Articles

(NOTE: Now a laureate of “Un des Meilleurs Ouvriers de France - Sommellerie” and Best French Sommelier, Chambers Street Wines is extremely proud to present this article by our good friend and neighbor at Racines NY, Pascaline Lepeltier. In 2014, Pascaline passed the Master Sommelier Diploma, and in 2018, she won 2 more major titles in her homeland: shemelier 2018. In January 2019, the...

[In the vineyards of Guímaro. The slopes of Ribeira Sacra are no joke! (Photo courtesy Jose Pastor Selections)] The Atlantic-inflected white and red wines of the Spanish northwest are special and unique. In all of the wines we are offering today, there's a lift and sense of freshness that distinguishes them from wines of other regions, and a seam of minerality that connects them...

[Of all the bright young growers in Champagne, perhaps one of the most compelling is Aurelien Suenen of Cramant] There's a great deal to admire in the Champagnes and ethic of Aurelien Suenen. His wines combine beautiful fruit with a frank minerality in a graceful way. This results from conscientious farming (Suenen has been in transition to organic certification since 2009) and deft work...

There’s a vinicultural revival going on across the sprawling Douro Valley. Younger winemakers are taking charge of their families’ estates or bringing their own independent projects to fruition. A new generation is making wine unlike the Portuguese table wine we’ve come to know, particularly in the Douro Valley, the oldest demarcated appellation in Western Europe. Eponymous with Port wine, the Douro Valley has been...

[Luigi Tecce pouring his wines. (photo from the PortoVino website)] From John Gilman's View from the Cellar #63: "Luigi Tecce is clearly amongst the very finest, if not the finest, winemakers in Taurasi today and he will be a superstar in the very near future...the Bruno Giacosa of the region." I've heard similar superlatives from many people I respect in the industry, including the...

While it is unlike us to associate certain wines with certain seasons, the chill of winter simply requires a degree of decadence that I can only find in the savory and sumptuous white wine from the Jura. Perhaps I am biased, but when the cold wind is at one's cheeks, who can deny the revitalizing effects of a hearty sous-voile? Further, few vignerons craft...

Early this year, at the tail end of a trip visiting vineyards and attending wine tastings in France, I took two days to visit Portugal. I had already heard many great things about Lisbon, and had always been fascinated and intrigued by the wines of a tiny region called Colares, so I headed to Lisbon and then drove west through the enchanting castle town...

[Bruno Schueller in the cellar and a caricature of Jean Ginglinger (with anatomically correct nose!) Photos: Amanda Bowman] Bruno Schueller and Jean Ginglinger are cousins, and coincidentally also two of the most talented natural wine producers in Alsace. It's been a long time coming, but we've finally been able to put together an offering of their wines, albeit in limited quantity. Here you'll find...

[The Gredos Mountain - Daniel Ramos Vineyards - courtesy of Daniel Ramos Website] After discovering the potential of the various terroirs of the Gredos mountains (near Madrid, and home to one of the highest peaks of mainland Spain), Daniel Ramos and his wife Pepi established themselves in the town of El Tiemblo. Daniel Ramos has been making wines there since 2010, and currently owns about...

[Gobelet-trained vines close to the winery at Clos Fantine (photo: A.Bowman)] Clos Fantine is a small family winery that sits on breezy, sloping hills behind the commune of Cabrerolles in the Faugères AOC. The long road that winds up to the front door is lined with brightly colored wildflowers sprouting between slabs of exposed schist, and 9 hectares of gnarly vines and fruit trees....

Niçoise salad is a classic dish in France and all around the word. Most French eat this salad during the summer with a glass of wine, relaxing on their patio or terrace. It is a salad that reflects the flavors of the South of France: warmth and generous. Recipes vary among families and localities, and there are many debates as to which ingredients should...

3/21/2018 Bernard Baudry in his cellars in January 2018 I mostly eat a vegetarian diet, but I occasionally long for a nice steak or beef dish. Last week, I satisfied my cravings by making a steak tartare à la Française. There are many recipes for steak tartare, from traditional to exotic, with various choices of condiments and spices. However, being born and raised in...

3/5/2018 [Ripe Ciliegiolo grapes at San Ferdinando courtesy of Simone Zucchetti] The more I learn about Italian wine, the more I am staggered by the sheer number of grapes that are indigenous to the country.  Beyond the more familiar varieties like Sangiovese and Nebbiolo, there are almost 400 distinct varieties registered with the Italian government and as many as 400 other traditional varieties that...

1/10/2018 [Evan Lewandowski  - Photo Taken by Michael Friberg] With the new year starting, resolutions are taken to follow an healthier lifestyle. A glass of wine to accompany a healthy meal once in a while will help you stick to the resolutions without affecting them. For this month, I have chosen to make a creamy broccoli soup from “The Love & Lemons” Cookbook. The...

Loreline Laborde is living the fantasy many city dwellers have during rush hour: fleeing the city to live a quiet life in harmony with nature. After completing her formal studies in viticulture, Loreline left the bustling city of Montpellier to make wine in the undulating foothills of Tourmont, a village near Poligny. She established Les Granges Paquenesses in 2010 with almost 2 hectares planted...