Escolar Documentos
Profissional Documentos
Cultura Documentos
France
Loire – Pays Nantais
Domaine de la Bregeonnette
Joseph Orieux founded this domaine in the town of Vallet in the 1960's and has been organic from the start, recently becoming certified (only 12
producers out of 600+ actually have the certification). Today, Joseph's grandson, Stéphane Orieux upholds his family's traditions of organic farming,
hand-harvesting, wild yeast fermentations, and long, sur-lie aging. Due to the many decades of experience, Bregeonnette has become a reference
point for other winemakers in the region who want to learn how to work organically in the vines. Even Marc Ollivier of Domaine de la Pépière consults
Stéphane when he has questions about organic treatments. The same care and dedication to quality is present throughout the entire range of wines.
Everything is harvested by hand, including the Gros Plant, and the top, single-parcel wine, "Clos de la Coudray", spends 18 months sur-lie.
Loire – Anjou-Saumur
Bertin-Delatte
In the past decade or so, the town of Rablay-sur-Layon has become a small hub for dedicated young winemakers in the Loire Valley. There’s a strong
community spirit – each year the town organizes a small music festival, and there is a cooperative grocery store in the town center. Geneviève Delatte
and Nicolas Bertin started out in the area working for other winemakers, and in 2008, they purchased their own small vineyard, a 1.5ha lieu-dit named
"L’Echalier". In 2012 they built a small home and winery at the edge of their vines and found a few other small vineyards in the hills around Rablay.
The winemaking philosophy is to keep things simple; accompany the vines, the grapes, and the wine. Spend a lot of time observing, intervene as little
as possible.
Mary Taylor
When founding partner Mary Taylor first fell in love with wine in the early 90s, it was the European classics that truly spoke to her and stole her heart.
As a young professional selling wine, she quickly learned to appreciate wine in the “Old World” way — not as a luxury good reserved for special
occasions, but a living agricultural product that belongs to everyday life. After many years working with the wines of Europe, Mary arrived at an
important insight. Left in the dark by decades of simplistic marketing efforts that placed grape above geography, American consumers needed a
brand they could trust to decipher the complex notion of terroir in a clear and straightforward way. Out of this realization, the “White Label” series
was born. Today, it is Mary’s mission to unlock the world of European appellation wines by working with individual growers in multiple villages — from
Bordeaux to Nîmes to Valençay to the Douro and beyond — who produce exceptional, regionally-distinctive wines at extremely accessible prices. In
the traditional spirit of the Old World, each Mary Taylor wine has been selected as a faithful ambassador of its geographic origin, true to local traditions
and the vision of the individual farmer who bottled it. All fruit is farmed sustainably or organically, only indigenous varieties are used, fermentations are
with native yeast, and only inert vessels are used for aging to yield a set of wines of genuine quality and integrity that will bring the magic of their
terroirs to life wherever you choose to enjoy them.
Vins Hodgson
The Hodgsons' story is irresistibly bizarre: they're Japanese-Canadian winemakers who've settled in Rablay-sur-Layon via Vancouver and the Tochigi
prefecture of Japan. Kenji and Mai met in Vancouver, where Kenji studied engineering before abandoning it to work as a wine writer. Further curiosity
led them to intern at wineries in BC and Japan. Along the way, they became interested in natural wine, experimenting with low-sulfur use and natural
fermentation, and tasting widely among the plethora of French natural wines imported in Japan. So in 2009, Kenji and Mai decided to up and move to
France to work harvest with the legendary Mark Angéli of Ferme de la Sansonnière in Anjou. A year later, with encouragement from natural Loire
luminaries like Olivier Cousin and Claude Courtois, they purchased their first 3ha of vineyards in Rablay-sur-Layon, and are finally producing their first
wines under their own labels.
Loire – Touraine
Domaine Courtault-Tardieux
As a teenager, Simon Tardieux began working in the vines of Catherine Roussel and Didier Barrouillet of Clos Roche Blanche. After university and a
short stint as a social worker, Simon decided to return to his hometown and get back to his true calling: working outside in the vines. The only problem
was that he didn’t have any vineyards. So, he teamed up with his neighbor, Alain Courtault, who has long been practicing organics (Alain was the
third producer in the region to practice organic viticulture, starting back in 1998). Together, they make a range of simple, eminently drinkable wines.
Domaine Guion
There are few properties in France that can boast such a great pioneering legacy in organic farming as Domaine Guion. In the 1950’s, the Guion
family established their farm in the heart of the Bourgueil appellation, a stone’s throw from the banks of the Loire River. Since it was a polycultural
estate, the family was able to live almost entirely off the land. By 1965, they began farming organically, with a holistic understanding of its effects far
ahead of their time. Since taking the reins from his father in 1990, Stéphane Guion has a put a much greater emphasis on viticulture, managing 8.5ha
of land. Quiet and curious, he is a well-respected member of the vigneron community in Bourgueil and is often consulted by other growers eager to
adopt organic farming practices. While Stéphane rarely appears at tastings and trade shows, it is clear that the extra time in the vineyards and cellars
is well spent. Situated on meticulously cultivated clay and limestone soils, the Guions’ vineyards range from 10-80 years old, with the younger vines
designated for the “Cuvée Domaine” and the older for the “Cuvée Prestige”. Stéphane prunes the buds rather than clusters to achieve a judicious
yield and hand harvests all of his fruit. In the cellar, he only employs native yeasts and allows a moderate maceration of the grapes. Once the bottles
are ready for aging, they are stored in a large cave shared with six other families that once served as a historic Resistance hideout during World War
II. Rustic, focused, and lively, with fresh acidity and minerality, the wines of Domaine Guion are known for their fine tannins, great aging potential, and
terrific price.
Mary Taylor
When founding partner Mary Taylor first fell in love with wine in the early 90s, it was the European classics that truly spoke to her and stole her heart.
As a young professional selling wine, she quickly learned to appreciate wine in the “Old World” way — not as a luxury good reserved for special
occasions, but a living agricultural product that belongs to everyday life. After many years working with the wines of Europe, Mary arrived at an
important insight. Left in the dark by decades of simplistic marketing efforts that placed grape above geography, American consumers needed a
brand they could trust to decipher the complex notion of terroir in a clear and straightforward way. Out of this realization, the “White Label” series
was born. Today, it is Mary’s mission to unlock the world of European appellation wines by working with individual growers in multiple villages — from
Bordeaux to Nîmes to Valençay to the Douro and beyond — who produce exceptional, regionally-distinctive wines at extremely accessible prices. In
the traditional spirit of the Old World, each Mary Taylor wine has been selected as a faithful ambassador of its geographic origin, true to local traditions
and the vision of the individual farmer who bottled it. All fruit is farmed sustainably or organically, only indigenous varieties are used, fermentations are
with native yeast, and only inert vessels are used for aging to yield a set of wines of genuine quality and integrity that will bring the magic of their
terroirs to life wherever you choose to enjoy them.
Mikaël Bouges
Mikaël Bouges works a small, 8ha estate in the village of Faverolles-sur-Cher in Touraine. For years he labored on his father's estate in a neighboring
village, but after his father retired, Mikaël could not afford to buy his father’s share and was forced to look for new vineyard sites to establish his own
domaine. With the help of Catherine and Didier Barouillet of Clos Roche Blanche, Mikaël managed to acquire his current parcels of Côt, Sauvignon
Blanc, Menu Pineau, and Chenin that he farms organically. No additions except a small amount of SO2 at bottling.
Loire – Centre
Georges Millérioux
Nicolas Millérioux is part of a contingent of young French vignerons who have traveled enough to see how the world's top appellations are going
retrograde – returning to the best lo-fi practices of the past – and has now brought these techniques to his family's vineyards in Sancerre at Domaine
Georges Millérioux. Located in the hamlet of Amigny, just west of the village of Sancerre and south of Chavignol, the Millérioux's have worked the land
here for three generations, eventually expanding to the 15ha they farm today. Amigny is known for its chalky soils, and 95% of the Millérioux's holdings
come from a mix of the classic limestone terroirs of the region: "Caillotes" (a hard, shallow limestone full of stones) and "Terres Blanches" (a softer
Kimmeridgian marl). Nico returned to the family domaine in 2008 and immediately stopped using herbicides and began replanting some vines using
massale selection, which almost never happens with Sauvignon Blanc. Today, the work in the vineyards is completely organic (with certification coming)
and the soils are worked manually. In the cellar, all of the wines are allowed to ferment naturally and extended lees-aging is used to enrich the wines,
which allows for minimal sulfur additions only at racking and bottling. Nico's goal is to define how Sancerre might have tasted earlier in the 20th century,
before modern vine-clone monotony and industrial practices in the vineyards and cellar, and if his early work is any indication, he will surely be leading
the charge as part of Sancerre’s new generation.
Vincent Grall
Since 1999, Vincent Grall has quietly been making tiny amounts of Sancerre in his garage from 3.8ha of vines, making him the second smallest
producer in the region. The production is split between two white cuvées coming from two distinct sites that are each vinified and aged differently, per
the soil type. While the sites are blended, "Cuvée Tradition" is mostly from the silex soils around the main hill of Sancerre, Le Plateau, and is done
entirely in stainless. "Le Manoir" comes mostly from Le Manoir de L’Etang where the soils are more marl and clay, and is aged in 600L barrels that
are 3-4 years old. Although not certified, the soils are worked manually and organic treatments are used. The intention is to work as naturally as
possible in both the vineyards and the cellar, but they will intervene if they risk losing their crop in bad vintages. Unlike most Sancerre producers, all
harvesting is done by hand.
Mary Taylor
When founding partner Mary Taylor first fell in love with wine in the early 90s, it was the European classics that truly spoke to her and stole her heart.
As a young professional selling wine, she quickly learned to appreciate wine in the “Old World” way — not as a luxury good reserved for special
occasions, but a living agricultural product that belongs to everyday life. After many years working with the wines of Europe, Mary arrived at an
important insight. Left in the dark by decades of simplistic marketing efforts that placed grape above geography, American consumers needed a
brand they could trust to decipher the complex notion of terroir in a clear and straightforward way. Out of this realization, the “White Label” series
was born. Today, it is Mary’s mission to unlock the world of European appellation wines by working with individual growers in multiple villages — from
Bordeaux to Nîmes to Valençay to the Douro and beyond — who produce exceptional, regionally-distinctive wines at extremely accessible prices. In
the traditional spirit of the Old World, each Mary Taylor wine has been selected as a faithful ambassador of its geographic origin, true to local traditions
and the vision of the individual farmer who bottled it. All fruit is farmed sustainably or organically, only indigenous varieties are used, fermentations are
with native yeast, and only inert vessels are used for aging to yield a set of wines of genuine quality and integrity that will bring the magic of their
terroirs to life wherever you choose to enjoy them.
Alsace
Marc Tempé
Based in the small town of Zellenberg (population 300), Marc Tempé unapologetically crafts some of the most nuanced, terroir-expressive wines in
Alsace. The domaine was started in 1993 when Marc and his wife, Anne-Marie, combined vineyard holdings from both of their families, forming the
8.5ha of the domaine today. Initially working as a lab technician and vineyard expert for the INAO, Marc used his experience to immediately convert
the vines to biodynamics and has been an ardent practitioner since. After harvesting by hand, the fruit is pressed off extremely slowly, which helps
keep the natural acidity much higher than many in the region. Depending on the vineyard size, quality, or grape variety, fermentation occurs in either
old foudres or Burgundy barrels, and always with native yeast. In fact, when additional barrels are needed, Marc will only buy from growers who also
work biodynamically. The wines are then allowed to find their own balance, resting on their lees in barrel for a minimum of two years (some of the
Grand Crus age for nearly four years). Not only does Marc believe this helps emphasize terroir, but it also helps him keep sulfur levels as low as
possible. At bottling, there is no fining, and filtering only if necessary
Ruppert-Leroy
Ruppert-Leroy is an up-and-coming domaine started by the young Bénédicte Leroy, who is making some of the most exciting wines in the Aube today.
In the 1980s, the Leroy's decided to convert a clearing to vineyards when it was no longer economically viable to raise sheep on, initially selling all the
fruit to the local coop. After working with Bertrand Gautherot of Vouette et Sorbée, Bénédicte decided to quit her job as a PE teacher and take over
the domaine just as her father was getting ready to retire in 2009. She immediately converted the 4ha (not counting the garden or small pasture the
family still raises animals on) to organics and took all winemaking duties in-house, making wines inspired by her mentor. Now practicing biodynamics,
Bénédicte is focused on making wine in a method that is as simple as possible; each cuvée comes from a single vintage of a single vineyard, bottled
Brut Nature with no dosage.
Burgundy – Mâconnais
Domaine des Gandines
Domaine des Gandines was founded by Joseph Dananchet at the beginning of the 20th century. At the time, it was a polycultural farm like most
others in the area with cows, pigs, sheep, wheat, and a couple of hectares of vines. The property slowly expanded over the years, and in 2003,
Benjamin Dananchet – the 4th Dananchet generation – joined forces with his father, Robert, slowly bringing the vineyard holdings to 13ha they farm
today while also converting to organic viticulture (certified in 2009). Since 2011, they have even begun working biodynamically, which they feel helps
retain higher natural acidities. Benjamin was recently joined by his brother, Florent, who is now assisting in the cellar. Soils are an important focus of
the Dananchets' methodology for the enhancing the vine's nutrition. The family uses no herbicides on the ground, and the soils are plowed to give air
to the microorganisms while eliminating the grass without weed killers. In order to preserve the integrity of the grapes and avoid oxidation, all grapes
are harvested by hand. Grapes are pressed whole-cluster (no destemming) and are allowed to ferment slowly with native yeast, with the only addition
being a small amount of sulfur just before bottling.
Jura
Domaine de Saint Pierre
After studying enology in Beaune and working several years at the cooperative in Pupillin, Fabrice Dodane started working at Domaine de Saint Pierre
in 1989 as manager. Fabrice took full control of the estate in 2011 after the untimely death of the former owner. The winery is based in the small town
of Mathenay and covers approximately 6ha in the Arbois and Côtes du Jura AOCs with the vines planted in limestone and marl soils. Saint Pierre
achieved organic certification in 2012, having started conversion in 2002. All wines are fermented with native yeasts either in tank or neutral barrel.
Vinifications for the reds are done without the addition of sulfur, and the whites are done flawlessly in both the traditional sous voile method, as well
as topped-up, or ouillé style. These are clean, balanced expressions of their terroir, and drink almost too easily.
