Articles

11/5/17 - In January of 2013, Eben and I spent some time wandering around the Medoc, hoping to find some wine we liked among the over-extracted, over-oaked, modern wines of Bordeaux and their neatly herbicided vineyards. We were ecstatic to find "Planquette" in Saint-Yzan, Didier Michaud's two hectare organic estate - our fifth vintage of this beautiful Vin de France (2015) is arriving soon....

11/3/17 - While we love Bordeaux (at least the old school stuff), we often find the modern wines to be too manipulated for our tastes. Too often the wines range from uninspiring to over-priced and over-oaked, a far cry from the classic Claret on which we cut our teeth. This is a shame, as there are few wines that combine deliciousness and elegance with...

11/2/17 - For sherry lovers and collectors, there are no scents or flavors more mouth-watering than those created by flor yeast, no image more fascinating than a cobwebbed cask of long-lost wine, and no words more resonant than "La Bota." Eduardo Ojeda and Jesús Barquín are Equipo Navazos, the unique duo behind La Bota, a series of bottlings that explore the stylistic range of wines from Jerez and Montilla-Moriles and the...

11/1/17- The terroirs of Barolo and Barbaresco have been endlessly examined and explored by wine drinkers seeking out different expression of Nebbiolo; however, the wines of Roero just to the north seem to have a bit of a hazy image. It is a region composed of steep slopes of soils that are largely sandy and well draining. Nebbiolo grown here gives wines that are...

10/28/17 - In our second installment of a series of emails focused on Alsace, we present the wines of Pierre and Chantal Frick. The Fricks have been working organically since 1970, and have been certified Biodynamic since 1981. They are incredibly passionate about the importance of living soils that contribute to the health of the vines and the complexity of the wines. As they...

10/25/17 - When speaking about the weather extremes of the 2016 vintage in Germany, many winemakers reflected on the new normal of having record-breaking weather every year. In late spring and early summer of 2016, the deluge of rain made for Peronospora (downy mildew) troubles for many, especially those who farm organically. Also, if one chose to aggressively de-leaf for increased air flow against the mildew during the wet months, they...

10/19/17 - This wine is delicious and easy to drink, but it seems clear that it’s a baby, and will have a lot more to offer after a few more years in bottle. I’ve tasted it twice in recent months – the first time probably too soon after it had been shipped; last Friday it was much more open, complex, and appealing.  We had...

10/18/17 - There are certain vignerons whose wines we eagerly anticiapte with each new vintage. Near the top of that list is Simon Bize et Fils. Arguably the finest grower in Savigny-Les-Beaune, the domaine was run by the talented Patrick Bize, who tragically passed away in 2013. The reins have been ably picked up by his wife Chisa and sister Marielle. The hallmarks of...

10/10/17 - A trek through Taganana with Roberto Santana of Envínate demands focus and footwork to keep from skidding down the vine-coated cliffs, which appear to drop directly into the Atlantic. Known more to hikers than wine drinkers these days, this corner of northwestern Tenerife -- geologically, one of the island's oldest -- was a popular winegrowing zone in the 1600s, according to Santana. Its iron-rich tosca roja and rocky black volcanic...

9/29/17 - At a certain point, when one reflects on all the wines they have been fortunate enough to taste, certain growers stand out for their ability to capture the character and quality of every vintage. Yet the best of these vignerons also offer their own signature to the wines much like a painter's signature is reflected by their brushstroke. Over time we await...

9/28/17 - Today we offer the first installment in a series of emails meant to shed light on the dynamic wines and winemakers of Alsace, with a focus on producers who work organically and biodynamically in the vineyards and with little or no added sulfites in the cellar. Our spotlight today is on Domaine Geschickt in Ammerschwihr. The estate was started by Bernadette Meyer...

9/14/17 - (Image from the book "Frère de Terroirs," which follows chefs Jacques Ferrandez and Yves Camdeborde on their travels through France. Thomas Finot is shown welcoming the chef duo to his garage winery in Bernin) We're proud to introduce the wines of Thomas Finot, a young winemaker who, after experience in different regions of France, discovered abandonned vineyards in the Coteaux du Gresivaudan"...

9/13/17 - It’s common promo-speak to say that "we are very excited to…" but this time it’s really true. We are very excited that Peter Liem’s book on champagne* is about to be published. Why? Because Peter is one of the smartest tasters of champagne we know (in truth, he’s one of the smartest tasters we know of any wine), and a wonderful writer...

9/8/17 - Despite the disastrous frost that hit the Loire Valley in the spring of 2016, our friends Marc, Rémi and Gwenaëlle at Domaine de la Pépière were able to make a small quantity of their classic old-vine cuvée, the Muscadet Sèvre-et Maine Sur Lie "Clos des Briords," which arrives on October 2nd. Although there was not enough juice in this difficult vintage to...

9/3/17 - Much like white pants, rosé after Labor Day is controversial. Some might say that rosé season has come and gone. And they, like white pants, would be wrong. There are some things that just can't be rushed, like love, and native yeast fermentations.  In March, Nicolas Gonin tantalized one of his U.S. importer's salespeople, Sophie Barrett (MFW), with a tank sample of his 2016 rosé....