Autumn Picks

Organic / Biodynamic

Fermented in small stainless steel vats (2 to 5 tons), the fermentation is done with native yeast only, with soft pumping over and a long maceration of 25 days before pressing. After pressing the wine is racked to French barrels, 50% three years old, and 50% four years old where the malolactic fermentation takes place. Aging: 10 months in French barrels (3 and 4 years old )

The 2022 is just a touch sweet with 5.7g/L residual sugar and a little bit of malic acid left too. Weather was a bit extreme in 2022, but the Gewurz came in at the end of August before the heat wave or the rains. They are really happy with Rick's! Acid is present, but the wine is not overly lean or austere, the fruit is savory and the aromatics are a little more pronounced than the last few vintages. The end result is still a relatively subtle, but distinctly aromatic wine that is true to the variety.

Organic / Biodynamic

93 points James Suckling
Fine oak spices and cocoa powder to the ripe cherries, cassis, black cherries and warm stones. Full-bodied and polished on the palate with tightly wound tannins that seep through the compact fruit. Good balance between tight structure and fruit density. From organically grown grapes. Drinkable now, but better from 2024.

92 points Wine Spectator
Long and creamy, this elegant red is structured by supple tannins and juicy acidity, a fine frame for the appealing range of baked black cherry, fig cake, mocha and sage. Fresh, spiced finish. Drink now through 2028.

Limited release, artwork by Morgan Winter. Solstice is a juicy, clean, and apple-forward cider with a subtle hint of funk. Minimal sulfur use, Unfined, Unfiltered. 110 Cases. 6.87% abv

Apples: Porter's Perfection, Dabinett and Northern Spy

Tasting Notes: This wild-fermented cider undergoes three partial fermentations, each carefully interrupted at the perfect moment to preserve the fresh apple character while still adding many layers of complexity. The scent of Dabinett is very prominent, and this vintage was sweeter than past vintages.

Organic

92 points Wine Advocate
A terrific vintage for this wine, which was bottled just a couple of weeks prior to my late June visit, the 2021 Cotes du Rhone Coudoulet de Beaucastel is a blend of 30% each Grenache, Mourvdre and Syrah, plus 10% Cinsault. From a vineyard just outside the boundaries of the appellation of Chteauneuf-du-Pape, it's a remarkably consistent wine and always a solid value. Scents of sunbaked stones, black cherries and licorice appear on the nose, joined by hints of purple raspberries and dark chocolate, while the medium to full-bodied palate is lush and velvety, finishing long and complex.

92 points James Suckling
Very attractive red cherry fruit fills out the medium-bodied palate where the fine tannins underline this very well. Impressive length with plenty of licorice and a touch of candied citrus at the long, crisp and emphatically dry finish. A cuvee based on grenache and mourvedre. From organically grown grapes. Drink from release.

Organic

An aromatic explosion of cherry and red fruit aromas. Crunchy and complex on the palate with a long finish. The color is electric, a glowing cherry color. Elegant and graceful on the palate with soft balanced tannins. This is a mountain wine through and through. This is a fine example of Pinot Noir, as the varietal is meant to be pretty not syrupy. 100% Pinot Noir, organically farmed, from 30 year old vines aged twelve months in used oak barrels.

The first thing you will notice about this wine is the playful and yet confusing label, which does not get easier to decipher after a few glasses. Well, the winery is stronger in winemaking than marketing for this is a delicious daily drinker. A subtle floral bouquet (violets) graces the senses while the body of the wine is brimming with ripe blackberries and a pepper note. Although this wine is generous on the palate it is also soft texturally and very easy to drink. The tannins are subtle, no oak barrels used here, and the alcohol is mild at 12.5% abv. This extremely pleasurable red is less power and more finesse which is not easy to achieve in the Languedoc-Roussillon.

80% Grenache and 20% Syrah fermented in temperature controlled tanks with a cuvaison up to one month. Aged for 4 months in tank.

"Le Loup dans la Bergerie" loosely translates as "The wolf in the hen house".

Organic / Natural

This is an incredible find in Loire Valley Cabernet Franc. This has everything you could want in a classically styled Chinon but with a “new-age” touch of freshness (no oak used, only concrete). The bouquet wafts out of the glass displaying notes of wildflowers, blackberries and bell peppers. This medium-bodied Cabernet Franc has the classic spice and pyrazine (green notes) Chinon is known for but not in a stemmy or unripe fruit way. It is subtle and adds a desired complexity. This is bright and joyful and should not be missed by Loire Valley wine enthusiasts. Lower its temperature for maximum enjoyment! Organic / Natural. 12% abv.

At the crossroads of traditional Chinon and modern, youthful winemaking you will find Domaine de la Mariniere. The depth and purity of the fruit they achieve ia terrific.

