MFW December Portfolio Update
MFW December Portfolio Update
MFW December Portfolio Update
France
Loire – Pays Nantais
Domaine de la Bregeonnette
Joseph Orieux founded this domaine in the town of Vallet in the 1960's and has been organic from the start, recently becoming certified (only 12
producers out of 600+ actually have the certification). Today, Joseph's grandson, Stéphane Orieux upholds his family's traditions of organic farming,
hand-harvesting, wild yeast fermentations, and long, sur-lie aging. Due to the many decades of experience, Bregeonnette has become a reference
point for other winemakers in the region who want to learn how to work organically in the vines. Even Marc Ollivier of Domaine de la Pépière consults
Stéphane when he has questions about organic treatments. The same care and dedication to quality is present throughout the entire range of wines.
Everything is harvested by hand, including the Gros Plant, and the top, single-parcel wine, "Clos de la Coudray", spends 18 months sur-lie.
Loire – Anjou-Saumur
Bertin-Delatte
In the past decade or so, the town of Rablay-sur-Layon has become a small hub for dedicated young winemakers in the Loire Valley. There’s a strong
community spirit – each year the town organizes a small music festival, and there is a cooperative grocery store in the town center. Geneviève Delatte
and Nicolas Bertin started out in the area working for other winemakers, and in 2008, they purchased their own small vineyard, a 1.5ha lieu-dit named
"L’Echalier". In 2012 they built a small home and winery at the edge of their vines and found a few other small vineyards in the hills around Rablay.
The winemaking philosophy is to keep things simple; accompany the vines, the grapes, and the wine. Spend a lot of time observing, intervene as little
as possible.
Mary Taylor
When founding partner Mary Taylor first fell in love with wine in the early 90s, it was the European classics that truly spoke to her and stole her heart.
As a young professional selling wine, she quickly learned to appreciate wine in the “Old World” way — not as a luxury good reserved for special
occasions, but a living agricultural product that belongs to everyday life. After many years working with the wines of Europe, Mary arrived at an
important insight. Left in the dark by decades of simplistic marketing efforts that placed grape above geography, American consumers needed a
brand they could trust to decipher the complex notion of terroir in a clear and straightforward way. Out of this realization, the “White Label” series
was born. Today, it is Mary’s mission to unlock the world of European appellation wines by working with individual growers in multiple villages — from
Bordeaux to Nîmes to Valençay to the Douro and beyond — who produce exceptional, regionally-distinctive wines at extremely accessible prices. In
the traditional spirit of the Old World, each Mary Taylor wine has been selected as a faithful ambassador of its geographic origin, true to local traditions
and the vision of the individual farmer who bottled it. All fruit is farmed sustainably or organically, only indigenous varieties are used, fermentations are
with native yeast, and only inert vessels are used for aging to yield a set of wines of genuine quality and integrity that will bring the magic of their
terroirs to life wherever you choose to enjoy them.
Vins Hodgson
The Hodgsons' story is irresistibly bizarre: they're Japanese-Canadian winemakers who've settled in Rablay-sur-Layon via Vancouver and the Tochigi
prefecture of Japan. Kenji and Mai met in Vancouver, where Kenji studied engineering before abandoning it to work as a wine writer. Further curiosity
led them to intern at wineries in BC and Japan. Along the way, they became interested in natural wine, experimenting with low-sulfur use and natural
fermentation, and tasting widely among the plethora of French natural wines imported in Japan. So in 2009, Kenji and Mai decided to up and move to
France to work harvest with the legendary Mark Angéli of Ferme de la Sansonnière in Anjou. A year later, with encouragement from natural Loire
luminaries like Olivier Cousin and Claude Courtois, they purchased their first 3ha of vineyards in Rablay-sur-Layon, and are finally producing their first
wines under their own labels.
Loire – Touraine
Domaine Courtault-Tardieux
As a teenager, Simon Tardieux began working in the vines of Catherine Roussel and Didier Barrouillet of Clos Roche Blanche. After university and a
short stint as a social worker, Simon decided to return to his hometown and get back to his true calling: working outside in the vines. The only problem
was that he didn’t have any vineyards. So, he teamed up with his neighbor, Alain Courtault, who has long been practicing organics (Alain was the
third producer in the region to practice organic viticulture, starting back in 1998). Together, they make a range of simple, eminently drinkable wines.
Domaine Guion
There are few properties in France that can boast such a great pioneering legacy in organic farming as Domaine Guion. In the 1950’s, the Guion
family established their farm in the heart of the Bourgueil appellation, a stone’s throw from the banks of the Loire River. Since it was a polycultural
estate, the family was able to live almost entirely off the land. By 1965, they began farming organically, with a holistic understanding of its effects far
ahead of their time. Since taking the reins from his father in 1990, Stéphane Guion has a put a much greater emphasis on viticulture, managing 8.5ha
of land. Quiet and curious, he is a well-respected member of the vigneron community in Bourgueil and is often consulted by other growers eager to
adopt organic farming practices. While Stéphane rarely appears at tastings and trade shows, it is clear that the extra time in the vineyards and cellars
is well spent. Situated on meticulously cultivated clay and limestone soils, the Guions’ vineyards range from 10-80 years old, with the younger vines
designated for the “Cuvée Domaine” and the older for the “Cuvée Prestige”. Stéphane prunes the buds rather than clusters to achieve a judicious
yield and hand harvests all of his fruit. In the cellar, he only employs native yeasts and allows a moderate maceration of the grapes. Once the bottles
are ready for aging, they are stored in a large cave shared with six other families that once served as a historic Resistance hideout during World War
II. Rustic, focused, and lively, with fresh acidity and minerality, the wines of Domaine Guion are known for their fine tannins, great aging potential, and
terrific price.
Mary Taylor
When founding partner Mary Taylor first fell in love with wine in the early 90s, it was the European classics that truly spoke to her and stole her heart.
As a young professional selling wine, she quickly learned to appreciate wine in the “Old World” way — not as a luxury good reserved for special
occasions, but a living agricultural product that belongs to everyday life. After many years working with the wines of Europe, Mary arrived at an
important insight. Left in the dark by decades of simplistic marketing efforts that placed grape above geography, American consumers needed a
brand they could trust to decipher the complex notion of terroir in a clear and straightforward way. Out of this realization, the “White Label” series
was born. Today, it is Mary’s mission to unlock the world of European appellation wines by working with individual growers in multiple villages — from
Bordeaux to Nîmes to Valençay to the Douro and beyond — who produce exceptional, regionally-distinctive wines at extremely accessible prices. In
the traditional spirit of the Old World, each Mary Taylor wine has been selected as a faithful ambassador of its geographic origin, true to local traditions
and the vision of the individual farmer who bottled it. All fruit is farmed sustainably or organically, only indigenous varieties are used, fermentations are
with native yeast, and only inert vessels are used for aging to yield a set of wines of genuine quality and integrity that will bring the magic of their
terroirs to life wherever you choose to enjoy them.
Michel Autran
Although his first official vintage wasn’t until 2013, Michel Autran is already making a name for himself as one of the top producers in Vouvray. This
didn’t just happen out of the blue though, as Michel has quietly been putting in the work behind the scenes for many years now. Michel started off as
a doctor, working in emergency medicine for nearly 20 years, but somewhere along the way the wine bug bit. Despite being in his 40s, Michel
eventually decided a career change was the only solution and he set about acquiring the necessary experience, working with and learning from some
of the top Chenin producers in the world, people like François Pinon, Vincent Carême, the Joussets, Frantz Saumon, Ludovic Chanson, and more. In
2011, he was able to purchase just under 1ha of prime vineyards in Noizay to start, and slowly expanded to 3.8ha today. Farming is completely
organic, and due to the steepness of some of the plots a horse is necessary for the vineyard work. The vines are all very old, between 50-70 years,
and all replanting is with massale selection of old vines from Pinon. Harvesting is by hand and with multiple tries to ensure the small team of workers
make the best selection in the vineyard. Fermentation begins with native yeast in stainless steel before immediately being racked off by gravity into
barrel, some new, but most 4-12 years old and coming from friends like Carême or the late Stéphane Cossais. A small amount of sulfur is used at
débourbage if necessary, otherwise the wines are raised completely sans souffre. The resulting wines have it all: purity, elegant fruit, incredible length,
richness balanced by enamel-stripping acidity, and off-the-charts minerality.
