France

Organic

James Suckling on a previous vintage:
Quite an aromatic chardonnay here, with discerning notes of sliced green apples, melon and lemon zest. Round and textured, with simple apple pith and nectarines in the pristine yet flavorful palate. Lots of fruit in the round, medium- to full-bodied palate.

Winemaker Notes:
"Whispering Angel is a blend of Grenache, Rolle, Cinsault, Syrah, and Mourvedre grapes. Strikingly pale pink in color, the aromas are fresh and fruity. On the palate, it is bone dry through the finish. The name really suits the delicate nature of this wine."

This is the best bargain rose we have this year! Delicate and pretty with lively fresh fruit notes that will have you thirsting for more. The wineries vineyards are on an island in the middle of the Rhone river, how cool is that? The main varieties are Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Carmenere, and Arinarnoa (a cross between Merlot and Petit Verdot). The ros?? harvest undergoes a short skin maceration with complete control of process timing, producing a ros?? exclusively from free-run juice.

"Founded in 1927, Domaine Isle Saint Pierre is located on a small island in the Rhone River. It is run today by fourth generation vigneron Julien Henry.

The proximity to the water provides a cooling influence that allows the wines to retain great freshness even in the far south of France, and deep well-draining sedimentary soils comprised of sand and silt.

Because of the terroir and temperature, they are able to grow varietals that thrive in a Continental climate, such as Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay and Sauvignon.

In 2018, the estate received the Vignerons Developpement Durable certification in recognition of their commitment to sustainable winegrowing.

Although the Isle Saint Pierre wines come from the very southern stretches of France, they display wonderful freshness and aromatic appeal. At harvest, as soon as the grapes enter the cellar, they are cooled to a temperature below 16??C.

Domaine Isle Saint Pierre is our answer to lively, easy-drinking "bistro-style" wines that are perfect for everyday drinking!" - Importer

Is this Sancerre in disguise? This refreshing white wine has all the makings of Sancerre and cost under $20! Lip smacking acidity and minerality dominate the palate. Crisp with subtle citrus notes that finishes bone dry. 100% Sauvignon Blanc from old vines.

Quincy does produce exceptionally high quality Sauvignon Blanc, much like Sancerre, but at a much more affordable price. The cost of Sancerre has skyrocketed over the years with it’s immense popularity and recent difficult vintages. So the savvy Sancerre drinker should be looking towards regions such as Quincy to get their high-acid, mineral driven white wine fix.

Today’s wine happens to be produced by an outstanding Sancerre winery, Domaine Sylvain Bailly. This is one of our favorite Sancerre producers, who really created something special with their Quincy botting.

The Bailly family have been vignerons in Sancerre from father to son since 1700. Like most winemaking families in France who suffered from the phylloxera blight in the late 19th century and then the two world wars of the 20th century, it was only in the early 1950's that Sylvain Bailly began to prosper and grow his business. His son Jacques has took the helm in the late 1980s and today, his daughter Sonia manages the estate.

92 points Jeb Dunnuck
The 2022 Clos Des Lunes Lune D'Argent Blanc is a pure, balanced, medium to full-bodied white with clean citrus and floral aromatics, a good spine of acidity, and a clean, lengthy finish. It's a classy Bordeaux Blanc based largely on Sémillon.

70% Semillon 30% Sauvignon Blanc
The wine is aged 6 to 7 months in 25% oak barrels, and 75% in little vats.

Winery Notes
On the nose, a wide range of fragrances, from vegetal with ivy and acacia to fruity with peach and lychee. A fresh start, opening for persistent mineral and fruity notes with a lingering finish on the palate.

Organic

90-92 points Vinous
The 2024 Morgon Côte du Py has a vivid, stony bouquet with redcurrant and raspberry fruit unfolding in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-boned tannins and a touch more sour cherry in the mix, especially on the piquant finish. Again, this is very promising and might become the edgiest of Burgaud's 2024s.

Organic

"A soft, pale, brilliant pink with bluish tints developing over time towards more orangey nuances. The bouquet releases aromas of summer fruits, cassis and redcurrant. Floral notes of rose along with hints of grapefruit complete the picture. The finish is fresh, offering notes of candy. On the palate the impression is fresh and full, with great aromatic persistence and balance." - Gerard Bertrand

Organic

The composition is 60% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine is marked by a vibrant ruby/garnet color married to a richly spicy nose with hints of tobacco and coffee in the background; the flavors are dominated by red currant, cassis, and raspberry; the texture is silky and the wine is smooth and generous on the palate; the subtle tannins have grip but are graceful making this wine particularly welcoming over the near term.
The Pueyos follow traditional vinification techniques. After a 3 day cold maceration, fermentation takes place in both cement tanks and stainless steel tanks. Either way, temperatures are closely monitored so the fermentation proceeds at a controlled pace with maximum temperatures reaching 28 degrees Celsius. The “cuvaison” (fermentation + maceration) usually lasts between 15 and 20 days. Closely monitoring the temperature during fermentation helps avoid extracting the harsher, more bitter tannins that can appear if the temperature gets too high. Half of the wine is aged in barrels for 18 months following fermentation. Only 25% new barrels and 25% one-year-old barrels are used each year, to avoid overwhelming the fruit. The second part of the cuvée is aged in cement tanks. The two parts of the wine are ultimately blended, then fined with egg whites before bottling.

