Flatiron Wines & Spirits SF

Visiting Domaine du Jaugaret is like stepping into a time machine. While neighbors like Ducru-Beaucaillou and Léoville-Poyferré operate out of gleaming, architect-designed facilities that resemble luxury hotels, Jaugaret remains a "dungeon." The cellar is small, dim, and lined with black mold; filled with ancient barrels and rusted iron tools. It hasn't changed much since the Fillastre family began making wine here in 1654.

The wines we write about almost every year. Giuseppi Quintarelli was one of the greats of Italian winemaking. He was an incredible steward of Veneto's ancient traditions; his Amarones are as old school as you can get. But he was also a forward thinking iconoclast, whose Cabernet-based Alzero is one of Italy’s greatest and most expensive IGTs. 

In the Vallée de la Marne, the river cuts a deep dividing line. On the Right Bank (Fleury-la-Rivière), the soils are clay-heavy and cold, producing Pinot Meunier with bite and tension. On the Left Bank (Mardeuil), the slopes face north, offering a different kind of mineral austerity. For generations, these two sides were separate worlds—until Philippe Gamet (from the Left Bank) married Fabienne Heucq (from the Right Bank).