Savoie/Isère
Nicolas Gonin
Located between Lyon and Grenoble, the Isère is just now gaining attention for its wines. Part of the attention is because of young growers like
Nicolas, who are seeking out and rediscovering the great, noble grapes of the past that (mostly for political and economic reasons) have been
abandoned in favor of the more well-known grapes of France. Nicolas discovered the 'cépages anciens' while working at Domaine Tempier in Bandol,
where he found a book that outlined the great old grapes of all the regions of France. Nicolas was hooked, and he now spends his weekends seeking
out old vineyards in France to find cuttings of these grapes. Nicolas currently owns part of the only 10ha of Persan that exist in the world, and will
soon make wine from grapes like Bia and Mècle de Bourgin. The vineyards are all certified organic, and fermentation and aging are exclusively in
enamel tank in order to give a true, unobstructed taste of these ancient varieties.
Domaine Thillardon
Contemporary Beaujolais is rife with opportunity – overlooked terroirs, abandoned vines, appellations ripe for rehabilitation. But few young vignerons
have committed to such ambitious challenges as brothers Paul-Henri and Charles Thillardon, who have positioned themselves as the future of
Beaujolais' smallest, sleepiest cru, Chénas. In 2008, Paul-Henri Thillardon began making wine from 3ha of vineyards, with the conviction that Chénas
has always been unjustifiably overshadowed by Moulin-à-Vent. He has slowly added new parcels to form the 12ha he works today. From the start,
he has farmed organically, working some of the vineyards with a horse and using biodynamic treatments. In 2009, he met Fleurie winemakers and
lynchpins of the Fleurie natural winemaking scene, Jean-Louis Dutraive and Yvon Métras, who took the young Paul-Henri under their wing. Until
2015, Paul-Henri partially destemmed most cuvées and practiced a more Burgundian vinification. Starting in 2014, he decided to switch to semi-
carbonic, and then went fully cool semi-carbonic in 2015, following in the footsteps of his mentors. With the dedication and attention to detail of the
Thillardons, the future of natural Chénas is in good hands.
Roland Pignard
Hardly a newcomer to winemaking, Roland Pignard took over the family estate in 1977 and immediately turned towards organic practices. In 2004,
he and his wife Joëlle sold off most of the estate, retaining only 4.5ha to concentrate on better farming, and received organic (Ecocert) and then
biodynamic (Demeter) certification. Vineyard treatments rely on biodynamic preparations with minimal copper-sulfate, and all tilling is done by horse-
drawn implements so as to not compact the soil. Picking is done by a crew of 20 (the same pickers each year, which is very important says Roland)
and carbonic macerations are short (only 6 to 12 days depending on the cuvée) as Roland feels that long macerations can result in the development
of undesirable yeasts and bacterias, and gives wines that are too extracted. All the wines are aged in cement cuves (except one cuvée of Morgon
called "Tradition"), and no SO2 is used during fermentation or élevage, with a minimal dose added before bottling, giving a total of about 8-10mg/L.
The resulting wines have subtle, pure fruit with perfect acidity and a pronounced mineral character with graphite, stone and earthy qualities.
Domaine du Chapitre
Frédéric Dorthe runs his family's 20ha of vineyards located on the right bank of the Rhône River in the picturesque town of Saint-Marcel d'Ardèche.
Due to long-standing contracts to sell most of his fruit, Fred's domaine has flown under the radar for a long time. On the bright side, this allows him
to make small amounts of honest, highly-drinkable wines from Southern Rhône grapes fermented and aged in cement with no additions except a
small amount of SO2 at bottling, and sell them for a song.
Domaine du Trapadis
The history of Domaine du Trapadis dates back four generations to 1850, with present vineyard owner Helen Durand’s two great-grandfathers each
owning a part of the land that together forms the 23ha of the domaine today. Trapadis is derived from the word 'trapalas', which means 'hole' in the
local dialect, a reference to the underground cave and natural spring located below the vines that provides water to the surrounding hamlet near the
village of Rasteau. Helen began to produce and bottle the wines of Trapadis at the young age of 16, and since 1996, he has complete control of the
domaine. The average age of the vines is 35 years, with the oldest parcel having been planted in 1922. Farming is all organic (certified since 2010),
with some biodynamic principles applied, and much of the work in the vineyards is carried out by horse. All the fruit is carefully hand harvested and
sorted before natural fermentation and aging in the original concrete vats.
Mary Taylor
When founding partner Mary Taylor first fell in love with wine in the early 90s, it was the European classics that truly spoke to her and stole her heart.
As a young professional selling wine, she quickly learned to appreciate wine in the “Old World” way — not as a luxury good reserved for special
occasions, but a living agricultural product that belongs to everyday life. After many years working with the wines of Europe, Mary arrived at an
important insight. Left in the dark by decades of simplistic marketing efforts that placed grape above geography, American consumers needed a
brand they could trust to decipher the complex notion of terroir in a clear and straightforward way. Out of this realization, the “White Label” series
was born. Today, it is Mary’s mission to unlock the world of European appellation wines by working with individual growers in multiple villages — from
Bordeaux to Nîmes to Valençay to the Douro and beyond — who produce exceptional, regionally-distinctive wines at extremely accessible prices. In
the traditional spirit of the Old World, each Mary Taylor wine has been selected as a faithful ambassador of its geographic origin, true to local traditions
and the vision of the individual farmer who bottled it. All fruit is farmed sustainably or organically, only indigenous varieties are used, fermentations are
with native yeast, and only inert vessels are used for aging to yield a set of wines of genuine quality and integrity that will bring the magic of their
terroirs to life wherever you choose to enjoy them.
Langeudoc
Le Clos des Jarres
Les Clos de Jarres is an ambitious new domaine in Minervois started by the young Vivien Hemelsdael. Vivien’s parents had originally farmed the land
here for over 25 years, selling the fruit to the local cooperative. After studying winemaking around the world and in France in Alsace, where he initially
became interested in organic farming, Vivien returned home in 2010 and immediately converted the family's 12ha of vineyards to organics (now
certified), and has even begun incorporating some biodynamic treatments and principals. Vivien is working with a range of traditional red and white
varieties, with some of the vineyards over 80 years old. The vines are planted in the foothills of the Montagne Noire (Black Mountains), where the
cooling breezes combined with the limestone subsoil of the area helps give these wines extra freshness. The grapes are all hand harvested into small
crates to help sort the fruit in the vineyard. Fermentations are all with native yeast, and the wines are not fined or filtered, with the only addition being
a minimal amount of SO2 at bottling. These are delicious wines full of life, and we are glad to see all of Vivien’s hard work paying off.
Mas Foulaquier
Winemaker Pierre Jéquier, a native of Switzerland and formerly an architect, created Mas Foulaquier in 1998 following an exhaustive search for his
dream wine estate. Situated in the most northerly corner of Languedoc's most northerly appellation, Pic Saint-Loup, the 8ha of existing vines were at
the time just 8 years old, but happened to be planted on some great terroir. Now, at more than 25 years of age, those vines are the source of a quite
brilliant set of wines. Pierre's wife and fellow winemaker, Blandine Chauchet, joined the team in 2003, bringing with her the ownership of a further 3ha
of 50+ year-old Grenache and Carignan in the lieu-dit of "Les Tonillières". The vines are certified organic, and since 2007, are also certified
biodynamic by Demeter. In the cellar, the wines all are raised in Foulaquier’s signature, low-intervention style – native yeasts, no filtering, and minimal
sulfur added only at bottling.
Bordeaux – Entre-Deux-Mers
Mary Taylor
When founding partner Mary Taylor first fell in love with wine in the early 90s, it was the European classics that truly spoke to her and stole her heart.
As a young professional selling wine, she quickly learned to appreciate wine in the “Old World” way — not as a luxury good reserved for special
occasions, but a living agricultural product that belongs to everyday life. After many years working with the wines of Europe, Mary arrived at an
important insight. Left in the dark by decades of simplistic marketing efforts that placed grape above geography, American consumers needed a
brand they could trust to decipher the complex notion of terroir in a clear and straightforward way. Out of this realization, the “White Label” series
was born. Today, it is Mary’s mission to unlock the world of European appellation wines by working with individual growers in multiple villages — from
Bordeaux to Nîmes to Valençay to the Douro and beyond — who produce exceptional, regionally-distinctive wines at extremely accessible prices. In
the traditional spirit of the Old World, each Mary Taylor wine has been selected as a faithful ambassador of its geographic origin, true to local traditions
and the vision of the individual farmer who bottled it. All fruit is farmed sustainably or organically, only indigenous varieties are used, fermentations are
with native yeast, and only inert vessels are used for aging to yield a set of wines of genuine quality and integrity that will bring the magic of their
terroirs to life wherever you choose to enjoy them.
Domaine Séailles
Domaine Séailles is one of the pioneers of organic viticulture in the Côtes de Gascogne region of Southwest France. A family-owned estate since
1961, Séailles is now run by Jean Labérenne, who lead the domaine to Ecocert organic certification in 1997, swearing off all chemical fertilizers,
herbicides, insecticides, and synthetic chemical products. Located in the town of Ténarèze, which is unique in the region for its limestone soils, Jean
farms a total of 25ha of hillside vineyards with help the of Julien Lanclet and Laurent Lefèvre, even saving 2ha of vines to make the traditional spirit
of the region, Armagnac. Both native yeast fermented, the reds are aged in cement tank, while the whites are all done in stainless.
Elian Da Ros
Historically, the region around Marmande has been more famous for tomatoes than for wine, but Elian Da Ros might change all that. Returning to
his native town of Cocumont in 1998, Elian constructed a simple winery and took the daring step of being the first winemaker to produce and bottle
his own wine under the Côtes du Marmandais AOP. Crafting superb, biodynamic wines from Bordeaux varieties as well as the local Abouriou,
Elian is one of those French vignerons that is universally respected by just about every other vigneron you talk with, regardless of their views on
agriculture and winemaking. These are some of the purest expressions of the limestone and gravel soils of the region, and display tremendous
elegance and finesse, even when working with grape varieties more famous for their masculinity and strength.
Guirardel
After working as engineers in the semiconductor industry for over 15 years, Françoise Casaubieilh (the eldest daughter of Anne-Marie Guirardel) and
her husband, Pierre Coulomb, were both fed up and looking for a change. In August of 2008, just as Françoise’s father was ready to retire from a life
working in the vineyards around the family’s home in Jurançon, Françoise and Pierre decided to return to the property, becoming the 15th generation
of the Guirardel family to make wine from this special vineyard. Neither had any experience with winemaking, but Françoise had just graduated from
an agricultural course at the local university, and Pierre would later go on to work with the Plageoles family in Gaillac, and still frequently calls on his
good friend Richard Leroy for advice. Françoise and Pierre immediately stopped using chemicals in the vines, and would eventually file for organic
certification in 2012 (which they were granted in 2015). They are also working closely with a doctor interested in energy, aligning their winery to the
lines of the “sacred network” and using their own essential oils and herbal infusions in the vineyard in place of treatments (even organic ones). The
4.5ha of vines are planted predominately to Petit Manseng (75%) with some Gros Manseng (25%) and slope steeply due south towards the Pyrénées.
The vines are 20 years old on average with very low yields (12-25 hL/ha) thanks to excellent farming and the poor clay-limestone soils with lots of
stones and glacial deposits from the ice age. Grapes are harvested by hand in successive passes from October through December, with each parcel
kept separate. Natural fermentations occur in 10 year-old, traditional 400L barrels, although they are also experimenting with some 700L barrels,
acacia barrels, and even amphora for their dry wine. In 2011, Pierre made his first trials with a no SO2 added dry wine from late harvest grapes, and
continues to refine his technique as he gains more experience, releasing wines with as little added sulfur as possible. These wines are the
continuation of an incredible family tradition and represent a throwback to Jurançon’s past that is sadly becoming more and more rare.
Germany
Mosel
Hild
You’ve probably never heard of the “upper Mosel". I really hadn’t either, aside from mildly derogatory remarks made in passing. Some of this derision
is probably deserved: the upper Mosel has had a long tradition of selling grapes en masse to cooperatives interested in high yields, irrespective of
quality. However, this is also a fascinating place, a vision of the Mosel that has nothing to do with Riesling or slate. Here we find limestone (this is the
beginning of the Paris Basin, the geological reality that informs places like Chablis and Sancerre) and a winemaking culture based on one of Europe’s
oldest grapes: Elbling. Matthias Hild farms 5ha in the upper Mosel doing something that makes almost zero financial sense: saving old, terraced
parcels of Elbling. In this area, however, it’s important to understand Elbling is something of a religion. It’s a culture, a regional dialect that is spoken
through this wine of rigorous purity, of joyous simplicity, of toothsome acidity. Even at its best, Elbling is not a grape of “greatness” as much as it is a
grape of refreshment and honesty and conviviality. The comparisons are plenty, though none of them are quite right: If Riesling is Pinot Noir, then
Elbling is Gamay. If Riesling is Chenin Blanc, then Elbling is Muscadet. You get the idea. The joy of Elbling is its raucous acidity, the vigor and energy,
the fact that it is so low in alcohol you could probably drink a bottle and still operate heavy machinery.
Julian Haart
Although Julian has the resume most people can only dream of (he has studied with Egon Müller, Klaus Peter Keller and Werner Schönleber; that's
like the German wine equivalent of learning to draw under Picasso, da Vinci, and Ingres), the fact is that this resume is an easy, glossy headline that
simplifies a much more complicated story. We have met few more serious, more thoughtful and detail-oriented growers. There is so much talent here
and Julian is relentless. He will be a very, very important grower. Starting with a microscopic 0.25ha plot of terraced vines in the famous Goldtröpchen
vineyard, Julian has finally bought a few more parcels and is renting some serious parcels from his uncle. The overall style is clearly a type of Mosel-
hommage to Keller. The wines showcase a glossy, super-pure fruit that shrieks across the palate with a pushing, sharply delineated acidity.
Pulverized slate, polished to a fine dust, coats everything. The hierarchy at Haart is based on Burgundy. There is the appellation-level "Moselle”
(read: Bourgogne) and the village-level Piesporter. For vintage 2013, we fell in love with a Fuder and bought it – thus we have 1,000 liters of a wine
that is floral, saline and smokin’. This is the aptly-named “1,000L”.
Stein
While Ulli Stein’s wines are not widely known in the U.S., he has nothing less than a fanatical following in Europe. He could likely sell every last bottle
to his friends in Germany alone, yet there are places of some importance, like Noma in Copenhagen, that put in sizable orders for Stein wine. He
farms meaningful parcels of land that have a few important things in common: They are not easy to work. They are commercially unknown. And,
most importantly, Ulli loves them. In fact, Stein is more than a winemaker – he is a passionate advocate for the traditional, steep, slate vineyards
of the Mosel. In 2010, Ulli published a manifesto warning of the threats to the region’s 2000 years old viticultural tradition. Winemaking with Ulli is
refreshingly light on “style,” instead focusing on what the vineyards say to him. Certainly there is a focus on wines that are dry; lightness and zip are
more important than gobs of fruit. Complexity is good, but not at the expense of the whole – better to be simple and well done than overdone and,
well, a mess. Cut is more important than size.
