Desvignes 2020 Morgon Corcelette

 This is the Desvignes family's fourth (?) bottling from the famous climat of Corcelette in northern Morgon. The parcel is  made up of 40+-year-old vines on sandy pink granite soils on a southeast-facing hillside in the western part of Corcelette, a vineyard that seems to give a bright and vibrant style of Morgon. This is a full, quite deep-colored Morgon, with punchy black cherry and cooked raspberry fruit and a snap of acidity reminiscent of plum skin. There is plenty of weight and breadth in the mid-palate and the texture is lovely and fine-grained a hall mark of this vineyard site and the sandy soils. Sam Ehrlich

Desvignes 2020 Morgon Côte de Py

The Desvignes' parcels on the Côte du Py sit near the top of the famed hill. Now in the 8th generation of this family of winemakers, siblings Claude-Emmanuelle and Louis-Benoît work their parcels organically and hand harvest their 11 hectares in Morgon, looking for peak ripeness and healthy fruit to make elegant and structural, age-worthy wines. Grapes for this cuvée come from vines averaging around 70 years in age, planted on manganese-rich schist soils. Semi-carbonic fermentation and further aging on fine lees is in concrete tank. The 2020 Cote de Py shows lovely aromas of ripe blackberry with hints of violet, dark chocolate and earth. The palate is velvety and ripe with blackberry and black currant fruit with a nice chewy, earthy texture. There is nice balancing acidity and earthy mineral flavors to balance the copious fruit -  serve cool and enjoy now or hold 5 - 8 years.

Combel La Serre 2019 Cahors Pur Fruit du Causse

The Combel la Serre "Pur Fruit" is 100% Malbec  from seven different sites around their home village of Cournou, which lies on the Causse, a limestone plateau in Cahors at 320m elevation. Planted on clay-limestone soils, the vines are certified organic and average 35 years old. The grapes are hand-harvested and crushed with 20% whole clusters; the juice ferments at cool temperatures with indigenous yeasts in cement tanks with a 10-day skin maceration. The wine is aged on its lees in cement through the winter and bottled in the spring.  The 2019 is another vibrant fruit-bomb showing a deep red/black color with aromas of ripe blackberry liqueur with violet and citrus hints. The palate is supple and sappy with dense blackberry and black raspberry fruit, lifted by bright acidity - quite lush and ripe but refreshing and balanced. The cool, sappy fruits continue in the bright finish. Perfect with a steak or stew or just gulped by itself  - serve cool and enjoy!  David Lillie

Combel La Serre 2018 Cahors "Au Cerisier"

100% Malbec. "Au Cerisier" comes from a single 1.2-hectare plot at 350 m. altitude, next door to a cherry orchard for which the Ilberts named this bottling. The certified-organic vines average 40 years old and are planted on red and yellow clay soils over limestone bedrock. This is a quite serious Cahors showing a dark red/black color and beautiful black raspberry and blackberry fruit aromas with hints of dark chocolate and stone. The palate is supple and dense, quite elegant and not tannic, very  full-bodied and really showing the clay/limestone terroir, with a long finish of bright red and black fruits. Drink now with a long decant with a steak or stew, best to cellar five to ten years. We tasted this just after botlling in January 2020 - it's a lovely Cahors and highly recommended! David Lillie

Faillenc Sainte Marie 2019 Corbières

This delightful estate uses one-third Syrah, one-third Grenache and one-third Cinsault in their Corbières Rouge, grown on limestone/clay soils in the foothills of Mont Alaric, certified organic since 2007. The wine shows aromas of blackberries, ripe plums, and tiny wild blueberries, as well as notes of balsam wood. Like all the best Languedoc offerings, there's a wild edge here with a bit of funk that is tempered by juicy sleekness. Its excellent balance and wealth of ripe tannins make it a natural at the table - serve with a stew or grilled meats, a coq au vin with farm chicken or guinea hen, and full-flavored cow cheeses.

