March 2021 Newsletter

Tastings

MARCH = Spring and Positive Change!
We hope to post tastings of our monthly specials and more on our YouTube channel: J. Emerson Fine Wine Richmond.

NO OPEN BOTTLE IN STORE TASTINGS or CLASSES IN MARCH
The Store will be open and maintain normal hours and we offer curbside and delivery service.
We seek a safe retail sales environment and see no way to facilitate an in-store tasting event that maintains safety for retail shoppers.

MARCH SPECIAL OFFERS

We literally discovered four cases of Villadoria and thought it would be great to offer on a sale. We were curious how the wine had held up; it did just fine. Founded in 1959, when Pietro and Pietrina Lanzavecchia planted their first vines the Domaine is now run by their Granddaughter Paola Lanzavecchia.
ON SALE: 2012 Villadoria Barbaresco DOCG Piedmont, Italy - It is a lighter bodied and very aromatic Barbaresco that is starting to drink like aged Burgundy. Light in color with aromas of roses, violets, nutmeg and white pepper. It is medium bodied with mellow tannins but great acidity. From a contentious vintage, it is a great example of the places Barbaresco will go as it ages.
Reg. $34.99, ON SALE IN MARCH: $19.99 (while supplies last / no further discounts)

Last month we offered some old school Syrah from Chave. This month some new school St, Joseph from Pierre-Jean Villa, started in 2009, certified organic in 2020, indigenous yeast, and minimal intervention.
ON SALE:  2018 Pierre Jean Villa Saint-Joseph Preface Rhone, France- “Opaque magenta. Expressive cherry, blackberry and floral aromas, along with hints of smoky bacon, licorice and cracked pepper. Nicely concentrated and energetic on the palate, offering lively red and blue fruit and floral pastille flavors that stretch out and become sweeter with air. Closes very long, sappy and smooth, showing fine delineation & spicy bite on the gently tannic, floral-tinged finish.” (Vinous 4/20)
Reg. $49.99, ON SALE IN MAR.: $39.99 (while supplies last / no further discounts)

FROM THE CELLAR- and Ready to Drink!

The epitome of old school Aussie Shiraz!
2006 Two Hands Wines Ares Shiraz Barossa Valley, Australia - “There are three “icon” wines in the portfolio. The opaque purple-colored 2006 Ares is a 100% Shiraz cuvee sourced from Barossa (77%) and McLaren Vale (23%) which received some “200% new oak” treatment. Following a barrel selection of the winery’s best Shiraz (not all of which was in new oak), the wine spent its last 12 months of elevage in 100% new French barriques. It offers up a room-filling perfume of toasty oak, pencil lead, vanilla, pepper, sage, plum, and blueberry pie. Opulent and layered on the palate, this extracted, mouth-filling effort has tons of succulent fruit, savory flavors, and a very long, fruit-filled finish. It will reward 6-8 years of cellaring and have a drinking window extending from 2015-2031.” (WA181) $199.99 Buy a three pack in wood & save 15%.
2004 Chateau Bellefont-Belcier Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, France - A sleeper of the vintage, this impressive St.-Emilion, made by Dominique Hebrard, exhibits a pure nose of red and black fruits intertwined with spice box, dried herbs, and subtle wood. Medium-bodied, beautifully concentrated, and pure with good acidity as well as ripe tannin, it should drink well for 12-15 years.” (WA 158) $49.99 On Sale in Mar. $39.99
TBA is the ultimate after dinner dessert wine & this rarity is ready to drink now. The review is from 2007.
2005 Weingut Max Ferd. Richter Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese Mosel, Germany- “Rich gold. Succulently rich aromas of apricot preserves, mango and clove on a bed of brown-spice botrytis.The unctuous peach fruit and honeyed texture rise above the wine’s understated acidity. Richer and deeper than the beerenauslese, but this wine is still closed and needs patience.” (WA 2017)  $199.99
This was reviewed in 2005 & 16 years later the wine has matured nicely, now subdued, but still serious Burgundy.
2005 Maison Bertrand Ambroise Les Vaucrains Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru, France–“Pitch-dark , the 2005 Nuits-St.-Georges Les Vaucrains displays aromas of ripe black fruits, toasted nuts, machine oil, and wet stones. Soy, bitter dark chocolate, roasted portabello and resin on the palate add to the impression of complexity, concentration and darkness conveyed by this very serious wine. The intensity of the finish wrung me out. But fun to drink? Perhaps in another ten years.” (WA 171) $99.99

NEW ARRIVALS.

Morey owns almost 90% of this lieu-dit, and the other owner doesn’t declare it, so this is a de facto monopole.
2014 Domaine Marc Morey (Marie Bernard) Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru En Virondot, Burgundy, France  -“ A ripe, smoky cast envelops the core of lemon tart, peach and baking spice flavors in this exotic white. Loosely knit, with a lingering finish of lemon, spice and toasty oak. Offers fine flavors and a nutty aftertaste. Best from 2020 through 2028. 850 cases made, 180 cases imported.” (WS 6/18)  $79.99
Pair it with the 2004 Marc Morey Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru En Virondot - $69.99
Buy both for the educational experience and save 25% - $112.99
And now for something completely different- Nascetta is a native white grape variety of the Alba area, grown on the hills of Barolo and Novello.
Elvio Cogno ‘Anas-Cetta’ Langhe Nascetta di Novello Piedmont, Italy – “The 2017 Langhe Nascetta del Comune di Novello Anas-Cëtta is fermented and aged on the lees in stainless steel. The creaminess you taste here comes thanks to the natural characteristics of the grape and that 180-day sur lie aging. This is a fresh, lean- to medium-bodied white with pretty aromas of stone fruit, melon and Golden Delicious apple. Some 11,000 bottles were made.” (WA 9/18) - $29.99 $24.99

The GREEN Spot

As you shop in the store you may see some wines displaying a green price sticker. This is our way of letting you know that the wine is organic, biodynamic, sustainable or natural. This is an ongoing process as we research each and every wine in the shop. Verbiage on the bottle may tell you more or you may ask us for further clarification. We are organized by place, not attribute, but as the wine world has made a healthy move toward better farming practices we needed to find a quick way to identify organic, biodynamic, sustainable and natural wines.

MONTHLY SPECIALS