The 2017 vintage was tied for Third Place in PJ Wine's - Wine of the Year 2021 blind taste-off.

If we had our way, fish stores would include a bottle of Muscadet with every dozen oysters sold. But barring new regulatory measures of food and drink, picking up a bottle of Muscadet should be as much of a given as dressing for salad; bread for a sandwich; a steak knife for a steak! That's how perfect and an integral this wine is with briny, East Coast oysters (or any shellfish, truly!). Here, Pepiere's version is bright and briny, with a little lemon meringue and lemon verbena on the nose, and that clear, bracing minerality that keeps you coming back for another sip (and another oyster!). -- PJ

Winemaker Notes:
"This crisp, fruit-forward and juicy wine has expressive aromas and flavors of ripe red berries, with nice heft in the mouth, and mineral and spice notes. Most red meats and grilled or roasted white meats, especially those prepared with savory herbs or spices."

A classic, mineral-laden Sancerre from the village of Bue, which is prized for its limestone-rich soils. This is a clean, minerally, citrusy, racy style of Sancerre. Aromatically, it tastes like someone took chalk dust and poured citrus oil over it and added a pinch of gunflint. Vieux Pruniers truly overdelivers on every front, especially given the price escalation in quality Sancerre the past several years...we just wish there was more to go around! - Distributor

Sauvignon Blanc. Vines average 15 years old, planted on the ampitheatre hilsides in the village of Bué. Chalky with small pebbles. Sustainably farmed, hand harvested. Classic vinification in temp-controlled tanks. Matured on lees in stainless steel and enameled cement tanks.

An aperitif-style Champagne, with flavors of creme de cassis, lemon curd and pastry riding a creamy mousse and framed by crisp, well-knit acidity.??

"It is composed of 20% of the Chardonnay grape variety, for elegance and delicacy, 40% of Pinot Noir, for roundness and structure and 40% of Pinot Meunier for fruitiness. Pale gold in color, abundance of delicate bubbles. Floral aromas of fruit with subtle predominance of white fruits: pear, apple, almonds and hazelnuts. Fresh opening, smooth, pleasant and balanced." Winemaker notes

Organic

The rose from Manarine carries a vibrant tint and is vinified completely dry. It is a blend of Grenache (60%), young vines mourvedre (20%) and Syrah (20%). Like the white wine, it is fermented and aged in cement vats and is bottled in the early spring following harvest.

Domaine La Manarine practices organic viticulture. Work in the cellar is minimal with little intervention. Fermentations are left to start with indigenous yeasts, with no fining and only a light filtration is utilized. Considering the personal attention and great care invested in his wines, his five bottlings offer some of the best value in the Rhone Valley.

Organic

The Aubert family has lived in Saint-Émilion since 1750 and has a long and successful history as producers of some of Bordeaux’s finest wines. They own over 600 acres of vineyard property, making them one of the largest family producers on the Right Bank. Their estate centers around the old family home of Château de Ribebon, a magnificent 18th century building that was once a hunting lodge for King Louis XIV, beautifully preserved, on a terrace overlooking the Dordogne River. Chateau de Ribebon is a blend of 70% Merlot 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Cabernet Franc.

This has an array of juicy, rich red-plum and berry aromas and flavors that make for a very impressively balanced wine that has good, persistent red-fruit flavor through the finish. Drink or hold

90 points Wine Advocate
Tasted twice, two months apart, with consistent notes, the 2020 Côtes du Roussillon Bastide Miraflors is a 70-30 blend of Syrah and Grenache, aged in demi-muids and concrete tanks, respectively. There's a hint of peppermint, but the primary focus here is on the fruit, ranging from blueberries and mulberries into darker notes of plum and dark chocolate. It's full-bodied and creamy in texture, with deliciously supple, soft tannins, which make it exceptionally easy to drink now, but maybe not particularly long-lived.

Organic / Biodynamic

50% Syrah, 40% Grenache Noir, 10% Mourvèdre. From vineyards blanketed in galets, the smooth round stones of Châteauneuf du Pape fame, comes a vivacious, garnet-colored rose with bright red fruit notes. Galets Rose gets a few hours maceration, 2 hours fermentation for Syrah and Mourvedre, 4 hours for Grenache giving the wine a darker color and a bit more spice and structure. No sulfites during the winemaking process and minimum amount added at bottling. This drinks like a light red wine.

