For many, “serious Beaujolais” is an oxymoron. The region still suffers from its bacchanal, nouveau image -- a triumph of marketing and little else. But there’s some truly exciting wine being made in Beaujolais these days. Take the Domaine Perrachon, a multi-generational domaine in Juliénas. Though their wines are from gamay, their style is refined and polished, and their cuvées…
From our deck above Harpswell Sound we can watch the turn from Summer to Fall. Morning still carries the throaty rumble of lobster boat engines, but there are fewer traps and fewer boats now. Last evening half a dozen seals returned to the rocks beyond our dock; soon they’ll move south and stay there until […]
Oysters are a common sight at French markets. Huitres are a natural pairing for wine, in both the gustatory and philosophical senses. Just like wine, they’re an expression of terroir (or merrior, if you like) whose character changes with their origin. And in matters gustatory, well, it’s a match made in heaven.
The père half of Ansonia is in Burgundy this week, working as a member of a harvesting team in Vosne-Romanée (check our Facebook page for visuals). Early signs point to an excellent 2017 vintage, though we won’t get our hands on it any time soon. Most won’t be in the bottle until 2019, and the wines themselves will mature over…
Burgundy can be an intimidating place. Its classification rules are complicated, and its wines often require precise and careful cellaring. Even for experienced collectors it can tricky to time the optimum drinking window, and getting it wrong can be disappointing and expensive.
We do lots of grilling in the summer. For nice cuts of meat we suggest fancier red Burgundies or Bordeaux — something complex to sit with and enjoy slowly. But for simpler fare — burgers, shish kabob, vegetables, chicken, steak tips, etc — we like reds that aren’t too complicated.
Nicolas Maillet is our new source for chardonnay from southern Burgundy. His wines are classic examples of the best Maconnais — cool, round chardonnay with excellent balance and little or no oak. If the Côte d’Or is home to Burgundies of pedigree and refinement, then the Maconnais is...
The wine world loves the word “minerality,” but no one can quite define it. Wine writer Lettie Teague calls it “a helpful word to describe wines that aren’t fruity, spicy, or herbal.” We think of it as refreshing element in a wine that doesn’t come from acidity, but we too struggle to offer an exact meaning.
Hot weather can make it hard to enjoy wine. Bottles with high alcohol or dark and woodsy comple xions are hard to match with summer temperatures. In July and August, we like wines that are straightforward, refreshing, and inexpensive.
We are delighted in July Futures to offer exciting wines across a wide range of prices. For those in search of value, we have excellent options from Chablis, Beaujolais, Bordeaux, and Châteauneuf-du-Pape. For those looking further up the price scale, July Futures includes exciting, age-worthy wines from Gevrey-Chambertin, Chassagne-Montrachet, and the slopes of Côte Rôtie.
It’s difficult to find new winemakers in Burgundy. Supply is very limited and most producers work with other US importers. Finding high quality additions to our portfolio involves lots of research and tasting, along with good timing and a healthy dose of luck.
We’d bet that many readers have garages bigger than the Domaine Malmont’s winemaking space. We work with some small-production winemakers, but even by our standards Malmont’s winery is tiny. The small space attached to winemaker Nicolas Haeni’s house in Séguret looks more like a large tool shed than a winemaking operation.
We've just released the May 2017 Issue of our Futures program. Ansonia Futures offers near-wholesale pricing through advance orders. The May Issue includes 2015 red Burgundies, white, red and rosé from Alsace, Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Franc from the Loire Valley, sparkling wines from Burgundy, Châteauneuf du Pape, left and right bank Bordeaux, and more....
It’s always a pleasure to arrive in France for a tasting trip. We do so often enough now that we know which way to go for the luggage, where to grab a quick coffee, and whether we need to hustle for the TGV when the plane is late. (Making the TGV was a near thing this time thanks to a…