, a luscious Bordeaux-inspired blend described as “one heck of a second wine” by Jeb Dunnuck expertly crafted by the Clos Apalta team for an unbeatable value price.

Commissioned by owner and Grand Marnier heiress Alexandra Marnier Lapostolle, the stunning Clos Apalta winery in Santa Cruz is an architectural marvel, a spectacular seven level underground complex built into the granite hillside, its cylindrical roof surrounded by wooden slats depicting the staves of an open air barrel and the excavated rock repurposed throughout the structure from floor tiles in the gravity fed cellars to a rooftop sundial. Established in 1997 to craft a world class wine in Chile’s Colchagua Valley, Clos Apalta founders Alexandra Marnier Lapostolle and her husband Cyril de Bournet hired renowned French oenologist Michel Rolland to produce a uniquely Chilean blend of the indigenous Carmenere with Bordeaux varietals crafted with French winemaking expertise, garnering unanimous acclaim over the next decades including becoming the only South American wine ever to garner the coveted #1 spot on the Wine Spectator’s Top 100. First crafting the second wine in 2014 as a youthful expression of the Clos Apalta terroir, winemaker Jacques Begarie sourced the 2020 Le Petit Clos from a mix of mostly younger vines planted in the granite soils of the estate’s organically and biodynamically farmed El Condor vineyard, its unique microclimate in the shadow of the towering Cordillera Mountains creating optimal conditions for ripening Carmenere while maintaining its freshness and acidity. Blending 40% Carmenere, 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot, Begarie aged the elegant 2020 Clos Apalta Le Petit Clos for 26 months in a mix of 53% new French oak barrels and 47% in second use French oak barrels, bottling it without filtering or fining to reveal fresh, luscious fruit hinting of peppery spice with bright acidity and outstanding length promising to age gracefully over the next decade.

Reflecting its exceptional Chilean terroir, the lush and powerful 95 pt. 2020 Clos Apalta Le Petit Clos is a delicious and enticing second wine crafted with same meticulous attention to detail as the iconic Clos Apalta at a fraction of the price, a terrific opportunity for Clos Apalta collectors and fans of top tier Chilean reds to pull the cork more often.


95JS 94V 93WA

A beautiful delivery of Petit Clos with spiced black cherries, cassis, olives and some red capsicums to the nose. Chalky tannins are densely packed on the medium- to full-bodied palate. Tight, structured and fine-grained. Very long. Drink or hold.

95 points, Zekun Shuai, James Suckling (Apr 2023)

The 2020 Blend Le Petit Clos is a mix of mostly Carménère and Cabernet Sauvignon from Apalta, Colchagua. Dark garnet red in hue. The complex nose offers plum jam, hints of sweet spice, herbs and pepper against a backdrop of cigar box, graphite and a whiff of violets. A ripe, broad, full-bodied red with precise acidity and a juicy, grippy flow, the finish is intense and complex. The 2020 vintage is notably lean compared to other vintages.

94 points, Joaquín Hidalgo, Vinous (Jun 2023)

The second wine from Clos Apalta, the 2020 Le Petit Clos, was produced with the grapes from younger vines and in a different proportion than in the grand vins; it's a blend of 40% Carmenere, 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot from their granite soils in the warm Apalta valley from a warm and ripe year. The wine has the lush and ripe signature, with 15% alcohol, decadent and showy, with a nose of violets and camphor, ripe berries, herbs and spices and integrated oak. It fermented with indigenous yeasts, with five to six weeks of maceration, manual punch-downs and malolactic in French oak barrels. The élevage was 26 months in 53% new oak and 47% second use oak. It has the velvety tannins from a warm vintage—fine-grained and abundant—with a long finish with a bitter twist. 77,580 bottles produced. It was bottled in July 2022.

