France

Dry

Organic / Biodynamic / Natural

Its truth is revealed on the palate: intense, succulent, mineral and slightly nutty. This Muscadet has stringent acidity which leads to a long and salty finish. As minerally refreshing and satisfying as it is now, it clearly will age up to five years continuing to develop even more depth and complexity.

Winemaker Notes:
William Fevre's Champs Royaux Chablis is impressively precise, delivering a nose of citrus fruits, flowers, green apple and flinty flavors of wet stone in the mid-palate with a beautifully clean finish. Fresh, supple, it is marked by mineral notes, typical of the appellation.
A perfect accompaniment for shellfish menus, grilled fish, oysters, and sushi - but would also work well with many roast chicken recipes seasoned with fresh herbs such as thyme or tarragon.

Winemaker's Notes:
The Pouilly-Fuissé is a blend of the best vineyard parcels with 10- to 35-year-old vines from the Fuissé amphitheater of limestone and clay soils. Each parcel is vinified separately to ensure the finest expression of the fruit. Half the wine is fermented in enameled tanks and half in used oak barrels.
Subtle notes include minerals, yellow fruits, flowers, fresh hazelnuts and spices, with an intense finish. The perfect equilibrium of this wine allows it to retain its vibrancy with age.

Organic

20% Grenache, 35% Syrah, 22% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 23% Carignan More Syrah than usual due to new plantings which gives a soft texture and sweeter finish than recent vintages. Less Cabernet than usual and more than usual Carignan. Black and red raspberries, followed by the tell tale Provencal smell of garrigue. Warm, round tones of sandalwood, chocolate and caramel coat the tongue with hints of nutmeg and black pepper. Ripe, round tannins provide beautiful definition without being too bold. - Winery notes

Organic

Vineyards are farmed organically with half of the wine produced from granite hillsides. This is a round, full-bodied Pinot Gris displaying terrific balance in the mouth. Complex aromas of slightly smoky undergrowth and stone with slightly ripe tropical notes to balance out the mineral finish. It is an excellent aperitif but will accompany poultry, white meat, and fish quite well.

60% of wine ages 8-12 months in French oak barrels, remainder in cement tank. 60% Carignan, 30% Grenache Noir, 10% Mourvèdre. Carignan was planted in 1904. A dark brooding wine brimming with garrigue.

Organic

92-94 points Vinous
The 2021 Chateauneuf du Pape is a sensual wine, bursting from the glass with prisitine aromas of rose water, crushed violets, red cherry, raspberry, strawberry,white pepper and a dazzling ferrous note of crushed rocks. It is a layered full-bodied red with ampleconcentration and polished tannins. As seen so often from this reliable producer, lively acids balance this wine perfectly, concluding with a long lasting finish. Drinking Window: 2024-2036

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.

Organic

94 points Wine Advocate
The 2021 Chateauneuf du Pape ratchets up the intensity from the Coudelet, adding more pronounced Mourvèdre-derived notes of truffle and tree bark to go with ripe black cherries and plums, crushed stone and hints of dark chocolate. Full-bodied in the mouth, with ample concentration and richness, this gently tannic wine finishes long and velvety, with echoes of licorice and dark fruit. It's a standout from a difficult vintage.

It was Sauvignon Blanc that lured Bertrand to Valençay and the soils, which are chalky and sandy clays flecked with flint the perfect ingredients for making a Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc with a forceful varietal expression and plenty of citrus and green fruit flavors. While he is permitted to add Chardonnay, Bertrand feels that it only detracts from the quality of his Sauvignon Blanc. Gentle pressing, natural yeast fermentation in stainless steel tanks, four months in the fine lees.

Nestled in Selles-sur-Cher, a small village on the banks of the Cher with its gracefully crumbling château, Le Claux Delorme is a 15 hectare estate that Bertrand Minchin purchased in 2003. The soils here are quite different from those in Menetou-Salon – primarily chalky sand with flint gravel. While traditionally the wines of Valençay are blends, Bertrand prefers the racy, forthwith and aromatic qualities of pure Sauvignon Blanc when grown on these soils. Bertrand farms Le Claux Delorme sustainably with certification from the French Ministry of Agriculture.