February 8, 2010

30% Off! Winter Progressive Sale Begins!

Crush Winter "Progressive" Sale
30% Today - 40% Tomorrow - 50% Wednesday
Wait and You Might Save More, or You Could Lose Out!

What's more fun than a sale where the prices only go down?

Many of you are Progressive Sale Pros. You know the game; you know the risks and rewards. Prepare to play, because today we've taken well over 150 wines and discounted them 30%. To review the rules, please read *all* the details below. We've fine-tuned a few things to make the experience easier and more fun.

For those of you new to the Progressive Sale, here's how it works: Based on the "Dutch Auction" idea, what we'll do is start with a discount of 30% (today) and lower this price 10% on the remaining wines every day until Wednesday, when we'll reach a top discount of 50% off!

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Posted by Bob Schagrin at 10:56 AM | TrackBack

February 5, 2010

Grand Cru Burgundy 1987-2002

Grand Cru Burgundy: 1987-2002
Incredible Values for Drinking Grand Cru Burg
Geantet-Pansiot, Bourée, Jayer-Gilles, Remoissenet, Girardin
Single-Owner Cellar from the North East

If you have to be somewhat careful in using the words "Grand Cru" and "value" in the same sentence, today's email is about as close as the two get.

Today we have a very small, very fun collection. Every bottle in this offer has been culled from the cellar of a collector in the northeast, every bottle was bought close to release and carefully cellared.

Grand Cru Burgundy from 8 to 23 years old and from $55 dollars to just over $200.

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Posted by Ian McFadden at 11:47 AM | TrackBack

February 4, 2010

Dagueneau 2007: LIMITED

The Friendly Side of Dagueneau
2007 Dagueneau Pouilly Fumé "Buisson Renard"
Sharp Pricing for a Microscopic 48-Bottle Parcel!

This wine involves a top single-vineyard,
Didier Dagueneau,
France's leading wine critic Michel Bettane
and a spelling mistake.

The Buisson Menard is a top vineyard site in Pouilly Fumé it is also the source of Dagueneau's most friendly, most forward, most luscious Pouilly Fumé.

In a review, France's leading critic Michel Bettane incorrectly called the wine the "Buisson Renard." This amused Dagueneau greatly as the phrase could be, well, suggestive. He immediately changed the name of the bottling to the "Buisson Renard" and gave the wine the rather bizarre label, pictured below.

Today we focus on the wine itself, because Didier Dagueneau needs no introduction.

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Posted by Joe Salamone at 10:24 AM | TrackBack

February 3, 2010

Jura Wiseman: Macle

The Wiseman of the Jura
2006 Macle Côtes du Jura
Avoiding the Whims of Wine Fashion, Beautifully

"[Macle's wines] seem to rifle through a repertoire of the natural world as you sniff and sip."
- Andrew Jefford, The New France

Today we present one of the Jura's true greats.

In our opinion, Macle should be included with the traditional wines of Vatan, Verset, and Trollat; benchmark producers who intuitively produce soulful, subtle, and long lasting wines that seem nearly impossible to replicate.

This is our fourth Macle offering - a past Macle bottling (the 2004 Côtes du Jura) was a "Crush Wine of the Year." That's how strongly we believe in these wines. For those who have never experienced traditional winemaking in the Jura, there is nothing else like it. Today we offer thanks. Thanks that there are wines as challenging and inspiring as Macle's lovely creations. Thankful there is still a strong audience for these wines.

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Posted by Joe Salamone at 10:31 AM | TrackBack

February 2, 2010

Cote-Rotie Opportunity: Eric Texier

Côte-Rôtie: Unplugged
2005 Éric Texier Côte-Rôtie "Vieilles Vignes"
Rare Buying Opportunity - 15% Below Lowest Price

Côte-Rôtie is challenging.

The slopes are steep and treacherous (the parcels Éric Texier farms have inclines up to 55 degrees). This is unforgiving land; everything must be done by hand.

Some of this severity translates into the wines themselves, which can be impartial, unrevealing, even temperamental. Yet when they choose to show themselves, Côte-Rôtie can be absolutely haunting.

In Éric Texier's hands, Côte-Rôtie is elegant. (John Gilman uses the word "classy," see his very enthusiastic note below.)

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Posted by Ian McFadden at 10:23 AM | TrackBack

February 1, 2010

The "Forgotten" Schloss Lieser

Juicy, Juicy, Juicy, Juicy, Juicy, Juicy Juice!
2008 Schloss Lieser
Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr Spätlese
Serious, Mouth-Watering Fun in a Bottle

I do NOT like to include cheeky photographs of myself with winemakers in emails.

But there's a story to tell today.

A story that involves today's wine and a cheeky photograph, below, of myself and Thomas Haag, the winemaker/owner of Schloss Lieser.

As we all know, the Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr is one of  the Mosel's great sites. The Fritz Haag estate, with its relentless focus on the Juffer Sonnenuhr, has basically guaranteed the vineyard's stature. When Thomas Haag left the family circle and went out on this own, revamping the old Schloss Lieser estate, he was given some of his father's plots in the Juffer Sonnenuhr.

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 10:28 AM | TrackBack

January 30, 2010

"Great Scotch!" - Collectible Rarities

"Great Scotch!" - Collectible Rarities
A Must-See List for the Serious Scotch Collector
Bowmore - Caol Ila - Balvenie - Glenrothes - and more

Today, we take an unprecedented look at some seriously *cult* bottles of Scotch.

Ardent followers of Crush's spirits program will remember an offer during the peak of the holiday season - a collection of rare Scotchs from some of the biggest and best-known distilleries in Scotland.

That offer sold out before that snowy Saturday was spent.

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Posted by Daniel Stenson at 12:03 PM | TrackBack

January 29, 2010

Back-Vintage Chave Hermitage: Impeccable Provenance

J.L. Chave Hermitage Blanc: 1995-2000
Ideal Provenance - Unreal Prices - Surreal Wines

Luxurious, dizzying, quixotic, kaleidoscopic, even mysterious. Chave's great Hermitage Blancs need so much more time than you think, but when they finally reveal themselves...

...whoa.

We've confirmed this once again this week, popping corks on a pristine collection of back-vintage Chave as if it were the Fourth of July, corks from half-bottles, full bottles and magnums flying through the air instead of fireworks.

This email goes out today because if it didn't the parcel would disappear, through our own indulgence. (Seriously.)

Everyone who thinks they understand Rhône whites, think again. And think again seriously, because these are not just any Rhône Blancs; these are the flower-inspired monuments of the appellation, masterpieces from none other than Jean-Louis Chave.

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Posted by Bob Schagrin at 12:01 PM | TrackBack

January 28, 2010

Burgenland or Burgundy? Moric: Austria with Elegance

Burgundy or Burgenland?
2007 Moric Blaufränkisch Elegance of Burgundy - Soul of Austria

"Wines in a style you will not encounter anywhere else in Austria: Blaufränkisch vinified as if it were Grand Cru Burgundy."
- David Schildknecht, Wine Advocate

Heed Schildknecht's words above: This is an offer for the Burgundy lover, for those who appreciate a seductive, balanced expression of fruit, mineral, flower, earth.

This is elegant Blaufränkisch. In most cases, that's a rather jarring phrase; if Blaufränkisch has a reputation at all for the American consumer, it'd likely be reduced to "juicy, rustic and rugged."

Roland Velich and his Moric project, however, are leading something like a revolution in Austria's Burgenland - going back to the fundamentals and in the process finding a pure, authentic expression of Blaufränkisch.

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 10:38 AM | TrackBack

January 22, 2010

Burgundy 1989-2002: Roumier, Ponsot, Angerville, Lafarge...

Burgundy 1989-2002
Angerville, de Montille, Drouhin, Gouges, Lafarge, Mommesin, Ponsot, Potel, Roumier and more...
Special Pricing on Sweet Spot Burgundy

This is the holy grail and we all know it.

Burgundy, approaching its apogee and well beyond inexpressive, precocious youth.

This is what we like to call the "sweet spot" and it's a fine place to be with great Burgundy.

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Posted by Ian McFadden at 12:02 PM | TrackBack

January 21, 2010

Lowest Price in the World: Numanthia Termes

Back Up the Truck: 2007 Numanthia Termes
Bask in the Spanish Sun at the
LOWEST PRICE IN THE WORLD
Special Case-Pricing as Low as $18.99!
Offer Ends Monday, January 25th, 2010

Straight from the mouth of an unrepentant Burgundy fanatic: THIS IS GOOD!

I'm talking about the 2007 Numanthia Termes, a wine with enough warm, blanketing richness to comfort you all winter long, yet with enough glide to charm even the Burgundy lover.

I have to say, this wine genuinely shocked me.

Numanthia is most famous for their flagship Termanthia bottling, an epic wine with a "200% new oak treatment" that renders it larger than life and darker than night. The Termanthia soars in the $150+ range with the "perfect" 2004 checking in well above the $300 mark.

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Posted by Bob Schagrin at 12:07 PM | TrackBack

January 20, 2010

Mascarello Barolo Monprivato 1.5L

2005 G. Mascarello Barolo Monprivato 1.5L
A Rich Monprivato Echoing the Powerful 1999
Special Pricing on Rare Magnums!

Today a targeted offering featuring just about the coolest thing for a Monprivato fan: MAGNUMS

Giuseppe Mascarello's Barolo Monprivato is consistently one of our favorite traditional Barolos.

It is without a doubt one of the greatest expressions of Piedmont red; few achieve the Burgundy-like finesse that Mauro Mascarello coaxes from this prime real estate.

We offered regular 750ml bottles of the 2005 Monprivato in early December, writing: "While the 2005 is a powerful Monprivato, a wine that reminds Antonio Galloni of the 1999, it is also one of the greatest 'new release' deals to come around in a long time."

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Posted by Bob Schagrin at 11:12 AM | TrackBack

January 19, 2010

Ambition in the Saar: Van Volxem 2008

2008 Van Volxem: Ambition in the Saar
Special Pre-Arrival Pricing on the 2008 Collection
See Below for Details on "2008 Van Volxem Primer"

There is no denying that Van Volxem is one of the most important estates in Germany's historic Saar Valley

The fact is, Roman Niewodniczanski, the heir to the Bitburger Beer fortune, has been on a buying spree the last 10 years or so, securing some of the grandest, oldest-vine sites in the Saar.

For example, Roman's parcel in the famed Gottesfuss includes ungrafted, pre-phylloxera vines that are between 100 and 150 years old, though he also owns top parcels in the legendary Scharzhofberger (think Egon Müller), Altenberg and Braunfels, among others.

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 3:32 PM | TrackBack

January 18, 2010

2001 Chateauneuf Deal: Solitude "Barberini"

Chateauneuf in Top Form
2001 Solitude Chateauneuf-du-Pape "Barberini"
Luscious, Back-Vintage CDP Score
30% Below the Lowest Price in the World

"Over the last ten years, these wines have gone from strength to strength, and are now some of the finest of the appellation." - Robert Parker, Wine Advocate

With the young 2007 Chateauneufs falling deep into sleep, today we offer a luscious 2001 Chateauneuf in its prime, exuding all the sweet-cassis, smoke and flower-riddled perfumes of the sun-bathed Rhône.

Given the arctic temperatures we've been having and the daunting stretch of winter months ahead, we thought that something hedonistic, with a little belly-warming depth might be appropriate.

This is a targeted offering *only* for those of you who have supported our Rhône program. Still, with a mere 10 cases and a price 30% below the lowest price in the world, this will be gone quickly. (48 hours max!)

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Posted by Ian McFadden at 11:19 AM | TrackBack

January 15, 2010

FX Pichler Kellerberg: "A True Austrian Classic"

"A True Austrian Classic"
2008 F.X. Pichler Riesling Kellerberg Smaragd
"Few vintages are able to showcase the unique terroir of the Wachau with such impressive precision as 2008."
- Stephen Tanzer's IWC

This, we think, is the dry Riesling lover's holy trilogy:
- Trimbach's Clos St. Hune
- Keller's Abtserde GG
- F.X. Pichler's Kellerberg Smaragd

These are the flagship bottlings, the collectible "Grand Crus" that are as noble, as sophisticated and as ageworthy as dry Riesling ever gets.

In Austria, there is certainly no more dazzling, flashy, glossy, sleek (and slick) dry Rieslings than those fashioned at the estate of F.X. Pichler. No single producer in Austria has quite captured the attention of the American public as F.X Pichler has.

Yet for all this celebrity, this style, they also speak honestly of their terroir and THIS is what brings the collectors, wine geeks and scholars back year after year after year.

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Posted by Joe Salamone at 5:19 PM | TrackBack

January 14, 2010

Cazin Does it Better: Top Vintage Romo Mini-Vertical

Genius Loire Valley Esoterica
Rocking "Romo" from the Master
A Mini-Vertical of Top Vintages: 2007, 2002, 1996
Francois Cazin Cour-Cheverny

The "secret" of a GREAT quality-to-price ratio is simple, really.

You have to take a chance.

Find a grape variety that's not well known, a region that remains out of the spotlight - the more obscure, the better. Add a largely unknown producer and a wine that is, frankly, off the wall and you have yourself a pretty solid recipe for a memorable (unforgettable!?) experience.

Today we capitalize on all of the above, in a big way. This email presents a mini-vertical of a past "Wine of the Year" winner from three exceptional vintages: 1996, 2002 and 2007.

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Posted by Tom Stephenson at 5:19 PM | TrackBack

January 13, 2010

2007 Coche-Dury: RARE

2007 J.F. Coche-Dury
The Standard by Which All Others are Measured
From the Classic 2007 Vintage

Jean-Françoise Coche sometimes seems more like a cult figure than a real-life winemaker.

He is a legend in Burgundy and arguably one of the greatest producers of Chardonnay on planet earth. Coche-Dury is to Chardonnay what DRC is to Pinot Noir; his wines command a respect, and a price, that dwarf nearly all others.

Burgundy is rarely available in large quantity; rarity, in other words, is the norm. Still, the wines of Coche-Dury are ghosts - talked about all the time, but rarely seen.

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Posted by Ian McFadden at 2:15 PM | TrackBack

January 12, 2010

2004 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo: Rebel Yell!

Barolo's Rebel Yell!
2004 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo
The Greatest Bartolo Barolo since (gulp!) the 1978?
Lowest Price in the Nation

"This is the best young Barolo I have tasted here in many years. Fans of traditional Barolo won’t want to miss this superb effort." - Antonio Galloni, Wine Advocate

The short story is that in this glorious, powerful vintage, Mascarello has come up with something special.

The 2004 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo is, in turns, explosive, concentrated and provocatively mouth-watering with juicy cherry and raspberry, shrieking flowers and spices dashed with minerals, yet for all this muscle, the wine is also nimble, agile...even soaring.

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Posted by Joe Salamone at 9:38 AM | TrackBack

January 7, 2010

2008 Sancerre Super-Cuvee: Boulay Comtesse

2008 Boulay Sancerre La Comtesse
A Hedonist's Vatan or Cotat?
The 4th Vintage of this Sancerre Super-Cuvée

Limited - Special Offer for Loire Supporters Only!

Boulay's Sancerre super-cuvée "Comtesse" is a simply outrageous expression of Sauvignon Blanc.

This bottle is a Loire legend in the making - based on the fact that we've sold out of this wine in less than 24 hours for each of the last three vintages we've offered, many of you seem to agree.

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Posted by Tom Stephenson at 4:27 PM | TrackBack

2007 Raveneau Butteaux Special Focused Offer

2007 Raveneau Chablis 1er Butteaux
Old-Vine Elegance from Raveneau
Special offer *only* for MdT Supporters

Just not enough Raveneau to go around.

With only a few cases en route, there's just not enough of today's "ultra elegant" Raveneau to send to the full list.

So today we say thank you to those of you who supported Raveneau's 2007 Montée de Tonnerre, with a follow-up offer on Raveneau's 1er Cru Butteaux at only $109.95.

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Posted by Ian McFadden at 11:07 AM | TrackBack

January 6, 2010

1999 Ar Pe Pe Valtellina: Nebbiolo on the Mountain

Nebbiolo on the Mountain Top
1999 Ar Pe Pe Sasella Riserva Vigna Regina
One of Italy's Great Traditional Estates

Barolos and Barbarescos often seem to steal all the limelight, with their power and brawn.

What a shame.

After all, Nebbiolo (like all noble grapes) is incredibly sensitive to where it’s planted and can display an enormous range of flavors.

Today we take Nebbiolo up the mountain, to 1,200-1,800 feet above sea level. Here, in Valtellina, an alpine region bordering Switzerland, Nebbiolo shows its lighter, more nervous, delicate and finessed side (you might even say Burgundian).

For us, this expression of Nebbiolo reaches its greatest heights in the resolutely traditional wines of Ar Pe Pe. Have no doubt, the late Arturo Pelizzatti Perego (who sadly passed away in 2004) deserves to be held among the ranks of Italy’s great traditional winemakers, right there with Bartolo Mascarello, Paolo Bea, Edoardo Valentini and others.

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Posted by Joe Salamone at 10:07 AM | TrackBack

January 5, 2010

2007 Raveneau: Simply Epic

Grand Cru in Spirit, Size and Severity
2007 Raveneau Chablis 1er Montée de Tonnerre
Do you enjoy aggressively classic, old school Chablis?

The word "epic" comes to mind.

"Profound" works too.

Raveneau's 2007s are ruthless, chiseled, unapologetic, thundering Chablis.

This is simply a superb vintage - the best 2007 Chablis uniquely combine the dramatic cut and precision of the 2004s with the concentration and power of the 2005s.

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Posted by Ian McFadden at 10:27 AM | TrackBack

January 4, 2010

Pristine Huet Moelleux from Exceptional Vintage

Huët Moelleux 1989 and 1976
Majestic Chenin Blanc
with Impeccable Provenance
A short (and sweet) offer to ring in the New Year

Huët is a name that resides on the shortlist of the great winemaking families of the world. Though Vouvray has been famously under-appreciated in the U.S., Huët’s Vouvrays have always been recognized as some of the greatest, most complex and ageable white wines in the world.

While new vintages are sought after; older vintages are exceedingly rare, and prices continue to rise, especially recently, when the Domaine increased "cellar door" prices on all back vintages considerably.

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Posted by Ian McFadden at 1:02 PM | TrackBack

December 30, 2009

Drouhin Chambertin: Intensity, Finesse

2001 Drouhin Chambertin
Muscle, with Purity, Clarity and Finesse
At the Lowest Price in the Nation

"Drouhin's wines are lighter in color than some, and may seem, to the uninitiated, at first somewhat lighter on the palate... But this is deceptive. Underneath there is a lot of intensity."
- Clive Coates, Côte d'Or

Clarity. That's the word that comes back, again and again, with a great Drouhin.

