2009 Clos du Mont-Olivet Côtes du Rhône, "Montueil-La Levade" Vieilles Vignes

Dear Rene,

This concentrated and complex Cotes du Rhone from very old vines is incredible. And it's as low as $11.99. Thierry Sabon's Rhône reds from his Clos du Mont Olivet estate are our best-selling Rhône wines of all. They have been for years. The reasons are obvious: excellent top-of-the-class quality combined with shockingly fair pricing. We've already featured the estate's outstanding Chateauneuf du Pape and his unparalleled luxury cuvée Chateauneuf du Pape called "Cuvée du Papet" from the great 2009 vintage.

If you missed the Châteauneufs, don't despair. Just call soon before Clos du Mont Olivet's estate-bottled 2009 Côtes-du-Rhône "Montueil la Levade" Vieilles Vignes is gone. This wine, from very old vines, is among the most aromatic, concentrated, and pure Côtes-du-Rhônes every year, truly comparable to many Châteauneuf du Papes. And the 2009 is absolutely gorgeous-- it joins the 2001 as the top vintage I can remember for this unbelievably deep and complex wine (yes, I even prefer it to the great 2005 and 2007). And our price makes it even more amazing. The published price is $18 per bottle. Today you can order it from Arrowine for as little as $11.99 per bottle! That's the lowest price in the USA **and** it matches our lowest sale price for the 2008 vintage. In fact, it even matches our best sale price on the 2003 vintage!

This estate ALWAYS over-delivers, at all levels of wine. Great vintages of their top level Châteauneuf du Pape called "Cuvee du Papet" have earned ratings up to a rare and unbeatable 100 point score from Robert Parker, yet it is usually less than half the price of other top "luxury cuvées" from the region (as low as $49.99 at Arrowine). Their regular "traditional" Châteauneuf is an excellent value, too-- the great 2009 vintage earned 92 points from the Wine Spectator (outscoring 55% of the 139 Chateauneufs the Spectator has reviewed) yet it was one of the very lowest priced Chateauneuf du Papes of all (as little as $25.99 at Arrowine, only one Chateauneuf reviewed listed a lower price).

The special old vine Cote du Rhone "Montueil-La Levade", though, is the wine that really wows bargain hunters. It is sourced from two old-vine vineyards that give it the concentration, character and complexity of many Châteauneufs while it's priced like many mass-produced Cote du Rhônes (at least at Arrowine; everywhere else it costs more).

It's from 2009-- a truly outstanding year-- a vintage that earned a rating of 93 points from Robert Parker and 93-96 points from the Wine Spectator which called the vintage "a cross between '05 and '07, with ripe fruit and polished tannins." Please try this. It WILL exceed your expectations, and by even more than the wines from this estate always do.
Please look at what Perry has on special this week in the Tuesday Boucher.
Jim Cutts

	2009 Clos du Mont-Olivet Côtes du Rhône, "Montueil-La Levade" Vieilles Vignes

2009 Clos du Mont-Olivet Côtes du Rhône, "Montueil-La Levade" Vieilles Vignes
National Published Price: $18
Our Reg. $16.99
6 Bottles: $13.99 each
Case Price: Just $11.99 per bottle
Our case price is the same as when we offered the 2003 vintage. It was the lowest price in the country then, and it still is. And this is as concentrated and complex as old vine Cotes du Rhone gets. That's why this is THE BEST COTES DU RHONE BUY. PERIOD.

This Côte du Rhône is a blend from two excellent vineyards, "Montueil" and "La Levade". It is made from 80% grenache, 15% carignan, and 5% syrah. All the vines are old (at least 55 years) and many are substantially older.

Here's how it tastes:
This ruby-colored red has rich aromas of black cherries, red berries, plum skins, and violets. On the palate it is pure and deep. It starts with rich black cherry, spicy red plums, and raspberries then it grows in intensity and finishes with berries, minerals and pepper spice. The old-vine flavors are almost sappy in texture with real presence on the muscular, mineral and spice finish. The finish is seamless and amazingly long. Although it drinks well now, its flavors will broaden and only get better. In a year it will be screaming, and it will continue to drink beautifully for at least four more years. (Don't try this kind of aging with ordinary Côte du Rhônes). The price is just silly. You will not find a 2009 Rhône with this concentration and complexity for less. Amazing.

Call 703-525-0990 to order your case today. I have tasted many Châteauneuf du Papes that aren't this good. Only 100 cases are available, though. We will need your Visa or MasterCard information with expiration date. Wine arrives tomorrow, Wednesday, November 2nd.

Thank you for reading.

Jim Cutts