1/16/26 - 

Today's email celebrates new arrivals from Nicole and John at the Clos des Gravillas in the Languedoc as well as a TINY allocation of the vibrant wines from Philippe and Simon Tessier in Cheverny!
 
And, thanks to our friend Eric Asimov's recent article in the NY Times, the delicious and affordable 2022 Château Peybonhomme-les-Tours Blaye-Côtes de Bordeaux from the Hubert family sold out immediately - but, we have half-bottles of this gorgeous and great value for only $11.99!!  Not to mention the Hubert's two best wines, the 2022 Quintessence de Peybonhomme and the 2020 Chateau La Grolet Tête de Cuvée. And we're reminding you about their playful and delicious 2024 "Vacances de Monsieur Merlot" and the beautiful Pet-Nat "Amour du Risque!"

We love the wines from Nicole and John Bojanowski at the Clos des Gravillas in St. Jean de Minervois! The reds are distinctive and full-flavored but retain a fabulous purity and freshness that makes them absolutely delicious served cool. We particularly love the whites, made from local and ancient grape varieties - they are crystalline, subtle and mineral, with refreshing acidity - perfect with seafoods, salads and light meals. The orange wine - "A Fleur du Peau" - is one of the very best, and the sparkling "Jour de Teuf," is a delight - if you haven't tried these wonderful wines, please do so today, they are all highly recommended!

"Our 9 ha vineyard on the Causse, at an altitude of 270 metres, benefits from a providential coolness descending from the Montagnes Noires on summer nights. The very mineral landscape makes it possible to imagine the nature of the wines. Biodiversity is a watchword, we are within the Haut Languedoc Natural Park and in a Natura 2000 protected area. Organic farming, of course. Agroforestry is practiced with the establishment or restoration of trees and hedges. An ideal "oasis" that serves as a refuge and creates havens of freshness. A living soil is essential to reflect a terroir and make unique wines. In addition to the biodynamic preparations, the vineyard is planted with legumes and grasses to create a mulch/ground cover and not leave the soil bare."
 
Indeed the location is extraordinary - a plateau surrounded by hills and mountains, composed of solid limestone with "soil" of limestone rocks and fossilized seashells. John and Nicole are serious, experienced winemakers who take advantage of this unusual spot to make profound wines of terroir that are both incredibly delicious and great fun to drink - in the true spirit of wine as a beverage to be shared and enjoyed. From the complex, delicate and beautifully made orange wine "A Fleur de Peau" to the dark and stormy "Cote Obscur," here is a rage of wines that is joyful and creative - we invite you to try them all!

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Domaine Phillipe Tessier, Cheverny
In a similar spirit to that of Nicole and John at Gravillas, Phillipe and Simon Tessier make incredibly delicious, soulful and distinctive wines in Cheverny and Cour-Cheverny. These are not expensive wines but they are certainly among our favorite wines from the Loire Valley that we enjoy drinking every year - if there is any left!
This season's allocation is tiny so don't delay in grabbing a few of each of these wines...
The Tessier's vineyards are all organically farmed, certified, since 1998 and we particularly like that minimal or zero SO2 is used - and the exact specifications for each wine are available on their website. The surface is roughly split 50/50 between the white and the red grapes: 6.5 ha of Romorantin, 5 of Sauvignon, 1 of Chardonnay and some Menu Pineau For the red they grow 6 ha of Pinot Noir, 4.5 of Gamay, .3 ha of Pineau d’Aunis they planted 10 years ago and some Côt.

-David Lillie

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