Saar
Hofgut Falkenstein
The Weber family farms about 8ha of mainly old Riesling vines — over 40% ungrafted — in a side valley of the Saar, known as Tälchen (“little valley”).
In 1985, Erich Weber and his wife, Marita, built up the property of the then-dilapidated Falkensteinerhof (established in 1901) from scratch. All the
Riesling grapes are hand-harvested and the whole grapes are gently pressed in a pneumatic press for two to three hours. The musts are left
overnight to settle naturally and are vinified with ambient yeasts exclusively in old oak 1,000-liter Fuder casks. Their top vineyard sites are located on
various south-facing hillsides of primarily gray slate with some quartz, including the once highly prized sites of Niedermenniger Herrenberg,
Niedermenniger Sonnenberg, Krettnacher Euchariusberg, and Krettnacher Altenberg. The father-and-son team of Erich and Johannes Weber don’t
use herbicides and believe in low yields (one flat cane per vine) to produce an array of green-tinted, light-bodied, high-acid, unchaptalized dry
(trocken), off-dry (feinherb), and sweet Saar wines — all of which are cask-by-cask bottlings.
Peter Lauer
Over the last few years, Florian Lauer, proprietor of Peter Lauer in the Saar, has gone from relatively unknown, to wine geek darling, to cult classic, to
finally, an established, blue-chip estate. Florian’s general style is exactly the opposite of his famous Saar neighbors Egon Müller and Hanno Zilliken.
At Lauer, the focus is on dry-tasting Rieslings as opposed to the residual sugar, Prädikat wines (Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese) of the latter two.
Employing natural-yeast fermentations, Lauer’s wines find their own balance. They tend to be more textural, deeper and more masculine, yet the
hallmarks of the Saar are there: purity, precision, rigor, mineral. Florian’s main playground is the breathtaking hillside of the Ayler Kupp. Though the
many vineyards of this mountain were unified (obliterated?) under the single name "Kupp" with the 1971 German wine law, it has been Florian’s life’s
work to keep the old vineyard names alive. Lauer bottles based on "fass", or cask, numbers that are often aligned with these pre-1971 vineyard
names. However, one shouldn’t take the fass numbers too seriously; they are based on the parcels that historically went into these fass and the style
of wine they most often produced. One example, "Fass 6 – Senior", is based on a selection that Florian’s grandfather made every year for his
personal consumption. On this barrel, he would write "Senior", and according to Florian, nine times out of ten, his grandfather would pick Fass 6,
which held wine sourced from the western-most region of the Kupp. Thus, today, the wine from this parcel is called "Fass 6 – Senior". In any case, the
results are undeniable: intensity without weight, grandiosity without size, clarity, and cut.
Rheinhessen
Seehof
The Rheinhessen has seen a rebirth the likes of which could not be fathomed even just ten years ago. This horrid, flat farmland and birthplace of
"Liebfraumilch", so it turns out, can produce world-class Riesling. Klaus Peter Keller has proven this point with emphasis. If there is a downside to this
glory, it is the creeping influence of the international wine press. For the 30-second taste test and the ever important score, fireworks always win. This
means young producers trying to make names for themselves focus on concentration, weight, density, power. Florian Fauth, the young winemaker at
his family estate, is the counterpoint to this trend. His wines eschew weight for fineness, power for clarity, fireworks for whispers; Florian has clearly
spoken quite a bit with his friend and brother-in-law Klaus Peter Keller. For the wines of the Rheinhessen, the key is limestone. This is what gives the
wines their glycerin-induced sexiness, but is also what gives them the flair of acidity, a presence strong enough to counter the lavish extract and to
keep the wines from feeling gooey or too heavy. At the moment Florian at Seehof is making some of the most charming and compelling Rheinhessen
wines around. The wines, both the dry and off-dry, are crystalline and pure with buoyant fruit and plenty of energy. For the money, you just can’t find
anything better.
Pfalz
Brand
Young brothers Daniel and Jonas Brand (both in their twenties) recently took over their family’s century-old estate, and are quickly breathing new life
into this former workhorse of the Northern Pfalz. The kids are smart, eager, and dialed into the growing natural wine scene both in Germany and in
neighboring France. They’re just starting to make waves –– converting all their viticulture to organic (certified as of 2015) and are experimenting like
crazy in the cellar. They have a pét-nat that’s so popular it sells out before they’ve even made it, and they make the best organic, entry-level liters of
dry Riesling and Weissburgunder you’ll ever find. The Nordpfalz borders the Rheinessen (their village is closer to Keller’s than to anybody famous in
the Pfalz), and that airy but firm sensibility informs these bright and mineral-laden wines.
Baden
Enderle & Moll
Enderle & Moll is really just two guys, a tiny cellar, a few hectares of old vines, and a hell of a lot of buzz – even Jancis Robinson has called them
“cult". Sven Enderle and Florian Moll farm a total of 2.1ha on the western fringe of the Black Forest. Most of their Pinot comes from two sites: one with
25-45 years old vines planted in colored sandstone (Buntsandstein), and one other miniscule plot (0.045ha total) from four tiny terraces, home to 60
years old vines (the oldest in the region) planted in shell limestone (Muschelkalk). All work in the vineyard is done by hand, yields are low, and
vineyard work is organic/biodynamic. Walking through the vineyard, it is easy to see where the Enderle & Moll plots begin and end, so clear is the
vitality of their vines and soil. Sven and Florian are hands-off in the cellar and it shows in the wines. Parcels are vinified separately, with one-third
whole clusters. Grapes are crushed in an old wooden basket press and then go into secondhand Burgundian barrels (mostly from Domaine Dujac).
Bottling, like everything else, is done by hand, and there is no fining or filtration. Because they don’t care for the quality criteria for Pinots in Baden,
they’ve decided to declassify their Pinot Noir as a Tafelwein, which legally disallows them from putting vineyard names on the label. Florian thinks it
foolish to automatically equate higher ripeness levels with better quality and that doing so often leads to overripe, high-alcohol wines with lots of
extract and a shortage of acidity and delicacy. These are delicious Pinots (to say nothing of their Müller-Thurgau, which is likely the best version of
that grape you will ever taste) of enormous integrity, made with undeniable passion and point of view. Also, Sven Enderle has the best facial hair in
the wine business with the possible exception of Jo Landron. Silly-limited production.
Shelter Winery
Hans-Bert Espe and Silke Wolf farm roughly 5ha in the not-so-famous region of Baden. Let’s go ahead and equate not-so-famous with not-so-ripe
and we get, immediately, a sense of the philosophy here. There are lots of words we would use to describe the bulldozer-Pinots we’ve tasted from
Baden over the years; delicacy would not be one of them. Until we tasted with Hans-Bert and Silke. This husband-and-wife team has spent the last
decade in the nooks and crannies of the wine-geek world, slowly building a reputation for pristine, delicate Pinot Noirs from Baden (there, we’ve used
the word). You might call them understated, though the rather petite structure and lively animation of the wines gives way to a mid-palate that is
awash with sweet perfumed fruit, transparent and mineral. In style, sensibility and size, they remind us quite a bit of Weiser-Künstler in the Mosel
(indeed they are all friends) – except this is Pinot Noir, from Baden. You may have to remind yourself of this when you’re tasting the wines.
Württemberg
Weingut Beurer
A one time European BMX champion running a small garagiste estate in Württemberg, at the farthest southern end of Germany, Jochen Beurer could
hardly be farther removed from the staid, landed traditions of his more Northern neighbors. His dry, terroir saturated wines from a variety of Jurassic
and Triassic soils on the hills around Kernen im Remstal have similarly little in common with historical conceptions of "German Riesling". These are,
first and foremost, "Swabian" wines, steeped in the traditions of a region that has long remained outside the national mainstream. The Beurer family
have farmed their land just outside of Stuttgart for generations, growing fruit and making wine that typically ended up in the bottles of the local coop.
Then, in 1997, Jochen, his wife, Marion, and father, Sigfried, set out on their own, making and bottling the wine for themselves. In 2003, Jochen
started experimenting with organic viticulture and spontaneous fermentations, converting fully to biodynamics over the next few years (now certified
by Demeter). Today, we can think of no other winemaker whose wines speak of the soil – a mixture of ancient lime and sandstones, and the ancient
Keuper soils beneath them – as much as Jochen’s do. Respect for nature and patience are reflected everywhere: in cool years, Jochen is inevitably
the last to pick, successive tries are the norm, and spontaneous fermentations follow their own course, usually including malolactic. Élevages are
similarly slow and careful, with wines being committed to bottle only when Jochen feels that the time is exactly right. The results are singular: a range
of completely unforced yet strikingly intense wines that are long, structured, and saturated in Swabian minerality.
Burgenland – Leithaberg
Tinhof
After studying wine in Vienna, Montpelier, and a stint at the legendary Mas de Daumas-Gassac in Southern France, Erwin Tinhof has returned to
farm the 14ha of vineyards on the slopes of the Leitha Mountains that have been passed down through his family for 11 generations. Farming
organically since 2008 (certification came in 2012), Erwin carefully dry-farms the estate, which is home to vines that are up to 50 years old. There
is no use of insecticides, herbicides, or artificial fertilizers, and after hand harvesting the grapes, the wines are all made with minimal intervention
in the cellar.
Italy
Valle d'Aosta
Feudo di San Maurizio
Michel Vallet works in the small Alpine town of Sarre in the Valle d’Aosta region. The population of 4,878 people enjoy the sunniest part of this Alpine
valley as it climbs toward Mont Blanc. The icy air and warm sun give perfect tans to vintage skiers and a bevy of rare native grapes: Fumin, Petit
Arvine, Mayolet, and (even rarer) Cornalin and Vuillermin. Michel started in 1998 to recover three ancient stone terraced vineyards that were
abandoned during Italy’s ‘boom economico’ of the 1960s. He is slowly expanding the terraced areas to accommodate more vineyards. The wines are
not traditional in the rustic sense, nor are they modern in the highly-polished sense. What they do have is an exceptionally precise and tightly
composed architecture of fruits, minerals, and bitter components that neither leap out of the glass nor remain stubbornly shy. Hand harvested, native
yeast, minimal to no intervention in the cellar.
Piero Brunet
Morgex and La Salle are neighboring villages at the foot of Mont Blanc in the Alta Valle, or High Valley, of the Vallée d’Aoste. The local grape variety,
Prié Blanc, was brought to fame by Alexandre Bougeat who, besides serving as parish priest of Morgex, began bottling wine in 1964. In 1985, Piero
Brunet took over his family’s vineyards and purchased a part of the original vineyards of "Curé Bougeat". Piero, his wife, and their two daughters now
farm 4ha of high-altitude (1000-1200m), steeply-terraced, pergola-trained, own-rooted, organic vines and make just over 300 cases of their single and
singular wine. Lovers of heroic viticulture and Alpine wines, take note!
Ferdinando Principiano
It’s admittedly odd in today's age of 'Barolo as King' to introduce an historic Barolo estate in Monforte with its old school, 10.5% Dolcetto called "Dosset".
Yet, that wine informs Ferdinando Principiano's style for Barolo and all his other wines: elegant, natural wines with a watermark of traditional Barolo
terroir. Ferdinando began his conversion to natural winemaking in 2003, and nowadays his vineyards teem with wildflowers in spring. A wild and thick
leaf canopy provides shade to the grape clusters; early-picking tightens the acidity and lowers the alcohol. Whole-clusters are crushed by foot and
fermented without sulfur to give an ease and suppleness to the fruit. Here's finally a traditional Barolista taking on climate change, being thoughtful
instead of dogmatic about making natural-yet-princely Dolcetto and Barolo (and a few other native Piemonte varieties) to drink – instead of taste. A
total of 21ha of vineyards are located in Monforte and Serralunga, with a smattering in Alta Langa. The far southeast part of Barolo is an area off the
beaten path (for Barolo at least). Instead of dusty vine row after vine row, there are woods between the vineyards, and Ferdinando has created what
looks like an extra-large koi pond for migratory birds. The smell of grapes amid apples, pears, apricots, peaches, cherries, persimmons, almonds, figs,
prunes, and quince hint at the complex biodiversity here. Ferdinando Principiano is walking the line between tradition, natural wines, and a thoughtful
aesthetic of elegance that we want to drink some now, and cellar some for later.
Fuso
Project Fuso21: regional, terroir-driven, daily drinkers, from farmers we know here in Italy – from their vineyards to your table. These are like the
wines you’ll find in a good trattoria when traveling in Italy, made from the native varieties that the locals drink. Keeping true to vini quotidiani, we
choose deliciousness over complexity and polish. All are vinified in cement or steel, lightly or not filtered, and delicious. The project connects growers
in small towns throughout Italy to folks just like us who don’t want industrial plonk for daily drinkers. One day, PortoVino founder Ernest asked Walter
Massa (2011 Gambero Rosso Wine Grower of the Year) for a favor: Walter is most famous as the prophet of Timorasso in Colli Tortonesi, but the area
has a long tradition for delicious Barbera (including Walter’s Barbera ‘Monleale’). Fuso Barbera isn’t a private label with wine from anywhere; it’s all
estate fruit, vinified with a slow, traditional fermentation, and aged in concrete tanks. We work closely with Walter to choose the vineyards and make
the final cuvée.
M. Sokolin
After working as a sommelier in San Francisco at Michael Mina and Acquarello, Mitchell Sokolin decided to spend the last several years traveling the
globe learning to make in both hemispheres, at places like Mac Forbes in Australia. Finally, for his first solo project, he settled down in the southern
part of Castilla y León in Sierra de Salamanca. Always searching for new and interesting opportunities, Mitchell began sniffing around the Langhe
for his second project. Inspired by producers like Vajra, Olek Bondonio, Chionetti, and Abonna, Mitchell decided to search out interesting parcels of
Dolcetto, convinced that in the right hands, it can producer floral, perfumed wines full of interest and character. He eventually found the right site, a
beautiful north-facing slope on white soils, just on the Dogliani side of Monforte. The fruit was fermented in stainless steel with almost half as whole
bunches and the rest destemmed on top. After two weeks in tank, it was pressed off into old 300L barrels to finish fermentation. The wine made it to
bottle with no fining, no filtration, and no additions besides SO2.
Scarpa
We sometimes assume that the great, historic producers in Italy are all well-known in the U.S. But ask the old timers: "I remember Scarpa…"
Antica Casa Vinicola Scarpa has been producing traditional, aristocratic wines in the Monferrato hills of southeast Piemonte for 150 years. They
have vineyards, farmed organically, in the Langhe as well as the Monferrato. Mario Pesce, admired by both Giacosa and Gaja, made Scarpa’s
reputation in the late 20th century, and today Maria Pier Zola and her family carry on his tradition of aging all the wines for years, and sometimes
decades before release. Traditional sometimes means 'rustic', but that's not the case here; Scarpa produces elegant wines with arrow-like acidity
and well-aged tannins. Bottle evolution and vintage characteristics emerge instead of pointillist fruit. Be on the lookout for releases from the
family's 45,000+ bottle library.