Vincent Grall
Since 1999, Vincent Grall has quietly been making tiny amounts of Sancerre in his garage from 3.8ha of vines, making him the second smallest
producer in the region. The production is split between two white cuvées coming from two distinct sites that are each vinified and aged differently, per
the soil type. While the sites are blended, "Cuvée Tradition" is mostly from the silex soils around the main hill of Sancerre, Le Plateau, and is done
entirely in stainless. "Le Manoir" comes mostly from Le Manoir de L’Etang where the soils are more marl and clay, and is aged in 600L barrels that
are 3-4 years old. Although not certified, the soils are worked manually and organic treatments are used. The intention is to work as naturally as
possible in both the vineyards and the cellar, but they will intervene if they risk losing their crop in bad vintages. Unlike most Sancerre producers, all
harvesting is done by hand.
Mary Taylor
When founding partner Mary Taylor first fell in love with wine in the early 90s, it was the European classics that truly spoke to her and stole her heart.
As a young professional selling wine, she quickly learned to appreciate wine in the “Old World” way — not as a luxury good reserved for special
occasions, but a living agricultural product that belongs to everyday life. After many years working with the wines of Europe, Mary arrived at an
important insight. Left in the dark by decades of simplistic marketing efforts that placed grape above geography, American consumers needed a
brand they could trust to decipher the complex notion of terroir in a clear and straightforward way. Out of this realization, the “White Label” series
was born. Today, it is Mary’s mission to unlock the world of European appellation wines by working with individual growers in multiple villages — from
Bordeaux to Nîmes to Valençay to the Douro and beyond — who produce exceptional, regionally-distinctive wines at extremely accessible prices. In
the traditional spirit of the Old World, each Mary Taylor wine has been selected as a faithful ambassador of its geographic origin, true to local traditions
and the vision of the individual farmer who bottled it. All fruit is farmed sustainably or organically, only indigenous varieties are used, fermentations are
with native yeast, and only inert vessels are used for aging to yield a set of wines of genuine quality and integrity that will bring the magic of their
terroirs to life wherever you choose to enjoy them.
Burgundy – Mâconnais
Domaine des Gandines
Domaine des Gandines was founded by Joseph Dananchet at the beginning of the 20th century. At the time, it was a polycultural farm like most
others in the area with cows, pigs, sheep, wheat, and a couple of hectares of vines. The property slowly expanded over the years, and in 2003,
Benjamin Dananchet – the 4th Dananchet generation – joined forces with his father, Robert, slowly bringing the vineyard holdings to 13ha they farm
today while also converting to organic viticulture (certified in 2009). Since 2011, they have even begun working biodynamically, which they feel helps
retain higher natural acidities. Benjamin was recently joined by his brother, Florent, who is now assisting in the cellar. Soils are an important focus of
the Dananchets' methodology for the enhancing the vine's nutrition. The family uses no herbicides on the ground, and the soils are plowed to give air
to the microorganisms while eliminating the grass without weed killers. In order to preserve the integrity of the grapes and avoid oxidation, all grapes
are harvested by hand. Grapes are pressed whole-cluster (no destemming) and are allowed to ferment slowly with native yeast, with the only addition
being a small amount of sulfur just before bottling.
Jura
Domaine de Saint Pierre
After studying enology in Beaune and working several years at the cooperative in Pupillin, Fabrice Dodane started working at Domaine de Saint Pierre
in 1989 as manager. Fabrice took full control of the estate in 2011 after the untimely death of the former owner. The winery is based in the small town
of Mathenay and covers approximately 6ha in the Arbois and Côtes du Jura AOCs with the vines planted in limestone and marl soils. Saint Pierre
achieved organic certification in 2012, having started conversion in 2002. All wines are fermented with native yeasts either in tank or neutral barrel.
Vinifications for the reds are done without the addition of sulfur, and the whites are done flawlessly in both the traditional sous voile method, as well
as topped-up, or ouillé style. These are clean, balanced expressions of their terroir, and drink almost too easily.
Isère
Nicolas Gonin
Located between Lyon and Grenoble, the Isère is just now gaining attention for its wines. Part of the attention is because of young growers like
Nicolas, who are seeking out and rediscovering the great, noble grapes of the past that (mostly for political and economic reasons) have been
abandoned in favor of the more well-known grapes of France. Nicolas discovered the 'cépages anciens' while working at Domaine Tempier in Bandol,
where he found a book that outlined the great old grapes of all the regions of France. Nicolas was hooked, and he now spends his weekends seeking
out old vineyards in France to find cuttings of these grapes. Nicolas currently owns part of the only 10ha of Persan that exist in the world, and will
soon make wine from grapes like Bia and Mècle de Bourgin. The vineyards are all certified organic, and fermentation and aging are exclusively in
enamel tank in order to give a true, unobstructed taste of these ancient varieties.
Domaine Thillardon
Contemporary Beaujolais is rife with opportunity – overlooked terroirs, abandoned vines, appellations ripe for rehabilitation. But few young vignerons
have committed to such ambitious challenges as brothers Paul-Henri and Charles Thillardon, who have positioned themselves as the future of
Beaujolais' smallest, sleepiest cru, Chénas. In 2008, Paul-Henri Thillardon began making wine from 3ha of vineyards, with the conviction that Chénas
has always been unjustifiably overshadowed by Moulin-à-Vent. He has slowly added new parcels to form the 12ha he works today. From the start,
he has farmed organically, working some of the vineyards with a horse and using biodynamic treatments. In 2009, he met Fleurie winemakers and
lynchpins of the Fleurie natural winemaking scene, Jean-Louis Dutraive and Yvon Métras, who took the young Paul-Henri under their wing. Until
2015, Paul-Henri partially destemmed most cuvées and practiced a more Burgundian vinification. Starting in 2014, he decided to switch to semi-
carbonic, and then went fully cool semi-carbonic in 2015, following in the footsteps of his mentors. With the dedication and attention to detail of the
Thillardons, the future of natural Chénas is in good hands.
Mary Taylor
When founding partner Mary Taylor first fell in love with wine in the early 90s, it was the European classics that truly spoke to her and stole her heart.
As a young professional selling wine, she quickly learned to appreciate wine in the “Old World” way — not as a luxury good reserved for special
occasions, but a living agricultural product that belongs to everyday life. After many years working with the wines of Europe, Mary arrived at an
important insight. Left in the dark by decades of simplistic marketing efforts that placed grape above geography, American consumers needed a
brand they could trust to decipher the complex notion of terroir in a clear and straightforward way. Out of this realization, the “White Label” series
was born. Today, it is Mary’s mission to unlock the world of European appellation wines by working with individual growers in multiple villages — from
Bordeaux to Nîmes to Valençay to the Douro and beyond — who produce exceptional, regionally-distinctive wines at extremely accessible prices. In
the traditional spirit of the Old World, each Mary Taylor wine has been selected as a faithful ambassador of its geographic origin, true to local traditions
and the vision of the individual farmer who bottled it. All fruit is farmed sustainably or organically, only indigenous varieties are used, fermentations are
with native yeast, and only inert vessels are used for aging to yield a set of wines of genuine quality and integrity that will bring the magic of their
terroirs to life wherever you choose to enjoy them.
Roland Pignard
Hardly a newcomer to winemaking, Roland Pignard took over the family estate in 1977 and immediately turned towards organic practices. In 2004,
he and his wife Joëlle sold off most of the estate, retaining only 4.5ha to concentrate on better farming, and received organic (Ecocert) and then
biodynamic (Demeter) certification. Vineyard treatments rely on biodynamic preparations with minimal copper-sulfate, and all tilling is done by horse-
drawn implements so as to not compact the soil. Picking is done by a crew of 20 (the same pickers each year, which is very important says Roland)
and carbonic macerations are short (only 6 to 12 days depending on the cuvée) as Roland feels that long macerations can result in the development
of undesirable yeasts and bacterias, and gives wines that are too extracted. All the wines are aged in cement cuves (except one cuvée of Morgon
called "Tradition"), and no SO2 is used during fermentation or élevage, with a minimal dose added before bottling, giving a total of about 8-10mg/L.
The resulting wines have subtle, pure fruit with perfect acidity and a pronounced mineral character with graphite, stone and earthy qualities.
Domaine du Chapitre
Frédéric Dorthe runs his family's 20ha of vineyards located on the right bank of the Rhône River in the picturesque town of Saint-Marcel d'Ardèche.
