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 | Sisters Dany and Carole Chastan are third generation vigneronnes practicing old-school winemaking -- whole… More (+) Sisters Dany and Carole Chastan are third generation vigneronnes practicing old-school winemaking -- whole clusters, limited sulfur, all wild yeasts. They use no new oak, and neither fine nor filter. Their wines are juicy and deep and very expressive, with gorgeous fruit. Writer Jon Bonné has named them a benchmark producer of the region, “essential defenders of grenache’s good name.”Their just-arrived 2022 Vacqueyras is delicious, and a terrific value. From an appellation just south of Gigondas, this is nearly all Grenache (85%). The nose is extraordinary, bursting with dark wild strawberry fruit, plums, lavender, bay leaf and earth – a splash of Mourvedre adds complexity and backbone. It’s a crowd-pleasing everyday red that will offer immediate pleasure. Less (-) Free US Shipping | |
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 | Dany and Carol Chastan make delicious wines in Gigondas, a near neighbor and vinous… More (+) Dany and Carol Chastan make delicious wines in Gigondas, a near neighbor and vinous cousin of Chateauneuf du Pape. Their winemaking has always been organic, with biodynamic elements, and their effort is always to faithfully render the wine that the vintage has produced. Beard Award winning author Jon Bonné singled them out for praise in his recent book “The New French Wine,” naming them a benchmark producer of the region and “essential defenders of grenache’s good name.”The 2023 shows characteristic wild strawberries dominate the aromatic profile, and the palate is round and well balanced, with a bit of salinity joining the delightful ripe fruit. There is very good length in the mouth. Less (-) Free US Shipping | |
 | The Chastan family has been making wine in the same style for two generations… More (+) The Chastan family has been making wine in the same style for two generations. They were among the earliest in the region to farm organically (they were certified in 1980!), and their winemaking is simple and straightforward. Vinification for all the wines is cement vats, followed by an elevage in either vats or neutral oak foudres. The wines are neither fined nor filtered.The Clos du Joncuas Gigondas 2020 is an easy, early-drinking vintage. It is silky smooth and rich, with dense, sweet fruit and notes of allspice. Though velvety, there is good underlying structure and a bit of earthiness in the finish. A dose of salinity balances the lush fruit, making this a delightful young wine we think will drink well for several years. Less (-) Free US Shipping | |
| | The Chastan family has been making wine in the same style for two generations… More (+) The Chastan family has been making wine in the same style for two generations. They were among the earliest in the region to farm organically (they were certified in 1980!), and their winemaking is simple and straightforward. Vinification for all the wines is cement vats, followed by an elevage in either vats or neutral oak foudres. The wines are neither fined nor filtered.The Clos du Joncuas Gigondas 2019 has more structure and more prominent tannins than the 2020, but it is also very round, and also eminently drinkable already. There’s a bit more minerality mixed in with the ripe fruit here, and the wine may have a longer drinking window; but both wines are generous and fleshy, and will be easy to match with food. Less (-) Free US Shipping | |
| | This is 80% grenache (some from centenarian vines), with the rest Mourvèdre and Cinsault… More (+) This is 80% grenache (some from centenarian vines), with the rest Mourvèdre and Cinsault. The fruit is clean and very pure, with a gorgeous silky texture and notes of violets, raspberry, garrigue, and spice. Think of it as Grenache that wants to be Syrah.Tasted blind you’d swear you were in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. It beautifully integrates gorgeous grenache fruit with an earthy, mineral line and a judicious dose of Provençal spice. There’s plenty of material here, but it comes wrapped in a fine-grained structure that will make it drinkable from day one. Look for violets, plums, strawberries, and earth — the mouth is rich but impeccably balanced. Less (-) Free US Shipping | |
 | Roquegrave is located in Valeyrac, fully an hour and a half north of Bordeaux… More (+) Roquegrave is located in Valeyrac, fully an hour and a half north of Bordeaux, near the top of the Médoc peninsula and along the banks of the Gironde estuary. They produce humble, unfussy, extremely well-priced red Bordeaux, more at home in a Parisian bistro than a Michelin restaurant.The 2020 Chateau Haut Valeyrac is a blend of 50% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Petit Verdot, grown on the classic gravelly soils of Bordeaux’s Left Bank. It’s lightweight and pretty, an easygoing wine at its peak. The nose shows red fruits and dried roses, with a pleasant earthiness and low tannin in the mouth. The mouth is lively and clean with an almost Pinot like character. This is Bordeaux that wishes it were Burgundy – friendly, affordable, delicious, and perfect for a weeknight red. Less (-) Free US Shipping |