Organic

This is the most important wine of the estate, a serious red vinified to reflect its capacity to age. The grapes are harvested at a point of slight surmaturit?? which captures the profound scents and flavors of the surrounding hillside garrigue. The cuvaison continues for at least a month; then, the wine is racked into tank for aging. The wine is bottled twenty to twenty-four months after harvest. As the wine ages in bottle, it develops enticing notes of juniper, rosemary and thyme as well as the savory flavors of wild berries and a hint of the "animal" all in all, one of the more compelling values in all of France.

40% Sauvignon Blanc, 40% Semillon and 20% Muscadelle

The wine is aged on the lees for about 3 weeks, which accounts for its round, smooth, and remarkably fruity flavor.
Food Pairing: It is ideal as an aperitif, or with fish, seafood (a must with oysters), and cheese.
Aging Potential: Best enjoyed young (2 years).

Located southwest of Bordeaux in the commune of Haux, Château Lamothe has crafted estate-bottled wine since the 16th century. For four generations succession was passed down on the mother’s side and since 1956 the estate has been run by the Néel-Chombart family. Over the past 60 years the family has amassed prime vineyard land which now spans 80 hectares of clay and limestone slopes on the Right Bank. Additionally, they restored the distinctive façade of the historic chateau (now pictured on all Lamothe labels) and renovated the 17th century limestone quarries into underground cellars ideal for aging.

Vigneron Damien Chombart believes that sustainable farming is not only stewardship of the land, but also as a way to enhance the life of farmers, communities and society. It is a holistic challenge the connects economic success in agriculture with environmental and social responsibilities for all involved.

Off-dry, great as an aperitif.

Every year, Billecart-Salmon vinifies base wines from a greater number of parcels than it actually needs for the production of its main cuvees. The tasting committee tastes each of these base wines and selects only the ones that match the standard and the style of Billecart-Salmon. Some of the wines that are not selected are bottled to be part of a second wine from the house, Inspiration 1818.

Winemaker Notes:
"Pale yellow and limpid. Green apple, hawthorn and white blossoms, citrus aromas and exotic fruits. Fresh and well-balanced, lot of fatness and length."

Blending of Grenache Blanc, Clairette and Bourboulenc. Mainly clay and calcareous soils. The wine is aged in vats without malolactic fermentation.

Winemaking Notes:
Traditional: skin contact and cold fermentation. Aged on the lees for about 3 weeks, which accounts for its smooth and fruity aromas.

Tasting Notes:
Color: gold
Bouquet: floral aromas and fruity aromas (hawthorn, grape fruit).
Palate: round and fresh, slightly pearly. Crisp and long final.

Food Pairing:
Best served at 8/10°C as an aperitif or with oysters, mussels, grilled fishes.

Crisp blackberry and plum flavors are edged by earthen nuances of bramble and forest floor in this full-bodied blend of 75% Grenache and 25% Syrah. It’s juicy but briskly concentrated, framed by ripe, integrated tannins. Enjoy this mouthfilling but easy-quaffing red while it’s young.

#38 on The Wine Spectator's Top 100 Wines Of 2025

93 points Wine Spectator
A graceful Champagne, with a fine, raw silk–like mousse carrying well-meshed flavors of poached quince and pear, Marcona almond, oyster shell and white blossoms. Fresh and focused, with savory hints of mineral and herbs on the finish. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Disgorged October 2024. Drink now through 2035.

Ployez-Jacquemart blends wines while respecting the typicality of each grape harvest. Our Extra Quality Brut Champagne can be tasted following ageing of a minimum of three years. Our Extra Quality Brut is a blend of Premier and Grand Crus with a majority of Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes (usually 60% black grapes and 40% white grapes). Our black grapes provide greater richness, complexity and roundness. We only use pure Cuvees (first pressings) and the make-up of this blend only exceptionally uses reserve wines when the grape harvest quality is too low.

Ployez-Jacquemart is a family House created in 1930 by Marcel Ployez and his wife Yvonne Jacquemart.

The whole essence of Ployez-Jacquemart rests in our continual search for excellence and our remarkable abilities to make truly fine wines. These skills have been passed down through three generations. Deep-seated pride in our product and heritage are the cornerstones of our traditional approach to champagne production

Organic

A lovely blend of 40% Grenache, 35% Cinsault, 10% Syrah, Tibouren, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Light, vivid orange. Mineral-accented red berry and pit fruit aromas are complemented by a subtle floral top note. Silky and energetic, offering fresh strawberry, tangerine and nectarine flavors that deepen with air. Shows sharp delineation and very good persistence on the finish.

These reviews are on the previous vintage (2022).

#69 On The Wine Spectator's Top 100 Wines Of 2024!

91 points Wine Spectator
A rich version, bordering on creamy, this peach-, apple- and stone-inflected white is complex and long, with fine balance and a long aftertaste that resonates with fruit and mineral notes. Drink now.