Q4 Price Book - Website Version

Chianti Classico

see page 112

FEATURE: CLOS du BOIS

THIS ISSUE

Retrospective: Jordan Vineyard & Winery

4th QUARTER post off schedule

October: Sunday, October 1, 2023 - Saturday, October 28, 2023

November: Sunday, October 29, 2023 - Saturday, December 2, 2023

The office will be closed on November 23rd in honor of Thanksgiving Day

December: Sunday, December 3, 2023 - Saturday, December 30, 2023

The office will be closed on December 25th in honor of Christmas Day

HOW TO READ OUR PRICE LIST

HOW TO PLACE YOUR ORDER EACH WEEK

1. Contact your sales specialist (You and your rep. can work out where, which number to call, etc. Obviously, if you don’t call us… WE’LL CALL YOU!!)

2. Call our Customer Service Department at 1-888-860-3805 (And while on hold, for your listening pleasure, we have some nice recorded messages that tell you how good our service is).

“Please forgive us of our typos, as we forgive any typos against us.”

This book is also full of hidden gems! The astute buyer who takes the extra time to snoop around will be greatly rewarded!

RIEDEL RETAIL Full Case Only

ARGENTINA ARMENIA & GEORGIA

Caymus

ARMENIA & GEORGIA

by Caymus

AUSTRALIA AUSTRIA • CANADA

FRANCE

CHAMPAGNE & SPARKLING WINE

CHAMPAGNE & SPARKLING WINE

côstières de nîmes

fuissé

loire

rhône

vin de pays

ITALY abruzzo

calabria

campania

emilia - romagna

lazio

lombardia

marche

puglia

toscana

by Angelo Gaja

Angelo Gaja

Fattoria di Pugliano

Tenuta San Guido

umbria

NEW ZEALAND

NEW ZEALAND PORTUGAL

SAKE & MORE...

SAKE & MORE

- Niigata

-Hyogo

- Niigata

Kubota - Niigata

Miyozakura - Gifu

- Akita

SAKE & MORE SOUTH AFRICA

- Kochi

- Yamagata

Perez

UNITED STATES

UNITED STATES

UNITED STATES •CALIFORNIA

Try making this gingerbread recipe using our Gingerbread Wine!

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup light brown sugar

1 large egg

1 cup molasses

1 tbsp Gingerbread Wine

2 tsp vanilla extract

5 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 tbsp ground ginger

1 tbsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground allspice

½ tsp ground cloves

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

1. Place the sugar & butter in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until combined. Add the egg, molasses, wine, and vanilla extract and beat until fully combined.

2. In a separate mixing bowl, mix the dry ingredients and the gingerbread spices until well combined. Add the dry ingredients to the other mixture. Mix on low speed just until combined into a soft cookie dough. Cover and chill the cookie dough for at least 3 hours.

3. Once ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F. Divide the dough in 2 and roll each half to ¼ of an inch thickness on a lightly floured surface.

4. Cut out cookies and place them on lined baking sheets about 1 inch apart. Place it in the oven to bake for 8-12 min. depending on size of cookies. They should spring back when you slightly touch their surface.

5. Cool completely before decorating then enjoy!

RETROSPECTIVE JORDAN VINEYARD & WINERY

We have been holding our quarterly ‘vertical tastings’ for over 22 years now. We sometimes have to beg, borrow or steal to put together 5 or 6 or 7 vintages of a classic wine to examine. However, Jordan –with their exceptionally robust library wine program—is always available and hence, this is Jordan’s third appearance on this page.

Most readers here know of Jordan’s wonderful wines and amazing history: their Cabernet has been one of the bestselling wines on restaurant wine lists for all of their 40+ years in existence. Short version: Tom Jordan founded the property and built a ‘chateau’ in the early 70’s (the ’76 was their first release), complete with guest quarters and an elite chef to entertain their customers—something unheard of at the time and something that changed hoe California wineries connected with consumers. They also can boast that unlike the vast majority of California wineries, Jordan had one winemaker for their first 40 years—Rob Davis who retired after the 2019 crush. Talk about consistency!