Due to long-standing contracts to sell most of his fruit, Fred's domaine has flown under the radar for a long time. On the bright side, this allows him
to make small amounts of honest, highly-drinkable wines from Southern Rhône grapes fermented and aged in cement with no additions except a
small amount of SO2 at bottling, and sell them for a song.
Four Tuesdays
Some people hesitate to open a great bottle of wine on a weekday. Not us! We decided that Four Tuesdays would give you a great wine for every
night of the week at a fantastic price. Our box contains the equivalent of four 750mL bottles and stays fresh for four weeks once opened. Sourcing
great wine at friendly prices requires a fair amount of time and good luck. It comes down to finding winemakers who strive for quality regardless of
the perceived potential of their wine region or appellation. They stand out from their neighbors by going far beyond what the local winemaking rules
require – better farming, lower yields, and serious, honest winemaking.
Langeudoc
Le Clos des Jarres
Les Clos de Jarres is an ambitious new domaine in Minervois started by the young Vivien Hemelsdael. Vivien’s parents had originally farmed the land
here for over 25 years, selling the fruit to the local cooperative. After studying winemaking around the world and in France in Alsace, where he initially
became interested in organic farming, Vivien returned home in 2010 and immediately converted the family's 12ha of vineyards to organics (now
certified), and has even begun incorporating some biodynamic treatments and principals. Vivien is working with a range of traditional red and white
varieties, with some of the vineyards over 80 years old. The vines are planted in the foothills of the Montagne Noire (Black Mountains), where the
cooling breezes combined with the limestone subsoil of the area helps give these wines extra freshness. The grapes are all hand harvested into small
crates to help sort the fruit in the vineyard. Fermentations are all with native yeast, and the wines are not fined or filtered, with the only addition being
a minimal amount of SO2 at bottling. These are delicious wines full of life, and we are glad to see all of Vivien’s hard work paying off.
Mas Foulaquier
Winemaker Pierre Jéquier, a native of Switzerland and formerly an architect, created Mas Foulaquier in 1998 following an exhaustive search for his
dream wine estate. Situated in the most northerly corner of Languedoc's most northerly appellation, Pic Saint-Loup, the 8ha of existing vines were at
the time just 8 years old, but happened to be planted on some great terroir. Now, at more than 25 years of age, those vines are the source of a quite
brilliant set of wines. Pierre's wife and fellow winemaker, Blandine Chauchet, joined the team in 2003, bringing with her the ownership of a further 3ha
of 50+ year-old Grenache and Carignan in the lieu-dit of "Les Tonillières". The vines are certified organic, and since 2007, are also certified
biodynamic by Demeter. In the cellar, the wines all are raised in Foulaquier’s signature, low-intervention style – native yeasts, no filtering, and minimal
sulfur added only at bottling.
Bordeaux – Entre-Deux-Mers
Mary Taylor
When founding partner Mary Taylor first fell in love with wine in the early 90s, it was the European classics that truly spoke to her and stole her heart.
As a young professional selling wine, she quickly learned to appreciate wine in the “Old World” way — not as a luxury good reserved for special
occasions, but a living agricultural product that belongs to everyday life. After many years working with the wines of Europe, Mary arrived at an
important insight. Left in the dark by decades of simplistic marketing efforts that placed grape above geography, American consumers needed a
brand they could trust to decipher the complex notion of terroir in a clear and straightforward way. Out of this realization, the “White Label” series
was born. Today, it is Mary’s mission to unlock the world of European appellation wines by working with individual growers in multiple villages — from
Bordeaux to Nîmes to Valençay to the Douro and beyond — who produce exceptional, regionally-distinctive wines at extremely accessible prices. In
the traditional spirit of the Old World, each Mary Taylor wine has been selected as a faithful ambassador of its geographic origin, true to local traditions
and the vision of the individual farmer who bottled it. All fruit is farmed sustainably or organically, only indigenous varieties are used, fermentations are
with native yeast, and only inert vessels are used for aging to yield a set of wines of genuine quality and integrity that will bring the magic of their
terroirs to life wherever you choose to enjoy them.
Domaine Séailles
Domaine Séailles is one of the pioneers of organic viticulture in the Côtes de Gascogne region of Southwest France. A family-owned estate since
1961, Séailles is now run by Jean Labérenne, who lead the domaine to Ecocert organic certification in 1997, swearing off all chemical fertilizers,
herbicides, insecticides, and synthetic chemical products. Located in the town of Ténarèze, which is unique in the region for its limestone soils, Jean
farms a total of 25ha of hillside vineyards with help the of Julien Lanclet and Laurent Lefèvre, even saving 2ha of vines to make the traditional spirit
of the region, Armagnac. Both native yeast fermented, the reds are aged in cement tank, while the whites are all done in stainless.
Elian Da Ros
Historically, the region around Marmande has been more famous for tomatoes than for wine, but Elian Da Ros might change all that. Returning to
his native town of Cocumont in 1998, Elian constructed a simple winery and took the daring step of being the first winemaker to produce and bottle
his own wine under the Côtes du Marmandais AOP. Crafting superb, biodynamic wines from Bordeaux varieties as well as the local Abouriou,
Elian is one of those French vignerons that is universally respected by just about every other vigneron you talk with, regardless of their views on
agriculture and winemaking. These are some of the purest expressions of the limestone and gravel soils of the region, and display tremendous
elegance and finesse, even when working with grape varieties more famous for their masculinity and strength.
Guirardel
After working as engineers in the semiconductor industry for over 15 years, Françoise Casaubieilh (the eldest daughter of Anne-Marie Guirardel) and
her husband, Pierre Coulomb, were both fed up and looking for a change. In August of 2008, just as Françoise’s father was ready to retire from a life
working in the vineyards around the family’s home in Jurançon, Françoise and Pierre decided to return to the property, becoming the 15th generation
of the Guirardel family to make wine from this special vineyard. Neither had any experience with winemaking, but Françoise had just graduated from
an agricultural course at the local university, and Pierre would later go on to work with the Plageoles family in Gaillac, and still frequently calls on his
good friend Richard Leroy for advice. Françoise and Pierre immediately stopped using chemicals in the vines, and would eventually file for organic
certification in 2012 (which they were granted in 2015). They are also working closely with a doctor interested in energy, aligning their winery to the
lines of the “sacred network” and using their own essential oils and herbal infusions in the vineyard in place of treatments (even organic ones). The
4.5ha of vines are planted predominately to Petit Manseng (75%) with some Gros Manseng (25%) and slope steeply due south towards the Pyrénées.
The vines are 20 years old on average with very low yields (12-25 hL/ha) thanks to excellent farming and the poor clay-limestone soils with lots of
stones and glacial deposits from the ice age. Grapes are harvested by hand in successive passes from October through December, with each parcel
kept separate. Natural fermentations occur in 10 year-old, traditional 400L barrels, although they are also experimenting with some 700L barrels,
acacia barrels, and even amphora for their dry wine. In 2011, Pierre made his first trials with a no SO2 added dry wine from late harvest grapes, and
continues to refine his technique as he gains more experience, releasing wines with as little added sulfur as possible. These wines are the
continuation of an incredible family tradition and represent a throwback to Jurançon’s past that is sadly becoming more and more rare.
Germany
Mosel
Hild
You’ve probably never heard of the “upper Mosel". I really hadn’t either, aside from mildly derogatory remarks made in passing. Some of this derision
is probably deserved: the upper Mosel has had a long tradition of selling grapes en masse to cooperatives interested in high yields, irrespective of
quality. However, this is also a fascinating place, a vision of the Mosel that has nothing to do with Riesling or slate. Here we find limestone (this is the
beginning of the Paris Basin, the geological reality that informs places like Chablis and Sancerre) and a winemaking culture based on one of Europe’s
oldest grapes: Elbling. Matthias Hild farms 5ha in the upper Mosel doing something that makes almost zero financial sense: saving old, terraced
parcels of Elbling. In this area, however, it’s important to understand Elbling is something of a religion. It’s a culture, a regional dialect that is spoken
through this wine of rigorous purity, of joyous simplicity, of toothsome acidity. Even at its best, Elbling is not a grape of “greatness” as much as it is a
grape of refreshment and honesty and conviviality. The comparisons are plenty, though none of them are quite right: If Riesling is Pinot Noir, then
Elbling is Gamay. If Riesling is Chenin Blanc, then Elbling is Muscadet. You get the idea. The joy of Elbling is its raucous acidity, the vigor and energy,
the fact that it is so low in alcohol you could probably drink a bottle and still operate heavy machinery.
