Professional Documents
Culture Documents
France
Loire Pays Nantais
Domaine de la Bregeonnette
Joseph Orieux founded this domaine in the town of Vallet in the 1960's and has been organic from the start, recently becoming certified (only 12
producers out of 600+ actually have the certification). Today, Joseph's grandson, Stphane Orieux upholds his family's traditions of organic farming,
hand-harvesting, wild yeast fermentations, and long, sur-lie aging. Due to the many decades of experience, Bregeonnette has become a reference
point for other winemakers in the region who want to learn how to work organically in the vines. Even Marc Ollivier of Domaine de la Ppire consults
Stphane when he has questions about organic treatments. The same care and dedication to quality is present throughout the entire range of wines.
Everything is harvested by hand, including the Gros Plant, and the top, single-parcel wine, "Clos de la Coudray", spends 18 months sur-lie.
Loire Anjou-Saumur
Bertin-Delatte
In the past decade or so, the town of Rablay-sur-Layon has become a small hub for dedicated young winemakers in the Loire Valley. Theres a strong
community spirit each year the town organizes a small music festival, and there is a cooperative grocery store in the town center. Genevive Delatte
and Nicolas Bertin started out in the area working for other winemakers, and in 2008, they purchased their own small vineyard, a 1.5ha lieu-dit named
"LEchalier". In 2012 they built a small home and winery at the edge of their vines and found a few other small vineyards in the hills around Rablay.
The winemaking philosophy is to keep things simple; accompany the vines, the grapes, and the wine. Spend a lot of time observing, intervene as little
as possible.
Gar'O'Vin
Cdric Garreau can only be classified as a micro-vigneron. From just under 3ha of vines around Beaulieu-sur-Layon, he makes tiny amounts of
exceptional Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon in a tiny stone building across from his home at the edge of the vineyards. It would be safe to
call him a Cabernet prodigy from his first vintage in 2010, he has been embraced by local wine drinkers and continues to sell the majority of wines
locally at regular weekend barbecues at the winery. All of his vineyards are certified organic, and winemaking is precise, but with a laissez-faire
attitude. Cdric is adept at reusing high-quality traditional equipment that his larger neighbors are eager to get rid of after purchasing the latest
marvels, and it turns out that with old-fashioned equipment, and a traditional approach, Cdric is making some of the best wines in the Loire Valley.
Vins Hodgson
The Hodgsons' story is irresistibly bizarre: they're Japanese-Canadian winemakers who've settled in Rablay-sur-Layon via Vancouver and the Tochigi
prefecture of Japan. Kenji and Mai met in Vancouver, where Kenji studied engineering before abandoning it to work as a wine writer. Further curiosity
led them to intern at wineries in BC and Japan. Along the way, they became interested in natural wine, experimenting with low-sulfur use and natural
fermentation, and tasting widely among the plethora of French natural wines imported in Japan. So in 2009, Kenji and Mai decided to up and move to
France to work harvest with the legendary Mark Angli of Ferme de la Sansonnire in Anjou. A year later, with encouragement from natural Loire
luminaries like Olivier Cousin and Claude Courtois, they purchased their first 3ha of vineyards in Rablay-sur-Layon, and are finally producing their first
wines under their own labels.
Loire Touraine
Domaine Courtault-Tardieux
As a teenager, Simon Tardieux began working in the vines of Catherine Roussel and Didier Barrouillet of Clos Roche Blanche. After university and a
short stint as a social worker, Simon decided to return to his hometown and get back to his true calling: working outside in the vines. The only problem
was that he didnt have any vineyards. So, he teamed up with his neighbor, Alain Courtault, who has long been practicing organics (Alain was the
third producer in the region to practice organic viticulture, starting back in 1998). Together, they make a range of simple, eminently drinkable wines.
Domaine Guion
There are few properties in France that can boast such a great pioneering legacy in organic farming as Domaine Guion. In the 1950s, the Guion
family established their farm in the heart of the Bourgueil appellation, a stones throw from the banks of the Loire River. Since it was a polycultural
estate, the family was able to live almost entirely off the land. By 1965,they began farming organically, with a holistic understanding of its effects far
ahead of their time. Since taking the reins from his father in 1990, Stphane Guion has a put a much greater emphasis on viticulture, managing 8.5ha
of land. Quiet and curious, he is a well-respected member of the vigneron community in Bourgueil and is often consulted by other growers eager to
adopt organic farming practices. While Stphane rarely appears at tastings and trade shows, it is clear that the extra time in the vineyards and cellars
is well spent.Situated on meticulously cultivated clay and limestone soils, the Guions vineyards range from 10-80 years old, with the younger vines
designated for the Cuve Domaine and the older for the Cuve Prestige. Stphane prunes the buds rather than clusters to achieve a judicious
yield and hand harvests all of his fruit. In the cellar, he only employs native yeasts and allows a moderate maceration of the grapes. Once the bottles
are ready for aging, they are stored in a large cave shared with six other families that once served as a historic Resistance hideout during World War
II. Rustic, focused, and lively, with fresh acidity and minerality, the wines of Domaine Guion are known for their fine tannins, great aging potential, and
terrific price.
Le Sot de l'Ange
Quentin Bourse took over his friend's property in the Touraine subzone of Azay-le-Rideau, a winery that had been certified organic for years, and
started vinifying the way he learned. We originally met him years ago, and we've seen him working all over in various cellars and vineyards, listening
and watching those people we admire: The naturalists, the biodynamists (his last gig before setting up his own shop was at the legendary Domaine
Huet in Vouvray) Basically, he's worked with everyone except the big, bad guys. Now, the work in his own vineyards is respectful of the earth it's
grown on, and what happens in the cellar is unobtrusive to the point where it's impossible to categorize a style of the wines other than "just damn
good". Well priced, super clean sans souffre (or just a little SO2 in the case of the Chenin), biodynamic wine, made by a new winemaker that we
believe will be one to watch in the years to come.
Les Capriades
Pascal Potaire and Moses Gadouche of Les Capriades are known as "Les Rois du Pt-Nat" (the Kings of Pt-Nat) in France. Their expertise on the
subject makes them a reference for winemakers who want to learn to raise and handle of cuve of natural bubbly. While pt-nat started mostly as a
way for winemakers to make bubbles without sending it off to a champagnisateur, Pascal and Moses have elevated it, and in fact, 95% of their total
production is pt-nat. If you've ever tried one of the wines, you already know what we are talking about. If you haven't, consider this: every single
maker in the Loire that makes a ptillant naturel makes it with Les Capriades in mind. There are no other pt-nats that will keep as long open
(seriously, a bottle can stay open in your fridge with no cork for 2 days, and still have the same amount of bubbles), that will age as well, or that are
more balanced, more refreshing. Made with all organic grapes from Touraine, no sulfur, no yeasting, no dosage, no nothing.
Michel Autran
Although his first official vintage wasnt until 2013, Michel Autran is already making a name for himself as one of the top producers in Vouvray. This
didnt just happen out of the blue though, as Michel has quietly been putting in the work behind the scenes for many years now. Michel started off as
a doctor, working in emergency medicine for nearly 20 years, but somewhere along the way the wine bug bit. Despite being in his 40s, Michel
eventually decided a career change was the only solution and he set about acquiring the necessary experience, working with and learning from some
of the top Chenin producers in the world, people like Franois Pinon, Vincent Carme, the Joussets, Frantz Saumon, Ludovic Chanson, and more. In
2011, he was able to purchase just under 1ha of prime vineyards in Noizay to start, and slowly expanded to 3.8ha today. Farming is completely
organic, and due to the steepness of some of the plots a horse is necessary for the vineyard work. The vines are all very old, between 50-70 years,
and all replanting is with massale selection of old vines from Pinon. Harvesting is by hand and with multiple tries to ensure the small team of workers
make the best selection in the vineyard. Fermentation begins with native yeast in stainless steel before immediately being racked off by gravity into
barrel, some new, but most 4-12 years old and coming from friends like Carme or the late Stphane Cossais. A small amount of sulfur is used at
dbourbage if necessary, otherwise the wines are raised completely sans souffre. The resulting wines have it all: purity, elegant fruit, incredible length,
richness balanced by enamel-stripping acidity, and off-the-charts minerality.
Mikal Bouges
Mikal Bouges works a small, 8ha estate in the village of Faverolles-sur-Cher in Touraine. For years he labored on his father's estate in a neighboring
village, but after his father retired, Mikal could not afford to buy his fathers share and was forced to look for new vineyard sites to establish his own
domaine. With the help of Catherine and Didier Barouillet of Clos Roche Blanche, Mikal managed to acquire his current parcels of Ct, Sauvignon
Blanc, Menu Pineau, and Chenin that he farms organically. No additions except a small amount of SO2 at bottling.
Loire Centre
Vincent Grall
Since 1999, Vincent Grall has quietly been making tiny amounts of Sancerre in his garage from 3.8ha of vines, making him the second smallest
producer in the region. The production is split between two white cuves coming from two distinct sites that are each vinified and aged differently, per
the soil type. While the sites are blended, "Cuve Tradition" is mostly from the silex soils around the main hill of Sancerre, Le Plateau, and is done
entirely in stainless. "Le Manoir" comes mostly from Le Manoir de LEtang where the soils are more marl and clay, and is aged in 600L barrels that
are 3-4 years old. Although not certified, the soils are worked manually and organic treatments are used. The intention is to work as naturally as
possible in both the vineyards and the cellar, but they will intervene if they risk losing their crop in bad vintages. Unlike most Sancerre producers, all
harvesting is done by hand.
Alsace
Marc Temp
BBased in the small town of Zellenberg (population 300), Marc Temp unapologetically crafts some of the most nuanced, terroir-expressive wines in
Alsace. The domaine was started in 1993 when Marc and his wife, Anne-Marie, combined vineyard holdings from both of their families, forming the
8.5ha of the domaine today. Initially working as a lab technician and vineyard expert for the INAO, Marc used his experience to immediately convert
the vines to biodynamics and has been an ardent practitioner since. After harvesting by hand, the fruit is pressed off extremely slowly, which helps
keep the natural acidity much higher than many in the region. Depending on the vineyard size, quality, or grape variety, fermentation occurs in either
old foudres or Burgundy barrels, and always with native yeast. In fact, when additional barrels are needed, Marc will only buy from growers who also
work biodynamically. The wines are then allowed to find their own balance, resting on their lees in barrel for a minimum of two years (some of the
Grand Crus age for nearly four years). Not only does Marc believe this helps emphasize terroir, but it also helps him keep sulfur levels as low as
possible. At bottling, there is no fining, and filtering only if necessary
Ruppert-Leroy
Ruppert-Leroy is an up-and-coming domaine started by the young Bndicte Leroy, who is making some of the most exciting wines in the Aube today.
In the 1980s, the Leroy's decided to convert a clearing to vineyards when it was no longer economically viable to raise sheep on, initially selling all the
fruit to the local coop. After working with Bertrand Gautherot of Vouette et Sorbe, Bndicte decided to quit her job as a PE teacher and take over
the domaine just as her father was getting ready to retire in 2009. She immediately converted the 4ha (not counting the garden or small pasture the
family still raises animals on) to organics and took all winemaking duties in-house, making wines inspired by her mentor. Now practicing biodynamics,
Bndicte is focused on making wine in a method that is as simple as possible; each cuve comes from a single vintage of a single vineyard, bottled
Brut Nature with no dosage.
Burgundy Chablis
Domaine Grard Duplessis
A family domaine for five generations now, Lilian is the latest vigneron of an estate created in 1895, taking over for his father Grard in 1999. After
going to school and internships in the region (There was no point in making Sauvignon blanc in New Zealand, I needed to know how to work
Chardonnay in Burgundy he says), Lilian has turned the domaine into one of the very few organic estates in Chablis. Vinifications are done in
stainless steel, then most of the Premier Crus (all but Vaugiraut) and Grand Cru spend time in old barriques for levage. All the wines are fermented
naturally and sulfured between 20 and 30 ppm at bottling. Lilian makes some of the purest, most terroir-driven wines in the region. "If there was a
category for the "best kept secret in Chablis", Domaine Duplessis would be one of my top two picks." - Allen Meadows, Burghound
Burgundy Mconnais
Domaine des Gandines
Domaine des Gandines was founded by Joseph Dananchet at the beginning of the 20th century. At the time, it was a polycultural farm like most
others in the area with cows, pigs, sheep, wheat, and a couple of hectares of vines. The property slowly expanded over the years, and in 2003,
Benjamin Dananchet the 4th Dananchet generation joined forces with his father, Robert, slowly bringing the vineyard holdings to 13ha they farm
today while also converting to organic viticulture (certified in 2009). Since 2011, they have even begun working biodynamically, which they feel helps
retain higher natural acidities. Benjamin was recently joined by his brother, Florent, who is now assisting in the cellar. Soils are an important focus of
the Dananchets' methodology for the enhancing the vine's nutrition. The family uses no herbicides on the ground, and the soils are plowed to give air
to the microorganisms while eliminating the grass without weed killers. In order to preserve the integrity of the grapes and avoid oxidation, all grapes
are harvested by hand. Grapes are pressed whole-cluster (no destemming) and are allowed to ferment slowly with native yeast, with the only addition
being a small amount of sulfur just before bottling.