It's as if the fresh red fruit was only there for its delicate perfume, for the way it adds complexity to the minerality. Drouhin's great red Burgundies represent Pinot Noir at its most shimmering and complex; Pinot Noir in its most precise, most nimble form.

Even today's Grand Cru red from the chewy, muscle-bound commune of Gevrey-Chambertin remains agile and precise, chiseled even. Clive Coates' quote, above, is perfect: Lighter, yes, but incredibly intense and just so transformative and complex.

Today we offer a few cases of a featherweight Grand Cru blockbuster at the lowest price in the nation: Drouhin's 2001 Chambertin. This bottle is classic Drouhin; those of you who have experienced a Drouhin in top form know exactly what we're talking about. If these wines can be severe in their youth, austere even, with time they reveal an incredible pure and intricate tapestry of fruit, earth and mineral.

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Posted by Ian McFadden at 9:48 AM | TrackBack

December 28, 2009

Rare Gold Capsule MAGNUM: Schafer-Frohlich

*Rare* Schäfer-Fröhlich Gold Capsule Mags
Lightening Strikes Again (in Magnum Format)
Less Than Three Cases for the U.S.!

"Tim Fröhlich's 2008s are near-perfect. This is one of the only estates where I might say the 2008s are even better than the 2007s - and the 2007s were scary-good."

Are the 2008 Schäfer-Fröhlichs better than the 2007s?

They might be. In fact, just last week Tim Fröhlich won the German food & wine journal Gault Millau's "Winemaker of the Year" for his 2008 collection. (A HUGE deal in Germany, if a bit of an obscure mention in the U.S.)

For those of you who thrill to Rieslings of mineral, clarity and ferocious precision, Tim's 2008 collection will absolutely haunt you. In my two weeks in Germany, I don't know that I tasted a more complete, more powerful and chiseled collection. Today we offer one of the top Spätlesen to come out of Germany in 2008 - Tim's Felseneck Spätlese Gold Capsule, in rare magnum format.

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 4:19 PM | TrackBack

December 22, 2009

1996 Cult Champagne: Clos des Goisses

1996 Philipponnat "Clos des Goisses"
Cult Single-Vineyard Champagne
Special Pricing on the Greatest Goisses of the Last 20 Years

"Clos des Goisses is consistently one of the world's
foremost wines." - Richard Juhlin

Today we offer a legend in the making.

In 10 years' time, when the wines of this vintage truly begin to speak, there is little doubt that the 1996 Clos des Goisses will be considered one of the greats of this storied vintage, right there alongside the big names like Krug and Salon (but that can be had today for about a 30% discount!).

While this is a bottling that has been sought out by top Champagne collectors for years, devotees of the best growers like Anselme Selosse, Cedric Bouchard, Jerome Prevost and Vouette et Sorbee should seriously consider putting Clos des Goisses in their cellars. There is a similarity in style, a blanketing, dark-fruited richness married to a super-dense core of minerals. All of these wines can show oxidative elements, giving them a distinct personality, complex notes of iron, minerals, walnuts, hazelnuts and oils.

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Posted by Ian McFadden at 4:18 PM | TrackBack

December 21, 2009

Kongsgaard Judge: Lowest Price in the World

2006 Kongsgaard "Judge"
One-Half Trophy Chard - One-Half Geek Wine
Lowest Price in the World

"One of the most profound Chardonnays made in California."
- Robert Parker

A very short offer today - less than three cases of wine available (though keep in mind only 15 barrels are made in most years).

John Kongsgaard's "Judge" is a ferocious, take-no-prisoner type of Chardonnay. While it has the depth of fruit that can hold its own next to the glossy/sexy likes of Kistler and Aubert, it has more cut, more angles, more minerality (the vineyard was originally bought in the 1920s as a potential quarry site) - more thrust.

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Posted by Ian McFadden at 4:14 PM | TrackBack

December 19, 2009

Serious Scotch Collection

Incredibly Rare Scotch
A Must-See List for Any Serious Scotch Collector
*Extremely Limited*

Macallan, Glenmorangie, Springback, Highland Park, Bruichladdich, and more...

We know you've got your hands full today - this is after all the last shopping weekend before Christmas. But this Scotch offer was too good to wait on, and may just be the perfect thing for the passionate collector/drinker who thought he had everything.

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Posted by Daniel Stenson at 2:53 PM | TrackBack

December 18, 2009

2007 Rhone Finale: Sabon Prestige

Sabon Chateauneuf-du-Pape "Prestige"
Our VALUE Pick from the 2007 Chateauneufs
(Serious Juice from 90-Year-Old Vines)
"Brilliant... the essence of Provence."
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate

2009 could be called "the year of the Rhône"

It was Robert Parker's huge words: "Throughout the southern Rhône, 2007 is the greatest vintage I have tasted in my thirty years working in that region." that began the 2007 Rhône-rage. The only question that remained was would the wines live up to their early promise? What would the final verdict be once the juice was bottled?

Just last month, he penned the grand conclusion: "Tasting the 2007s out of bottle has confirmed my thoughts – this is a truly historic and profoundly great vintage."

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Posted by Ian McFadden at 1:19 PM | TrackBack

December 17, 2009

Back-Vintage Champagne Surprise (Ex-Cellars)

1993 Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs
Shattering Expectations
*Direct from the Cellars of Dom Ruinart*

"Firing on all cylinders. What a beautiful wine."
- Antonio Galloni, Wine Advocate

Earlier this year, I hosted a Dom Ruinart retrospective with Chef de Caves Frederic Panaïotis at New York's Cru Restaurant.

Today's offer represents the SURPRISE of the night - the 1993 Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs. 

As Ian said: "This is a wine that simply shouldn't exist." Like DRC's 72s, Jayer's 83s or Giacosa's 86s, Dom Ruinart took a vintage that offered very little... and made something absolutely exceptional from it.

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Posted by Bob Schagrin at 4:21 PM | TrackBack

December 16, 2009

Opus One "Bargain"

2006 Opus One
The Iconic California Red, for the Holidays...
Special Pricing on Single Parcel - Ready, Set, Gift!

With just over a week remaining till the Holiday festivities,
here's a popular favorite, priced right!

"Unbridled power, full-bodied richness... part of [the estate's] greatest trilogy of vintages to date." - Wine Advocate

For the rest of the year, we're in the trenches, hunting for new and different wines for you.  Today we take off our "wine geek" hats and unapologetically offer a quick (and perfect) answer to that vexing holiday question: What's an impressive, universally recognized wine gift?

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Posted by Ian McFadden at 10:49 PM | TrackBack

December 15, 2009

2001 Gaja Sori San Lorenzo - Limited

Gaja 2001 Sori San Lorenzo
Seductive, Ferocious, from Barbaresco
Lowest Pricing in the Nation on 2001 Piedmont Trophy

"The deepest and darkest of the single-vineyard wines from Barbaresco...a penetrating nose of tar and minerals along with very rich sweet dark fruit on a massive, structured frame of great thrust and length." - Wine Advocate

Today, we offer a *small* parcel of Gaja's meanest 2001 at the lowest price in the nation (lowest price in the world actually).

This will be short - a targeted offer only for those of you who have supported our "big red" wine program. All 2001 Gaja wine will be sold first come, first served.

For the passionate Italian collector, it doesn't get much better than this - the ultimate gift today comes "gift-wrapped" in wooden 6-packs. Ready for the cellar!

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Posted by Ian McFadden at 8:09 PM | TrackBack

December 14, 2009

Willamette Valley Value: Evesham Pinot Noir

2008 Evesham Wood Pinot Noir
Oregon's Famed Willamette Valley Delivers
Grace, Texture AND VALUE!
The Perfect Pinot Noir for the Holidays

Our favorite domestic Pinot Noir of 2009, Hands Down

Today's offer represents our first venture into Oregon's famed Willamette Valley. If this is a bit shocking given the world-renowned quality of these wines, explaining ourselves is easy enough. Two big issues have always gotten in our way: availability and price.

Today, however, we have found our Willamette Valley gem.

While the price was incredibly fair (especially given the quality of the material - we're talking about a cuvee that uses a healthy dose of fruit from the Temperance Hill Vineyard, made famous by Mark Vlossak at St. Innocent), we had to muscle our way in to get an allocation big enough to offer.

Still, given the quality and price on offer today, we expect a sell-out before the sun sets. (We wish we could source more, but we'll just have to wait till next year.)

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 7:43 PM | TrackBack

December 11, 2009

WOTY # 4 - Robert: Chezeaux

00 Chezeaux (Ponsot) Griotte-Chambertin
"Produced, Aged and Bottled by Dom. Ponsot"
The Secrets, the Seduction, of Grand Cru Burgundy

My homage to Burgundy's most talked about winemaker.

My "Wine of the Year" is not what it appears to be.

It's better.

While the label declares "Domaine des Chezeaux" with a staid calm, "the truth in the bottle" is none other than Ponsot's 2000 Griotte-Chambertin.

The only difference between this bottling and Ponsot's is the label.

Oh... that and the fact that the Chezeaux bottling trades at about a 20% discount.

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Posted by Bob Schagrin at 6:12 PM | TrackBack

December 10, 2009

Coulee de Serrant - Wine of the Year STEAL

Ian's Wine of the Year
2005 Joly Savennieres Coulee de Serrant
As low as $29.95 when you buy a case
(Yes, you read correctly: $29.95)

If only there was some dramatic story behind the pricing,
a forgotten cellar or some murder mystery.

No such drama.

The wine just switched importers and we were faster than anyone else on pulling the trigger on a parcel at a special price. Today we are happy to pass along this serious discount on one of the world's noble white wines.

The old importer obviously had no desire to hold any stock - yet the reality here is this is stock well worth holding, especially for the informed collector, especially at this price. Consider the 2006 begins at $74; when the 2007 hits expect prices of at least $80/btl.

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Posted by Ian McFadden at 1:21 PM | TrackBack

December 8, 2009

WOTY#2 - Clos de la Roche in Spirit

Tom's Wine Of The Year
The Best Damn Pinot Noir That Isn't
Thierry Puzelat's Personality Filled Knockout:
"KO - Clos de la Roche"

I didn't go to the Loire Valley looking for a "Wine of the Year."  The truth is, in a way I was hoping *not* to find anything. It'd be too predictable, really. The fulfillment of a wine business cliché - taking a trip and buying everything that you taste. "Not me," I said to myself. In fact, I think that I compensated in the other direction ... with an overly critical palate.

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Posted by Tom Stephenson at 10:50 PM | TrackBack

December 7, 2009

Wines of the Year! Begins Today

Stephen & Joe's Wine of the Year!
2008 Stein Palmberg-Terrassen Spätlese Trocken
Forgotten Terraces - 100-Year-Old Ungrafted Vines

EXTREME VALUE at as low as $23.40!

This is one of the most evocative DRY Rieslings from the classic 2008 vintage. Yet, even more, it is a profound expression of the relationship between a vineyard and a winemaking family.

If a picture is worth 1,000 words, how much is a video worth?

The 2008 Stein Palmberg-Terrassen is likely the greatest Riesling value on earth. (A wine made from 100-year-old ungrafted vines on steep, slate-riddled slopes for ~$25?!)

Extraordinarily, this is a bottle that overwhelms the stereotypes of the vintage.

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Posted by Joe Salamone at 12:25 AM | TrackBack

December 4, 2009

Friday Steal: Too Good for the Holiday Party!

2007 Dom. François Mikulski Aligoté
Way Too Good for the Holiday Party
(Yet priced this low, why not impress?)

A Holiday FRIDAY STEAL at as low as $16!
Special Email *Only* Pricing - You MUST order by email!

This is a strategic Friday Steal: With the holidays around the corner, you need some sipping wines!

THAT'S WHY WE'RE PULLING OUT THE BIG (VALUE) GUNS TODAY!

This is crisp Aligoté with a serious pedigree - old vines celebrating their 80th birthday this year, as the label, pictured right, proudly declares. The seriousness is reflected by the fact that the only other price for this wine in the U.S. is $35. (We bought the entire north east allocation and cut a serious deal, which we pass on to you.)

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 10:48 PM | TrackBack

December 3, 2009

Burgundy Cellar Gem: 05 Chandon de Briailles

IMMEASURABLE POTENTIAL
2005 Chandon de Briailles
Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Cru "Ile des Vergelesses"
Yes Virginia, there is GREAT Burgundy for Under $50

"A classy, pure, refined and ultra-elegant nose...flavors blessed with laser-like precision...an exercise in understatement and harmony." - Burghound

For those of you looking for a steal on ageworthy red Burgundy from the greatest vintage of this young century - this is an offer NOT TO MISS.

Clive Coates calls this wine one of the gems of Chandon, further insisting that the estate's parcels in the Ile des Vergelesses merit Grand Cru status - we're talking old vines going back to 1938.

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Posted by Ian McFadden at 12:19 AM | TrackBack

December 2, 2009

Great White Burg For Twisted Palates Only

Burgundy: Radically Ripe, Curiously Mineral
2002 Bongran Vire Clesse 'Cuvee Tradition'
Chardonnay Dichotomy from the Edge - Only $20!

I fell in love with Bongran at a birthday dinner years ago. I wasn't expecting to, but it was a magnum of the 1996 that absolutely blew me away. This is one of the most beautifully twisted expressions of Chardonnay out there.

You’re receiving this offer because your palate is as twisted as mine!

While you like the refined, it’s wines that are simultaneously hedonistic and challenging that really make you happy.

Today's reward is that you’re getting a wine that will satisfy the wine nerds who want to get cerebral while also delighting the holiday party crowd - the 2002 Bongran Vire Clesse 'Cuvee Tradition' at as low as $17.99. We have less than 10 cases available, so first come, first served.

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Posted by Tom Stephenson at 12:12 AM | TrackBack

December 1, 2009

Dom Perignon Gift Set

2000 Dom Pérignon Gift Set
1 x 2000 Dom Pérignon | 2 x Champagne Flutes
NEW: Engrave your Dom Pérignon for the Holidays!

"Elegance personified" - Wine Advocate

With the holidays around the corner, Dom Pérignon has stepped up to the plate and delivered the perfect gift.

For the Champagne lover, for the connoisseur, for anyone obsessed with the best, today we offer a 2000 Dom Pérignon gift set for the holidays at $159.95. Customize your Dom Pérignon for $35.00. | Read More

Posted by Bob Schagrin at 11:07 AM | TrackBack

November 30, 2009

Germany 1963-2002: Rarities on Holiday Special

Germany 1963 - 2002
Masterpieces in Riesling from J.J. Prum, Weil,
Karthauserhof, Von Schubert, Dr. Thanisch...
A Library of German Rarities - Special Holiday Pricing

Mature German Rieslings are mysterious and evocative - few wines age as long, and with as much grace.

It's an experience not to be missed.

Older German Rieslings are some of the hardest bottles to find - the collectors who buy these wines tend to obsess about them as much as we do, and for good reason. There are few things as nuanced and mysterious as Riesling with 20+ years of age. The sweetness, slowly, disappears; the texture and frame of the wine gains in delicacy; the fruit and mineral integrate. They can be absolutely magical.

Suffice it to say that today's small library of wines from the top producers in Germany has taken well over 6 months to assemble.

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 12:43 PM | TrackBack

November 25, 2009

Old-School Pommard: 93 M. Gaunoux Grands Epenots

Glorious, Evocative Old-School Pommard
1993 M. Gaunoux Pommard 1er Grands Epenots
Burgundy STEAL from Top Vintage, Drinking Now...

This is worth the quick read before you take off for your Thanksgiving feast. (You'll thank us later!)

Today, a quick indulgence into a small parcel of beautifully savage, old-school Pommard with all the fruit, game and muscle-bound grace you'd expect from one of Pommard's best producers and top sites...

...at a price that puts gorgeous, mature, glorious Burgundy within everyone's reach. (The pricing today is about as sharp as it will ever be.)

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Posted by Ian McFadden at 12:10 PM | TrackBack

November 24, 2009

Authentic Brunello: 2004 Cerbaie

2004 Cerbaie Brunello di Montalcino
"Burgundian" Brunello with Finesse and Purity
THE Value of the Monumental 2004 Vintage
Stunning Brunello at as Low as $38.95

Think Brunello is only about muscle, weight and heft?
Think again.

Brunello in its purest form has a shocking clarity to it, an aromatic fineness that can be incredibly evocative - smoke, fresh black cherry, bramble, fields of wild grass and perfumed flowers.

With Thanksgiving but hours away and a parcel of our favorite Brunello from the great 2004 vintage en route to the store for as low as $38.95 a bottle - it's time to "Back Up the Truck" under the Tuscan sun! (Wine should arrive today!)

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Posted by Bob Schagrin at 5:38 PM | TrackBack

November 23, 2009

"...salivating uncontrollably..." Willi Schaefer Back Up the Truck!

Willi Schaefer, DANCING
on Your Thanksgiving Table
A Magical Kabinett from a Magical Vintage,
Special Monday Back Up the Truck!
The Top 2007 Willi Schaefer Kabinett as low as $17!

"...left me salivating uncontrollably... I'm not sure I'll outlive it, but those who can ought to contemplate saving some for 25 years from now. Just make sure you have lots for in-between too!" -David Schildknecht, Wine Advocate

We'll cut to the chase here, because today we present one of the top Kabinetts from the utterly superb 2007 vintage at as low as $17 a bottle.

This is a mighty Monday "Back Up the Truck" with special Thanksgiving pricing available only on this single parcel of 2007 Schaefer Kabinett, received directly from the cellar of Willi Schaefer himself.

As Schildknecht suggests (above), this wine is stunning now - our white wine pick for the Thanksgiving table - but it will also develop in the cellar to join you for Thanksgiving 2034, should you have the patience.

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 10:45 AM | TrackBack

November 19, 2009

Loire Royalty: Baumard Library Friday Steals

Loire Royalty, for a Song
A Library of Baumard's Epic Chenin Blancs
Savennières - Coteaux du Layon - Quarts de Chaume
1992 - 1995 - 1999 - 2001 - 2002

The legendary sweet and dry Chenin Blancs of Baumard cast a long shadow across the Loire.

The Baumard family is Loire royalty - they own some of the choicest real estate for producing monumental, long-lived Savennières and the famous sweets from the Coteaux du Layon and Quarts de Chaume. The wine journals are littered with tales of how these wines, both young and old, have served as mind-blowing benchmarks.

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Posted by Joe Salamone at 9:22 PM | TrackBack

Thanksgiving Pommard Special: Back Up the Truck!!!

2004 F. Gaunoux Pommard 'Les Tavannes'
1er Cru Quality at a Bourgogne Rouge Price!
A Special Thanksgiving "Back Up The Truck!"

Admit it. With a week to go, you still haven't decided what to pour for Thanksgiving.

