Wines (24 View)

90 points Wine Spectator
An expressive, fruit-forward style, with an alluring mix of peach, acacia blossoms, honey and flint. Features nice details of fresh grass and chamomile, while steely acidity keeps the rich palate in check. The finish is lined with pithy grapefruit bitterness and wet stone accents. Drink now through 2031. 2,900 cases made, 433 cases imported. 11% abv

Organic

92 points Decanter
Plum and cherry aromas are ripe and rich with intense fruitiness. Sleek attack, quite concentrated and assertive, but not overbearing with black fruit flavours. Ripe plum and dark cherry integrate with persistent tannin. An easy drinking example, perfect for picnics or burgers in the summer.

Antonio Galloni of Vinous - The 2022 Barbera d'Alba is a very pretty, understated wine. Crushed flowers, sweet red berry fruit, cinnamon and orange peel are all laced together.

Organic

A delightful dry Chenin Blanc from the Loire Valley. Chenin is a wonderfully versatile variety, and this wine shows the fresh side of it, full of pears, quince, baked apples and lively acidity. Great with all sorts of fish / seafood dishes or with fresh or goat cheese. The grapes are hand-picked, then left to settle for 48 hours. The must then ferments with indigenous yeasts. Aged in tanks, on fine lies for six months with batonnage. Filtered, not fined. 12% abv

Past vintages have been featured in The New York Times. Eric Asimov once wrote:

"Domaine du Bel Air, run by a father-and-son team, makes fine, age-worthy wines from organic cabernet franc. Jour de Soif is their entry-level bottle, made from younger vines, which are nonetheless still 20 years old. Yet this is no mere vin de soif. You can sense the structure of the other cuv??es in the fine tannins that give shape to this otherwise fresh and juicy wine. Not shy at 14.3 percent alcohol, it, too, would be great for grilled meats."

The 2023 Bourgueil Jour de Soif reveals a fruity, delicate bouquet of spices, dark wild berries, green bell pepper and pepper. Medium-bodied, gourmand and juicy, it has a delicate, tannic frame with powdery tannins and a long, mouthwatering finish. It is produced from vines that are planted in gravelly soils (60%) and in clay soils (40%). - Wine Advocate

Tasting Notes:
Dark fruits, hints of dried herbs and mocha on the nose. The dense palate see's sour red fruits balance out the sweet with a chocolate tannin finish. A fine choice for discerning gent.

Tasting Notes:
Hints of dark fruits dance with a long oak bourbon finish, to complete this delightful blend. You'll notice caramel, char, and sweet bourbon oak aromas. Gentlemen, enjoy.

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

Kosher for Passover

Kosher for Passover

Organic / Biodynamic

A racy medium-bodied expression of Aligote. From 6.3 hectares of vines on high, cool slopes located in the lieux dits of Croix Rougeot, Belle Croix, Cote de Coutance, Cornevin, Cote de la Canne and Vignes de Forterre. Vines age between 10 and 30+ years old. The vines are farmed biodynamically and grapes are harvested by hand. The wine is fermented at cold temperatures in stainless steel vats using native yeasts. The wine is aged on its fine lees in stainless steel.

Organic

Dry farmed, sustainable/non-certified organic. Azahar is officially certified as a “vinhos atlánticos,” which guarantees the vineyard must be within close proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, and see direct maritime influence. Viticulture is a combination of single cordon and traditional pergola style.

Hand-picked fruit is destemmed and crushed and pressed. The juice is fermented, some lots are co-fermented in cement vats and others in stainless steel. 100% fermentation and aging on the lees in concrete vats with no battonage. Native fermentation traditionally lasts 1 month, after which the wine rests on lees for 6 months. After racking off of lees the wine is filtered, and no CO2 is added. Minimal SO2 is added before bottling.

Green figs coated with sea spray, tart granny smith apple and hints of lemon verbena. Azahar is a serious departure from traditional, stylized VV, packing complex texture and bracing acidity on the palate. Given the varietal composition and fermentation style, the wine should age well for 5-6 years

Organic

Well-rounded and harmonious with concentrated fruit flavors of peaches yellow plums, apricots and floral notes while mineral on the palate with long mouth-watering finish. 50% Encruzado, 15% Malvasia Fina, 15% Bical, 15% Cerceal Branco, 5% others (co-ferment). After harvest, some grapes undergo 24 hours of skin contact, with the remainder pressed whole-cluster into cement and steel tanks. Following spontaneous fermentation, the wine ages on its lees for six months.