The team here was never shy about pushing the envelope in terms of experimenting clonal material or barrel regimens or altering the cepage from vintage to vintage and even made the wise decision to acquire vineyards in the Russian River appellation for their Chardonnay program (It’s a bit warm on their estate for super-premium Chardonnay). However, they have always remained true to their original vision and style of wine: balanced, understated wines that are meant for the table. They never chased the super-ripe, Parkerized, 15.5% alcohol Cabernet trend: most of todays wines are in the 13-14% range…and they were all yummy.

All of these wines came from our inventory, so unlike the disclaimers we frequently see on say, American Ninja Warriors, feel free to try this at home!

TASTING NOTES

2009

(75% CS, 19% Merlot, 5% PV, 1% Malbec) Brilliant ruby-garnet / gorgeous nose of cassis, cedar & black cherries / silky palate showing cherry, mint & raspberries—all buttressed with the perfect amount of acidity…downright lovely / long finish. Close to perfect and still has a few years to grow.

2010

(76% CS, 16% Merlot, 7% PV, 1% Malbec) Same bright ruby-garnet / more advanced nose than 2009 with hints of wildflowers & dark chocolate / plummy, mature palate with notes of candied violets, pencil & pipe tobacco / soft, medium finish. Seems to be peaking.

2012

Glowing ruby-red / pretty nose of orange zest & mint / rich, yet balanced palate of black fruits with a whiff of mineral, all with bright, freshening acidity / long, spicy finish. Lovely.

2013

RATING SYSTEM

An extraordinary wine. Complete in every way, as well as possessing that magical, indescribable and elusive quality that makes some wines truly special.

An excellent wine, boasting varietal character, ideal balance, a high degree of complexity and some personality.

A very good wine, displaying ‘varietal integrity’ or typicity, excellent balance, and no apparent flaws.

A ‘quiet’ wine which, albeit ‘sound’, shows no real personality, complexity or typicity.

An unsound or offensive wine; one which is best avoided.

Bright ruby-black / interesting nose of cedar, sandalwood and black fruit / Classic palate with firm tannins and gobs of cassis & berry fruit / long and firm finish.

2015

Bright purple-ruby / elegant nose of cassis, orange zest and char—very complex / Muscular palate showing tart cherries & cedar & spice / very long, lush finish. Gorgeous.

2018

Glowing ruby-black / beautiful nose of blackberries & cedar / youthful, firm palate; rich yet lively—a lovely ‘freshness’ / very long, tannic finish. Very promising!

ACCLAIM RECAP ACCLAIM RECAP

It’s the Acclaim! A brief list of some of the scores our portfolio has received over the last three months. We know some of you don’t care about scores for their own sake but they can be a good selling tool. If you like a wine but it doesn’t have a score, who cares? Sell it because you know it’s tasty but if it has a score, go ahead and use it!

EDITOR’S CHOICE FEATURED REVIEW

Wine Enthusiast

93 Points

Excellent; highly recommended

ARGYLE

2021 Pinot Noir

Willamette Valley

“This stunning value offers a winning aromatic combination of briary blackberries and qualities akin to a savory meat pie made with lamb. Zingy acidity and silky tannins showcase rich flavors of cocoa powder and a jam made of blackcap raspberries and ginger. Sip this wine all by itself, perhaps under the stars.”

Wine Enthusiast

93 Points

PILLARS OF HERCULES 2020 Giguiere Estate Red Dunnigan Hills

“This quietly impressive wine is deep and saturated but not showy, offering its incredibly concentrated black fruits and dark chocolate on a full body submerged in very fine-grained tannins. Made from Petite Sirah, Petit Verdot and Teroldego, it’s delicious now but best from 2026–2035.”