It's a difficult situation to navigate. You’d like something bold, a juicy red that will stand out and impress, yet also pair well with the Thanksgiving meal. You'd like something special without breaking the bank but you've got 10 people (more?) coming over and aunt Mildred, let's be honest, will drink anything.

For us, the hunt for the perfect Thanksgiving wine began in late August and it wasn't until early October that we found the bottle.

It was worth the effort, because today we can offer a beautiful, traditional Burgundy at an incredible price, over 30% off its regular price: Francois Gaunoux’s Pommard "Les Tavannes" at as low as $33. (The last retail price we can find for this wine was $49 a bottle.)

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Posted by Tom Stephenson at 8:43 AM | TrackBack

November 17, 2009

The Return of Rayas: Profound Chateauneuf-du-Pape

2005 Rayas Chateauneuf-du-Pape
The Greatest, Most Collectible Chateauneuf?
The Mystique, the Magic of Rayas is Back

"The 2005 is clearly the greatest wine made at this estate since the 1995...utterly profound Chateauneuf du Pape."
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate

Just to set the record straight: Rayas is back, with a vengeance.

The 2005 is perhaps the first truly spectacular Chateauneuf produced by the estate since the passing of Jacques Reynard. It is a simply explosive Chateauneuf - the 2005 Rayas is expansive, saturated with sweet dark fruits, an elegant and seemingly endless mid-palate awash with concentration and aromatics that can fill any room. Parker's notes, reproduced below, are worth reading.

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Posted by Ian McFadden at 8:52 PM | TrackBack

November 13, 2009

Sweet (Friday) Steal: BA at a Shocking Price

2003 Bert Simon Serrig Herrenberg BA
The Noble Art of the BA at an Extraordinary Price
Full 750ml Bottles for as Low as $38.50!

Producing a BA involves risk, patience and painstaking selection. They are among the greatest expressions of sweet wines in the world and they are priced accordingly...

...but not for today's sweet Friday Steal!

The BA is one of the highest art forms in German winemaking.

These are the rare German dessert wines, every bit the equal of the great Sauternes. Most German wine aficionados (unsurprisingly!) will tell you that the best German "stickies" present more than what a Sauternes can offer, with more elegance, finesse, minerality and acidity along with that magical, noble rot-inflected array of mango, apricot and honey. (See sidebar for more on the BA and noble rot.)

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 11:34 AM | TrackBack

November 12, 2009

The Most Seductive Chardonnay: 1998 Dom Ruinart

1998 Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs
The Most Seductive Side of Chardonnay...
at least north of Montrachet
As low as $99.99

"The 1998 Dom Ruinart is simply gorgeous."
- Wine Advocate

Dom Ruinart has a serious reputation for their Chardonnay - their Blanc de Blancs present one of the most suave and graceful expressions of the grape, at least north of Montrachet.

This is a bottling that is held in the highest esteem in Europe; it resides in force on the great wine lists of the continent, alongside elites such as Dom Pérignon, Krug, Cristal and Salon. Dom Ruinart has a reputation for aging that hangs with the big boys.

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Posted by Bob Schagrin at 10:53 AM | TrackBack

November 10, 2009

2005 Monprivato Pre-Arrival Deal

2005 G. Mascarello Barolo Monprivato
Rich Monprivato Echoes the Powerful 1999
Special Pre-Arrival Pricing...

"The best 2005s are exceptional and aren't too far off the levels top producers achieved in 2004."
- Antonio Galloni, Wine Advocate

Mascarello's Monprivato is one of the greatest expressions of Barolo; it is also perhaps our favorite. Few achieve the Burgundy-like finesse that Mauro Mascarello coaxes from this top site.

Though long considered one of the great traditional Piedmont reds by insiders, it is really only in the last five years that this bottling's reputation has exploded. Make no mistake about it, Mascarello's Monprivato is now one of the most collectible Barolos, right up there with the top wines of Giacomo Conterno, Bruno Giacosa and Bartolo Mascarello, though at a fraction of the price.

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Posted by Bob Schagrin at 10:14 AM | TrackBack

November 9, 2009

2007 Hajszan Weissleiten Gemischt Satz Gruner Veltliner

2007 Hajszan "Gemischter Satz" Weissleiten
"Gemischter Satz" hits the New York Times!
Vienna's Traditional Field Blends on the World Stage

"My favorite gemischter satz is the 2007 Weissleiten from Stefan Hajszan, a gorgeous wine that is both delicate and intense." - Eric Asimov, New York Times, November 2nd, 2009

You have to give credit to the New York Times chief wine writer, Eric Asimov, for taking the wine drinking collective consciousness to new and fascinating places. Last week's article, about the traditional field blends of Vienna, is well worth reading - click here for article.

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 6:58 PM | TrackBack

November 6, 2009

Burgundy 1990-2003: Friday Steals

Burgundy 1990-2003
Bachelet, Barthod, Chevillon, Drouhin, Faiveley, Jadot, Rousseau and more...
Special Pricing on Back-Vintage Burgundy

FRIDAY STEALS!

Today we present a special collection that we've spent some time putting together - beautiful red Burgundies from 1990 to 2003, from Grand Crus to village wines, every one specially priced for this Burgundian "Friday Steal."

This is a category of wine we are constantly on the hunt for, and we have to say, these bottles can be very elusive. Young Burgundy is easy to find, but as these wines slowly take advantage of time to open up, to develop, to come into focus, into balance...well, collectors are less inclined to give them up.

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Posted by Ian McFadden at 8:33 PM | TrackBack

November 4, 2009

Traditional Soul of 07 Chateauneuf: Vieille Julienne

2007 Vieille Julienne Chateauneuf-du-Pape
Tradition and Soul in Chateauneuf
Sharp Pricing on a Star from this Top Vintage

"Always one of my favorite Chateauneuf-du-Pape estates to visit, proprietor Jean-Paul Dauman has made Domaine de la Vieille Julienne a brilliant reference point for this appellation."
- Robert Parker

It's amazing the genius that can be produced when wines are not manipulated, when very old vines (100 years plus) are tended to thoughtfully.

Perhaps we shouldn't expect anything less, especially in "the greatest vintage" Robert Parker has experienced in his thirty years working the Southern Rhône, yet still, even with all the hype, the purity and soul of the 2007 Vieille Julienne is impossible to deny.

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Posted by Ian McFadden at 12:11 PM | TrackBack

October 30, 2009

2007 Dauvissat Chablis Friday "Steel"

Yes, "painfully intense" is a good thing. A very good thing.

Chablis, more than any other region, can push writers over the edge in search of that perfect phrase to describe the essentially indescribable. It's not by accident that both Alan Meadows and Steve Tanzer use the phrase "painfully intense" to describe the 2007 Forest, and we tip our hats to their efforts. Their tasting notes really grapple with what makes great Chablis so absolutely riveting. (Both are reproduced, in full, below.)

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Posted by Ian McFadden at 10:04 AM | TrackBack

October 29, 2009

Shocking Value from the South: Dom. Perrieres

2005 Dom. Perrieres Costieres de Nimes
Marc Kreydenweiss' Southern Exposure
"Chateauneuf's Little Brother" - A Shocking Value

"...beefy flesh and power of better-than-ordinary Chateauneuf."
- Andrew Jefford, The New France

Andrew Jefford, in his quote above, is referring to the wines of Costieres de Nimes, a region in the far south of the Rhône, essentially bordering the Languedoc. You'd be wise to remember this region because, as Jefford’s quote alludes to, this is a terroir with unnoticed potential, and prices to match.

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Posted by Joe Salamone at 10:40 AM | TrackBack

October 28, 2009

Experience: The World of Fine Wine - Special Offer!

Experience: The World of Fine Wine
An Integral Part of the Connoisseur's Library
*Special* Subscription Rates for Crush Customers

"When your brain grows numb reading endless tasting notes and point-scores...it's more than refreshing to open a copy of The World Of Fine Wine and be reminded why you care in the first place. I don't know how I ever did without it."
Terry Theise, Importer

The World of Fine Wine is not just a "magazine," at least not in any conceivable, casual, everyday sense of the word.

Truly, in every qualitative aspect, from the powerhouse lineup of writers (regulars include Hugh Johnson, Andrew Jefford, Allen Meadows, Jancis Robinson and David Schildknecht) to the stunning production value (beautiful photography, top quality paper), it's more appropriate to think of this journal as a book - a reference book - published four times a year.

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Posted by Bob Schagrin at 3:14 PM | TrackBack

October 27, 2009

"Sexy and Sappy" - 2001 Meo-Camuzet Echezeaux

2001 Méo-Camuzet Echezeaux
"Sexy and Sappy" - Burghound
A Rare Grand Cru Coming into Perfect Focus...Now
Special Turn-Back-the-Clock Pricing as Low as $149

Is it too heavy handed, too dramatic, to bring up the formidable specter of Henri Jayer and his daunting influence at Méo-Camuzet?

Maybe it is.

After all, Jayer's business relationship with Méo-Camuzet ended in 1987, many years ago. Yet at the same time, a man like Henri Jayer is not soon forgotten, his commitments ran deep. Consider that Jayer's relationship with Méo-Camuzet, after all, began in 1945 as a scant 10-year contract...and ended 42 years later.

Jean-Nicolas Méo, the current winemaker at Méo-Camuzet, studied with Jayer, learned from Jayer. No, today's wine is not "Henri Jayer at 500% Off" - nothing of the sort - but it is a serious tribute to the lineage and bloodlines that make Burgundy what it is.

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Posted by Ian McFadden at 10:25 AM | TrackBack

October 23, 2009

Prager 2001: Back-Vintage Find

2001 Prager Riesling Klaus Smaragd
Magical Austrian Combination: Prager & 2001
Rare Back-Vintage Riesling for 20% Less than Original Price...

If I were to script the craziest "Friday Steal" I could think of, it'd probably look something like today's offer.

Seriously. I mean, aside from tripping over a pallet of 1971 Schloss Eltz Rauenthaler Baiken TBA at $75 a bottle, for me, this is about as good as it gets.

Today's "Friday Steal" deserves italics, boldface and ALL CAPS.

Why? Because today we combine two of my all-time favorite things: Prager and the 2001 vintage in Austria. And then, not a bad little extra, consider the fact that we can offer the bottle at about 20% below its initial offering price.

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 6:18 PM | TrackBack

October 22, 2009

20% Off! Fall Mixed Case

Fall Mixed Case
BIG Savings on our Autumnal Sampler
Favorites for Fall - Every Bottle Discounted 20%!

Fall has arrived!  It seems like almost overnight shorts, t-shirts, and sandals disappeared and out came the jackets, boots and even scarves. These harbingers of changing leaves and plummeting temperatures reminded us that it was time to get a fall case together.

This mixed case, as they always do, represents the BEST DEAL on these wines: A stellar cast of bottles, discounted 20%. Also, as with previous cases, this assortment is perfectly suited to the cooler weather that is now upon us. Following this spirit, we’ve returned to including a red-only case in addition to a red-white mixed case.

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Posted by Joe Salamone at 12:05 PM | TrackBack

October 13, 2009

Soul of Sangiovese: 2006 Pergole Torte

2006 Montevertine Le Pergole Torte
The Soul of Sangiovese
in One of Tuscany's Greatest Vintages
*Special Pricing*

"Run, don't walk - this is breathtaking juice no one who loves Italian wine will want to be without."
Antonio Galloni, Wine Advocate

If the line above cuts right to the chase as to what Antonio Galloni, the Italian guru for the Wine Advocate, thinks about Montevertine's 2006 Pergole Torte, the following line speaks volumes for the quality of the Tuscan 2006s. "The best of these wines offer breathtaking richness in a style that marries ripeness with structure to a degree that has seldom, if ever, been seen in Tuscany."

Today we'd like to focus on one of this region's most intriguing heroes in 2006.

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Posted by Ian McFadden at 10:25 AM | TrackBack

October 9, 2009

Trapet: Real Gevrey, 20-40% Off

Jean et Jean-Louis Trapet
A Small Parcel of Back-Vintage Burgundy
Discounted 20-40%

"Good stuff here built on finesse, not power."
-Burghound

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Posted by Ian McFadden at 5:10 PM | TrackBack

October 7, 2009

The Best "Barolo Riserva" You've Never Heard Of

2004 Ferrando Carema Black Label
Black is the New Black
Mountain Nebbiolo, Built for the Long Haul

"When I am asked which wine would I choose were I to be restricted to a single one, my answer is: Carema."
- Neal Rosenthal

The quote above from our February offer for Ferrando’s beautiful 2004 Carema "Etichetta Bianca" ("White Label") received not only an enthusiastic response (and a quick sell-out) but an unprecedented slew of requests for the wine's big brother, Ferrando’s "Etichetta Nera," or "Black Label." At the time, this über-small production wine -- the rarity of this wine cannot be stressed enough -- was unavailable, but we’ve just secured what we've been told is the final parcel of Black Label - it arrives next week.

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Posted by Joe Salamone at 6:35 PM | TrackBack

2007 Huet Le Mont Demi: Vouvray Defined

Huet: Outstanding Chenin at a Sharp Price
The Majestic 2007 Le Mont Demi-Sec
One of Huet's finest efforts over the last 10 years

In the right hands, Chenin Blanc produces one of the most regal, versatile, and ageworthy wines in the world.

But you already know this - you're hearing from us today because you have supported our offers of some of the greatest Chenin estates in the world: Foreau, Joly, Richard Leroy, and today's target: Huet.

The wines of Huet are a long-standing benchmark not only for Vouvray, but also for Chenin Blanc. The best Huets are some of the most captivating and longest lived wines available anywhere in the world.

The formula here is simple: Noel Pinguet + Sustainable Agriculture + Great Vintage + Rigorously selected old vine Chenin from Le Mont = Breathtaking, concentrated, elegant (yet fierce) wines built for the long haul.

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Posted by Joe Salamone at 9:57 AM | TrackBack

October 6, 2009

Cedric Bouchard: Champagne Shock Waves Continue...

Cedric Bouchard
The Champagne Shock Waves Continue...
New Releases including *Rare* Magnums and
100% Pinot Blanc Cuvee "Boloree"

"The explosive, kaleidoscopic Champagnes of Cedric Bouchard are some of the most compelling wines coming out of the region today... Readers should do whatever they can to experience these magnificent wines."
- Antonio Galloni, Wine Advocate

We first introduced the rising Champagne star Cedric Bouchard in April of this year, in the wake of Antonio Galloni's stunning reviews. Antonio lavished Bouchard's singular Champagnes with the kind of weighty verbiage (and incredibly high scores) usually reserved for the elite houses of Champagne.

Cedric's humble one-man operation, with barely enough vineyard holdings to make five hundred cases, was suddenly in the company of Krug and the most admired and influential small producer in Champagne, Jacques Selosse.

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Posted by Ian McFadden at 11:24 AM | TrackBack

October 5, 2009

New Zealand "Sancerre" Special: Mount Nelson

New Zealand "Sancerre" Back Up the Truck!
2008 Mount Nelson Sauvignon Blanc
Our Most Popular Sauvignon Blanc is BACK!
*Special Pricing this Week*

An old-world take on electrifying New Zealand "Zing."
An elegance and finesse put the wine far above its peers.

I'm happy to announce that the newest vintage of last year's most important Sauvignon Blanc discovery has just arrived.

Exciting news for many of you, given that the 2007 had the highest re-order rate of any Crush email offer, ever.

It's clear that so many of you found an elegance and finesse usually reserved for more expensive wines.  Yes, Mt. Nelson has the rare combination of complexity, delicacy, and terroir that a solid Sancerre effortlessly delivers.

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Posted by Tom Stephenson at 10:16 AM | TrackBack

October 2, 2009

THE German Discovery of the Year: Lauer

INTRODUCING: Weingut Peter Lauer
Dry, Mineral Rieslings of Precision and Finesse
EASILY the Greatest Germany Discovery of the Year

Peter and Florian Lauer make uncompromising wines from one of the Saar's greatest sites. We've been obsessing about them since we first tasted them. We thought we were the first to discover this estate...until we found out that none other than David Schildknecht is the original fan.

Let's get right to the point.

On behalf of myself, Joe and Tom (who has mentioned, on more than several occasions, dreaming of the wines since first tasting them), I DECLARE, WITHOUT HESITATION, THAT WEINGUT LAUER IS THE MOST EXCITING GERMAN FIND IN MANY YEARS.

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 10:23 AM | TrackBack

October 1, 2009

04-05 Dauvissat Preuses Half-Bottles: RARE

Vincent Dauvissat 2004 and 2005
Rare Chablis Grand Cru Les Preuses Half-Bottles
Special Offer for Chablis Fans - 48 Half-Bottles Available

Burghound
2004: "...akin to having a vinous bomb go off in your mouth."
2005: "Trust me, this is a 'wow' wine."

Vincent Dauvissat needs no introduction; he's one of Chablis' greatest and this offering is *only* for those of you who have supported our collectible Chablis program in the past. (After all, we have only 24 half-bottles of each vintage!)

Half-bottles of Dauvissat are exceedingly rare; only a handful of the stores in the world have any, none have Preuses. Because of the limited quantities, we will sell these on a first-come, first-served basis. Please give us your maximum order, but we will likely have to allocate. All orders subject to confirmation.

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Posted by Ian McFadden at 7:02 PM | TrackBack

September 30, 2009

Obscurity has its Privilege: Full Bodied Value from the Southwest

2006 Plageoles Duras
France's Wild, Wild (South)West
Obscurity has its Privileges: VALUE!

"A mind-challenging exercise in aroma and flavor archaeology, rather than ... simple hedonistic appeal."
-Andrew Jefford, The New France

If we were to pick one French region that has yet to be really discovered in this age of wine geekery, blogs, and the near-immediate flow of information, it would be France's Southwest.

We're talking about the region just north of Spain and inland from the Atlantic coast; here resides a forgotten tapestry of vineyards, a wild west of indigenous grapes that are, for all intents and purposes, battling extinction. Gaillac is the western most region here and it represents the obscurest of the obscure, with grapes such as Duras, Prunelart, Mauzac, Ondenc and Len de l'El.

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Posted by Joe Salamone at 9:52 AM | TrackBack

September 23, 2009

2008 Keller: The Greatest Dry Rieslings in Germany?

2008 Keller Riesling Kirchspiel GG
This is a serious question: Is anyone making a better dry Riesling in Germany?

"If I had to choose one wine to show how great dry German Riesling can be I would choose a Keller Riesling. Those wines are the German Montrachets."
- Jancis Robinson, MW

Keller's "Grand Cru" Rieslings are larger-than-life wines of incredible density and power; they are thoroughbreds.

