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The historic Fritz Haag wine estate is located in the heart of the central Mosel River Valley. The earliest documentation of the estate dates back to 1605. At that time, the village in which it is situated was known as “Dusemond.” In 1925, this village was renamed “Brauneberg” (“brown mountain,” a reference to the color of the slate soil in this area of the Mosel) in an endeavor to further promote the reputation of its world-renowned vineyards “Brauneberger Juffer” and “Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr.” Like all the top Mosel producers, Fritz Haag produces a range of wines including some very rich, late harvest dessert wines. These wines put the region on the map for luxury wine in the 17 and 1800s, making some Mosel Riesling more pricey and coveted than first growth Bordeaux. But in truth the wines that the locals drank, especially in the summer, were generally off dry to completely bone dry. Fritz Haag's vineyards sit along the slopes of the Brauneberger hill and the vineyards of Juffer and Juffer Sonnenuhr. Brauneberger faces almost entirely south which makes it a bit easier to get fully ripe Riesling in the classically cold, wet Mosel. That has changed a bit recently of course, but this is still a prized site for wines that perfectly balance finesse and power, complexity and airy drinkability. This specific wine is a VDP GG or Grosse Lage which is equivalent to a Grand Cru. -
Domaine la Fourmone is a multi-generational domaine and is currently run by sister, Florentine and brother, Albin Combe. The property dates back to the mid-1700’s when it originally producing wheat. Wine began to be grown in the last 19th century and thent became the crop after Julien Combe purchased the property in 1910. The domaine cultivates 41 ha (104 acres) of vineyards of which, 20ha are in Vacqueyras, 10ha are in Gigondas and 7ha of Côtes-du-Rhône and IGP and 4ha of vines on the southern edge of the Dentelles hills that reside in the Ventoux appellation. “Les Ceps d’Or” comes from a blend of mainly Grenache and Mourvèdre. It expresses the imprint of the 50 years of our goblet-pruned vines. The berries are delicately harvested on the northern and eastern limits of the Vacqueyras appellation. The plots come from two islands located on the plateau of the appellation at the foothills of the Dentelles de Montmirail, a massif well known for its geological richness. The first islet is located in the Piedmont de Beauregard region. The soil is made up of dark beige marly silts, cut by broken slabs of Miocene molasses at a depth of one meter. This terroir requires a lot of effort from the vines to slide their rootlets into the cracks and deploy meters of roots. This effort gives the wine a singular complexity and aromatic richness. The second islet is located at the northern limit of the Cône de la Font des Papes terroir. A surface of light beige clay-sandy silt with small limestone fragments with a well-developed root profile up to two meters deep. The materials from this terroir have all the criteria favorable to the vine: freshness and good water reserve. -
Located on the right bank of the Vienne Valley, between Tours and Saumur, Domaine Grosbois is an old fortified farm built in the 15th century which today covers 20 hectares of vines. Now run by two brothers, Nicolas and Sylvain, the family vineyards are located at a place called “The Pressoir” Panzoult in the Chinon appellation at the heart of the Loire Valley. The winemaking here is concentrated solely on the production of red wines made from the Cabernet Franc grape. Nicolas has been at the domaine since 2005 after returning from ten years working as a travelling winemaker, gaining experience in locations as diverse as the Minervois, Chile, Oregon (Adelsheim), Australia (Brokenwood) and New Zealand (Pegasus Bay). His first vintage was in 2006 where he worked alongside his father, Jacques (who had previously been more inclined to sell off the production in cubitainer). Jacques retired, or at least withdrew, in 2008 allowing Nicolas to develop the domaine in the way he intended to continue, converting to organic and biodynamic viticulture. The winemaking philosophy at Grosbois is centred around the idea of micro-site specificity with the various Cabernet Franc bottling's reflecting the 19 unique plots of vines on the Panzoult Hill, all of which had been strategically planted according to their geological characteristics. Once in the cellar, Nicolas lets the grapes speak for themselves, keeping a light hand at winemaking. He ferments in open concrete tanks with indigenous yeast, uses no oak and minimal filtration, so what you find in the final wine is a pure expression of a teeny parcel of Chinon. Pair it with roast duck with peppers. Serve after slight aeration -
