Champagne is one of the most dynamic winegrowing regions in France today. Interest has moved away from the unvarying products from the big houses, and towards small grower producers who follow terroir and vintage variations to craft wines of character and complexity. Prices have also risen less steeply than in Burgundy and Bordeaux, and Champagnes today often provide exceptional value.
The 2023 Burgundies continue to delight. It’s a terrific vintage in both colors – the reds are characterful and intense with tremendous freshness and lovely fruit; the whites are vibrant and delicious, clear and compelling representations of their terroir.
Stop us if you’ve heard this before: another year, another flat out delicious wine from Poggerino. Italian wine represents a tiny corner of our portfolio, but Piero Lanza’s impeccably balanced wines are some of the most popular in our store.
The Domaine Boursot is a story both of Burgundy’s past and present. The estate was founded in 1550 (not a typo) by Guillaume Boursot, and has been handed down over centuries and generations in the tiny town of Chambolle-Musigny. The current winemakers, brothers Romaric and Romuald, are 15th generation vignerons farming an enviable collection of vines around the Côte de Nuits.
Biodynamic and organic agriculture is everywhere in France these days. Nearly every one of our producers is certified or in conversion, and even few those who aren’t use the lunar calendar to schedule dates for racking and bottling. It’s an encouraging trend: better soils, better environment, and better wines.
The 2022 red Burgundies are shaping up to be an extraordinary vintage. Expectations were high from the start: “beautiful and bountiful… very good wines and plenty of them” wrote Jasper Morris. William Kelley called them on release “succulent, suave and charming.” And everything from the last two years of tasting them has confirmed — this is a flat out terrific year.
Gautier Desvignes is beloved among our readers for his well-priced, excellent red Burgundies from Givry. In a world where Bourgogne rouge cuvées from the Côte de Nuits are pushing $50/bot, and more than a few are into three digits, Desvignes Givrys are beautifully crafted, sophisticated, and highly affordable. Gautier continues to get better each year, and it’s been a delight to watch his star rise so dramatically over the last decade.
Philippe Cheron and his son Paul farm a portfolio of vineyards in Burgundy that would make even the most seasoned vigneron envious. Their Domaine du Couvent includes vines in every town from Nuits-St-Georges to Marsannay, including village, premier cru and grand cru plots. Their style is sleek and modern but with restrained oak, careful but […]
Our newest Champagne source is RH Coutier, and it’s quickly become a reader favorite. The Coutiers are an old family in Ambonnay (there since 1619), and today produce small-batch Champagnes exclusively from their own organic Grand Cru vineyards.
Most Burgundy drinkers are familiar with the Clos Vougeot, a 12th century castle surrounded by an enormous Grand Cru vineyard. It’s a cultural and viticultural landmark of Burgundy – impeccably preserved, and worth a stop on your next visit to the region. But even seasoned collectors are usually less familiar with the rest of the […]
Alsace is a gorgeous winegrowing region – bucolic hillsides of vines surround fairytale villages on a sunny, east-facing ridge. Its wines can be similarly charming: expressive and delicate with beautiful fruit and vibrant textures. Our source here, the Domaine Charles Frey, is a family of committed biodynamic vingerons, producing wines of freshness and balance.
No Ansonia winemaker has captured more readers’ attention in the last few years than Pierre Vessigaud. We get emails with comments like “the wines are so alive,” and “as good as Meursault but half the price.” We’re not surprised – we find ourselves reaching for Vessigaud’s wines more often every month.
Chateau Cantemerle is an extremely old Bordeaux property dating back to the 12th century, and recognized as a “fifth growth” in the 1855 classification. Today they produce a serious, well-priced Left Bank Bordeaux that hits a terrific balance of value, polish, and drinkability. The blend is roughly ⅔ Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Merlot and Cabernet Franc.
Vincent Boyer continues to steer his family’s Meursault domaine with tact and style. His sister Sylvie joined him a few years ago – her passion is viticulture, and her focus on the vineyards has freed Vincent up to focus on cellar work. Today the frère-et-soeur team is at the top of their game, turning out magnificent wines year and year out.
Sablet is a classic Southern Rhône town. Its 9th century streets are home to 1400 residents, a couple of boulangeries, and a handful of restaurants and wineries. Winemaker Eric Chauvin is a Sablet resident (also a volunteer firefighter), and it’s also the location of his tiny excellent Domaine le Souverain. We usually purchase Eric’s terrific Séguret, made from vines in the next town over, and indeed the 2023 Séguret is in stock and terrific.