Stein
While Ulli Stein’s wines are not widely known in the U.S., he has nothing less than a fanatical following in Europe. He could likely sell every last bottle
to his friends in Germany alone, yet there are places of some importance, like Noma in Copenhagen, that put in sizable orders for Stein wine. He
farms meaningful parcels of land that have a few important things in common: They are not easy to work. They are commercially unknown. And,
most importantly, Ulli loves them. In fact, Stein is more than a winemaker – he is a passionate advocate for the traditional, steep, slate vineyards
of the Mosel. In 2010, Ulli published a manifesto warning of the threats to the region’s 2000 years old viticultural tradition. Winemaking with Ulli is
refreshingly light on “style,” instead focusing on what the vineyards say to him. Certainly there is a focus on wines that are dry; lightness and zip are
more important than gobs of fruit. Complexity is good, but not at the expense of the whole – better to be simple and well done than overdone and,
well, a mess. Cut is more important than size.
Peter Lauer
Over the last few years, Florian Lauer, proprietor of Peter Lauer in the Saar, has gone from relatively unknown, to wine geek darling, to cult classic, to
finally, an established, blue-chip estate. Florian’s general style is exactly the opposite of his famous Saar neighbors Egon Müller and Hanno Zilliken.
At Lauer, the focus is on dry-tasting Rieslings as opposed to the residual sugar, Prädikat wines (Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese) of the latter two.
Employing natural-yeast fermentations, Lauer’s wines find their own balance. They tend to be more textural, deeper and more masculine, yet the
hallmarks of the Saar are there: purity, precision, rigor, mineral. Florian’s main playground is the breathtaking hillside of the Ayler Kupp. Though the
many vineyards of this mountain were unified (obliterated?) under the single name "Kupp" with the 1971 German wine law, it has been Florian’s life’s
work to keep the old vineyard names alive. Lauer bottles based on "fass", or cask, numbers that are often aligned with these pre-1971 vineyard
names. However, one shouldn’t take the fass numbers too seriously; they are based on the parcels that historically went into these fass and the style
of wine they most often produced. One example, "Fass 6 – Senior", is based on a selection that Florian’s grandfather made every year for his
personal consumption. On this barrel, he would write "Senior", and according to Florian, nine times out of ten, his grandfather would pick Fass 6,
which held wine sourced from the western-most region of the Kupp. Thus, today, the wine from this parcel is called "Fass 6 – Senior". In any case, the
results are undeniable: intensity without weight, grandiosity without size, clarity, and cut.
Rheinhessen
Seehof
The Rheinhessen has seen a rebirth the likes of which could not be fathomed even just ten years ago. This horrid, flat farmland and birthplace of
"Liebfraumilch", so it turns out, can produce world-class Riesling. Klaus Peter Keller has proven this point with emphasis. If there is a downside to this
glory, it is the creeping influence of the international wine press. For the 30-second taste test and the ever important score, fireworks always win. This
means young producers trying to make names for themselves focus on concentration, weight, density, power. Florian Fauth, the young winemaker at
his family estate, is the counterpoint to this trend. His wines eschew weight for fineness, power for clarity, fireworks for whispers; Florian has clearly
spoken quite a bit with his friend and brother-in-law Klaus Peter Keller. For the wines of the Rheinhessen, the key is limestone. This is what gives the
wines their glycerin-induced sexiness, but is also what gives them the flair of acidity, a presence strong enough to counter the lavish extract and to
keep the wines from feeling gooey or too heavy. At the moment Florian at Seehof is making some of the most charming and compelling Rheinhessen
wines around. The wines, both the dry and off-dry, are crystalline and pure with buoyant fruit and plenty of energy. For the money, you just can’t find
anything better.
Pfalz
Brand
Young brothers Daniel and Jonas Brand (both in their twenties) recently took over their family’s century-old estate, and are quickly breathing new life
into this former workhorse of the Northern Pfalz. The kids are smart, eager, and dialed into the growing natural wine scene both in Germany and in
neighboring France. They’re just starting to make waves –– converting all their viticulture to organic (certified as of 2015) and are experimenting like
crazy in the cellar. They have a pét-nat that’s so popular it sells out before they’ve even made it, and they make the best organic, entry-level liters of
dry Riesling and Weissburgunder you’ll ever find. The Nordpfalz borders the Rheinessen (their village is closer to Keller’s than to anybody famous in
the Pfalz), and that airy but firm sensibility informs these bright and mineral-laden wines.
Baden
Enderle & Moll
Enderle & Moll is really just two guys, a tiny cellar, a few hectares of old vines, and a hell of a lot of buzz – even Jancis Robinson has called them
“cult". Sven Enderle and Florian Moll farm a total of 2.1ha on the western fringe of the Black Forest. Most of their Pinot comes from two sites: one with
25-45 years old vines planted in colored sandstone (Buntsandstein), and one other miniscule plot (0.045ha total) from four tiny terraces, home to 60
years old vines (the oldest in the region) planted in shell limestone (Muschelkalk). All work in the vineyard is done by hand, yields are low, and
vineyard work is organic/biodynamic. Walking through the vineyard, it is easy to see where the Enderle & Moll plots begin and end, so clear is the
vitality of their vines and soil. Sven and Florian are hands-off in the cellar and it shows in the wines. Parcels are vinified separately, with one-third
whole clusters. Grapes are crushed in an old wooden basket press and then go into secondhand Burgundian barrels (mostly from Domaine Dujac).
Bottling, like everything else, is done by hand, and there is no fining or filtration. Because they don’t care for the quality criteria for Pinots in Baden,
they’ve decided to declassify their Pinot Noir as a Tafelwein, which legally disallows them from putting vineyard names on the label. Florian thinks it
foolish to automatically equate higher ripeness levels with better quality and that doing so often leads to overripe, high-alcohol wines with lots of
extract and a shortage of acidity and delicacy. These are delicious Pinots (to say nothing of their Müller-Thurgau, which is likely the best version of
that grape you will ever taste) of enormous integrity, made with undeniable passion and point of view. Also, Sven Enderle has the best facial hair in
the wine business with the possible exception of Jo Landron. Silly-limited production.
Shelter Winery
Hans-Bert Espe and Silke Wolf farm roughly 5ha in the not-so-famous region of Baden. Let’s go ahead and equate not-so-famous with not-so-ripe
and we get, immediately, a sense of the philosophy here. There are lots of words we would use to describe the bulldozer-Pinots we’ve tasted from
Baden over the years; delicacy would not be one of them. Until we tasted with Hans-Bert and Silke. This husband-and-wife team has spent the last
decade in the nooks and crannies of the wine-geek world, slowly building a reputation for pristine, delicate Pinot Noirs from Baden (there, we’ve used
the word). You might call them understated, though the rather petite structure and lively animation of the wines gives way to a mid-palate that is
awash with sweet perfumed fruit, transparent and mineral. In style, sensibility and size, they remind us quite a bit of Weiser-Künstler in the Mosel
(indeed they are all friends) – except this is Pinot Noir, from Baden. You may have to remind yourself of this when you’re tasting the wines.
Weingut Beurer
A one time European BMX champion running a small garagiste estate in Württemberg, at the farthest southern end of Germany, Jochen Beurer could
hardly be farther removed from the staid, landed traditions of his more Northern neighbors. His dry, terroir saturated wines from a variety of Jurassic
and Triassic soils on the hills around Kernen im Remstal have similarly little in common with historical conceptions of "German Riesling". These are,
first and foremost, "Swabian" wines, steeped in the traditions of a region that has long remained outside the national mainstream. The Beurer family
have farmed their land just outside of Stuttgart for generations, growing fruit and making wine that typically ended up in the bottles of the local coop.
Then, in 1997, Jochen, his wife, Marion, and father, Sigfried, set out on their own, making and bottling the wine for themselves. In 2003, Jochen
started experimenting with organic viticulture and spontaneous fermentations, converting fully to biodynamics over the next few years (now certified
by Demeter). Today, we can think of no other winemaker whose wines speak of the soil – a mixture of ancient lime and sandstones, and the ancient
Keuper soils beneath them – as much as Jochen’s do. Respect for nature and patience are reflected everywhere: in cool years, Jochen is inevitably
the last to pick, successive tries are the norm, and spontaneous fermentations follow their own course, usually including malolactic. Élevages are
similarly slow and careful, with wines being committed to bottle only when Jochen feels that the time is exactly right. The results are singular: a range
of completely unforced yet strikingly intense wines that are long, structured, and saturated in Swabian minerality.