93 points, Luis Gutiérrez, Wine Advocate (Aug 2023)

$89.99

12 bottles in stock and ready to ship.
1
2018 Belargus Quarts-de-Chaume Grand Cru Ultra (375ml)
Chenin Blanc from Anjou, Loire, France
B-21 Top Recommendation
Read More

A not to be missed selection of top-rated Chenin Blancs from the Loire Valley’s newest rockstar producer, this stellar lineup of exquisite wines from Domaine Belargus is “a must investment for all fans of Chenin Blanc” and equally appealing to those who enjoy “the very great white wines of this world” according to the Wine Advocate’s Stephen Reinhardt, produced in limited quantities and available while they last.

Established in 2018 by Ivan Massonnat, Domaine Belargus is founded on the groundwork of Anjou legend Jo Pithon, among the first to shift focus to vineyard specific Chenin Blanc in the late 1980’s and responsible for the revitalization of the dramatic Coteau des Treilles, a steep, terraced vineyard referred to as the Cote Rotie of the Layon Valley. Originally known for sweet wines but also producing dry Chenins since the late 20th century, the Anjou Noir region boasts a mosaic of complex mineral and volcanic soils perfect for growing Chenin Blanc, with each of the Belargus cru’s expressing its unique origins, including premium parcels in the famed Quarts-de Chaume AOP, the only Grand Cru site in the entire Loire Valley. Leading off with the dry selections, the entry level 94 pt. 2018 Belargus Anjou Ronceray Blanc offers classic Chenin Blanc spiced fruit “all backed by finely beaded acidity” according to the Wine Spectator’s Aleks Zecevic while the powerful 97 pt. 2018 Belargus Anjou Treilles Blanc is a silky, seamlessly textured Chenin Blanc with a mineral tinged finish sourced from the famed 2.72-hectare Coteau des Treilles monopole, a beauty that “any serious wine lover should at least taste” according to critic Reinhardt. Sourced from vineyards along the Layon River, its humid air aiding in the late season development of botrytis, the 96 pt. 2018 Belargus Coteaux du Layon Moelleux Layon is a harmonious blend of polished fruit and honeyed texture, offering “great tension between acidity and sweetness” according to critic Zecevic with a “sensationally long” finish and delivering incredible value. Sourced from one of the three plots listed in the original declaration of the Grand Cru Quarts-de-Chaume appellation, the 96 pt. 2018 Belargus Quarts-de-Chaume Grand Cru Roueres is “rich yet finessed and elegant” according to critic Reinhardt, bottled in full size 750 ml. Described as “fabulous” and “irresistible,” the 99 pt. 2018 Belargus Quarts-de-Chaume Grand Cru Les Quarts pairs “richness and sweetness with crystalline finesse and elegance in an unrivaled way” according to Reinhardt, and the viscous and intensely concentrated 100 pt. 2018 Belargus Quarts-de-Chaume Grand Cru Ultra is “made for eternity,” and with only one barrel produced, a must for collectors of “the finest noble sweet wines,” poised to age for decades, both of these beauties offered in 375 ml. half bottles.

Offered in a range of styles and levels of complexity, these selections from Domaine Belargus highlight Chenin Blanc's chameleon-like ability to elegantly mirror its terroir when crafted by an exceptional producer. Sourced from an outstanding 2018 Loire Valley vintage, Chenin Blanc fans and anyone looking to explore the Loire’s best whites won’t want to miss this opportunity to enjoy these masterful Loire wines from Domaine Belargus, ideal for mixing a case at an astoundingly good price.


100WA

Belargus's dark, amber-orange colored 2018 Quarts-de-Chaume Grand Cru Liquoreux Ultra is a tribute to the famous Ambroisie by Jo Pithon, an over-concentrated Quarts-de-Chaume with more than 30 degrees potential at harvest, referred to as “Ultra.” The wine opens with an intense and ultra concentrated but still vinous and not overly fruity bouquet with pencil point notes on the first nose that slowly reveals concentrated, syrupy apricot and roasted bacon-rind notes. Enormously viscous on the palate but at the same time so finessed, vital and balanced that the wine never weighs heavily and is not even sticky, this is an exceptional QDC, of which just one barrel was produced. This 2018 is made for eternity and belongs to the finest noble sweet wines I have ever had. Even though I am so much in love with the Les Quarts twin, I have to admit that here comes not only an even sweeter Quarts-de-Chaume but also an even more concentrated and finessed one. The aging capacity is ideal, and due to its balance, I don't see any doubts the wine can age 100 and more years. What a start for Domaine Belargus! 9% alcohol. Tasted in June 2021.

