Pépière 2016 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine s Lie La Pépie

Domaine de la Pépière lost most of their crop to frost in 2016 but was able to produce this excellent Muscadet using grapes normally reserved for the Clisson, Château Thébaud and Monnières-Saint Fiacre cuvées as well as fruit purchased from neighboring parcels, harvested and selected by Pépière. (This is the only wine from Pépière in 2016 except for a small amount of Clos des Briords and Gras Moutons.) The 2016 La Pépie shows classic Muscadet aromas of pear, citrus peel, almond and stone with a bit of lime-flower. The palate is dense, with nice ripeness, balanced with firm stony acidity, with flavors of dried pear, citrus, stone and white pepper and finishing with good length of citrusy acids and saline minerals. This is a serious Muscadet that echos the characteristics of the estate's top cuvées. The domaine lost almost 85% of the crop in 2016, but the small amount of wine they did produce is lovely.  Our thanks to Marc, Remi and Gwènaëlle for this delicious and well-priced Muscadet.

Pépière 2016 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Les Gras Moutons

This lovely wine clearly illustrates the difference between the granite and gneiss terroirs in Muscadet. Gras Moutons, a great parcel on gneiss with clay and amphibolite stones, produces lovely, classic Muscadet. A wine to drink over the next 5 to 8 years, it has a more herbal and floral bouquet than the granite-based wines and the palate, although refreshing and bright, is softer and more open.  In 2016 the majority of the grapes were lost to frost, but the portion that remained made a beautiful wine showing pretty herbal, citrus,  and white fruit aromas.  The palate is elegant and bright with pear, quince, lime-flower and lemon backed by silky lemony acidity and mineral flavors. Perfect with oysters, mild flavored fish and chicken dishes and goat cheeses.  David Lillie

Pépière 2012 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Ch.Thébaud "Clos des Morines"

 The Domaine de la Pépière Château Thébaud "Clos des Morines" comes from old vines on a beautiful vineyard sloping down towards the river. The granite here is fissured and permeable by the vine roots which have access to water during dry spells and absorb micro-nutrients along the way. 2009 and 2010 here were among the best of the vintage in Muscadet and the 2012 is outstanding as well from this somewhat difficult low-yielding vintage. More austere than the previous vintages, the 2012 shows subtle aromas of dried pear, herbs, citrus, almond and stone, quite subtle and elegant. The palate has excellent weight and concentration with firm acidity, without the forward fruit of the 2009 - very tight and mineral in style with terrific length. Fabulous served now with oysters, ceviche of cod, flounder and sole, and grilled fish, This should age beautifully for 20 years and more. Highly recommended. Tasted again in December of 2016, this beautiful Muscadet is beginning to open up a bit, with lovely fruit appearing in the aromas and palate, really drinking well, though obviously a wine that will benefit from another five years of aging. In 2018 the wine is singing and will be a treat on Thanksgiving!

Tarlant NV Champagne Brut Zero (2008 base)

A blend of 1/3 Chardonnay, 1/3 Pinot Noir, and 1/3 Pinot Meunier, the base wine comes from the classic 2008 vintage. For a Brut Nature (Dosage: 0 g/l), this Tarlant combines bracing acidity with remarkable fruit-forwardness. Lemon pith, preserved lemon, red apple flesh and red apple skin flavors sweep across the palate with broad brush strokes and a pleasing effervescence. With big flavors and deep cut, this Champagne definitely needs food to accompany it: caviar or smoked salmon anyone? (Disgorged: 09/14) - Jonas Mendoza

Tarlant NV Champagne Brut Zero Rosé (base 2009)

Tarlant NV (2000 Base) Champagne Extra Brut Cuvée Louis

Horiot 2012 Rosé des Riceys En Barmont (Still)

Though there are fewer than 20 growers of Rosé des Riceys, we tend to think of the wines as a coming from a single terroir. By  separately vinifying two different lieux dits, Olivier Horiot shows the possibilities of expression within the appellation. En Barmont is a warm site, whose southerly exposure and marls interspersed with Kimmeridgian limestone produce a ripe Pinot Noir with a broader character than nearby En Valigrain. The 2012 En Barmont has a darker garnet/copper robe, effusive and floral on the nose with wild cherry, cherry blossom, and Red Delicious apple aromas. On the palate, vivid,  racy acidity, bright red fruits with hints of crushed herbs, and a fine dusty minerality on a broad expansive finish. This is quite pretty with a generous ripeness and exuberance. John McIlwain 

