westgate wine summer's end

7/31/2019 Westgate Wine Summer's End

1/31

PLUS...

Shattered by the New Orin Swift! (Page 24)

Introducing Julien Schaal (Page 26)

Wine Tasting with Paul Cluver (Inside Back Cover)


2/31

SUMMER STORAGE & SHIPPING

Westgate Wine Storage will be happy to hold your wines for you until

weather permits them to be shipped, free of charge.

We are also able to ship your wines to you during this time if you instruct

us to do so.

FREE CHARLOTTE, TRIAD & TRIANGLE

DELIVERIES

We are now scheduling deliveries to the Charlotte Area, The Triad andRaleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill, free for 3 or more cases.

Call us for details.

WHERE WERE LOCATED

We are at 6405 Westgate Road, off Highway 70 and 540 in Raleigh (nearthe Angus Barn go up Westgate Road and were across from the red

Citgo). You can find more detailed directions on our website,

www.westgatewinestore.com. Or call us at (919) 787-4290.


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2005 SPENCE NAPA VALLEY

CABERNET SAUVIGNON

Reg. $64.99/$32.39 sale

I put the regular price at $65, as thats the lowestprice for any vintage ofSpence anywhere else.

Weve put this in over a dozen blind tastings now against virtuallyeverything else we could think of and every single time its prevailed. A

truly profound Napa Cabernetwhat else can we say.Actually I like what one customer said after the last blind tasting:

This somehow manages to combine the most Bordeaux-like complexity

and character with the richest, most full-bodied California flavor. For me,

its a 100.

Sadly, we just took in our last delivery. But there are still over 20 cases left!

The tiny Spence vineyard, high atop Howell Mountain.


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2009 GOLDSCHMIDT HILARYS

CABERNET SAUVIGNON

Reg. $34.99/$24.99 sale

I really should have put this beside the Spence instead of Silver Oak. Andnot just to give it some real competition. As tasting after tasting has shown,

these are not only our best Cabernets at their pricestheyre our best

Cabernets atANYprice.

But more than that, theyre both exemplars of

very opposite styles. This is Oakville West as it

should be (but now so seldom is)lacy, elegant,

even billowy (with that rare peacocks tail of

supple yet expansive flavor) and above all,

beautiful. As much as I admire its next-door

neighbor Opus One, this is the style of Oakville

Cabernet Id usually rather drink.

The Spence is a much richer, deeper, earthier and

more powerful Howell Mountain style of NapaCabernet. (Though almost nobody on Howell Mountain does that style as

well as Spence.)

Goldschmidt made 1000 cases of this exquisite 2009, and sold them all in a

month. We bought a hundred of themand have sold most of them

already.

And you can now have ten bottles of this for the price of a single bottle ofOpus! Which if youre like me is goodthis is always the kind of wine Im

in the mood for.

Our supplier, Mike Eaker, in the Spencer Vineyard;

thats Opus behind him.


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2008 POWERS COYOTE CABERNET SAUVIGNON

Reg. $24.99/$17.99 sale

This ones a steal even at its normal retail price of $25.

Just ask Decanter Magazine, which named itone of Washingtons Ten Best Cabernets,

praising its dense cassis noseVery rich andfull-bodied, lavish and opulent, with firm

tannins and flavors of dark fruits, cloves and

chocolate. Long.

Or Paul Gregutt, who put it in his list ofWashingtons Greatest Cabernets.

Or the Seattle Times, which included it intheir list of Washingtons Top 100 Wines.

Or the Wine Enthusiast, which has rated it thebest Cabernet yet from one of Americas TopCabernet Sauvignon Producers, saying thisconcentrated wine captures the essence of the

Cabernet Sauvignon grape.

Of course, many will still prefer the Parker94-point 2008 Powers Sheridan Cabernet

Reserve ($22.49 only 3 cases left!) And thatis a terrific wine.

But for only $17.99, this one is just flat-outAMAZING.

Dont forget to sign up for our e-mail offers!

We send very detailed descriptions of themost exciting and best value wines we can

find daily.

Check us out atwww.westgatewinestore.com


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2009 FABRE MONTMAYOU PRETTY MALBEC

Reg. $29.99/$21.99 sale

Okay, so it may not be a Cabernetbut it is a knockout.

The good news is our supplier ordered an extra pallet by mistake (rightwhen we thought it was gone for good). The even better news is that got usa slightly better price this time around! Which, of course, were passing on

to you

Herve Fabre was the first inArgentina to offer a pure varietalMalbec. And his best (and rarest)Malbec is still in our view (and

that of the British press)Argentinas best. And yes, I

realize there are plenty of Malbecsout there at over $100 nowbut

this one is still the best.

From 101-year-old, ungraftedvines, yields of only 25 hl/ha and

pampered like a FirstGrowthNO other Malbec

combines richness andconcentration with grace, elegance

and class as this one does.

Theres a reason YOU (our customers) keep choosing this blind againstpretty much whatever we throw against it.

Its just a great winepure and simple.

A CONSUMER PERSPECTIVE(from WineChump.com)

Okay. I had no expectation here. None whatsoever. Until I took

the first nose of it. Crme Brulee. Incredible! Then, the taste and

finish. Exquisite. I thought it might be giving my favorite Shiraz a

run for its money. This is an incredible Malbec. Get at least two,

because youll want to be alone with this on more than oneoccasionFrom 103-year-old vines, this dense, lusty bottling is

sure to turn heads.


