The style of Philippe Gavignet Burgundy “brings back” the profound elegance of Pinot Noir to Nuits-Saint-Georges, an appellation often known for more structured, meaty wines. Gavignet wines are solid proof that Nuits has the terroir to produce elegant Burgundy but that it requires a conscientious winemaker such as Philippe to craft it.
Winemaker Francis Boudin of Domaine de Chantemerle is one of the remaining members of Chablis’ true artisanal ranks, growers who refuse to be seduced by modernity but craft Chablis as naturally and as authentically as possible. Particularly for the Boudin family, this means Chablis without any oak influence.
In the 1960s, Antonin Faravel began to carve his vineyards out of the crumbling stone cliffs of the Dentelles de Montmirail (pictured on the family’s wine labels). He knew that the cooler temperatures and rocky soils would produce perfectly ripe grapes, with better acidic balance and lower alcohol, too. While other winemakers quickly followed Antonin’s lead, Domaine la Bouïssiere without question is the original, high-altitude Gigondas.
Of all our Loire selections, there are few wines that express the thirst-quenching kick of the region’s mineral-rich terroir better than does Jacky Preys’ Fié Gris “Terroir Pierre à Fusil.” In French, pierre à fusil means gunflint. Touraine was a center for gunflint production during the Napoleonic era. The region’s flint-rich soils infuse grapes with a vibrant, nervous energy that is translated as a whiff of smoke in the wine’s perfumes and in crisp and clean, citrus-inspired flavors.
The petite village of Sury-en-Vaux, northwest of Sancerre, is our secret source of extraordinarily character-rich Loire wines. Winemaker Jean-Marc Pastou for some 30 years has followed a singular calling, to make the most honest and terroir-true Sancerre his few acres will give.
Tressallier is the source of one of France’s oldest, rarest and most vibrant whites, and Domaine Nebout is the artisan family behind one of the most expressive, pure Tressallier wines. Tressallier combines the delicious tension of premier cru Chablis with the chalky notes characteristic of Loire Valley Sauvignon in a wine that is bone dry, vibrantly flavored and invigorating.
As taut as a violin bow string or as lush as a symphonic finale—there are few grapes as deliciously varied in temperament as is Chenin Blanc from Vouvray. Domaine de Margalleau, with four generations of winemakers dedicated exclusively to Chenin Blanc, is the source of Vouvray’s most expressive examples of this native grape, whether bone dry, semi-sweet or sparkling.
A natural pair with fresh seafood, Muscadet too is still one of the great values in white wine, as even the top bottles from the region’s best terroirs—like our old-vine selection from Domaine de la Grenaudière—are more than affordable.
Since the early 1990s, winemaker Francis Blanchet has crafted this special selection of pure Sauvignon Blanc from fruit selected from his flint-rich vineyards. This unique terroir announces itself explosively: knock two vineyard stones together and you can’t help but be bowled over by the aroma of firecracker smoke.
In addition to a noble history stretching back some 1,000 years, Mattes-Sabran epitomizes all we love about the slow pace of life in the sultry south. The main house, once home to dukes, today welcomes international visitors while geese and lazy cats wander. Cicadas buzz in the afternoon heat; a well-worn table welcomes outdoor meals with shared bottles in the shade.