Events

Organic

A terrific Sancerre alternative. This is a very mineral driven Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley.

Organic

94 points View from the Cellar (John Gilman)
The 2017 vintage of les Picasses from Domaine Raffault has just been released, nearly six years out from the vintage. The wine is simply outstanding on both the nose and palate, with the bouquet hopping from the glass in a vibrant and already complex blend of sweet dark berries, cassis, cigar wrapper, gravelly soil tones, a touch of smoked meats, currant leaf and a smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied, focused and complex, with superb mid-palate depth, excellent soil signature and grip, ripe, well-measured tannins and impeccable balance on the long, complex and very classy finish. At age six, this wine is certainly approachable today, but it is still a puppy and the real fireworks will not start until it is at least twelve years of age. Outstanding young Chinon! 2023-2075+

Organic / Biodynamic

Ch??teau de Chaintres produces this cuv??e from one of their best and oldest parcels: a 1940 planting (hence the name: the year of plantation in Roman numerals) of Cabernet Franc in the heart of the clos. Aged in a single 20-hectoliter tronconic oak cask for two winters, ?€?MCMXL?€? offers intensely concentrated, sappy fruit, penetrating and finely chiseled minerality, and a firmer structure than the other Saumur-Champigny wines in the lineup.

Organic

Francois Pinon inherited his domaine from his father in 1987 and has, over the last 20 years, become widely recognized as one of the top producers in Vouvray. His mission is simple: to maintain the character of the appellation and of the vintage. The vineyards at Pinon are in the corniche of the Vallee de Cousse. The soil here is clay and silica on a base of limestone (tuffeau) with flint (silex), and the area is rated among the top sites in the appellation for Vouvrays of distinction and longevity. Pinon works organically; he plows the vineyards, does not use chemical fertilizers and pesticides and, of course, he harvests by hand and uses no cultured yeasts. All new plantings are done by massale selection and no nursery clones are used; the vines are an average of 25 years old. He is slowly moving towards organic certification with confidence that these methods produce the finest fruit. Primary fermentation occurs in wood barrels, then the wines are aged in stainless steel or foudres to obtain a balance between fruit and reduction. There is one racking to remove the heavy lees and the wine remains on its fine lees until bottling, which takes place a full year after the harvest. Rather than use a large dose of SO2, Pinon prefers to filter his wines to insure their stability and aging potential.

Organic / Biodynamic

Made from the noble Chenin Blanc grape variety, this cuv??e presents all the characteristics of ripe fruit with aromas of apricots, peaches and quince. This cuv??e is fermented in barrel bringing delicate nutty aromas. The palate is round and fresh, which allows for gourmet pairings.100% Chenin Blanc. Vineyard planted in 1984.Direct pressing. Fermentation in thermoregulated stainless steel vats. Natural yeast fermentation. Aging in French oak barrels (new and used) for one year. Tartaric stabilization in cold room.

Organic / Biodynamic / Natural / No Sulfur Added

This naturally sparkling Rose hails from the Loire Valley in France, comprised of organically farmed Gamay. It is bright, lively, and delicate on the palate with enticing notes of fresh strawberries and rhubarb. The finish is precise and dry.

The vineyards are spread across 25 parcels with vines ranging from 30 to 130 years for the oldest vines. The Jousset?€?s fundamental and profound respect for nature led them to exclude herbicides and pesticides in favor of the balance that biological diversity promises down to the microscopic level. They believe that to make an original wine it is necessary to have living soils with high microbial activity, a ?€?living?€? vine, and a balanced life between plants and animals in all of the domain?€?s parcels.

Organic / Biodynamic

Vibrant sparkling wine with notes of baked apples on the nose. The palate has a creamy mousse with notes of lemon, apple, honeysuckle and brioche. 50% Chenin blanc, 50% Chardonnay planted in 1994. Grapes are hand-picked. After pressing, the Chardonnay is fermented and matured in 400-litre barrels of 1 or 2 wines, while the Chenin remains in stainless steel vats. Aged for 18 months on lees. No dosage. 12.5% abv