Dry Riesling is the perfect hot weather wine. It’s refreshing, affordable, fruit-forward, low alcohol, full of brisk minerality and crunchy orchard fruit. It’s also the ideal food wine, for everything from a fine dish of fish from the grill, or a simple picnic of appetizers on the front stoop.
Lafont-Menaut is the second property from the owners of the prestigious Chateau Carbonnieux, a legendary Graves estate. The Perrins farm their less famous terroirs with the same care as Carbonnieux, and the Lafont-Menaut rouge is among the most consistent wines we import.
Picamelot is among Burgundy’s finest crémant houses. The Wine Advocate’s resident Champagne expert William Kelley writes that “Picamelot produces some of the best sparkling wines in Burgundy,” and calls their wines “elegant,” “excellent,” and “superb.”
Sancerre has no premier or grand cru classifications — all 6400 acres are under the same appellation. But, as you might expect, not all of Sancerre’s terroirs are created equal. Among the most famous is the steep slopes of the Monts Damnées (damned mountains).
The Northern Rhône produces the world’s most complex and balanced expressions of Syrah. Particularly in Côte Rôtie, at the region’s northern limit, the wines combine inky, black, masculine fruit with extraordinary lift and finesse.
White Burgundy is among the best food-pairing wines around. It works at the high end – an ageworthy Meursault, a rich dish of veal in cream, etc. But it answers the call for something uncomplicated and reliable — a hearty bowl of mussels, chicken thighs on the grill.
Michel Gros produces some of our favorite red Burgundies. His style is smooth and elegant, with warm, enticing notes of toast, red berries, and a silky texture. Gros’s village level and premier cru wines can be truly extraordinary, but they often require (and reward) investment and patience.
Michel and Estelle Prunier are a father-daughter winemaking team whose wines are humble and classic. Master of Wine Clive Coates calls the Pruniers “certainly the best grower” in the town, and their wines perfectly fit the charming, small-town Burgundian feel of the region.
Winemaker Nicolas Haeni’s secret to success comes down to one thing: elevation. The Malmont vineyards are perched high in the hills above Séguret, where cooler air and slower ripening grapes are the key to balance. As the rest of the Southern Rhône struggles to keep their reds below 15% alcohol, the Malmont cuvées boast exquisite and enviable freshness.
The Salomon-Undhof estate dates to 1792, and their terraced vines overlooking the Danube have long been an excellent source. The country’s preeminent wine guide calls them a “figurehead of Austrian wine history.” Their style is what you’d expect from 225 years of history — clean, polished, and refined.
Picamelot is among Burgundy’s finest crémant houses. The Wine Advocate’s resident Champagne expert William Kelley writes that “Picamelot produces some of the best sparkling wines in Burgundy,” and calls their wines “elegant,” “excellent,” and “superb.”
We love our Sancerre producer, Domaine de la Garenne. Their three Sancerre blanc cuvées are delightful: the crisp and fruity Sancerre 2019, the stony Sancerre “Bouffants” 2019, and the bracing, intense Sancerre “Infidèle.” They’re all Sauvignon Blanc at their most vibrant and delicious.
We’re really excited about the 2018 Chablis lineup from Jean Collet in the May Futures. From their simple Vieilles Vignes to the magnificent Grand Cru Les Clos, Romain Collet handled the warm vintage with expert control, finding perfect balance and freshness in every cuvée.
Some wines just hit a sweet spot between price and quality. All the way back to our brick and mortar days in Dupont Circle in Washington DC, the Goubert Sablet has been among the best sellers in our lineup. When we left it off our order last fall, we had half a dozen customers write in to express concern.
We’re calling it — it’s now rosé season. Sure it might be 50 degrees and rainy next week, but throw on a pair of sunglasses and a short sleeve shirt and just pretend. Summer has to get here some day. This year we’ve got three exciting exciting rosés — all 2019s and just arrived. (And […]