Domaine Thillardon
Contemporary Beaujolais is rife with opportunity overlooked terroirs, abandoned vines, appellations ripe for rehabilitation. But few young vignerons
have committed to such ambitious challenges as brothers Paul-Henri and Charles Thillardon, who have positioned themselves as the future of
Beaujolais' smallest, sleepiest cru, Chnas. In 2008, Paul-Henri Thillardon began making wine from 3ha of vineyards, with the conviction that Chnas
has always been unjustifiably overshadowed by Moulin--Vent. He has slowly added new parcels to form the 12ha he works today. From the start,
he has farmed organically, working some of the vineyards with a horse and using biodynamic treatments. In 2009, he met Fleurie winemakers and
lynchpins of the Fleurie natural winemaking scene, Jean-Louis Dutraive and Yvon Mtras, who took the young Paul-Henri under their wing. Until
2015, Paul-Henri partially destemmed most cuves and practiced a more Burgundian vinification. Starting in 2014, he decided to switch to semi-
carbonic, and then went fully cool semi-carbonic in 2015, following in the footsteps of his mentors. With the dedication and attention to detail of the
Thillardons, the future of natural Chnas is in good hands.
Roland Pignard
Hardly a newcomer to winemaking, Roland Pignard took over the family estate in 1977 and immediately turned towards organic practices. In 2004,
he and his wife Jolle sold off most of the estate, retaining only 4.5ha to concentrate on better farming, and received organic (Ecocert) and then
biodynamic (Demeter) certification. Vineyard treatments rely on biodynamic preparations with minimal copper-sulfate, and all tilling is done by horse-
drawn implements so as to not compact the soil. Picking is done by a crew of 20 (the same pickers each year, which is very important says Roland)
and carbonic macerations are short (only 6 to 12 days depending on the cuve) as Roland feels that long macerations can result in the development
of undesirable yeasts and bacterias, and gives wines that are too extracted. All the wines are aged in cement cuves (except one cuve of Morgon
called "Tradition"), and no SO2 is used during fermentation or levage, with a minimal dose added before bottling, giving a total of about 8-10mg/L.
The resulting wines have subtle, pure fruit with perfect acidity and a pronounced mineral character with graphite, stone and earthy qualities.
Savoie/Isre
Domaine Belluard
In all likelihood, you've never heard of Ayze or it's local, rather obscure, indigenous grape, Gringet. After all, there are only 22ha of it left in the world
(of which Dominique owns 12ha). The obscurity is too bad, because Dominique Belluard tireless works here, with this grape, striving to create some
of the most singular, compelling wines around. In 2001, Dominique decided to convert his vineyards to biodynamics, which he feels interferes the
least with the 700-year history of viticulture in Ayze (some people speculate that Gringet pre-dates the Roman influence in the area). When he didn't
like what wood and steel were doing to his wines, he switched to concrete eggs, as he felt the smaller volumes and controlled aeration they provided
yielded the best results for his small, unique parcels. Prior to Dom rediscovering the variety, Gringet was used almost exclusively for sparkling wine
intended for casual chugging. Dom honors that heritage and makes beautiful sparkling Gringet (made entirely in-house, a rarity for the region). He
also explores the grapes potential for still wines, making some of the truest expressions of Ayzes mountain terroir.
Domaine Dupasquier
David Dupasquier is a fifth generation winemaker at this ultra-traditional domaine. He and his sister Veronique run the domaine, but their Father Noel
is still very much involved in the vineyards and in the cellar. The vineyards are located in a southwestern lobe of the Savoie close to the Rhne Valley
in the town of Aimavigne, home to the incredibly steep "Marestel" cru, the most prestigious vineyard in the area. The vines benefit from steep, sun-
drenched slopes, primarily limestone soil, and the cooling effects of Lake Bourget. David works these vineyards with a tractor and by hand the
Marestel vines entirely by hand, as it is too steep to work with a tractor. Plowing is done once per year for every other row as David believes that the
biodiversity this leaves in the vineyard is critical for the quality of wines. Harvest is by hand and clusters are hand selected. The word traditional
invariably gets used when Dupasquiers wines come up in conversation. There are many reasons for this, one being that the wines see quite a long
period of aging in old, neutral barrel and in bottle before release. In other regions, this type of regimen might not be so unusual, but it certainly is in
the Savoie, where the typical wine is fermented with added yeast and vinified quickly in stainless steel. This brings us to another aspect of the
Dupasquiers traditionalism: all the wines are fermented with native yeast, and even in the coldest years, they dont inoculate. The style of these
wines absolutely reflects the place, as well as the vineyard and cellar work. Theres a warmth and ripeness to the wines that calls the Rhne Valley to
mind, yet with freshness, acidity, and cut reminiscent of the Savoie.
Domaine du Chapitre
Frdric Dorthe runs his family's 20ha of vineyards located on the right bank of the Rhne river in the picturesque town of Saint-Marcel d'Ardche.
Due to long-standing contracts to sell most of his fruit, Fred's domaine has flown under the radar for a long time. On the bright side, this allows him
to make small amounts of honest, highly-drinkable wines from Southern Rhne grapes fermented and aged in cement with no additions except a
small amount of SO2 at bottling, and sell them for a song.
Langeudoc
Le Clos des Jarres
Les Clos de Jarres is an ambitious new domaine in Minervois started by the young Vivien Hemelsdael. Viviens parents had originally farmed the land
here for over 25 years, selling the fruit to the local cooperative. After studying winemaking around the world and in France in Alsace, where he initially
became interested in organic farming, Vivien returned home in 2010 and immediately converted the family's 12ha of vineyards to organics (now
certified), and has even begun incorporating some biodynamic treatments and principals. Vivien is working with a range of traditional red and white
varieties, with some of the vineyards over 80 years old. The vines are planted in the foothills of the Montagne Noire (Black Mountains), where the
cooling breezes combined with the limestone subsoil of the area helps give these wines extra freshness. The grapes are all hand harvested into small
crates to help sort the fruit in the vineyard. Fermentations are all with native yeast, and the wines are not fined or filtered, with the only addition being
a minimal amount of SO2 at bottling. These are delicious wines full of life, and we are glad to see all of Viviens hard work paying off.
Mas Foulaquier
Winemaker Pierre Jquier, a native of Switzerland and formerly an architect, created Mas Foulaquier in 1998 following an exhaustive search for his
dream wine estate. Situated in the most northerly corner of Languedoc's most northerly appellation, Pic Saint-Loup, the 8ha of existing vines were at
the time just 8 years old, but happened to be planted on some great terroir. Now, at more than 25 years of age, those vines are the source of a quite
brilliant set of wines. Pierre's wife and fellow winemaker, Blandine Chauchet, joined the team in 2003, bringing with her the ownership of a further 3ha
of 50+ year-old Grenache and Carignan in the lieu-dit of "Les Tonillires". The vines are certified organic, and since 2007, are also certified
biodynamic by Demeter. In the cellar, the wines all are raised in Foulaquiers signature, low-intervention style native yeasts, no filtering, and minimal
sulfur added only at bottling.
Southwest
Chteau La Colombire
Diane and Philippe Cauvin run Chteau La Colombire in the Fronton AOP of southwest France. After taking over the family domaine in 2005, the
Cauvins have worked tremendously hard to get the vineyards to where they are today and continue to work in a natural direction, favoring quality over
quantity (a rarity in this area).There are a total of 13ha of vines farmed organically (Ecocert certified), and they have even worked biodynamically
since 2010. Most of the plantings are of the local Ngrette grape, but there is also some Gamay, Malbec, and Syrah, plus a white grape that is
technically not yet allowed to appear on a label, called Bouysselet. All of the wines come from 15-55 year old vines and ferment in cement or stainless
with no additions other than SO2 at bottling. Always experimenting, the Cauvins have even begun making a pt-nat ros from Ngrette!
Domaine Sailles
Domaine Sailles is one of the pioneers of organic viticulture in the Ctes de Gascogne region of Southwest France. A family-owned estate since
1961, Sailles is now run by Jean Labrenne, who lead the domaine to Ecocert organic certification in 1997, swearing off all chemical fertilizers,
herbicides, insecticides, and synthetic chemical products. Located in the town of Tnarze, which is unique in the region for its limestone soils, Jean
farms a total of 25ha of hillside vineyards with help the of Julien Lanclet and Laurent Lefvre, even saving 2ha of vines to make the traditional spirit
of the region, Armagnac. Both native yeast fermented, the reds are aged in cement tank, while the whites are all done in stainless.
Guirardel
After working as engineers in the semiconductor industry for over 15 years, Franoise Casaubieilh (the eldest daughter of Anne-Marie Guirardel) and
her husband, Pierre Coulomb, were both fed up and looking for a change. In August of 2008, just as Franoises father was ready to retire from a life
working in the vineyards around the familys home in Juranon, Franoise and Pierre decided to return to the property, becoming the 15th generation
of the Guirardel family to make wine from this special vineyard. Neither had any experience with winemaking, but Franoise had just graduated from
an agricultural course at the local university, and Pierre would later go on to work with the Plageoles family in Gaillac, and still frequently calls on his
good friend Richard Leroy for advice. Franoise and Pierre immediately stopped using chemicals in the vines, and would eventually file for organic
certification in 2012 (which they were granted in 2015). They are also working closely with a doctor interested in energy, aligning their winery to the
lines of the sacred network and using their own essential oils and herbal infusions in the vineyard in place of treatments (even organic ones). The
4.5ha of vines are planted predominately to Petit Manseng (75%) with some Gros Manseng (25%) and slope steeply due south towards the Pyrnes.
The vines are 20 years old on average with very low yields (12-25 hL/ha) thanks to excellent farming and the poor clay-limestone soils with lots of
stones and glacial deposits from the ice age. Grapes are harvested by hand in successive passes from October through December, with each parcel
kept separate. Natural fermentations occur in 10 year-old, traditional 400L barrels, although they are also experimenting with some 700L barrels,
acacia barrels, and even amphora for their dry wine. In 2011, Pierre made his first trials with a no SO2 added dry wine from late harvest grapes, and
continues to refine his technique as he gains more experience, releasing wines with as little added sulfur as possible. These wines are the
continuation of an incredible family tradition and represent a throwback to Juranons past that is sadly becoming more and more rare.
Germany
Mosel
Hild
Youve probably never heard of the upper Mosel". I really hadnt either, aside from mildly derogatory remarks made in passing. Some of this derision
is probably deserved: the upper Mosel has had a long tradition of selling grapes en masse to cooperatives interested in high yields, irrespective of
quality. However, this is also a fascinating place, a vision of the Mosel that has nothing to do with Riesling or slate. Here we find limestone (this is the
beginning of the Paris Basin, the geological reality that informs places like Chablis and Sancerre) and a winemaking culture based on one of Europes
oldest grapes: Elbling. Matthias Hild farms 5ha in the upper Mosel doing something that makes almost zero financial sense: saving old, terraced
parcels of Elbling. In this area, however, its important to understand Elbling is something of a religion. Its a culture, a regional dialect that is spoken
through this wine of rigorous purity, of joyous simplicity, of toothsome acidity. Even at its best, Elbling is not a grape of greatness as much as it is a
grape of refreshment and honesty and conviviality. The comparisons are plenty, though none of them are quite right: If Riesling is Pinot Noir, then
Elbling is Gamay. If Riesling is Chenin Blanc, then Elbling is Muscadet. You get the idea. The joy of Elbling is its raucous acidity, the vigor and energy,
the fact that it is so low in alcohol you could probably drink a bottle and still operate heavy machinery.
Stein
While Ulli Steins wines are not widely known in the U.S., he has nothing less than a fanatical following in Europe. He could likely sell every last
bottle to his friends in Germany alone, yet there are places of some importance, like Noma in Copenhagen, that put in sizable orders for Stein
wine. He farms meaningful parcels of land that have a few important things in common: They are not easy to work. They are commercially
unknown. And, most importantly, Ulli loves them. In fact, Stein is more than a winemaker he is a passionate advocate for the traditional, steep,
slate vineyards of the Mosel. In 2010, Ulli published a manifesto warning of the threats to the regions 2000 years old viticultural tradition.