Horiot, Olivier NV Champagne Métisse Noir et Blancs Extra Brut

Though famed for their reds and the eponymous rosé, Riceys produces far more Champagne than still wines from its vineyards bordering Burgundy. And though the Kimmeridgian soils mean Pinot Noir in the Aube, they also make a convincing case for the underappreciated Pinot Blanc grape. Sourced from all eight of his terroirs, Olivier Horiot's Métisse, a blend of 80% Pinot Noir and 20% Pinot Blanc, is based on the 2013 vintage with the balance made up of reserve wine from a perpetual cuvée stored in foudre. The nose is delicate and spritely upon opening with generous notes of white peach, lemon curd, and cool herb tones, opening to reveal aromas of brioche and ginger. On the palate, there is a sense of volume with generous stone fruit flavors underlain with a broad, stony character which lends drive to the long, lingering finish. This would be lovely with pan-roasted scallops, though there's certainly enough texture to accompany risotto with wild mushrooms, or roasted chicken.  (Disgorged 3/15/2016, Dosage 2g/L) John McIlwain

Horiot, Olivier 2010 Champagne Brut "Sève" Rosé de Saignée

Koehler-Ruprecht 2015 Pfalz Weissburgunder Kabinett Trocken

Koehler-Ruprecht 2012 Pfalz Kallstadter Saumagen Riesling Spätlese Trocken

The Saumagen vineyard is littered with small limestone rocks that reflect heat onto the vines. Though it was expanded in the 1980's, Koehler-Ruprecht's holdings are in the original south-east facing parcel. Glistening notes of lemon, salt, butter, and nuts. A dry Pfalz wine with a lot of finesse, not overly powerful or austere. Great spine of acidity, complex, with depth and length. Will take to the cellar quite well. Jonathan Kemp

Koehler-Ruprecht 2016 Pfalz Pinot Noir Kabinett Trocken Rosé

Direct press Pinot Noir rosé from the Pfalz! The 2016 vintage is just a touch lighter in body than 2015 with even more mineral cut; flavors of wild strawberry, white cherry, green melon, raspberry seed, and blood orange are vibrant and punched up by the mouth-watering acidity. Cari Bernard 

Luyt, Louis-Antoine 2017 Pipeño Blanco (Liter)

Luyt, Louis-Antoine 2017 Pipeño Carrizal (Liter)

Luyt, Louis-Antoine 2014 Valle del Bueno Cruchon Pinot Noir

Monte Dall' Ora 2013 Valpolicella Classico Superiore Camporenza

Monte Dall' Ora 2013 Valpolicella Classico Superior Saustó

Foradori 2014 Vigneti delle Dolomiti Teroldego

Foradori 2013 Vignetti delle Dolomiti Fontanasanta, Nosiola

Foradori 2010 Teroldego Rotaliano Morei 1.5 L Anfora

La Stoppa 2012 IGT Emilia Ageno

La Stoppa’s Ageno cuveé is named for the original founder of the estate, Giancarlo Ageno, who planted the first vines here in the 19th century.  Those cuttings, originally all french varieties, have since been replaced by varieties indigenous to the region in a process that also saw the estate convert to organic agriculture beginning in the 1990s. While certainly not made with the french varieties planted 100 years ago, the Ageno Bianco is a stunning wine.  Primarily Malavasia di Candia Aromatica blended with Ortrugo and some Trebbiano, the wine is macerated for 30 days on the skins, rested for a year in a mix of stainless steel and old barrels followed by two years in bottle. The color is striking, showing deeply bronze and slightly turbid with some sediment, but still quite vibrant. The nose is, as you might expect from a grape called Aromatica, intense with deep ripe Cara Cara oranges, layers of baking spice and mid-bloom apple blossom with hints of honeycomb.  The palate is dense, and there is a nice balance of fine-grained tannin with refreshing acidity.  The wine is bone dry but not austere or astringent with very ripe citrus fruits, juicy yellow peaches and a long finish. Recently enjoyed with shrimp scampi, this wine would pair well with rich but not oily fish: think scallops seared in butter, monkfish torchon, or squid. Serve very slightly chilled and enjoy.  Andy Paynter