Closel (Château des Vaults) 2018 Savennières La Jalousie

100% Chenin Blanc. La Jalousie is a blend of several parcels of younger  vines planted in schistous soils on gentle hills. Like the rest of the Closel vines, they are biodynamically farmed, low-yielding and harvested by hand. They are the first of the estate to be harvested, when the grapes are pale yellow, crisp and totally healthy. The bunches are direct-pressed, then fermented with native yeasts and a small amount of sulfur in tank. The wine is tank-aged on its lees, without any exposure to air, for 9 months before bottling. Normally, Jalousie doesn't go through malo but in the warm 2018 vintage, it did so. Jalousie is intended  to be a modern rendition of Savennières: approachable  and fresh in its youth, as a result of not being over-ripened, botrytis-influenced or long- or wood-aged. An exuberant nose with aromas of lime zest, white flowers and herbaceousness. The palate offers flavors of zesty lime and bright pear with a crunchy minerality underpinning it's medium body and lively acidity.  Lithe and lovely!  Giselle Hamburg

Closel (Château des Vaults) 2018 Savennières Clos du Papillon (Stained Labe

(Please Note: Current inventory of the 2018 "Clos du Papillon" has  partially stained labels) "The Clos du Papillon is a small valley at mid slope, beautifully exposed southwest to the light of the Loire. There are schist, rhyolite but also quartz. The topsoil layer is very shallow (60 cm) which provides excellent drainage for rainwater. The vine growing conditions are difficult, forcing it to develop its roots deep in the rock cracks to draw nutrients. The climate in that parcel allows for a level of highly advanced maturity, with grapes that concentrate aromas under the action of botrytis.  The body and the very long finish make the Clos du Papillon a gastronomic wine to accompany lobster, scallops, smoked fish, Turbots, Saint Peter. It is also interesting with delicate white meats such as veal or capon, along with truffles or mushrooms. Classic mountain cheeses like old Salers, or 5 to 6 years old Comté are equally delicious with this great Savennières." -  Domaine du Closel.    2018 is a great vintage for the Clos du Papillon, combining excellent ripeness with bright acidity and great balance - the wine shows beautiful aromas of ripe pear and quince with honeysuckle, lime-flower and dried herbs with hints of smoke and earth.  The palate is superb, very ripe and dense with white fruits, citrus, almond and stone with very firm lemony acidity and mineral flavors. The finish is very long with bitter lemon and saline minerals. Drinking beautifully now, this should age perfectly, peak drinking perhaps to 2040 and beyond. David Lillie

Baraut, Clement 2020 VdF Herbes Folles

Clement Baraut has access to some great plots in and around Savennieres in the Loire Valley, and this "entry level" Chenin Blanc from Baraut is a clear winner. Clean, balanced, with stone fruit, zero presence of sugar, but with very pleasant body. Get some before it runs out! Grapes are from two plots in Savennières, mostly on schist terroir. Fermentation is with whole clusters in large oak, and the wine is aged for 6 months, again in used barrels.    -EL

Lambert, Patrick 2020 Chinon Gourmandise

"Gourmandise" is a beautiful "drink young" cuvée from Patrick Lambert, made from Cabernet Franc vines grown on sandy gravel soils near the Vienne. The wine shows a bright black/red color with lush high-toned aromas of crushed strawberry and black raspberry, with hints of citrus and pepper. The palate is supple and bright with luscious black raspberry and red currant fruit, quite lush and full-bodied in this superb vintage for the Loire but still with refreshing  acidity. Serve this lovely wine quite cool with charcuterie and grilled chicken, pork or burgers, it's a perfect quaffing Cab Franc to drink over the next  year or two...  David Lillie

Lambert, Patrick 2017 Chinon Vieilles Vignes

The delicious Chinon Vieilles Vignes of Patrick Lambert is from 55-year-old vines on sandy clay soils over limestone. Hand harvested and fermented with wild yeasts, as are all of Lambert's wines, the Vieilles Vignes gets 12 months of aging in old barrels. The wine shows a deep red/black color and ripe blackberry and strawberry aromas with pepper, earth and citrus. The palate is deep and ripe, a bit softer and more forward than the 2016, showing earthy blackberry and strawberry compote with prune and bitter chocolate and firm structure. This is a complex, old-fashioned Chinon that will accompany roast chicken and anything off the grill, served a bit cool. While this is drinking beautiflly now, aging of  five to ten years will bring an extra dimendion to the wine. David Lillie

Pierre Andre 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Rouge

(Arrives 12/2)  We consider Domaine Pierre André to be one of the greatest estates in Châteuneuf-du-Pape. Organic since 1980 (one of the first in the AOC) and Biodynamic since 1992. The red is 90% Grenache with Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsault, Vaccarèse, Counoise, Muscadin and Picpoul. Some parcels are over 100 years old, with the average vine age around 65 years. The 2016 is a beautiful glass of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, showing fresh, complex aromas of ripe blackberry with cherry, spice, rose, earth, tar, smoke and floral notes.  On the palate, the wine is perfectly structured, similar to the 2010, with deep blackberry and black cherry liqueur with spice, garrigue, earth and saline minerals. A great CDP for aging, this is delicious now in its vibrant youth, but will repay waiting for ten years and then enjoy until 2050! Very highly recommended. David Lillie