Austria
Niederösterreich
Oppenauer
Weingut Oppenauer is committed to making wines that bring people together, a notion that necessarily implies affordability. But they were also the first
winery in the village of Poysdorf in the Weinviertal to convert to organics. In 2003, Rainer Oppenauer's father decided to convert all their land to organic
farming, including the 85ha dedicated to other (mainly winter) crops like wheat, rye, spelt, and fruit trees. The farm has been in the family for over 200
years but it wasn't until the 1950s when they first started bottling wine with the Oppenauer name. At first, the neighbors couldn’t understand the change
to organics, but today, there are now two other certified organic vineyards in Poysdorf, and some others seem to have largely given up on herbicides.
Clearly, the Oppenauer family wants their work to go beyond organics and encompass a larger notion of ecology, from making their own compost right
down to the grapeseed oil that they’ve been producing since 2010.
Piero Brunet
Morgex and La Salle are neighboring villages at the foot of Mont Blanc in the Alta Valle, or High Valley, of the Vallée d’Aoste. The local grape variety,
Prié Blanc, was brought to fame by Alexandre Bougeat who, besides serving as parish priest of Morgex, began bottling wine in 1964. In 1985, Piero
Brunet took over his family’s vineyards and purchased a part of the original vineyards of "Curé Bougeat". Piero, his wife, and their two daughters now
farm 4ha of high-altitude (1000-1200m), steeply-terraced, pergola-trained, own-rooted, organic vines and make just over 300 cases of their single and
singular wine. Lovers of heroic viticulture and Alpine wines, take note!
Piemonte
Colombera & Garella
300 million years ago, a volcano created the raw material for seven tiny but geographically complex appellations collectively known as Alto Piemonte,
an area about two hours north-northeast of Barolo and Barbaresco, literally at the ‘foot’ of the Alps. After years of abandon, this once great bastion of
Italian wines is now being revitalized by a few key producers. If you haven’t started exploring this area, you’re missing out on the glory of Nebbiolo
when combined with local varieties, as well as a study in the area’s unique soils. Our friend Cristiano Garella, native wünderkind and former
winemaker at Tenute Sella through 2013, is one of the master-keys of the area. He’s helping wineries here appreciate and reinvest in the vineyards
and cantine. Colombera & Garella, as the name suggests, is his most intimate contribution among the many wineries he collaborates with. The
Colombera part is Giacomo, Cristiano’s long-time friend, and Giacomo Colombera’s father, Carlo, who’s been growing grapes in the area since the
early 1990s. Colombera & Garella’s winery and vineyards are mostly in the Bramaterra and Coste della Sesia appellations just west of Gattinara and
Ghemme, though they’ve ventured into the yellow and red-ochre sands of Lessona as well. The vineyards all sit between 350-400m in elevation in
the high-acid, volcanic soils of the region, giving the wines a ferrous, sanguine minerality and lower alcohol than their cousins from the Langhe.
Fermentations are all carried out with native yeast with aging in used barrique. No fining, filtering, or other additions.
Ferdinando Principiano
It’s admittedly odd in today's age of 'Barolo as King' to introduce an historic Barolo estate in Monforte with its old school, 10.5% Dolcetto called "Dosset".
Yet, that wine informs Ferdinando Principiano's style for Barolo and all his other wines: elegant, natural wines with a watermark of traditional Barolo
terroir. Ferdinando began his conversion to natural winemaking in 2003, and nowadays his vineyards teem with wildflowers in spring. A wild and thick
leaf canopy provides shade to the grape clusters; early-picking tightens the acidity and lowers the alcohol. Whole-clusters are crushed by foot and
fermented without sulfur to give an ease and suppleness to the fruit. Here's finally a traditional Barolista taking on climate change, being thoughtful
instead of dogmatic about making natural-yet-princely Dolcetto and Barolo (and a few other native Piemonte varieties) to drink – instead of taste. A
total of 21ha of vineyards are located in Monforte and Serralunga, with a smattering in Alta Langa. The far southeast part of Barolo is an area off the
beaten path (for Barolo at least). Instead of dusty vine row after vine row, there are woods between the vineyards, and Ferdinando has created what
looks like an extra-large koi pond for migratory birds. The smell of grapes amid apples, pears, apricots, peaches, cherries, persimmons, almonds, figs,
prunes, and quince hint at the complex biodiversity here. Ferdinando Principiano is walking the line between tradition, natural wines, and a thoughtful
aesthetic of elegance that we want to drink some now, and cellar some for later.
M. Sokolin
After working as a sommelier in San Francisco at Michael Mina and Acquarello, Mitchell Sokolin decided to spend the last several years traveling the
globe learning to make in both hemispheres, at places like Mac Forbes in Australia. Finally, for his first solo project, he settled down in the southern
part of Castilla y León in Sierra de Salamanca. Always searching for new and interesting opportunities, Mitchell began sniffing around the Langhe
for his second project. Inspired by producers like Vajra, Olek Bondonio, Chionetti, and Abonna, Mitchell decided to search out interesting parcels of
Dolcetto, convinced that in the right hands, it can producer floral, perfumed wines full of interest and character. He eventually found the right site, a
beautiful north-facing slope on white soils, just on the Dogliani side of Monforte. The fruit was fermented in stainless steel with almost half as whole
bunches and the rest destemmed on top. After two weeks in tank, it was pressed off into old 300L barrels to finish fermentation. The wine made it to
bottle with no fining, no filtration, and no additions besides SO2.
Mauro Franchino
Gattinara is the most renowned DOCG of nine tiny but geographically complex appellations, collectively known as Alto Piemonte. The three largest
producers collectively have around 90 of the 100 hectares of vineyard in the appellation. That leaves 10 highly fractionalized hectares for some
hobbyists and a handful of nearly forgotten vignaioli. These vignerons still hold onto the tradition of using a sketch of the crumbling Gattinara tower on
their labels. Signor Franchino is one of these old-schoolers – no faxes or emails. Most of the time when we call or visit, he’s in the vineyard, while his
Nebbiolo sits patiently in the old garagiste cellar in Gattinara’s centro storico. This Nebbiolo has little color. It’s pale, concise, honest, and comfortable
with long stretches of silence between its notes of salt, iron, red currants, and rose hip tea. Both the Gattinara and Coste della Sesia are 100%
Nebbiolo. Go on and bring a little old world Gattinara soul to your Nebbiolo fix.
Scarpa
We sometimes assume that the great, historic producers in Italy are all well-known in the U.S. But ask the old timers: "I remember Scarpa…"
Antica Casa Vinicola Scarpa has been producing traditional, aristocratic wines in the Monferrato hills of southeast Piemonte for 150 years. They
have vineyards, farmed organically, in the Langhe as well as the Monferrato. Mario Pesce, admired by both Giacosa and Gaja, made Scarpa’s
reputation in the late 20th century, and today Maria Pier Zola and her family carry on his tradition of aging all the wines for years, and sometimes
decades before release. Traditional sometimes means 'rustic', but that's not the case here; Scarpa produces elegant wines with arrow-like acidity
and well-aged tannins. Bottle evolution and vintage characteristics emerge instead of pointillist fruit. Be on the lookout for releases from the
family's 45,000+ bottle library.
Umberto Fracassi
Umberto Fracassi’s family has been producing Barolo since 1880, a time when Barolo went from being 'un vino dolce' to the grande vino secco that
we all know today. After the Second World War, Marchese Fracassi, or simply Umberto, dedicated himself to carrying on the family tradition of
producing old-school Barolo in Slavonian oak botti. The town of Cherasco sits at the northwest corner of the Barolo zone, just west of La Morra and
Verduno, and its growing area includes Fracassi’s 2ha Barolo monopole cru, Mantoetto. This area is also known as Italy’s capital of snail production.
Umberto also produces some white Favorita (Vermentino) that’s a good way to start a meal, as the Barolo is opening up in the decanter.
Valli Unite
In southeast Piemonte, Valli Unite may be Italy’s only natural wine cooperative, where vineyards lie amid beehives, farm animals, orchards, and
truffle-filled woodlands. From honey to homemade salame and wine between, 30 members work on the 100ha farm and call it home. During harvest,
you can still stomp grapes with your bare feet here. Their wines range from the glou glou bottlings of Alessandrino, Bianchino, and a crown cap
farmer fizz, to more complex natural wines, such as their lithesome Derthona with the local Timorasso variety. “We believe natural vinification is a
social responsibility,” is the philosophy; soil humus, livestock manure, native yeasts, local grapes, time, and parsimonious sulfur compose the winning
formula. Visit one morning, work hard, and then stay for the communal lunch. It’s a visit unlike any other winery – I mean working farm – that I’ve
been to.
