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 Rhône, 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