Yet what no one does better than Keller is to shape this considerable intensity into a form that is elegant, finessed - beautiful. Yes, a Keller GG is incredibly concentrated, lavish with detailed fruit, yet the minerality, the clarity, the form is what makes these wines unforgettable.

Trimbach's Clos St. Hune is the oft-used comparison, though I rather prefer to think of a comet, brazen, yet with that beautifully elegant lingering tail...

In July we offered Keller's quiet cult Riesling, the Von der Fels. Today we step up to the impossible-to-find "Grand Crus," with a focus on what we consider the greatest value in Keller's formidable arsenal of Grosses Gewächs vineyards: The Westhofener Kirchspiel at only $58.78.

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 10:18 AM | TrackBack

September 22, 2009

The Grace of Volnay: Lafarge 2002-2005-2006

Domaine Michel Lafarge
The Grace of Volnay
Clos des Chenes - Chateau des Ducs - Caillerets

"For an example of the finest red Burgundy that is fragrant and feminine, yet intense and long-lasting, you need look no further than the wines of Domaine Michel Lafarge."
- Clive Coates

Volnay is one of our favorite villages in Burgundy.

There is little pomp and circumstance in Volnay; it is a small, serious town and in nearly every house there seems to be a winemaker, and nearly every winemaker is in their vineyards, a lot.

The village can be overlooked because it is not huddled among the more celebrated haunts of the Côte de Nuits (Gevrey-Chambertin, Chambolle-Musigny, Vosne-Romanée), and is without its own Grand Cru site(s) with which to concoct a "Grander" village name (Volnay-Clos-des-Chênes-Caillerets anyone?). Yet for these very same reasons, Volnay is rife with great wines that are great values.

Today's offer is a labor of love, a small offering of one of Volnay's finest - Domaine Michel Lafarge - from top vintages, at incredibly sharp prices. See below for the full list with reviews.

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Posted by Ian McFadden at 9:57 AM | TrackBack

September 16, 2009

Magic Mountain: Affordable N. Italian Masterpieces From Anselmet

Magic Mountain: Wine on a Wire
Anselmet's Affordable Valle d'Aosta Masterpieces
2008 Petit Rouge - 2007 Torrette

Directions: Combine 1 part Cru Beaujolais with 1 part Pinot Noir. Add dash of Cornas (Cote-Rotie will also do) and pinch of minerals. Mix well and serve w/ a rush of brisk Alpine morning air.

Now you're getting a sense of these wines!

If flat fertile valleys produce the lauded and aggressive alpha male "big dogs" of the wine world, mountain wines have a unique character. Like the vertical, thin-air landscapes from which they come, mountain wines are more flower than fruit, more mineral than earth. Where the flatlanders have girth and size, mountain wines are nimble, tense. They are - god bless 'em - muscle, tendon, vital organs and little else.

For the curious, for the value seeker, for the palate in search of a wine with that rare combination of personality and deliciousness without the "big dog" tariff - mountain wines are very interesting indeed.

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Posted by Joe Salamone at 9:49 AM | TrackBack

September 14, 2009

Cellar-Worthy Steal: 07 Egon Muller Scharzhofberger Kab

07 Egon Müller Scharzhofberger Kabinett #3
Scharzhofberger Super Saar Special @ $39.99

"This particular Kabinett had just been bottled prior to my visit, and it would not surprise me if I have slightly underrated it."
- John Gilman, View from the Cellar

Wouldn't surprise me either. Frankly, I'd say Gilman has most certainly underrated this wine, which is only natural.

Try looking at a tiny seed and judging the character of the oak tree that will emerge, 10, 20, 30+ years down the road. Not an easy science.

Evaluating an Egon Müller of any Prädikat in its youth is very difficult; assessing one that's just made the rude and brutal passage from barrel to bottle is damn close to impossible. Nearly always the journey will have put the wine in a cranky, awkward frame of being.

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 10:44 AM | TrackBack

2006 Angerville Volnay Magnums

1er Cru Clos des Ducs - 1er Cru Champans

The 2006s are gaining in weight and presence without losing that ethereal, glorious purity. These are stunning wines AND stunning values.

Today, a quick follow-up *only* for those of you who supported Angerville in the past: Magnums of Angerville’s 2006 1er Cru Clos des Ducs and 1er Cru Champans.

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Posted by Ian McFadden at 10:08 AM | TrackBack

September 11, 2009

Historical Haag: 1st Ever Juffer-Sonnenuhr GG

Grand Cru DRY Riesling from Fritz Haag
2008 Fritz Haag Juffer-Sonnenuhr GG
The First Ever Haag Grosses Gewachs!

When an estate with the prestige of Fritz Haag puts their reputation on the line by crafting a "Grand Cru" dry Riesling from their greatest vineyard site, you pay close attention.

If the Fritz Haag estate is famous, worldwide, for their angelically sweet Kabinetts, Spätlesen and Auslesen, it's time to reconsider the possibilities at this estate.

Yes, Fritz Haag has a dry side.

And it's a very impressive (and important) side of the estate. While I had the wine twice in Germany this spring (and was very impressed), it is now, with 6+ months of bottle age, a wine of superb focus and balance. I took a bottle up to Vermont for this past Labor Day Weekend and to be perfectly blunt: It's a stunning dry Riesling, with incredibly vivid and present flavors matched to a flawless, delicate frame. Just awesome aromatics, acidity and minerality.

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 12:58 PM | TrackBack

September 10, 2009

Piedmont Vapor: Roagna Barbaresco '78, '82, '85, '88

Piedmont Vapor:
Roagna Barbaresco Crichet Paje Riserva
A Mini-Vertical of Well-Cellared Barbaresco
1978 - 1982 - 1985 - 1988

Not much has changed at Roagna. Not, at least, for the last 120 years.

The last four generations of the proud men of the Roagna family (Vincenzo, Giovanni, Alfredo, and Luca), have safeguarded their traditional and classic style since the late 1800s, holding firm in their conviction that the combination of nature’s power and careful winemaking produces unique wines with few equals.

If you’ve ever tasted an older Roagna bottling you know that their methods result in deep, complex and structured Barolo and Barberesco.

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Posted by Tom Stephenson at 11:19 AM | TrackBack

08 Willi Schaefer 375ml: Crush Exclusive

2008 Willi Schaefer Domprobst Kabinett
HALF-BOTTLES!
10 Cases Bottled Exclusively for Us... for You!

The idea was spontaneous.

There I was, in Graach, at the estate and Christoph was telling me they would be bottling the 2008s on Friday. "Do you ever bottle 375mls of the Kabinett?" I asked. "No, we never have," he responded.

"Would you bottle some for me?"

And there you go. That's how we got to today's offer, which is a "thank you" to *only* those of you who have supported our Willi Schaefer.

120 bottles - 10 cases - is not much wine but at the same time, they were only a few days away from bottling and ordering up the proper half-bottles is not quite as easy as ordering in Chinese food, you know? Frankly, Willi Schaefer and his son Christoph are incredibly nice people, smiling benign beings who seem incapable of an angry, petty or non-generous thought. I didn't want to add too much additional stress or seem greedy, so 10 cases it was.

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 10:37 AM | TrackBack

September 9, 2009

Macle's 02 Chateau Chalon

Macle's Extraordinary 02 Chateau Chalon
"One of those wines that seems to riffle through a repertoire of the natural worlds as you sniff and sip."
Andrew Jefford, The New France

A wine that we strongly endorse ...
...and that requires a serious warning!

This week, we're on the geek wine freight train, plowing from one eccentric superstar to the next. Yesterday, the impossible-to-find Beaujolais of Yvon Metras, the long-absent member of Kermit Lynch's "Gang of Four."

Today's stop is at the stony door of the grand wiseman of Chateau Chalon, Jean Macle for his best, and most challenging offering.

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Posted by Joe Salamone at 11:25 AM | TrackBack

85 Krug Collection Magnum: Lowest Price in the World

1985 Krug Collection Magnum
A Rare, Epic Krug Treasure
Lowest Price in the World

An astounding Champagne, the 1985 Krug Collection out of magnum is simply epic.

The 85 Collection magnum is also the rarest Krug new-release that we have ever encountered. Only three other stores in the world currently have the wine; NONE have meaningful quantities.

When Krug's CEO Maggie Hernandez and her entourage visited the store for an impromptu tasting of current releases, we couldn't help but bring a surprise of our own. Krug Rosé and the always formidable Grande Cuvee were present and accounted for, 1998 Krug made one of its first appearances (to considerable praise) along with the 1998 Krug Clos du Mesnil and the newly released 1982 Krug Collection.

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Posted by Bob Schagrin at 10:38 AM | TrackBack

September 8, 2009

Beaujolais: The 5th Member of the "Gang of Four" Returns - Yvon Metras

The Return of Top Beaujolais from Y. Metras!
2007 Fleurie VV and Moulin-a-Vent

After a brief stint alongside the "Gang of Four" (Lapierre, Thevenet, Foillard, Breton) with importer Kermit Lynch, Metras completely disappeared from the US market.

Beaujolais fans in the USA are a generally lucky bunch: nearly all of the region’s best producers are represented by a few thoughtful importers.  But there are always a few names and cuvées missing. 

As  Beaujolais fanatics, it haunts us that there has been darkness for years where one of the brightest stars should be burning. The wines of Yvon Metras are at the pinnacle of Beaujolais - regarded by  many as the region’s top producer. Metras' wines are nearly impossible to find and have not been imported to the U.S. for nearly 10 years. 

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Posted by Joe Salamone at 7:51 PM | TrackBack

Scholium Project Naucratis

Last year we offered Abe’s most enjoyable (and most inexpensive) wine – the Naucratis – at a special “Scholium Club” price. | Read More

Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 7:28 PM | TrackBack

September 3, 2009

$15 Rheingau Back Up the (Holiday Weekend) Truck!

2005 Johannisof Riesling Klaus Spatlese
$15 for a Lot of Rheingau Style
Back Up the (Holiday Weekend) Truck!

The Rheingau offers a Riesling with an almost meditative power. Where a Mosel wine dances on its tip-toes, a Rheingau Riesling flows across the palate with rich fruit and more style than Coco Chanel.

The style of Coco Chanel for only $15???

Well yeah, sort of. Johannishof is a respected Rheingau elder, an estate founded in the late 1600s that has produced wines of big style and grace for, oh, say a few centuries - the Klaus Spätlese is a solid value at its normal $25+ tariff.

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 11:25 AM | TrackBack

September 2, 2009

2006 Sassicaia: "In a word: Awesome"

2006 Sassicaia
The Greatest Sassicaia since the "Perfect" 1985?

"The 2006 Sassicaia may very well go down as one of the all-time great recent vintages for this Tuscan thoroughbred... The wine is simply glorious, that's all there is to it.
This is one for the ages. In a word: Awesome."
Antonio Galloni, Wine Advocate

Just about everyone who has tasted the 2006 Sassicaia has walked away with big words and serious praise for the wine.

Antonio Galloni of the Wine Advocate laid down the law in his recent review, writing, "The 2006 Sassicaia may very well go down as one of the all-time great recent vintages for this Tuscan thoroughbred...  Everything is in the right place in this magical Sassicaia. This is one for the ages. In a word: Awesome."

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Posted by Bob Schagrin at 8:28 PM | TrackBack

September 1, 2009

Red Burgundy 50% Off Steal: Jadot Santenay (What're you drinking this weekend?)

Jadot Red Burgundy Steal
2004 Jadot Santenay "Clos de Malte"
Juicy, honest red Burgundy at 50% off!

Mouth-watering, old-school red Burgundy to serve up with just about anything this holiday weekend.

How about a juicy little Pinot Noir number for this upcoming holiday weekend, all dialed up, in-stock and ready to go for as low as $15? (That'd be 50% off the lowest price in the nation.)

This is not a rich, velvety, mouth-coating Pinot Noir jazzed up to 15 or 16 degrees alcohol with all the subtletyof a steam roller. No, instead, today we return to one of our favorite places in the world (Burgundy's Côte d'Or) with a charming Pinot Noir that's rustic and punchy with a great show of energy on the palate and a spectrum of flavors that includes berry fruits, dried herbs, soil tones and minerals.

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Posted by Ian McFadden at 12:06 PM | TrackBack

August 31, 2009

05 Lignier Summer Sippin' Value

2005 Lignier Aligote
Sophisticated Summer Sippin' Burgundy @ $18
Crush Exclusive - Only 6 cases available...

"Delicious and easy yet this does not lack for personality."
- Burghound

You have to love the curt, professional prose of the Burghound. Although Aligotés are rarely rated (his quote above is from the 2000 Lignier Aligoté), they certainly deserve more attention than they get.

Serious Aligoté has an easy-going charm, a high-toned "zing" to it that makes it one of the most refreshing whites out there. And when it's given a little bit of loving attention, the resulting wine has so much more personality than its humble price suggests. A 2005 White Burgundy for $18 bucks? C'mon.

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Posted by Joe Salamone at 12:33 PM | TrackBack

August 28, 2009

Hirtzberger and Knoll (Mini) Blowout!

Hirtzberger and Knoll (Mini) Blowout!
2006 Singerriedel - 2005 Loibenberg

We'll spare you the wine business drama and cut right to the chase: Two elite Austrian Rieslings were closed out the other week. Today, only for those of you who have supported our Riesling Program in the past, we pass on savings of 25%+!

Franz Hirtzberger and Emmerich Knoll: If you're into fine Austrian wines there are few names with more luster, with more gravity.

Looking for Austria's finest (at well below release prices)? Here ya go. Please keep in mind, however, we have under six cases available, total, so please order ASAP if you are interested!

Franz Hirtzberger
Franz Hirtzberger makes gleaming, voluptuous, shiny Austrian Rieslings of incredible length, grace and amplitude. They remind me a lot of F.X. Pichler, at least in their glossy, sexy, curvaceousness; yet whereas Pichler can dance on tip toes, Hirtzberger offers more of a waltz, flowing gowns of velvet and satin rolling across the palate. The Singerriedel is Hirtzberger's top Riesling bottling and it is a monument, plain and simple. It is also one of my absolute favorite Rieslings to come out of Austria in 2006. There is no denying this wine is HUGE. 2006 was a steroidal vintage in Austria and Hirtzberger picks very late - this wine rolls across the palate like an Austrian Mack truck. What makes this wine so special, however, is its powerful lift. As big as this wine is, it has focus, it has delineation. Hirtzberger is located at the far Western end of the Wachau, where the Danube steers south. This region is called the "Spitz" and a break in the mountains that border the Wachau to the north allows the cold northern winds to rush down into the Spitz. It is this cooling air that gives these wines a tension and nervosity that can buoy up and propel the epic dimensions of a Riesling like the Singerriedel.

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 12:46 PM | TrackBack

August 26, 2009

Wine of the Year Follow-Up: 2007 Mandel-Hoh (MADCrush All-Austrian Night!)

2007 Stadlmann Zierfandler Mandel-Hoh
Special Pricing On the Latest Vintage of
My Wine of the Year from 2008!
All-Austrian Aus-travaganza this Thursday at MADCrush!

"Once you experience Mandel-Hoh you'll be hooked. This wine has virtually cult status in Austria, yet the price is not at all outrageous, and Stadlmann sees fit to share some with the United States."
- David Schildknecht, Wine Advocate

I'm very proud to say that Stadlmann's Zierfandler from the cult vineyard "Mandel-Höh" has become a Crush signature bottling. (Zierfandler Mandel-Whät? Click here for more on the vineyard and grape.)

The 2006 was my "Wine of the Year" in December of 2007 and as I introduced this rather eccentric and unknown wine, I wrote the following line: "...this bottle will probably never score 100 points - so far as I can find, no one's ever even rated it!"

If life is strange, the wine world is even stranger and sure enough about six months later David Schildknecht's Austrian report for the Wine Advocate came out and not only was Stadlmann's Zierfandler Mandel-Höh written up, but it also received its long-awaited, righteous due as one of Austria's best cult bottlings - see below for the entire review.

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 10:31 AM | TrackBack

August 21, 2009

Stunning Muscadet - As Low as $13.87 from Pepiere's Best Terroir

Fat Sheep of Pedigree:
The Master's Stunning New Muscadet
From the Best Terroir in the Region

At as low as $13.87, the perfect "drink" or hold!

Marc Ollivier of Domaine Pépière is the grand master of Muscadet. Year in and year out he produces the wines of the vintage and has attracted a large and enthusiastic following of wine geeks, who form a cult to the once lowly Muscadet appellation.

When we found out that he was releasing a wine from the the Gras Mouton vineyard (one that he and many others consider Muscadet’s finest) we couldn't wait to taste.

What arrived just in time for the scorching heat of August is classic Pépière— full of sea breeze and stony minerality and crackling citrus infused acidity— and a monument to the 2008 vintage, which wasn’t easy on the region’s growers.

The wine’s bracing, sparklingly crisp minerality is a perfect antidote to the heat and it's nearly impossible to match both Pépière’s price-to-quality ratio and the sheer gulpability of his wines - a perfect combination for the care-free days of summer.

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Posted by Joe Salamone at 4:02 PM | TrackBack

August 20, 2009

06 Angerville Ducs - Lowest Price in the Nation

2006 Angerville Volnay 1er "Clos des Ducs"
Lowest Price in the Nation!

"...intense and mineral-inflected flavors of crystalline purity and wonderful cut and precision, all wrapped in an exceptionally fresh, deep and mouth coating finish that seems to go on and on." - Burghound

Today, we have the luxury of offering one of our favorite red Burgundies, the Volnay Clos des Ducs of Angerville, at the lowest price in the nation.

While the 2006 Vintage was challenging for some winemakers in Burgundy, the Domaines of Volnay, and especially Angerville, made unquestionably great wines that are outstanding across the board. 

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Posted by Ian McFadden at 4:01 PM | TrackBack

August 19, 2009

Hundred Acre: 2006 Kayli Morgan Cabernet Sauvignon

Hundred Acre
2006 Kayli Morgan Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
"It is unquestionably one of the wines of the vintage."
- Robert Parker, Wine Advocate

Hundred Acre has been one of our most requested cult California Cabs ever. For the 2006 vintage, Jayson Woodbridge has once again served up an exceptional collection of Cabernet with the Kayli Morgan being the headlining star: This is as close to perfect as a Hundred Acre Kayli Morgan has ever gotten.

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Posted by Bob Schagrin at 10:27 AM | TrackBack

August 18, 2009

Schloss Lieser: Trocken Comes a Knockin..

2008 Schloss Lieser Spatlese Trocken
The Mosel Speaks the Language of "Dry"
Grand Cru Quality at $30 - Only 10 Cases for the U.S.

The last name at Schloss Lieser is Haag. Since 1997, Thomas Haag has been bringing the small town of Lieser back into the spotlight. The 2008 Trocken is a needle-fine dry Riesling of exquisite purity and for the quality (essentially Grosses Gewachs), it is an absolute steal. CRUSH EXCLUSIVE!