Domaine du Grand Montmirail Gigondas lies in the foothills of a limestone escarpment in a remote part of Gigondas. A blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre, this wine has real depth of flavour with concentrated black fruits balanced by fresh acidity and a rich warm finish. In Gigondas, cultivating grapes to make wine and olives to make oil stretches back to ancient times. As long ago as the 1st century, Julius Caesar established a colony of veterans on this site. One is said to have been so jovial that he was nicknamed Jucundus, 'the joyful', and his village became known as Jocundatis, which later became Gigondas. Domain du Grand Montmirail covers more than 35 Ha, planted exclusively on the hillsides and terraces located south / south-east side of the Dentelles de Montmirail, forming a superb amphitheater dedicated to the vine and the wine. The altitude of the vineyard varies between 300 and 350 meters and enjoys natural protection against the wind dominating the mistral. The vineyard is composed of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre parcels, aged between 15 and 65 years. The harvest begins with Syrah, the quickest grape to ripen, and then the Grenache in the highest spots. The Mourvèdre is the slowest ripening and usually the last grape to be harvested. The entire harvest is picked by hand, and yields are never more than 35 hl/ha. Among the old vines on the terraces, they generally fall to a maximum of 30 hl/ha. The recently picked grapes are transported quickly to the winery situated off to the side of the vineyards. Pair it with Beef, Casserole, Lamb, Mushrooms -
Stéphane Riffault (Claude’s son and now the owner of the estate) is turning out Sancerre bottlings that are the envy of many producers twice his age. As David Schildknecht put it, “Make no mistake: this address in the hamlet of Maison Salle (Sury-en-Vaux) is now one of the five or six most exciting estates in the Sancerre appellation.” Given that Stephane’s holdings represent 4-tenths of 1 percent of the appellation, he is clearly doing something right. Based in the village of Sury-en-Vaux, Stéphane Riffault works 33 different parcels in 8 different lieu-dits spread across four villages. The 13.5 hectares of vines are plowed, and no synthetic material is used. Starting in 2017, the property has been certified organic by ECOCERT and biodynamic by BIODYVIN. Unlike most Sancerre producers, the entire harvest is carried out by hand, and extensive sorting occurs before the grapes are crushed. Stéphane’s wife, Benedicte, leads the harvest team while Stéphane manages the sorting and press during harvest. Most of the domaine’s holdings are planted on the soft limestone soil called terres blanches, with some parcels on calliottes and silex. Minor, judicious uses of oak help to add length to the already precise, site-expressive, and vertical bottlings. All the parcels are vinified separately, and except for the rosé, all the wines are bottled unfiltered. Having studied and worked in Burgundy (and closely with Olivier Leflaive), it’s easy to see the Burgundian influence in Stéphane’s wines. The mastery of minerality standing shoulder–height with the wood is rarely duplicated in Sancerre. Regardless of his parcels’ exposition (many are south-facing), Riffault’s wines are always crisp and highcut with a jeweled delineation that speaks to the precision and attention these wines get. These are not your daddy’s (or his daddy, Claude’s) Sancerres. Sancerre Les Denisottes Les Denisottes comes from a lieu-dit located quite close to the domaine’s cellar. Here the terres blanches soils are deeper and more pebbly than rocky and producing a richer style of Sancerre – one that requires a longer élevage in barrel, and released with a greater capacity to age. -
Domaine Bois de Boursan makes exemplary Châteauneuf-du-Pape in the Southern Rhône. This family-run estate was started by the Versino family in 1955, who moved across from Piedmont in Italy. It is now in the hands of Jean-Paul, the third generation at the helm. He takes great pride in continuing to make traditionally-styled reds with the belief that vinifying with stems and ageing the wine for extended periods in large oak foudres gives his wine its unique character. There is nothing flashy or opulent here, just wines with great character. In total, Jean-Paul has 10 hectares spread across 27 different parcels in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, with its changing soil types and vines up to 50 years old. -
Denis Clair, quick with a laugh and a textbook bon vivant, created the domaine in 1986. The Clair family had owned parcels in the area for generations but sold most of their production to negociants. Denis set out to bottle his own wine. His wife Françoise was born in Saint-Aubin, a neighboring AOC village 2 1/2 miles to the northwest (a bit longer by car). This is where the Clairs' winery is located. They have a son, Jean-Baptiste, who joined the family business in 2000 working the vines. Jean-Baptist eventually began making their white wines. Today the family owns 15 hectares, including parcels in Santenay and Saint-Aubin. They sell 75,000 bottles a year, with about 75% of that going abroad. Fantastic with lobster, langoustines, turbot, a fillet of Saint-Pierre with fine vegetables, all shellfish and crustaceans, sole... Also unique with fine white meats, including pheasant with a beautiful cream sauce. Stunning gift and a bucket list wine -
Claus Preisinger made his first wine when he was just 20 years old and quickly expanded the 3 hectares of his family vineyards by the Neusiedlersee lake in Burgenland (Austria) to 19 ha. He is the youngest member of Pannobile, a group created to champion the unique character of Burgenland’s terroir and local varieties, and a promising new Austrian producer. Puszta Libre! comes from vineyards lying on the north shore of Lake Neusiedl on very varied sandy loam soils, with flint, quartz, slate and limestone. Basing his work Rudolf Steiner's biodynamic principles, he maintains the natural balance of the vineyard using only organic and biodynamic practices. Puszta Libre! is a tribute to ancient viticulture both in the way it is made and in the way it is presented. Its design is inspired by classic soft drinks and invites you to drink it cold and without preconceived ideas. Drink slighly chilled and with your mates!
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