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Crisp, Zippy Muscadet for the Arrival of Spring. $19

Grown near the mouth of the Loire River, Muscadet is at once brisk and hearty -- the essence of the windswept Atlantic coast. Wine writer Lettie Teague calls it “one of the world’s best, if most obscure, bargains,” saying “a glass of $8 Muscadet will always be a better wine than an $8 glass of something else.” (Today’s, at $3.80/glass,…

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[Case Sale] Fresh, Gulpable $22 Sangiovese

Many readers are very familiar with Poggerino’s excellent Chianti Classico cuvées, a favorite of writers in Vinous, the Wine Advocate, and more. (Indeed, don’t tell our French producers, but they’re some of the most popular wines we import.) This year winemaker Piero Lanza reintroduced his “Labirinto” cuvée, a simple, easy-going red from young vines.

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Crisp, Electric 2022 Sancerre: Pear, Grapefruit, and Stones

Sancerre has no premier or grand cru classifications, but among its most famous vineyards is the steep slopes of the Monts Damnées (damned mountains). The Domaine de la Garenne, our Sancerre source, farms a special plot along the same slope as Mont Damnées called “Les Bouffants.” It’s a single, limestone-heavy terroir which Garenne vinifies and bottles separately.

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Precision and Power: Vibrant Northern Rhône Syrah

The Syrahs of the Northern Rhône are known for their intense color and soaring aromatics. Some wines even rival their Burgundian neighbors to the north in elegance and subtlety. Though recent hot vintages have delivered a bit more meat on the bones than a decade ago, the most successful cuvées retain their classic northern complexity.

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Hidden White Burgundy: Sleek, “Pristine” Premier Cru

Wine writer Rajat Parr describes St. Aubin as the “insider’s white Burgundy.” Wedged in a valley between Chassagne and Puligny, this town produces white Burgundy with hints of Montrachet’s golden richness, but a less stratospheric price tag. St-Aubin has become rarer and pricier like everything else in Burgundy, but it’s still far more affordable than its famous neighbors.

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Lovely, Perfectly Balanced Red Burgundy. $35

The 2021 Red Burgundies have a reputation as inconsistent and tricky, but someone forgot to tell Gautier Desvignes. Burgundy’s leading wine critic William Kelley calls him “a leading light in the Côte Chalonnaise,” and he’s navigated an extremely difficult vintage with skill and precision. His lineup of 2021 Givrys is outstanding top to bottom – they’re not just good “for…

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Delicious, Fresh, “Refined” 2020 Red Burgundy

Roger Belland produces a dozen cuvées from around the southern end of the Côte d’Or, including from famous vineyards in Chassagne, Puligny, and Volnay. But it’s the wines of his hometown Santenay that often appeal to us most. Belland’s style is plump and juicy, with approachable tannins and beautiful aromatics – they never last long in our cellar or on…

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Exquisite, 12-Year-Old Blanc de Noir Champagne

Maison Jacques Robin is a tiny family-run grower Champagne house in the Côtes des Bar. This sub region of Champagne, an hour south of the main towns of Reims and Epernay, features soils with a mix of clay and kimmeridgian marl. Pinot Noir dominates the vineyards here, and the clay rich soils produce fuller, more chewy-textured Champagnes.