Duke of Bourbon - Rare Wines - Fine Spirits - Personalized Service - David, Judy and Ron Breitstein - 20908 Roscoe Blvd - Canoga Park CA 91304 - Phone: 818/341-1234 or 800/4-FINE-WINE - Fax: 818/341-9232
20908 Roscoe Blvd • Canoga Park CA 91304
Hours: Mon - Sat • 9AM - 6PM		 Phone: (818) 341-1234 • Fax: (818) 341-9232
Outside California: (800) 4-FINE-WINE
elcome to the Virtual Vine-Line, a new Duke favorite. Through the Internet, we will be keeping you posted on new and exciting happenings in the world of wine. We will continue to update this virtual newsletter often, so stay with us as we move more and more to using the Internet to keep in touch with you - much faster than in the past. Isn't this fun?!
Volume XXXV January • February 2004
Table of Contents
  1. - April 24 EventPaso Robles Westside Grand Crew Road Show

  2. - 2001 Insignia from Joseph Phelps

  3. - Cruisin' with the Duke - March 31
  4. - Save on Foxen Futures - March 26
  5. - More from Montelena - March 25
  6. - A Heidi Barrett Rarity - March 19
  7. - Eisele Vineyard - March 15
  8. - Chardo-mania at the Duke - March 10
  9. - Gems from the Duke - March 8
  10. - Chateau Montelena 2002 Futures Offering - March 1
  11. - New Au Bon Climat - Qupe 2002 Futures - February 23
  12. - An Exceptional 95 from Parker - February 16
  13. - Chateau Montelena Futures Coming Soon - February 13
  14. - Save on Foxen Futures - February 9
  15. - Silver Oak Releases 1999 Napa Valley - February 5
  16. - Value-Priced Wines from the Duke - February 4
  17. - Private Cellar Rarities - Part II - January 27
  18. - Valentine's gifts from the Duke - January 23
  19. - Save the Date • March 23rd • ABC Futures Event - January 14
  20. - Wine Bowl 2004 - January 14
  21. - Private Cellar Rarities from the Duke - January 13
  22. - Top-Notch Pinot Scores Big - January 8
  23. - 2001 Paraduxx January 6


Rare Wines • Fine Spirits • Personalized Service
David & Judy Breitstein

VINE-LINE

Dalla Valle, Maya and Araujo have arrived!

Cheers from the Duke of Bourbon!

Rare wines gather at the Duke. This is probably not a newsflash for most of you and there is no film at eleven. But the Duke does have a couple of hard-to-find, very-limited-production numbers available in limited quantities. So get a firm grip on those socks or else they're sure to be knocked off. (The Duke is not above ending a sentence with a preposition to get a point across.)

Dalla Valle 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon

Dalla Valle's 2000 vintage was a bit cooler than the norm for them. Still, the grapes came in full of intense flavor, richness and concentration. Extended maceration allowed for maximum extraction of color and structure. The wines were left in barrel (50% new French oak) for 23 months, a bit longer than usual. The wine itself has a sweet, hi-toned nose followed by the elegant refinement on the palate that is found year after year in the Dalla Valle wines. Although it is forward and rich in flavor, the strong core of tannins hold infinite promise for the future. The Wine Spectator tasted it in barrel, raved about it and awarded it 92-94 points on their 100-point scale.

Our normal retail price is $110.00 per bottle. From now through the end of October, you can secure yourself some of this Napa Valley legend at just $99.99 per bottle.

Dalla Valle 2000 Maya

Even more rare than the Dalla Valle Cabernet Sauvignon is their Maya, a proprietary blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. When first poured, beautiful floral aromas abound, courtesy of the Cabernet Franc. The first sip fills the mouth and is followed by a lingering, powerful and demonstrative texture . . . another superb example of the greatness associated with Maya. Robert Parker called it a 'brilliant effort for this difficult year' as he awarded it a score of 94-96. The Duke is making the Dalla Valle 2000 Maya available in a mixed 6-pack format five bottles of the Dalla Valle 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon and one 2000 Maya for $699.00.