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Burgundy, The Rhone & Champagne

Heres a truly phenomenal white BurgundyBELOW HALF-PRICE, oneof the top Cote-Roties of Parkers top Cote-Rotie vintage EVER at 40% Off

and a brilliant (Krug-quality) single-vineyard, old-vine, vintage growerChampagne at the best price anywhereonly $39.99.

GREAT $65 White Burgundy for $22.99!

An old customer (and old friend) recently asked me what I really thought ofone of our wines.all BS aside. (The Mader Rosacker, fortunately oneof my favorites.) But he has a point. The way we operate, we really do haveto (and really do try to) swing for the fences every time. After all, most ofour customers buy cases of wines theyve never had - and that they wontfirst have the chance to try based solely on our recommendations. Thesewines have to be good. And I do believe that most of the wines we sell are

both quality and value home runs.

But only occasionally do we really knock it out of the park.

This time, though, we knocked it out of the atmosphere.

If there is only one wine you absolutely MUST consider in this catalog,

(heaven forbid)THIS is the one.

Not only have Parker, Tanzer, Revue du Vin de France, Bettane &Desseauve andALL the important mainstream wine critics called Jean-

Marie Guffens one of the Worlds greatest white winemakers, so have all ofthe more obscure intelligentsia wine types. Jacqueline Friedrich, for

instance, in her excellent The Wines of France, says:

Guffens wines were and continue to be miraculousAnd those of youfortunate enough to taste one or more of them may well swear you have

never tasted a better Chardonnay.

And Andrew Jefford, in The New France, says:

These are white wines with the kind of ravishing purity and compelling

sensual austerity more familiar among the greatest winemakers of the Saar,the Ruwer or AlsaceBefore, no one knew that Macon Pierreclos or even

Pouilly-Fuisse could rival Corton-Charlemagne or Batard-Montrachet.

Now they do.


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Of course, when a producer transcends his appellation as Guffens has and

as no other producer anywhere has (think about itMacons not only better

than all other Macons, but better than most Montrachets!) it tends to

annoy his peers. And Guffens legendary self-assurance hasnt helped.

When told, for instance, that hed been named (with Coche-Dury and

Lafon) one of the three top

white wine producers in all of

Burgundy, Guffens responded,

its just a pity that the other

two are so far behind.

But taste any one of these great

2006 Guffens domain wines the freshest and most fantastic

vintage, I believe, he has ever

made and youll agree with

Frances top wine writers,

Michel Bettane and Thierry

Desseauve:

Jean-Marie Guffens: a true badass.

This tiny domaine is home to some of the Worlds greatest Chardonnays.

Jean-Marie Guffens is the only winemaker we know who can produce a

wine of such consistent eloquence, combining immaculate grape expression

with the mineral character of a limestone terroir. Even at peak ripeness

they retain an acidity simply unknown elsewhere. Without fiendishly precise

pressing (in a special antique press Guffens rebuilt himself) tailored tothe requirements of every vintage Guffens could never achieve such

crystalline purity. His great Pierreclos and Vergisson cuvees, like the

greatest Rieslings, are as limpid and pure as spring water. These are

masterpieces of finesse

Those who say theyre tired of Chardonnay really owe it to themselves to

try these scintillating wines. Theyre like virtually no other Chardonnays onearth.

The fact that theyre six years old, in absolutely pristine condition and less

than halftheir original release prices is just the icing on the cake.


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2006 GUFFENS MACON PIERRECLOS

Premier Jus de Chavigne

Reg. $59.99/$22.99 sale

Great white Burgundy is all about the tension of richness and concentrationplaying off minerality, freshness and finesse. For most producers,

striking this balance involves tradeoffs. Guffens, though, manages tonot only imbue his wines with all these qualities, but to somehow amplify

them all, too.

This wine, according to Tanzer (and others) the single greatest MaconGuffens has ever made (greater even than the 95-point 2005 we blew

through last year at $39.99), definitely has it all. Its as pristinely, strikinglyfresh as any Chardonnay can be. (With a pH, I would bet, of around 3.0.)Yet its also immensely concentrated, utterly suffused with an ineffablycomplex minerality and satisfyingly rich, dense, deep and concentrated.

How does Guffens do it? I dont know. He did pick relatively early in 2006 which turned out to be prescient. And this is from only the free run juice

of 80-year-old vines in his top Macon vineyard. But theres an artistry here a magic even thats both unique among white Burgundies, and quite

difficult to explain. As Bettane & Desseauve said: This is great art!Maybe I should just leave it at that.

The price of this wine on release, by the way, was $65. And not only isthis just overa third that priceits been perfectly stored for you for

five years now!

Easily andBY FAR the best white Burgundy (and white wine) value Ihave ever offered. So far, pretty much everyone who has tasted this wine

has bought it.

Superb $39 Red Burgundy for $19.99

Now surely this must be the hardest wine to find a true, quality redBurgundy from a top producer thats both ready to drink and seriously

affordable. There are no listings on Wine-Searcher for this, but it sold onrelease for an average of $39. And one California store thats not on Wine-Searcher has it on sale for $36.62. While it lasts, though, this delicious

and almost shockingly classy, authentic and complex Gevrey-Chambertingem is only $19.99.


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All of these wines, by the way, are directly from the importer and in

absolutely PRISTINE condition. Its very rare that we can find older

Burgundies in this perfect a shapeat any price.

