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Cellar Pack #2!

Cellar Pack #2!

 We don't usually pat ourselves on the back, but after we put together the 2nd edition of our Cellar Pack, we had to give a little smile. This is a really HOT set of wines!

If purchased at typical retail, this star-studded lineup from Barolo, Bordeaux, Napa, Germany, Chahalem Mountains, and Châteauneuf-du-Pape would cost $371. Today, you get all six for $299, and they come packed in a special storage box.

With scores ranging from 94- to 97-Points, each of these wines is a serious winner. At the "Open in 2030" date listed on the pack they'll all be absolutely extraodinary.

Read on for the tasting notes on each, and for a more detailed explanation of the Vin Chicago "Cellar Pack" program, then click that Big Yellow Button to grab a pack or two for your future self!

~ Triple 97-Point Barolo ~

2021 Luigi Baudana "Cerretta" Barolo
Piedmont, Italy
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Earning a triad of 97-point reviews, this 2021 Barolo from Luigi Baudana's three-hectare Cerretta cru may be the most exciting wine to grace our Cellar Pack Program thus far. Only 250 cases were produced, far fewer made it to the states. It's delicious now, and in a few years' time when your Cellar Pack is ready to open? Divine. Check out what the critics have to say...

"A pretty red, this evokes strawberry, cherry, pomegranate, rose, mineral and menthol aromas and flavors. Elegant yet firmly built and layered, this should evolve nicely as all of its elements integrate and the tannins soften. Terrific length. Best from 2028 through 2048. 250 cases made, 150 cases imported."
          - 97 Points, Wine Spectator (12/15/2025)

"The 2021 Barolo Cerretta sports a bright red hue and is deeper aromatically, offering notes of candied flowers, raspberry liqueur, hints of tiny blue flowers, and a quiet note of polished leather underneath that will come through with time. The palate offers broader tannins, more rounded fruit on the midpalate, and more depth and remarkable transparency. Its noble structure comes through on the finish, and while it has a complete feel all around, it demands more time. Cerretta was harvested on the 13th of October and saw a 42-day maceration on the skins before aging 23 months in cask. Drink 2027-2050."
          - 97 Points, Jeb Dunnuck (5/1/2025)

"The fantastic 2021 Cerretta from Luigi Baudana has balsamic aromas of camphor and menthol that mix with violet, spice and berry sensations. Cool, complex and elegantly structured with class and a wild streak – a vinous personification of the Door’s Jim Morrison in his iconic black leather pants and white shirt – the racy palate features strawberry compote, orange zest, star anise and menthol alongside vibrant acidity and taut, refined tannins. It’s still youthfully austere and needs time to fully unwind."
          - 97 Points, Kerin O'Keefe (1/2025)

~ 97-Point Left Bank Bordeaux ~

2022 Château Haut-Bages Libéral
Pauillac, Bordeaux, France
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Located just a few meters from Châteaux Latour, Pichon-Lalande and Pichon-Baron, Haut-Bages Libéral is owned and managed by Claire Villars-Lurton, whose family has owned this Pauillac 5th Growth estate since 1983. Incredibly refined and powerful, their 2022 vintage is a remarkable Bordeaux that will just be hitting early maturity when you open this Cellar Pack in 2030.

“The 2022 Haut-Bages Libéral is huge and explosive right out of the gate. A rush of dark red cherry/plum fruit, rose petal, blood orange, incense, licorice and mocha saturates the palate. Saline notes extend the mid-palate and finish effortlessly. This is one of the most exuberant, ample wines I have tasted from Claire Villars-Lurton. I would give the 2022 a number of years in bottle to shed some baby fat. Today, it tastes almost like a barrel sample! The purity and primary intensity of the fruit is remarkable. The Haut-Bages Libéral was raised in a combination of 40% new oak, 40% once-used barrels and 20% a mix of concrete and amphora. This is one of the under-the-radar gems of 2022. Drinking Window: 2030 - 2052.”

          - 97 Points, Vinous - Antonio Galloni (1/2025) 

“Delicate aromatics that have a cool, blue fruit and stony edge. Lifted and lightweight, this has such finesse from the first sip. Nothing heavy or overdone, this is so fruity - pristine and crystalline with all the focus and energy on the purity of the fruit while the frame and undercurrent of minerality comes second. There's power no doubt - hints come in the form of tension, length and slight spice on the finish, but this has the right balance in terms of approachability. Not an estate that generally steals the limelight but this is a joy to drink with signature Pauillac markings alongside owner and winemaker Claire's ability to give her wines such vibrancy and dynamism - something also attributed to the wines being made biodynamically. Drinking Window: 2028 - 2045.”
          - 95 Points, Decanter (1/8/2025)

~ 95-Point Patty Green Pinot ~

2022 Patricia Green "La Belle Promenade" Pinot Noir
Chehelam Mountains, Willamette Valley, Oregon
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Fewer than 400 cases were produced of this single-vineyard Oregon Pinot, and the vast majority was sold from the cellar door. Our mouths water just thinking about how absolutely delicious this will be in 2030...

