Artisan French Wines
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Many of our winemakers are multi-generational. Some stretch back for centuries, others are more recent père et fils (or fille) operations. At their best they maintain a family’s hard won knowledge of its land.
Of the seven Chablis vineyards classified as Grand Cru, most consider Les Clos to be the finest. Taken as a share of the region’s production, Les Clos accounts for only 0.6%. But as Master of Wine and Burgundy expert Clive Coates says, it is “Chablis at its very, very finest.”
Thomas Morey is a master of Chassagne-Montrachet. His properties are among the finest in the town, including magnificent white Burgundies at village, Premier Cru and Grand Cru levels. We’ve been thrilled to welcome his 2016 Chassagne-Montrachet and 2016 Chassagne 1er cru “Embrazées” to our lineup.
For centuries Champagne has been a symbol of refinement and class. It’s sophistication in a glass, the pick of high rollers from Gatsby to Churchill. And for the most serious aficionados, Blanc de Blancs is the best of the best. Made from only white grapes, its Champagne at its most elegant.
Cornas is a tiny appellation. Its 145 hectares (compare to Châteauneuf-du-Pape’s 3,133) are at the southern end of the Northern Rhône. The name Cornas comes from the Celtic word for “burnt earth,” and its grapes often ripen two weeks earlier than the rest of the region.
Grüner Veltliner is generally simple and delicious — refreshing, uncomplicated wine that’s neither expensive nor serious. For those interested in that style, our excellent 2017 Grüner “Wieden” is a steal on this month’s 25% off shelf for under $15/bot. But today’s Grüner is different.
We’re not sure what the temperature is where you live, but chez nous it’s hot and humid. Across the pond the Burgundians are sweating it out too, with temperatures in Beaune reaching 100 degrees this week. Wherever you are, we hope you have air conditioning and a fridge full of something chilled.
The villages of Puligny and Chassagne sit side by side, sources for the world’s finest white wine. The famous vineyard of Montrachet straddles their border, and while both towns produce extraordinary Grand Crus from their respective halves, as you leave Montrachet in either direction the styles diverge.
The 2015 vintage produced exceptional red wines throughout France. We’ve most recently highlighted some of our favorite examples from Burgundy and the Rhône. But the vintage was just as successful in Bordeaux.
Bordeaux is a region best known for wines that are expensive, ageworthy, and red. So in the spirit of keeping readers on their toes, we’re introducing a new Bordeaux today that is the complete opposite: inexpensive, drink-now, and white.
Sancerre has always been the star of the Loire Valley. Though recent years have seen interest explode in the region’s other appellations, Sancerre remains the best known and among the best-liked. It’s popular, easy to drink, easy to pronounce, and pairs well with lots of dishes. Today’s wine is classic Sancerre — mineral, bright, refreshing […]
It’s not every day we add a Burgundy producer to our portfolio. Burgundy is a small region, with well-trodden paths — many winemakers are exclusively represented or have very little wine. But every once in a while the stars align and a top notch producer falls into our lap.
We are hardly alone in our enthusiasm for the 2015 red Burgundies. The hype began even before the harvest, and critics now consider it one of the finest vintages in recent memory.
Burgundies span a wide range of prices. We try to find values at every level, from simple, everyday house wines to ageworthy Grand Cru trophy bottles. Today we’ve collected two new samplers: white and red Burgundies under $40/bot.
Nicolas Paget is one of the most exciting (and excited) new producers we’ve found in years. All of our winemakers care deeply about their craft, but Paget is unusually committed. After 90 minutes of tasting with him, we were running more than an hour late for our next tasting; but when he begged us to join him for a quick visit to his vines, it was impossible to turn him down.