2007 F. MAGNIEN COTE DE NUITS-VILLAGES

CROIX VIOLLETTE

Reg. $39.99/$19.99 sale

Savvy Burgundy buyers have long knownthat this hidden gem is not only the steal of

Frederic Magiens portfolio (even at $35-$40); its also a very complete wine that

reaches far beyond the level of a very goodGevrey-Chambertin.

The reason is the vineyard. Its a small,perfectly-situated clos (or walled vineyard)

beside the castle of Brochon, on the samelevel of the slope as the Gevrey grand crus.

But because its on the North side ofBrochon, its Cote de Nuits-Villages ratherthan Gevrey-Chambertin. (And $40 rather

than $70.) The majority of its vines arenow 90 years old.

I made the mistake recently of showing this to a very knowledgeablecustomer who was already buying a case of American Pinot Noir. But onetaste of this (and especially one whiff of it theres nothing like the smell

of a high-quality, well-aged red Burgundy) and he changed his order to twocases of Croix Viollette.

As Magnien (and many others) have said, this is premier cru-level quality(and a pretty good premier cru at that) for a fraction the price. I just wish

we had more of it!

Note: By the time you read this, we should have some other

great Guffens and Verget white Burgundies in (as well as

some serious red Burgundies, and great-value Bordeaux, andmore Rhones) - all at World-beating pricesJust Ask!


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Great Buy in Top-Rated, Top-Vintage Cote-Rtie

In Parkers top-rated Cote-Rtie vintage ever, the brilliant 2009 Chateau deSaint Cosme Cote-Rtie was one of his (and one of the Wine Spectators)

top dozen wines of the vintageand the best at its $75 release price. Forconsumers on CellarTracker, this rated even higher, finishing just a point

behind the $200 Ogier Lancement (a Parker 99) as the top Cote-Rtie ofall in this great vintage.

Now great Cote-Rties like this are hard enough to find period. But at 40%Offwell, forget about it!

Plus a dynamite $45 Saint-Joseph for only $24.99.

2009 CHATEAU DE SAINT COSME COTE-RTIEReg. $69.99/$44.99 sale

All true Cote-Rties are fascinating wines for me, even more thanHermitagesbut the great Saint Cosme Cote-Rtie is especially so. This

2009 was aged in 70% new oak, with the rest second fill, but thats the onlything modern about this wine.

To begin with, its entirely from the old Serine variant of Syrah which

gives much lower yields of smaller, more oblong and concentrated grapes thats unique to Cote-Rtie. Andrew Jefford (a smart British dude) claims:Serine, not Syrah, is responsible for the complexity, expression, finesse

and smoke of great Cote-Rtie. But theres not much of it left. SaintCosme also sources its rare Serinefrom some of the oldest vines in

some of the appellations topvineyards, mainly in the Cote

Brune.

Whole clusters (with the stems, arare and old-fashioned practice)are fermented with wild yeasts,

and the wine is bottled unfiltered.

Parker rated it 94 points (above both Jamets, the Rostaing La Landonneand many of the vintages other top wines), saying:


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Layered and dense ruby-purple, this wine displays plenty of graphite,

licorice, black raspberry and cassis notes, a full-bodied mouthfeel, striking

complexity and elegance and a very long finish. Everything is in place, and

the wine should evolve nicely for 10-15+ years.

Saint Cosme says:

We find everything we like in a Cote-Rtie: Freshness, balance, Serines

relief, the deep and complex aromas which ally finesse with the purity of

the fruit.

But I like this more recent (two months ago) CellarTracker quote best:

This is a wow wine. Still opaque purple in color, the wine has an open

nose of blackberry jam, spice and pepper. The balance and depth are

outstanding. Still great overnight w/o gas. Going to be amazing in 3-5

years.

That was pretty much our take, too. You just dont find Cote-Rties like

this for under $100 these daysand when you do, jump on them!

We sure did.

2005 COURSODON SAINT-JOSEPH LOLIVAIE

Reg. $39.99/$24.99 sale

In an appellation extended a whopping 70 times in 1969, its hard to findthe real article in Saint-Joseph anymore. But everyone Parker, Tanzer, the

Wine Spectator, Jancis Robinson, Revue du Vin de France, and a host ofother critics agrees: Jerome Coursodon is the real deal. And this bottling,

from 60-year-old vines in the great Olivet vineyard (pure granite, just likeHermitage Bessards) in St. Jean de Muzols, the original heart of the

appellation is as Jancis Robinson says, Coursodons most serious and

traditional wine.

Theres no new oak here rather its aged in a combination of olderbarriques and the traditional large older demi-muids, then bottled unfined

and unfiltered, with little or no added sulfer.

Jancis Robinson rates this 2005 the best Coursodon Saint-Joseph ever,

praising its fragrant, lovely lovely fresh pure black fruit and fine-grainedtannins. She also rates it, along with Tunnels 2005, the top Saint-Joseph

of this great vintage.


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Parker, Tanzer, The Wine Spectator, John Livingstone-Learmonth (theforemost British Rhone expert), several French publications, and all the

consumers on CellarTracker rate it outstanding, too.

Tanzer says:

Inky purple. Explosively aromatic nose features pungent blackberry,blueberry and candied licorice scents. Very sweet, with deep, dark fruit

flavors and silky tannins. Impressively fresh and focused, with a long,

supple finish and clinging crme de mure flavor.

There are no listings on Wine-Searcher, but the best price on CoursodonsSensonne (which Tanzer rates two points lower) is $49.99. And the

original release price was $45. PLUS, as with the Guffens, you get fiveextra years of perfect storage and aging here!

Jerome Coursodon in his vineyard...this looks harder

than pulling tobacco!