— Jim Gordon

A vibrant red blend from the agricultural gem of Suisun Valley, CA

From the family that created Caymus

UNITED STATES •CALIFORNIA

Word Search

UNITED STATES •CALIFORNIA

CR Cellars

UNITED STATES

by Duckhorn

DAVIS BYNUM

UNITED STATES

UNITED STATES •CALIFORNIA

by Matchbook

HALF BOTTLES

UNITED STATES •CALIFORNIA

SUTTER HOME

UNITED STATES •CALIFORNIA

Hard Seltzer Hard Seltzer

ITEM# 206361

ITEM# 206362

NEW UN classic spicy?

michigan

by Coppercraft

UNITED STATES •MICHIGAN

- Old Country Goodness

LOVE CORK SCREW

new york

oregon

UNITED STATES •OREGON

by Soter

by Duckhorn

by Duckhorn

by Cakebread

UNITED STATES •WASHINGTON

COOKING WINE ECONOMY SELECTION

COOKING WINE

ECONOMY SELECTION

KEY: C Cooper | G General | D Decanter | V Viviano

COCKTAILS & SELTZERS seltzer by Coppercraft

hard seltzer

COCKTAILS & SELTZERS •RTD rtd

mixed spirits - rtd

other cocktails

SELTZERS

Regans

by Sutterhome

NON ALCOHOLIC

Hydrogen Infused Sparkling Water

hand sanitizer

BIODYNAMIC ETC. BIODYNAMIC ETC.

The maze of “green” wine practices is a little overwhelming. Certified organic grapes and/or vineyards don’t necessarily mean that the wine is produced organically. The same with biodynamic grapes. Then there are wineries that follow all of the practices needed for certification but don’t actually get certified, holding out in case of dire circumstance. Add to that the variety of “green” certifications, sustainable farming practices, environmentally safe farming and certification differences from country to country and you might want to throw your hands in the air and give up.

The following is our way of making it just a little bit easier for you to navigate this strange world. As we learn more this list shall grow.

A to Z Wineworks Certified sustainable winery.

Alejandro Bulgheroni ................. Estate vineyard is certified organic

Alexander Valley Vineyards

Certified sustainable

Alta Luna..................................... Sustainably farmed, renewable energy, conservation projects

Angeline...................................... Certified sustainable

Araldica ...................................... Sustainably farmed

Argiano Biodynamic, waiting on certification

Argyle ......................................... LIVE certified; “Salmon-Safe” and sustainably farmed; certified sustainable winery and estate vineyards

Beaulieu Vineyards, ................... Certified Fish Friendly Farms and SWP - estate vineyards only

Rutherford

Benziger ..................................... All vineyards are certified sustainable, organic or biodynamic

Bergström .................................. All estate vineyards are certified biodynamic

Bertani........................................ Sustainably farmed, free of pesticides

Bogle .......................................... Sustainably farmed

Broglia ........................................ Sustainably farmed

Ca’ del Bosco .............................

Certified organic

Callia .......................................... Sustainably farmed, renewable energy, conservation projects

Camigliano

Certified organic (2017)

Campo alle Comete .................... Sustainably farmed; converting to organic processes in winery

Cantina di Caldaro .....................

Carmel Road...............................

Castello dei Rampolla ................

Cataldi Madonna ........................

Organic and sustainable practices

Certified sustainable

Certified organic grapes

Certified organic

Cerro .......................................... Sustainably farmed

Change .......................................

Certified organic grapes - Agriculture Biologique

Chateau Grand Traverse ............ MAEAP (Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program) Qualified Farmstead System

Cherries & Rainbows.................. Organic grapes; vegan

Col d’Orcia.................................. Organically farmed, biodynamic, sustainably farmed, free of pesticides, renewable energy, conservation projects

Colosi.......................................... Certified organic

Colpetrone.................................. Sustainably farmed

Darioush ..................................... Sustainably farmed

Davis Bynum Sustainably farmed; certified “Fish Safe”; carbon neutral winery

DeLoach...................................... The Estate vineyards are certified biodynamic

Dolce Organic and sustainable, not certified

Domaine Carneros Certified organic

Domaine de la Quilla .................. Sustainably farmed

Domaine Drouhin Biodynamic, not certified; certified “Salmon-Safe”; LIVE certified; certified sustainable winery

Domaine Zind-Humbrecht .......... Certified organic, certified biodynamic

Drappier ..................................... Organically farmed

Drouhin Vaudon .......................... Biodynamically farmed

Dry Creek Vineyard .................... Certified sustainable

DuMol.......................................... Sustainably farmed

Eppa............................................ Certified organic

Etude .......................................... Napa Green Certified Winery; Certified Fish Friendly

Fanetti ........................................ Sustainable practices, uses indigenous yeast.