Stefano Vegis
Stefano Vegis is a traditional Gattinara garagiste, with rows of vines in multiple vineyards, including 0.6ha in Gattinara’s historically most famous cru
called "Osso", or ‘Bone’. His part of "Osso" is locally called "Osso del Sasso", or ‘Bone of Rock’, on account of a huge porphyritic-granitic rock in the
middle of the vineyard. "Osso" fruit is known to give nervous and vertical wines, and Vegis’ wines echo that. They also have that alluring crepuscular,
lighter-than-air, quality that Nebbiolo can have. All of which is pretty amazing, since his first bottled vintage was 2013. Stefano is moving away from
conventional farming, which is the norm in Gattinara. He uses only fungicides or Bordeaux mixture when necessary in humid years, so no herbicides
or pesticides. We applaud his direction toward more natural wines in an area difficult to do that. We’re curious to see what the following vintages will
bring from Stefano as we believe he is one of the rising stars in the area.
Terre Sparse
When you travel from the Piemonte region into Valle d’Aosta, you pass through the pre-alpine growing areas of Caluso and Carema. Unfortunately,
as you drive along the road, you’ll also notice many abandoned terraces. There’s now a few less, grazie to Matteo Trompetto and his farm, Terre
Sparse. Matteo’s given love to those abandoned terraces, and life to a small traditional farm. There’s much work to be done and Terre Sparse is an
ambitious undertaking. It’s an area we don’t usually see many new wine producers popping up, let alone ones with working farms. And that’s a shame
since the soil and climate here are unique and warrant our attention. The Caluso DOCG sits a bit lower than the Carema DOCG, which is more Alpine
in nature. Both are located in a natural morainic amphitheater, whose soil composition of sand and other elements renders it alkaline, producing wines
with low alcohol and a savory quality. Matteo’s winemaking reflects the ethos of his organic farm; the wines have minimal intervention and use native
yeasts. Sulfur levels are low and coming down each year as he gains confidence (and feeds the family). These wines are not glou-glou; they have too
pithy of a texture, and the savory notes have a tinge of bitter, which maybe is a hallmark of many Italian wines. But they sure do go down easy after
day of hard of work on the farm.
Umberto Fracassi
Umberto Fracassi’s family has been producing Barolo since 1880, a time when Barolo went from being 'un vino dolce' to the grande vino secco that
we all know today. After the Second World War, Marchese Fracassi, or simply Umberto, dedicated himself to carrying on the family tradition of
producing old-school Barolo in Slavonian oak botti. The town of Cherasco sits at the northwest corner of the Barolo zone, just west of La Morra and
Verduno, and its growing area includes Fracassi’s 2ha Barolo monopole cru, Mantoetto. This area is also known as Italy’s capital of snail production.
Umberto also produces some white Favorita (Vermentino) that’s a good way to start a meal, as the Barolo is opening up in the decanter.
Valli Unite
In southeast Piemonte, Valli Unite may be Italy’s only natural wine cooperative, where vineyards lie amid beehives, farm animals, orchards, and
truffle-filled woodlands. From honey to homemade salame and wine between, 30 members work on the 100ha farm and call it home. During harvest,
you can still stomp grapes with your bare feet here. Their wines range from the glou glou bottlings of Alessandrino, Bianchino, and a crown cap
farmer fizz, to more complex natural wines, such as their lithesome Derthona with the local Timorasso variety. “We believe natural vinification is a
social responsibility,” is the philosophy; soil humus, livestock manure, native yeasts, local grapes, time, and parsimonious sulfur compose the winning
formula. Visit one morning, work hard, and then stay for the communal lunch. It’s a visit unlike any other winery – I mean working farm – that I’ve
been to.
Veneto
Bella Vita
While our focus is on small growers that work well in the vineyard and the cellar, we also understand the realities and needs of our customers. So,
we found a Pinot Grigio from Treviso that fits in qualitatively with our portfolio, and that we feel good about offering at a great price. Made by the third
generation, sibling winemaking team of Annalisa, Alessandro, Carlo, and Luca Botter (also responsible for Bella Vita Montepulciano from their
holdings in Abruzzo).
Le Vigne di Alice
Sisters-in-law Cinzia Canzian and Pier Francesca Bonicelli started Alice in 2004 to fulfill their dream of bottling artisanal Prosecco thatʼs all their own:
estate fruit, pre-Dolomite, grower Prosecco. We call it Prosecco for non-Prosecco lovers (a category that includes us). It didnʼt take long to understand
that these women are joyful, caring, and have a passion for real wine (including the grower Champagne and Jura wines they also import to Italy). At
the same time, they are utterly serious, precise, and determined to produce amazing Prosecchi. Their 9ha of vineyards are worked without herbicides
or pesticides and all weeding is done by hand. Soils are of glacial moraine origin: chalky, rocky, lean, and full of minerals. They have taken their
sustainability even further by constructing a green winery with grass on the roof and solar panels that supply more than half of their energy. Their work
in the cellar mirrors their dedication in the vineyards. From an incredibly long Charmat for their single-vineyard wine, "Doro", to using Metodo Classico
on ".g", to experimenting with Metodo Integrale (i.e. not disgorged) on "P.S.", these women are truly pushing the boundaries of quality in this often
unfairly criticized region.
Nevio Scala
Soccer fans know Nevio Scala as the player-turned-coach who took the underdog provincial team of Parma to become champions in the ’80s and ’90s.
His son, Claudio, just three vintages in, is echoing his father’s underdog success with the provincial volcanic-alluvial soils of the Colli Euganei in the
Veneto. Claudio puts the local grape of Garganega as center midfielder (the same grape that you find in Soave, though not always without a touch of
Sauvignon Blanc). Claudio picks just before the grapes are perfectly ripe, and he’s not scared of a bit of oxidation. Work in their 8ha of vineyards is
completely organic, but they also raise crops such as wheat, barley, hemp, and beans, and hedge the vineyards with hazel, elder, and wild roses to
encourage biodiversity and give a nesting place for useful local fauna. In the cellar, all fermentations are spontaneous, minimal SO2 is added only
when needed, and everything is bottled unfined and unfiltered. What results are delicate, volcanic-spicy, and refreshing wines, with a hint of oxidation
to add complexity.
Liguria
Vio
In the tiny village of Vendone, just 12km inland and 300m above the sea, Ettore and Natalina Vio planted vines and olive trees amidst the Ligurian
mountain scrub in the 1970s. Today, their son, Claudio, and his wife, Maria Grazia, now tend the family farm. The dispersed patchwork of tiny,
terraced vineyard plots adding up to just 2ha — mostly Pigato, with a little Vermentino and some local red varieties — yield just enough wine for us to
bring in a few hundred cases a year. A hectare of olive orchards gives even less of their beautifully delicate olive oil (ask us nicely, and we might be
able to get you a little). Farming is 'lotta integrata' (manual weeding, no treatments besides Bordeaux mixture), all harvesting is by hand (by necessity
of the small, steep terraced parcels), and fermentations are with native yeasts.
Emilia-Romagna
Casalpriore
When Gabriele Ronzoni “retired” seven years ago at the age of 70, he decided to start making wine full time. Back in 1987, he had purchased a 2.3ha
farm near Modena with a neglected 17th-century farmhouse. Initially only making wine for friends and family, he is now producing enough Lambrusco
that we can benefit from this labor of love. Working organically is deeply important to the Ronzoni Family. His daughter Francesca is an herbalist and
his other daughter Giovanna left journalism and started a company that makes products for organic farmers. So, when Gabriele began making wine,
there was no question that he would work organically. He has never used herbicides or synthetic pesticides, only manure for fertilizer. When he
uses sulfur, it is in very small doses and the wines have never exceeded the legal limit. Gabriele uses the Sobara grape as the base wine for his
Lambrusco. Awarded its DOC classification in 1970, Sobara is considered the highest-quality Lambrusco clone that produces the most fragrant wines.
He also uses a small amount of Salamino, Maestri, Ancellotta, and Malbo clones. And if all of this wasn't enough to convince you to give Lambrusco
another try, apparently the wine has health benefits. These local grape varieties have a high concentration of flavonoids and antioxidants, so Gabriele
believes you will have a sense of well-being after you drink his wines. If this is retirement, sign me up!
Gradizzolo
On weekends, Antonio Ognibene's wife cooks up some delicious tortellini in brodo in their agriturismo for the city dwellers from Bologna looking to
pass a bucolic Sunday in the countryside. It's the perfect dish to eat with these earthy wines grown on top of Monteveglio in the Colli Bolognesi.
Antonio heads up the winery and is a man of few words, most of which he saves for his vines. He works primarily with the native white Pignoletto
(aka Grechetto Gentile), and the rare red Negrettino, of which Antonio is one of only two producers in the region. The surrounding marl soils give
these wines a touch more tension and structure than others in the area. Rigorously organic, Antonio fought with all the local producers on the merits
of native yeasts, and his wines are more interesting for it. Antonio is also an intuitive and sensitive taster and cultivator of vines; he has names for
many of the vines and holds them as his own children, knowing which gave two bunches one year and none the next. These are traditional and
charming wines for a lazy Sunday lunch, wines that have been left to ferment and decant naturally with the seasons, and released when they are
ready. You can taste the wholeness of the fruit, the depth and texture of work well done in the vineyards. Start rolling out that tortellini dough.
Mutiliana
Mutiliana is a wine producer, and the ancient name of the Apennine mountain village of Modigliana, located in the Romagna part of Emilia-Romagna.
Modigliana is also one of Sangiovese di Romagna’s official sub-zones, whose high altitude, as well as marl and sandstone soils, distinguish it from the
larger designation. In effect, these mountain vineyards (380-600m) highlight Sangiovese’s bitter elegance: botanical notes intertwine with pithy fruit:
eucalyptus, sage, and artemisia meeting sour cherry, blood orange, and pomegranate. Local owner Giorgio Melandri, a former wine journalist, is
bottling not only within one sub-zone, but within Modgliana’s three valleys: Acereta, Ibbola, and Tramazo teasing out further the terroir using only wild
yeasts and aging the lots in concrete vats to avoid oak influence. These are engaging wines, intellectual without losing their mountain-grown spirit.
Toscana
Brusco
Project Fuso21: regional, terroir-driven, daily drinkers, from farmers we know here in Italy – from their vineyards to your table. These are like the
wines you’ll find in a good trattoria when traveling in Italy, made from the native varieties that the locals drink. Keeping true to vini quotidiani, we
choose deliciousness over complexity and polish. All are vinified in cement or steel, lightly or not filtered, and delicious. The project connects growers
in small towns throughout Italy to folks just like us who don’t want industrial plonk for daily drinkers. “Brusco” is still used in the Tuscan dialect today
defining a person or thing that is off the cuff and a bit rough but genuine through and through. This is 100% Sangiovese made by one of our Chianti
Classico producers, Tenuta Maiano from their certified organic estate fruit in Montespertoli, Tuscany. Soils are limestone with silt below composed of
marine sand and clay. The fruit is all destemmed with fermentation and aging in old-school cement tanks with native yeast.
Il Borghetto
If you think you’ve seen all of Chianti’s expressions, Il Borghetto’s extremely detailed and ethereal Sangiovese may surprise you. Owner Antonio
Cavallini is an outsider, as the Chianti consortium has often denied him DOCG status for his wines. They cite his use of Burgundy bottles and other
"problems" with the wine. As Bob Dylan sings in Absolutely Sweet Marie, "To live outside the law, you must be honest." And it’s no secret that some
of Italy’s best producers, some of it's most honest producers, are living "outside the [DOC/G] law." Antonio organically farms 5ha of vineyards and
12ha of olive groves in Montefiridolfi, a hilltop town in the northwest corner of Chianti Classico. The area could be considered a 'sottozona' or
subzone of the San Casciano zone. The clay soil with some limestone has excellent water retention and gives wines with finesse, freshness, and
elegance, even during hot and dry vintages. The vineyard consists of an interesting mix of Sangiovese clones and biotypes (e.g. F9/R24 Biondi Santi
clone). The harvest takes place in multiple passes row by row. The musts are then fermented in multiple parcels in the cellar before a final blending.
Antonio ferments using a percentage of whole clusters, which is unusual in Italy. This technique gives the wines a distinctive aromatic elegance and
silky tannins. The approach in the cellar, in general, is minimal intervention, including native yeast fermentations in large open concrete vats or plastic
containers. There are no pumps, and all racking is with gravity. Herbal notes, crushed flowers, and elegant fruit describe the wines in general. If these
Sangiovese wines are made by a Chianti outsider, I say let him in.
Ranchelle
The best wine producers have their own brand of authenticity, and it comes through in the wines. Christoph Fischer is a long-time German expat
who’s fixated on a preservation project (recupero) of Maremma’s abandoned vineyards and varieties. The Maremma area lies mostly along the
Tuscan coast. It’s a place where the ancient Etruscans once cultivated vines and where the Butteri (Tuscan cowboys) still roam. Morello di Scansano
is perhaps the best-known wine from the Maremma. It can offer juicy fun, but the old local varieties here are way more soulful. We know of no one
doing such interesting work as Christoph in the area: all organic farming, all native yeasts, extremely low sulfur. Soils are an even mix of sand,
limestone, and clay. Christof works from a one hectare plot of 60 year-old albarello (bush) vines in an area named on old maps as Millocchio: literally
a ‘thousand-eyes’ (mille + occhio). According to locals, it was an area where there were once so many vineyards on the hills that thousands of vine
buds would look down on you. From that one abandoned vineyard, he has planted two more hectares using massale selection. Both wines (one white
and one red) ferment to dryness in open-topped fermenters with skin contact for about three weeks and punchdowns twice a day using a multi-
pronged mandrone stick that he got from an old farmer in the area. Christoph’s makeshift cellar was a Super Alimentari (corner grocery store) in the
1970s. It’s extremely clean now. After a light pressing, most of the juice goes into used 500-liter tonneaux; about 30% goes into stainless steel tanks.
A tiny amount of sulfur is used only when he blends the two parts.
Sorrelle Palazzi
The Palazzi sisters started their winery in 1973 in the heart of the Pisan Hills (Colline Pisane), between Pisa and Volterra. The estate is now under
the control of the sisters’ nephew, Guido, who recently received his degree in enology and agronomy. Of the 24ha here, 11ha are vineyards, 9ha are
olive groves (both certified organic), with the remaining part being forest and the agriturismo. The surrounding woods and shrubs provide an excellent
ecosystem for these charming and earthy wines. The soils here are mostly clay with sand and chalk, and the temperature is tempered by the
proximity to the sea, making for softer, less incisive tannins than you’d usually find in Chianti Classicos. All this means that the wine works really well
for all those dishes that aren’t heavy but aren’t really light either – such as Cornish hens. The cellar is really a large garage with the old cement tanks
from the '50s being used for the Sangiovese bottling and the Chianti; the Riserva gets some large wood botti. The only small wood to be found is the
chestnut and cherry for the Vin Santo. All fermentations here are spontaneous.
