France

On July 1st, 2012, a hailstorm of incredible violence destroyed the totality of Chateau de Roquefort’s 62 acres of vines in 7 minutes. Doubting the extent of the damage, neighbors and fellow growers stopped by and were stricken by what they saw. One of them offered part of his crop, followed by a second, then a third, and when it was all done, 35 different estates all pitched in to help. This wine is made from diverse appellations in the Rhône and Provence blended together into one delicious rosé.

A full-bodied, structured Morgon that will drink well today, with a little decanting, and will age for 10-15 years. It is made by Jean-Claude Chanudet, who together with his wife Genevieve run Domaine Joseph Chamonard in Corcelette, near the town of Villié-Morgon. Dark red fruits and a bit of flinty minerality lead to a very long, structured finish. This is a serious wine to go with heartier food like roasted meat and poultry, a shining example of what can be achieved in Beaujolais!

A 15-year old Beaujolais is a rare and fine thing. This one was made by Joseph Chamonard, father-in-law of current winemaker Jean-Claude Chanudet, who together with his wife Genevieve run Domaine Joseph Chamonard in Corcelette, near the town of Villié-Morgon. This is an extremely rare chance to see how a structured, age-worthy Cru Beajolais can age. We were allocated just one case...

The Deiss Family settled in Bergheim in the heart of Alsace in 1744. The current winemaker, Jean Michel Deiss was born into this family of winegrowers. He is somewhat controversial but the essential figure in Alsace. He is an advocate for the region and its potential to make quality age-worthy wines, and he believes in vineyard expression over varietal expression. This is a fun wine, with Pinot Noir the dominant grape, mixed with Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Riesling, Gewurtztraminer, Sylvaner, Pinot Auxxerois, Chasselas, Traminer, Muscat Ottonel and the obscure Pinot Beurot.

Although his name does not appear on the label, this wine is made by Eric Texier. We've heard that his sons asked him to make wine for them that didn't give them a headache, and he responded with this cuveé, which contains no added sulfur at all. Dark purple in color, the nose shows smoke and a bit of black olive. This is followed by black berries, black pepper and minerals on the palate. Medium-bodied and quite savory, it finish long with plenty of acidity.

Not yet 40 years old, Nicolas Gonin learned to make wine from quite a diverse group of winemakers including Ridge Vineyards' Paul Draper and Domaine Tempier in Bandol. He has a passion for saving rare indigenous grape varieties like Altesse. Local to the Savoie region of France, Altesse brings exotic aromas of citrus and herbs with a great minerality, plenty of acidity and a rich texture. Not like anything we've tried, this is a great wine to pair with all manner of lighter foods, and it's delicious all by itself too. Winemaking Details:

Not yet 40 years old, Nicolas Gonin learned to make wine from quite a diverse group of winemakers including Ridge Vineyards' Paul Draper and Domaine Tempier in Bandol. He has a passion for saving rare indigenous grape varieties like Persan which was nearly instinct and definitely forgotten until only a few years ago. His winery is located just west of the Savoie (the Mondeuse is a clue), and his wines are made biodynamically. The wine has dark fruit and plenty of earth on the nose, with ripe berries and minerals on the palate.

The Negrette grape variety is thought to have originated in Iraq. Today, it is found in the Gaillac and Fronton appellations—where it has been grown for over 2,000 years. Much more recently, since the 1870’s, the Pénavayres have been growing vines in Fronton, dividing their time between winemaking, livestock and fruit trees. This lovely expression of Negrette, Syrah and Gamay is beautiful light coral in color, with an inviting nose of red fruits, white flowers and spices, round and lively on the palate, it's a rosé to enjoy throughout the Spring and Summer. Only 2000 cases were produced, so try it while you can. Winemaking Details: Unfined and unfiltered

Pure, clean, unoaked Chardonnay, this wine is a great example of Chablis. Full of mineral and clean, refreshing fruit, the beautiful balance of this wine makes it a great choice to enjoy on its own, and it also makes a great match for seafood, salads and white meats like chicken. If you've never tried Chablis, start here, we bet you'll try it again! Winemaking Details: Stainless Steel Tank Fermentation

A step up in oxidative intensity from the Chardonnay but still beautifully balanced. This is roughly equal parts SA-vagnin and CHA-rdonnay (Get it?). This bottling is “non-millesime”—the Savagnin is slightly older than the Chardonnay. Winemaking Details: Wild Yeast Fermentation, Unfiltered, Unfined, Low SO2 Added