Vigneti Massa
It’s hard not to get worked up about Walter Massa’s wines. He had a vision for a variety nobody wanted (Timorasso), worked in obscurity for years,
rescued the grape, and doesn’t talk about himself but instead about the territory of Colli Tortonesi. When you get lost going there, start asking people
100 kilometers out; they all know and love him, from the gas station guy to the producer next door. You'll often hear it bandied about: "There are
thousands of native grape varieties in Italy!" That's true, but a lot of them are merely cute. Timorasso, however, deserves another category (and it’s
white to boot). It’s utterly unique, complex, capable of aging, and transparent to where it's grown. Walter is the 'contadino straordinario' who started to
replant the variety in the 1980s and remains the leading producer and go-to grower for Timorasso today. We often say that Timorasso is like Ali: 'Float
like a butterfly (baroque fruit and honeyed minerality) and sting like a bee (lots of well-integrated acidity). Remarkable and distinctive red wines made
from Barbera, Croatina, and Freisa demonstrate that Walter is more than just the "King of Timorasso".
Veneto
Bella Vita
While our focus is on small growers that work well in the vineyard and the cellar, we also understand the realities and needs of our customers. So,
we found a Pinot Grigio from Treviso that fits in qualitatively with our portfolio, and that we feel good about offering at a great price. Made by the third
generation, sibling winemaking team of Annalisa, Alessandro, Carlo, and Luca Botter (also responsible for Bella Vita Montepulciano from their
holdings in Abruzzo).
Le Vigne di Alice
Sisters-in-law Cinzia Canzian and Pier Francesca Bonicelli started Alice in 2004 to fulfill their dream of bottling artisanal Prosecco thatʼs all their own:
estate fruit, pre-Dolomite, grower Prosecco. We call it Prosecco for non-Prosecco lovers (a category that includes us). It didnʼt take long to understand
that these women are joyful, caring, and have a passion for real wine (including the grower Champagne and Jura wines they also import to Italy). At
the same time, they are utterly serious, precise, and determined to produce amazing Prosecchi. Their 9ha of vineyards are worked without herbicides
or pesticides and all weeding is done by hand. Soils are of glacial moraine origin: chalky, rocky, lean, and full of minerals. They have taken their
sustainability even further by constructing a green winery with grass on the roof and solar panels that supply more than half of their energy. Their work
in the cellar mirrors their dedication in the vineyards. From an incredibly long Charmat for their single-vineyard wine, "Doro", to using Metodo Classico
on ".g", to experimenting with Metodo Integrale (i.e. not disgorged) on "P.S.", these women are truly pushing the boundaries of quality in this often
unfairly criticized region.
Nevio Scala
Soccer fans know Nevio Scala as the player-turned-coach who took the underdog provincial team of Parma to become champions in the ’80s and ’90s.
His son, Claudio, just three vintages in, is echoing his father’s underdog success with the provincial volcanic-alluvial soils of the Colli Euganei in the
Veneto. Claudio puts the local grape of Garganega as center midfielder (the same grape that you find in Soave, though not always without a touch of
Sauvignon Blanc). Claudio picks just before the grapes are perfectly ripe, and he’s not scared of a bit of oxidation. Work in their 8ha of vineyards is
completely organic, but they also raise crops such as wheat, barley, hemp, and beans, and hedge the vineyards with hazel, elder, and wild roses to
encourage biodiversity and give a nesting place for useful local fauna. In the cellar, all fermentations are spontaneous, minimal SO2 is added only
when needed, and everything is bottled unfined and unfiltered. What results are delicate, volcanic-spicy, and refreshing wines, with a hint of oxidation
to add complexity.
Serata
While our focus is on small growers that work well in the vineyard and the cellar, we also understand the realities and needs of our customers. So, we
found a Prosecco that fits in qualitatively with our portfolio, and that we feel good about offering at a great price. Located in San Polo di Piave, Tenuta
Giol has been around since 1427 and began its organic conversion in the 1980s. Today, the estate is fully certified organic, and work in the cellar is low-
tech including low (to no) additions of sulfur. Clean, crisp, lively bubbles that are an amazing value and will please even the biggest wine geeks!
Liguria
Vio
In the tiny village of Vendone, just 12km inland and 300m above the sea, Ettore and Natalina Vio planted vines and olive trees amidst the Ligurian
mountain scrub in the 1970s. Today, their son, Claudio, and his wife, Maria Grazia, now tend the family farm. The dispersed patchwork of tiny,
terraced vineyard plots adding up to just 2ha — mostly Pigato, with a little Vermentino and some local red varieties — yield just enough wine for us to
bring in a few hundred cases a year. A hectare of olive orchards gives even less of their beautifully delicate olive oil (ask us nicely, and we might be
able to get you a little). Farming is 'lotta integrata' (manual weeding, no treatments besides Bordeaux mixture), all harvesting is by hand (by necessity
of the small, steep terraced parcels), and fermentations are with native yeasts.
Emilia-Romagna
Bulli
Bulli is a traditional gem of a producer from the northwest corner of Emilia-Romagna in the Colli Piacentini, those steep hills just south of Piacenza
squeezed between the Po river to the north and the Apennine mountains to the south. The area itself is sleepy, a time-capsule from the 1940s, with
farmers that still have that askance look of their forefathers, those ex-Roman soldiers who tended vines in retirement. There’s a long tradition of making
'frizzante rifermentato in bottiglia' in this area, and Bulli has been doing it for five generations since the late 1800s. The Bulli family is humble and happy
to serve locals every day from their repurposed horse stall where all the sparkling in-the-bottle fermentation happens. Leonardo, the current generation
of Bulli to tend the vines and make the wines, is especially proud of the fact that they never used SO2; in fact, 'senza solfiti aggiunti' is written on their
original vintage-kitsch style labels they have used since the 1950s. One key that helps preserve their wines and gives them a sprightly character is the
soil. Bacedasco Alto is the town where the Bulli family has their house and horse stall-cellar, and it is right next to an important geological park that
contains a series of ancient limestone calanques from the Pliocene period. These are the kind of wines we are proud to work with: a rich history,
complex soils, organic farming, handcrafted natural wines, and good people.
Mutiliana
Mutiliana is a wine producer, and the ancient name of the Apennine mountain village of Modigliana, located in the Romagna part of Emilia-Romagna.
Modigliana is also one of Sangiovese di Romagna’s official sub-zones, whose high altitude, as well as marl and sandstone soils, distinguish it from the
larger designation. In effect, these mountain vineyards (380-600m) highlight Sangiovese’s bitter elegance: botanical notes intertwine with pithy fruit:
eucalyptus, sage, and artemisia meeting sour cherry, blood orange, and pomegranate. Local owner Giorgio Melandri, a former wine journalist, is
bottling not only within one sub-zone, but within Modgliana’s three valleys: Acereta, Ibbola, and Tramazo teasing out further the terroir using only wild
yeasts and aging the lots in concrete vats to avoid oak influence. These are engaging wines, intellectual without losing their mountain-grown spirit.
Toscana
BRUSCO
FUSO is PortoVino’s project to search for and bottle the best of Italy’s daily drinkers – the wines you’d find in a memorable trattoria or wine bar. Italians
have a long DIY tradition of filling up big, glass jug 'damigiana' from their favorite local producers and storing it in their garage or cellar to siphon off a
bottle or carafe when needed for lunch or dinner. In that spirit, FUSO works only with real producers, native grapes, low sulfur, practicing or certified
organic farming, and native yeasts. These are daily drinkers with character: a touch vinous, and lots of deliciousness. “Brusco” is still used in the
Tuscan dialect today defining a person or thing that is off the cuff and a bit rough but genuine through and through. This is 100% Sangiovese made by
one of our Chianti Classico producers, Tenuta Maiano from their certified organic estate fruit in Montespertoli, Tuscany. Soils are limestone with silt
below composed of marine sand and clay. The fruit is all destemmed with fermentation and aging in old-school cement tanks with native yeast.