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 11:03 AM | TrackBack

August 17, 2009

96 Mountain Nebbiolo: Ar Pe Pe Valtellina Sassella Riserva

Ar Pe Pe Sassella
Gorgeous and Devastatingly Delicate Nebbiolo
From the Mountains of Lombardy

Everything is just a bit more "nervous" in the mountains; high-altitude gives grapes an edge.

Whether it’s Ferrando’s Carema, Magnin’s Mondeuse or a host of others, there is something about their tension, their finely etched structures and their nervousness that fascinates us. Mountain wines are different than their valley brethren; they seem to reveal another layer of nuance with each smell and taste, and their bight and vigorous acidities always keep things playful and engaging (and make them awesome partners for a variety of dishes).

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Posted by Joe Salamone at 11:50 AM | TrackBack

August 13, 2009

Man Cannot Live on Wehlener Sonnenuhr Alone! 2008 Busch, Knebel and Steinmetz

Clemens Busch, Knebel, Steinmetz
Special "Futures" Pricing on Some of the Most Fascinating Rieslings in Germany

"The presence of these growers in the U.S. market will add to Americans' appreciation of the stylistic diversity of Mosel Riesling as well as the restoration that so many unjustly forgotten vineyards are undergoing at the hands of a fanatically dedicated few." - David Schildknecht, Wine Advocate

The Mosel Wine Merchant continues to represent a truly great - and perhaps more importantly, a truly unique - collection of German growers and wines.

We first met Lars Carlberg about three years ago and it's with more than a bit of pride that we were the first in the U.S. to support this portfolio - introducing NYC and the U.S. to some now fairly well known names: Clemens Busch, Knebel and Steinmetz. In a few short years the Mosel Wine Merchant has gone from a geeky little niche importer (and we mean that in the best way!) to a well known and very respected player in the German wine market.

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 11:36 AM | TrackBack

August 12, 2009

The Return of the $4 Bottle of Air Conditioning!

The $4 Bottle of Air Conditioning
Gazela Vinho Verde
Back Up (a Very Big) Truck!

Today's offer isn't about complexity, mouthfeel or minerality. It's about an icy and refreshing glass of wine to fend off the overbearing heat and humidity of August.

Ah yes, August is finally here - in a big way.

Temperatures have come up to the 90s this week with that signature blazing wet-goopy-heat that makes just standing on the sidewalk an exercise in sweat control.

To help you beat the heat we're stepping out of our traditional artisanal mold and bringing back one of the most requested wines we've ever offered that's also a cheap and cheerful way to cool off: Gazela.

Is your cellar full? Good. Don't cellar this wine - drink it in the next 7 days!  Don't think, just grab a cooler and some ice and head to the park!

Make Gazela Vinho Verde your ice pick to chip away at the heat.  Ethereally light in body (and light in alcohol) it's all about bright citrus flavors - lime zest, floral notes and a bit of spritz to liven it up even more. (See below for more on Vinho Verde.)

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Posted by Tom Stephenson at 11:56 AM | TrackBack

August 7, 2009

Barolo Steal (Old School at 30% Off)

2003 Cappellano Barolo "Pie Rupestris"
Old-School Monster of Serralunga
Serious Friday Steal at Well Over 30% Off!

We think Theobaldo Cappellano would have been cool with this email: A Barolo that couldn't be more serious; a price that's just plain silly. If there was one person who enjoyed the inevitability of contradiction, who found joy in complexity, it was "Baldo."

Theobaldo Cappellano was an old-school rebel of the Piedmont, cut from the same cloth as guys like Bartolo Mascarello, Giuseppe Mascarello and Giacomo Conterno to name a few.

If Cappellano is considerably less known than his brothers-in-arms (and he is) this has to do with mainly one thing: Cappellano adamantly refused to submit his wines to *anyone* to be scored. He strongly believed that crafting a wine was a process, deeply woven into the culture of a people, of a geography.

In 'Baldo's mind, to reduce all this to a point score was at best impractical, and at worse an insult.

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Posted by Joe Salamone at 11:44 AM | TrackBack

July 27, 2009

Summer Mixed Case 20% off!

Summer Mixed Case
BIG Savings on a Summertime Sampler
Every Bottle Discounted 20%!

No need to belabor the introduction here, we all know where the mercury is heading (yesterday was a pretty good preview). Suffice it to say that at this time of year, finding the right wine to refresh and invigorate is essential. Don't worry, we have you covered with today's summer mixed case.

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Posted by Joe Salamone at 10:57 AM | TrackBack

July 24, 2009

08 J.J. Prum: Middle Mosel Master

2008 J.J. Prum
"Futures" Pricing on this Middle Mosel Master
Special Pricing Ends Next Friday!

While we still have a few surprises lined up, today our 2008 German “Futures” program continues with J.J. Prüm.

Please note, while every bottle being offered has been discounted, you MUST order by July 31st to take advantage of this special pre-arrival pricing. (That’s one week from today!)

J.J. Prüm is the most iconic estate in Germany with a reputation for producing spectacular Rieslings that happen to be some of the most age-worthy white wines in the world. Rudi Wiest talks about a 1955 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spätlese that was drinking lovely in 1981 and he's confident the 1949 TBA will drink well into this century.

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 10:47 AM | TrackBack

July 22, 2009

Cult German: Keller "von der Fels"

2008 Keller Riesling "von der Fels"
The $30 Cult Wine from Klaus-Peter Keller
"High class juice and a flat out steal in this vintage."
- John Gilman

"Flat out steal" is one way to put  it. Another way would be to say Keller's 2008 "von der Fels" presents near-Grand Cru quality at about half to a third of the price of Keller's top Grosses Gewächs - and this isn't hyperbole in the least.

As John Gilman points out in his 2008 German reviews, only about 20% of the production from any of the "Grand Cru" vineyards makes it into the Grosses Gewächs bottlings. A good portion of the rest ends up in the "von der Fels" and a few others. If you want to geek out even more with some Keller trivia: 2008 presents the first "von der Fels" with juice from about 1 hectare of Keller's famed Abtserde vineyard.

The "von der Fels" is Keller's quiet cult wine. There simply isn't a better dry Riesling value in the Keller arsenal and while people are begging to be put on waiting lists for the G-Max, those in the know are loading up on some of the few cases of "von der Fels" that come into the U.S. ever year. (Only a handful of retailers in the U.S. ever see any of Keller's wines, let alone the "von der Fels" and the Grosses Gewächs.)

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 10:14 AM | TrackBack

July 20, 2009

The Sancerre Legend: Revisited and (very) Limited!

2007 Gerard Boulay Sancerre "Comtesse"
A Hedonist's Vatan or Cotat?
The 3rd vintage of a legend in the making...

Limited Quantity - Special Offer to Loire Supporters only!

Today I'm proud to offer the 2007 edition of a white wine that is not only a personal favorite, but a favorite of many of the Crush Crew.

I described the 2005 Comtesse as having "the outrageous concentration of an Egon Müller Auslese matched to the citrusy verve of a 96 white Burg."

Have no doubt: The "Comtesse" is to Sancerre what Ferrari is to automobiles, or Mario Cippolini was to the pro cycling peloton. This is very special juice sourced from 50-year-old vines in Sancerre's famed "Monts Damnés" vineyard - only a few barrels are made each year. This is one of the grandest and perhaps most outrageous expressions of Sauvignon Blanc on earth.

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Posted by Tom Stephenson at 11:44 AM | TrackBack

July 17, 2009

04 Sandrone: Greatest le Vigne - Greatest Price

Luciano Sandrone's 2004 Barolo le Vigne
"Sublime" Wine Advocate
Lowest Price in the Nation!

Today we offer what is the finest Sandrone Barolo Le Vigne ever produced, at the lowest price in the nation, as low as $109.99.

This is a do not miss opportunity for Piedmont fanatics and those looking for serious Barolo at an absurd price for this wine.

In top vintages like 2004 Sandrone's Le Vigne is simply a thundering value of a Barolo - it's a bottling I've gone back to again and again since its inaugural vintage nearly two decades ago and it continuously over-delivers, making an impact lavished with velvet.

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Posted by Bob Schagrin at 11:11 AM | TrackBack

July 14, 2009

Auslese of Vintage: AJ Adam 2008 Dhroner Hofberg

Auslese of the Vintage?
2008 AJ Adam Dhroner Hofberg Auslese

"If there were any doubts about young Andreas Adam's exceptional abilities or his stylistically striking success in channeling the great Hofberg vineyard in Dhron and the wine making spirit of an earlier age, they have been thoroughly dispelled..." David Schildknecht, Wine Advocate

Today we offer one of the greatest Auslese from the class of 2008 - it's as simple as that.

Adam's Auslese shatters the limitations and assumptions of the vintage with ease and grace.  This is one of the most startlingly beautiful Rieslings of 2008 and while most growers in the Mosel couldn't coax enough botrytis to flesh out their Gold Capsule Auslesen, boy-wonder AJ Adam somehow managed to select about 80% botrytis for his 2008 Auslese - and a shimmering, golden and incredibly pure botrytis at that.

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 11:59 AM | TrackBack

July 13, 2009

Cult Champagne From A Selosse Disciple at 20-25% Off!

Champagnes Vouette & Sorbee
'4 star' Biodynamic Beauties from a Selosse Disciple At 20-25% off
Another Crush Discovery: Come Join the Cult With Us!

Many of you know from our offers (Cornilissen, Macle, Caloz, and Vodopivec to name a few) that we're always on the "bleeding edge" of the wine world (and some might argue that we tread on the edge of reason). You probably also know that we go to great lengths to source wines at the absolute best prices, often found anywhere on the globe.

Today we present the Champagnes of cult producer Vouette et Sorbée – biodynamic beauties, made by Jacques Selosse disciple Bertrand Gautherot at prices 20-25% lower than our competitors.

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Posted by Tom Stephenson at 11:45 AM | TrackBack

July 8, 2009

Veuve Clicquot Half-Bottle Madness

Veuve Clicquot Half-Bottle Madness
The Famous Yellow Label at only $16.80!
The Perfect Summer-Fun Format

What could be better than Veuve Clicquot, in the ultimate personal format, at only $16.80? Perfect for aperitifs, picnics, sunsets, quiet Tuesday night celebrations...Priced like this, feel free to think of it as a regular-sized bottle for under $34 (that's about 15% off!) SUMMER SPECIAL! ***Wine arrives mid-August.

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Posted by Bob Schagrin at 10:46 AM | TrackBack

July 7, 2009

Schafer-Frohlich Gold Capsule: Lightning Strikes Again

Schafer-Frohlich Strikes Gold in 2008
2008 Bockenauer Felseneck Gold Capsule
A Collectible Treasure of 2008 for under $50

"Tim Frohlich's 2008s are near-perfect. This is one of the only estates where I might say the 2008s are even better than the 2007s - and the 2007s were scary-good."

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 1:03 PM | TrackBack

June 30, 2009

98 Chateauneuf Under $38: Sabon Reservee

This offer is going to be like an arrow – straight and very fast.

No doubt you have a lot to do this week with the holiday weekend coming up and when you’re offering a great 11-year-old Chateauneuf-du-Pape from the glorious and rugged 1998 vintage at only $37.24, well...why belabor the point?

The 1998 Sabon Chateauneuf-du-Pape Reservée is just now coming into prime drinking form, with rich, deep and seductive dark fruit, herbs and smoky notes. It’d be flattering to think that we found this parcel and secured it just in time for the holiday weekend (is there anything better than grilling with Chateauneuf? The smokiness in the wine and food graciously complementing each other?), but the truth is this wine’s arrival late last week was totally happenstance.

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Posted by Ian McFadden at 12:36 PM | TrackBack

June 29, 2009

Four for the Fourth!

Celebrate with Savings
20% Off!

July 4th holds a special place in our hearts. C’mon...here we have a holiday based on sunshine, grills, fireworks and of course relaxing with a drink in hand!

While we’ve been tempted for the last few years to do a Madeira offering (this was, after all, what our founding fathers cracked open to toast the signing of the Declaration of Independence, a symbolic gesture as Madeira was not taxed by the British empire) – but still, Madeira in the humid heat of July doesn’t make that much sense.

Instead, we’ll veer away from historical references and more toward satisfying your holiday weekend needs. Today’s “Four for the Fourth” attempts to supply you with a range of bottles that covers everything – a sparkling wine, a rosé, a crisp Sancerre and a grill-friendly Pinot Noir.

And the price is something to celebrate itself – these wines have been discounted 20%! Today we can go as low as $86.63 on the four-pack and $173.26 for the 8-pack which also comes with free delivery in Manhattan.

Today’s “Four for the Fourth” is our attempt to rival, in a vinous manner of course, any fireworks display that the Grucci family might be planning for the Fourth. To begin with the sparkler, Roederer’s Anderson Valley is American bubbly that offers up crisp citrus notes and is stylish enough to trick you into thinking that you’re drinking Champagne. Crochet’s Sancerre displays enough sophistication and complexity to remind you why he’s one of the region’s benchmarks and also is so refreshing that it will slap a smile on your face. Edmunds St. Johns Bone-Jolly Rosé is made from a rare sighting of Beaujolais’ Gamay grape on American soils and offers up juicy cherry fruit and spice. Finally, St. Innocent’s Pinot Noir is Oregon by way of Volnay with it elegant velvety texture. This is gonna pair well with just about anything the creative grill could conceive of. See further descriptions below.

While this 4-pack is intended to accommodate all your holiday weekend needs, we’ve reduced the pricing so much that we’d encourage *everyone* to try a 4-pack regardless of whether it will be consumed on the 4th or not. The wines are just that good and the price that compelling.

To order, call the store at (212) 980-9463. We can guarantee all Manhattan deliveries by end of day Thursday, July 2nd only when your orders are placed by 5pm Wednesday, July 1st. If you have special delivery needs, please call us at the store and we’ll do our best to accommodate.

Happy Fourth!

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Posted by Joe Salamone at 11:25 AM | TrackBack

June 25, 2009

Hanno Zilliken's (Auction) Cellar Treasures:

1993 & 1994 Saarburger Rausch Spatlese Auction
Riesling STEAL from the Master of the Saar

We were wondering if we should apologize for the rapid pace of this week's offers - but then we took another look at the quality of the juice and realized that no, this offer couldn't wait for next week, or even for tomorrow's Friday Steal. The rarity / value quotient is just too serious and we didn't want to wait a day and miss out.

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 10:25 AM | TrackBack

June 24, 2009

Summer Fine & Rare Drinking

From The Cellar of a 'Distinguished Gentleman'
Pichon, Grand Puy Lacoste, Caymus, Dunn, Heitz, Joseph Swan, Stag's Leap, Quilceda Creek and more...

All Mixed Cases 10% off!!!

Today we are thrilled to offer a very cool cellar from a friend of the store; let's call this the cellar of a "Distinguished Gentleman!" His cellar is deep and cold and all of the wines have just arrived in the store in impeccable condition.

There are some very cool and hard-to-come-by bottlings here - wines that are in prime-time drinking form and *not* priced in the stratosphere. Just a few examples...

1982 Chateau du Tertre @ $75.00
1995 Chateau Grand Puy Lacoste @ $113.95
1985 Beaulieu Vineyard George de Latour @ $66.95
1988 Caymus Cabernet @ $51.95
1990 Dunn Howell Mountain @ $113.95
1985 Heitz Martha's VIneyard @ $241.95

All of the wines were purchased on release and have been perfectly stored. Spinning capsules, excellent fills and perfect labels are the norm, not the exception. We should also point out that the sellar was motivated. As you'll see, we are able to offer each wine around the lowest price in the nation. If you need any extra motivation, we will discount any mixed case from this offer by 10%!

We'll keep our prose short today, because the wines (and prices) speak for themselves. 

We anticipate that many of the wines will sell out quickly so you should call the store, reply to this email or click here to see the complete list on our website and place an order online to secure your wines ASAP.

Happy Hunting!

Tom Stephenson
General Manager
Crush Wine & Spirits

 

Posted by Tom Stephenson at 1:20 PM | TrackBack

June 22, 2009

2007 Caloz Heida-Paien "Les Bernunes"

Mineral Purity of Chablis - Honeyed Fruit of Rhone
The Extreme Contradictions of Terroir in One Bottle

"Flowers and fireworks."

That's what I blurted out, awkwardly, at a small, late night staff tasting last Wednesday, after having Caloz's 2007 Heida-Paien "Les Bernunes" for the first time. Joe was showing some of his new finds/obsessions to the staff and this one struck me, immediately, as one of the more unique white wines I've had in a long, long time. This is so good, and our price so compelling, that if quantities allowed this would have been a sure contender for a "Friday Steal."

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 1:08 PM | TrackBack

June 17, 2009

2006 Monterey Vineyard Pinot Noir

Can one size fit all? With today's offer, the answer might just be YES!

Today's wine is a hard-won triumph. We'll admit to being particularly proud of this offer as we've been searching for a good California Pinot Noir for well over six months, to no avail. Even though we've had requests for a follow-up to the Baileyana just about weekly, we've remained silent. (Our last New World Pinot offer was in December of last year!)

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 12:58 PM | TrackBack

June 9, 2009

Early Summer Mixed Case

The Perfect Collection to Start Your Summer
Every Bottle Discounted 20%!

It's a glorious time to be living in NYC. Despite today's torrential downpours, the temperatures are continuing to climb and weekends like this last one seem to reaffirm life's glory.

While greenmarkets are still oriented towards spring vegetables, they are available in such abundance that you know that summer is just around the corner. As the thermometer and your wardrobe transition from spring to summer, we offer up a mixed case that has you totally covered and we've discounted every bottle 20%, bringing the the case under under $190!

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Posted by Joe Salamone at 10:26 AM | TrackBack

June 4, 2009

2005 Macarico Aglianico del Vulture

The (Extreme) Barolo of the South
Twice the Wine at Half the Price?

If the wines of southern Italy have never quite enjoyed the so-called "polish" or "sophistication" of the north, when the force of these muscular wines is tamed, they are show stoppers - riveting bottles that flash powerful ripe fruit on tensile, sinewy frames.

It should also be said that the best wines of the south happen to be ridiculous values. since the producers don't have the aristocratic legacy that many of northerners benefit from. (and dare we save even sometimes use as a crutch)

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Posted by Joe Salamone at 11:27 AM | TrackBack

May 27, 2009

The Return of Berlioz! 2008 Berlioz Chignin

Mountain Muscadet and the $17 Summer Sipper of Choice

The stunner of the Savoie returns for summer sippin' 2009!

Yes, it's gray and overcast in New York City (summer retreats for a moment after the glorious holiday weekend weather) but don't worry, summer will return. The blast-furnace heat is destined to overwhelm and when it comes...be ready.

