The monks and farmers of France have spent centuries years identifying the grape varietals that best fit their lands. Most grape-place pairings were settled long ago, and now the happy marriages — Syrah in the Northern Rhône, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in Burgundy, Sauvignon Blanc in Sancerre — produce many of the world’s finest expressions of each varietal.
To know French wines is to understand French winegrowing regions. Each region has its own history, rules, traditions, grapes, and customs — they’re almost like separate countries when it comes to winemaking.
The towns of Pommard and Volnay are giants of the Côte de Beaune reds. Though less than a mile apart, the two towns represent opposing profiles – Volnay tending toward elegant and feminine, and Pommard toward sturdy and masculine. As neighbors they provide an excellent example of the microterroirs of Burgundy.
There is no more underappreciated wine than Riesling. Many US consumers, burned by syrupy Rieslings with no life and too much sugar, have sworn off the grape. But for lovers of dry wine, there’s enough bone-dry Riesling out there to make avoidance foolhardy. Tall skinny bottle + “Riesling” ≠ sweet.
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.
Michel Gros appears on many lists of Burgundy’s finest winemakers. 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 require (and reward) investment and patience.
Meursault has no grand crus, but its three famous premier crus — Perrieres, Genevrières, and Charmes — almost make up for it. These exceptional terroirs produce some of Burgundy’s greatest wines of any color. We’re excited, for the first time ever, to offer all three from our star Meursault winemaker, the Domaine Boyer-Martenot.
In most cellars, Côtes du Rhône is the workhorse wine. Hosting thirsty guests? Go with a Côtes du Rhône. Pairing anything from salad to stew to soup to sirloin? Côtes du Rhône fits the bill. The best examples are crowd-pleasing, inexpensive, and full of character.
Eric Chauvin’s story is a familiar one. A fifth generation winemaker inherits his family domaine. He begins to bottle the wines himself, tightens up the quality, converts to organic viticulture. We stumbled across Chauvin’s tiny Domaine le Souverain in the Rhône Valley a few years ago, and have been delighted at the discovery.
Chenin blanc is a tough grape to pin down. The varietal produces a staggering array of styles: from still to sparkling, bone dry to very sweet, and everything in between. Even today, the winemakers of the Loire, France’s center for winemaking innovation, continue to push what’s possible from the grape.
Twelve wines, all 25% off! Highlights include: legendary 5-year-old premier cru red Burgundy, everyday Syrah blend under $12, premier cru Chassagne-Montrachet, old-vine Chablis under $20, and more! Sale ends 1/31/19.
Many of our winemakers are multi-generational, some stretching back for centuries. We’re always slightly apprehensive when a new generation takes over. Some try too hard to make their mark early, changing styles and abandoning longtime traditions. But at many domaines the younger generation arrives with modern techniques and a new energy.
French wines have long been the focus of the Ansonia portfolio. Of the 45 winemakers we work with, about half are from Burgundy, and all but a few are French. Our longtime exception to this rule is the Fattoria Poggerino. Poggerino’s wines are all pure sangiovese — dark, delicately balanced expressions of an intense, powerful […]
Sometimes the moment calls for a grand wine: something ageworthy, pulled from the back of the cellar, opened at just the right time, decanted for hours, etc. Other times, it doesn’t. For this sampler we’ve collected four uncomplicated wines from the “easy” category — wines you can enjoy with out too much consideration or contemplation. They’re cozy weeknight reds for pizzas, salads, pastas, soups, and leftovers.
____________________________ Wine: Goubert Beaumes-de-Venise 2016 Type: red Rhône Valley blend Price: $22/bot Learn More