Araujo 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon, Eisele Vineyard

We think Robert Parker summed this one up pretty well as he awarded it 90-93 points on his 100-point scale: 'The 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon, Eisele Vineyard (a blend of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc and the remainder Petit Verdot) is from a difficult vintage. It displays Margaux-like elegance and weight, and possesses a dense ruby/purple color, a sweet perfume of acacia flowers, black currants, licorice, minerals and subtle wood, medium body, honeyed fruit, and a long, velvety-textured finish. This is a wine of exceptional finesse and grace. It was produced from an extremely tiny crop of only one cluster of grapes per shoot. It can be drunk now and over the next 14 years.' All we can add to that is that the Duke has it and you can, too, for $165.00 per bottle. Sorry, but we must limit purchases to 2 bottles.



Another Top-Rated Wine from Bordeaux

Bonjour from the Duke of Bourbon!

Sometimes it seems like we are knee-deep in wines with 90+ scores. But the Duke never complains - especially about a "problem" like that. So we just roll up our sleeves (and our pants legs to avoid stains on the cuffs) and try to find a way to get them to you. We are particularly happy when we can deliver something with a good score to you at a great value.

The object of our affection this week is Château Plaisance 2000 Cuvée Alix, Premières Côtes de Bordeaux. To quote wine guru, Robert Parker, who has awarded the Cuvée Alix 90 of 100 points, "The outstanding, dense ruby/purple-colored 2000 Cuvée Alix offers notes of crème de cassis intermixed with licorice, smoke, and vanilla. It is a serious, classified growth-quality effort to enjoy over the next 5-10 years."

Premières Côtes de Bordeaux is southeast of the town of Bordeaux and just across the Garrone River from Pessac-Léognan (Graves). Château Plaisance is an impeccably run estate whose owners have made substantial investments in time and money over the last fifteen years to improve the growing techniques and winemaking. Their investments have obviously borne fruit (pun intended).

The Duke is able to bring the 2000 Cuvée Alix to you for $19.99 per bottle; even better, buy a 6-pack for just $108.00 (that's just $18.00 per bottle). Here is another chance to enjoy a great 2000 vintage Bordeaux at a bargain price!

Supplies are limited so don't delay. Call us soonest.

Think of fine wine! Think of the Duke!





Spectator 95 - Parker93 - Duke 98!
Cheers from the Duke of Bourbon!

Sounds like the score of a football game from another dimension. How do you tell who wins? Those are actually wine scores and the winner is the consumer.

Several months ago, we offered futures on two great Margerum wines.

Well, it turns out that Doug Margerum had been holding out on us. He made miniscule quantities of two other Syrahs and has agreed to allow the Duke to sell them for him. We had the chance to taste them and were simply stunned with the intensity of the wine and the purity of the fruit flavors. In fact, one staff member was busted for going back for a third retaste. Robert Parker, himself, tasted these two wines while he was visiting the Santa Ynez area and awarded one 93 and the other 92 points; his notes are included in the descriptions below.

Margerum 2002 Syrah, Colson Canyon Vineyard

High above the Santa Maria Valley, grower Rio Rieswig farms the Colson Canyon Vineyard to produce absurdly low yields and incredibly intense, small clusters with bb-sized grapes. The wine from this vineyard is very rich with nice concentration and abundant sexy aromas of white chocolate, pink peppercorns, and dried rose petals. Parker notes: "The 2002 Syrah Colson Canyon Vineyard (92) while not the powerhouse of the Great Oaks Ranch is concentrated with deep, pure blueberry and blackberry fruit intermixed with smoke, graphite, and white flowers. Elegant, medium to full-bodied, and harmonious, it will drink well for a decade."

Because of the exceptionally low yields in the vineyard, Doug was able to make only 600 bottles total for the Syrah lovers of the world. The Duke is making it available to you on a pre-sell basis until October 15, 2003 for $30.00 per bottle with an additional 5% off on a 6-pack case.