Far Niente Organic and sustainable, not certified

Faust........................................... Biodynamically, organically and sustainably farmed, not certified

Ferrari Organic farming, free of pesticides

Fontanafredda............................ Sustainably farmed, organic farming, free of pesticides, rewewable energy, conservation projects

Fonterutoli.................................. Sustainably farmed, free of pesticides, conservation projects

Fossacolle .................................. Sustainably farmed

Gagliole ...................................... Sustainably farmed, converting to organic

Gérard Bertrand ......................... All Estates biodynamic

Gianni Gagliardo......................... Certified organic, sustainable practices, indigenous yeast

Giovanni Rosso ........................... Sustainably farmed; Sicilian winery certified organic (2019)

Greenbar .................................... Certified organic; gluten free

Grgich Hills Estate...................... Organic, certified; Demeter certified

Grimaldi ...................................... Sustainable practices

Heitz Cellar................................. Martha’s Vineyard and Trailside Vineyard are certified organic

Illumination Biodynamically, organically, and sustainably farmed - not certified

Il Poggiolo .................................. Sustainable practices, indigenous yeast

Jim Barry Sustainably farmed

Joseph Drouhin ........................... Organic and biodynamic viticulture techniques

Joseph Phelps Biodynamically farmed - not certified; certified Fish Friendly; sustainably farmed

Kaltern ............................................Organic and sustainable practices

Kamen Certified organic

Kathryn Kennedy The Estate vineyard is certified organic; all sustainably farmed.

Lamole di Lamole

Lemelson

Certified organic

Certified organic vineyards

Leone de Castris Sustainably farmed

Lolea 1 item - Sangria made with organic Garnacha

Loveblock

Certified organic; certified sustainable

M. Chapoutier The estate wines are certified biodynamic; Belleruche wines are biodynamic - not certified

MacRostie

Certified sustainable; certified Bay Area Green Business

Maison Joseph Drouhin Biodynamically farmed

Marenco Organically farmed

Martin Ray

Certified sustainable

Maso Poli Sustainably farmed

Mazzei Sustainably farmed

McManis

Certified sustainable winery and farming

Miami Cocktail Co. CCOF certified organic; vegan

Natura

Naturalis

Certified organic grapes, vegan friendly

Certified organic grapes; gluten free; vegan-friendly

Newton Vineyard Sustainably farmed

Neyers Sustainably farmed

Nickel & Nickel

Organic and sustainable - not certified

Our Daily Wines USDA certified organic wines; vegan; certified gluten free; no detectable sulfites

Pacific Rim ................................ Wallula Vineyard is certified biodynamic (the first and only WA State); certified organic producer; offices are LEED Platinum; Salmon Safe

Palladino .................................... Sustainable practice and indigenous yeast

Pecchenino Organically farmed

Pederzana Organically farmed

Penner-Ash LIVE certified winery

Planet Oregon

Certified sustainable

Planeta Sustainably farmed, renewable energy, conservation projects

Produttori del Barbaresco Sustainably farmed

Provenance

Certified Fish Friendly Farms and SWP - estate vineyards only

Purato Certified organic wines; vegan

Quintessa Biodynamically, organically, and sustainably farmed - not certified

Castello dei Rampolla Biodynamic - not certified

Ramona Wine Spritz Certified organic

Raeburn .................................Sustainably farmed

Ridge Sustainably farmed. East Bench Zinfandel organically farmed from 2015 vintage.

Rodney Strong The estate, single vineyard and Symmetry are certified sustainable; certified “Fish Safe”; carbon neutral winery.

