In northern Italy, it is the playful Ostro, a south wind that travels from the Adriatic Sea with its fresh, sea-salty tang, that encourages the lively flavors and vibrant citrus tones of Friuli’s native grapes. We looked far and wide for a Prosecco that would impress, and found it here in its native land!
Winemaker Sylvain Gauthier is one artisan who already has found more than solid footing here in the Saint-Joseph appellation. He started his micro-domaine in 2007, the name “pierres séches” inspired by the many hand-built stone walls that support vineyard terraces in the region.
The village of Chitry is starting to make waves among the somm and restaurant set, as a source of top-notch Burgundian Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, and the name on everyone’s lips is Olivier Morin. His are wines that transcend appellation with their resonant flavors and stunning complexity, and what’s more, they offer outstanding value.
This family farm is one of Montalcino’s smallest, located near Tavernelle in the appellation’s southwest, with just over seven acres of land planted (by family hands) to Sangiovese vines. If you want the true soul of Montalcino, look no further.
While so much of Montalcino has become consumed by large estates and flashy conglomerates, it is a breath of fresh air to find a true family winery like Pietroso with deep roots in the region and an honest belief in the potential of Sangiovese from its native soils.
With Richard Petit’s attention to detail in the fields and Véronique Bajan’s tasting prowess in the cellar, the small-batch, grand cru wines of Petit & Bajan are very much the voice of Champagne’s new generation. Like their neighbor and mentor in Avize, Anselme Selosse, Richard and Véronique start by harvesting perfectly ripe grapes. At every step in the winemaking process, no detail is too small to be further perfected.
From a very early age, Francis Orban knew he’d follow in the footsteps of his father and grandfather before him. Indeed, at the ripe age of 19 he joined the family domaine, imbued with their generations-long passion for making pure Pinot Meunier wines. Here on the banks of the Marne, Pinot Meunier has pride of place; nearly 90% of the family’s vineyards are dedicated to this singular grape.
There are mountain wines, and then there are wines from wind-swept peaks so high they seem to be grown in the sky. This is the glory of Alto Adige, a dramatic wine region in northeastern Italy, and home to the century-old cantina of Kurtatsch. Here on the border with Austria, it is white grapes that reign supreme, grown at altitudes that top 3,000 feet.
Inspired by his passion for Barolo, Tiziano Mazzoni in 1999 returned to his family’s roots in Ghemme to prove that the Langhe wasn’t the only source of world-class Nebbiolo in Piedmont. This historic micro-region in the shadow of the Alps, thanks to pioneers like Mazzoni, is now returning to its former iconic status.
The Cherrier family has been a trusted name in Sancerre since the late 1800s. Here in Chaudoux, north of the village of Sancerre, Sauvignon Blanc is equally in its element: soils are a refined mix of flint and chalk, a terroir marriage that makes the best Sancerre so vibrant.