La Stoppa 2014 IGT Emilia Trebbiolo Rosso

La Stoppa 2009 IGT Emilia Barbera della Stoppa

Boulard, Francis NV Champagne Les Murgiers Extra Brut

Francis Boulard owns three hectares of vines; he's the son of Raymond Boulard, a widely respected grower in the northernmost part of the region, who recently inherited part of his father's domaine. "Les Murgiers" comes from a one hectare parcel of chalk and clay soil in the Vallee de la Marne. This is a blend of 70% Pinot Meunier and 30% Pinot Noir. The wine comprises three vintages. Boulard makes a vinous and savory style of Champagne that is raised in barrel and shows some of the enticing nutty, mushroom-y character of Pinot Meunier. This is a broad, yet quite dry style of Champagne that is a perfect choice for the table. -msb

Luneau-Papin 2015 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Terre de Pierre

This fascinating wine is from a relatively new parcel, La Butte de la Roche, high on a dome of igneous rock (serpentinite) with quartz stones overlooking the marshes of Goulaine. First produced in 2008 from vines planted in 1974 which are being tended by Pierre Luneau with organic methods. The serpentine rock creates a very poor soil, giving wines that are normally somewhat austere and marked by intense minerality. The grapes are hand-harvested and fermented with wild yeasts; the wine then spends about 18 months sur-lie before bottling.  The 2015 "Terre de Pierre" shows the ripeness of the vintage with pear and creamy citrus aromas and hints of stone and dried herbs. The palate is round and supple with pear, almond and citrus flavors, and the terroir kicks in nicely with intense mineral notes and firm acidity that tingles the palate. The finish is long with viscous white fruits and saline minerals. Serve this lovely Muscadet now with shellfish, cod and sole or cellar a  few years and serve with monkfish, lobster and fish and chicken in sauce.  David Lillie

Villemade, Herve 2016 Cheverny Blanc

Hervé Villemade's 2016 Cheverny Blanc is a lovely and versatile wine, made from 70% Sauvignon Blanc and 30% Chardonnay grown on flinty sand and clay soils. The wine shows pretty aromas of pear, citrus, almond and stone with hints of boxwood and fine herbes. The palate is supple with white fruits, citrus, a bit of anise and herbal flavors and is nicely balanced with firm acidity. This is a delicious everyday white that will accompany most seafood dishes, chicken, white meats and goat cheeses.  David Lillie

Laurent Barth 2014 Alsace Riesling

This is a classic dry Riesling from Laurent Barth. Plenty of complexity and salinity with nice granitic character in the finish, but still round enough to please a variety of palettes.

Busch, Clemens 2015 Mosel Riesling Trocken

Immich-Batterieberg 2015 Mosel C.A.I. Riesling Trocken

C.A.I. stands for Carl August Immich, owner of the estate in the 19th century, who used gunpowder charges to blast out part of the mountainside in order to plant vines. Lemon oil, stones, salt spray on the nose, this wine is dry and crisp, with notes of yellow apricot, lemon zest, and underripe nectarine. An energetic introduction to the Immich-Batterieberg style of wines. Cari Bernard

Pinon 2015 Vouvray Sec

A beautiful Vouvray Sec from our friend François Pinon, which rarely makes its way to the US. The 2015 has subtle aromas of lemon zest, stone, quince and honeysuckle. There is very firm acidity on the palate with citrus, stone, pine, earth and bitter almond with terrific structure and length. This should be decanted or opened in advance if drinking now, and will be lovely in 10 years, or 20 years... 

Mosse 2015 Anjou Blanc Le Rouchefer

Chenin Blanc for Thanksgiving is perfect and René Mosse makes among the best! This showed beautifully when tasted last winter, with complex aromas of pear, lime-flower, mint, citrus and stone, with a dense and very mineral palate and fabulous length. Can't wait to try it again.

Closel (Château des Vaults) 2015 Savennières La Jalousie

2015 is a beautiful vintage for the superb Savennières of Domaine du Closel. La Jalousie shows subtle, complex aromas of citrus peel, pear, almond, stone , lime-flower and honeysuckle which follow through on the perfectly balanced palate.  The fruit is lush and ripe but there is great acidity and minerality as well - the wine is elegant and very delicious in its youth, - serve with fish in sauce, scallops, monkfish, chicken in sauce and mild cheeses. Lovely wine! DL

Pineau, Julien 2016 Vin de France Sucettes á l'Aunis

Bonhomme, Pierre-Olivier 2016 Vin de France le Telquel

This "poil dur" is wagging its tail in 2016, showing juicy aromas of leafy blackberry, rose, spice and citrus. It's Gamay and Grolleau in this vintage, with a nice density of bright blackberry fruit, a bit floral and spicy. Quite refreshing with good length of berry fruits and citrusy acids in the finish. Serve a bit cool with charcuterie, chicken and pork - just delicious!  David Lillie

