Prices in Bordeaux have never been higher, fed by increasing global demand, particularly from China. We’re always looking for value in Bordeaux, and we often find it in second wines of famous vineyards, or secondary properties from famous winemakers. These wines command much more reasonable prices, but are still the products of masterful winemakers and excellent terroir.
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A Delicious Experiment in the Rhône. $25
There’s a sense of ancient history in the south of France. Roman-era towns and crumbling ruins dot the countryside -- even the modern highways follow the ancient “Via Agrippa” of the Romans. Winemaking here is just as old, and archeologists have found presses dating back to 400 BC.
New Cabernet Sauvignon. $15.95
Cabernet Sauvignon is the world’s most widely planted grape. It’s grown everywhere -- from Bordeaux to Brazil to British Columbia -- and comes in a wide variety of textures and expressions. Cabernet Sauvignon is a cross, likely spontaneous, between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon blanc -- a gift from the winemaking gods.
Introducing: the Ansonia Notebook
We're pleased to announce the latest publication from Ansonia Wines. The Ansonia Notebook is a monthly collection of recipes, stories, discounted wines, and customer recommendations. The August Notebook has just been released.
Pure Old-Vine Grenache.
Grenache is France’s second most planted grape. Found mostly in the South, as the primary grape in most Chateauneuf-du-Pape and Côtes du Rhône, grenache vines can also live well past their 100th birthday. With age comes lower yields and higher quality.
A Sparkling Blend of Grapes and Cultures.
Alsace is one of our favorite places to visit. Wedged between France and Germany, this remarkably beautiful region has changed hands four times since the 1930s. Its inhabitants identify as Alsatian more than either French or German, and today Alsace incorporates the best traditions – cultural, culinary, oenological – of both nations.
Grenache and Syrah: Violets and Plums.
“Natural wine” is a popular buzzword these days, one with varied definitions and no lack of controversy. Whatever you take it to mean — biodynamic, no sulfites, organic, unfiltered — the goal is the same: to create wine with little intervention between grape and glass.
11-Year-Old Pomerol.
Wine classification can be confusing -- categorization and branding changes dramatically from one region to another. For example, the Old World tends to identify wines by place, while the New World tends to use grape varietal. It seems a minor shift, but it has enormous implications for the way people perceive wines.
New Rosé: Earthy Wild Strawberries. $14.95
After 13 years running Burgundy’s prestigious Domaine de l’Arlot, Olivier Leriche moved south to the rugged and remote region of Ardèche. More than just a change in landscape, the shift presented Olivier with an entirely new range of grape varietals: carignan, grenache, syrah, cabernet, and others.
By-the-Glass Côtes-du-Rhône. $15
Some wines hit a sweet spot between balance, versatility, and price. These are wines to reach for after a long day at work, or to drink while curled up with a book. They’re wines you don’t need to think hard about – uncomplicated, refreshing, and inexpensive.
Crisp, Refreshing Breton Cider. $11.95
Cider has seen an explosion in popularity recently. Everyone from large beer companies to small scale New England farms has jumped into the game, and “craft cider” is no longer hard to find.
Advance Order: 9-Year-Old Grand Cru Red Burgundy
We’ve tasted a lot of wine over the past few weeks: 40 winemakers, three regions, and several hundred wines in all. Friday night, over Breton oysters and Muscadet in a Nantes brasserie, we made the “Best Of” list -- “most memorable meal,” “most exciting new producer,” and “wine of the trip.”
[TravelBlog] Post Twenty-Nine: Fin
We spend the morning putting finishing touches on three weeks of tasting notes. Over coffee we discuss the final lineup for next week's Futures Issue, and catch the noon TGV from Nantes to Paris. At Montparnasse we take a cab to the Latin Quarter, where our rental host is waiting.
[TravelBlog] Post Twenty-Eight: Muscadet
A morning drive through the Vallée de la Loire -- sprawling fields of wheat and corn dotted with grain elevators and crumbling churches. Our first tasting is with a familiar Muscadet producer -- pure and expressive wines showing far more complexity than most expect from the grape.
[TravelBlog] Post Twenty-Seven: Chinon
Coffee, toast, and a collection of homemade jams for breakfast this morning -- back for a third time at the utterly pleasant Hotel Diderot in Chinon. Our first appointment is out in the fields east of Chinon; a young producer we discovered a few years ago when he had just started to bottle his own wines. This year's crop is…