Riveting Krug-Like Champagnes

Thierry Triolets very limited single-vineyard, old-vine, pure ChardonnayChampagne perhaps the single greatest grower Champagne bargain of my

career - is virtually impossible to find. Theres not a single listing for anyvintage anywhere on Wine-Searcher. And we certainly blew through ourinitial allocation of his spectacular 2005... which Triolet believes may be

the best vintage hes ever made.

But now its back along with Triolets rich, bready and very Krug-like(Krug is the major buyer for Triolets grapes) Grande Reserve. Both assuming you can even find them anywhere else are at the best prices

anywhere. In the World, that is.


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2005 TRIOLET BRUT VIEILLES VIGNES

Reg. $59.99/$39.99 sale

From Triolets best single vineyard, planted on a pure chalk, perfectly

South-facing slope in 1947. Aged much like Krug, in old oak, and bottledwith no dosage. Though youd never suspect it this is deep, rich and

bready, not at all lean or raspy (as no dosage Champagnes can be), but alsoSO incisive and intensenot unlike Krugs own single-vineyard

Chardonnay, the Clos du Mesnil. Except you can buy three cases of this forwhat a bottle of Clos du Mesnil costs!

A wine that has blown away such leading Champagnes as vintage Bollingerand even La Grande Dame in blind tastingsand which has blown away

our customers, too. In fact, virtually everyone who has tried this brilliant(and I used brilliant in the diamond sense here) Champagne has bought

some.

Heres the only review on CellarTracker:

Very young, very powerful. Huge nose of toasty yeast. Real grip on the

palate. Will improve, but hard to wait.

Again, there are no Wine-Searcher listings anywhere, but we did find astore in Oregon that has it for $53.

NV TRIOLET BRUT GRANDE RESERVE

Reg. $44.99/$32.99 sale

Triolets prestige cuvee always pure old-vine Chardonnay, from at leastthree top vintages and with seven years on its lees. It may not have quite theintensity or sheer shimmering brilliance of Triolets single-vineyard vintage

wine, but this is an incredibly rich, bready, complex and satisfyingmouthful of mature Champagne flavor for only $35. The Washington Post

calls it a riveting Champagne and a steal.

Our price is not only the lowest anywhere forthis wineits also lowerthan any US retail for Triolets most basic non-vintage Brut!

Triolet, by the way, says this is his own personal favorite of hisChampagnes, though he admits the 2005 Vieilles Vignes is his greatest

accomplishment.


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Other Whites on Sale

From a dazzling $15 Sauvignon Blanc (now $7.99) to a secretMarcassin at the best price anywhere, theres lots of fun (like

Bukettraube!) and useful (like Bukettraube) stuff in here.

2009 FAIRVALLEY SAUVIGNON BLANC

Reg. $15/$7.99 sale

One of only five wines wine writer Natalie Maclean singled out as tasting

twice as expensive as it isat $15. Also perhaps the best wine yet fromone of South Africas first black owned and Fairtrade wineries. A Wine

Enthusiast Best Buy as well. They call it:

A light weight, clean andrefreshing wine thats a perfect

choice for grilled chicken salads

and crabcakes over frisee. Wetgrass, underripe nectarine, lemon-

lime citrus and green gooseberry

along with accents of white lilly

florals fill the nose and palate.

We actually find it combines the

freshly pungent intensity of a NewZealand Sauvignon with anadditional earthy complexity. Not

everyone admires this more grassy and pungent style of SauvignonBlancbut for those who do, this is simply an astonishing value.

2011 CEDERBERG BUKETTRAUBEReg. $18.99/$12.99 sale

On the (novel) theory that less is more, Ill only say that this may be thecoolest wine in our list. (Ill go into greater detail in our next catalog, whichwill have a Focus on South Africa.) The regular price I quote here is what

it sells for elsewhere in town.

Ill also use Tanzers quote on the 2010, as there isnt one yet on this 2011.This 2011 is similar, but just a touch drier and more powerful, and with

slightly higher acidity. Tanzer says:


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Pale yellow. Come hither aromas of peach, lime blossom and

honeysuckle; rather muscat-like. Tactile and slightly sweet but not at all

heavy, with perfectly integrated acidity framing and lifting the flavors of

white peach, ripe citrus fruits and anise. Finishes long, with mouth-

cleansing acidity. Serve with spicy foods, as you might use a Riesling, or

enjoy it on its own; in South Africa, its often paired with Cape Malay

cuisine.

Cederbergs vineyard one of the most remote in South Africa.

He rates it outstanding, and quotes the average retail price at $23.99.

I suspect that like German Rieslings, this will appeal to both the most and

the least sophisticated of wine consumerswhich makes it even cooler. Doyou want to impress a sommelier?

2010 TURK GRUNER VELTLINER

WEINBERGE

Reg. $19.99/$14.99 sale

A serious yet unusually rarified, intense and refined Gruner Veltliner, fromold vines in two of the finest vineyards of Krems. The 2009 vintage

actually won Worlds Best Dry White Wine of over 4100 wines from29 countries in the San Francisco International Wine Competition.

But this 2010 in a vintage of remarkably high quality, where even

Gruner Veltliners boasted Riesling-like acidity and mineral traits (DavidSchildknecht, The Wine Advocate) is even finer.

The next-best US retail price is $18.99.