Ronchi di Pietro ......................... Organic practices, sustainable practices, indigenous yeast

Round Barn Winery MAEAP verified

RoseRock LIVE certified; sustainably farmed

SA Prum ...................................... Sustainably farmed

San Leonardo Certified organic (2018)

Santa Margherita Sustainably farmed

Santa Tresa

Certified organic wines; vegan

Sella & Mosca............................. Sustainably farmed, organic farming, free of pesticides

Social Sake Cocktails Certified organic

Sokol Blosser Certified organic; certified “Salmon-Safe”

Soter Vineyards

St. Francis

Certified sustainable winery; Mineral Springs Ranchcertified biodynamic

Certified sustainable

Spinelli........................................ Sustainable practices

Staglin Family Vineyard

Certified organic vineyard

Statti Certified organic; sustainably farmed; vegan

Sterling Organic Organic grapes

Sterling Vineyards

Certified Fish Friendly Farms and SWP; estate vineyards only

Tabor Hill Winery MAEAP verified

Terredora di Paolo

Thatcher’s Cocktails

Sustainably farmed

USDA certified organic; gluten free

Torresella Sustainably farmed

Tres Agaves Mixers Certified organic

Tribute

Vie Romans

Wither Hills

Certified sustainable

Sustainably farmed

Certified sustainable; estate vineyards are certified organic.

ZD Estate vineyards are certified organic

Chianti Classico Welcomes U.G.A.s

We mentioned on these pages not long ago that just when one thinks they have a firm grasp on the rules & regs…they change the rules! A new designation for Chianti Classico is the latest curveball. The good news is that this is what makes wine interesting; one can never know it all.

We have long thought that great Chianti Classico is among the world’s great wines. The problem is that there is a lot of Chianti Classico (and a whole bunch of Chianti normale) that is less than wonderful, which diffuses their esteem and place in the market. The folks in Chianti know this as well and for years have been working on upgrading production standards, starting way back in 1987 with the very ambitious ‘Chianti Classico 2000 Project’. The CC 2000 project attempted to determine and codify into practice things like the best clones on Sangiovese, the best rootstocks for each clone, matching soils to the right clone, etc., stuff that is now de rigueur for quality wine producers. Of course, since the Chianti zone has been producing wine---using the name Chianti—for almost a millennium there is a mix of just ok, to good, to optimal sites being used to produce wine there. Ditto on clonal materials: growers used to prefer clones that favored quantity over quality. Not to mention there was still much acreage devoted to the insipid white varietals that used to be part of Chianti’s official ‘recipe’.

The next project the Chianti Classico Consorzio focused on was the regionality of the area, i.e., is there a qualitative and/ or stylistic differences among the different communes in the Classico zone. After many years of study—and politicking—it has been determined that there is. So…drumroll please: U.G.A.s have arrived. Additional Geographic Units are now authorized— commencing with the 2023 vintage—to be applied to Chianti Classico’s ‘Gran Selezione’* wines only (for now). There are 11 villages or zones (some zones are more than one village) that can be added to the label, ostensibly giving the consumer a greater indication of the style of the wine in the bottle. For those reading this that are lucky enough to have visited Chianti, there are slight but noticeable differences among the zones: tiny U.G.A.

Lamole is at a higher altitude and noticeably cooler than say U.G.A. Castellina, so there is some logic in the move. Note please that this is quite different from the M.G.A.s recently added to the nomenclature in Barolo & Barbaresco.

However, though the soils, altitudes and exposures in the area at large are quite varied, that is also the case within any particular commune. Not just among neighbors, but sometimes within a single estate. While this was all being discussed, we had a conversation with the highly esteemed Paolo de Marchi--former proprietor of Isole e Olena—and he essentially said it was silly: “look at my property alone. I have two hills; Olena is warmer and has deeper soils—good in dry years—and the upper part of the hill is beautiful Galestro. Isole is mostly slate & limestone—very different fruit. And I have not yet mentioned if we are talking about the east or west side of the hill…which are

completely different! To say that this estate or the village has any ‘uniformity’ of style is simply not so.”

Even if not completely conclusive, we think that the motivation for the U.G.A.s is noble. Any wine zone that devotes decades and millions of dollars on research in an orchestrated way to improve the quality of their wines is travelling the correct path. And, of course, as the tide goes up, ALL boats go up. Savvy wine drinkers will add Chianti Classico to their drinking rotation; the wines will continue to improve and deliver for decades to come.

*this could be a separate piece but commencing in 2014 (with mostly the 2010 vintage) estates can use this term for their best wines, which can be made from only estate vineyards, with a higher minimum content of Sangiovese, and they must pass a tasting panel. We have yet to try a Gran Selezione that wasn’t wonderful.

A ne w designation fo r Chianti Classico is th e l atest curveball