France
Burgundy & Beaujolais
Domaine Chasselay
(Available in Connecticut only)
Steeped in the fabric of the small village of Chatillon d'Azergues, the Chasselay family has been winemaking here since 1464. In Beaujolais's southern part, Lyon's wealthy families built their country escapes from the local limestone. The area is locally known as the Pierres Dorées, the land of the golden stones. Flatter than its' northern counterpart, the soil is more fertile, mixed with granite and a fair amount of limestone.
Domaine Chasselay extends over 13 hectares in Châtillon d'Azergues, Côte de Brouilly, and Brouilly. Fabien Chasselay, his sister Claire, and their father, Jean-Gilles, are pioneers of organic viticulture; they have been practicing since 2000 and certified in 2006. Fabien Chasselay trained under Bruno Clavelier in Vosne Romanée. Here, he adopted the idea of destemming his Gamay instead of the more traditional 100% whole cluster technique. The resulting wines are definitely “Burgundian” delicious, silky, yet saline.
Biodiversity is vital in the vineyards. Their natural philosophy includes cover crops between the vineyard rows, following the lunar calendar, indigenous yeasts, and no sulfur during fermentation (only at bottling). All wines ferment in concrete tanks and only the Crus' age in older demi-muids and barrels.
The wines have a stunning stylistic range, from the playful Beaujolais is not dead or Je t’aime mais j’ai soif to the more serious Crus's, the wines are always 'gourmand' in style, with darker fruit notes, and concentration, in a few words, simply stunning.
(Available in Connecticut only)
The Janin family have been vinegrowers in the area for four generations and have been making wines since 1937. The domaine wines are all Moulin a Vent, one of Beaujolais' most important "Crus", and the only one not named for a village but rather a historic windmill. Here they farm (sustainably) several plots with different soils and vine ages within a locality named "Tremblay", a part of Romaneche -Thorins. Old Vines, Low Yields, Granitic Soils and whole clusters are just a few of the things that make these really great Beaujolais wines.
Rhone
Chateau de Montfaucon
There are very few wineries in the world with histories as ancient, deep and interesting as Montfaucon. The structure of the Chateau began with a fortification tower from the 11th century, to defend the Kingdom of France from the Roman/German Empire along the Rhone river. The entire story over the intervening 10 centuries is a bit much for this format, but I encourage anyone with interest to delve into it, you will be rewarded. Culture, history and tradition aside, (did I actually write that?) these wines are remarkable. The estate is centered in the Lirac AOC, just across the river from Chateauneuf du Pape. The white wines, some of the best I have encountered from the Rhone valley, are interstingly enough, very dominated by the Clairette variety, rather than Roussane, Marsanne and Viognier, and to great effect. The heavy and sometimes cloying texture of the other varieties is supplanted by vivacious, nervy, yet "packed" and complex flavors. The pinacle of this is the 145 year old vine bottling of pre-phyloxera 100% Clairette. But the Rhone is all about red wines and here is where they really shine. 60 hectares of very old, low yielding organically farmed vines provides an array of red Rhone wines hard to compete with. On the Lirac side of the river, the wines are noticeably different than Chateauneuf. There is a brighter, fresher quality about them, a point of difference that I enjoy personally very much. And then they have exemplary Chateauneuf, (shipping in the fall) so all bases are covered.
(Available in Connecticut only)
Rising as a pillar of quality out of the soils of Gigondas is Domaine Santa Duc—an estate that’s history stretches back to 1874. Through five generations, the caretakers of the domaine have demonstrated a respect for the land, with Santa Duc ascending to prominence as a pioneer of organic viticulture in the region under the care of its indomitable vigneron, Yves Gras. The wines cultivated by Gras typify classic Gigondas—elegant, focused, polished
Gigondas
In a 40 year career and 27 years now of Artisan Wines, I have been either lucky or good at finding star wineries about to emerge just before their star shone brightly and broadly. Here is the next one. Domaine des Florets. Gigondas is an AOP that begins fairly close to the banks of the Rhone river at about 60 M asl. Ninety percent of the plantings currently are in the space between there and about 225 meters asl. Fans of Rhone wines may have noticed that many bottlings of Chateauneuf du Pape, Gigondas and other "Cru " regions of the Rhone have been growing big and blowsy, with alcohols at or above 15%, and worse, very low pH. Gigondas is famous not only for wine but for the remarkably stunning Dentelles du Montmirail, steep, tall, limestone "teeth" that soar above the foothills. There is a thin band of forest at the foot of this dramatic formation, and just below that, the highest vineyards of the appellation topping out at 550 Meters ASL. Namely, those of Domaine des Florets. At this elevation, the wines of Florets take on a different character than many Gigondas bottlings. They are bright, aromatic and floral due to the pH difference in wines from high elevations, and yet quite powerful due to the extremely low yielding old vines. Jerome Rathle bought the estate in 2021 and immediatley began the organic certification process and also follows biodynamic farming principles and has constantly increased the biodiversity in the vineyards.
