News

100 Year-Old Vines: 200 Cases Produced
- 2014 & 2016 Roches Neuves Saumur-Champigny Les Mémoires

There's no doubt that Les Mémoires stands as one of the Loire's grandest examples of Cabernet Franc, boasting a startling depth, sophistication and old vine complexity. Roches Neuves is one of the Loire's elite producers.

"It’s rare to find a champagne, or indeed, a wine of any kind, as profound" - Selosse Sous le Mont NV

All summer we've been working through Selosse's lieux-dits. Today, we turn to what is likely the most personality-filled one among a cast of utterly singular Champagnes.

A Benchmark, 0.8HA:
2017 Baudry Chinon La Croix Boissée Blanc

Baudry is the master of Chinon. To a very large extent, it's the Croix Boissée vineyard that's solidified the domaine's benchmark status. There's something incredibly compelling in Croix Boissée's finesse, detail and tightly coiled minerality. 

The Perennial Overachiever Revisited:
2016 Jamet Collines Rhodaniennes IGP

In the Northern Rhône, 2016 is shaping up to be an absolutely beautiful vintage. For people who love classically styled vintages (think of 2010 and 2013), this will be an important vintage.

2015 Gonon Saint-Joseph

When it comes to Gonon's wines, the world has turned upside down. Gonon's Saint-Josephs have attracted a cult following and landing the wines has become an arduous and expensive endeavor.

The Incredible Lightness of Beaujolais:
2016 Metras Beaujolais

We love Métras in vintages like 2016. In these years, they show vividness, delineation and straight-up joyful drinking. For us, there's no better place to witness this than the 2016 Beaujolais.

"The 2014 is a superb wine" -
2014 Brovia Barolo Unio

The past handful of vintages have offered ample evidence that Brovia is at the top of their game. Their 2014 Brovia Barolo Ūnĭo may offer the most persuasive argument for inclusion among Piedmont's elite.

2017 Lapierre Morgon Magnums

Lapierre is one of the standard-bearers of Beaujolais. We'll keep this brief.

Transcending the Category:
2016 Fourrier Gevrey-Chambertin VV

We never miss an opportunity to offer Fourrier's Gevrey. Like Roumier’s Chambolle and Mugneret-Gibourg’s Vosne-Romanée, Fourrier’s Gevrey VV is far from an ordinary village-level Burgundy. The wine is endowed with gorgeous breeding, diamond-cut precision and a deep, nuanced complexity.

"Simply one of the world’s elite wines"
- 2000 Montevertine Le Pergole Torte 12 Liters

Montevertine's Le Pergole Torte is a wine that we're in awe of. Today, we celebrate Pergole Torte in a very big way.

"The wine is beautifully playful on the palate" - Mosel Fine Wines
2016 Willi Schaefer Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spätlese

After the 2011 vintage, Schaefer replanted the Wehlener Sonnenhuhr vineyard. There was no wine seen from the site until a 2015 Auslese was released. Today, we're happy to offer the first Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spätlese that we've seen from Schaefer in half a decade. 

"I like the balance and transparency"
- 2016 Drouhin Beaune 1er Cru Clos des Mouches Rouge

Simply put: Clos des Mouches is a very special site. If Beaune is known for being somewhat sturdy and rustic, Clos des Mouches is something of an anomaly; the wine is strikingly elegant, suave and silky in texture.

Without Peer: 2015 Roumier Chambolle-Musigny

For me, Roumier's Chambolle is the greatest villages wine in all of Burgundy. Even when you stack it up against other top villages Burgundies, you realize that it exists on its own plane.

2016 FX Pichler Riesling Unendlich

F.X. Pichler's Unendlich is the hardest Austrian wine for us to land in quantity. Each year we spend a ridiculous amount of time tracking down a few cases of the wine. The 2016 Unendlich was an especially hard vintage to secure, but recently we had the opportunity to buy a second parcel of the 2016 Unendlich and jumped on it.

Technology Upgrade

Last Chance at a Legend - Sharp Pricing:
2002 Dom Pérignon

2002 is simply an epic DP. It will go down as one of the most iconic wines that we've seen from them in our time. Over the past few months, I've had multiple opportunities to taste the 2002. And it's blown me away. It's rare for a wine that I've always thought was special to continue to gain stature in my mind.

An 11th Century Clos - 50 Cases Made: 2017 Roches Neuves Saumur Blanc Clos Romans

Clos Romans stands as one of the great expressions of Chenin. Clos Romans is one of the most important wines of the Loire. Many tasters compare it to Corton-Charlemagne. That helps convey the amount of regal complexity and soaring tension that it offers. Along with the Memoires Rouge, the Clos Romans Blanc represents the top of Roches Neuves' range.

"It’s rare to find a champagne, or indeed, a wine of any kind, as profound" -Peter Liem
Selosse Le Mesnil-Sur-Oger Les Carelles Grand Cru Extra Brut

Mesnil produces absolutely magical Chardonnay and Selosse's Carelles takes it to a singular and utterly compelling level. The wine has an astonishing resonance and finesse. Carelles works on an epic scale with an incredible nuance and refinement.

The Master of Chinon
2015 Baudry Chinon La Croix Boissée

Baudry is one of my favorite producers. Baudry's style is beautifully detailed, vividly transparent and refined. Croix Boissée is Baudry's top bottling and epitomizes what makes Baudry's wines so special.

2014 Canonica Barolo Paiagallo

Canonica turns out some of the most captivating and soulful Barolos around. Their purity and their textural complexity is mind-blowing.

"One of the finest grower-producers" -
Ledru Extra Brut NV

Ledru's Extra Brut is one of our favorite of Ledru's bottlings and exemplifies the best that non-dosage Champagne has to offer.

2017 Pascal Cotat Chavignol Rosé

Pascal Cotat's Rosé occupies a very special place. Few, if any rosés, age better or with more elegance. We've had bottles with 10 and even 20 years of age that have blown us away. The 2002 is a legendary bottle around here.

On 112 Year Old Vines and Germany's Backroads:
2014 Durst Portugieser P

Andreas Durst spends most of his time being the go-to photographer of the German wine scene. However, behind his house is what appears to be a haphazard assortment of barrels.

"Impeccable Balance" - 2010 Dauvissat Chablis 1er Cru Séchet

Séchet is for purists. It’s a bottling that boasts deep cut and a blatant expression of saline minerality. There’s a directness and elegance to Séchet that always impresses us.