Winemaking with Ulli is refreshingly light on style, instead focusing on what the vineyards say to him. Certainly there is a focus on wines that are
dry; lightness and zip are more important than gobs of fruit. Complexity is good, but not at the expense of the whole better to be simple and well
done than overdone and, well, a mess. Cut is more important than size.
Weiser-Knstler
Konstantin Weiser and Alexandra Knstler are as soulful as the vineyards they farm; this is a micro-estate with only 3ha under vine. Konstantin
and Alexandra do everything here, working in the vineyards daily. Situated in Traben-Trarbach, many of their vineyards fell into obscurity in the
latter half of the 20th century, which is not necessarily a bad thing. The fact is that these vines have not seen the modernization that many sites
in the Mosel have, which means these cliff-vineyards still have their jutting, ladder-like terraces. On these terraces, they have a high density of
very old, un-grafted vines. Weiser-Knstler makes wines exceptional Prdikat wines, but they also make dry wines dainty angels carved from
mineral and slate that feel like porcelain in their weight and purity. As of 2015, they are moving towards complete organic certification.
Saar
Hofgut Falkenstein
The Weber family farms about 8ha of mainly old Riesling vines over 40% ungrafted in a side valley of the Saar, known as Talchen (little valley).
In 1985, Erich Weber and his wife, Marita, built up the property of the then-dilapidated Falkensteinerhof (established in 1901) from scratch. All the
Riesling grapes are hand-harvested and the whole grapes are gently pressed in a pneumatic press for two to three hours. The musts are left
overnight to settle naturally and are vinified with ambient yeasts exclusively in old oak 1,000-liter Fuder casks. Their top vineyard sites are located on
various south-facing hillsides of primarily gray slate with some quartz, including the once highly prized sites of Niedermenniger Herrenberg,
Niedermenniger Sonnenberg, Krettnacher Euchariusberg, and Krettnacher Altenberg. The father-and-son team of Erich and Johannes Weber dont
use herbicides and believe in low yields (one flat cane per vine) to produce an array of green-tinted, light-bodied, high-acid, unchaptalized dry
(trocken), off-dry (feinherb), and sweet Saar wines all of which are cask-by-cask bottlings.
Rheingau
J.B. Becker
These wines taste like NOTHING else coming out of the Rheingau (or most anywhere for that matter) and Hans-Josef Becker just doesnt give a fuck.
I struggled with a more elegant way of introducing this estate, some poignant lines describing the dirty-fingered, weathered-skin, mess-of-a-tasting-
room aesthetic of J.B. Becker. But at the heart of the matter, "HaJo", as his friend call him, will get up in the morning, go into his vineyards, and make
the kinds of wines he wants to make. And thats about it. They are unflaggingly honest and present a vocabulary that few white wines can match;
dried earth and rocks, vaguely subterranean, with a savory, briny, smoky atmosphere that slowly reveals fine layers of bright citrus. They flaunt a
rather prominent acidity that recalls the more nervy wines of the Mosel, Saar, and Ruwer, though there is a weight, a density, a mysteriousness that
speaks of the Rheingau. How exactly all this comes together is up for grabs. If there is any grand system here, it is inscrutable. Consider on the one
hand, Becker's farming is exclusively organic. On the other hand, this rather important fact is mentioned exactly nowhere at the estate. Becker
believes the Rheingau has been particularly devastated by the decades of commercial agriculture; he says it took him many years to bring back to life
a healthy, diverse population of yeasts in the vineyards and the cellars. Thus, he is a strong advocate of wild-yeast fermentations. This puts this
graying statesman of German winemaking right next to the hip, new generation of young German winemakers. He ferments in pressurized tanks,
preferring a quick, warmer fermentation. Then he racks the juice into the traditional barrels of the Rheingau for at least two years of barrel age before
bottling. Even with this very long levage, Becker seems to release wines willy-nilly, which is why we are able to offer wines going back to the '80s
today. The wines all have enormous aging potential, but even a couple of years in bottle unlocks their soul. These are Rieslings that make no
concessions to modernity or to fashion, and are defiantly old school. They are living fossils, the likes of which we may never see again.
Rheinhessen
Seehof
The Rheinhessen has seen a rebirth the likes of which could not be fathomed even just ten years ago. This horrid, flat farmland and birthplace of
Liebfraumilch, so it turns out, can produce world class Riesling. Klaus Peter Keller has proven this point with emphasis. If there is a downside to this
glory, it is the creeping influence of the international wine press. For the 30-second taste test and the ever important score, fireworks always win. This
means young producers trying to make names for themselves focus on concentration, weight, density, power. Florian Fauth, the young winemaker at
his family estate, is the counterpoint to this trend. His wines eschew weight for fine-ness, power for clarity, fireworks for whispers; Florian has clearly
spoken quite a bit with his friend and brother-in-law Klaus Peter Keller. These are some of the most charming and compelling Rheinhessen wines
being produced.
Pfalz
Brand
Young brothers Daniel and Jonas Brand (both in their twenties) recently took over their familys century-old estate, and are quickly breathing new life
into this former workhorse of the Northern Pfalz. The kids are smart, eager, and dialed into the growing natural wine scene both in Germany and in
neighboring France. Theyre just starting to make waves converting all their viticulture to organic (certified as of 2015) and are experimenting like
crazy in the cellar. They have a pt-nat thats so popular it sells out before theyve even made it, and they make the best organic, entry-level liters of
dry Riesling and Weissburgunder youll ever find. The Nordpfalz borders the Rheinessen (their village is closer to Kellers than to anybody famous in
the Pfalz), and that airy but firm sensibility informs these bright and mineral-laden wines.
Swabia
Baden (honorary)
Enderle & Moll
Enderle & Moll is really just two guys, a tiny cellar, a few hectares of old vines, and a hell of a lot of buzz even Jancis Robinson has called them
cult". Sven Enderle and Florian Moll farm a total of 2.1ha on the western fringe of the Black Forest. Most of their Pinot comes from two sites: one with
25-45 years old vines planted in colored sandstone (Buntsandstein), and one other miniscule plot (0.045ha total) from four tiny terraces, home to 60
years old vines (the oldest in the region) planted in shell limestone (Muschelkalk). All work in the vineyard is done by hand, yields are low, and
vineyard work is organic/biodynamic. Walking through the vineyard, it is easy to see where the Enderle & Moll plots begin and end, so clear is the
vitality of their vines and soil. Sven and Florian are hands-off in the cellar and it shows in the wines. Parcels are vinified separately, with one-third
whole clusters. Grapes are crushed in an old wooden basket press and then go into secondhand Burgundian barrels (mostly from Domaine Dujac).
Bottling, like everything else, is done by hand, and there is no fining or filtration. Because they dont care for the quality criteria for Pinots in Baden,
theyve decided to declassify their Pinot Noir as a Tafelwein, which legally disallows them from putting vineyard names on the label. Florian thinks it
foolish to automatically equate higher ripeness levels with better quality and that doing so often leads to overripe, high-alcohol wines with lots of
extract and a shortage of acidity and delicacy. These are delicious Pinots (to say nothing of their Muller-Thurgau, which is likely the best version of
that grape you will ever taste) of enormous integrity, made with undeniable passion and point of view. Also, Sven Enderle has the best facial hair in
the wine business with the possible exception of Jo Landron. Silly-limited production.
Shelter Winery
Hans-Bert Espe and Silke Wolf farm roughly 5ha in the not-so-famous region of Baden. Lets go ahead and equate not-so-famous with not-so-ripe
and we get, immediately, a sense of the philosophy here. There are lots of words we would use to describe the bulldozer-Pinots weve tasted from
Baden over the years; delicacy would not be one of them. Until we tasted with Hans-Bert and Silke. This husband-and-wife team has spent the last
decade in the nooks and crannies of the wine-geek world, slowly building a reputation for pristine, delicate Pinot Noirs from Baden (there, weve used
the word). You might call them understated, though the rather petite structure and lively animation of the wines gives way to a mid-palate that is
awash with sweet perfumed fruit, transparent and mineral. In style, sensibility and size, they remind us quite a bit of Weiser-Kunstler in the Mosel
(indeed they are all friends) except this is Pinot Noir, from Baden. You may have to remind yourself of this when youre tasting the wines.
Wrttemberg
Weingut Beurer
Beurer is our newest import from Wrttemberg, but down there, he's not exactly the new kid in town. He's been working the slopes above the
village of Stetten since 1997, focusing on making terroir designated Riesling very early on. Being able to work the same grape on a variety of soils
has made it possible for Jochen to come up with an impressive range of wines. They are certainly unusual as far as dry Riesling goes nowadays;
there is not a trace of the severity of slate-grown, dry German Riesling, nor of the overt, exotic nature of ripeness found in Rheinhessen or
Wachau, nor the size of typical Alsatian Rieslings with this much flavor. In fact they are unusual for any Riesling I am aware of because the
expression of dirt they convey reminds me more of Chardonnay from Jura or Chablis than anything else. All are fermented in stainless steel
(except "Junges Schwaben", his top wine, which spends time in old foudre), which, when tasted side by side, really puts into focus the differences
in terroir.
Austria
Niedersterreich Weinviertel
Weingut Martinshof
Innovation, stubbornness and a bit of madness. This, according to Michael Martin, the young wine making dynamo of Weingut Martinshof, is the
secret to his success. The trend to buck conservative thought was started even by his great grandfather, who insisted on growing Burgundian
grapes in the 13ha of vineyards many years before they were popular in Austria. The Martin family has owned and operated the Heuriger Zum
Martin Sepp for generations and it still remains one of the most popular wine taverns of Viennas Grinzing district. As Michael took over the
winemaking in the late '80s, it was his desire to bring the Martinshof name back from quantity to quality. Food friendly is the first thought that
comes to mind when sipping any of the Martinshof wines; whether light and elegant or rich and structured, all of Michaels wines scream for food.
Niederosterreich Kremstal
Weingut Mller-Grossmann
At the foot of Gttweig Mountain in the traditional winegrowing region Kremstal, the mother/daughter team of Helma and Marlies Mller-
Grossmann sustainably farm 10ha of vineyards. Focusing nearly exclusively on white wines, Mller-Grossmann lets the gravelly, loess soils do the
talking, choosing to bottle their wines by vineyard site. Everything is harvested by hand, and the same desire to express the unique characteristics
of their vineyards follows through to the cellar, where Mller-Grossman takes a traditional, hands-off approach. Helma and Marlies are even part of
an organization called "11 Frauen & Ihre Weine", a group of eleven female winemakers in Austria, banded together to support eachother.
Niedersterreich Wachau
Weingut Josef Jamek
Jamek is one of the historic estates of the Wachau; along with FX Pichler, Hirtzberger and Prager, they were the force behind the group known as
the Vinea Wachau, which demanded the highest quality of the region and created the language we use to talk about the great wines of the Wachau
today (Smaragd for the most powerful of the wines, Federspiel for the more delicate, etc.). Jamek was, without a doubt, at the forefront of this
renaissance, and it should not come as a surprise: Jamek has some of the most coveted vineyards in the Wachau, including the terraced titans of
Klaus and Achleiten. Harvested by hand and fermented in stainless before aging in large, old barrels, these are very "grown-up" kinds of wines;
solid, durable, and authoritative, they are sometimes hard to read just because they arent sheet-metal brilliant. But with age, the wines truly shine.
Weingut Christ
The Christ family claims an unbroken 400-year history of winemaking in Austria. Its current scion is the dynamic and outspoken Rainer Christ who,
when he came of age, took over from his father as the 5th generation tending the familys 9ha of vineyards. After assuming control, Christ oversaw
the renovation of his familys winery into a spectacular expression of modern Austrian architecture. Christs inclinations toward modernity stop at
the facade, however. The cellar work remains deliberately primitiveentirely gravity fed, eschewing fining and filtration, and fermenting solely with
ambient yeastsand remains largely executed by Christ himself. Christ farms organically, and embraces some of the principles of biodynamics, in
particular, synchronizing some of his actions with the appropriate phase of the moon.
Burgenland Leithaberg
Tinhof
After studying wine in Vienna, Montpelier, and a stint at the legendary Mas de Daumas-Gassac in Southern France, Erwin Tinhof has returned to
farm the 14ha of vineyards on the slopes of the Leitha Mountains that have been passed down through his family for 11 generations. Farming
organically since 2008 (certification came in 2012), Erwin carefully dry-farms the estate, which is home to vines that are up to 50 years old. There
is no use of insecticides, herbicides, or artificial fertilizers, and after hand harvesting the grapes, the wines are all made with minimal intervention
in the cellar.