Margerum 2002 Syrah, Vogelzang Vineyard

This is the most intense and dark wine that Doug makes. Cold-soaked and cold-fermented over a period of two months from his small section of the Vogelzang Vineyard in Happy Canyon, which was farmed to yield less than two tons per acre. (Happy Canyon was named for the Duke staff shortly after they tasted this wine.) Parker rhapsodizes: "More succulent and sweet without losing its elegance and finesse, the 2002 Syrah Vogelzang Vineyard (93) exhibits ripe, concentrated black fruit, flower, earth, and barrique aromas. Expansive on the palate, with laser-like clarity, a good underpinning of acidity, and well-integrated tannin as well as wood, this impeccably made Syrah will age effortlessly for a decade or more."

The amount available is also very limited (again, only 600 bottles were made), but the Duke is offering it on a pre-sell basis until October 15, 2003, for $39.99 per bottle with an additional 5% off on a 6-pack case.

The Duke is truly honored to be able to offer these highly allocated and limited gems. Also still available in limited amounts are the Margerum 2002 Syrah, Great Oaks Vineyard and Margerum 2002 M5, a blend of Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, Cinsault and Cunoise. Each of these wines was reviewed by the Wine Spectator and awarded 90-95 points on their 100-point scale. We are offering the M5 at $24.99 per bottle and Great Oaks at $29.99 per bottle with an additional 5% off on a 6-pack case.

Don't miss out on your share.

Supplies are limited - first-come, first-served.

Think of fine wine! Think of the Duke!




Wednesday Night Wine from the Duke

The Duke is the place for some of the finest wines in the known universe. But, unless you're the Sultan of Brunei, you usually drink something less expensive with dinner during the week (we certainly do). Here is a little reminder of some of the Duke's selections with an eye to the quality-for-price ratio.

Montinore Estate 1999 Chardonnay, Winemaker's Reserve

This is a full-bodied, elegantly styled Chardonnay that is great for sipping but will still stand up to the heartier fish and fowl meals. Originally $22.00 per bottle, this super wine is a super bargain at $6.99 per bottle or $39.00 per 6-pack case.

The Duke 2000 Merlot

For those of you without a firm grasp of the obvious, The Duke 2000 Merlot is the Duke's "house" Merlot. Vinified by Wine and Spirits magazine's 2002 Winemaker of the Year, Jim Clendenen, from Santa Barbara County fruit, it exhibits great qualities of the Merlot grape. The wine has a richness and a supple mouth feel that is surprising in a wine in this price range. We anticipated selling our Merlot for $16.00 per bottle, but we have been retailing it here in the store for $12.99. The Duke is reducing the already low price to just $9.99 per bottle. Buy 6 or more and receive an additional 5% discount.

Castello di Gabbiano 2001 Pinot Grigio Several customers have commented that they thought Gabbiano only made a Chianti. Well, they do make a sensational Chianti and they also make a Pinot Grigio that is just as tasty. The wine is light-bodied with a crisp texture best described as "refreshing" - perfect for sipping on the veranda or patio. Match it with a green salad and Italian bread with flaky crust and you have the perfect summer lunch. The price is just about as good as the wine at $4.99 per bottle (suggested retail is $12.00). Buy a case and the Duke will make the price a mere $47.88 (just $3.99 per bottle).

We still have some of the Joseph Phelps 2000 Pastiche available at $60.00 per 12-pack case, as well as the Lengs and Cooter 2002 The Victor, Australian Shiraz/Grenache, available at $16.99 per bottle by the 6-pack case or just $15.99 per bottle with the purchase of 12 or more. Robert Parker just gave this wine 90 points and called it a "great value"!


Indulge yourself! Call today.



Another Parker 90

G'day Mate! from the Duke of Bourbon!