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Posted by Joe Salamone at 10:37 AM | TrackBack

May 22, 2009

Gravner: Going Back to the Origin of Wine

"Gravner continues to cast a large presence in the region, continually pushing the envelope with his wines and significantly influencing the younger generation of producers." - Wine Advocate

We come full circle this week.

Today we go to Friuli, the far northeast of Italy, to provide the ultimate bookend to this week of free-thinking, fiercely independent winemaking on the edge of everything... well ... comprehensible?

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Posted by Joe Salamone at 12:18 PM | TrackBack

May 19, 2009

2007 Becker Estate Pinot Noir

Authentic Winemaking and a Pinot Noir Steal at $16.80
(How Do You Say "Back Up the Truck" in German?)

Consider today's offer a dazzling introduction to the new, more balanced, more sophisticated sensibility of German Pinot Noir, though it's also one of the most profound values in Pinot Noir we've come across in a long time.

While the value this wine offers is glaring and obvious (we're talking really good Pinot Noir for well under $20!), what I think needs emphasis here is the seriousness of this bottling.

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 12:10 PM | TrackBack

May 18, 2009

Frank Cornelissen - Bianco del Monjebel 5 / Rosso del Monjebel 5

Warning: Eccentric, Esoteric, Extreme Winemaking
Our 2nd Offering: Going Back to Mt. Etna!

A most esoteric, yet inspired, offer for you this Monday. It was just over a year ago that we sent out our first Frank Cornelissen offering.

These are some of the most extreme wines out there and though we had heard great things about Cornelissen, we sent out last year's offering with some hesitation and some serious disclaimers! (The hesitation, this year, has been allayed though the disclaimers remain - see below.)

Today, as we go back to the mountain (Mt. Etna that is) for another helping of these singular concoctions, the wines of Frank Cornelissen are gaining some very real momentum in the northeast. It's strange how things need time to settle in, to gain exposure, word of mouth...and then, you just reach that "tipping point" - the moment when all of a sudden, everywhere you look, there it is.

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 12:55 PM | TrackBack

May 8, 2009

2006 Desvignes Morgon "Javernieres"

The FINAL Batch of the STUNNING 2006!

"If there were a classification of vineyards in Morgon, Cote du Py would be a Premier Cru and Javernieres a Grand Cru." - Louis/Dressner

Today we present the last of our "Back-Vintage Beaujolais" emails, because with this parcel of wines, the needle goes to empty.

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Posted by Joe Salamone at 12:24 PM | TrackBack

May 7, 2009

2007 Pegau Chateauneuf-du-Pape Reservee

"...like drinking a liquified, rare grilled steak mixed with ground pepper, roasted herbs, and spice." - Wine Advocate

Lowest Price in the Nation!

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Posted by Bob Schagrin at 2:45 PM | TrackBack

May 5, 2009

2006 Lignier Red Burgundy - Power, Texture, Richness...and VALUE!

While the recent history of the Lignier family has been tragic, there is always a time for rebirth, for renewal.

With this offer we mark the beginning of an exciting new generation of winemaking at this estate, firmly rooted in the Ligniers' top sites across Gevrey-Chambertin, Morey-St-Denis and Chambolle. Terroir just doesn't lie and here, well, the terroir is great.

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Posted by Ian McFadden at 12:07 PM | TrackBack

April 29, 2009

Wittmann: The Secret of the Rheinhessen

Powerful - Staining - Mineral - Dry Riesling

"Wittmann's uncompromising pursuit of quality...make for some striking vinous characteristics. Who would believe ... his top sites have higher Riesling acidity than those of his wife Eva Clusserath on the Mosel?"
- David Schildknecht for the Wine Advocate

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 12:35 PM | TrackBack

April 24, 2009

2006 Chalone Cabernet Sauvignon

The $10 Cali Cab Friday Steal!
Something about Chalone

We've written this before, but it's true: Most bottles that cost under $10, taste like bottles that cost under $5. Sure, you're not spending much, but you actually get less than what you're paying for.

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Posted by Tom Stephenson at 5:20 PM | TrackBack

April 21, 2009

2007 Vatan: Concentration Meets Elegance

2007 Vatan Sancerre "Clos la Neore"
"Clos de la Neore is by any stretch of the imagination
one of the world's greatest white wines." John Gilman

With Stephen away in Germany , I'm filling in as "captain" of the Crush email program this week.

In preparation of his trip, we've squirreled away some of our favorite wines. So, today we'll start strong, a personal favorite at a great price: the most recent edition of incredible Sancerre from Edmond Vatan, who at 80 years old, continues to coax the best from his renowned Clos La Neore vineyard.

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Posted by Tom Stephenson at 4:20 PM | TrackBack

April 15, 2009

2006 Nicolas Potel Vosne-Romanee

"Vosne-Romanee is the greatest Pinot Noir village on Earth" - Clive Coates

I've written this before, but it's true: The greatest sin of 2006 Burgundy is that it came after 2005 Burgundy. (Naturally, it didn't help that prices rose due to the deadly combo of growers bumping their prices and the weak dollar - though don't worry, today we correct this pricing issue drastically.)

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Posted by Ian McFadden at 6:56 PM | TrackBack

March 24, 2009

2007 Bedrock Wine Company: Time-Capsule Vineyards Speak (Beautifully) of California's History

One of the Most Exciting New Addresses in California

Do you have preconceptions about California winemaking?

Go ahead and forget 'em all because the Bedrock Wine Company is doing things differently. This is easily one of the most exciting new wineries we've come across: all California wine fans should pay heed.

While forgotten vineyards with 100-120 year-old vines and the old-school winemaking may be enough to seduce you, these two wines also represent a serious philosophical challenge to agricultural monotony.

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Posted by Chris Cottrell at 5:32 PM | TrackBack

March 17, 2009

Michael Collins Irish Whiskey - The Heroic Spirit

Today is St. Patrick's Day, as any glance up shamrock-splattered Fifth Avenue will tell you and today we present a "spirited" way to observe the feast of the patron saint of Ireland.

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Posted by Daniel Stenson at 1:38 PM | TrackBack

March 3, 2009

Far Too Beautiful: 2004 Bea Sagrantino

2004 Paulo Bea Sagrantino Secco "Pagliaro"
Traditional, Singular, Dazzlingly Beautiful

"At their best these are finessed expressive wines of the highest level in a style that recalls the Brunellos of Gianfranco Soldera or the Barolos of Giuseppe Rinaldi, to name just two producers with a similar aesthetic.."
- Antonio Galloni, Wine Advocate

It's been almost 4 years since we first began singing the praises of Paolo Bea's wines and in this short time the estate has gone from a culty, under-the-radar gem sniffed out by the curious, impassioned few to a traditional Italian phenomenon beginning to garner serious mainstream attention.

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Posted by Tom Stephenson at 12:32 PM | TrackBack

February 24, 2009

2004 Ferrando Carema Etichetta Bianca

The Barolo-like Ballerina at Less than Half the Price!

"When I am asked which wine would I choose were I to be restricted to a single one, my answer is: Carema." - Neal Rosenthal

Strong words from legend-importer Neal Rosenthal (above), especially considering this man has some of the world's greatest wines like Jean-Marie Fourrier's Griotte Chambertin and Ghislaine Barthod's Chambolle-Musigny "Les Cras" at his finger tips!

But also wise words, because few reds have the honest, rustic mountain charm that this has (and the price is crazy-low, see below). If Barolo is a wine of burly tannins and raw power, Carema is a ballerina - silken, perfumed and delicate. Or think of it this way: Carema is to Barolo what Chambolle-Musigny is to Pommard, with all the silky perfume that implies.

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 10:27 AM | TrackBack

January 27, 2009

Toni Bodenstein's Prager: High-Altitude Aristocrats

How many winemakers do you know would plant a high-altitude site even when everyone in the region warns against it?

How many winemakers do you know work painstakingly hard to re-cultivate some of the oldest and most extreme sites in historic vineyards? Sites that are an adventure just to access, let alone tend or harvest.

How many winemakers do you know fight for genetic diversity, not with trite one-liners or bumper stickers, but by actually sourcing diverse selections from all over Austria, Germany and France and cultivating them in one vineyard? (This is the "Noah's Ark" of winemaking.)

Well, here's one: Toni Bodenstein at Prager. Herr Bodenstein is one of the most interesting, engaged and thoughtful winemakers in Austria or anywhere else for that matter. His collection of 2007s is a testament to this extreme rigor, not to mention the incredible vineyards he works (more on that below).

What words describe the signature of Weingut Prager? Pure. Precise. Mineral. Intense rather than powerful, with a weight of concentration that is belied by the sharp focus of the wines, the dramatic cut and precision, the missile-like thrust and lift.

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 12:52 PM | TrackBack

January 23, 2009

Willi Schaefer Steal - 2007 Estate Riesling

After a painful two-year drought, Schaefer's insider's secret, his QbA Estate Riesling, is back in a BIG WAY. This is probably the best Estate bottling that Willi and Christoph Schaefer have ever put together, just another golden coin from the bounty of 2007 in Germany.

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Posted by Tom Stephenson at 11:31 AM | TrackBack

January 22, 2009

Solaris 2006 Chardonnay

Let's propose a wine truism: Most bottles that cost under $10, taste like bottles that cost under $5. Sure, you're not spending much, but you actually get less than what you're paying for.

It's the rare inversion of this truism that makes our offer a "Back Up the Truck" free-for-all!

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Posted by Tom Stephenson at 11:56 AM | TrackBack

January 15, 2009

Winter Mixed Case

Assembling a Crush mixed case is no casual affair. Trying to strike a balance between the wines, the prices and their appropriateness for the season has been the cause of many disagreements. But I think we've come up with the most balanced mixed case in terms of style and price.

Today, as the snow gently blankets NYC, we bring you our winter mixed case. We've discounted every bottle 20%, bringing the the case under $200. Think of it this way - you get 12 bottles that used to be $20+, for about $16 a bottle.

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Posted by Joe Salamone at 10:33 AM | TrackBack

January 13, 2009

Chevillon Vaucrains: Star of the Vintage and a Big, Brooding Burgundy

There's always some buzz around the Burgundy vintage prior to the "official" reports and scores. Certain themes come up again and again: Rousseau made great wines. Freddie Mugnier really hit it out of the ballpark. Aubert (de Villaine of DRC) thinks the Grands Echezeaux is phenomenal this year (and it is), but the RSV is really smokin'!

We certainly heard some of those things regarding 2006, but there was one note that came up again and again that left us very pleased, but not surprised. The word was that in 2006, Robert Chevillon, an elder statesmen of Nuits St. Georges, produced one of the collections of the vintage.

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Posted by Ian McFadden at 7:06 PM | TrackBack

December 29, 2008

2002 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Rose

The 2002 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Rose presents what I believe is the greatest vintage rose Champagne deal that I've seen in my 20+ years of collecting. This wine is packed with incredibly rich and mineral-nuanced Pinot Noir fruit while exuding an energy that makes it feel almost weightless.

This wine has become a downright obsession here at Crush and though the results are "unofficial," this must be considered our Champagne of the Year given the bottle's vintage, quality, rarity and price.

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Posted by Bob Schagrin at 12:18 PM | TrackBack

December 11, 2008

2004 Fevre Chablis Grand Cru Vaudesir - Robert Schagrin's Wine of the Year

If the past couple of years have been all about the great vintage releases of Burgundy, Champagne and the Piedmont, 2008 has been different (that's probably an understatement). There have been few "golden vintages," aside from 2007 in Germany, and so I've been spending a lot of time going through the cellar and revisiting some back-vintage favorites. With my eye on value as well as terroir, I found myself repeatedly standing in the Chablis section of my cellar.

Within this calm mental framework, my Wine of the Year was a surprisingly easy decision. I simply have not come across a greater, more etched and transparent wine at the under-$100 - Grand Cru Burgundy in every way, shape and form - that remains true to everything I am passionate about in wine: A clarity that speaks of the vineyard from which it came, a purity and concentration of flavor that flaunts rigorous vineyard- and cellar-work and a finesse and balance that can perhaps only be matched by the great Champagnes to the north and the fine Burgundies to the south.

William Fevre's 2004 Chablis Grand Cru Vaudesir is my Wine of the Year. Today, due to some luck and the very savvy buying of my Fine & Rare Director Ian McFadden, I am able to offer this Grand Cru Burgundy at an unbelievably low price!

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Posted by Bob Schagrin at 11:42 AM | TrackBack

December 10, 2008

2006 Bize Savigny-les-Beaune Aux Vergelesses - Ian's Wines of the Year

I'm biased. What can I say, for me red Burgundy represents the holy grail.

I believe it's the most ethereal, most elegant, most beguiling wine out there. There's a twisted part of my soul (or is it the good part of my soul?) that only, only wants to drink red Burgundy and shudders anytime anything else is opened up.

So this year, as I thumbed through my memories of the greatest wines of the past 12 months, I was essentially traveling up and down the Cote d'Or. But what a place to explore. The Cote d'Or contains some of the most hallowed villages in wine: Gevrey-Chambertin, Vosne-Romanée and Chambolle-Musigny to name but a few. Given this prestigious landscape, perhaps it's a bit surprising that I've chosen a wine from Savigny-les-Beaune, the "little village that could" in the southern part of the Côte d'Or.

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Posted by Tom Stephenson at 11:24 AM | TrackBack

December 9, 2008

2005 Palari Faro -Tom's Wine of the Year!

The methods I use to determine my "Wine of the Year" have nothing to do with point scores or detailed comparisons of every wine I've tasted over the last 12 months. No, my metrics are much more simple and visceral! Previously I've used the "Gulp-ability Factor" and the "Lemonhead Effect." This year, however, I feel a bit less, well, silly, and a little bit more serious.

Maybe it's "the market" or just that I've begun to mellow with age, but it seems more than ever that wine has become "productized" by the mainstream. It's become a magic formula of point scores, marketing hype and quick shortcuts to get to that place where wines are bought and sold simply as investments.

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Posted by Tom Stephenson at 8:26 PM | TrackBack

December 8, 2008

2004 and 2005 Macle Cotes du Jura - Joe and Stephen's Wine(s) of the Year!

You should be both alarmed and invigorated by the fact that the bottle(s) Joe and I picked as our "Wines of the Year" are unquestionably some of the strangest, most curious and unforgettable wines you will ever put in your mouth, period.

No, you probably didn't see this coming but our 2008 picks for the best of the best are the 2004 and 2005 Jean Macle Cotes du Jura! (We couldn't decide between one vintage or the other, so we picked both. Complete notes on each bottle below.)

How's this for a tasting note: Lemon pith, green apple skin, bright marmalade, orange rind, mushrooms, fresh green moss and pine needles, moist dark earth, pulverized cooking spices and a complex mountain stream medley of rocks, stones and pebbles all energized by a blow-horn-like citrus acidity that will send shivers down your spine and electrical pulses across your palate. (As wild as these wines are, they are *made* for food, check out this recipe.)

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Posted by Joe Salamone at 3:13 PM | TrackBack

December 3, 2008

The 2008 Crush Wines of the Year

When national publications name their "Wines of the Year," they are limited by many factors - the biggest of which is the wine's availability. It doesn't make sense for them to drive the public into a frenzy over a bottle of wine that is hardly available.

As a small independent retailer, we have more freedom!

Granted, we also use a different set of criteria. We want outrageous quality for the money, of course, but we also seek respectful winemaking, a wine that speaks of where it comes from and what we call the x-factor - that inexplicable, inexpressible, toe-curling sense of something extraordinary.

Stay tuned this week as we reveal the 2008 Crush Wines of the Year!

Monday: Stephen & Joe's Pick - 2004 & 2005 Macle Cotes de Jura
Tuesday: Tom's Pick - 2005 Palari Faro
Wednesday: Ian's Pick - 2006 Simon Bize Savigny-les-Beaunes Aux Vergelesses
Thursday: Robert's Pick - 2004 Fevre Chablis Grand Cru Vaudésir
Friday: 2006 Ponsot Clos de la Roche VV

Posted by McRae Petrey at 2:24 PM | TrackBack

November 26, 2008

Moric Blaufrankisch: Austria vs. Burgundy

"Elegant Blaufrankisch"

Sort of a jarring combination of words, isn't it? Austria's Blaufrankisch grape and the wines that it makes can fall under a number of descriptors. They can be broad and powerful, juicy, rustic and rugged. The best of them can be lots of fun to drink, but "elegant" is a word that would be used sparingly in regard to many of these wines.

Until now. Somehow, some way, Roland Velich is taking Blaufrankisch and shaping it into wines with incredible elegance and detail. His new estate, called Moric, is based almost exclusively around old-vine parcels of Blaufrankisch (up to, and over 100 years old) found in Austria's Burgenland. Whereas many winemakers in Austria have yet to find the balance between concentration and new wood, the wines of Moric have nailed it. As we tasted through the lineup of Herr Velich's Moric bottlings last month there was something about the fineness of these reds that reminded me very much of Chambolle-Musigny.

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 11:48 AM | TrackBack

November 13, 2008

The Greatest Monprivato?

"...Barolo Monprivato in particular remains a steal relative to other world-class wines. Monprivato is one of the handful of Italian wines that can hold its own with the best being made anywhere in the world."
- Wine Advocate

Mauro Mascarello's Monprivato is one of the great expressions of Barolo. Very few achieve the Burgundy-like finesse that Mauro, somehow, coaxes from this hallowed site.

Since the day our doors first opened we have championed this wine and it has been amazing to watch its reputation grow over the last three years. Make no mistake about it, Mascarello's Monprivato is quickly becoming one of the most collectible Barolos, right up there with the best bottlings of Giacomo Conterno, Bruno Giacosa and Bartolo Mascarello - though at a fraction of the cost!

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Posted by Bob Schagrin at 2:02 PM | TrackBack

November 11, 2008

Rebel with a Riesling: Value of a Vintage?

Germany is full of world-famous terroirs. Palmberg-Terrassen may not be world-famous, but it is one of the most soulful vineyards in Germany and in 2007 produced an incredible value of a Riesling. Consider the following details:

- This vineyard is full of 50- to 80-year-old ungrafted vines.

- The vines are trained to a single cane (the traditional manner) increasing the concentration and limiting the yields severely.

- Blue and gray slate dominate, giving the wine an intense and complex minerality.

- The steep terraces of this site have largely run wild as it's expensive, and difficult to farm. Everything here must be done by hand - check out the incline of this site!

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Posted by Joe Salamone at 12:48 PM | TrackBack

November 6, 2008

The Spirit of Fall: Modern Spirits Pumpkin Pie Vodka

The leaves changing color and falling from the trees; the first cold night when you can see your breath; the first occasion to dust off your winter coat. This time of year comes with no shortage of heraldic moments.