Tue-Boeuf 2016 Touraine La Butte (Gamay)

The place called "Tue-Boeuf" was known in the middle-ages, as was the Puzelat family, land-owners there since the 15th century. Jean-Marie and Thierry Puzelat took over the vines in 1990 and were certified organic in 1996. The 100% Gamay "la Butte" is  from a one-hectare parcel of old vines on clay/flint soils. The wine shows deep blackberry fruit aromas with rose, citrus,  earth and musk. The palate is balanced and bright with ripe berry fruits backed by intense saline minerals and firm acidity. Serve cool, decanted well in advance if possible, with pork dishes, charcuterie and full-flavored cheeses. This will benefit from 3 to 5 years of aging and should drink well through 2025

Coudert (Clos de la Roilette) 2016 Fleurie Clos de la Roilette

Alain Coudert, who took over from his father in the late 80s, produces some of the finest wines in Fleurie. Originally classified as Moulin-a-Vent, the Clos de la Roilette vines produce a somewhat more structured wine with more black fruit aromas than a "normal" Fleurie.  The 2015s here, as in much of Beaujolais were high in alcohol and extremely ripe, a bit awkward in their youth and needing a few years to calm down. The 2016 Clos de la Roilette has returned to form showing a bright red/garnet color and aromas of crushed raspberry, violette and brown spice with hints of blackberry, citrus and earth. The palate retains the floral character with creamy raspberry fruit and hints of spice, leather and greens, with nice sappy length.  Delicious now and quite easy to drink, although it will benefit from decanting. Serve with charcuterie,  roast chicken, pork dishes and mild cheeses.  As always the Coudert Clos de la Roilette will benefit from 3 to 5 years or more  in the bottle as well.

Descombes, Georges 2015 Regnie

This delicious Regnié shows a vivid red/black color and lush aromas of blackberry liqueur with hints of violet, bitter chocolate and citrus. Ripe, supple berry fruits coat the palate, which is quite well-balanced for a 2015, blackberry and black cherry with lovely length of fruit lingering in the finish which is lifted by firm acidity. This is a great success for the vintage and will provide joyful drinking for the next five years! DL

Terres Dorées (Jean-Paul Brun) 2015 Côte de Brouilly

Jean-Paul Brun's Côte de Brouilly, from Domaine des Terres Dorées, is always a lovely wine, showing unique and very pretty aromas in a medium-bodied style. In the very ripe vintage of 2015, the wine shows elegant red currant, tart cherry and blackberry aromas with hints of earth, meat, citrus and pepper. Blackberry and black cherry fruit continue on the very earthy and mineral palate. Jean-Paul's Burgundy vinification seems to have suited the vintage, as the wine is well balanced, though certainly darker and more structured than usual. Serve cool with a steak or grilled pork and lamb, or cellar for three to five years as the wine will definitely benefit from aging. DL

Richaud 2016 Cotes du Rhone Terres d'Aigles

Noussan 2014 Vallee D'Aoste Torrette

Montesecondo 2015 IGT Rosso Toscana

Silvio’s IGT Sangiovese Toscano is meant to be a lighter style of Chianti (that immediately ran afoul of the DOCG committee). Originally bottled in 2003, the wine was denied DOCG status for lack of color and the was subsequently failed for having too much color, a sure sign to Silvio that it was never going to be approved for DOCG status no matter what he did. The wine is essentially a tank wine made from younger vines that are picked earlier in the season than the other red cuvées, fermented on native yeasts in cement tank and aged only in concrete. Certainly not a simple wine, it is definitely a fresher style than Silvio's Chianti Classico. Bright red cherry fruit comes out on the nose over pithy orange, red raspberries, and fresh apricot, with green herbal tones of sagebrush. The palate is medium-full with plenty of acidity and soft tannins, showing more round and juicy than light and playful. A serious wine that is nevertheless easy going. Try it with red sauce pasta, soft cheese, wilted greens, finger food or anything involving guanciale. Andy Paynter

Sanguineto 2014 Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Sanguineto I & II

Nusserhof (Heinrich Mayr) 2012 Vino Rosso Elda (Schiava)

De Bartoli Marsala Superioré Riserva 10 anni [500 ml]