Piemonte
Cascina Fornace
We drink lots of Roero wines, and were friends with quite a few producers there. But weve yet to taste wines more lithe and pure, with more of that
famed Roero 'profumato' nose, than those of Enrico Cauda. His family has farmed for generations and used to sell grapes and make wine for their
own consumption. Skip forward to 2011, and Enrico decides to start bottling wine under his own label, naming it after the old fornace, or brick kiln,
that was on the property. Enrico and his brother Manuele now farm 3ha of old-vine Arneis and Nebbiolo (50-60 years old) organically, with certification
in process. The vineyards are in the village of Santo Stefano Roero, and thus higher in altitude than most others in the Roero. Soils are classic
Roero, with a high percentage of sand. Native yeasts, super-meticulous farming, all work in the vineyard is done by hand, in part because the
vineyards are too steep for a tractor.
Mauro Franchino
Gattinara is the most renowned DOCG of nine tiny but geographically complex appellations, collectively known as Alto Piemonte. The three largest
producers collectively have around 90 of the 100 hectares of vineyard in the appellation. That leaves 10 highly fractionalized hectares for some
hobbyists and a handful of nearly forgotten vignaioli. These vignerons still hold onto the tradition of using a sketch of the crumbling Gattinara tower on
their labels. Signor Franchino is one of these old-schoolers no faxes or emails. Most of the time when we call or visit, hes in the vineyard, while his
Nebbiolo sits patiently in the old garagiste cellar in Gattinaras centro storico. This Nebbiolo has little color. Its pale, concise, honest, and comfortable
with long stretches of silence between its notes of salt, iron, red currants, and rose hip tea. Both the Gattinara and Coste della Sesia are 100%
Nebbiolo. Go on and bring a little old world Gattinara soul to your Nebbiolo fix.
Scarpa
We sometimes assume that the great, historic producers in Italy are all well-known in the U.S. But ask the old timers: "I remember Scarpa"
Antica Casa Vinicola Scarpa has been producing traditional, aristocratic wines in the Monferrato hills of southeast Piemonte for 150 years. They
have vineyards, farmed organically, in the Langhe as well as the Monferrato. Mario Pesce, admired by both Giacosa and Gaja, made Scarpas
reputation in the late 20th century, and today Maria Pier Zola and her family carry on his tradition of aging all the wines for years, and sometimes
decades before release. Traditional sometimes means 'rustic', but that's not the case here; Scarpa produces elegant wines with arrow-like acidity
and well-aged tannins. Bottle evolution and vintage characteristics emerge instead of pointillist fruit. Be on the lookout for releases from the
family's 45,000+ bottle library.
Terre Sparse
When you travel from the Piemonte region into Valle dAosta, you pass through the pre-alpine growing areas of Caluso and Carema. Unfortunately,
as you drive along the road, youll also notice many abandoned terraces. Theres now a few less, grazie to Matteo Trompetto and his farm, Terre
Sparse. Matteos given love to those abandoned terraces, and life to a small traditional farm. Theres much work to be done and Terre Sparse is an
ambitious undertaking. Its an area we dont usually see many new wine producers popping up, let alone ones with working farms. And thats a shame
since the soil and climate here are unique and warrant our attention. The Caluso DOCG sits a bit lower than the Carema DOCG, which is more Alpine
in nature. Both are located in a natural morainic amphitheater, whose soil composition of sand and other elements renders it alkaline, producing wines
with low alcohol and a savory quality. Matteos winemaking reflects the ethos of his organic farm; the wines have minimal intervention and use native
yeasts. Sulfur levels are low and coming down each year as he gains confidence (and feeds the family). These wines are not glou-glou; they have too
pithy of a texture, and the savory notes have a tinge of bitter, which maybe is a hallmark of many Italian wines. But they sure do go down easy after
day of hard of work on the farm.
Vigneti Massa
Its hard not to get worked up about Walter Massas wines. He had a vision for a variety nobody wanted (Timorasso), worked in obscurity for years,
rescued the grape, and doesnt talk about himself but instead about the territory of Colli Tortonesi. When you get lost going there, start asking people
100 kilometers out; they all know and love him, from the gas station guy to the producer next door. You'll often hear it bandied about: "There are
thousands of native grape varieties in Italy!" That's true, but a lot of them are merely cute. Timorasso, however, deserves another category (and its
white to boot). Its utterly unique, complex, capable of aging, and transparent to where it's grown. Walter is the 'contadino straordinario' who started to
replant the variety in the 1980s and remains the leading producer and go-to grower for Timorasso today. We often say that Timorasso is like Ali: 'Float
like a butterfly (baroque fruit and honeyed minerality) and sting like a bee (lots of well-integrated acidity). Remarkable and distinctive red wines made
from Barbera, Croatina, and Freisa demonstrate that Walter is more than just the "King of Timorasso".
Lombardia
C del Vnt
C del Vnt, home of the wind, is the name of the winery and an apt description of it. Just North of Brescia, in the hills of Campiani di Cellatica, a
sunny southern exposition warms 6ha of vineyards, which are then cooled by the wind thats always blowing here. An altitude of 300-400m and
mainly chalky soils chisel the fruit. In the last few years, as the wines have become more refined and acid-driven, the Franciacorta consortium has
started rejecting them. Well, for Franciacorta lovers, maybe that would be a problem. For us, its encouraging. Antonio Tornincasa and Flavio Faliva
are obsessive naturalistas in an area thats known not to be too friendly to organic wines. The wines have an edgy acidity and a precision that
reflects their exhaustive work in analyzing soil structure and composition in their 13 parcels, each of which is vinified separately. Pas Oper refers to
the use of the same wine (instead of sugar) for secondary fermentation, and there are no other additives whatsoever. These are not cheap, but I truly
dont know of any sparkling wines that are more stunning and pure than these in all of Italy.
Veneto
Bella Vita
While our focus is on small growers that work well in the vineyard and the cellar, we also understand the realities and needs of our customers. So,
we found a Pinot Grigio from Treviso that fits in qualitatively with our portfolio, and that we feel good about offering at a great price. Made by the third
generation, sibling winemaking team of Annalisa, Alessandro, Carlo, and Luca Botter (also responsible for Bella Vita Montepulciano from their
holdings in Abruzzo).
Corte Sant'Alda
Corte SantAldas owner, Marina Camerani, is a bit of an outsider in Valpolicella. She took over her family farm in 1985 and immediately began the
conversion to certified organic. Not long after, she began working biodynamically, and the vineyards are now certified by Demeter. She and her
partner, Cesar, work 21ha of vineyards at 400m elevation on red and white limestone (Scala Rossa Veneta and Biancone) in the upper reaches of
the Val di Mezzane. Their aim is to produce toothsome bottlings of Soave and Valpolicella, but also fresh and savory versions of Ripasso, Amarone,
and Recioto. Marinella is a force of nature; as serious as she is about her vineyards and wines (and the cherry jam that she cans), shes also full of
wit, a straight shooter about natural wines, and not afraid of holding court with the best of the armchair prophets and naysayers in her area and
beyond. She once told a group of wine professionals visiting her that she uses a "technology" called the sorting table, since many in the area, she
explained, sorting table or not, sell out. Thankfully, she hasnt.
Le Vigne di Alice
Sisters-in-law Cinzia Canzian and Pier Francesca Bonicelli started Alice in 2004 to fulfill their dream of bottling artisanal Prosecco thats all their own:
estate fruit, pre-Dolomite, grower Prosecco. We call it Prosecco for non-Prosecco lovers (a category that includes us). It didnt take long to understand
that these women are joyful, caring, and have a passion for real wine (including the grower Champagne and Jura wines they also import to Italy). At
the same time, they are utterly serious, precise, and determined to produce amazing Prosecchi. Their 9ha of vineyards are worked without herbicides
or pesticides and all weeding is done by hand. Soils are of glacial moraine origin: chalky, rocky, lean, and full of minerals. They have taken their
sustainability even further by constructing a green winery with grass on the roof and solar panels that supply more than half of their energy. Their work
in the cellar mirrors their dedication in the vineyards. From an incredibly long Charmat for their single-vineyard wine, "Doro", to using Metodo Classico
on ".g", to experimenting with Metodo Integrale (i.e. not disgorged) on "P.S.", these women are truly pushing the boundaries of quality in this often
unfairly criticized region.
Serata
While our focus is on small growers that work well in the vineyard and the cellar, we also understand the realities and needs of our customers. So,
we found a Prosecco that fits in qualitatively with our portfolio, and that we feel good about offering at a great price. Made by brothers Umberto and
Luigi Cosmo, the owners and winemakers of Bellenda (who also happen to be the husbands of Cinzia and Pier Francesca from Le Vigne di Alice).
Emilia-Romagna
Denny Bini (Podere Cipolla)
In case you hadnt noticed, Emila, the land of Lambrusco, has a revolution brewing (or fermenting, often in bottle). After too many years of industrially-
produced mediocrity, Emilia is now home to a small but growing cell of artisanal producers who are farming carefully and returning to the 'metodo
ancestrale' of their grandfathers: secondary fermentation in the bottle, without disgorgement. Denny Bini is one of the humble heroes of this
renaissance-revolution. He makes 6,000 bottles per year from a single hectare of organically-farmed vineyards. "Ponente 270" is the sparkling red
and is mostly Grasparossa. "Rosa dei Venti" is the sparkling rosato (Grasparossa and Malbo Gentile). "Levante 90" is the sparkling white wine, made
from Malvasia. All three are bottle-fermented. Denny also makes our Fuso21 Lambrusco dellEmilia (a.k.a. The Party Label) from fruit purchased from
the practicing organic vineyards of family and friends.
Mariotti
Mirco Mariotti's vineyards are located in the eastern Romagna part of Emilia-Romagna, an area much less known than the western Lambrusco area
of Emilia. In fact, youll notice that Mircos wines use an Emilia IGP designation for what should be Romagna IGP if only it existed. Nevertheless, its
a place with lots of local color, theres a beach nearby, and folks often play cards here into the night, accompanied by sweating bottles of their own
DIY sparkling wines from the local grapes. Mirco, too, had started off making some of these DIY wines made from his own vineyards in the Bosco
Eliceo area. The vines are old, some planted in 1952, some well over 100 years old. All are on native rootstock (piede franco), as they are planted in
the beach sand, just 300 meters from the waves. Mirco chooses to work exclusively with the local varieties: Fortana, the low alcohol, high acid red
with some pretty rustic-rusty tannins, ideal for a refreshing rosato, and Trebbiano Romagnolo and Malvasia di Candia for the bianco, where the
savory, herbal, salty aspect of growing vines so close to the beach really comes through. After hand harvesting, the first fermentations are all with
native yeasts in concrete tank. Secondary fermentation is in bottle, using must from the same harvest instead of adding sugar. There is one gentle
decantation, but other than that, the wines are not filtered or disgorged. Kick off your sandals, light up the grill, deal the cards. This farmer fizz is a
good bet on rare, local varieties that are unique, delicious, and without pretense.
Toscana
Brusco
Project Fuso21: regional, terroir-driven, daily drinkers, from farmers we know here in Italy from their vineyards to your table. These are like the
wines youll find in a good trattoria when traveling in Italy, made from the native varieties that the locals drink. Keeping true to vini quotidiani, we
choose deliciousness over complexity and polish. All are vinified in cement or steel, lightly or not filtered, and delicious. The project connects growers
in small towns throughout Italy to folks just like us who dont want industrial plonk for daily drinkers. Brusco is still used in the Tuscan dialect today
defining a person or thing that is off the cuff and a bit rough but genuine through and through. This is 100% Sangiovese made by one of our Chianti
Classico producers, Villa del Cigliano, from estate fruit. Fermentation in stainless steel tanks with native yeast (and whole cluster with some carbonic
maceration). Aging in enormous, old-school cement tanks.
Podere Castellinuzza
Lamole is a ragged valley of terraced vineyards, woods, and a sleepy hamlet of 35 inhabitants. Its often called 'il tetto del Chianti', the rooftop of
Chianti, for its altitude and position. The vineyards of Podere Castellinuzza are located at 550m, just below the hamlet of Lamole proper. Owner Paolo
Coccia was a 'mezzadro', a sharecropper, before his father, Gino, bought the property in 1961. Here, the centenarian bush-vines a few reaching
almost 150 years old are grown on native rootstocks. Vines this old are rarely seen in Italy, let alone Chianti. The principal reason the vines have
survived phylloxera and continue to thrive today is due to the local soil called 'Macigno del Chianti', which is compressed sandstone with traces of
silicon. Paolos daughter Serena follows the wines in the cantina when shes not helping her father in the vineyard. A natural and slow native yeast
fermentation takes place in large glass-lined cement containers. There is minimal intervention at all stages and no rush; the wine is released when its
ready. These are unadulterated, adult wines with structure built from acidity more than tannins. If youve become a disenchanted Chianti naysayer
over the years, Sangiovese grown in Lamoles high-altitude terroir may intrigue you enough to fall in love all over again. Taut fruit, complex minerality,
and that classic leaping profumato Lamole nose of orange zest and graphite its a racy Chianti.