Now the spirits world has its answer to these non-potable harbingers of cold weather: I'm pleased to introduce you to Modern Spirits Pumpkin Pie Artisan Vodka.

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Posted by Daniel Stenson at 7:48 PM | TrackBack

October 2, 2008

2000 Cavallotto Barolo Riserva

This is a SINGING(!) duo of Cavallotto Barolo Riservas with the crackling purity of a summer thunderstorm: One Bricco Boschis San Giuseppe Riserva and one Vignolo Riserva.

The 2000 vintage produced Barolos of great ripeness and exuberance. While the initial critical acclaim was by all counts exaggerated, the best Barolos of 2000 are proving to have great intensity of fruit, complexity and structure. Antonio Galloni, Robert Parker's Piedmont ambassador, has given both of these wines exceptional praise. (See below for full reviews.)

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 3:36 PM | TrackBack

September 25, 2008

Back up the Truck! 2006 Veranda Pinot Noir

The 2006 Veranda Pinot Noir is without a doubt the best Pinot Noir under $20 I've tasted since we opened our doors almost four years ago. Frankly, this bottle may have the present-day world title.

This is Pinot with a mouthful of juicy cherry and raspberry fruit darkened and structured extremely well. It has NONE of that sappy, sweetness that afflicts all too many inexpensive California and Oregon Pinots. Veranda's balance and hedonism will satisfy those who like "dry" and those looking for something "fruity" - those of you on the endless search for something "smooth" will be just as delighted as those who looking for "complex." Think of this wine as the bass and soul of Barry White combined with the sultry gloss of Alison Krauss and the power yet intricacy and widespread listen-ability of Led Zeppelin IV. (That's right!)

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Posted by Tom Stephenson at 9:53 PM | TrackBack

September 23, 2008

1996 Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs

If you are passionate about Champagne, I urge you to read this article in its entirety.

As with 2005 in Burgundy, 1996 in Champagne was one of those rare years that brought even the most elite to new, unprecedented heights. In my 20 years of collecting Champagne, I do not think I've come across a young vintage that shows as much muscle, as much promise as the towering monuments of 1996.

With no vintages of comparable stature on the horizon until 2002 (the top cuvees will not be released until 2012 or later!) collectors have been frantically stock-piling the obvious trophies of this century-closing vintage: Dom Perignon, Krug and Salon to name but a few.

There is however "another Dom" that has been sitting quietly at this great table, shoulder to shoulder with the giants of Champagne. In fact, while Dom Perignon and Dom Ruinart have a shared history, in 1996 they have even more in common as Richard Geoffroy, Dom Perignon's genius Chef de Cave, was one of the winemakers for this wine! With one of the smallest productions of luxury cuvees and only recently reintroduced to the U.S. market, Dom Ruinart has been a well kept secret among collectors and has graced Europe's finest wine lists for decades.

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Posted by Bob Schagrin at 2:05 PM | TrackBack

September 15, 2008

Back-Vintage Egon Muller Special!

Egon Muller is the Domaine de la Romanee-Conti of Germany as John Gilman suggests in his great article on the estate (reproduced in full below). These wines are extremely difficult to find and we are offering a limited selection at the lowest prices in the nation! The Scharzhofberg vineyard, recognized since 1000AD as a superior site for growing grapes, produces wines of incredible concentration and intensity with a structure built for aging.

Click button below to see our real-time online inventory of Egon Muller:

A quick thanks to John for allowing us to reproduce his great article on this great estate. A View from the Cellar is one of the best written, most scholarly sources of information on the top wine estates of the world and we really can't recommend it enough. What can we say - we have a subscription at the store! Click here to visit John's site and learn more.

VIEW FROM THE CELLAR
Weingut Egon Muller- Germany's Domaine de la Romanee-Conti
By John Gilman

Weingut Egon Muller in Wiltingen is one of the very greatest estates in all of Germany. For many lovers of German wine, there is simply no other producer that reaches the same exalted peaks, and for them the wines of Egon Muller occupy a rarefied strata at the very pinnacle of their genre. In much the same way as Domaine de la Romanee-Conti occupies both a contemporary and historical point of reference in its region, Weingut Egon Muller and its extensive holdings in the famed Scharzhofberg vineyard are both a beacon of modern, uncompromising quality and a cornerstone of tradition that reaches back a millennium and more. The estate is planted to more than ninety-five percent riesling, with a very impressive lineup of very old vines that produce low yields and wines of haunting beauty. The heart and soul of the estate is the more than eight hectares of riesling vines that the family owns in the Scharzhofberg vineyard, located in the Saar valley, which towers over the small town of Wiltingen. The entire hill of vines that is the Scharzhofberg now comprises some twenty-eight hectares, with its perfect south-facing exposition rising from an elevation of 190 meters above sea level to 310 meters at its peak. It is a relatively cool and windswept vineyard that allows for brilliantly even and graceful ripening of the riesling grape. The vines of the Egon Muller estate lie right in the heart of this great vineyard, and produce some of the longest-lived and most ethereal examples of riesling to be found anywhere.

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Posted by McRae Petrey at 12:39 PM | TrackBack

September 11, 2008

2005 De Montille

For Etienne de Montille, 2005 is without a doubt his finest effort. The 2005 collection easily puts him in the Pantheon with the masters of Burgundy. In this majestic vintage, I believe that Etienne's stable represents the best quality-to-price ratio of any producer's lineup, a bold statement, but one of which I am thoroughly convinced.

This is a no nonsense lineup of quivering, traditional Burgundies that wear, proudly and seamlessly, the ripe, detailed fruit of this immense vintage. I do not think it's too much to say that this collection of 2005s will cement Etienne's status as one of the stars of Burgundy and put the domaine in the top tier of producers. For Burgheads who love the great traditional producers - Bachelet, Fourrier, Gouges - these are wines not to miss.

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Posted by Bob Schagrin at 1:13 PM | TrackBack

August 12, 2008

2006 Desvignes Morgon Cote du Py

Beaujolais has long been the secret haunt of wine geeks, value hunters and even collectors who want fresh, complex, food-friendly reds at very reasonable prices.

There's an honesty and transparency to good Beaujolais that makes it both invigorating and thoughtful. Gulping down a real Beaujolais with some charcuterie is one of this world's finer, humble delights (the French famously, and lovingly, refer to Beaujolais as "gouleyant," which sounds much more sophisticated than "gulpable"), though a Beaujolais can also be sipped and meditated upon as it does a more rustic impersonation of Burgundy's myriad changes in the glass.

Seriously - forget what you know about cheap Beaujolais because the 2006 Desvignes Morgon Cote du Py has more in common with d'Angerville or de Montille than Duboeuf or any of the flower-themed bottles that lurk anonymously in supermarkets nationwide.

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 12:44 PM | TrackBack

August 11, 2008

Absinthe Revival!!

Everyone was seeing green (but not in a hallucinogenic way) at Crush's first-ever absinthe tasting last Thursday night.

Over 200 people came out to participate and we thank you all for your curiosity, good spirit and support. The representatives pouring were wonderful and the absinthe truffles provided by Nunu chocolates were delicious and great compliments to the absinthe being poured. Yes, the night was a resounding, absinthe-inspired success!

At the tasting customers enjoyed four different absinthes, two absinthe fountains and absinthe truffles...all free. Not a bad way to spend a Thursday evening.

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Posted by Daniel Stenson at 12:56 PM | TrackBack

August 7, 2008

Back Up The Truck!! - Mount Nelson Sauvignon Blanc

Sancerre is just one of those magical summer whites and for good reason: Can any other wine deliver the mouthwatering citrus-and-stone combo with such an elegant and refreshing zing?

New Zealand, as the press has pointed out over the last 10+ years, has done the "zing" part of this equation with an impressive intensity, though honestly to our palates the islands down under have very rarely produced Sauvignon Blancs with the finesse or complexity that a solid Sancerre effortlessly delivers.

While Mount Nelson is in no way the first New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc to work on a balance between the "elegance" and the "zing," it is, without doubt, the most impressive, seamless and finessed Sauvignon Blanc from the southern hemisphere we've come across in the past three years - and at an incredible value!

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Posted by Tom Stephenson at 2:08 PM | TrackBack

July 22, 2008

Stadlmann Zierfandler Mandel-Hoh 2006

The reappearance of a crowned Wine of the Year!

Why this strange, earth-shaking occurrence? The fact of the matter is that we've been touting the merits of this kooky little Austrian white wine for years, in spite of the fact that the grape remains (even for us) very esoteric. In my Wine of the Year email I (ironically) wrote, "...this bottle will probably never score 100 points - so far as I can find, no one's ever even rated it..."

So you can imagine that my jaw dropped when I saw the Wine Advocate's belated report on the 2006 Austrians. Not only was the wine reviewed, but Stadlmann's little gem was given an impressive review and even more important to me personally, a great and inspired write-up by one of the most respected scholars of Austrian and German wine, David Schildknecht!

Despite the continuing depreciation of the dollar against the Euro, due to our support for the wine in the past we were able to obtain near-2007 pricing on a small but sizable quantity and I'm thrilled to offer my 2007 Wine of the Year - AGAIN - at virtually the same price as we did in December of 2007!

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 11:51 PM | TrackBack

June 18, 2008

2003 Mascarello Barolo Monprivato

The estate of Guiseppe Mascarello is one of the most underrated in the wine world; Mauro Mascarello, the current head of the estate, is a Piedmont legend standing with the giants of traditional Barolo: Giacomo Conterno, Bruno Giacosa and Bartolo Mascarello. Because of our long-standing support of Mascarello's famed Barolo Monprivato, we were able to secure one parcel of the 2003 at a special pre-arrival price.

At well under $100, this is one of the greatest deals in all of red winedom. Mascarello's Monprivato is, year in and year out, one of the defining Barolos and in the mammoth 03 vintage, Mauro has crafted a Monprivato that handles its stunning ripeness with pitch-perfect elegance.

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Posted by Bob Schagrin at 11:28 AM | TrackBack

June 13, 2008

Vatan 2006

The 79-year-old Edmond Vatan has been making what is largely considered to be the world's top Sancerre for an entire generation. The Sancerres from his Clos la Neore vineyard are renowned for their purity, depth, expression of terroir, and surprisingly for Sancerre, their profound ageability. Though wonderful in their youth, a Vatan Sancerre will only improve over the next decade - or two or three?

He treasures his legendary vineyard, a tiny 2.5-acre plot (that's one-fifth the size of Central Park's Great Lawn and smaller than many Westchester back yards!) that Vatan himself planted over 60 years ago and that sits in the sweet spot of the steep slopes of the legendary "Damned Mountain" otherwise known as the Monts Damnes vineyard.

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Posted by Tom Stephenson at 4:26 PM | TrackBack

May 29, 2008

Schilcher Sekt! Strohmeier Sensational for Summer Sipping

Schilcher Sekt: This may be your new favorite summer wine, if you can pronounce it! Howard Goldberg of the New York Times has fallen in love - now it's your turn.

Schilcher Sekt flows liberally in Austria; the charming sparkling rose is just about the perfect appetite-stimulating aperitif though it can also be paired with a hearty selection of local cheeses and cured meats. Whether you're in Schilcher's hometown of Styria, in southern Austria, or at a Viennese wine bar, in the shadow of the St. Stefan's Cathedral, Schilcher is the perfect summer sipper.

We're proud to carry two fantastic Schilchers: A serious vintage Schilcher (2000) with complex strawberry, potpourri fruits and a stylish acidity and the more rustic NV Schilcher with great fruits, spices, and a burly, textured acidity. Both are tremendous values.

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 3:42 PM | TrackBack

May 27, 2008

Edmunds St. John - The Controversy over California

Steve Edmunds is one of our favorite traditional California producers and his 2005 Syrah from the Wylie-Fenaughty Vineyards is superb.

It has also become somewhat of a lightning rod, illustrating the divide that exists between traditionalists and modernists on the battlefield that is California wine. To one group, the Edmunds St. John wines are the epitome of what California should be: Well balanced, nuanced and elegant with a profile that nods to the great wines of Europe. To the other group, the wines are not only underripe and insubstantial, but more importantly they violate the truth of California's "terroir" in their comparable lack of size, fruit and power.

We think the 2005 Wylie-Fenaughty is a classic California Syrah. We also think at about $25 it's an exceptional value and beautifully suited to tame the spoils of a summer's worth of BBQs!

But what do you think?

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 2:03 PM | TrackBack

May 15, 2008

The 2008 Rose Champions! The Best-of-the-Best for Summer Sipping...

The world of rose is getting bigger, grander and more diverse than ever!

While we stock - and love - the great classic roses of southern France, there is a brave new world of exciting roses that translate the easy-going, mouthwatering and lip-smacking philosophy of great rose through a wide spectrum of cultures and culinary traditions, not to mention various landscapes and terroirs, grapes and winemaking styles.

A rose made from Pinot Noir in Sancerre? A sparkling rose from Austria's deep south? A California rose with uniquely Italian grapes - Dolcetto and Nebbiolo? (See below for more on each wine.)

Who would have thought that these three unlikely characters would be your best-of-the-best roses for 2008!

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 12:37 PM | TrackBack

May 13, 2008

Veuve Clicquot 2002: Special Pre-Arrival Pricing

Crush is thrilled to announce special pre-arrival pricing for Veuve Clicquot's 2002 Vintage Champagne, to be released this fall.

Based on my experience with the wine at the estate earlier this year, I can confidently say that this is the best vintage Clicquot that has been produced in decades!

2002 is the most anticipated vintage since 1996 and collectors and connoisseurs alike have been waiting for the great releases of the luxury houses. We are proud to offer special pre-arrival pricing both for individual bottles as well as "collector's pricing" for solid cases - click here to see special pricing. Note to all: Kudos to the house of Clicquot for holding the line on pricing in the face of the rising Euro and the weakening dollar, making this a true vintage Champagne steal!

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 10:37 AM | TrackBack

May 1, 2008

California Classic: 2000 Mondavi Reserve

There is no doubt that Robert Mondavi changed the American wine psyche and in the process became one of the wine world's most powerful and controversial figures. His life, and the rise and fall of his empire, is a drama fit for the big screen. (Indeed, we're pretty sure the rights to the movie have been sold.)

That said, we're not really into the big egos and backdoor gossip. Instead, what we want to do is focus on what it was once all about: what's in the bottle. And this is where you really have to taste the wine in spite of, and irregardless of, any stereotypes or preconceived notions of what Mondavi is (or was), because the 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is a perfectly balanced and elegant Cali Cab that tips its hat to the greats of Bordeaux indulging in a silky finesse and even (gulp) enticing restraint!

At $68.53 - that's a discount of 30% - this quickly becomes one of the no-brainer buys of the season, a wine with real breed that one of those age-worthy Napa Cabs in the spirit of Togni, Mayacamas or even Dunn's Howell Mountain - though granted, it's softer and more supple even at this "young" age. Drink this Mondavi now and over the next decade while your Togni, Mayacamas and Dunn just begin to come into form!

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 10:00 AM | TrackBack

April 23, 2008

Dry German Rieslings at Crush: A Deep (Dry) Collection!

How happy were we to see a bottle of Hansjorg Rebholz's mind-blowing Riesling in a photo in Wednesday's New York Times! - not to mention the short but savvy article wine writer Eric Asimov penned about the great quality (and drinkability) of dry German Rieslings!

To see real-time inventory of our great German dry Rieslings, click here.

Von Buhl, Emrich-Schonleber, Weil and Kunstler stand proud and dry.

We've been passionately championing dry German Rieslings since the store opened over three years ago and it's gratifying to see the press, not to mention a growing audience of wine drinkers, get behind these great (and absurdly affordable) bottles. At this point, with a selection of nearly 30 dry German Rieslings from $16.95 and up, we must have one of the widest, deepest and surely the greatest selection of dry German Rieslings in the U.S.

Right now, we have amazing dry Rieslings from Donnhoff, Emrich-Schonleber, Furst, Karthauserhof, Knebel, Kunstler, Lang, Rebholz, Schafer-Frohlich, Spreitzer, Stein, Von Buhl, Weil, Wirsching and Wittmann! (And about 200 other German Rieslings of the sweeter variety.)

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 2:11 PM | TrackBack

March 27, 2008

Scholium Project: Eccentric California Genius

Yes, it's time for our annual Scholium Project offering!

These selections represent this year's three greatest hits, each one riveting and uniquely expressive:
- 2005 Petit Sirah "Babylon"
- 2006 Sauvignon Blanc "La Severita di Bruto"
- 2006 Sauvignon Blanc "The Prince in his Caves"
Please see below for the details and full tasting notes for all wines.

The Scholium Project is one of the most thoughtful, and outrageous, artisanal producers in California. These are intense, powerful and singular wines - from Sauvignon Blanc to Petit Sirah. They also happen to be some of our favorites and every year we look forward to Abe Schoener's visit to Crush, where he presents his year's inspired work.

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 1:55 PM | TrackBack

February 29, 2008

Giacomelli Vermentino: Complex Winter White from Liguria

Could this be the cruelest time of the year? The holidays have receded well into memory, daylight seems scarce, the chill is here and spring is still much too far away.

The only answer our eccentric minds could cook up was a Mediterranean-inspired meal with a couple of Vermentini that deliver the fresh warm scents of the sun-soaked Ligurian coast of Italy. (Click here for more on the Vermentino-celebrating meal Joe concocted, including a killer recipe for Bourride - a fish stew from Nice - the perfect partner to Giacomelli's rich Vermentini.)

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 3:11 PM | TrackBack

February 27, 2008

Betts & Scholl "O.G." Grenache - Australian Power with Elegance

Let's speak simply here: The 2005 Betts and Scholl "O.G." Grenache is one of the best deals of this young year. With a special case-price that brings the bottle down to $25, this is a no-brainer big Aussie red that delivers power with style at a level way beyond its price-point.

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 3:43 PM | TrackBack

February 22, 2008

Lignier: 2005 Clos de la Roche and Company

The campaign of top 2005 Burgundies at compelling prices continues at Crush!

I'm thrilled to be able to offer out the 2005 Ligniers, from the Bourgogne Rouge up to the grand Clos de la Roche, direct from the domains at some of the lowest prices in the nation!

Regardless of the confusion during the last two years, the Lignier domains continue to produce some of the best wines out of Morey, Chambolle and Gevery-Chambertin.

To my palate, few estates have been able to so successfully marry the power and energy of the ultra-vivid 2005 fruit to such a sleek, delineated mouthfeel. There is a focus to these wines, a clarity of fruit, a super-fine polished minerality that is seemlessly built into these 2005 Burgs. This is delineated hedonism!

