Crisp, Dry, Organic Loire Valley Chenin Blanc. $18
All of our winemakers care deeply about their craft, but Nicolas Paget is unusually impassioned. He believes fervently in his vines, his wines, his technique and his terroir.
Inky, Exquisitely-Balanced Left-Bank Bordeaux: Our New Margaux Arrives
If you know anything about Margaux, it’s probably about the iconic Chateau Margaux. But there’s lots to the appellation besides the famous First-Growth chateau. Margaux’s sandy, gravel-filled soils produce some of the Left Bank’s most elegant red wines; Jancis Robinson cites their “haunting perfume,” and “silky texture.”
Inky New Organic Rhône Reds: 93 points, “Succulent,” “Velvety”
Organic viticulture is the future of winemaking — the majority of our winemakers are organic or in conversion. But at some domaines, it’s also the past. The Domaine du Joncuas in Gigondas turns 100 years old next year, and they’ve practiced organic winemaking, as they put it, “depuis toujours” (“since forever”).
“Outstanding” New Chassagne-Montrachet: Ten Generations of Excellence
Everything about Thomas Morey is precise. From his wire-rimmed glasses, to his spotless tasting rooms full of Zalto stemware, to his clean, meticulous wines: Morey is a man of purity and precision.
Delicious New 2015 Saint-Emilion. $25
Bordeaux is best known for its expensive, ageworthy red wines. Some carry 3- and 4-figure price tags; the best age for half a century or more. But not all Bordeaux reds are so prestigious. At ten times the size of Burgundy, there’s an ocean of Bordeaux beyond the famous names. Much is mediocre and uninteresting. But some is genuinely delicious, and careful shoppers can find great value.
Bold New 2015 Red Burgundy under $40
The wines of the Domaine des Varoilles are at the bold end of the Burgundy spectrum. All of their cuvées come from Gevrey-Chambertin, a village known for its robust, masculine wines. Where much red Burgundy tends towards subtleness and finesse, the Varoilles style is noticeably more intense.
Golden, Classic 2014 Premier Cru Chassagne-Montrachet
Chassagne-Montrachet and Puligny-Montrachet produce the world’s finest dry white wines. In production for nearly two thousand years, the vineyards surrounding these villages produce wines of different characters — Puligny a bit more buttoned up, Chassagne a bit friendlier.
Cool Refreshing Syrah for a Warm Summer Evening
The wines of Côte Rôtie have been celebrated for thousands of years. Made from pure Syrah at its northernmost growing limit, Côte Rôtie represents Syrah at its most refined. Our source for Côte Rôtie is the Domaine Bonnefond.
White Bordeaux: Crisp, Refreshing, Affordable
For most people French Sauvignon blanc means Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé. But the grape also thrives in Bordeaux. In the Loire the grape is exuberant and fruit forward; Sauvignon blanc from Bordeaux isn’t unfriendly, just a bit less outgoing.
Delightful Summertime Red Burgundy
The town of Maragnes is an underrated source for red Burgundy. Located at the very southern end of the Côte d’Or, it’s often left off regional maps, and its reputation is for rusticity over refinement. But chosen carefully, Maranges can offer excellent value for red Burgundy drinkers. The wines never reach the complexity of Vosne […]
Shimmering White Burgundy in its Purest Form
Of all the white Burgundy we import, none is a purer expression of Chardonnay than Nicolas Maillet’s classic Maconnais cuvées. They’re cool, round, unadulterated Chardonnay with excellent balance and no oak. If the Côte d’Or offers Burgundies of pedigree and refinement, then the Maconnais offers Burgundies of vibrancy and joy.
[ADVANCE ORDER] Magnificent New 93-point Cornas: “Beguiling” & “Splendid”
Cornas is a tiny appellation. It covers 145 hectares (compared with Châteauneuf-du-Pape’s 3,000+), and is home to fewer than 50 vignerons. The name comes from the Celtic word for “burnt earth,” and it’s an appropriate moniker: Cornas is pure Syrah like the rest of the Northern Rhône, but the feel is of something farther to the South.
Golden, Exquisite $25 White Burgundy
For a Burgundy collector, the sub-$30 Bourgogne is an elusive. Bourgogne-level wines of both colors from famous names now push past $50 per bottle. Modern winemaking and excellent recent vintages, mean many of these wines are worth it – but they’re a bit more of an investment than they used to be.
Crisp, Zippy Muscadet: the Perfect Summer White under $4/glass
For white wines, it doesn’t get much drier than Muscadet. Grown near the mouth of the Loire River, Muscadet is at once brisk and hearty — the essence of the windswept Atlantic coast. When the weather turns hot we can’t think of much else in our glasses.
“Outstanding” Six-Year-Old Nuits-St-Georges: Cassis, Plum, Spice
If Vosne-Romanée embodies Burgundian sophistication, then neighbor Nuits-St-Georges has the humbler charm of a country gentleman. Spread across five miles of varied terroir, the wines of Nuits-St-Georges range from spiced and elegant to meaty and rich. Wines from plots near the Vosne border can borrow a bit of spice and silk from their neighbor.