The Domaine de la Mariniere, situated in Panzoult on the eastern edge of Chinon, has been farmed by the Desbourdes family since 1965. The land here was initially used as a true, polyculture farm, raising animals and growing cereal grains in addition to grapes. Renaud Desbourdes returned to help his father in the 1980s, turning the focus to grape growing and winemaking and expanding the vineyard plantings, and eventually took full control of the domaine in 1999 when his father retired. Today, Renaud’s son, Boris, has joined his father full-time and is helping to take this traditional family domaine into the next generation.

Boris initially became passionate about organic farming after working with Vincent Laval in Champagne, and upon his return, he immediately transitioned his family’s vineyards to organics (certified in 2018). The 15 hectares of vines average 30 years old (with some old parcels having been planted in the ‘50s and ‘60s) and are planted on a mix of gravelly sand and limestone soils on the hillsides. In addition to the increased focus on farming, Boris has introduced hand-harvesting and the use of native yeast for fermentations. The result of all of this work is a set of wines that are at the forefront of a modern approach to classic Chinon, combining the best of old traditions with youthful energy.

Cuvee 2020. For those who like their cider a bit on the drier side, the pear cuvee from Eric Bordelet is perfect. Lots of fruit but a cleaner finish. Although apple is the traditional drink in the region, as well as the traditional accompaniment to crepes, the pear has a vibrancy we connect with. Why not grab both and decide for yourself? - PJ

Organic / Biodynamic / Natural

A wine from and with a horizon. It has established itself as a profound and characterful representative of the variety in the fossil-rich limestone and mica slate soils on the eastern slopes of the Leitha Mountains. Full of power, incredibly complex, nervy and straightforward, wrapped in a fine tannin robe, it radiates with its vitality and stony, lingering length. The vineyards are cultivated according to biodynamic guidelines. Handpicked in mid-September to early October, spontaneous fermentation, left on the mash for three weeks in a wooden fermentation rack, gently pressed with a basket press, matured for 38 months in amphorae and used 500 l oak barrels. 13% abv

Organic / Biodynamic / Natural

The curious combination of depth and lightness. Determined, focussed and with righteous courage as the soul of its roots, Chardonnay Leithaberg lifts its voice in song. Reserved at first out of caution, although immediately captivating, this wine requires deliberation, air, patience and a large glass to reveal its true essence. After a certain time, brightly coloured flowers and yellow-fleshed fruit appear, growing upon meadows of wild herbs. Initially reserved, paying homage to the limestone, tentative notes of roasted grain and freshly baked madeleines unfold. The yellowfruit aromas are bundled together with a delicate smokiness that only emphasises the fine silhouettes. ‘Juicy’ is still the favourite descriptor that comes to the tongue. Steely, straight and supported by invigorating acidity, Leithaberg pulls a sack of stones effortlessly behind it, leaving a trail that one is only too happy to follow.

Chardonnay thrives on the eastern limestone and slate slopes of the Leitha Range. The primary lots were harvested from the vineyards Spiegel, Kirchberg and Alter Berg in Winden and the Fügler in Jois. Some grape material also comes from the Edelgraben and the Zwergsbreiten in Breitenbrunn.


Bottled with conscientious handcraft and great care throughout the entire life cycle. Biodynamic cultivation of the vineyards. Handpicked at the beginning of September and left for some hours on the skins and stems. Spontaneous fermentation and malolactic fermentation. Matured for 7 months on its lees in large oak casks. 13% abv

Organic

90 points Vinous
The 2020 Crianza is a blend of 90% Tempranillo and 10% Graciano sourced from Sotes, Cenicero, Huércanos and Oyón in Rioja. Aged for 12 months in French and American oak barrels, this garnet-hued wine presents aromas of wild herbs and black fruit, complemented by oak layers. On the palate, it is dry, rich and fairly taut with a lingering juicy profile, offering notes of black fruit and a clingy texture.

Organic / Natural / No Added Sulfites

An intriguing medium-bodied red with evolved fruit notes on the bouquet but fresh ripe red fruit mid-palate. Soft velvety tannins on the exit. This is impeccably clean for no added sulfites. Outrageously good! 13.5% abv

Vinification Method: Grapes are hand-harvested, destemmed, and macerated in open-topped wooden vats for 20 days without refrigeration. Hand punch-downs are performed about 4-5 times per day. The skins are pressed to stainless steel tanks for about 4 days at cellar temperature. Then the wine is racked, with the fine lees, to 2500 and 500-liter oak barrels for elevage.

Natural

To make Soif, we blended two spontaneously fermented ciders aged on cherries and strawberries and added almost one tonne of Zweigelt skins for an extra month of skin contact. It's a red fruit bonanza.

Soif is easy. A thirst quencher; a glugger; a quaffable refresher.

Ingredients: Apples, cherries, strawberries, grape skins.

Zero grams of sugar. Naturally fermented.

6.1% ABV

Natural

Waves is a cider with apples, red + blue plums, blended with a young Montmorency cherry cider.

Each fruit has built on top of each other to create something wildly crushable. Waves is our attempt to enhance the depth of each individual ingredient by bringing them together in a single neat package.

Only 3-5 grams of residual sugar.

5.7% abv