100 points, Stephan Reinhardt, Wine Advocate (Jul 2021)

$349.99

6 bottles in stock and ready to ship.
1
This item is a 375ml half bottle. Did you intend to order a half bottle?
2017 Brezza Barolo Riserva Bricco Sarmassa (1.5L)
Nebbiolo from Barolo, Piedmont, Italy
B-21 Top Recommendation
Read More

Ranking among “the finest Barolos being made” by the Wine Enthusiast’s Kerin O’Keefe, the elegant 95 pt. 2019 Brezza Barolo Cannubi boasts brightly perfumed aromas and silky, red spiced fruit with layered complexity that has made Cannubi one of Barolo’s most famed and collectible Crus, bargain priced at a fraction of its better-known competitors and available in a variety of age worthy formats for stocking the cellar.

Located just a few steps from the center of the town of Barolo, the historic Brezza winery is run by fourth generation Enzo and his nephew Francesco, continuing the family tradition of bottling wines from estate grown Nebbiolo fruit since 1910. Considered icons of traditional winemaking while employing sustainable practices including organic viticulture for over a decade, Brezza’s vineyards span a total of 16.5 hectares surrounded by hazelnut groves, its 1.4-hectare parcel in Cannubi originally planted between 1993 and 2003. Situated where two of Barolo’s most important geological formations meet (Cannubi coming from the Latin “connubio” or marriage), Brezza’s Cannubi parcel is located on the prime central part of the hill, its Nebbiolo vines planted in a mix of silty sand, clay and limestone at 250 meters above sea level on a southeasterly orientation favorable for even ripening. Surrounded by the highest slopes of La Morra, Castiglione Falletto and Monforte that shelter it from the cold and wind, Enzo and Francesco cultivate their sloping Cannubi vineyard by hand, employing techniques like green harvesting and thinning to further lower yields. After fermenting the hand harvested grapes with native yeasts in stainless steel, the supple and sleek 2019 Brezza Barolo Cannubi was aged in a mix of large, used Slavonian oak barrels for 24 months before being bottled unfiltered and unfined and cellared for another year prior to release, maintaining its fresh acidity while integrating refined tannins that promise over a decade of longevity.

From a “stellar vintage” that will “thrill readers who appreciate the nuance, subtlety and structure of Nebbiolo” according to Vinous critic Galloni, the powerful 95 pt. 2019 Brezza Cannubi is an elegantly crafted, finessed Barolo from a top Cru that’s well-priced for savvy collectors to enjoy often without breaking the bank, available in 750ml and 1.5L ready for cellaring at an unbeatable value.


95V 94D

The 2017 Barolo Riserva Sarmassa Vigna Bricco is fabulous. Best of all, it will be ready to drink with minimal cellaring. Kirsch, blood orange, spice, dried rose petal, mint and sweet red cherry all meld together in a Barolo that marries a classic sense of structure with the natural intensity of a drought vintage. This heady Barolo is wonderfully exotic, and a real pleasure to taste today. Impressive.

95 points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous (Jan 2023)

There's evidence here of winemaking aimed at preserving the freshness of the fruit in the 2017 vintage, with – for example – a shorter 24 months of oak ageing. Bright ruby and garnet in colour, it opens with elegant violet and cinnamon, camphor-like minerality, dried rose, and and red currant fruit core. On the palate, the fruit and peppery notes dominate. The attack is firm, with velvety and dusty tannins which result in power without being too stern. There's a bit of dryness on the finish but otherwise it has a great profile and fruit freshness.

94 points, Aldo Fiordelli, Decanter (Feb 2023)

$179.99

1 bottle in stock and ready to ship.
1