Cairanne
The Berthet-Rayne family has been farming for four generations, (since the 1880's) in Cairanne. It began with just six hectares of vines at the end of the nineteenth century and has now grown to 31 hectares. Bottling under their own label commenced in 1977, when they left the cooperative. Along the way several events marked major shifts. In 1984 Andre joined his father in the winery and vineyards and in 2000 began farming under organic principles. Certification came through in 2008 and in 2016 Cairanne was raised to Cru status in the hierarchy of Rhone appellations. Andre's wife Marina also joined the winery in 2011 full time, followed by their daughter Alexandra in 2017 after graduating from enology school. Axel, Alexandra's husband also joined in 2019 and in 2021 they received their Biodynamic certification. The estate's vineyards are a mix of young and old, the later up to 100 years. Grenache leads for the red varieties followed by Syrah, Mourvedre, Carignan and Cinsault. Clairette leads the white variety plantings along with Roussane, Grenache Blanc, Viognier and small amounts of Marsanne and Bourboulenc. There is a mix of soils here in Cairanne and they have parcels in each of these geologically diverse terroirs. Yields range from 30 to 35 HL/hectare, quite low for the area, exemplifying their commitment to qualiity and character. While Cairanne is justifiably notable for the combination of power and finesse in it's red wines and these wines are great examples, their white wines are a real standout in the appellation. Matt Walls article in Decanter (July 2023) about their wines goes into detail about that status.
Rochefort du Gard
The "Den of the She-Wolf", is situated in the southernmost area of the Cotes du Rhone Villages called "Signargues" which means bloody stones. There is no village of that name and the area takes its name from a terrible 8th century battle against the invading Saracens. Given the negative connotation of the name, invoking violence and war, they choose not to use it. While most of their parcels are here in the "Signargues' area, they actually started out with a 7 hectare parcel to the north in Lirac in 2000, when Jean-Pierre and Dominique Dubois purchased this first parcel. A sizable portion of which is a block of 150 year old Grenache vines. Yet the family's roots in the area and in wine go far further back to the great grandfather (also a Jean-Pierre) who first settled in the town (1930) and planted vineyards. His son Auguste, founded the co-operative winery in that area in 1950. Today their son Romain and his wife Laure are conducting the vineyards and winery along with Romain's parents and took the decision a few years back to sell off half of the vineyards leaving only the best 20 hectares and begin the conversion to organic viticulture. The area is known to produce wines of great structure and power and yet Romain's gifted hand seems to effortlessly coax out a great deal of finesse as well, and it shows. In a short time they have gathered up a pile of "stars" & Coup de Couer awards as well as a "winemaker of the year" award from Guide Hachette. Total production is 5000 cases per year , all certified organic.
La Tour d'Aigues
Artisan Wines has been known to represent predominately small family run wine estates, yet not exclusively. Every now and then we run across a co-op making really nice wines and they usually represent an excellent value as well. We have two such co-ops in Italy and frankly there are many more throughout the EU. Marrenon is one of these. Some look at co-ops as big businesses and indeed the production totals would indicate that. But in another light, they are also a vehicle for many,very small family farms to remain tied to the land and their history staying active in viticulture and other agricultural pursuits. Because of this, they are an important part of the viticultural landscape. With 9000 acres and 400 + families growing vines spread out through both the Luberon and Ventoux AOP's, Marrenon has a dizzying array of bottlings, yet many are superb. Both areas have an enormous advantage going forward. Altitude. With many classical growing areas experiencing notable temperature increases, producing wines of finesse and balance is becoming more of a challenge. The diurnal excursions that higher elevations experience naturally produce wines with lower pH, increased aromas etc. The winery itself is in the center of Luberon, one of the most beautiful areas in southern France. It is a UNESCO protected biosphere, a regional natural preserve and simply lovely to behold. The wines have at least an HVE 3 sustainability certification and some bottlings are certified organic.
Bellegarde
Cyril Mares is the owner & winemaker at Mas Carlot & Mas de Bressades, which was his family estate where he was raised. Mas Carlot was in his ex-wife's family and when they split, she opted to sell it to him. They are two of the most prominent estates in the Costieres de Nimes AOP. He is also president of the AOP association. So you could say that in a way, he is Mr. Costieres de Nimes. After finishing enology school he did several interships arould the world including Chalone in CA and Cos d'Estornelle and Chateau Margaux in Bordeaux. But his family's roots in wine go much further back than a few generations in Nimes, to the Languedoc. His great great grandfather Henri Mares, who was a friend of Louis Pasteur's, was the person who made the discovery of using sulphur to treat powdery mildew (peronospora), which is now a standard worldwide in viticulture. For those in the business some years, the name may ring a bell. Mas Carlot was a part of the "Robert Kacher Selections" portfolio which was primarily focused on what he belived to be the finest wines from the south of France. The range of wines and varieties are what one would expect from the region, plus one real "unicorn" in the southern Rhone where blending grapes is required "almost" everywhere. The "La Terre Natale" Clairette de Bellegarde is a 100% Clairette that has AOP status and is also one of the oldest and smallest AOP's in France. Only 7 hectares are planted to Clairette in the zone. All of the wines are certified organic & vegan.
