Que Será, Syrah in Northern Rhône by Johann Michel in Cornas & Saint-Joseph (4-Bottle Pack $299) + Southern Rhône’s Grenache in Châteauneuf-du-Pape by Grenachiste Isabel Ferrando (4-Bottle Pack, $324)

The faces of Rhône wear many expressions, and no one makes a firmer imprint on the senses than the two dynamic winemakers represented in this week’s North/South Rhône package. Though frequently conflated under an all-encompassing carpet of ‘Rhône wines’, in…

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Posted on 2022.11.11 in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Côtes-du-Rhône, Saint-Joseph, Cornas, France, Wine-Aid Packages, Southern Rhone, Northern Rhone  |  Read more...

 

Bandol: The Aristocrat of Provence. Legacy Domaine de la Bégude with an Assorted Selection in 6-Bottle Package ($242) + Taming of the Bestial Bandol, Eight Seminal Producers + NEW ARRIVAL: The Combined Second White Wines of Twin Sisters Châteaux Haut-Brion & La Mission Haut Brion

Conventional wisdom has taught us that wine grapes fare best in places where nothing else will grow; rocky, water-starved soil on precipitous hillsides make vine roots work harder, ramifying and branching off in a search of nutrients and, in consequence,…

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Posted on 2022.10.27 in Bandol, Pessac-Léognan, Graves, France, Bordeaux, Wine-Aid Packages, Provence  |  Read more...

 

Rhône’s Southern Charm: Seven Elevated Crus Show Distinctive Typicity and Singular Expression. (10-Bottle Pack $299) + NEW ARRIVALS – Domaine Laroche, 2020 Chablis Releases

More than angular Bordeaux or earthy Burgundy, or even the fat, smoky offerings from Northern Rhône, the wines of the Southern Rhône epitomize the notion of ‘user friendly.’ Big and luscious when young, rich and fruit-centered as they age, these…

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Posted on 2022.10.20 in Gigondas, Tavel, Rasteau, Vacqueyras, Lirac, Cairanne, Chablis, Côtes-du-Rhône, Muscat de Beaume de Vanise, France, Burgundy, Wine-Aid Packages, Southern Rhone  |  Read more...

 

The Particularity In The Soil*: Domaine Santa Duc’s Lieux-dits, In Southern Rhône’s Two Towering Crus, Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Gigondas, Distilled. (6-Bottle Pack $359)

Lieux-dits are a wine lover’s Google Earth; a satellite view of an appellation focused on a tiny, representative parcel. Not all vineyards have lieux-dits, and among those that do, not all are created equal. In general, it’s a term that…

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Posted on 2022.10.08 in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, France, Wine-Aid Packages, Southern Rhone  |  Read more...

 

2021 Underscored the Challenges Southern Rhône & Provence Producers are Facing Amidst Climatic Extremes, Yet These 9 Makers Produced Easily Drinkable, Unexpectedly Complex Dry Rosé (10-Bottle Pack $264) + (3-Bottle Pack $72)

We can all agree that rosé is ideal for warm weather, and we can probably also agree that climate change is leading to a bit too much warm weather. And that does not necessary lead to more rosé, since the…

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Posted on 2022.06.24 in Sancerre, Gigondas, Tavel, Côte-de-Provence, Côtes-du-Rhône, Rosé de Loire, Anjou, France, Wine-Aid Packages, Loire, Provence, Southern Rhone  |  Read more...

 

Quaffable Holiday Dozen. The Hedonistic Wines of The Southern Rhône’s Six Mighty Crus: Hunting Ground for Bounty (4 Reds & 2 Rosés in 12-Bottle Pack $299) + A Dozen of Reds for $150

‘More bang for the buck’ or ‘more bounce to the ounce’? —choose your idiom and see how well it applies in Southern Rhône. Two factors contribute to the ocean of wild, hedonistic and affordable wines from the ground floor of…

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Posted on 2022.05.26 in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas, Tavel, Rasteau, Vacqueyras, Lirac, Cairanne, France, Wine-Aid Packages, Southern Rhone  |  Read more...

 

Fans of Grenache Are Going to Be Thrilled with 2019 Châteauneuf-du-Pape! How Did the Vintage Turn Out So Well? (7-Bottle Pack $398) – Twelve Producers & 19 Wines

Like a great character actor in film—the bit player you recognize but can’t name—Grenache is everywhere and nowhere at once; it makes an appearance, leaves an indelible impression, then moves on. Grenache is the Paul Giamatti of grapes. A vigorous…

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Posted on 2022.05.23 in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, France, Wine-Aid Packages, Southern Rhone  |  Read more...

 

Give the Gift of Membership to ‘The Champagne Society’: Six Months ($279) or Twelve Months ($499) + STANDOUT DOZEN OF THE YEAR: Buy All for $479

  A Membership Subscription to ‘The Champagne Society’ Gift Lily Bollinger once said, “I only drink champagne when I’m happy and when I’m sad. Sometimes I drink it when I’m alone. When I have company, I consider it obligatory; I…

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Posted on 2022.02.02 in Côte Chalonnaise, Rully, Givry, Pauillac, Moulin-à-Vent, Sancerre, Saumur-Champigny, France, Bordeaux, Beaujolais, Penedes, Burgundy, Champagne, Wine-Aid Packages, Rioja DOC, Loire, Southern Rhone, Navarra, Ribeiro  |  Read more...

 

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Dials Back to Find Its Balance and Nuance: Nine Top Producers’ 2018 Wines Show (9-Bottle Pack $499) + Pure Châteauneuf-du-Pape (4-Bottle Pack $699) + SATURDAY SIPS

Wine is evolution. The flavors behind that simple metaphor are as vast as any spectrum; it can be seen in grape vines aging gracefully, producing fruit that is increasingly concentrated and complex—it is obvious when a vigneron hones the craft…

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Posted on 2021.10.16 in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, France, Wine-Aid Packages, Southern Rhone  |  Read more...

 

A Dozen Rosés: The French Climate Divide: Northern (Oceanic) vs. Southern (Mediterranean) in Six Types by Six Producers (12-Bottle Pack $246, Tax Included)

With apologies to Mr. Shakespeare, a rosé by any other name would probably be sweeter. The fortunes of pink wine have risen and fallen with consumer tastes, especially in the United States, where rosé has endured a shunning for being…

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Posted on 2021.08.20 in Chinon, France, Bordeaux, Beaujolais, Wine-Aid Packages, Loire, Provence, Southern Rhone  |  Read more...

 

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