Last week, we tasted the Lengs and Cooter 2002 "The Victor" (from Australia) and were blown away by its deep color, delicious, intense flavor and elegant mouth feel. After recovering, we checked to see what Robert Parker had to say in his Wine Advocate and were not surprised to see that he had awarded it 90 points! We love his description:
"No, this is not the house wine for the Hooter's restaurant chain. And, no, I haven't misspelled the name of the winery. These are serious efforts from the Clare Valley. A great value . . . the emphasis is on "great," is the 2002 The Victor, a 3,000-case blend of 70% Shiraz and 30% Grenache. It exhibits surprising elegance (a characteristic of the 2002 vintage) along with tell-tale toasty oak as well as sweet, dense, black cherry, and black currant fruit notes. This deep ruby/purple-colored, medium-bodied 2002 is surprisingly defined and stylish. It is hard to believe a wine of this stature, gracefulness, and intensity can be purchased for $18 . . . Consume it over the next 5-6 years."

Here is yet more proof that outstanding wine can come from almost anywhere in the world. And you know that the Wine Advocate doesn't throw 90 points at just anything in a bottle.

The price is evidence that competition in the wine world is fierce and intensifying. The wine retails for $18.99 per bottle. Buy a 6-pack for just $16.99 per bottle. For 12 bottles or more, the price is only $15.99 per bottle.

Think of fine wine - think of the Duke!



Opus One at the Duke


One of the great joint ventures in the wine world occurred in 1978 when Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild combined their considerable skills and expertise and started Opus One. They proceeded to make their first vintage in 1979. The elegance and beauty of the winery is only a prelude to those qualities of the wine they produce.

Opus One is noted for its silky smooth texture and the 2000 vintage only enhances that reputation. The winery notes describe a beautiful wine with a moderate to deep ruby color. Always rich and full-flavored, the 2000 vintage continues the tradition of a complex, Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon-based wine with a long, intense finish. The blend is 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 3% Malbec, and 2% Petit Verdot.

Opus One is one of the most sought-after wines in the world and the 2000 vintage is no exception. The 2000 Opus One will be available at the Duke early in October, 2003 for $145.00 per bottle. Buy 6 or more and get them for just $129.99 per bottle. Because supplies are limited, we are taking orders now. A 20% deposit is all that is needed to hold your share.

Think of fine wine - think of the Duke!
Call today and order yours



The Duke of Bourbon is a family-operated retail wine and spirits enterprise established in 1967 in the West San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles, California. Specializing in personalized service, we offer a carefully selected collection of unique and rare California wines as well as a fine selection of French, Italian and other world-class wines. In 1990, the Duke of Bourbon was chosen as one of the top twelve wine shops in America by Wine Spectator's Market Watch Magazine. In addition, excellent articles were published in Market Watch, June 1997, Beverage Retailer, May/June 1998 and Los Angeles Daily News, December 25, 1998.

For additional information about our selection, availability, shipping, etc., please feel free to call us at (818) 341-1234 or outside CA at (800) 4-FINE-WINE.
Orders and shipping instructions can be Emailed to duke@dukeofbourbon.com and we will call or fax to confirm. Please be sure to include your telephone and fax numbers.

MEMBER WINE & SPIRITS GUILD OF AMERICA
FOOD & WINE MAGAZINE "ONE OF TOP WINE SHOPS IN AMERICA"
MARKET WATCH "TOP 12 WINE SHOPS IN AMERICA"
BEVERAGE DYNAMICS "TOP 10 RETAILERS IN AMERICA"

How to Order
DUKE OF BOURBON®
20908 Roscoe Blvd. (at DeSoto)
Canoga Park, CA 91304
Phone: 818-341-1234
Outside California: 1-800-4-FINE-WINE
FAX: 818-341-9232
E-Mail: duke@dukeofbourbon.com

Store Hours: Monday-Saturday 9:00A.M. to 7:00P.M.
For FAX orders, please include a credit card number and
expiration date along with delivery instructions (name,
address, phone numbers), a message
for the card, and your address and phone number.

Delivery throughout Los Angeles.
We ship nationwide where permissible.

All major credit cards accepted.





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