Il Borghetto
If you think you’ve seen all of Chianti’s expressions, Il Borghetto’s extremely detailed and ethereal Sangiovese may surprise you. Owner Antonio
Cavallini is an outsider, as the Chianti consortium has often denied him DOCG status for his wines. They cite his use of Burgundy bottles and other
"problems" with the wine. As Bob Dylan sings in Absolutely Sweet Marie, "To live outside the law, you must be honest." And it’s no secret that some
of Italy’s best producers, some of it's most honest producers, are living "outside the [DOC/G] law." Antonio organically farms 5ha of vineyards and
12ha of olive groves in Montefiridolfi, a hilltop town in the northwest corner of Chianti Classico. The area could be considered a 'sottozona' or
subzone of the San Casciano zone. The clay soil with some limestone has excellent water retention and gives wines with finesse, freshness, and
elegance, even during hot and dry vintages. The vineyard consists of an interesting mix of Sangiovese clones and biotypes (e.g. F9/R24 Biondi Santi
clone). The harvest takes place in multiple passes row by row. The musts are then fermented in multiple parcels in the cellar before a final blending.
Antonio ferments using a percentage of whole clusters, which is unusual in Italy. This technique gives the wines a distinctive aromatic elegance and
silky tannins. The approach in the cellar, in general, is minimal intervention, including native yeast fermentations in large open concrete vats or plastic
containers. There are no pumps, and all racking is with gravity. Herbal notes, crushed flowers, and elegant fruit describe the wines in general. If these
Sangiovese wines are made by a Chianti outsider, I say let him in.
Migliarina Montozzi
A 500-hectare hunting reserve, 28 hectares of vineyards, a 1600s villa, native yeasts ferments in cement… These are the ingredients for a traditional,
crunchy, red-fruit Chianti. Add in a place you can stay while on your next Tuscan vacation that’s neither stuffy nor touristy and there you have Migliarina
Montozzi in a nutshell. Created in the 1600s, Villa Migliarina is around 45 minutes south of Florence between the towns of Arezzo and Siena on the
western edge of the Colli Arentini hills. Looking at the predominance of the sand and lime in the soils here, you’ll understand just how these wines
highlight a terse and mineral side of Sangiovese, with fine tannins and a vinous drinkability. Cousins Antonio and Carlo Bartolini Baldelli maintain both
the villa and estate to keep it true to tradition. It’s no easy feat; many producers go the route of renting out for photoshoots and weddings instead of
concentrating on excellence in the vineyards and cellar. We are lucky to have such down to earth people making such honest wines.
Ranchelle
The best wine producers have their own brand of authenticity, and it comes through in the wines. Christoph Fischer is a long-time German expat
who’s fixated on a preservation project (recupero) of Maremma’s abandoned vineyards and varieties. The Maremma area lies mostly along the
Tuscan coast. It’s a place where the ancient Etruscans once cultivated vines and where the Butteri (Tuscan cowboys) still roam. Morello di Scansano
is perhaps the best-known wine from the Maremma. It can offer juicy fun, but the old local varieties here are way more soulful. We know of no one
doing such interesting work as Christoph in the area: all organic farming, all native yeasts, extremely low sulfur. Soils are an even mix of sand,
limestone, and clay. Christof works from a one hectare plot of 60 year-old albarello (bush) vines in an area named on old maps as Millocchio: literally
a ‘thousand-eyes’ (mille + occhio). According to locals, it was an area where there were once so many vineyards on the hills that thousands of vine
buds would look down on you. From that one abandoned vineyard, he has planted two more hectares using massale selection. Both wines (one white
and one red) ferment to dryness in open-topped fermenters with skin contact for about three weeks and punchdowns twice a day using a multi-
pronged mandrone stick that he got from an old farmer in the area. Christoph’s makeshift cellar was a Super Alimentari (corner grocery store) in the
1970s. It’s extremely clean now. After a light pressing, most of the juice goes into used 500-liter tonneaux; about 30% goes into stainless steel tanks.
A tiny amount of sulfur is used only when he blends the two parts.
Marche
Borgo Paglianetto
Borgo Paglianetto is a village of ancient farmhouses and hillside vineyards locals have brought together to form a new winery that highlights natural
and organic viticulture. The winery is located in the Matelica growing area of the Marche region, where the high-acid Verdicchio variety reigns
supreme. "Terravignata" is textbook Matelica: green apples and tangerines, framed by savory botanical herbs. "Ergon" ferments with native yeasts,
giving a subtle wine that shows muted stone fruits, botanical herbs, and a tapering saline finish. The top wine, "Vertis", is from an old, high-altitude
vineyard that produces a more structured wine, with notes of botanicals herbs and perfectly ripe tangerines. More info coming soon!
LE SALSE
FUSO is PortoVino’s project to search for and bottle the best of Italy’s daily drinkers – the wines you’d find in a memorable trattoria or wine bar. Italians
have a long DIY tradition of filling up big, glass jug 'damigiana' from their favorite local producers and storing it in their garage or cellar to siphon off a
bottle or carafe when needed for lunch or dinner. In that spirit, FUSO works only with real producers, native grapes, low sulfur, practicing or certified
organic farming, and native yeasts. These are daily drinkers with character: a touch vinous, and lots of deliciousness. This wine is made by Cantine
Belisario, a high-quality co-op in Matelica, whose members are all committed to working sustainably and organically in the vineyards. It’s our response
to the ocean of Pinot Grigio that has washed up on U.S. shores: refreshing, versatile, glug-able, but with the real character that most Pinot Grigios lack.
The vineyards are on top of a Jurassic-period raised seabed, near saltwater springs called 'le salse' (from 'sale' meaning salt) at an altitude of 450m.
Lazio
Podere Orto
Podere Orto lies on Lazio’s high plains at 600m elevation in an area called L’Alta Tuscia Viterbese, or simply Tuscia. It’s a bit of a Bermuda Triangle,
between Italy’s center and south, at the 'trivium' of Lazio, Umbria, and Tuscany. When Chianti Classico is getting too hot in the summer, this is a good
place to come to cool off. Many of the grapes grown here are biotypes of varieties found in Toscana, but these wines are more nervous, with more
tension and a skeined elegance. Part of this is due to the diverse varieties, but just as important is the high altitude and complex soils, including blue
limestone marls. Giuliano Salesi and Simona De Vecchis planted their vineyards here in 2009 from a massale selection gleaned from abandoned
vineyards in the area. In 2011, they completed the restoration of their small farmhouse and cellar. Today, they are making fine, natural wines with
minimal intervention: there are no chemicals used in the vineyards, instead preferring biodynamic treatments, weeds are all pulled by hand, and the
wines are fermented with native yeasts without any additives. The resulting wines are a keen, fine, and natural expression of utterly unique varieties
and soils.
Colle Trotta
In 2006, Maurizio di Nicola aided by his great-nephew began the work of recuperating a century-old farm in the village of Colle Trotta, situated in the
shadow of the 2900m Gran Sasso mountain in Abruzzo. The crops include farro fields, fruit and olive trees, and 3.5ha of vineyards. Maurizio calls the
wines Q500 (Quota 500) because all of the vineyards sit at 500m or higher (and incidentally, they look down on Valentini’s). Farming is certified
organic, fermentations are indigenous, and the wines are unfiltered.
Emidio Pepe
Emidio Pepe is one of the true legends in Italian wine – a man who set out in 1964 to make some of the best wines in the world through entirely
natural and manual methods in the vineyard and cellar. The family farms 15ha of vineyards and olive trees, all clustered around their cantina and
home in the village of Torano Nuovo, in the northern-most part of Abruzzo. All work in the vineyard is organic and now biodynamic, and everything is
harvested by hand. In the cantina as well, the Pepe family works entirely by hand – or by foot. Both the Montepulciano and Trebbiano grapes are
pressed by foot before being fermented with native yeast, and then aged entirely in 50 year-old, glass-lined cement tanks. The Pepe family are great
believers in cement – specifically in glass-lined cement (Il vetro è sincero, they like to say: “Glass is honest.”). No sulfur is added to any of the wines
at any point in the cellar, including before bottling. These are wines made to age for decades, and for Pepe, it’s equilibrium (rather than sulfur or aging
in wood) that enables a wine to age and improve. The 350,000-bottle library of both Montepulciano and Trebbiano date back to Emidio’s first vintage
in 1964. When they receive an order for an older vintage, Emidio’s wife, Rosa, goes down to the cellar, opens the requisite number of bottles, decants
them by hand, and recorks the bottles (13 opened bottles make 12 finished bottles). This hand decantation just before sale is for the Pepes a more
natural and gentle way to remove sediment than filtration, and the brief exposure to air is beneficial to Montepulciano, which is prone to reduction. The
family’s total production is about 70,000 bottles per year, each of which is a hand-made part of the history that Emidio Pepe began creating more than
50 years ago.