Ranchelle
The best wine producers have their own brand of authenticity, and it comes through in the wines. Christoph Fischer is a long-time German expat
whos fixated on a preservation project (recupero) of Maremmas abandoned vineyards and varieties. The Maremma area lies mostly along the
Tuscan coast. Its a place where the ancient Etruscans once cultivated vines and where the Butteri (Tuscan cowboys) still roam. Morello di Scansano
is perhaps the best-known wine from the Maremma. It can offer juicy fun, but the old local varieties here are way more soulful. We know of no one
doing such interesting work as Christoph in the area: all organic farming, all native yeasts, extremely low sulfur. Soils are an even mix of sand,
limestone, and clay. Christof works from a one hectare plot of 60 year-old albarello (bush) vines in an area named on old maps as Millocchio: literally
a thousand-eyes (mille + occhio). According to locals, it was an area where there were once so many vineyards on the hills that thousands of vine
buds would look down on you. From that one abandoned vineyard, he has planted two more hectares using massale selection. Both wines (one white
and one red) ferment to dryness in open-topped fermenters with skin contact for about three weeks and punchdowns twice a day using a multi-
pronged mandrone stick that he got from an old farmer in the area. Christophs makeshift cellar was a Super Alimentari (corner grocery store) in the
1970s. Its extremely clean now. After a light pressing, most of the juice goes into used 500-liter tonneaux; about 30% goes into stainless steel tanks.
A tiny amount of sulfur is used only when he blends the two parts.
Sorrelle Palazzi
The Palazzi sisters started their winery in 1973 in the heart of the Pisan Hills (Colline Pisane), between Pisa and Volterra. The estate is now under
the control of the sisters nephew, Guido, who recently received his degree in enology and agronomy. Of the 24ha here, 11ha are vineyards, 9ha are
olive groves (both certified organic), with the remaining part being forest and the agriturismo. The surrounding woods and shrubs provide an excellent
ecosystem for these charming and earthy wines. The soils here are mostly clay with sand and chalk, and the temperature is tempered by the
proximity to the sea, making for softer, less incisive tannins than youd usually find in Chianti Classicos. All this means that the wine works really well
for all those dishes that arent heavy but arent really light either such as Cornish hens. The cellar is really a large garage with the old cement tanks
from the '50s being used for the Sangiovese bottling and the Chianti; the Riserva gets some large wood botti. The only small wood to be found is the
chestnut and cherry for the Vin Santo. All fermentations here are spontaneous.
Umbria
Marco Merli
Marco is a naturalista in Umbria, just outside of Perugia, in a town called the House of the Devil (Casa del Diavolo). He has taken over various high-
altitude vineyards around him that have a mix of native grapes such as Grechetto, Malvasia, Verdicchio, Moscato, Trebbiano, and Sangiovese. His
cellar is filled with re-conditioned small cement tanks the kinds that farmers would use for home production except Marco has dozens of them, so
he can follow each parcel per tank up to bottling. The wines are a bit of eco-chic rustic, with punchy acidity and just a touch of fruit. A great addition to
the portfolio from a region in which its not easy to find something that really shines.
Marche
Le Salse
Project Fuso21: regional, terroir-driven, daily drinkers, from farmers we know here in Italy from their vineyards to your table. These are like the
wines youll find in a good trattoria when traveling in Italy, made from the native varieties that the locals drink. Keeping true tovini quotidiani, we
choose deliciousness over complexity and polish. All are vinified in cement or steel, lightly or not filtered, and delicious. The project connects growers
in small towns throughout Italy to folks just like us who dont want industrial plonk for daily drinkers.This wine is made by Cantine Belisario, a high-
quality co-op in Matelica, whose members are all committed to working sustainably and organically in the vineyards. Its our response to the ocean of
Pinot Grigio that has washed up on U.S. shores: refreshing, versatile, glug-able, but with the real character that most Pinot Grigios lack. The
vineyards are on top of a Jurassic-period raised seabed, near saltwater springs called 'le salse' (from 'sale' meaning salt) at an altitude of 450 meters.
Lazio
Palazzo Tronconi
Southern Italy begins at Arce, Marco Marrocco told us when we arrived for our first visit. Marcos vineyards and cantina lie just outside the striking
hill town of Arce in southern Lazio, an area thats much closer to Campania than to Rome, and that was once part of the Kingdom of Naples. Here,
Marco is hellbent on resurrecting and bringing back to prominence the indigenous varieties of Arce Lecinaro, Maturano Nero, Maturano Bianco,
Capolongo, Pampanaro from biodynamically farmed vineyards and natural work in the cellar. Marco describes his project as producing wines that
are, austere and authentic, like the inhabitants of these rugged hills and valleys. Production from the current 5ha is tiny. These wines have changed
our perception of the picture and potential of Lazio making nuanced, fine wines.
Abruzzo
Bella Vita
While our focus is on small growers that work well in the vineyard and the cellar, we also understand the realities and needs of our customers. So, we
found an old vine Montepulciano that fitsin qualitatively with our portfolio, and that we feel good about offering at a great price. Made by the third
generation, sibling winemaking team of Annalisa, Alessandro, Carlo, and Luca Botter (also responsible for Bella Vita Pinot Grigio from their holdings
in the Veneto).
Campania
Antica Masseria Venditti
Back in 1988, the Italian wine guide Gambero Rosso introduced the word "organic" for the first time in its review of Vendittis wines. Those who still
believe that organic equals unscientific should think again. Nicola Venditti is both an enologist and the very incarnation of a contadino (farmer). The
vineyards have been in the family for over 400 years thus the antica part of Antica Masseria and he is deeply passionate about his territory of
Sannio, adjacent to better-known Taurasi. Nicola eschews oak and kneels at the altar of steel, thus letting all of the wines really show the clean and
distinct fruit of their native grapes (some of which only he cultivates). His cantina is squeaky clean, and he gladly whistles out pH and acid levels for
those inclined. This humanist-techno-geek approach, he explains, is a combination of the humanity of ancient methods and local varieties, together
with the rationality offered by technology. The new "Assenza" (meaning, "not containing" or, "absent of") wines are made completely without SO2.
Le Ormere
Le Ormere produces one cru bottling of Greco di Tufo from the Santa Paolina area. If you too think that Greco di Tufo shouldn't be playing second
fiddle to Fiano, then this is one to check out. Founded in 2012 by childhood friends Fiore Cecere and Carmine Iannaccone, Le Ormere works from a
single 1.5ha vineyard at 550m elevation that Carmine's family had long made wine from for their personal consumption. Today, the vines are 20 years
old and in the process of attaining the organic certification. Everything is hand harvested and fermented with native yeasts in stainless steel without
any additives and only a minimal addition of sulfur at bottling. More information coming soon.
Luigi Tecce
A visit to Luigi Tecce can get you emotional. Luigi himself is a ball of them, and his Aglianico from Taurasi elicits them. His grandfathers 'masseria'
(farmhouse) and vineyards are located in the Taurasi subzone known as Sud-Alta Valle (South-High Valley). Its one of Taurasis highest altitude
growing areas, with a soil thats layered with sand, limestone and Vesuvius pumice; its also the dwelling of Luigis 80+ year old vine-trees. Theres no
enologist and no agronomist, Luigi works here in relative solitude. Maybe thats why theres such an affinity between him and the wines. Strangely
enough, Luigi wasnt groomed to be a farmer or 'vignaiolo'. After university, he worked in Rome as an assistant to a member of the Italian parliament.
Then suddenly in 1997, his father died and it caused Luigis homecoming back to the 4th generation farmhouse to take care of the property, which
included olive trees, goats, sheep, and of course vines. All this left no time for any practical knowledge to be handed down to him from his father or
grandfather. He didnt know how to manage the property, let alone how to vinify wine, but he did have many memories from living there as a child, and
these guided him. So, in the sadness and loss of 1997, he started bottling for friends and family. He now has a total of 5ha of vines in two communes
(Paternopoli and Castelfranci) dispersed over seven plots. Luigis wines ferment with native yeasts, and nothing is added to or subtracted from the
wine. His craftiness comes from vineyard selection and mixing of the final barrels, and from the time-consuming and careful tending during harvest,
where he makes three passes. The first picking is in early October, when the grapes are not completely ripe, to add extra acidity and freshness. The
majority of the grapes are then picked in late October. In the early days of November, he picks the final bunches, which have grown throughout not
only the summer days and nights, but also the fading autumn sun. These are wines that have savory qualities, fleshy fruit, and structured tannins;
grand age-worthy wines, Monforte-esque, Barolo as the Aglianico of the North.
Calabria
Casa Comerci
This family estate is located in the tip of the toe of Calabria in Italys deep south. Domenico Silipo and his sons carry on the work of Rosina Comerci,
matriarch of the family in the first half of the 1900s. If you havent explored Calabria, you might want to: warm (sometimes sandy) breezes from the
Sahara Desert, half-abandoned villages hanging off cliffs on the sea, and lots of rugged mountains. The family works exclusively with the native
Calabrian varieties Magliocco Canino and Greco Bianco, which they farm organically on their 15ha (with another dozen hectares devoted to olive
trees). Francesco De Franco from 'A Vita, Calabrias most important natural wine producer, is an active part of the project. All wines ferment with
indigenous yeasts, and all fermentation and aging is in stainless steel. Total annual production is 45,000 bottles. Of the three reds, 'Libci' is the
flagship wine, 'Rosina' is a lighter-bodied red/darker rosato, and 'Dodici' is the friendly 'molto glu glu' liter.
Giuseppe Calabrese
Giuseppe Calabrese tends 4ha of mostly bush-trained old vines in the Pollino Mountains of northern Calabria, in the ancient town of Saracena. He
works without peer in this remote area; to say hes plowing the rough road is an understatement. The winters here are bracing, summers are fresh,
thanks to the nearby mountains and high altitude (400 meters). The soil is a mix of Neogene marine deposits and limestone, as seen by the many
ancient limestone caves you find in the area. Giuseppes wines are an echo of the local wildness, and the ancient Saracean civilization, which still
imbues the area. His works focuses on the local native grapes. The red is the intriguing and moody Magliocco Dolce: smoky and salty, with black
fruits and grainy tannins. The limestone and 40+ year old bush vines make a difference. His white is from Guarnaccia (a synonym for the Campanian
variety Coda di Volpe) and Malvasia, and it is an exercise in controlled oxidation that will be a stunner for fans of the Jura sous voile genre who are
looking for more than roasted nuts. These are exciting times for Calabria, and exciting wines from a place far away and relatively unknown.
Sardegna
Cardedu
The vineyards of Cardedu (car-DAY-do) are in the area of Ogliastra, the most mountainous and least populous province on the island; a land of
turquoise shimmer and ragged-dry cliffs. Here on the southeast coast of Sardegna the Loi family grows and makes wines from the native varieties
Vermentino, Cannonau, and Monica. Cardedu is one of the island's better-known (in Sardegna, at least), traditional producers. The Loi family doesnt
think of itself as a natural wine producer; they are not in that hipster 'giro'/circle. Yet, all wines are fermented with native yeasts in temperature
controlled tanks (if needed), and theres dry farming without the use of herbicides or pesticides.
Silvio Carta
The Carta family has been making (and storing) wine in the sleepy coastal town of Oristano for generations. The local grape is Vernaccia (though not
the one from Gimignano). The vine was possibly introduced by the Phoenicians or it was cultivated from wild vines of the Tirso valley. The style is
"oxidative", but no Englishman created or discovered this wine (as happened in Marsala). And maybe thats a shame because these wines deserve
to be better known outside their home. The wine is vinified dry, and the nose is chalky and intriguing. Multiple aged vintages are available. The
register is something new for us, falling somewhere amid the mineral tones of Fino, the nuttiness of Marsala, and a bit of passito fruit.
Guccione
The all-but-forgotten Monreale DOC lies southwest of the crumbling and exceedingly romantic city of Palermo, in the northwest part of the triangle
island. Gucciones sub-zone, Cerasa, is famous both locally and across the island for great grapes and wine. Francesco Guccione, working only with
native varieties including the rare Perricone, farms 6ha of land thats been in his family for generations. His great-grandfather used to make wine and
tend horses here. Rainfall is minuscule, so they dry farm the dry farm. The soil is marl mostly clay with some chalk and iron, which gives some of
the vineyards a reddish brown color from oxidation. Rusty locals call it terre brune, or brown soil. The vines here dig deep for underground water on
the higher part of the hill at 480-500 meters. The climate in this corner of the island is relatively mild, and Francesco has oriented his vines so that
they receive maximum light exposure from sunrise to sunset. Farming is organic and biodynamic. Visit the vineyards with Francesco, and youll get a
discourse on cover crops including herbs like chamomile and echinacea. All of the work in the cantina is equally natural: native yeasts, no fining or
filtering, and modest sulfur at bottling. The white wines see skin contact of 2-10 days. Most of the wines are fermented and aged in 3000-liter tini:
large, upright wooden casks. Mount Etna may be getting most of the cool-kid press in Sicilia, but over in the other corner of the island, Francesco
Guccione is making wines off the recently-beaten path wines of equally-loaded character and authenticity.