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2009 TURK RIESLING WEINZEIRBERG

Reg. $24.99/$16.99 sale

From Turks top single vineyard and oldest vines, this is an even more

serious winecombining the richness of the vintage with utterly brilliantdefinition and cut. This wine spends a very long time on its lees, and even

at only 12.6% alcohol, could compete with all but the grandest WachauRieslings several times its price.

There are no US listings on Wine-Searcher, but the Worlds best price (inthe Czech Republic) is $21.21. And I suspect their shipping cost would be

prohibitive.

2007 VERGET SAINT-VERAN

Clos de Poncetys

Reg. $39.99/$19.99 sale

I put this in with the other whites rather than the Guffens whiteBurgundies because I realized we needed a Chardonnay in hereand this is

simply the best Chardonnay from anywhere at anywhere near this price.Besides, Ive always maintained that while Guffens makes great white

Burgundies, Verget (his negociant operation) just makes greatChardonnays.

And this is undeniably a great Chardonnay.


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That said, Guffens actually purchased this vineyard in 2007 so itsessentially a domain wine. Indeed, starting in 2008, its labeled as such.And its clearly not only the finest of the Verget Saint-Verans (probably

ever), but better (and rated better) than his Pouilly-Fuisses!

Burghound, for instance, rates it 90-92 (sky high for himand equal to thetop Guffens Pouilly-Fuisse in 2007!), saying:

The most elegant of this Saint-Veran group, delivering an aromatic profile

of fresh, bright and quite pure nose of white peach, citrus and acacia

blossom notes that complement perfectly the rich, full and detailed flavors

brimming with dry extract and culminating in a beautifully intense and long

finish. Terrific quality.

Tanzer rates it outstanding, too, pricing it at $44.

Guffens says this extraordinary vineyard, with a very stony and chalky soiland a perfect Southern exposure, is the single best vineyard in the

Maconnais outside of Pouilly-Fuisse, giving a well-balanced wine with

great density and a fine minerality. With its 75-year-old vines, Guffenscalls it the Batard-Montrachet of Saint-Veran.

In fact, he had coveted this vineyard so much, he refused to identify it untilhe had purchased it.

2007 MARTINELLI

THREE SISTERS CHARDONNAYReg. $69.99/$54.99 sale

Many people know that Helen Turley makes both the Marcassin andMartinelli wines. What many dont know but Parker explains in hisWorlds Greatest Wine Estates is the Three Sisters Chardonnay

vineyard was planted and managed by Turley for Martinelli and its wine is

split 50/50 between Martinelli and Marcassin. Same grapes, samewinemaking, same wines. Different labels. But while the Marcassin sells

for $250, the Matinelli is usually about $70.

And we now have the spectacular 2007 vintage of this wine the best ever at the best price anywhere, only $54.99. How spectacular? Well, Parker

just posted an Executive Wine Cellars tasting on his website where the

Marcassin bottling of 2007 Three Sisters beat not only Marcassins own2007 Estate Chardonnay (a Parker 99+), but also Kongsgaards The

Judge, Kistlers Hyde, Auberts Ritchie and Peter Michaels BelleCote. Its THATgood!


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Our tasting, by the way, was consistent with that of the EWS (though we

didnt have such fancy comparison wines!). It was certainlyfarmore like a

great grand cru white Burgundy enormously rich yet also very light on its

feet, long, complex and refined than any Martinelli Chardonnay Ive ever

had. And just about asperfectas California Chardonnay gets.

Plus One Dry Rose...

The conventional wisdom is that Rose is just a summertime wine. But I

cant think of any wine better suited to the Thanksgiving or really

virtually any meal. Which I suppose is why Food & Wine hasrecommended the Lorenza Rose (a staff favorite there) with everything

from fried chicken to pan roasted pork chops.

But Ill go with the flow, and put this on sale anyway.

2010 LORENZA ROSReg. $19.99/$9.99 sale

The Sommeliers Journal echoed the versatility theme here, naming this one

of their Wines of the Year, and saying:

a spicy, floral and completely alluring glass that is bone dry and anamazing partner to everything on the table. It is also the easiest to pair

because its delicious with virtually everythingThis is by far one of the

most fun wines of the year.

The extremely serious DISHology also

called it an exciting discovery! It was one

of their top six Rose recommendations,

along with wines like Radio Coteaus

County Line and Gary Pisonis Lucy.

They even found it a wonderful

complement to oysters.

Vogue, of course, likes it, toomainly, I

suspect, for the label. (Which features

Lorenzas owner, Michele Ouellet.)


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Other Reds on Sale

Here we have a knockout Syrah at a giveaway price for what it is, a top-notch Napa Cabernet blend at a price that demands discretion, a clutch of

superb value Pinot Noirs and the best wines yet from both Belle Glos andMollydooker. Wow.

2007 POWERS COUGAR SYRAH RESERVE

Reg. $24.99/$17.99 sale

In some ways, I think this Reserve Syrah onlythe second ever from Powers is even more

impressive than their Reserve Cabernets.

As Jeff Lawson, who rated it 93 points, said, itsan incredible Syrah that is multi-layered in

flavor and hauntingly beautiful in the glass. Itwas also the #1 Syrah in Northwest Wines Best

of the Best tasting of 52 top Washington Syrahs.(Almost all of them far more expensive than

this.) But perhaps most impressive is itsperformance in our own blind tastingswhere it

came out ahead of the best-ever ShaferRelentless!

Its also less than half the price ofANYWashington (or really American) Syrah remotely

in its class. Especially now, at the best priceanywhere. The average on Wine-Searcher is $25.

Dont forget to sign up for our e-mail offers!