Marche
Borgo Paglianetto
Borgo Paglianetto is a village of ancient farmhouses and hillside vineyards locals have brought together to form a new winery that highlights natural
and organic viticulture. The winery is located in the Matelica growing area of the Marche region, where the high-acid Verdicchio variety reigns
supreme. "Terravignata" is textbook Matelica: green apples and tangerines, framed by savory botanical herbs. "Ergon" ferments with native yeasts,
giving a subtle wine that shows muted stone fruits, botanical herbs, and a tapering saline finish. The top wine, "Vertis", is from an old, high-altitude
vineyard that produces a more structured wine, with notes of botanicals herbs and perfectly ripe tangerines. More info coming soon!
Le Salse
Project Fuso21: regional, terroir-driven, daily drinkers, from farmers we know here in Italy – from their vineyards to your table. These are like the
wines you’ll find in a good trattoria when traveling in Italy, made from the native varieties that the locals drink. Keeping true to vini quotidiani, we
choose deliciousness over complexity and polish. All are vinified in cement or steel, lightly or not filtered, and delicious. The project connects growers
in small towns throughout Italy to folks just like us who don’t want industrial plonk for daily drinkers. This wine is made by Cantine Belisario, a high-
quality co-op in Matelica, whose members are all committed to working sustainably and organically in the vineyards. It’s our response to the ocean of
Pinot Grigio that has washed up on U.S. shores: refreshing, versatile, glug-able, but with the real character that most Pinot Grigios lack. The
vineyards are on top of a Jurassic-period raised seabed, near saltwater springs called 'le salse' (from 'sale' meaning salt) at an altitude of 450 meters.
Lazio
Podere Orto
Podere Orto lies on Lazio’s high plains at 600m elevation in an area called L’Alta Tuscia Viterbese, or simply Tuscia. It’s a bit of a Bermuda Triangle,
between Italy’s center and south, at the 'trivium' of Lazio, Umbria, and Tuscany. When Chianti Classico is getting too hot in the summer, this is a good
place to come to cool off. Many of the grapes grown here are biotypes of varieties found in Toscana, but these wines are more nervous, with more
tension and a skeined elegance. Part of this is due to the diverse varieties, but just as important is the high altitude and complex soils, including blue
limestone marls. Giuliano Salesi and Simona De Vecchis planted their vineyards here in 2009 from a massale selection gleaned from abandoned
vineyards in the area. In 2011, they completed the restoration of their small farmhouse and cellar. Today, they are making fine, natural wines with
minimal intervention: there are no chemicals used in the vineyards, instead preferring biodynamic treatments, weeds are all pulled by hand, and the
wines are fermented with native yeasts without any additives. The resulting wines are a keen, fine, and natural expression of utterly unique varieties
and soils.
Abruzzo
Bella Vita
While our focus is on small growers that work well in the vineyard and the cellar, we also understand the realities and needs of our customers. So, we
found an old vine Montepulciano that fits in qualitatively with our portfolio, and that we feel good about offering at a great price. Made by the third
generation, sibling winemaking team of Annalisa, Alessandro, Carlo, and Luca Botter (also responsible for Bella Vita Pinot Grigio from their holdings
in the Veneto).
Q500
In 2006, Maurizio di Nicola aided by his great-nephew began the work of recuperating a century-old farm in the village of Colle Trotta, situated in the
shadow of the 2900m Gran Sasso mountain in Abruzzo. The crops include farro fields, fruit and olive trees, and 3.5ha of vineyards. Maurizio calls the
wines Q500 (Quota 500) because all of the vineyards sit at 500m or higher (and incidentally, they look down on Valentini’s). Farming is certified
organic, fermentations are indigenous, and the wines are unfiltered.
Campania
Antica Masseria Venditti
Back in 1988, the Italian wine guide Gambero Rosso introduced the word "organic" for the first time in its review of Venditti’s wines. Those who still
believe that “organic” equals “unscientific” should think again. Nicola Venditti is both an enologist and the very incarnation of a contadino (farmer). The
vineyards have been in the family for over 400 years — thus the “antica” part of Antica Masseria — and he is deeply passionate about his territory of
Sannio, adjacent to better-known Taurasi. Nicola eschews oak and kneels at the altar of steel, thus letting all of the wines really show the clean and
distinct fruit of their native grapes (some of which only he cultivates). His cantina is squeaky clean, and he gladly whistles out pH and acid levels for
those inclined. This humanist-techno-geek approach, he explains, is a combination of the “humanity” of ancient methods and local varieties, together
with the “rationality” offered by technology. The new "Assenza" (meaning, "not containing" or, "absent of") wines are made completely without SO2.
Cantine Matrone
The Matrone family has been cultivating vines on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius, just east of Naples, since the 1700s. Fast forward to this century,
when Andrea Matrone and his cousin Francesco reappropriated the original 18th-century family cantina and 2.3ha of vineyards on the southern
slopes of Vesuvius. If Etna’s volcanic wines are noble, Vesuvius’ are wild, with potassium and iron-rich volcanic soils providing more funky bitter and
salt notes. There’s a bianco made mostly from Caprettone (which may be none other than Trebbiano d’Abruzzo according to Andrea), a part of which
sees two days of skin contact, and a rosso made mostly from Piedirosso with other local varieties. Farming is uncertified organic and fermentations
are with a pied de cuve from the local vineyard yeasts. This is another compelling, young producer springing from an old family tradition — a
combination that increasingly is making some of the most exciting wines in Italy.
Pierluigi Zampaglione
Pierluigi Zampaglione’s family has farmed tomatoes, grains, and beans for generations in the town of Calitri, located 75 miles east of Avellino in the
Alta Irpinia. In 2002, Pierluigi decided to plant 2ha of Fiano vines at 800 meters of elevation and to make a single wine called "Don Chisciotte" (Don
Quixote – among other things, Pierluigi sees his vineyards and himself as tilting at the windmill farms that dot the Alta Irpinia landscape). Farming is
certified organic. All stainless steel, native yeasts, extended skin contact, very little sulfur, no other additives, and no filtration. The wine is complex
and chock full of character on the highest elevation Fiano vineyards we know of.
Puglia
Calx
Project Fuso21: regional, terroir-driven, daily drinkers, from farmers we know here in Italy – from their vineyards to your table. These are like the
wines you’ll find in a good trattoria when traveling in Italy, made from the native varieties that the locals drink. Keeping true to vini quotidiani, we
choose deliciousness over complexity and polish. All are vinified in cement or steel, lightly or not filtered, and delicious. The project connects growers
in small towns throughout Italy to folks just like us who don’t want industrial plonk for daily drinkers. Calx Primitivo is made by Filippo Cassano.
Filippo's certified organic vineyards are located in Gioia del Colle, a quick 30-minute drive inland west of Bari and home to the highest elevation
vineyards in Puglia. Soils are deep red clay with an underlying base of pure limestone, which, when combined with the elevation, gives wines that
have plenty of fruit, while still retaining their freshness and minerality. Fruit from Filippo's 20-year-old vines is hand harvested, fermented with native
yeasts in stainless steel, and also aged entirely in steel with only a small amount of SO2 added for bottling.
Sardegna
Cardedu
The vineyards of Cardedu (car-DAY-do) are in the area of Ogliastra, the most mountainous and least populous province on the island; a land of
turquoise shimmer and ragged-dry cliffs. Here on the southeast coast of Sardegna the Loi family grows and makes wines from the native varieties
Vermentino, Cannonau, and Monica. Cardedu is one of the island's better-known (in Sardegna, at least), traditional producers. The Loi family doesn’t
think of itself as a natural wine producer; they are not in that hipster 'giro'/circle. Yet, all wines are fermented with native yeasts in temperature
controlled tanks (if needed), and there’s dry farming without the use of herbicides or pesticides.
Sicilia
Alcesti
Gianfranco Palladino and family are making honest, pure wines from local grapes in the Marsala region of Sicily. Certified organic farming and hand-
harvesting in a region and price-point that isn’t always the norm. Our idea of fresh, Sicilian wines ready to drink; both are fermented and aged in
stainless steel.
I Custodi
Mount Etna is a current darling of the Italian wine scene, and I Custodi is among the 21st-century Etna Renaissance producers who are now making
wines as compelling as the active volcano’s cooled lava flows. Founder Mario Paoluzi has teamed up with Etna guru Salvo Foti and I Vigneri, the local
vineyard workers who tend the ancient albarello vines and volcanic terracing. The Etna Rosso "Pistus" (mostly Nerello Mascalese) comes from Etna’s
north slope, where the wines are known to be structured and savoury. In 1774, the Florentine scholar Sestini called them ‘navigabile’ or ship-worthy,
keeping after long voyages. Don’t miss 150+ year-old vines mostly-Nerello cru "Aetneus". The racy Etna Bianco "Ante" (mostly Carricante) comes
from 1200m high vineyards on the sea-influenced eastern slopes; raw fish come alive with this wine. "Alnus" is the traditional ‘pista e mutta’ (press
and rack) Etna rosato. Organic.
Mortellito
Val di Noto sits in the southeast corner of the Sicilian triangle, dipping down to the latitude of North Africa. In spite of the warm climate, the local
varieties (especially Grillo and Frappato) and white limestone soils are capable of producing balanced wines with tension and moderate alcohol. Dario
Serrentino, after years of selling off his grapes (to naturalistas Frank Cornelissen, Lamoresca, inter alia), started to vinify and bottle his own wines in
2014 as Mortellito. Dario is a naturalista as well, but he insists on making clean wines that taste extreme only in their deliciousness. He works his
family’s 25ha, 15 of which are under vine; the rest are a mix of ancient olive groves and heirloom almond varieties. His wines have a tempered
hedonism, a mix of 'taking' in the sun (as the Italian idiom goes), and then 'taking a bath' in the salty-cool sea.
Galicia
Benaza
The wine region Monterrei is located just above Portugal in the province of Ourense. Monterrei is a relatively new DO but possesses a long history of
winegrowing, and at the moment is experiencing a renaissance in winemaking. The climate is relatively dry and warm for Galicia and more continental
than Atlantic. The soils are a mix of clay and alluvial. Benaza Godello is a balanced, drinkable, and food-friendly vino blanco. It expresses the unique
personality and inherent qualities of the Godello grape and Monterrei terruño. Benaza Godello is a cuvée made especially for Vinos de Terruños in
collaboration with Álvaro Bueno, a vintner with deep roots and intimate knowledge of the Monterrei region. Fermented in stainless steel vat and
raised on the lees for up to a year.
Guímaro
Cultivated since Roman times, Ribeira Sacra’s steep, terraced vineyards are some of the most picturesque and treacherous in the world of wine —
think Douro, Côte-Rôtie, or the Mosel. Like those most dramatic terruños, wine-growing here is not for the faint of heart; it takes spirited determination,
unwieldy optimism, a sense of tradition, and a willingness to collaborate. All of these qualities are embodied by the young Pedro Rodríguez of
Guímaro. Pedro descends from a long line of colleteiros working in the Amandi area, Ribeira Sacra’s most prime sub-zone with south facing vineyards
planted on slate just above the river Sil. His parents, Manolo and Carmen, still work the vineyards daily and also maintain a small finca of mixed
agriculture. In 1991, Pedro decided to take over the family winery and named it Guímaro, which means "rebel" in Gallego and was a nickname of
Pedro’s grandfather, and became one of the first adegas to join the Ribeira Sacra DO in 1996. Pedro immediately set about making significant
improvements in the vineyards, such as reducing yields of the commonly over-cropped Mencía grape, eliminating chemicals, and paying attention to
the different plots’ expositions, which greatly helps to preserve natural acidity in the grapes. Old-fashioned winemaking methods were reclaimed as
well: wild yeast fermentation, foot treading in open-top vessels, stem inclusion, working with low sulfur, and aging in used barrels. Never resting on his
laurels, Pedro is leading his estate to organic certification and has undertaken a massive project of planting heirloom grape varieties at the highest
elevations in Amandi. With this ever-evolving approach, there is no doubt the future is looking bright at Guímaro. 152.76
La Milla
Rías Baixas represents the lowlands of Galicia, with an elevation generally less than 300m near the sea and the lower reaches of the rivers, giving
the region a distinct Atlantic influence with mild temperatures and high rainfall. Here, Albariño finds its natural habitat. La Milla is a cuvée made in
collaboration with third generation winegrower and winemaker Angel Parada. It is sourced from an organically and biodynamically farmed plot of old
vines (up to 80 years old) in the sandy soils of the Soutomaior subzone of Rías Baixas. After hand harvesting, spontaneous fermentation and aging
occur entirely in stainless steel tanks.
Luis Rodriguez
Luis Rodriguez has been quietly crafting remarkable Ribeiro wines since 1988. From the beginning, Luis' aim has been to showcase the enormous
potential for the once nearly extinct native grapes to produce distinctive and age-worthy wines. Luis studied enology and philosophy in Madrid, took
the time to visit many of Europe’s great wine regions, and even served as the president of the Ribeiro DO for many years. Over time, Luis has
accumulated just over 5ha of vineyards scattered over nearly 100 micro-plots primarily located in the town of Arnoia, a village with some of the
steepest south-facing vineyards in Ribeiro. Here, the soils are decomposed granite with sandy topsoil. Luis' vines range from 10-50 years old, with
many of them being planted by Luis himself. Having grown up in the village of Arnoia and by focusing his work there, Luis knows where the good
vineyards are located. He has been steadily converting these plots from the bulk wine grapes Palomino and Garnacha Tintorera to the native
Treixadura, Brancellao, Lado, and Ferrol just to name a few. His philosophy in the vineyard is to maintain balance, with no herbicides ever used, and
treatments applied only if absolutely necessary, and never for a month before the harvest to help preserve the native yeasts existent on the grapes
that help start fermentation. Luis works in the same tiny adega originally built by his grandfather, utilizing a mixture of temperature-controlled
equipment and a variety of sizes of oak barrels, with a small amount of new barrels reserved for the top "Escolma" wines that are only made in
certain vintages. It is time for the world to notice that fine Ribeiro wine prevails!
Pago Cativo
The Ribeiro DO is located in southern Galicia in the confluence of the valleys formed by the Miño, Avia, and Arnoia rivers. These valleys protect the
region from Atlantic squalls, providing an Oceanic-Mediterranean transitional climate that allows fruit to ripen while preserving acidity and freshness of
aromas. Ribeiro is also home to a slew of traditional, indigenous varieties such as Brancellao, Caiño Tinto and Blanco, Souson, Treixadura, and more,
which yield incomparable wines with strong personalities. Pago Cativo is made especially for Vinos de Terruños in collaboration with winemaker Álvaro
Bueno. Fruit is sourced from biodynamically farmed vineyards up to 70 years old on the classic granite and slate soils of the region. Only indigenous
varieties are used, and the wines are fermented with native yeast in stainless steel.