Natalia Jessa is the mastermind behind Gota which has a simple yet bold objective: craft aromatically-driven, authentic fine wines of Portugal, while remaining value-conscious. Her many prior travels throughout Portuguese wine country on behalf of one of Europe?????s major food markets enabled Natalia to develop invaluable relationships and gain access to some of the most exciting and as-of-yet undiscovered wineries and vineyards. She collaborates with them, as negociant, to select grapes that capture the optimal expression of a vintage. Vineyards are dry-farmed. Vines are ungrafted. To preserve fruit aromatics, winemaking utilizes ambient yeast and minimizes oak use. Adhering to tradition, wines are varietal blends and grapes are only native (no international varietals). Gota means "drop", referring to the humble origins of this project.

Organic

A blend of the native varietals Ja??n and Tinta Roriz. Fermentation occurs in stainless steel tanks and traditional, open-topped stone lagares. Most of the grapes are destemmed before fermentation. The grapes undergo seven to 28 days of skin contact. aging for 6 months in cement and used barrel. A full but restrained mouthfeel reveals delightful plum and black currant notes. Intriguing herbal, or garrigue, element coyly pokes its head out. This is a dry, easy-drinking value from Portugal that may surprise you with how much it has to offer. It surprised me!

Natalia Jessa is the mastermind behind Gota which has a simple yet bold objective: craft aromatically-driven, authentic fine wines of Portugal, while remaining value-conscious. Her many prior travels throughout Portuguese wine country on behalf of one of Europe?????s major food markets enabled Natalia to develop invaluable relationships and gain access to some of the most exciting and as-of-yet undiscovered wineries and vineyards. She collaborates with them, as negociant, to select grapes that capture the optimal expression of a vintage. Vineyards are dry-farmed. Vines are ungrafted. To preserve fruit aromatics, winemaking utilizes ambient yeast and minimizes oak use. Adhering to tradition, wines are varietal blends and grapes are only native (no international varietals). Gota means "drop", referring to the humble origins of this project.

#75 on The Wine Spectator's Top 100 Wines of 2025

91 points Wine Spectator
A pale rosé, with just a touch of tawny hue, yet this shows good concentration in the glass, offering a well-cut mix of white cherry, pomegranate, pink grapefruit pith and mountain herbs, plus a minerally undertow that echoes on the finish. Drink now. 12.5% abv

Organic

A blend of the native Muscat and the non-native but heat-tolerant Gewürztraminer and Sauvignon Blanc. Well over half of the cuvée is Sauvignon Blanc, which provides both the body and acidity. Depending on the vintage, either one or both Muscat varieties are used in addition to a small proportion of Gewürztraminer to boost the aromatics. An alltitude of 200-400 meters. Hand harvested, fermented in tank for 3 months.

Bring on white wine season, I’m ready! I need a break from these cool weather full-bodied reds. If you are in agreement, then look no further than Gramona Gessami Penedes Blanco 2021. It’s like Spring in a bottle! Gessami is an organically grown blend of Muscat, Gewurztraminer and Sauvignon Blanc, all very aromatic varietals. There is a lovely bouquet of white flowers and orange rind, an interesting combo to say the least. What stands out to me is the texture and fullness of the wine achieved without oak-aging. This is undoubtedly due to the Gewurztraminer. This white is much rounder than a lean New Zealand or French Sauvignon Blanc for instance, but much more refreshing than a full-bodied Chardonnay. Those of you looking for something different to drink this Spring should definitely give this a shot.

Gessami is crafted by Gramona, one of the most prestigious Cava producers. Gramona has a storied history in Penedes, Spain going back to the 1920s! Each generation has brought something new to the estate with Xavier expanding the scientific understanding of lees aging and the inherent properties of Xarel.lo while Jaume has pursued the conversion of all their vineyards – owned and leased – to organic farming as well as converting the family’s vineyards to biodynamic farming as well.

Organic

This nearly garnet Rose, like all their non-vintage sparkling wines, is aged 24 months entirage. It has a lovely, bright floral bouquet with hints of strawberry, raspberry, and cherry. On the palate, it is rich and fruity in a dry, Brut style. The flavor of berries continues on the palate, revealing more strawberry, raspberry, cherry. This sparkler is lots of fun and very festive, but production is limited to 5000 cases per year, so don't miss out. - Winery

Organic / Biodynamic

10 hours on the skins followed by spontaneous fermentation in stainless steel tanks. Aged in stainless. Filtered. A bright yellow color with a brilliant focus and structure. Mineral driven, stony, savory, and a delicate salinity aspect that is intriguing. A compelling wine that any white wine drinker will enjoy.

12% abv

Winemaker Notes:
A rich, dark garnet color in the glass with vibrant purple shimmer, this Merlot displays aromas of ripe plum, rich cocoa, blueberry, and violet with hints of juicy black cherry. A luscious mouthfeel full of dark fruit, hints of sweet spice, and restrained astringency lead into a delicious, lingering finish filled with toasty oak undertones.

Pair with Italian style sausages, jambalaya, seared blackened salmon.