We send very detailed descriptions of themost exciting and best value wines we can

find daily.

Check us out atwww.westgatewinestore.com


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2009 TAMBER BEY RABICANO

inquire for pricing

Occasionally well agree not to publish our prices so we dont antagonize

the wineries, our distributors, other storeseverybody but you. This is oneof those times.

Even by Napa standards, Tamber Bey is about asambitious and as pedigreed as it gets. The

vineyard, on the Stags Leap side of Yountville, wasplanted and is managed by Josh Clark. The wine is

made by Thomas Brownwho, among (many) othersuperstar wines, makes Schrader.

He was the first winemaker to ever make two Parker100-point Cabernets for the same winery in the same

year.

This wine, Tamber Beys top Bordeaux blend (63%Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 5% Cabernet

Franc and 4% Petit Verdot) just gets better every year. Even in the difficult2008 vintage, it was superb, earning some huge reviews on CellarTracker.This 2009 vintage is quite clearly the best Rabicano to date. A Cabernet

blend which as the winery says marries power and grace.

It sells for $53 at the winery. The average price online is $49.

Our price is somewhat less. Just give us a call.

2009 PALI RIVIERA PINOT NOIR

Reg. $19.99/$16.99 sale

Theres been such a flood of great press for these Pali wines that its hard toknow where to begin. The Connoisseurs Guide calls Palis Sonoma Coastoffering one lovely Pinot Noir. The Sommeliers News says it swellswith character and style. And the LA Times says at this price, this is a

bottle thats hard to beat!

Even the normally quite stingy Pinot Report gives it 92 points, saying:

Bright, spicy red cherry aromas; rich, ripe bright cherry flavors with

spicy, toasty note; silky texture, good structure and balance; long finish.

Bright, silky Pinot with a lot of nice flavors.


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But the best testament to how uniquely pure, delicious and above allauthentic these Pali Pinots are came in a recent chat board discussion of

Good Pinots for $20 which ended up, as one commentator put it,sounding like a Pali love-in.

These really do offer both unique quality and appeal as well as uniquefinesse and class for $20 Pinot Noirs. And at only $16.99 the best price

ANYWHERE perhaps no other Pinots can touch them.

2009 PALI HUNTINGTON PINOT NOIR

Reg. $19.99/$16.99 sale

From top Santa Barbara sites, this is aneven richer, spicier and more complexoffering. Tanzer, in fact, preferred it,

saying this is extremely easy to drinkand would be a great foil for ribs or

brisket.

And when Jillian asked recently whatwould go best with salmon, I didnt

hesitate: Pali Huntington. She loved it.

Is this better than the Riviera? Maybe. Its been the slight preference of ourcustomers. But why pick? Both are wonderful.

2009 FORIS PINOT NOIRReg. $19.99/$16.99 sale

Of the 19,402 Pinot Noirs Tanzers International Wine Cellar (THEauthority on great Pinot Noir) has reviewed, this is the ONLYone with an

outstanding rating at this price. They say:

Deep red. Dark berries and cherry on the powerful, fruit-driven nose andin the mouth. Juicy and expansive, with very good clarity and breadth and

appealing sweetness. Notes of boysenberry and cherry liqueur linger on the

long, spice-accented finish. No shortage of fruit here; this is easily the best

basic Foris Ive ever had.

Both Parker and Tanzer rate it the best Foris Pinot ever and better thanevery vintage of their far more expensive Maple Ranch bottling but 2009.

Its also, with its intricacy and perhaps more Burgundian earth and spicenuances, a wonderful comparison to the other sweeter and more juicy

Pinot Noirs here.


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2011 BELLE GLOS MEIOMI PINOT NOIR

Reg. $24.99/$17.99 sale

When I finally have that back operation, it will probably be from

schlepping so many cases of this out to peoples cars. It is, after all,BYFAR the richest, fullest, most velvety-smooth (this stuff is too plush to be

described as silky), sumptuous and satisfying Meiomi Pinot to date.

One gets the sense that Joseph Wagners earlier efforts were just finding the

rangewith this salvo he finally struck home.

Now if I can just remember how to spell it

2011 BELLE GLOS LAS ALTURAS PINOT NOIR

Reg. $49.99/$39.99 sale

As good as the Meiomi is, this one turns up

the flavor the sheer succulent layers of

velvety Pinot goodness - to eleven. (Or

twelve.) Phenomenally dark, rich andsumptuous yet still the purest, most velvety

and simply gorgeous Belle Glos Pinot to date,

theres no wonder it enjoys the winerys top

ratings everamong consumers.

The Wine Spectator calls this deliciously

rich, smooth and layered, and it is. But Iwould add that you could water this down by

half and still probably have a knockout Pinot

Noir. This is quite simply an essence. But one

that nevertheless retains its typicity, purity and

balance.

As an indication of their commitment to this, the Pinot Noir ideal, BelleGlos is the only producer I know that puts the average daytime high

temperatures for each of its vineyards (in this case 76.6 degrees during the

2010 growing season) on its labels. They are serious about delivering

Pinots that both taste good andhave good (or true) taste.

If any Pinot can claim to be the Caymus Special Selection of the Belle Glos

range, this would be the one! And like that wine, it will impress everyone from the casual wine drinker to the confirmed Pinotphile.


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The Best-Ever Mollydooker Shiraz

Mollydooker made a huge splash among Australian wine lovers with itsParker 99-Point 2005 Carnival of Love Shiraz. The new Aussie wine

critic for the Wine Advocate, Lisa Perrotti-Brown, just re-tasted this 2005and scored it 98 pointsher highest score for any Shiraz under $200 (andthe same as the 2006 Grange and $1200 Penfolds Bin 620). It now sells

for an average of $193.

