Page 19 - Blog

Sancerre, the consummately food friendly white of the Loire Valley, is a wine that almost wasn’t. Originally dedicated to Pinot Noir, Sancerre would not be replanted with Sauvignon Blanc if not for the destruction of phylloxera, a root-attacking louse brought from the US that devastated vineyards through France in the 1800s. Seeing the promise of this grape in Sancerre’s chalky soils, producers quickly became converts.

Our featured producer, Domaine Bailly-Reverdy, owes much of its success to Sancerre’s affinity for food. In 1956, after the marriage of Bernard Bailly and Marie-Thérèse Reverdy a few years previous, the estate got its foothold in the market by focusing on selling to restaurants. The Parisian bistro scene fell in love with the crisp citrus and mineral focused Sancerres, and it was not long before the US market followed suit.

Today, Domaine Bailly-Reverdy is in the hands of its third generation of growers who continue the tradition

The word “legend” is thrown around a lot in the wine business, and it can generally be quite subjective. Those who love Bordeaux may say that Chateau Petrus is legendary, while those who enjoy Tuscans may proclaim that Ornellaia is one of the most legendary wine producers of all time. While both the Bordeaux lover and the Tuscan lover are correct, they may disagree with one another’s opinion. There are however those producers that transcend subjective opinion and are generally regarded as “legendary” by wine lovers of all tastes. Domaine Leflaive is without a doubt one of those transcendent producers and the various white wines that they produce from the Burgundy region in France are some of

Saint-Tropez—the very name brings to mind beautiful beaches filled with beautiful people, the tropical Mediterranean sun shining down, drink in hand. A glass of rosé perhaps? Food and drink have that rare ability to transport us to far-flung locales, letting us immerse ourselves if only for a brief time in another place, another culture. So let’s fill our glass, close our eyes, and take a trip to Provence, the home of Minuty Rosé.

Though it may seem as if Minuty has only recently come into vogue on the rose scene, the name has existed in Provence for at least 150 years with the construction of the familial chateau during the reign of Napoleon III. However, it was not until the 20th century that the land would be used for winemaking, quickly becoming one of only 23 classified growths in Provence.

Today, Minuty has its eye on the future. In terms of investing in the environment,

Summer is only a few days away, and can you guess what pairs well with summer sunshine? A crisp glass of high quality white Burgundy! We’re highlighting one you’re going to love from Louis Latour, a benchmark producer when it comes to Corton Charlemagne. The Latour family is the largest landowner of the Corton Charlemagne appellation and has been producing wines for over 200 years.

“Although equipped with the most modern tools and equipment, the winemaking methods remain simple and traditional. The Louis Latour style is an auspicious combination of the richness of nature and the skill of man's labour. We respect the natural rhythm of the vines and make our wines in harmony with their nature, with the aim of offering full expression to the elegance and the balance of the great terroirs of Burgundy.” (Louis Latour Website)

While

2014 Copain Wines Chardonnnay Dupratt Vineyard is one of our new arrivals for summer and a must-have for the season. If you’re planning on entertaining soon, this wine will impress you and your guests from the first sip to the last drop! Wells Guthrie is the all-star winemaker behind this Chardonnay, and his resume includes working at Chapoutier, Marcassin and Turley before taking over at Copain. While living in France, Guthrie was inspired by the French winemaking practices and principles, and his California wines reflect the French style. He’s been described as a “first-rate talent” by wine critic Allen Meadows of Burghound and is also known to be one of Robert Parker’s favorite California producers.

A single vineyard wine, the 2014 Chardonnay Dupratt Vineyard is an old-vine Chardonnay from the small five-acre Dupratt Vineyard, which sits on a ridge in Anderson Valley at an elevation of 1,550 feet. The fruit from this upland-timber sandstone-soil

What’s hot and sought-after right this minute in the wine business? Rosé! We’ve seen the demand for Rosé steadily increase in the last five to seven years, and the rise of Rosé’s popularity is still going strong. And for good reason. The quality being produced is at the highest levels we’ve tasted, it’s versatile, food-friendly, and most of the bottles are just beautiful and look amazing on a summer tabletop.

You’ve probably seen Rosé photos flood Instagram feeds and take social media by storm. There are even hashtags specifically designated to Rosé (#yeswayrose, #rosealltheway and #roseallday, just to name a few). This doesn’t appear to be a fad or a trendy phase; it’s a movement that we believe is here to stay.

With all of this Rosé excitement in the air, we’d like to share a new arrival with you, 2016

There are few things that scream “summer!” more than preparing a fresh seafood dinner for your friends and family. Our expert team has hand-selected our ten terrific wines that will pair perfectly with all types of seafood from clams to lobster. With prices starting at just $17.99, you’ll be sure to find an ideal selection for every occasion.

“Refreshing and Ready to Drink”
2015 Jeremie Huchet Muscadet Les Montys Vigne de 1914 (Loire) - $17.99 bottle - 92 WE
“Old vines, some dating from 1914, form the basis of this impressive wine. They give it concentration while the stone and sand soil brings even more richness. With its crisp acidity, lemon and grapefruit fruit, and creamy texture, the wine is 

Several years ago, when I was still living in Sag Harbor, New York, a colleague invited me to an early dinner so we could try a bottle he recently picked up. He kept telling me, “it’s like nothing else man! You’re going to love it!” At this point, I had been in the wine business for several years, and I had heard this proclamation many, many times usually followed by some level of disappointment.

Thinking back on that day, I know that the restaurant was on Bay Street, but I can’t recall the name of the place. I also can’t remember what entrée I ordered or even the other bottle we opened that evening. What I do remember though is the unbelievably gorgeous nose on the bottle of white that my colleague opened and the name becoming forever etched into my head that day…“Guigal Condrieu la Doriane.” It was one of those wines that

Working in wine, I’m lucky to have access to wines from all over the world. So what has caught my palate recently? Cool climate Syrah. While Syrah has been more associated with the jammy style of Australian Shiraz or California’s high-temp Paso Robles, this grape has so much more to offer. “Floral”, “iron-veined”, “spiced berry”, “feminine elegance”, “perfect acidity”—all are often applied to Syrah grown in choice locations, cooled by wind, fog, or altitude. It’s easy to see why I’ve been seeking out these wines for my cellar and my table more and more! I’m happy to highlight today a bottle that I have especially enjoyed lately—the 2013 Gramercy Cellars Lower East Syrah.

Gramercy, whose name comes from the French “grand merci”, or “big thank you”, has been making

Summer is filled with endless celebrations, including one of the most important occasions – weddings. A lot of thought goes into selecting just the right gift for the newly weds, and we’re here to tell you that the gift of Champagne is a perfect one. To make gift-giving easy, we’ve outlined our top three Champagne gift recommendations, all premier bubblies at the top of the quality hierarchy that are modern day legends. It doesn’t get any better than these, so you can gift with confidence. The couple will be thrilled to pop the cork on any of these bottles to celebrate a future anniversary or a holiday dinner they host.

2006 Moet Chandon Dom Perignon (97 points VM) - If you’re searching for the ‘wow’ factor, this is it. Dom Perignon is arguably the most demanded and recognized Champagne