I Custodi
Mount Etna is a current darling of the Italian wine scene, and I Custodi is among the 21st-century Etna Renaissance producers who are now making
wines as compelling as the active volcanos cooled lava flows. Founder Mario Paoluzi has teamed up with Etna guru Salvo Foti and I Vigneri, the local
vineyard workers who tend the ancient albarello vines and volcanic terracing. The Etna Rosso "Pistus" (mostly Nerello Mascalese) comes from Etnas
north slope, where the wines are known to be structured and savoury. In 1774, the Florentine scholar Sestini called them navigabile or ship-worthy,
keeping after long voyages. Dont miss 150+ year-old vines mostly-Nerello cru "Aetneus". The racy Etna Bianco "Ante" (mostly Carricante) comes
from 1200m high vineyards on the sea-influenced eastern slopes; raw fish come alive with this wine. "Alnus" is the traditional pista e mutta (press
and rack) Etna rosato. Organic.
Spain
Basque Country/Pas Vasco
Bengoetxe
Bengoetxe means come home in Basque, and that is exactly what Iaki and Rosa Maria Etxeberria did when they established their tiny, 3.5ha estate
in 2001. It turns out that the Etxeberrias farm has a long history and unique terruo to go along with the singular wines they produce. Perched high up
on a clay slope, their ancient farmhouse has been handed down through the family for generations. After both phylloxera and civil war hit the area, the
vineyards were ripped out, only to be replanted to the native Hondarribi Zuri and Gros Manseng once the Etxeberrias returned. Organic from the
beginning, certification came in 2007, the first producer in the Basque Country to do so. Bengoetxe is one of the few producers in the DO that's not
located right next to the coast or directly near the town of Getaria. Using historic evidence of pre-phylloxera plantings in their town of Olaberria, Iaki
fought for years to be included in the DO, finally achieving the status in 2008. Olaberria is a little warmer, especially in the summer, and the soils more
clay dominated than their coastal neighbors, leading to riper, sturdier grapes. Thankfully, the Etxeberrias do not intend to make a copy-cat Txakolina.
Classic and slow wild yeast fermentation takes place in small 3000 liter vats located in their home garage. The wine is then raised on the lees up to a
year with no batonnage. Sulfur levels are kept to a minimum, and because all CO2 is natural (not injected), the wine often does not show the spritzy
character of other Txakolis from Getaria. We cant help but feel like this was how the Txakolis of the past tasted before commercial yeast, chemicals,
and heavy filtration took hold of the region. With Bengoetxe, we feel we have unearthed an authentic and treasured puzzle piece of Basque
winegrowing history.
Envnate
Envnate (meaning 'wine yourself') is the brainchild of four friends, winemakers Roberto Santana, Alfonso Torrente, Laura Ramos, and Jos Martnez.
This gang of four formed back in 2005 while studying enology at the University of Miguel Hernndez in Alicante. Upon graduation, they formed a
winemaking consultancy, which eventually evolved into Envnate, a project that mainly focuses on exploring distinctive parcels in the Atlantic-inflected
regions of Ribeira Sacra and the Canary Islands, as well as other exceptional vineyard plots across the Iberian Peninsula. Their collective aim is to
make profoundly pure and authentic wines that express the terruo of each parcel in a clear and concise manner. To this end, no chemicals are used
in any of the Envnate vineyards, all parcels are picked by hand, the grapes are foot-trodden, and the wines are fermented exclusively with wild yeasts
with a varying proportion of whole grape clusters included. For aging, the wines are raised in old barrels and sulfur is only added at bottling if needed.
The results are some of the most exciting and honest wines being produced in Spain today.
La Perdida
Nacho Gonzlez is a natural winegrower working three small, old-vine plots (1.5ha total) around the town of Larouco, located in the Valdeorras wine
region (although Nacho chooses to work outside the DO, as his noninterventionist approach and subsequent wines do not fit the more conventional
Valdeorras offerings). The age of his vines ranges from 40 to 70 years old, with the oldest of his holdings coming from his grandmother. His approach
to farming is to treat the vineyard as an ecosystem allowing growth between the vines, the use of some biodynamic practices, and planting cover
crops to help with disease pressure and pests. Fermentations are in clay vessels or open-top barrels with whole grape clusters, and levage is in old
French oak, with no racking or clarifying, and only a touch of sulfur added at bottling if needed. The resulting wines are pure, gripping, unadulterated
expressions of old-vine Valdeorras terroir.
La Rioja
Bodega Akutain
The story of Bodega Akutain begins over four decades ago when Riojas storied estates were consistently producing Spains most highly sought-after
wines. At this time, Juan Peagaricano Akutain was an engineer in nearby Basque Country, working for a company that sold cooling units to wineries.
Juan developed personal relationships with many Rioja bodegas and spent time tasting and learning in the region, most notably in the cellars of two
of the great traditionalists of yesteryear CVNE and La Rioja Alta. These experiences gave him the confidence to plant his first vineyard in 1975,
located 5km west of Haro at Riojas epicenter. With a desire to work in the chteau style, Juan acquired a horse stable adjacent to the vineyard and
converted it into a small bodega, and Akutain has been making wine here in this small but highly functional bodega ever since. They strive to produce
wines in the traditional style set forth by the Grand Bodegas, but on a much smaller scale, and most importantly, to singularly reflect the wind-swept,
high-elevation terruo of Rioja Alta. Today the property is comprised of 6.5ha of four distinct vineyard plots, all estate-owned and located in the Rioja
Alta subzone, ranging from 25-40 years of age. Juans son, the young and ambitious Jon Peagaricano, is now handling the day-to-day operations.
Today, Jon is leading the estate into the 21st century, converting their highest elevation vineyard to organic viticulture, with the rest of the estate
following suit. Harvesting is by hand, all fermentations are with natural yeasts in fiberglass vats (with no temperature control), and all aging is in used
American oak. They bottle age for a significant amount of time in natural caves that the Akutains built under the first vineyard they planted back in
1975. The resultant wines are throwbacks to Riojas past 12.5 to 13% alcohol, beautifully aromatic, nuanced, and age-worthy; traditional Grower
Rioja at its best!
Siete
Siete Rioja comes from a second generation family farm using environmentally friendly methods for producing the best wines. Vineyards are divided
among several municipalities Calahorra, Andosilla, and San Adrin all within Rioja Baja. The soils are diverse, with limestone dominating, but also
sand, clay, and gravel. Siete is a wine made especially for Vinos de Terruos in collaboration with brothers Andrs and Ramn Serrano, pioneers in
organic farming in Rioja Baja. Tempranillo, Garnacha, and Mazuelo are each vinified separately in stainless steel before final blending.
Navarra
Verasol
The region of Navarra sits just northeast of the bordering Rioja. It is a region that enjoys three distinct climate influences Atlantic, Continental, and
Mediteranean as well as a myriad of soil types and elevations. This makes Navarra one of the most interesting regions for winegrowing in all of
Spain. The fruit for this cuvee is sourced from organically farmed vines around the town of Olite, a winemaking town in the Ribera Alta subzone of
Navarra. Due to its limestone sub-soils, high elevation, and accompanying fluctuations between daytime and nighttime temperatures, this is an area
known to produce excellent Tempranillo and Garnacha based wines. Verasol is a cuve made especially for Vinos de Terrunos in collaboration with
Charo Moriones, a vintner with deep roots and intimate knowledge of the Navarra region. Fermented and raised in old cement vats. Bottled unfiltered.
Bodegas Mengoba
Gregory Perez came to Bierzo from his native Bordeaux in 2001 to work as an enologist for a large winery. By 2007, Gregory had begun to reject
the new winemaking methods, and set out with a newly defined vision: to produce Bierzo wines, free of artifice, and that express the Bierzo terroir
in a clear and concise manner. With the purchase of his own 5ha, he started Bodegas Mengoba, named after the native grapes of Bierzo
Menca, Godello, and Doa Blanca. To achieve his goal, Gregory works only with native grapes, farming them as organically as possible, and
working with natural winemaking methods, such as fermenting all of his wines with wild yeasts and working with very little sulfur during the
winemaking process. Gregory has also started a second project to showcase his work as a micro-negociant, exclusively buying fruit from growers
that focus on the health of the soil first and that do not use herbicides.
Goyo Garca
Goyo Garca Viadero, the son of one of the most respected winemaking families in the Ribera del Duero, has been crafting iconoclastic, naturally-
made wines since the 1980s. Greatly inspired by natural winemakers, like Pierre Overnoy from the Jura, Goyo started his current project of reviving
old vineyards to produce his own naturally made wines in 2003. With the help of his wife Diana, Goyo farms three, tiny single-plots in the heart of
Ribera del Duero near the town of Roa, all on different soil types and altitudes. The vineyards here are very old (the youngest vines are 80 years old),
and all the vines are head-trained and interplanted with white grapes. Goyo harvests first for acidity, and then coferments red and white grapes
together, just as things were done in Ribera del Duero back in the good old days. In the cellar, the grapes are all destemmed, fermented exclusively
with wild yeast, and nothing is added during levage (including SO2). The wines are then raised in old French barrels at an underground, century-old
cellar. Goyo also makes wine in Cantabria, the region where his mother comes from, high up in the Picos de Europa mountain range, where there is a
little-known outcropping of old-vine Menca and Palomino planted on pure broken slate. Using similar practices as his Duero reds, Goyo produces
beautiful mountain-laden, mineral-inflected wines from here. Thats right, Palomino gone Wild!
La Capra Loca
This wine is made in Pesquera de Duero, in the Valladolid province of Ribera del Duero. This vineyards location is characterized by very cold winters
and hot summers. The wide variations in temperature between day and night contribute to a slower ripening of the grapes and provide excellent
levels of acidity. La Capra Loca is a cuve made especially for Vinos de Terruos in collaboration with the viticulturist Federico Fernandez of the
Fernandez family, who has a great wine tradition in Ribera del Duero and are pioneers in developing the Tempranillo grape in Pesquera de Duero.
Fermented in stainless steel and aged 6 months in American and Hungarian oak.
M. Sokolin
After working as a sommelier in San Francisco at Michael Mina and Acquarello, Mitchell Sokolin decided to spend the last several years traveling the
globe learning to make in both hemispheres, at places like Mac Forbes in Australia. Finally, for his first solo project, he has settled down in the
southern part of Castilla y Len in Sierra de Salamanca. The grapes for this wine come from a vineyard planted in 2004 as part of research
collaboration with the regional government. Called "La Espaldera" ('trellis' in English), it represents the most comprehensive collection of the known
clones of Rufete. While the trellised, cordon-pruned vines are a departure from the more traditional bush vines of the region, it is tightly planted on a
steep WNW-facing slope of decomposed granite and quartz, supported by hand-built stone terraces. It has been farmed organically (and certified as
such) since it was planted, and the winemaking follows a very minimalist approach, with SO2 as the only addition.
Vevi
The wine region Rueda is located in the heart of Spain, in the southwestern part of Castilla y Leon. It is high in elevation and possesses a continental
climate with wide shifts between very warm days and cold nights. Rueda has a long tradition of winegrowing and is the ancestral home of the noble
Verdejo grape. Verdejo makes one of the most distinctive white wines in all of Spain. Vevi Rueda is a cuve made especially for Vinos de Terrunos in
collaboration with Antonio Sanz, a vintner with deep roots and intimate knowledge of the Rueda region. Vevi expresses the unique personality of the
native Verdejo and Viura grapes, along with the inherent qualities of the Rueda terruno. It is a balanced, drinkable, and food-friendly vino blanco.
Fermented in stainless steel vat and raised on the lees 6-8 months before bottling.
Aragn
Bielsa
The wine region Carinena is located just southeast of Navarra in the province of Zaragoza. It is part of the larger political region of Aragn, the area
considered to be the ancestral home of the Garnacha grape. Carinena possesses an ideal terruno for growing and making wine from old vine
Garnacha. The soils are poor and limestone based. The climate is continental, with hot days to ensure ripening and cool nights to preserve acidity,
along with a unique cooling influence from a wind that blows from the north, called Cierzo. This cooling influence helps give unusually delicate
aromatics and elegant wines from the late-ripening and potentially alcoholic Garnacha grape. Bielsa Garnacha is meant to be a drinkable and food-
friendly wine that expresses the unique personality and inherent qualities of self-sustaining, old vine viticulture and the Carinena terruno. It is a cuve
made especially for Vinos de Terrunos in collaboration with Ana Becoechea, a vintner with deep roots and intimate knowledge of the Carinena region.