Texier 2014 CdR St. Julien en St. Alban Domaine Pergaud Vieille Serine

From 70-year-old Syrah/Serine vines located on the west bank of the Rhône on granite soils that had been farmed exclusively by a protestant religious order known as D’Arbistes. There has never been a chemical introduced into this vineyard. "The 2014 St Julien Pergaud is ready to drink" says Eric "enjoy it now for its round tannins, with low alcohol and minimal SO2. My parents love it because it goes well with confit de canard!" The wine shows conplex, earthy aromas of blackberry, rose, black pepper and graphite with animal and smoky notes. The palate is cool and sapid with blackberry, prune, citrus and earth with a long finish with black fruit and mineral flavors. This is a delicious old vine Syrah reflecting the granite terroirs and M. Texier's superb farming and natural vinifications.

Lafouge 2020 Bourgogne Aligoté

 "The 2020 Bourgogne Aligoté from Domaine Lafouge is half barrel-fermented and half fermented in stainless steel and the combination works beautifully in 2020, as the wine offers up scents of green apple, lime, stony minerality and a pretty topnote of white flowers. On the palate the wine is crisp, full-bodied and racy, with a good core, fine focus and grip and a long, zesty finish. These vines are sixty years of age, so this is one of the top Aligoté bottlings one will come across in the Côte de Beaune."  John Gilman "View from the Cellar"

Lafouge 2019 Auxey-Duresses Les Hautés Blanc

The 2019 Lafouge Auxey-Duresses "Les Hautés" is from a north-facing parcel fairly high on the slope next to Meursault Les Vireuils.  Thia is a beautifully structured, firm and balanced  Chardonnay, even though the vintage was makrked by heat and drought. The wine shows a bright gold color with aromas of spiced pear and apple, melon, honeysuckle, stone, flint and lemon zest. The palate is dense and well structured with ripe white fruits, toasted almond, citrus and flinty mineral flavors - quite ripe but with firm citrusy acids and fabulous length.  Serve now with sole meunier, turbot and cod - this will be a beautiful wine with 5 to 8 years of cellaring.

Lestignac 2020 Vin de France Michel-Michel Bergerac Orange Semillon

An explosive, savory take on orange wine made from 100% Semillon in Bergerac.Very herbal and floral. Notes of orange blossom and thyme in addition to lemon,  green pear, sea salt and wet rocks. High acid and mineral with a saline finish.  An excellent true orange wine that can pair with a wide array of dishes including meat (had it at a French wine bar with a plate of charcuterie and duck rilletes, YUM!). Giselle Hamburg

Nikolaihof 2019 Wachau Grüner Veltliner Im Weingebirge Federspiel

Thought to be Europe's oldest documented vineyard, the name “Im Weingebirge” dates back to the 5th Century. The wines from this vineyard are known to have impressive depth and minerality. The soil is varied with loess on the higher terraces and deep topsoil over primary rock lower down the slope. The wine ages on its lees in old barrels, giving it a creamy texture. In 2019, the Gruner from this ancient vineyard comes across as sunny, fresh and ebullient. The nose is bright and zesty with lemon oil, stone fruit, stony minerality and crisp herbaceousness.  Flavors of citrus and pear mingle with white pepper, a hint of menthol and minerality. Bright acid with a zesty finsh. Super classic and sprightly! Giselle Hamburg

Brundlmayer 2019 Kamptal Loiserberg Grüner Veltliner Loiserberg EL

Erte Lage (1er cru) vinyard. This wine derives from a vineyard on the “Loiserberg” wherein one also finds the site “Berg Vogelsang”. The difference is that the Grüner Veltliner from “Loiserberg” grows on a south to southeast facing slope, which is less exposed to the winds. The soil stems from decomposing granite consisting of gneiss, mica-schist, and some clay and loess. The 2019 is an atypical vintage for Loiserberg showing an abundance of herbaceous notes such as vetiver and flint in addition to the green apple and citrus. Extremely mineral and herbaceous on the palate as well, backed with typical green apple and white pepper. Medium body and  cool acidity lead to a very savory long finish with a salty echo. A very serious Gruner begging for some hearty winter fare!  Giselle Hamburg

Meinklang 2020 Somló FOAM "Vulkan"