But winemaker Sparky Marquis says, 2010 was a dream yeareasily ourbest vintage to date. And his 2010 Carnival of Love is an even bigger,

richer, more concentrated and ultimately betterShiraz than the famous

2005. In fact, it looks to be as Sparky says the best Carnival of Loveever.

And we now have it at the best priceANYWHERE!

2010 MOLLYDOOKER

CARNIVAL OF LOVE SHIRAZ

Reg. $99.99/$69.99 sale

Sparky says: Hand selected as our best parcel of Shiraz this year, thiswine is an enchanting experience as it displays a pure expression of all the

lavors and nuances you would look for in a great Shiraz. Its bouquet is full

of chocolate, licorice, allspice, and blackberry fruit with aromatics that go

right through to the back of your mouth. With layers of espresso, raisin and

chocolate intermixed with toasty vanilla oak, this mouth-filling blockbuster

is opulent and elegant. The palate is incredibly silky and creamy and the

wine will linger in your mouth for minutes after you tasted it.

What particularly strikes me is this has both the most richness andconcentration of any Carnival of Love to date, as well as the best

structure (and lowest pH). Of all the 2010 Mollydookers, this one is clearly

in it for the long haul. Yet its surprisingly luscious and even silky-rich andseductive already.

The Wine Spectator, which named it one of their Top 100 Wines last year,describes it well:

Dense, rich and distinctive, this is superplush and complex, yet also

approachable, wrapping its black cherry, cassis, licorice and roasted meatflavors on a supple, velvety frame. Finishes long and creamy in texture.

Drink now through 2020.


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Shattered by the New Orin Swift!

Orin Swifts Dave Phinney made his reputation and his fortune with hisimmensely popular old-vine Zinfandel blend The Prisoner. But he has a

wine out now with his friend Joel Gott thats from from even older vines,andFAR lower yields, and that blows even The Prisoner away.

And with the debut vintage of his Shatter producing only 6000 cases, orless than a tenth The Prisoners production, Phinney reports that many of

his biggest markets sold their total allocations in less than a day!

We were lucky enough to get a decent chunk of this extraordinary newwine, and have it at the lowest price in the State. (The only other NC priceis $32.99most US stores charge $34.99.) While it lasts

The ancient Grenache vineyards of Maury.

2010 SHATTER by ORIN SWIFT

$29.99/$27.99 by the case

I have to confess that when I first read the article in Food & Wine aboutDave Phinney discovering the incredible old vineyards of Maury, my initial

reaction was there goes the Roussillon. And this wine may very wellprove me right. That is, it could easily do for the Roussillon what Clos

Erasmus did for the Priorat.


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Indeed, Maury and the Priorat are in many ways similar. Both have ancientGrenache vines growing in meager schist soils. But the yields are even

lower in Phinneys Maury vineyards just a half-ton an acre, and critically,theres a rare substratum of Cretaceous limestone here. (Which James

Wilson explains, in his excellent book Terroir, is one of the slabs from theoverbuilt Pyrenees which slid down the mountainside.) So despite the

enormous richness and concentration here theres a vibrancy, penetrationand even finesse Californias old-vine field blends no matter how good

simply cant match.

As Phinney said of his inaugural Maury wine, a2009 blend of Grenache with Carignan and

Syrah: Its is a serious, serious wine. I wouldput this up against any wine from anywhere.(Hes never lacked for confidence.) The pure

Grenache 2010 Shatter, though in theRoussillon vintage of a generation (and the bestin Parkers chart) is an absolute essencenotonly of wine, but of what ancient-vine Grenache

in Maury (and in Phinneys hands) can do. Idlove to compare it in a decade or so not only toCalifornias best old-vine blends (and not justThe Prisoner), but also to some really top-level

Chateauneuf-du-Papes.

Of course, what really clinches the deal here is

the (remarkably reasonable) price. There arenow quite a few $100-plus wines from theLanguedoc-Roussillon (including GaubysMuntada, from the next-door village of

Calce). But this wine, despite its great impact(and the fanciest, heaviest bottle Ive seen) isntone of them. And its hard to imagine this wine

will remain so reasonable for long. Not with thepress and the consumer reaction it willcertainly get.

The name Shatter, by the way refers to what the French call coulure, acondition which drastically reduces yields, and to which Grenache is

particularly prone. But this will also shatter many preconceptions of justwhat a $30 red wine can be.


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Introducing Julien Schaal...

Ive been pursuing Julien Schaal

since before we even opened. In

fact, two of our most successfulSouth African producers, first

Newton-Johnson and then Paul

Cluver, we only found because

their cellars were where Schaal

made his wines. AndFINALLY,

weve managed to convince

Cluvers importer (whos based in

Mooresville) to bring Schaal into

the USjust for us.

Why the excitement?

Well basically, not only is Schaal by farthe hottest and most brilliant young

winemaker in South Africa, he may very well be the most brilliant and

exciting young winemaker inFrance. (We cant wait to offer his Alsatiangrand crus!) Recently, Schaal was invited byLe Figaro magazine to

participate in a tasting of the best wines from Frances flying winemakers

wines made outside of France by the likes of Michelle Rolland (Harlan

Estate, among others), Pierre Lurton (Cheval Blanc and Yquem) and

Christian Moeiux (Petrus). But it was Schaal, the youngest in the

competition by a good thirty years, who took home the Coup de Coeurfor

his 2008 Elgin Syrah.