Fermented and raised 3 months in American barrels. Bottled unfiltered.
Catalonia
German Gilabert
Cava is Spains most famous sparkling wine. In order to be called Cava, the wine has to be made using 'mtodo tradicional', where the secondary
fermentation happens in the bottle. 95% of Cava is produced in the Peneds area of Catalonia, located just southwest of Barcelona. It is no wonder
that Cava is the drink of choice in the many tapas bars of the great city. The grapes used for German Gilabert come from the subzone Alt Peneds,
where the highest elevation plots are located. Only native grapes are used, the vines are farmed organically, and the wine is bottled without added
sugar or Brut Nature. German Gilabert is a cuve made especially for Vinos de Terruos in collaboration with a vintner who has deep roots and
intimate knowledge of Cava production. Primary fermentation in stainless steel vats. Secondary fermentation in the bottle, and it is raised on the lees
18-20 months before disgorgement. Bottled with no dosage.
Jlia Bernet
The Bernet family has been growing grapes and making wine for local consumption since at least 1905. Xavier Bernet established his winery in the
Alt Peneds town of Subirats in 2001, naming it after his daughter, Jlia, who was born the same year. The 9ha of vineyards are farmed organically
with some biodynamic practices, the vinifications are without sulfur, and the Cavas are aged a minimum of 18 months. These are amongst the purest
and most hand-crafted Cavas to be found, and we feel lucky to be representing Jlia Bernet here!
Sa del Coster
Since the very beginning, Sa del Coster has respected its lands in Gratallops, Priorat, and has been able to express an elegant and honest vision of
this region, which has recently been known mostly for wines so overworked they have lost their sense of place. Some of the vineyards are over 60
years old and give the wines depth and expressiveness. Sa del Coster is a winery that works traditionally and organically, respecting natural cycles,
using biodynamic preparations in its lands and following the lunar calendar for all of its agricultural and winemaking activities. It is a commitment to
rediscover a method of working the land that is practically non-existent in the region, but we believe is essential in order to make deep wines of great
personality that give pleasure to whoever drinks them. They have even begun experimenting with whole cluster fermentation for their new cuve
"Pim Pam Poom". Glou glou Priorat, anyone?
Suriol
Its a family affair at Suriol, an estate that manages to embody tradition while producing some of the most delicious Cavas and still wines as naturally
as possible. Naturally in this case means working only with their 'collita propia' (own vineyards) and certified organic grapes, no added commercial
yeasts or enzymes, very little sulfur additions, and no dosage at bottling of their Cavas. In short, Suriol is the real deal. The Suriol family has lived and
made wine in the same masia, the Castell de Grabuac, in Font-Rub, Peneds, since the 15th century. Their 25ha of vineyards are divided up into 20
different micro-plots and surround the masia. Located in the Alt Peneds, the higher elevation winegrowing area of the region, the Suriol vineyards are
planted at 250-350m on heavy limestone soils. Originally, the family made wine just for themselves and to sell to local tavernas. It was not until 1985
that, under the leadership of the patriarch Francesc, the family started working seriously to produce Cava and bottling their own sparkling wines. Their
vineyards have been always worked organically, with certification arriving in 1998. In the cellar, the lively and passionate son, Asss Suriol, is in charge
of the winemaking. All the wines are fermented by parcel with wild yeasts in stainless steel vats. The wine is then racked to underground concrete
tanks where the malolactic fermentation occurs naturally over the winter. The Cavas rest on the fine lees until sale. In some cases, such as for the
Gran Reserva wines, the wine can spend ten years or more on the lees. All of Suriols work in the vineyard and in the cellar equate to remarkable
expressions of their place and their familys long history of winegrowing. These are true Vins Catalans with heart and soul.
Castilla-La Mancha
Deya
Sourced from an organic grower in Castilla with a large collection of relatively old, bush-trained vines, Deya comes from several vineyards, between
40 and 50 years old. After a 10 day maceration, the wine is fermented and aged entirely in stainless steel. A fresh take on 100% Tempranillo from
Castilla-La Mancha for a great price.
Envnate
Envnate (meaning 'wine yourself') is the brainchild of four friends, winemakers Roberto Santana, Alfonso Torrente, Laura Ramos, and Jos Martnez.
This gang of four formed back in 2005 while studying enology at the University of Miguel Hernndez in Alicante. Upon graduation, they formed a
winemaking consultancy, which eventually evolved into Envnate, a project that mainly focuses on exploring distinctive parcels in the Atlantic-inflected
regions of Ribeira Sacra and the Canary Islands, as well as other exceptional vineyard plots across the Iberian Peninsula. Their collective aim is to
make profoundly pure and authentic wines that express the terruo of each parcel in a clear and concise manner. To this end, no chemicals are used
in any of the Envnate vineyards, all parcels are picked by hand, the grapes are foot-trodden, and the wines are fermented exclusively with wild yeasts
with a varying proportion of whole grape clusters included. For aging, the wines are raised in old barrels and sulfur is only added at bottling if needed.
The results are some of the most exciting and honest wines being produced in Spain today.
Neyda
Sourced from an organic grower in Castilla with a large collection of relatively old, bush-trained vines, Neyda comes from a single vineyard of nearly
100 year-old vines. After a 20 day maceration and fermentation in stainless steel, the wine ages in French oak and is bottled unfiltered. A great
example of the old-vine history of Castilla-La Mancha for an awesome price.
Valencia
Curii Uvas y Vinos
Curii is the project of couple Alberto Redrado and Violetta Gutirrez de la Vega, the daughter of the old-fashioned Alicantino estate Gutirrez de la
Vega. Their aim is to restore old parcels in their native region and make wines with minimal intervention true Mediterranean wines with lifted
aromatics and pure drinkability. They farm just over 1ha, with parcels ranging from 30-100 years old, and currently bottle one wine from the local
clone of Garnacha called Giro. It is native yeast fermented with whole grape clusters and raised in a mixture of neutral French oak barrels and one
old American oak foudre.
Canary Islands
Dolores Cabrera Fernndez
Dolores Cabrera Fernndez is a longtime farmer working in the Valle de la Orotava in northern Tenerife, the largest of the Canary Islands. Wine-
growing here dates back to the Spanish conquest of the 15th century, and it is the oldest of the five appellations on the island. Dolores' vineyards
have always been worked organically, with a portion of the parcels being certified organic. After selling her grapes to larger producers for many years,
Dolores started making and bottling her own wine in 2013. The product of her efforts is "La Araucaria", a singular and natural approach to the Listan
Negro grape, the predominant grape of her region. It is sourced from 100+ year-old vines on the slopes of Mount Teide planted using the unique
'cordn trenzado' (braided cord) method. The grapes are hand harvested and 100% destemmed, with primary fermentation in steel tank followed by
aging in old Burgundy barrels for 10 months. Bottled without fining or filtration and very little SO2 added, this is a pure expression of the volcanic
Canary terruo.
Envnate
Envnate (meaning 'wine yourself') is the brainchild of four friends, winemakers Roberto Santana, Alfonso Torrente, Laura Ramos, and Jos Martnez.
This gang of four formed back in 2005 while studying enology at the University of Miguel Hernndez in Alicante. Upon graduation, they formed a
winemaking consultancy, which eventually evolved into Envnate, a project that mainly focuses on exploring distinctive parcels in the Atlantic-inflected
regions of Ribeira Sacra and the Canary Islands, as well as other exceptional vineyard plots across the Iberian Peninsula. Their collective aim is to
make profoundly pure and authentic wines that express the terruo of each parcel in a clear and concise manner. To this end, no chemicals are used
in any of the Envnate vineyards, all parcels are picked by hand, the grapes are foot-trodden, and the wines are fermented exclusively with wild yeasts
with a varying proportion of whole grape clusters included. For aging, the wines are raised in old barrels and sulfur is only added at bottling if needed.
The results are some of the most exciting and honest wines being produced in Spain today.
United States
California
AmByth Estate
AmByth is the Welsh word meaning "forever", and it is with this future in mind that Mary and Phillip Hart started the first certified biodynamic winery in
Paso Robles. The 8ha of vineyards and olive trees are all dry-farmed, and the wines are made with minimal intervention. The goal is to let the grapes
express themselves into wine without the aid of additives, adjustments, or enhancements. In the cellar, grapes are crushed by foot and allowed to
ferment and age in either stainless steel, old barrel, or terracotta amphora. From 2012 on, the Harts have even eliminated all added sulfites. These
are pure, alive, and fresh examples of Paso Robles terroir made with a dedication to sustainability that few in the region can match.
Brea
Brea is a collaboration between "New California Wine" OG, Chris Brockway of Broc Cellars, and wine importer and logistics veteran, Tim Elenteny.
Their goal is to craft site-specific, terroir-driven, sustainably-farmed versions of beloved California grape varieties, such as Chardonnay, Cabernet
Sauvignon, and Pinot Noir. By working closely with farmers and choosing unique vineyard sites, the two are able to craft classic expressions of these
grapes while also keeping them accessible in both price and quality, ready to drink now but also suitable for short term aging. The work is natural in
the cellar, utilizing only native yeasts for fermentation, with no added bacteria, enzymes, or powdered tannins, no new oak, and minimal use of sulfur.
These are real deal, unadulterated expressions of Cali fruit that we believe are a big step above most private labels.
Broc Cellars
After growing up in Nebraska and working in Seattle, Chris Brockway arrived in California to study winemaking. Following a textbook education at UC
Davis and Fresno State, Chris experience of drinking and enjoying more low-intervention, natural wines persuaded him to take a somewhat different
path than most of his classmates. In 2002, he began working at an urban winery in Oakland before leaving in 2006 to set up his own label from a
small industrial unit in Berkeley. Today, he runs his operation from a slightly bigger premises around the corner, but the focus remains the same:
producing site-specific wines from off-the-beaten-path vineyards or with unique, heritage grapes varieties, working only with fruit that is organically or
biodynamically grown, and taking a decidedly hands-off approach in the cellar, with only natural ferments and no additions other than sulfur when
needed. Chris' work continues to push the boundaries of "The New California", and his wines are some of the most compelling, terroir-expressive
examples being produced in the state today.
Farmstrong
A new project from winemaker Faith Armstrong Foster of Onward, Farmstrong provides an artisanal take on California table wine. Sourced entirely
from sustainable, old-vine, dry-farmed vineyards, Faith is working with heritage California grape varieties to create balanced wines that evoke a true
sense of old school California terroir.
Lusu Cellars
Lusu Cellars is a new project from winemaker David Teixeira, focusing on heritage California and Rhne grape varieties. David sources exclusively
from old, dry-farmed and susatinable family-owned vineyards. Winemaking is as minimalist as possible to try and extract the essence of each of these
special vineyards: Indigenous yeasts are used, punchdowns are by hand, only older barrels are used so as not to mark the wines, and there is no
fining, filtration or other additions. The goal is to make wines that are truly "Californian" and show a sense of place and time for each of their unique
provenances. These are exciting and honest wines from a young winemaker that will be one to watch!
Onward
Winemaker Faith Armstrong Foster has truly worked her way up through every aspect of the wine business; from tasting room manager, to marketing,
to lab technician and assistant winemaker, to finally, in 2009, launching her own label with Onward. Although she does some fascinating work with
Malvasia (and a few other varieties for some cool projects in the works), the focus at Onward is definitely on Pinot Noir, which is Faiths favorite variety
both to work with and to enjoy. Faith sources from two vineyards for her Pinot, "Hawkeye Ranch" in Redwood Valley, and "Cerise Vineyard" in
Anderson Valley. "Hawkeye" is farmed sustainably and organically by fifth generation family farmers, and is planted to old vine Martini clone. "Cerise"
is a steep hillside vineyard, farmed biodynamically, with super thin, hard, and marginal soils, resulting in low yeilds, but some of the best quality in
California. Working exclusively with these cool climate vineyard sites, coupled with Faith's minimal intervention approach during the winemaking
process, allows for some of the truest expressions of Pinot Noir in California.
Oregon
Art+Science
Dan Rinke and his artist wife Kim Hamblin are making wine and cider on their farm with the leading philosophy being one of respect. Respect starts
with organic and biodynamic farming principles, eliminating synthetic fertilizers, herbicides, and fungicides, and using only their own cow manure and
biodynamic preparations made from plants growing on the property. The same philosophies that are used in the vineyards are also applied in the
winery: Let the wine make itself. The wine does not need commercially bought additives. In doing so, you are not honoring how the grapes are
grown, their vintage variation, or sense of place," says Dan. Of the 132 allowable additives, only a small amount of sulfur is used in winemaking
process, and only right before bottling. Both the Syrah and Pinot see a good portion of whole-clusters, are punched down by foot, and age in barrels
of various ages before being bottled by hand, without fining or filtration.
