Upon the mineral-rich foundations of Muscadet – thick soils filled with granite and gneiss – lying at the far west of the Loire Valley you find the Domaine Les Trois Toits. Here, the domaine practices that mix of tradition and innovation that is producing some of today’s most exciting wines.
Often, Champagne is used to celebrate events like weddings or New Year's Eve — things that are far too scarce these days. But the Champagnes of Marie Courtin bursts with such joie de vivre that they provide a different sort of celebration: of the Champagnes themselves, and the special terroirs that produce it.
Jamet is a giant of a name in Cote Rotie. It’s one of a tiny handful of domaines that have been bottling wines consistently since the 1970s, sticking for the most part to a traditionalist regime. But in 2013 a big change occurred.
In the history of natural wine, Hervé Villemade plays a key role. It was by importing these wines to the United States that Joe Dressner helped pave the way for the natural wine movement that exploded across the country.
Pernod likes to make tense, pure Chardonnay. He uses little or no batonnage. There is little new oak, and none is used for the Bourgogne Blanc. The idea is to give you pure, unadulterated Puligny-esque pleasure. It does not show the intense power and structure of a Folatieres (Pernot makes a brilliant one), but it does show the great fruit quality that can emerge from these slopes.
We love rosés that have the power to go the distance and let us reap the rewards of time. This great example can be your perfect "first rosé of the year" for less than $30.
De Sales is a very very old estate. The same family has owned it since the 1400s! They make wines in an old-school fashion: not much new oak is used, and there is very little flash, but they do offer the elegance, the perfume, the sensuality, and the iron-like minerality that we have come to expect from great Pomerol.
Natural wines from Piedmont? Yes, they exist. They do not get the same focus as Barolos and Barbarescos from the recognized masters, but when you find a good example, do not hesitate to give them a try!
Why is Luca Roagna releasing his 2018 Barbera now, 6 years later in 2024? For a simple reason: he treats his Barbara exactly as he does his incredibly prized old vines Barolos and Barbarescos.
With its long chain of mountains at a seemingly endless range of latitudes, it is inevitable that somewhere among them it is possible to make truly great wines in Chile. We think we have found them.
Alexandre Chartogne has been one of the brightest stars of the Grower Champagne movement. From the small village of Merfy in a forgotten northern corner of the Montagne de Reims, he has spent his entire professional life unlocking the secrets of his home terroir.
When we talk about the Languedoc these days it's usually because of "new wave" winemakers like Maxime Magnon in Corbieres, or Domaine Leon Barral or Clos Fantine in Faugeres. But lost in the excitement over “new wave Languedoc” are some of the producers who first blazed the trail for artisanal winemaking there.