Tanzer loved this wine as well, and also gave Schaals brilliant 2009 his top

South African Chardonnay score ever. But this 2010 Hemel-en-Aarde

(Heaven and Earth) Syrah, from a warmer (though still very cool for

South Africa) spot, isMUCHricher and more complete. Indeed, its

absolutely Hermitage-like in both its aromas and flavorsand in its

grandeur.

In fact, when I finally had the chance to taste this with the importer, it

exceeded my (considerable) expectationsconsiderably. As soon as we

sniffed it, we both just laughed. (That little laugh of recognition, and

astonishment, I find most wine people involuntarily do when they taste

something great.) Virtually every South African red Ive ever tasted has to

some degree had a distinctive note that ranges from a slight tarriness at bestto burnt rubber at worst. But this smelled and tasted almost exactly like a

top-notch Northern Rhone. No tar, no rubberjust the purest, most fragrant

and archetypal Syrah outside of Hermitage or Cote-Rotie. Schaal has been


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dubbed the Savoir of South African Syrahmainly due to the incredible

quality and purity of this singular wine. It sets a new standard, but in the

most old-fashioned way.

Not only does this wine raise the bar for South African Syrah its quite

simply the Worlds best Syrah for the money. Or as South African wine

writer Neil Pendock puts it, to say Schaals wines are competitively priced

is like saying Albert Einstein was good at math.

There are South African Syrahs (or Shirazes) that cost five times as much

as thisbut none are any better.

2010 JULIEN SCHAAL HEMEL-EN-AARDE SYRAH

$24.99/$19.99 by the case

How does Schaal do it? He picks his Syrah grapes during the coolest part of

the day, double-sorts them, ferments with wild yeasts (which he describes

as akin to base-jumping) and ages the wine in 900-liter barrels he has

specially made in Burgundy. All transfers are by gravity, and the wine isonly minimally sulfered and bottled unfiltered.

British wine writer Sarah Ahmed finds this darker,

riper and fleshier than itscooler climate predecessor,

with wonderfully juicy black berry and cherry fruit,

black pepper and violets supported by fine tannins.

Lovely perfume and lift. Very complete.

We have only 60 six-packs of Schaals inaugural

export to the USwhich our importer had to

liberate from the Belgians! Hopefully there will be

more in 2011. Its also sold out everywhere else in

the World (the demand for Schaal being rabid in both

South Africa and Europehes even becoming the

one South African fixture in top French restaurants)except one English merchantand ours is the best

price anywhere. Not that this should particularly

matter Schaals wines surpassing those many times

their prices already.

Along with Fabre Montmayous Pretty Malbec,

this is simply the most exciting wine weve yetoffered. And truth be told, I may be even more

excited about this one.


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Worlds Best Chardonnay Under $25

The only South African wine in this list as well be doing a special allSouth African catalog in a few weeks. But we hadto include this here.

The 96-point 2009 Cluver Chardonnay was a worldwide sensationbutthis even richer 2010 (from

far lower yields)surpasses it. Not only hasevery critic to review it so

far (Decanter, the

International Wine Review,the judges at the WorldWine Awards) found it

Outstanding theyve allcalled or rated it theWorlds single best

Chardonnay under $25!Cluvers vineyard in Elgin, South Africa.

As always, whats so utterly remarkable here is how it packs in so muchalmost uncannily Burgundian Chardonnay flavor - or as the Platter Guide

puts it, chic, polished splendor - in such a lithe, low-alcohol (only 13%),high acid (pH of 3.18) frame. This is quite simply as sophisticated as

Chardonnay getsanywhere.

2010 PAUL CLUVER CHARDONNAY$19.99/$16.99 by the case

Theres been so much critical acclaim for this wine, we cant begin to quoteit all. But I actually think one of our customers a white Burgundy drinker

best described just what renders Cluvers Chardonnay so uniquelyspecial:

The kind of rich that makes you want to swirl the wine around your palate

so the actual experience is prolongedthis wines structure and integrity

show in its firm acidity, softening middle palate and long, simmering

farewellrecalls the heft and multifaceted delights of great

Burgundiesthis stunner delivers more than anyone should reasonably

expect. This is no simple wine and at this price is a steal.

No wonder Cluver is one of the hottest wineries and this Chardonnay oneof the hottest wines at the Countrys finest restaurants now.


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Tastings & Events

Paul Cluver Comes to Town!

On Sunday, September 16th, from 4:00 to 6:00, Paul Cluver willpresent a range of his extraordinary South African wines in the store.

Not only are these byBY FAR the most popular South African winesweve soldtheyre some of the best and certainly best value

wines weve offered from anywhere. And Im told that Cluver is aparticularly engaging host.

This tasting will be informal: come anytime between 4:00 and 6:00.

A Special Tasting of Our Very Top Wines

On Thursday, September 27th

, from 6:30 to 8:00, we will offer a veryspecial seated winetasting featuring ten of our very best wines.

These will include the 2010 Mollydooker Carnival of Love, 2007Silver Oak Napa Cabernet and some other top French, Californiaand perhaps other wines. (Basically the best wines we have then, or

the best we can findwe promise theyll all be fancy.)

The cost of this tasting is $25 per person, which you may applytowards any case of wine (fancy or not) you purchase that night.

Spaces for this tasting will be limited, though, so please call us toreserve a spot if you want to come.


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westgate wine summer's end

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