Golden Cluster
Charles Coury is one of the Northwests original wine pioneers, a man with amazing foresight who believed in the long-term potential of Oregons
cool-climate regions. Coury purchased an old, abandoned vineyard in the hills above Forest Grove in 1965 and began replanting grape vines. Some
Pinot Noir, but also lots of white grapes: Riesling, Sylvaner, Gewrztraminer, Pinot Blanc, Gouges Blanc, Pearl of Csaba, Flora, Chasselas, Muscat,
and, most importantly, Smillon. This vineyard is one of the oldest in Oregon (planted the same year David Lett first planted Pinot Noir), with origins
dating back to the 1880s. Today, thegrapes for Golden Cluster come from this original vineyard block, making them the oldest known Smillon in the
Pacific Northwest. The vines are dry farmed and planted on their own roots. After hand harvesting, the grapes spend around 50 hours on the skins
and ferment with native yeast. Aging is in neutral barrels, and there is no fining or filtration. Charles Coury was a man who was ahead of his time, and
Golden Cluster proves to people just how right his vision was. We hope you enjoy this unique piece of Oregon wine history.
Minimus
Minimus is a science project for Chad Stock, winemaker at Johan Vineyards. The name reflects his philosophy that to produce the most pure and
natural product, one must use minimal interference. Each wine is the result of an experiment designed to challenge Chad's formal education in
Enology. The resulting wines, should they survive the experiment, are numbered in the order that they are released, and will be produced only once.
Chad keeps track of each experiment in his journal, documenting every aspect of the process including conception, implementation, vineyard site
selection, and much, more more. Ultimately, his goal is to use these experiments to grow as a winemaker, and to some day to write a craft
winemaking book about the experience.
Omero
Established in 2009, Omero is a small (10ha) family owned vineyard and winery located in the heart of the Ribbon Ridge AVA in the northern
Willamette Valley. The estate is farmed organically, with a focus on maintaining the natural biodiversity of the land through minimal intervention, dry
farming, native cover crops, and the integration of livestock, most notably the 21 sheep that roam the property. In 2014, Omero brought on Chad
Stock of Minimus to take over all winemaking duties and increase their focus on making distinctive, authentic, natural wines. Chad has incorporated
some biodynamic principles, native yeast fermentations, and more transparent, minimalist winemaking to create a range of acid driven, food friendly
wines that truly reflect the terroir of this unique place.
New York
Bellwether
In a relatively short amount of time, Kris Matthewson of Bellwether has proven himself to be one of the Finger Lakes' most talented and thoughtful
winemakers. Unlike most of his peers, Kris talks about texture more than residual sugar (or the lack thereof), he talks about depth and definition more
than alcohol, acidity and minerality more than fruit. As befitting a young winemaker in a young region, Kris is exploring the possibilities, and he has no
use for dogma. That said, a few things are non-negotiable: all the fruit is hand-picked, fermentations are slow, bottling is late, and releases are even
later. While Bellwether has gotten a lot of attention for the pt-nats, the Pinot Noir la Jura, and the low-sulfur, wild-ferment Riesling, the more
traditional, single-vineyard Rieslings are easily among the most pristine and riveting coming out of this region as well.
Cider
France Normandy
Cyril Zangs
After a career as a book sales rep in Paris, Cyril Zangs decided to go back to his native Normandy with his family and started making cider. All of his
ciders come from organically grown apples, about 70 different varieties in total, some of which have yet to be identified, and are picked from the tree
by hand, not from the floor where they already started the process of rotting. Zangs tells us the idea is to have apples that are sweet, bittersweet, and
tartly acidic to balance everything out, instead of some growers who have switched to a mono-cpage where single flavors (usually sweet) can
dominate. After harvest, Cyril puts his apples through greniers, or aging in an attic, for one or two months depending on the year, an old practice that
gives the resulting cider much more depth of both color and flavor. After the greniers aging, the apples are crushed, pressed off, and transferred to
stainless steel tanks where fermentation starts naturally. The cider is then bottled while still fermenting and aged in pupitres for up to a year, with no
filtering and no sulfur added. For those of you accustomed to sweet cider, this is going to be a new experience. This is a dry, age worthy (hence, the
vintage dating), fuller bodied cider.
Spain Asturias
Ramos del Valle
Ramos del Valle from Sidra Fran is an all-natural hard cider made with traditional methods using apples from the Asturias region of northern Spain.
Founded in 1918, Roberto Ramos is the third generation of his family to make cider. Sidra Fran is currently owned and operated by Roberto and his
four siblings. Sidra Fran uses only native apples from the region. The apples are hand harvested in September from the family's own orchards on
mountain slopes. There are over 800 native apple varietals in Asturias and 22 varieties authorized in the region. Sidra Fran is in the process of
recovering additional ancient apple varietals. Fermentation occurs naturally and spontaneously with native yeasts. The cider then rests in large
chestnut wooden vats in contact with lees for over five months. No sugar or carbonation is added.
Bere Aran
Bere Aran is an all-natural hard cider from the Basque Country of northern Spain. It is made using traditional methods from fermented juice from 60
different native apple varietals. Founded in 1870 in Astigarraga, the Bereziartua family has been making cider for 4 generations. Fermentation takes
place in small stainless steel tanks and the cider then rests in large neutral oak barrels for 2-6 months. Only native yeasts are used and no sugar or
carbonation is added.
Italy Trentino
Distilleria Francesco
Francesco Polis vineyards (550m/1800ft) can be found along the emerald-colored alpine lake of Santa Massenza, in the Trentino area of Trentino-
Alto Adige. Francesco Polis son, Alessandro, now works and oversees them along with the cantina. Alessandro works mostly with the native grape
varieties of the area: the delicate and herbal red, Schiava, and the lithe alpine white, Nosiola. Working with native yeast fermentations, his cellar style
remains minimalist with the precision and timing of a good cellar master. He has always believed in organic farming, and the winery obtained organic
certification in 1989 (and they now also employ several biodynamic techniques and preparations). Distilleria Francesco is the other face of Francesco
Poli. Besides wine, Poli is equally known for his detailed and delicately textured herbal infusions and various bottlings of grappa produced on the
property with a wood-burning, copper 'bagnomaria' water bath still.
Italy Piemonte
Scarpa
We sometimes assume that the great, historic producers in Italy are all well-known in the U.S. But ask the old timers: "I remember Scarpa"
Antica Casa Vinicola Scarpa has been producing traditional, aristocratic wines in the Monferrato hills of southeast Piemonte for 150 years. They
have vineyards, farmed organically, in the Langhe as well as the Monferrato. Mario Pesce, admired by both Giacosa and Gaja, made Scarpas
reputation in the late 20th century, and today Maria Pier Zola and her family carry on his tradition of aging all the wines for years, and sometimes
decades before release. Traditional sometimes means 'rustic', but that's not the case here; Scarpa produces elegant wines with arrow-like acidity
and well-aged tannins. Bottle evolution and vintage characteristics emerge instead of pointillist fruit. Be on the lookout for releases from the
family's 45,000+ bottle library.
Italy Sardegna
Silvio Carta
The Carta family has been making (and storing) wine in the sleepy coastal town of Oristano for generations. The local grape is Vernaccia (though not
the one from Gimignano). The vine was possibly introduced by the Phoenicians or it was cultivated from wild vines of the Tirso valley. The style is
"oxidative", but no Englishman created or discovered this wine (as happened in Marsala). And maybe thats a shame because these wines deserve
to be better known outside their home. The wine is vinified dry, and the nose is chalky and intriguing. Multiple aged vintages are available. The
register is something new for us, falling somewhere amid the mineral tones of Fino, the nuttiness of Marsala, and a bit of passito fruit.
France
Domaine du Trapadis Rasteau Vin Doux Naturel Grenat 2013 Grenache/Carignan 500mL 6* MFW 553343
Domaine de Saint Pierre Vin de Liqueur "Les Larmes du Paradis" NV Chardonnay/Trousseau 750mL 6* MFW 570474
Julien Thurel "Cydromel" 2013 Apples/Honey 750mL 3* MFW 562075
Austria
Tinhof Burgenland Aperitiv NV Weiburgunder/Neuburger 500mL 8 CH 542553
Italy
Corte Sant'Alda Recioto della Valpolicella 2013 Corvina Grossa/Rondinella 500mL 6 PV 566679
Spain
Alfredo Maestro "La Cosa The Thing" VdlT Castilla y Len 2014 Moscatel de Alejandra 375mL 6 JPS 574442
United States
Good Life Ice Cider "Glacial Till" 2014 Geneva Russett/Goldrush/+ 375mL 12* MFW 562452
Eden Ice Cider "Heirloom Blend" NV ('13) Empire/McIntosh/++ 375mL 6* MFW 569675
Eden Ice Cider "Windfall Orchard" NV Heirloom Blend 375mL 6* MFW 569676
Eden Ice Cider "Northern Spy Barrel-Aged" NV ('13) Northern Spy 375mL 6* MFW 569677
Big Bottles
Name Vintage Grapes Size Pack Importer SLO Code
Sparkling/Pt-Nat
France
Bernard Vallette "Ne Bulleuse" VMQ Ros NV Gamay 1.5L 6 MFW 562442
Piollot Champagne "Champs Rays" Brut Nature NV ('13) Chardonnay 1.5L 6* MFW 575888
United States
Onward Suisun Valley Malvasia Bianca Ptillant Naturel 2015 Malvasia Bianca 1.5L 6* MFW 570662
Aaron Burr Cidery Homstead Cider "Sullivan County" NV Wild Apples 1.5L 3 MFW 577197
White Wine
France
Nicolas Gonin "Blanc Classique" IGP Isre-Balmes Dauphinoises 2014 Viognier/Altesse/Chard/++ 1.5L 6 MFW 558521
Domaine des Gandines Vir-Cless "Les Gandines" 2014 Chardonnay 1.5L 6 MFW 577180
Germany
Hofgut Falkenstein Niedermenniger Herrenberg Sptlese Feinherb (15) 2015 Riesling 1.5L 6 MFW 558907
Italy
Bella Vita Pinot Grigio IGP Veneto 2015 Pinot Grigio 1.5L 6 MFW 538943
Spain
Alfredo Maestro "Lovamor" VdlT Castilla y Len 2016 Albillo Real 1.5L 6 JPS 582792
United States
Bow & Arrow Willamette Valley Melon 2015 Melon de Bourgogne 1.5L 6 MFW 571828
Bow & Arrow Eola-Amity Hills Sauvignon Blanc "Le Chnaie Vnyd" 2015 Sauvignon Blanc 1.5L 6 MFW 571830
Bow & Arrow Willamette Valley Sauvignon Blanc "Union School Vnyd" 2015 Sauvignon Blanc 1.5L 6 MFW 571830
Ros Wine
France
Domaine du Chapitre Ctes du Rhne Ros 2016 Grenache/Clairette Rose/++ 1.5L 6 MFW 580529
Bernard Vallette "La Rose Gorge" VdF Ros 2016 Gamay 1.5L 6 MFW 582812
Spain
Alfredo Maestro "Amanda" VdlT Castilla y Len Rosado 2016 Garnacha Tintorera 1.5L 6 JPS 582793
Italy
Bella Vita Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2014 Montepulciano 1.5L 6 MFW 538945
Colombera & Garella Coste della Sesia 2013 Nebbiolo/Croatina/Vespolina 1.5L 6 PV 580527
Emidio Pepe Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2003 Montepulciano 1.5L 1 PV 575847
Spain
Sa del Coster Priorat "S" 2014 Grenache/Carignan/Syrah/+ 1.5 6 MFW 567190
Envnate "Lousas Vias de aldea" VdM Tinto 2015 Menca 1.5L 3 JPS 583464
United States
Bow & Arrow Willamette Valley Gamay 2015 Gamay 1.5L 6 MFW 571827
Bow & Arrow Willamette Valley "Air Guitar" 2015 Cab Franc/Cab Sauvignon 1.5L 6 MFW 571820
Bow & Arrow Willamette Valley "Rhinestones" 2015 Pinot Noir/Gamay 1.5L 6 MFW 571829
Broc Cellars Solano County Green Valley Valdigui "Wirth Vineyard" 2015 Valdigui 1.5L 6* MFW 576281
Order Details
Order deadline: Monday, 3:00PM
Delivery schedule:
Philadelphia: Wednesday
Philadelphia suburbs: Thursday
Pittsburgh: Friday
Full cases sales only, except wines with a pack size marked with *
For items less than $25/btl, a case can be split, as long as the
remainder of the case is filled (i.e. 6+6, or 4+4+4, etc.).