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 5:33 PM | TrackBack

Louis Boillot - Grower Burgundy with Heart and Soul

Louis Boillot crafted some outstanding wines in the more difficult 2004 vintage. As he's married to Burgundy phenom Ghislaine Barthod, this is a family that lives and breathes wine. In 2005 he has outdone himself, gifted as he was by the near-perfect fruit that has already made the vintage famous.

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 5:20 PM | TrackBack

February 4, 2008

Karthauserhof - Ruwer's Mineral-Drenched Terroir Speaks

Up in the foresty, dew-covered Ruwer Valley, rising eastward from the famed Mosel, the Karthauserhof estate has been producing some of the most glowingly austere, mineral-drenched Rieslings since 1335.

The great Rieslings of this estate have the reputation for aging themselves into greatness. With a decade (or many more) in the cellar, a Karthauserhof's citrus widens to introduce exotic spices, herbs and wax notes; the minerality becomes much more detailed and textured, a fireworks show of minerals and flowers exploding on the palate.

We are proud to have a back-vintage library of these minerally Rieslings; all of these wines are treats for any Riesling fanatic.

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 12:53 PM | TrackBack

January 30, 2008

Spanish Cabernet Value: Rafael Cambra's Dos

We've written about the wines of Rafael Cambra before. His old-vine Monastrell, called "Uno," was one of the first modern Spanish wines to unflaggingly win us over with its perfect balance of power and elegance.

Cambra's follow-up bottling, called "Dos", is another stunning wine, packing incredible depth of flavor into a bottle that's priced to drink any and every night. This wine is equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc; a Spanish rendition of Bordeaux-meets-Napa Valley with a concentrated nose that comes out of the bottle complex, yet smoothes out to present a balanced spectrum of cassis, dark fruits, herbs, tobacco and a fine-grained minerality. The palate is saturated with layered, palate-staining fruit, much more effusive than the nose, both delineated and layered with great definition and length.

At under $20, it's a no-brainer value Cabernet with power and class.

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 4:10 PM | TrackBack

January 24, 2008

1996 Lanson Brut Gold Label - Champagne Steal at Under $50!

Today I bring you what is the first ever Champagne "Back up the Truck" - Lanson's 1996 Brut Gold Label!

Lanson is one of Champagne's oldest houses with a style that balances chiseled, razor-sharp minerality with an outrageous purity of fruit. Take this detail-oriented style and match it to the muscle of the 1996 vintage - one of the 20th century's greatest - and you get a wine of dazzling focus and super-charged intensity.

Now, consider the price. The fact that we can sell the 1996 Lanson Brut Gold Label at $48.50 - the lowest price in the nation - represents a rare buying opportunity. Keep in mind regular non-vintage bottlings of the Grande Marque houses are pushing this price-point while the NV bottlings of top Growers are at $45 and above!

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 12:41 PM | TrackBack

January 16, 2008

2005 Comte Senard Grand Cru: A Cellar Steal at Well Under $100

The 2005 vintage in Burgundy has elevated wines that are ordinarily great to absolutely outstanding. Case in point: Comtes Senard.

While the domaine has glorious parcels in some of Corton's best climats, their past efforts to coax out the full potential of their Grand Cru fruit have been uneven.

2005, however, is another story. This vintage gave Senard, as it did most Burgundians, near-perfect fruit, and winemaker Lorraine Senard took full advantage of this gift. While the domaine's 2005 lineup is very, very good across the board, two bottlings distinguished themselves with such authority that I had to buy them: The 2005 Corton-Clos du Roi and Corton-Bressandes. These are absolutely top notch Cortons. For those looking to put a few 2005s in the cellar before they disappear, look no further.

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 12:08 PM | TrackBack

January 9, 2008

2005 Texier Brezeme Pergault VV: The Forgotten Old-Vines of Brezeme Speak

Today, we're pleased to offer one of the best red wines of 2007 - a wine that will transcend every other 'Cotes du Rhone' you've ever had: Eric Texier's 2005 Brezeme Pergault VV.

Texier's 2005 Pergault has a shocking combination of elegance and vivaciousness, with shavings of tart red fruit, lean, sinewy cranberry and raspberry, beautiful dried herbs, black olives, smoke, bramble, earth and that oh-so-classic plum-violet-black-pepper-bacon-fat thing that I look for in great Rhone bottlings.

This is the most serious Rhone value on the market today. Texier's 2005 flaunts the depth of this extraordinary vintage and drinks so far above its class it's almost absurd. Today we're thrilled to offer it in two formats - regular bottles and magnums - at the lowest prices in the nation.

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 11:03 AM | TrackBack

December 14, 2007

2007 Crush Wine of the Year: Krug Grande Cuvee

Choosing any one wine, out of a year's worth of incredible experiences, is a daunting task.

Though in a way, this year is a bit easier for me. I've been a passionate drinker/collector of Champagne since I first began my adventure into wine over 17 years ago. 2007 is unquestionably the year Champagne came of age, both at the retail level and at auction. Collector/investor interest in top cuvees is at an all time high - Champagne has now joined the ranks of Bordeaux and Burgundy as one of the most sought-after and collectible wines in the world, with Krug and Dom Perignon leading the way.

With this in mind, my wine of the year came into sight as the obvious victor. This is a wine that takes tremendous amounts of time, care, labor and materials to produce - yet year in and year out it is consistent and complex. The 2007 Krug Grande Cuvee is the Crush Wine of the Year!

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 7:29 PM | TrackBack

December 13, 2007

Ian's Wine of the Year: 2005 Potel Cote de Nuits-Villages

So I have to begin this email with the embarrassing admission that I drank up most of the bottles we had in stock of my Wine of the Year - Nicolas Potel's delicious 2005 Cote de Nuits-Villages. (Sorry about that.)

As penance though, I'm happy to offer the final shipment, arriving in early 2008, at a special pre-arrival price that's discounted down to under $30. I've been on a 2005 Burgundy rampage for much of the year, going to just about every tasting I could find. At this price, Potel's Cote de Nuits is the most authentic and invigorating 2005 Burgundy I've experienced - an energetic and worthy mascot for this unbelievable vintage.

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 12:22 PM | TrackBack

December 12, 2007

Tom's Wine of the Year: 2002 Cazin "Cuvee Renaissance

The methods I used to determine my "Wine of the Year" have nothing to do with point scores or detailed comparisons of the thousands of wines I have tasted over the last 12 months. My metrics are much more simple and visceral - last year Forte Canto swayed me with its "Gulp-ability Factor."

This year I declare Cazin's 2002 Cour-Cheverny "Cuvee Renaissance" my Wine of the Year, citing the"Lemonhead Effect!"

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Posted by Tom Stephenson at 11:07 AM | TrackBack

December 11, 2007

Joe's Wine of the Year: 2000 Fonbel

My choice for Wine of the Year is the 2000 Chateau de Fonbel.

The story here is simple: An innocent tasting where I was simply blind-sided by the wine's purity and elegance - aromatic with plentiful fruit wrapped in layers of great spice, minerality and florality. The mouthfeel is undeniably St-Emilion - luxurious and full, expansive and enveloping, yet with a seemingly nimble footprint.

At under $40, this is one of the best deals in Bordeaux I've come across all year.

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 11:05 AM | TrackBack

December 10, 2007

Stephen's Wine of the Year: Stadlmann Zierfandler Mandel-Hoh

When national publications name their "Wines of the Year," they are limited by many factors - the biggest of which is the wine's availability. It doesn't make sense for them to drive the public into a frenzy over a bottle of wine that is hardly available.

As a small independent retailer, we have more freedom!

Granted, we also use a different set of criteria. We want outrageous quality for the money, of course, but we also seek respectful winemaking, a wine that speaks of where it comes from and what we call the x-factor - that inexplicable, inexpressible, toe-curling sense of something extraordinary.

Stadlmann's 2006 Zierfandler Mandel-Hoh has all this and more - that's why it's my wine of the year!

No, you've probably never heard of Zierfandler. It's a largely unheard of grape that's basically only grown in Austria's tiny Thermenregion. The Mandel-Hoh vineyard is the world's top site for the grape - this wine should not to be confused with Stadlmann's regular Zierfandler bottling.

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 11:45 AM | TrackBack

December 7, 2007

Mascarello's Monprivato - Discounted!

The continued low prices for Barolos from the estate of Giuseppe Mascarello are inexplicable, especially given the unquestionably elite status of the wines.

Because of one of the best deals we cut all year, we are thrilled to bring the prices of these wines even lower - up to 40% below fair market value! Importantly, at these prices almost any curious wine lover can try at least one bottle of this Piedmont Royal, before the numbers go up to where they should be.

This is also the year's last Italian offering, and such an honor couldn't be bestowed on a more worthy winemaker. Mascarello is one of my personal Piedmont favorites and these are two wines we've been saving for this final celebration: Mascarello's 2000 Monprivato and the inaugural 1993 Monprivato "Ca d'Morissio," both offered at the lowest prices in the nation.

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 1:16 PM | TrackBack

December 5, 2007

1999 Bollinger Grande Annee

The full-court press of the holidays is upon us! By the time the end of last week rolled around just about everybody needed a little pick-me-up. I was happy to celebrate our hard work an add a bit of excitement to our usual Friday staff tasting by popping the cork on some bubbles.

The unquestionable star of the night was Bollinger's 1999 Grande Annee. This is an amazing bottle of wine - the one that everyone was talking about Saturday morning. Rich and thunderous with a fantastic foundation of dark and sweet notes, baking spices, and the trademark "Bolli" cookie dough provide a solid core around which shavings of citrus added high notes and balancing accents. The concentration and length... nothing short of amazing.

For those of you who have never had vintage Bollinger, this is the perfect moment to indulge - with the party season beginning, I can't think of an under-$100 bottle of vintage Champagne that offers the finely detailed exuberance and pure hedonism of the Grande Annee.

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 12:21 PM | TrackBack

September 26, 2007

Cappellano Back-Vintage: Piedmont in Ecstasy

Finding the elite bottlings of Piedmont great Teobaldo Cappellano is hard enough; finding his wines from top vintages like 1996, 97, 98 and 99 is basically impossible. Yet we've found them.

Even more incredibly, we're able to offer these back-vintage gems, with nearly a decade's worth of perfect cellaring, at phenomenally low prices. Consider that we're able to sell the 1997 Barolo "Pie Franco" at $54.78 - nearly 50% lower than the current release.

Other deals include:
1997 Barolo Pie Rupestris for $49.83
1996 Barbaresco for $39.77
1999 Langhe Rosso for $19.98

Suffice it to say that this Cappellano parcel represents one of the most remarkable offerings of the year. Click here to see our entire Cappellano collection and shop online; to order by telephone please the store at (212) 980-9463.

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 4:46 PM | TrackBack

September 10, 2007

French Flamboyance + German Discipline Trimbach's Outstanding 2001 Riesling Cuvee Frederic Emile

Undoubtedly, someone will bring up the great stereotypes: wines from Germany have discipline and cut; while the French are flamboyant but soft and with no real backbone. (Note: I'm just talking about wines!)

This could perhaps be an unending debate, were it not for the opulent yet restrained wines of Trimbach.

If there is one producer who marries the richness of French Riesling with the verve and rigor of its German counterpart, it is Jean Trimbach.

Today's offer, the Trimbach 2001 Riesling Cuvee Frederic Emile, is one of the best Alsatian Rieslings and an outlandish value.

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Posted by Bob Schagrin at 1:14 PM

August 21, 2007

Helmut Donnhoffs Profound 2006s - Pre-Arrival Offer

Fresh from a trip to Germany, David Schildknecht of the Wine Advocate recently noted: "Apropos 2006, I don't think word has really gotten out in sufficient detail and with appropriate perspective as to the qualitative nature of this remarkable year... the list of distinguished Nahe and Middle Mosel growers who consider their 2006 collections the best of their lifetime's alone demonstrates that this is a remarkable vintage with many truly mind-boggling wines."

These comments square exactly with the impressions that Joe and I had, when first tasting Helmut Donnhoff's 2006 line-up this Spring. Almost across the board Donnhoff's 2006s reveal pure, amazingly concentrated fruit with a fighter-jet sleekness that is simply thrilling.

Special "pre-arrival" pricing on the entire 2006 lineup expires September 1!

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 1:17 PM

August 8, 2007

Sancerre Sans the Scary Price
2004 Mellot Sancerre "Les Romains"

First off, I want to thank all of the Crush Crew for your support of the Gazela "Back Up the Truck" email. Keep in mind we have a few more cases available if you missed out on your $3.99 bottle of air conditioning or just need to reload.

Today's offer is in response to a number of requests we received for a similar summer steal whose style is more on the "serious side." Enter 2004 Sancerre 'Les Romains' from Alphonse Mellot, by far the best Sauvignon Blanc I've tasted this summer.

Mellot achieved absolute greatness in 2004, and due to the vagaries of the New York wholesale wine market, I am happy to offer this incredible bottling at 20-30% off its shelf price elsewhere, at a rate that is in-line with Sancerre prices of years past!

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 11:55 AM

August 5, 2007

A $4 Bottle of Air Conditioning! Gazela Vinho Verde

This wine isn't about complexity, mouthfeel or minerality.

It's about an icy and refreshing glass of wine to fend off the overbearing heat and humidity of August. With temperatures peaking in the 90s for the inaugural weekend of August, this month promises heat with high humidity to boot. Yes, August is here.

Gazela is light in body and light in alcohol with bright citrus flavors - lime zest, floral notes and a bit of spritz to liven it up even more. Mix this wine with fresh fruits and spirits to create one of our obsessions when the weather kick's up - Sangria! (See Joe's great Sangria recipe below.)

At $60 a case - delivered anywhere in Manhattan - this is the best way we've found to beat the August NYC heat!

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 2:47 PM

July 19, 2007

The Lower Mosel Rises!
2005 Clemens Busch "Vom Roten Schiefer"

It's rare that all of us - myself, Joe and Tom - are able to sit down and taste together. But when we got a call from a new German importer bringing in the top producers of the often-overlooked Lower Mosel, previous engagements were cancelled and believe me we were all present and accounted for.

While at the moment the wines of the Lower Mosel are relative rarities sought out and obsessed over by the impassioned few, this is going to change.

The top producers of this region are beginning to catch the critics' eyes (Clemens Busch was just voted into Germany's VdP!) - and for good reason. The best of these bottles are incredibly complex expressions of Riesling that veer towards a drier, more compact style. They also happen to be radically undervalued.

Case in point: Clemens Busch's 2005 "Vom Roten Schiefer" is a wine that overflows with a spectacular richness and complexity in this decidedly drier style; this is a bottle for more than just Riesling fans! At about $20 this is my "go-to" bottle for affordable indulgence!

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 1:40 PM

June 28, 2007

Austria 2006: A Legend in the Making?

(Click here to purchase any of the 2006 Austrian wines discussed in this article.)

You heard it here first: The best values in serious white wines from $15 to $50 are the stellar 2006s from Austria which are arriving stateside throughout the summer and fall.

Make no mistake: You will be hearing a lot about the 2006 vintage in Austria. There's already plenty of buzz that this is probably the best vintage since 1997. In regions like the Kamptal, there are rumblings of "vintage of the century." While it may be a touch premature to make such pronouncements, the truth is that after tasting some 150+ different 2006s from all over Austria, we are obsessed.

This is a vintage with everything, from crisp everyday sippers to rich, hauntingly deep terroir-driven whites (largely Gruner Veltliners and dry Rieslings). What nature gave Germany in 2005, it bestowed on Austria for 2006. At their best, the 06 Austrians provide intense concentration and extract with a balancing acidity and a devastating minerality.

Interestingly, many of the wines that really dazzled us were at the lower price points - bottles at the $15-$20 range deliver so much personality and terroir. (That said, many of Austria's heavy-hitters, like Hirtzberger, Knoll, the Pichlers and Prager, have yet to offer many of their wines.)

The quality of the vintage has pushed many "lesser" wines up a notch - to the next level of quality and intensity - while avoiding the pitfalls of clumsy overripeness.

That's what is so captivating about these wines - while the luscious fruit means these grapes enjoyed plenty of good sun, the superb, ultra-clean minerality reminds one that the best vines had their roots planted firmly, and deeply, into the rocky soils.

The uber-level of ripeness seems the only stumbling block for a few wines; they showed a creamy lanolin-like texture, lower levels of acidity and, sometimes, alcohol that overwhelmed the classic varietal characteristics and heart-breaking purity of the most successful bottlings.

But, have no fear - through tireless tasting we've picked out the best - and the good wines are truly outstanding.

These are wines that deserve to be on everyone's dinner table - not to mention in everyone's cellar - and so we've put together a short list of many of the 2006 Austrian "legends of the future."

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 12:00 PM

June 15, 2007

2004 Servin Chablis "Cuvee Massale"

Crush Staff Pick for June!

While 2005 Red Burgundy has been getting a lot of attention recently, it's important not to forget that the great 2004 White Burgundies are some of the best ever made.

There's just no denying the invigorating cut and precision of the 2004s. Since the wines were first released, the best 04s have been the darlings of critics and the Crush staff alike. 2004 is undeniably a purist's vintage: Wildly aromatic with laser-like intensity, pure citrus fruit, transparency and grip. Our Staff Pick for June, the 2004 Servin Chablis "Cuvee Massale," is electric - you can almost hear it crackling with tension...

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Posted by Tom Stephenson at 10:58 AM

May 17, 2007

THE Summer Sipper! 2005 Berlioz Chignin

The thermometer is finally rising - as are your requests for an imminently sippable, crisp and classic white wine to pair with the 80+ degree days that are already upon us.

Yes, it's time to "Back Up the Truck" for summer! From vineyards that date back to the 11th century and vines that are 30 to 80 years old, Berlioz's 2005 Chignin is a wine whose delicacy belies its searing intensity. While the wine is delicate and crisp, on the palate it unleashes powerful citrus fruits, lemon and green apple, touches of pear and a chalky minerality that's peppered throughout the long (long) midpalate.

This is a wine that, at under $20, is one of the best values going for summer sipping!

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Posted by Tom Stephenson at 12:28 PM

April 19, 2007

Jean-Louis Chave: Crozes Feat!

A Crush Exclusive!

As many of you know, the Hermitage of Jean-Louis Chave is a very personal wine to me. I've written this before, but it bears repeating: If I were restricted to only one producer in the Rhone, it would be Chave. There is just no one who can coax the intensity, complexity and sheer elegance from Syrah like he can. His efforts are justly rewarded - the 2003 Chave Hermitage is currently selling at well over $600.

With all this in mind, I have to say I am personally thrilled that Crush will be the exclusive North East retailer for Chave's newest venture - the inaugural 2005 Crozes-Hermitage, which we'll be offering at the lowest price in the nation.

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Posted by Bob Schagrin at 12:58 PM