Grignan
Melina and Camille Monteillet are cousins and fourth generation of the family to be winegrowers here in the northernmost part of the southern Rhone, namely Grignan les Adhemar. The region was formerly called Coteaux du Tricastin until 2011. Montine has vineyards in both this AOP as well as in Cru Vinsobres, not far away to the east and additionally have some growers in the northern Rhone that sell them some fruit from Cornas, Crozes Hermitage, Hermitage and Saint Joseph. We will visit those wines next round. They just received their Organic certification but have been HVE 3 for several years now. Melina says that she intends to keep up with both certifications even though HVE 3 is more difficult and most people don't understand what it means yet. The family of 9 farms 70 Hectares of vines, 20 of lavendar and 5 of Oak for truffles, for which they are also quite famous. The parcels are scattered about a bit offering many different terroirs. The the overall style of the red wines is supple and generous, and wood where employed is subtle. This far north, Syrah becomes slightly dominant over Grenache. (except for Vinsobres). For white wines, here we find a second "unicorn" in wines from the southern Rhone in a 100% Viognier AOP Grignan les Adhemar Blanc. Grown on limestone soil, it shows both the exoctic nose the variety is known for as well as tension and minerality.
Loire Valley
(Available in Connecticut only)
Laporte is a certified organic producer and the wine here is made in a very traditional, natural way, employing organic methods and always ensuring a sense of purity and excellence. In addition to Sancerre, Laporte produces beautiful Pouilly-Fume, Quincy and Chateaumeillant. Laporte also produces three wines under the Le Bouquet label: the floral and citrus-scented Sauvignon Blanc, a Cabernet-Franc offering fresh red fruits and soft hints of spice, and a fruity Pinot Noir rosé. Made with very high-quality fruit, these are versatile wines – a great value and a perfect introduction to the wines of the Loire Valley and the style of Laporte.
Bordeaux
Entre deux Mers
The Chateau dates from the early 19th century but was recently (2015) acquired by Yves Glotin, who also owns Chateau Goudichaud in Graves. The first order of business was paying attention to the vineyards and he is now restoring the Chateau to house a hotel and restaurant. The Entre deux Mers is a deceptive wine. At first it seems like many, in its simplicity and freshness. But there are nuances that make it unique. A few hours of skin maceration, three months in new, very light toast oak, (barely perceptible) and an unusually high % of Muscadelle at 20% .
Haut-Medoc
This is quite an historical estate in Blanquefort owned by Charles de Montesquieu in the 17th century. As such it was destroyed in the French Revolution, yet rebuilt twice since. In 1985 the Earl and Countess de Colbert (no relation to Stephen!) became the 67th owners. 30 of its 40 hectares are under vine. Much was replanted at high density 20 years ago and is farmed "sustainably" according to and certified by the HVE. The blend is quite classic for the area; 60% Cab. Sauv., 30% Merlot, and 5% each Cab. Franc and Petite Verdot. It is aged in 25% new oak for a year, then long bottle aging prior to release
Saint Emilion Grand Cru
This estate, bordering Chateaux Pavie and La Gaffeliere, was acquired in 1995 by the D'Arfeuille family from Pomerol where they have been wine producers for 5 generations. 7.5 Hectares and planted 80/20 Merlot/Cab. Sauv.
Aging is a 1/3 new oak, 1/3 one year old and 1/3 tank for freshness
Saint Emilion Grand Cru
Location, location, location. While this may be most associated with the subject of real estate, there's no denying that the location of vineyards plays an important role in making wine. One Cheval Blanc West is where you will find this under the radar small Saint Emilion producer. With old vine parcels scattered about the appellation, the raw materials to make impressive wines is there in spades.
With vineyards bordering several famous estates such as Cheval Blanc and La Conseillante among others, their priviledged positions and vine age are as evident as is their intent to produce more forward wines. There is no extremely low yield, highly extracted and highly oaked wine here. In fact they keep a third in cement and the idea is to preserve freshness and improve early drinking. You can probably hold the wine 20 years if you want to, but the key is you don't have to.
Medoc
The Landureau family acquired this 25 hectare estate in 1934. Some of it is a horse farm and the rest vines. It dates back to the 11th century and has a restored Chapel from that era. The vineyard is planted half and half Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Two years of aging, one in oak and one in tank. Classic Medoc.