"From a biodynamically farmed vineyard, the 2022 Pinot Noir La Belle Promenade Vineyard is a bright ruby/magenta hue and takes on more depth on the nose, with black raspberries, grenadine, a hint of purple flowers, fresh earth, and a touch of rosemary. A lovely, seamless wine, with a plush tannin structure, even acidity, a very supple texture, and a floating finish with a lightly salty, mineral iron tone, it feels more approachable now but should have a wide drinking window. Drink 2024-2038.”
          - 95 Points, Jeb Dunnuck (8/6/2024)

~ Double 94-Point Napa Cab ~

2022 Frog's Leap "Estate Grown" Cabernet Sauvignon
Rutherford, Napa Valley, California
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With four more years under its belt, this double 94-point Cab is going to be absolutely singing! We're super excited about the direction that Frog's Leap has gone in recent years. Now made entirely from fruit grown on their Rutherford estate, this is an excellent, classic, delicious example of Napa Valley Cabernet.

"The 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon is terrific. Rich and forward, the 2022 is a bit extroverted for Frog's Leap, but all the elements are so well balanced. The Cabernet is typically in a blend from three ranches—Rossi, Chavez-Leeds and Red Barn—but in 2022, most of the wine is from Rossi and Chavez-Leeds, as Red Barn was mostly declassified because the fruit was compromised by the year. Ripe red cherry fruit, blood orange and spice notes convey an impression of exoticism that is super distinctive. Drinking Window: 2026 - 2042."
- 94 Points, Vinous, Antonio Galloni (11/2025)

"Sourced from dry-farmed vines in Rutherford, this wine underwent natural malolactic fermentation in barrel. It was aged for 20 months in French oak barrels ranging from new to five years old, with no more than 10% new oak and bottled unfined and unfiltered after two to three aeration rackings during ageing. The bold, muscular aromatics showcase liquorice, black olive, saddle leather, loamy earth, and pressed flowers. Full-bodied on the palate, it offers velvety tannins and an abundance of crunchy dark berry and currant character, layered with graphite. The tannins build with a dusty mineral quality, carrying through to a long, balanced finish. A robust and nuanced expression of Rutherford terroir. Drinking Window: 2025 - 2034."
- 94 Points, Decanter (1/26/2025)

 

~ 95-Point Châteauneuf-du-Pape ~

2020 Domaine Paul Autard "La Côte Ronde"
Châteauneuf-du-Pape, France
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Only 100 cases of this decadent Châteauneuf-du-Pape entered the country, a fifth of its total production. While it's a shame that more isn't available, it makes the inclusion of this great 2020 vintage CdP all the more enticing. Beyond rarity, the wine itself is tremendous. It will be right in its sweet spot in 2030. Once you pop the cork, you're going to wish you had another bottle!

"The 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape La Côte Ronde is an even split of Grenache and Syrah, and as usual, was brought up all in new oak. It has an awesome nose of cassis, blackberries, graphite, ground pepper, and violets, with its new oak perfectly integrated into the wine. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has impressive tannins, terrific overall balance, and a great finish. This brilliant effort will keep for 10-15 years. Maturity: 2022 - 2037."
- 95 Points, Jeb Dunnuck (11/11/2022)

~ 94-Point Dönnhoff Riesling ~

2024 Dönnhoff Niederhauser Klamm Kabinett Riesling
Nahe, Riesling
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You'll be hard-pressed to find a more respected Riesling producer in the Nahe than Dönnhoff. Crafting wine in the region for over 250 years, they produce Riesling bottlings that are the absolute cream of the crop. Given how excellent the wines tend to age, we've been searching far and wide to find the perfect Rieslings to include in our Cellar Pack program. We've really struck gold with this one. Enjoy in 2030, or long beyond!

"The 2024 Riesling Niederhauser Klamm Kabinett is shy on the nose. The palate is like peach crushed against salty stone, tingling with spice and lemon touches. It as light and tender as a feather, leaving you with endless note of citrus. Drinking Window: 2025 - 2050.
- 94 Points, Vinous - Anne Krebiehl MW (6/2025)

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