La Rioja
Bodega Akutain
The story of Bodega Akutain begins over four decades ago when Rioja’s storied estates were consistently producing Spain’s most highly sought-after
wines. At this time, Juan Peñagaricano Akutain was an engineer in nearby Basque Country, working for a company that sold cooling units to wineries.
Juan developed personal relationships with many Rioja bodegas and spent time tasting and learning in the region, most notably in the cellars of two
of the great traditionalists of yesteryear – CVNE and La Rioja Alta. These experiences gave him the confidence to plant his first vineyard in 1975,
located 5km west of Haro at Rioja’s epicenter. With a desire to work in the château style, Juan acquired a horse stable adjacent to the vineyard and
converted it into a small bodega, and Akutain has been making wine here in this small but highly functional bodega ever since. They strive to produce
wines in the traditional style set forth by the Grand Bodegas, but on a much smaller scale, and most importantly, to singularly reflect the wind-swept,
high-elevation terruño of Rioja Alta. Today the property is comprised of 6.5ha of four distinct vineyard plots, all estate-owned and located in the Rioja
Alta subzone, ranging from 25-40 years of age. Juan’s son, the young and ambitious Jon Peñagaricano, is now handling the day-to-day operations.
Today, Jon is leading the estate into the 21st century, converting their highest elevation vineyard to organic viticulture, with the rest of the estate
following suit. Harvesting is by hand, all fermentations are with natural yeasts in fiberglass vats (with no temperature control), and all aging is in used
American oak. They bottle age for a significant amount of time in natural caves that the Akutains built under the first vineyard they planted back in
1975. The resultant wines are throwbacks to Rioja’s past – 12.5 to 13% alcohol, beautifully aromatic, nuanced, and age-worthy; traditional Grower
Rioja at its best!
Navarra
Naipes
The region of Navarra is located northeast of the Rioja border. It’s a region that enjoys three distinct climatic influences: Atlantic, Continental, and
Mediterranean, as well as a great variety of soils types and elevations. This makes Navarra one of the most interesting regions for viticulture in Spain.
The fruit for Naipes is sourced from the town of Carcar located in the Ribera Alta sub-zone of Navarra. Due to its limestone subsoils, high elevation,
and accompanying temperature fluctuations between day and night, it is a well-known area to produce excellent wines based on Garnacha Blanca and
Tinta. Naipes is made in collaboration with the brothers Andrés and Ramón Serrano, pioneers in organic and biodynamic agriculture in Navarra. The
wines are certified organic and biodynamic by Demeter and fermented with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel tanks to highlight the fruit and minerality
of the region.
Verasol
The region of Navarra sits just northeast of the bordering Rioja. It is a region that enjoys three distinct climate influences – Atlantic, Continental, and
Mediteranean – as well as a myriad of soil types and elevations. This makes Navarra one of the most interesting regions for winegrowing in all of
Spain. The fruit for this cuvée is sourced from organically farmed vines around the town of Olite, a winemaking town in the Ribera Alta subzone of
Navarra. Due to its limestone sub-soils, high elevation, and accompanying fluctuations between daytime and nighttime temperatures, this is an area
known to produce excellent Tempranillo and Garnacha based wines. Verasol is a cuvée made especially for Vinos de Terruños in collaboration with
Charo Moriones, a vintner with deep roots and intimate knowledge of the Navarra region. Fermented and raised in old cement vats. Bottled unfiltered.
Castilla y León
Alfredo Maestro
The affable iconoclast Alfredo Maestro started making wine in 1998 when he planted his first vineyard, Almate, near his hometown of Peñafiel in
Ribera del Duero. From the beginning, he set out to farm his vineyard organically. In the cellar though, Alfredo was literally working “by the book,”
teaching himself enology from a book and using every winemaking trick to make a “correct” Ribera del Duero: yeasts, acid, enzymes, tannins, color-
enhancers, etc. Finally, in the early 2000’s, Alfredo had a revelation. He started questioning why, as an organic farmer, was he using chemicals to
make the finished wine when he could be working as naturally in the cellar as he did in the vineyards. So, he began eliminating exogenous products,
and in 2003, began making wine without any additives whatsoever, including sulfur. Over the past few years, Alfredo has been searching out
abandoned or neglected vineyards around the Ribera del Duero and nearby Madrid to convert to organic farming. He looks for old vines, poor
limestone or granitic soils, and the requisite high elevation that gives freshness to wines grown in Spain’s great Meseta Central. Today, Alfredo has
accumulated 9ha total and two small bodegas, one located in his native Peñafiel in the Ribera del Duero, where his father still helps with the bodega
work, and the other just southwest of Madrid. He has emerged as one of the most lauded and dynamic natural winemakers in all of Spain. The wines
are rich, pure, bright, and show everything there is to like about the Duero, minus the fake oak-addled spoof tactics that have dominated the wine
styles in the region for years.
Isaac Cantalapiedra
The Cantalapiedras descend from several generations of winegrowers working in the municipality of La Seca, a dusty town of 1,000 people that is
considered to be the heart of the Rueda appellation. While most producers in the region have embraced the ultra-modern styles of Verdejo (high
yields, machine harvesting, selected yeasts, cold fermentation, heavy filtration, and copious amounts of sulfur) to make an internationally appealing
wine, the Cantalapiedras have taken a decidedly different approach. Although there are records of the Cantalapiedras’ grape-growing dating to the
19th century, the birth of the current estate can be traced to 1949 when patriarch Heliodoro planted his first vineyard plot at the age of 15. For many
years, Heliodoro’s son Isaac worked alongside him, and together they built a 20ha domaine that is now certified organic. In the past, they sold the
bulk of their grape production to larger producers in the area. It is with the third generation – Helio has since passed away and Isaac’s son Manuel
has joined – that the family has established a small cellar of their own, bottling their first vintage in 2014. Being farmers first, they strive to go beyond
organic and incorporate many biodynamic practices into their viticulture. Their grapes are oftentimes harvested later than other producers in the
region, and they keep about 7ha of their vines to vinify themselves, selling the rest to the old relationships of the family. In the cellar, Manuel utilizes
wild yeasts for fermentation, minimal amounts of sulfur, and no other additions. They produce a wide range of wines, from more soil-driven, single-plot
wines, to flor-aged wines (historically traditional for the region), as well as skin-contact wines and pét-nats with no added SO2. These are winegrowers
who promise to be dynamic and forward thinking. Given the excellent quality of the wines right out of the gate, we are beyond excited to see what the
future holds for Manuel and Isaac Cantalapiedra.
La Capra Loca
This wine is made in Pesquera de Duero, in the Valladolid province of Ribera del Duero. This vineyard’s location is characterized by very cold winters
and hot summers. The wide variations in temperature between day and night contribute to a slower ripening of the grapes and provide excellent
levels of acidity. La Capra Loca is a cuvée made especially for Vinos de Terruños in collaboration with the viticulturist Federico Fernandez of the
Fernandez family, who has a great wine tradition in Ribera del Duero and are pioneers in developing the Tempranillo grape in Pesquera de Duero.
Fermented in stainless steel and aged 6 months in American and Hungarian oak.
M. Sokolin
After working as a sommelier in San Francisco at Michael Mina and Acquarello, Mitchell Sokolin decided to spend the last several years traveling the
globe learning to make in both hemispheres, at places like Mac Forbes in Australia. Finally, for his first solo project, he has settled down in the
southern part of Castilla y León in Sierra de Salamanca. The grapes for this wine come from a vineyard planted in 2004 as part of research
collaboration with the regional government. Called "La Espaldera" ('trellis' in English), it represents the most comprehensive collection of the known
clones of Rufete. While the trellised, cordon-pruned vines are a departure from the more traditional bush vines of the region, it is tightly planted on a
steep WNW-facing slope of decomposed granite and quartz, supported by hand-built stone terraces. It has been farmed organically (and certified as
such) since it was planted, and the winemaking follows a very minimalist approach, with SO2 as the only addition.
Vevi
The wine region Rueda is located in the heart of Spain, in the southwestern part of Castilla y León. It is high in elevation and possesses a continental
climate with wide shifts between very warm days and cold nights. Rueda has a long tradition of winegrowing and is the ancestral home of the noble
Verdejo grape. Verdejo makes one of the most distinctive white wines in all of Spain. Vevi Rueda is a cuvée made especially for Vinos de Terruños in
collaboration with Silvia García, an organic farmer and vintner with deep roots and intimate knowledge of the Rueda region. Vevi expresses the
unique personality of the native Verdejo grape, along with the inherent qualities of the Rueda terruño. It is a balanced, drinkable, and food-friendly
vino blanco. Fermented in stainless steel vat and raised on the lees 6-8 months before bottling.
Madrid
4 Monos
4 Monos (4 Monkeys) is a team of four friends and lovers of wine native to Madrid. Javier García, Laura Robles, David Velasco, and David Moreno
focus their work on the Sierra de Gredos mountain range just 80km west of downtown Madrid. Here, old bush vines at 600-1200m in elevation planted
on sand, granite, and schist intermingle with sweet-scented olive, evergreen, almond, and chestnut trees, scrub brush, chamomile, and wildflowers.
This is a landscape that feels like a holy collision between the Mediterranean and the Alpine. It is this terroir that 4 Monos champions with organic
farming and articulates so beautifully with their utterly crystalline and transparent wines. Over just a few years, they have accumulated 4ha of vineyard
land and acquired a small bodega with built-in concrete tanks, and are also working 10ha with other local growers who share their passion for organic
farming practices. By putting a focus on the land and the variances in terroir from village to village, they have brought the potential of the Gredos to
the world’s attention and revived production from grapes such as Morenillo and Cariñena. Minimalism reigns supreme in their cellar – wild yeasts and
whole grape clusters for fermentation, foot-trodding the grapes for minimal extraction, little sulfur, and minimal oak treatment. The resulting wines are
weightless and flavorful, with lip-smacking granitic minerality and incomparable finesse.
Catalonia
AT Roca
There is a revolution happening in Penedès and AT Roca is at the vanguard. After decades under the control of the sprawling and dominating Cava
DO, a handful of producers have defected. It started with a single winery, but slowly more and more quality sparkling wine producers are disassociating
themselves from this DO that has nothing to do with a sense of place. Catalans have never been afraid of separating from the masses, and in the heart
of Catalunya, AT Roca is no different. Over 75% of the total Cava production comes from just two behemoth wineries, and they control all aspects of
the DO. The Cava DO is unique in that it does not have physical boundaries, rather the requirement is only that their sparkling wines be made in the
'mètode tradicional'. The DO encompasses over 23 different regions across Spain, leaving many of its Catalan members feeling that it cannot ever truly
represent what is most important to them: the region of Penedès. Agustí Torello Roca and his father and aunt, Agustí Torello Sibill and Lali Torello
Sibill, founded AT Roca in 2013 with a focus on vineyards and wines with a sense of place. One of the first priorities for AT Roca was to join DO Classic
Penedès, a subset of the Penedès DO that was formed in 2012. It started with just 10 members and has been growing ever since. DO Classic Penedès
is perhaps the first governing body that requires organic certification in order to be a member. In addition to the farming requirements, 15 months aging
on the lees is the minimum (only 9 months is required in DO Cava), and all wines must be traditional method and vintage-dated. AT Roca goes well
beyond these standards, with 100% hand-harvesting (most grapes in Cava and Classic Penedès are harvested by machine), and aging their single-
vineyard wines on the lees with natural cork instead of crown caps, another rarity in the region. Agustí (the son) studied winemaking in Tarragona and
afterward, apprenticed with vigneron Bruno Michel, one of Champagne’s pioneers of organic farming. A diligent student, Agustí is well-traveled and
always in search of wines that represent place. The mission at AT Roca is to showcase their region: the eastern part of Penedès near the Massís del
Garraf and the foothills of the d’Ordal mountains. AT Roca currently works with 38ha of vines – 18 connected hectares that they own and an additional
20ha they work with three growers, all of which are certified organic. AT Roca only works with indigenous Catalan grape varieties, with a focus on
Macabeu. Most of their vineyards are within 20km of the Mediterranean Sea and sit on north-facing slopes, making for ideal growing conditions. They
favor wines with tension, and in the warm Mediterranean climate of Penedès, north-facing slopes allow for less direct sunlight and give the grapes
more time to cool off overnight. Macabeu on their estate is grown on calcareous, gravel and limestone soils, and the region has very marine-heavy
soils from its time spent underwater 20 million years ago. It is an exciting time for sparkling wine in Catalunya. After years of complacency, real and
radical changes are happening and there is a newfound commitment to showcasing place. AT Roca is certainly at the forefront of this movement, and
their precise and pristine wines give evidence that there is much to be seen for the future of this notable region.
German Gilabert
Cava is Spain’s most famous sparkling wine. In order to be called Cava, the wine has to be made using 'método tradicional', where the secondary
fermentation happens in the bottle. 95% of Cava is produced in the Penedès area of Catalonia, located just southwest of Barcelona. It is no wonder
that Cava is the drink of choice in the many tapas bars of the great city. The grapes used for German Gilabert come from the subzone Alt Penedès,
where the highest elevation plots are located. Only native grapes are used, the vines are farmed organically, and the wine is bottled without added
sugar or Brut Nature. German Gilabert is a cuvée made especially for Vinos de Terruños in collaboration with a vintner who has deep roots and
intimate knowledge of Cava production. Primary fermentation in stainless steel vats. Secondary fermentation in the bottle, and it is raised on the lees
18-20 months before disgorgement. Bottled with no dosage.
Extremadura
Envínate
Envínate (meaning 'wine yourself') is the brainchild of four friends, winemakers Roberto Santana, Alfonso Torrente, Laura Ramos, and José Martínez.
This gang of four formed back in 2005 while studying enology at the University of Miguel Hernández in Alicante. Upon graduation, they formed a
winemaking consultancy, which eventually evolved into Envínate, a project that mainly focuses on exploring distinctive parcels in the Atlantic-inflected
regions of Ribeira Sacra and the Canary Islands, as well as other exceptional vineyard plots across the Iberian Peninsula. Their collective aim is to
make profoundly pure and authentic wines that express the terruño of each parcel in a clear and concise manner. To this end, no chemicals are used
in any of the Envínate vineyards, all parcels are picked by hand, the grapes are foot-trodden, and the wines are fermented exclusively with wild yeasts
with a varying proportion of whole grape clusters included. For aging, the wines are raised in old barrels and sulfur is only added at bottling if needed.
The results are some of the most exciting and honest wines being produced in Spain today.
Castilla-La Mancha
Deya
Sourced from an organic grower in Castilla with a large collection of relatively old, bush-trained vines, Deya comes from several vineyards, between
40 and 50 years old. After a 10 day maceration, the wine is fermented and aged entirely in stainless steel. A fresh take on 100% Tempranillo from
Castilla-La Mancha for a great price.