Demeter certified biodynamic farming; 35-60 year old vines on sandy, loam topsoil, volcanic subsoil; made in ancestral method with fermentation continuing in the bottle and bottled unfined/unfiltered under crown cap with a tiny bit of added SO2. From the volcanic soils of Somlo in Hungary near the Austrian border. A delightful Pet-nat made from Harslevelu and Juhfark. The nose explodes with tart green apple, lemonade and wet rocks. The palate is citrusy, mineral with bracing acidity and refreshing bubbles. The ultimate shift drink, for lovers of bone dry Ciders and salty Goses! Giselle Hamburg

Moric 2012 Burgenland Blaufränkisch Neckenmarkt Alte Reben

This bottling is from Moric's old-vine Blaufrankisch from the Neckenmarket vineyard. These are higher elevation, hillside parcels from 50-90 years old, with some slate and some limestone soils lending the wines their intense minerality. The fruit is organically farmed, fermented with indigenous yeasts in open-top fermenters, and then aged in mix of used French, Slavonian, Austrian, and German barrels. Intensely mineral yet balanced with deep fruit, earth and spice flavors and bright acidity keeping it lively on it's feet. A lengthy,concentrated finish leaves it superbly elegant.  For lovers of Mazis-Chambertins, Clos de la Roche and  Cote Rotie Cote Blonde. Giselle Hamburg

Halkia Assyrtiko 2019 Corinthia (Greece) Assyrtiko

From a one woman winery in Corinthia: Gleaming an electric lemon hue due to 4 days skin contact, this Assyrtiko still exhibits classic notes of intense lemons, salt and minerality. The palate offers flavors of citrus, and juicy green pear backed with bracing acidity, salinity and minerality. Medium bodied and  eminently poundable, this Assyrtiko is almost a doppelganger for Santorini's pricier versions. Great with seafood and white meats, grilled vegetables and salads. Giselle Hamburg

Suenen 2018 Base Champagne GC C + C Blanc de Blancs Extra-Brut

 Aurelien Suenen's wines  display his desire to release Champagnes that articulate a sense of place. He notes that in Cramant there is different terroir expression in the wines from the high vineyards and the lower lying vineyards, with the vines planted in the latter proving to be more distinctly chalky. C + C, a blend of wines from Chouilly and Cramant tends to be richer and more briny than the Oiry bottling. Pale yellow robe with fine bead and soft mousse. Nose offers pretty aromas of golden apple skin, orange oil (that’s the Cramant talking) and apple blossom. The palate is concentrated with flavors of stone fruit, preserved lemon, and toast. In the mouth this is broad and expansive, but not lacking for energy or flair on the incisively chalky finish. This could use a bit of time to knit, but it’s certainly delicious now. John McIlwain

Suenen 2018 Base Champagne Oiry GC Blanc de Blancs Extra-Brut

Wines from the village of Oiry are typically sold under the Cramant designation (we haven't been able to find another Champagne with this single village designation, as yet), so this is a fine opportunity to taste Oiry's distinctive, chalky terroir. Aurelien's parcels contain some very old Chardonnay vines which make for some pungently mineral, stony wines. The vins clairs are fermented partially in barrel, spend nine months on the lees. The 2018 was disgorged in June of 2021 and bottled with 3 g/l dosage.

AmByth Estate 2020 Santa Barbara County Coquelicot Riesling O.W.

Ambyth has been a CSW fave for years now. Their dedication to biodynamics and dry farming is unerring and they make unassuming but supremely expressive wines with little to no sulfur depending on the wine. They have always had a particular affinity for skin-contact white wines and this Riesling is one of two new offerings from the Coquelicot Vineyard. Fermented on the skins in clay amphorae, this is smells like ginger ale and peach pit. On the palate there is more peach, salted candied ginger and lovely earthy notes at the edges. There is nice grip and texture from the long maceration and some zingy Riesling acid to bind it all. Highly recommended for lovers of first-class skin contact wine. Sam Ehrlich

AmByth Estate 2020 Santa Barbara County Coquelicot Sauv Blanc O.W.

Ambyth has been a CSW fave for years now. Their dedication to biodynamics and dry farming is unerring and they make unassuming but supremely expressive wines with little to no sulfur depending on the wine. They have always had a particular affinity for skin-contact white wines and this Sauvignon is one of two new offerings from the Coquelicot Vineyard. This is extravgantly aromatic wine, bursting with passionfruit and fresh sage and more candied tropical fruit, fresh ginger and nectarine skin, it screams for southern Thai food, pho or even a hot chicken sandwich. Sam Ehrlich