Envínate
Envínate (meaning 'wine yourself') is the brainchild of four friends, winemakers Roberto Santana, Alfonso Torrente, Laura Ramos, and José Martínez.
This gang of four formed back in 2005 while studying enology at the University of Miguel Hernández in Alicante. Upon graduation, they formed a
winemaking consultancy, which eventually evolved into Envínate, a project that mainly focuses on exploring distinctive parcels in the Atlantic-inflected
regions of Ribeira Sacra and the Canary Islands, as well as other exceptional vineyard plots across the Iberian Peninsula. Their collective aim is to
make profoundly pure and authentic wines that express the terruño of each parcel in a clear and concise manner. To this end, no chemicals are used
in any of the Envínate vineyards, all parcels are picked by hand, the grapes are foot-trodden, and the wines are fermented exclusively with wild yeasts
with a varying proportion of whole grape clusters included. For aging, the wines are raised in old barrels and sulfur is only added at bottling if needed.
The results are some of the most exciting and honest wines being produced in Spain today.
Vera de Estenas
Historically, the high-yielding Bobal grape was regarded as only useful for simple, acidic red and rosé wines destined for the local co-op. Recently, a
handful of quality-minded growers, using artisanal farming and vinification, are producing highly individual wines of true Mediterranean complexity,
with remarkable freshness, moderate alcohol, and calcareous soil-inflected tension. One of the torchbearers of Bobal is Vera de Estenas, possibly the
most traditional producer in the Utiel-Requena DO of Valencia, with some of the oldest Bobal holdings in Spain. Founded in 1945 by Francisco
Martinez Bermell, Vera de Estenas has been crafting wines from their 47ha of organic estate vineyards since their inception. Situated at 800m
elevation near the mouth of the Estenas river near the foot of the Sierra del Remedio mountains, their 'en vaso' trained vineyards run northwest to
southeast along a broad swath of calcareous clay soils. Summer brings scorching heat, but a cooling wind called the 'Solano' brings relief, and
nighttime temperatures can drop substantially due to the high elevation, helping to preserve acidity in the grapes. Under the current leadership of
Felix Martinez, Vera de Estenas is producing some of the region's most compelling wines, from Bobal vines as old as 100 years.
Andalucía
Bodegas Alonso
After years working as a construction engineer, Seville native Fran Asencio and his brother, Fernando, have embarked on one of the most ambitious
projects in the region, attempting to resurrect the historic Pedro Romero bodega after its unfortunate economic collapse in 2014. Located in the
“barrio bajo” in downtown Sanlúcar de Barrameda, the Pedro Romero cellars cover an area of almost 1ha and are full of nearly 10,000 butts of
Sherry dating back to the winery’s founding in 1860, including soleras for legendary brands such as Gaspar Florido, Ánsar Real, and Fernando
Méndez. Located close to the Guadalquivir river in the almost at sea level, the bodega has almost perfect exposure to the west wind, making the
conditions ideal for producing and aging Manzanilla. Aside from these incredible old stocks, the Asencios have also purchased 13ha of their own
vineyards in the Pagos Balbaina and Miraflores, which they will use to refresh 40 old butts from Pedro Romero to make their own Manzanilla with
true vineyard-to-bottle traceability. Meanwhile, they have already bought Manzanilla from other almacenistas to establish a separate solera, which
they are using to help fund their work with the old stocks. The Asencio brothers are acutely aware of the enormous scale of the work needed and
that they are now responsible for a piece of Sanlúcar history, but they are dedicated to the task of keeping these wine jewels alive.
Envínate
Envínate (meaning 'wine yourself') is the brainchild of four friends, winemakers Roberto Santana, Alfonso Torrente, Laura Ramos, and José Martínez.
This gang of four formed back in 2005 while studying enology at the University of Miguel Hernández in Alicante. Upon graduation, they formed a
winemaking consultancy, which eventually evolved into Envínate, a project that mainly focuses on exploring distinctive parcels in the Atlantic-inflected
regions of Ribeira Sacra and the Canary Islands, as well as other exceptional vineyard plots across the Iberian Peninsula. Their collective aim is to
make profoundly pure and authentic wines that express the terruño of each parcel in a clear and concise manner. To this end, no chemicals are used
in any of the Envínate vineyards, all parcels are picked by hand, the grapes are foot-trodden, and the wines are fermented exclusively with wild yeasts
with a varying proportion of whole grape clusters included. For aging, the wines are raised in old barrels and sulfur is only added at bottling if needed.
The results are some of the most exciting and honest wines being produced in Spain today.
Greece
Macedonia
Domaine Nerantzi
Domaine Nerantzi is a new and exciting organic producer near the border of Macedonia and Thrace in northern Greece. Nerantzi Mitropoulos is an
earnest, imposing, and gregarious personality who has made it his life’s mission to uncover indigenous varieties lost to the world and bring them back
to the fore. He believes in a kind of locavore approach to winemaking, whether it be the use of long‐lost indigenous varieties, spontaneous yeast
fermentations, or even the use of local Balkan oak for their cooperage. Their main desire is to have their wines express what is unique to their region
and share it with the world. Due to his love of history, country, and region, Nerantzi continually visited places searching for what he calls "the little
things" left from the older Greek tradition. In 1998, during one of his expeditions, his attention was piqued by a rare vine that a few of the local elders
called Koniaros, which had been left behind due to its lack of vigor and low yields. So, he decided to try to vinify it for the first time, experimenting in
1998 while searching for more information about it. Reaching out for help to professors of agriculture at the University of Thessaloniki, he was able
to find a description of the variety in an old book. As it was the only reference to this variety they could find in literature, Nerantzi decided to send a
sample for DNA testing to France in order to check that it was not registered by another name somewhere in the world and that it was really a unique,
indigenous Greek variety. The results were as expected, and Koniaros was officially registered and recognized as a new found genome and part of
the wider Greek heritage. Today, with the help of his daughter Eva, who recently graduated with an enology degree from the University of Dijon in
Burgundy, Domaine Nerantzi makes several wines from their 15ha organic domaine. The soils of the domaine, which lie at an elevation of 300m in
the foothills of Mount Menoikio, are of moderately calcareous sandy loam. But the real marvel is what is hidden within the soil: layer upon layer of
ancient pottery is strewn on the hilltop where the vineyards are planted. One could say that part of the terroir of this domaine is the patrimonial
history of Greece itself, as millennia of overlapping culture and history comprise what the vines dip their roots in and draw nutrients from.
Domaine Tatsis
"Our family is as steeped in winemaking history as anyone could imagine," says Periklis Tatsis, one half of the sibling team that owns and operates
Domaine Tatsis with his younger brother Stergios. During the disintegration of the Ottoman Empire and the forced population exchanges in 1924, the
Tatsis’ grandparents came from Ano Vodeno in Eastern Romylia, an area of Thrace that equates roughly to today’s southern Bulgaria. Periklis
explains that his people were always grape growers and winemakers and it had been the trade of the family since time immemorial. When the Tatsis
family was moved to Greece, they chose to settle in Goumenissa, an area (and appellation) that was covered in vines and spoke to their values and
history. The fit was natural, and the Tatsis family property started with a scant 4ha that has now grown into 14ha today with additions that they’ve
made since taking over the domaine from their father in 1996. Periklis works the land and oversees the vines with Stergios in charge of making the
wine, although the lines often blur as with any family endeavor. The wines are certified organic and many biodynamic principals are applied, but the
best way to describe them is as one of the small group (three or four at most) of original natural winemakers in Greece to pop up in the 1990s, at a
time when international varieties, commercial yeasts, and 100% new oak was the norm in the rest of the country. Domaine Tatsis wines can easily be
seen as traditionalist in nature but that would be only a part of the story. They constantly experiment, doing long macerations of their native white
varieties and long élevage for roses. They release their appellation Goumenissa with significant bottle aging for a true representation of the wine as it
should be enjoyed. They are both a throwback as well as on the forefront of the wine scene in Greece with nary a care of what anyone else is doing.
Koutsoyannopoulos
Koutsoyannopoulos Winery, founded in the late 19th century by brothers Gregoris and Dimitris Koutsoyannopoulos on the island of Santorini, is one
of the oldest continuously producing winemaking families in Greece. From 1870 to 1917 the bulk of Koutsoyannopoulos’ exports went to Odessa in
Ukraine. And while the Russian revolution in 1917 closed this chapter of exportation, the market opened up in France, Italy, and the rest of Western
Europe. Today, four generations later, this winery continues to operate under the care and supervision of its present owner, Georgios
Koutsoyannopoulos. The estate vineyards are comprised of 15ha of vines, which continue to be cultivated in the traditional way of weaving them into
baskets or crowns. These vineyards lie in the areas of Vothonas, Megalochori, and Fira. Long-term contracts with farming families on the island also
bolster the amount of fruit available in this bare and sparse land. What makes the vineyards in Santorini unique is the volcanic soil on which they
grow. The soil consists of white volcanic ash mixed with schist and limestone, with hardly any organic matter. The ash soil traps the moisture in the
air during the nighttime and early morning hours, acting as a kind of reservoir, initially storing water and then providing necessary moisture to the vine.
The combination of the especially hot and dry climate with the volcanic soil works to keep disease in check; phylloxera cannot survive here, so
rootstocks are ungrafted, with some of the oldest continually producing vines on the island estimated at nearly 400 years old. Koutsoyannopoulos’
traditional renditions of Assyrtiko bring all of the pedigree of the variety, terroir, and history of Santorini together flawlessly.
United States
California
Amplify Wines
Lifelong Santa Barbara natives Marlen and Cameron Porter are the husband-and-wife team behind Amplify Wines. After initially bonding over a shared
love of wine and music, they created Amplify as a natural extension of the marriage between their two greatest passions. As winemakers, they seek to
amplify the voice of a site and enhance the most singular characteristics of a given vineyard, marrying a sense of place with a sense of style. Although
not fans of dogma, there are certain winemaking and farming principles that are central to their beliefs: native yeast fermentations, neutral vessels for
fermentation and aging, no additions of any kind besides sulfur, farming that seeks to establish a healthy ecosystem, enhancing and supporting the
natural characteristics of a given place, and embracing happy accidents and letting intuition be their guide. And by following that intuition, they have
created some gorgeous and authentic wines with a unique voice that is all their own.
Brea
Brea is a collaboration between "New California Wine" OG, Chris Brockway of Broc Cellars, and wine importer and logistics veteran, Tim Elenteny.
Their goal is to craft site-specific, terroir-driven, sustainably-farmed versions of beloved California grape varieties, such as Chardonnay, Cabernet
Sauvignon, and Pinot Noir. By working closely with farmers and choosing unique vineyard sites, the two are able to craft classic expressions of these
grapes while also keeping them accessible in both price and quality, ready to drink now but also suitable for short term aging. The work is natural in
the cellar, utilizing only native yeasts for fermentation, with no added bacteria, enzymes, or powdered tannins, no new oak, and minimal use of sulfur.
These are real deal, unadulterated expressions of Cali fruit that we believe are a big step above most “private labels”.
Inconnu
Inspired by the French tradition of vin de soif, or “wine of thirst,” Laura Brennan Bissell started Inconnu to create pleasurable, fresh, earth-driven wines
at accessible prices. After internships with Unti and Matthiasson in California, Laura was hooked and decided to start her own project. Working closely
with growers who farm organically (either working or certified), Laura is sourcing fruit unique vineyard sites across California, with the goal to display
their distinctive characteristics through subtle winemaking. Fermentations are spontaneous, sulfur is kept to a minimum, and there are no other
interventions in the cellar. The resulting wines are bright, mineral, and highly drinkable, showing a great devotion to the craft while still being priced
well enough to enjoy every day.
Keep Wines
Winemakers Jack Roberts (assistant winemaker at Matthiasson) and his wife, Johanna Jensen (formerly of Scholium Project and Broc Cellars), have
come together to create Keep Wines. They are influenced by the old world, with a focus on less-ripe fruit, organic farming (all vineyards are either
working or certified), minimal manipulation in the cellar, and great ageability. In the vigneron tradition, they do as much of the work themselves as
possible from vineyard to bottling. Jack, who originally hails from England, references his heritage in the name and label of the wine; the image is of
Beverstone Castle, an 11th century Norman stronghold in Gloucestershire, England where Jack’s father was born and raised. All that remains of
Beverstone today is what you see on the label; the moat and the tall ‘keep’ (from the Middle English 'kype', meaning barrel or cask), which was the
defenders' last resort in a siege. It was also where they stored their most precious possessions, especially their wine.
Art+Science
By day, Dan Rinke is the winemaker and vineyard manager at the biodynamic Johan Vineyards. But Rinke's labor of love is Art+Science, where he
has been crafting tiny-production wine and natural cider since 2011. Dan is the "science" part of the equation, taking care of production and farming,
while his artist wife Kim Hamblin fashions the evocative cut-paper art that adorns each bottle, all done at Roshambo Art Farm – their rock quarry,
music venue, and working farm. Dan's leading philosophy is one of respect, utilizing organic and biodynamic farming principles, eliminating synthetic
fertilizers, herbicides, and fungicides, and using only their own cow manure and biodynamic preparations made from plants growing on the property.
The same philosophies that are used in the vineyards are also applied in the winery, where the only addition during the winemaking process is a small
amount of sulfur, and only right before bottling. Since 2013, Dan and Kim have also begun foraging for old, unsprayed, wild apples, pears, and quince
in the western side of the Willamette Valley, making some of the most exciting, complex renditions of natural cider and perry in the States today.
Holden
Sterling Whitted and Michael Garofola continue to push the boundaries of Oregon wine working out of the Medici cellar in the hills north of Newberg.
They work primarily with Northern Italian varieties like Vermentino, Dolcetto, Nebbiolo, and a Friuli-style Sauvignon Blanc while also producing
detailed, elegant renditions of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Sterling previously worked at Owen Roe, Cameron, and Teutonic Wine Company while
studying advanced enology at Oregon State University. He started the Holden in 2011 and for several years made micro bottlings in a range of styles.
Michael, one of Portland’s most esteemed sommeliers, joined the business a few years later. The current line up maintains an adventurous spirit but
with a new level of sophistication. All fermentations are with native yeast, and SO2 use is kept to a minimum leading to some of the freshest, most
compelling wines coming out of the state today.
Maryland
Old Westminster Winery
Nestled in Carroll County, Maryland’s rolling countryside, Old Westminster Winery is the Baker family’s project to preserve their family farm and put
their land to work to craft distinctive wines with a sense of place. They set out in the spring of 2011 by planting Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Chardonnay,
and Albariño in their Home Vineyard at 800ft elevation on channery loam soils overlaying a bedrock of greenstone schist. In addition to their own
vines, Old Westminster works closely with neighboring vineyards to source fruit from a variety of soil types and expositions, allowing them to represent
the region’s diverse geologies and variable climate. In the vineyards, they implement a pragmatic farming program using environmentally sound
materials; mostly organic (and even experimenting with biodynamics), but also synthetic when it's known to be more effective and less intrusive for
Maryland’s demanding climate. Drew Baker, who handles the vineyard work, systematically rotates sprays to avoid resistance and reduce the volume
of necessary applications and utilizes diverse cover crops to promote beneficial insects and vines with stronger immune systems that need fewer
inputs. In the winery as well, the goal is to produce wines that reflect both the vineyard and vintage with minimal additions. Drew’s sister, Lisa Hinton,
who handles winemaking duties, achieves this by hand-picking and sorting the fruit, using gravity rather than pumps, fermenting all wines with
indigenous yeast, and bottling without fining or filtration. They are also experimenting with carbonic maceration and skin-contact whites, have gone
all-in on an impressive set of pét-nats, and have even produced the first true natural wines in can! Through the Baker family's collective expertise,
meticulous vineyard care, and thoughtful cellar practices, they have already managed to produce distinctive wines that are a pleasure to drink and
are putting Maryland wine on the world map.
Chile
Valle Central
Escándalo
After obtaining his enology degree in Spain, Mauricio Veloso Estuardo spent the next five years making wine around the country, including stints in
Bierzo where he first learned about low-intervention winemaking. In 2011, Mauricio decided to return back to his native Chile, taking a job with a large
producer where he was tasked with sourcing fruit from small farmers in the various winemaking valleys throughout the country. Through his travels,
Mauricio was able to discover beautiful, old vineyards in Colchagua, Itata, Maule, and beyond, home to traditional grapes like Pais, Sémillon, Cinsault,
and a few small lots of the forgotten-about Carignan, with vines ranging from 60 to over 200 years old. With this knowledge, in 2013, Mauricio decided
to start his own project, Escándalo, to highlight the amazing potential of these old, patrimonial vineyards throughout Chile. Today, Mauricio travels
nearly 400km from north to south searching out these old plots. The work in the vineyards remains extremely traditional with no chemicals used in
the vines (only organic treatments or plant and citrus extracts the farmers have used for generations) and all harvesting is done by hand. In the cellar,
everything is allowed to ferment spontaneously, and there is no fining or filtration, and only small additions of SO2 before bottling. These are honest
wines with great purity and freshness, proving that these old vineyards and traditional methods are still the best way to show off the amazing
viticultural history of Chile.
Argentina
Mendoza
Campo
We are proud to introduce Campo. Old-vine, organically-farmed fruit, made with low intervention: wild yeast fermentation, no acid adjustments, no new
oak... Pure, straight-forward Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon from Argentina that don’t taste like blueberry pie!
Spain – Asturias
Ramos del Valle
Ramos del Valle from Sidra Fran is an all-natural hard cider made with traditional methods using apples from the Asturias region of northern Spain.
Founded in 1918, Roberto Ramos is the third generation of his family to make cider. Sidra Fran is currently owned and operated by Roberto and his
four siblings. Sidra Fran uses only native apples from the region. The apples are hand harvested in September from the family's own orchards on
mountain slopes. There are over 800 native apple varietals in Asturias and 22 varieties authorized in the region. Sidra Fran is in the process of
recovering additional ancient apple varietals. Fermentation occurs naturally and spontaneously with native yeasts. The cider then rests in large
chestnut wooden vats in contact with lees for over five months. No sugar or carbonation is added.
France – Southwest
Domaine Séailles
Domaine Séailles is one of the pioneers of organic viticulture in the Côtes de Gascogne region of Southwest France. A family-owned estate since
1961, Séailles is now run by Jean Labérenne, who lead the domaine to Ecocert organic certification in 1997, swearing off all chemical fertilizers,
herbicides, insecticides, and synthetic chemical products. Located in the town of Ténarèze, which is unique in the region for its limestone soils, Jean
farms a total of 25ha of hillside vineyards with help the of Julien Lanclet and Laurent Lefèvre, even saving 2ha of vines to make the traditional spirit
of the region, Armagnac. The distillation is carried out at the domaine using an old, direct wood flame heated still, and the resulting spirits are aged
in 400L barrels for a minimum of 20 years.
Italy – Veneto
Le Vigne di Alice
Sisters-in-law Cinzia Canzian and Pier Francesca Bonicelli started Alice in 2004 to fulfill their dream of bottling artisanal Prosecco thatʼs all their
own: estate fruit, pre-Dolomite, grower Prosecco. We call it Prosecco for non-Prosecco lovers (a category that includes us). In addition to their
exceptional sparkling wines, the women also continue on the tradition of producing a small amount of Amaro. Previously, this Amaro was reserved
just for friends and family that came to visit at Cinzia's grandmother's osteria in Vittorio Veneto (she is the 'Alice' in 'Le Vigne di Alice'). Luckily, we
managed to convince them to sell us whatever extra they could so we have a small amount to share with you today. Cinzia’s aunt’s nickname was
'Nina' and she was the one who composed the amaro recipe with over 30 different medicinal (and mountain) herbs. The bitter cut comes from
Gentiana lutea, known in English as bitter root. The herb grows in grassy alpine and sub-Alpine pastures, usually on calcareous soil. You may
recognize its bitterness, as it is the main ingredient in Angostura bitters. Mint, orange rind, sage, fennel fronds, and more give aromatic nuance.
Italy – Piemonte
Monterosa
Monterosa is a new, artisanal Vermouth project in Alto Piemonte from Daniele Garella, brother of Cristiano Garella of Colombera & Garella fame.
Daniele hand-picks herbs in Alto Piemonte around Mount Rosa, including “muttolina”, a local biotype of genepy. Cold extractions of the herbs help
preserve their delicate volatile oils. The base wines for both Vermouths are grown and made locally: Erbaluce for the white, and mostly Nebbiolo for
the red. These are an exciting, new chapter in the century-and-a-half-old tradition of Piemontese Vermouths.
Scarpa
We sometimes assume that the great, historic producers in Italy are all well-known in the U.S. But ask the old timers: "I remember Scarpa…"
Antica Casa Vinicola Scarpa has been producing traditional, aristocratic wines in the Monferrato hills of southeast Piemonte for 150 years. They
have vineyards, farmed organically, in the Langhe as well as the Monferrato. Mario Pesce, admired by both Giacosa and Gaja, made Scarpa’s
reputation in the late 20th century, and today Maria Pier Zola and her family carry on his tradition of aging all the wines for years, and sometimes
decades before release. Traditional sometimes means 'rustic', but that's not the case here; Scarpa produces elegant wines with arrow-like acidity
and well-aged tannins. Bottle evolution and vintage characteristics emerge instead of pointillist fruit. Be on the lookout for releases from the
family's 45,000+ bottle library.
Spain – Valencia
Vidte
Vidte Vermouths come from the La Marina Alta sub-zone of Alicante, a region with many years of history in both wine and vermouth production. The
climate is Mediterranean giving these vermouths distinctive herbal characteristics. The soils of La Marina Alta are very limy, with low levels of clay
and very little organic material, giving very high-quality base wines. Vidte Vermouths are made in collaboration with winemaker Pedro Sarrión, an
oenologist with extensive knowledge in the production of wines from Alicante and Castilla-La Mancha. The base wines are made from the traditional
varieties Muscatel and Merseguera and are then macerated for several months with a combination of local Mediterranean aromatic herbs.
Wine Cocktails
Spain – Castilla-La Mancha
El Chiringuito
El Chiringuito is a project created by Vinos de Terruños in collaboration with the Delgado brothers, pioneers in organic farming in Castilla-La Mancha.
Named after the small beach bars selling drinks and tapas in coastal Spain, the intention is to create an authentic, organic version of the local favorite
drink, Sangria, transporting the aromas of beach evenings, summer times, and moments with friends. The Delgado brothers use only certified organic
grapes for the base wines and blend them with organic Valencian orange and lemon juice, with no sugar added.
France
Domaine du Trapadis Rasteau Vin Doux Naturel Grenat 2015 Grenache/Carignan 500mL 6* MFW 553343
Domaine de Saint Pierre Vin de Liqueur "Les Larmes du Paradis" NV Chardonnay/Trousseau 750mL 6* MFW 570474
Mélaric Coteaux de Saumur "Funambule" 2013 Chenin Blanc 500mL 6* MFW 603343
Julien Thurel "Cydromel" 2014 Apples/Honey 750mL 6* MFW 562075
Guirardel Jurançon "Marrote" 2012 Petit Manseng 750mL 12* MFW 581526
Mélaric "Liquoreux de la Cerisaie" VdF Blanc 2011 Chenin Blanc 500mL 6* MFW 603342
Vins Hodgson "MF Doux" Rancio VdF Blanc 2016 Chenin Blanc 500mL 6 MFW 613741
Italy
Sorrelle Palazzi Bianco Pisano di San Torpè Vin Santo Riserva 2011 Trebbiano/Malvasia/++ 375mL 6 PV 602524
Spain
Alfredo Maestro "La Cosa – The Thing" VdlT Castilla y León 2014 Moscatel de Alejandría 375mL 6 JPS 574442
Greece
Domaine Economou Sitia Late Harvest Liatiko 2006 Liatiko 500mL 6* DNS 603755
Hatzidakis Santorini Vinsanto 2004 Assyrtiko/Aidani 375mL 6* DNS 603762
United States
East Hollow Cider "A Bee and A Tree" Imperial Cyser NV Wild Apples/Honey 375mL 12* MFW 592290
Old Westminster Winery Maryland "Solera Batch No. 1" NV Cabernet Franc/Petit Verdot 500mL 12* MFW 602464
Eden Ice Cider "Heirloom Blend" NV ('13) Empire/McIntosh/++ 375mL 6* MFW 569675
Eden Ice Cider "Windfall Orchard" NV Heirloom Blend 375mL 6* MFW 569676
Eden Ice Cider "Northern Spy Barrel-Aged" NV ('13) Northern Spy 375mL 6* MFW 569677
Big Bottles
Name Vintage Grapes Size Pack Importer SLO Code
Sparkling/Pét-Nat
France
Bernard Vallette "Née Bulleuse" VMQ Rosé NV Gamay 1.5L 6 MFW 562442
Julien Thurel Cidre "Champêtre" 2016 Apples 1.5L 1 MFW 590060
Julien Thurel Cidre "Nectar" 2016 Apple 1.5L 1 MFW 590060
White Wine
France
Domaine des Rouges-Queues Bourgogne Aligoté "L'Aligator" 2017 Aligoté 1.5L 6 MFW 613682
Germany
Hofgut Falkenstein Niedermenniger Herrenberg Spätlese Feinherb (11) 2018 Riesling 1.5L 6 MFW 584439
Italy
Bella Vita Pinot Grigio IGP Veneto 2018 Pinot Grigio 1.5L 6 MFW 538943
Spain
Luis Rodriguez Ribeiro Blanco "Viña de Martin Os Pasás" 2016 Treixadura/Albariño/++ 1.5L 4 JPS 605721
Envínate "Benje" VdM Blanco 2018 Listán Blanco 1.5L 3 JPS 615147
Envínate "Táganan" VdM Blanco 2017 Albillo/Marmajuelo/Gual/++ 1.5L 3 JPS 589411
Luis Rodriguez Ribeiro Blanco "Viña de Martin Escolma" 2013 Treixadura/Albariño/++ 1.5L 4 JPS 605716
Rosé Wine
France
Domaine du Chapitre Côtes du Rhône Rosé 2018 Grenache/Clairette Rose/++ 1.5L 6 MFW 613736
Bernard Vallette "La Rose Gorge" VdF Rosé 2018 Gamay 1.5L 6 MFW 611616
Nicolas Gonin IGP Isère-Balmes Dauphinoises Rosé 2018 Mondeuse 1.5L 3 MFW 613767
Germany
Weingut Beurer Württemberg Rosé Trocken 2018 Trollinger/Portugieser/++ 1.5L 6 VB 607450
Stein Mosel Rosé Trocken 2018 Pinot Noir/Cab Sauv/Merlot 1.5L 6 VB 607442
Red Wine
France
Benoît Roseau "Syrah de Rosette" IGP Collines Rhodaniennes 2014 Syrah 1.5L 6 MFW 598527
Elian Da Ros Côtes du Marmandais "Le vin est une fête" 2016 Abouriou/Cab Franc/Merlot 1.5L 6 MFW 598523
Benoît Roseau "Petit Patagon" IGP Collines Rhodaniennes 2015 Syrah 1.5L 6 MFW 579560
Domaine de Saint Pierre "Le Dos d'Chat – Le P'tit Côte" VdF Rouge 2017 Grenache/Syrah 1.5L 6 MFW 608529
Mélaric Saumur Puy-Notre-Dame "Clos de Messemé" 2016 Cabernet Franc 1.5L 6* MFW 610162
Bertin-Delatte "Rabatière" VdF Rouge 2017 Grolleau 1.5L 6* MFW 608469
Mélaric Saumur Puy-Notre-Dame "Clos de la Cerisaie" 2017 Syrah 1.5L 6* MFW 604063
Le Clos des Jarres "Une pour 2" IGP Aude 2017 Carignan 1.5L 6 MFW 608516
Domaine des Rouges-Queues Coteaux Bourguignons "Celsius" 2017 Gamay 1.5L 6* MFW 613690
Domaine Thillardon Chénas "Les Carrières" 2018 Gamay 1.5L 6* MFW 611602
Domaine Thillardon Chénas "Les Vibrations" 2018 Gamay 1.5L 6* MFW 611601
Domaine des Rouges-Queues Maranges "En Buliet" 2017 Pinot Noir 1.5L 6* MFW 613686
Benoît Roseau Côte-Rôtie "Coteaux de Tupin" 2016 Syrah 1.5L 6* MFW 605016
Italy
Bella Vita Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2017 Montepulciano 1.5L 6 MFW 538945
I Custodi Etna Rosso "Aetneus" 2010 N. Mascalese/N. Capuccio/+ 1.5L 6* PV 600750
Spain
Envínate "Albahra" VdM Tinto 2018 Garnacha Tintorera/Moravia 1.5L 3 JPS 596099
Daterra Viticultores "Portela do Vento" VdM Tinto 2017 Mencía/Garnacha Tintorera 1.5L 4* JPS 596122
Luis Rodriguez Ribeiro Tinto "A Torna Dos Pasás" 2015 Brancellao/Caiño Longo/++ 1.5L 4 JPS 605719
Order Details
Order deadline:
− Philadelphia: Tuesday, 3:00 PM
− Pittsburgh: Monday, 3:00 PM
Order approval deadline in LOOP:
− Tuesday, 3:00 PM
Delivery schedule:
− Philadelphia and Suburbs: Wednesday
− Pittsburgh: Friday
Full cases sales only, except wines with a pack size marked with *
For items less than $25/btl, a case can be split, as long as the
remainder of the case is filled (i.e. 6+6, or 4+4+4, etc.).