Campania
Antica Masseria Venditti
Back in 1988, the Italian wine guide Gambero Rosso introduced the word "organic" for the first time in its review of Venditti’s wines. Those who still
believe that “organic” equals “unscientific” should think again. Nicola Venditti is both an enologist and the very incarnation of a contadino (farmer). The
vineyards have been in the family for over 400 years — thus the “antica” part of Antica Masseria — and he is deeply passionate about his territory of
Sannio, adjacent to better-known Taurasi. Nicola eschews oak and kneels at the altar of steel, thus letting all of the wines really show the clean and
distinct fruit of their native grapes (some of which only he cultivates). His cantina is squeaky clean, and he gladly whistles out pH and acid levels for
those inclined. This humanist-techno-geek approach, he explains, is a combination of the “humanity” of ancient methods and local varieties, together
with the “rationality” offered by technology. The new "Assenza" (meaning, "not containing" or, "absent of") wines are made completely without SO2.
Luigi Tecce
A visit to Luigi Tecce can get you emotional. Luigi himself is a ball of them, and his Aglianico from Taurasi elicits them. His grandfather’s 'masseria'
(farmhouse) and vineyards are located in the Taurasi subzone known as Sud-Alta Valle (South-High Valley). It’s one of Taurasi’s highest altitude
growing areas, with a soil that’s layered with sand, limestone and Vesuvius’ pumice; it’s also the dwelling of Luigi’s 80+ year old vine-trees. There’s no
enologist and no agronomist, Luigi works here in relative solitude. Maybe that’s why there’s such an affinity between him and the wines. Strangely
enough, Luigi wasn’t groomed to be a farmer or 'vignaiolo'. After university, he worked in Rome as an assistant to a member of the Italian parliament.
Then suddenly in 1997, his father died and it caused Luigi’s homecoming back to the 4th generation farmhouse to take care of the property, which
included olive trees, goats, sheep, and of course vines. All this left no time for any practical knowledge to be handed down to him from his father or
grandfather. He didn’t know how to manage the property, let alone how to vinify wine, but he did have many memories from living there as a child, and
these guided him. So, in the sadness and loss of 1997, he started bottling for friends and family. He now has a total of 5ha of vines in two communes
(Paternopoli and Castelfranci) dispersed over seven plots. Luigi’s wines ferment with native yeasts, and nothing is added to or subtracted from the
wine. His craftiness comes from vineyard selection and mixing of the final barrels, and from the time-consuming and careful tending during harvest,
where he makes three passes. The first picking is in early October, when the grapes are not completely ripe, to add extra acidity and freshness. The
majority of the grapes are then picked in late October. In the early days of November, he picks the final bunches, which have grown throughout not
only the summer days and nights, but also the fading autumn sun. These are wines that have savory qualities, fleshy fruit, and structured tannins;
grand age-worthy wines, Monforte-esque, Barolo as the Aglianico of the North.
Pierluigi Zampaglione
Pierluigi Zampaglione’s family has farmed tomatoes, grains, and beans for generations in the town of Calitri, located 75 miles east of Avellino in the
Alta Irpinia. In 2002, Pierluigi decided to plant 2ha of Fiano vines at 800 meters of elevation and to make a single wine called "Don Chisciotte" (Don
Quixote – among other things, Pierluigi sees his vineyards and himself as tilting at the windmill farms that dot the Alta Irpinia landscape). Farming is
certified organic. All stainless steel, native yeasts, extended skin contact, very little sulfur, no other additives, and no filtration. The wine is complex
and chock full of character on the highest elevation Fiano vineyards we know of.
Puglia
CALX
FUSO is PortoVino’s project to search for and bottle the best of Italy’s daily drinkers – the wines you’d find in a memorable trattoria or wine bar. Italians
have a long DIY tradition of filling up big, glass jug 'damigiana' from their favorite local producers and storing it in their garage or cellar to siphon off a
bottle or carafe when needed for lunch or dinner. In that spirit, FUSO works only with real producers, native grapes, low sulfur, practicing or certified
organic farming, and native yeasts. These are daily drinkers with character: a touch vinous, and lots of deliciousness. CALX Primitivo is made by Filippo
Cassano. Filippo's certified organic vineyards are located in Gioia del Colle, a quick 30-minute drive inland west of Bari and home to the highest
elevation vineyards in Puglia. Soils are deep red clay with an underlying base of pure limestone, which, when combined with the elevation, gives
wines that have plenty of fruit, while still retaining their freshness and minerality. Fruit from Filippo's 20-year-old vines is hand-harvested, fermented
with native yeasts in stainless steel, and also aged entirely in steel with only a small amount of SO2 added for bottling.
Silvio Carta
The Carta family has been making (and storing) wine in the sleepy coastal town of Oristano for generations. The local grape is Vernaccia (though not
the one from Gimignano). The vine was possibly introduced by the Phoenicians or it was cultivated from wild vines of the Tirso valley. The style is
"oxidative", but no Englishman created or discovered this wine (as happened in Marsala). And maybe that’s a shame because these wines deserve
to be better known outside their home. The wine is vinified dry, and the nose is chalky and intriguing. Multiple aged vintages are available. The
register is something new for us, falling somewhere amid the mineral tones of Fino, the nuttiness of Marsala, and a bit of passito fruit.
Sicilia
Alcesti
Gianfranco Palladino and family are making honest, pure wines from local grapes in the Marsala region of Sicily. Certified organic farming and hand-
harvesting in a region and price-point that isn’t always the norm. Our idea of fresh, Sicilian wines ready to drink; both are fermented and aged in
stainless steel.
CALA
FUSO is PortoVino’s project to search for and bottle the best of Italy’s daily drinkers – the wines you’d find in a memorable trattoria or wine bar. Italians
have a long DIY tradition of filling up big, glass jug 'damigiana' from their favorite local producers and storing it in their garage or cellar to siphon off a
bottle or carafe when needed for lunch or dinner. In that spirit, FUSO works only with real producers, native grapes, low sulfur, practicing or certified
organic farming, and native yeasts. These are daily drinkers with character: a touch vinous, and lots of deliciousness. CALA is a collaboration between
Dario Serrentino or Mortellito with his good friend Francesco Sciré, an organic viticulturist in the Val di Noto in Sicily’s southeastern tip. Dario wanted
CALA Nero d'Avola to be light-on-it's-feet drinky, but not lose sight of that telltale Nero d’Avola warm spice and earth. So, he followed Franco’s vineyards
and had them pick just a bit early, and added a dollop (10%) of the local, punchy white, Grillo. Dario believes that the desert-like calcareous soils and
cool night air here help temper alcohol and give lift to the wines. And so it would seem with CALA, which drinks like a welcome oasis of shade, corrective
and invigorating. Chill CALA down and it’s like swimming in the Ionian Sea at sunset.
Mary Taylor
When founding partner Mary Taylor first fell in love with wine in the early 90s, it was the European classics that truly spoke to her and stole her heart.
As a young professional selling wine, she quickly learned to appreciate wine in the “Old World” way — not as a luxury good reserved for special
occasions, but a living agricultural product that belongs to everyday life. After many years working with the wines of Europe, Mary arrived at an
important insight. Left in the dark by decades of simplistic marketing efforts that placed grape above geography, American consumers needed a
brand they could trust to decipher the complex notion of terroir in a clear and straightforward way. Out of this realization, the “White Label” series
was born. Today, it is Mary’s mission to unlock the world of European appellation wines by working with individual growers in multiple villages — from
Bordeaux to Nîmes to Valençay to the Douro and beyond — who produce exceptional, regionally-distinctive wines at extremely accessible prices. In
the traditional spirit of the Old World, each Mary Taylor wine has been selected as a faithful ambassador of its geographic origin, true to local traditions
and the vision of the individual farmer who bottled it. All fruit is farmed sustainably or organically, only indigenous varieties are used, fermentations are
with native yeast, and only inert vessels are used for aging to yield a set of wines of genuine quality and integrity that will bring the magic of their
terroirs to life wherever you choose to enjoy them.
Mortellito
Val di Noto sits in the southeast corner of the Sicilian triangle, dipping down to the latitude of North Africa. In spite of the warm climate, the local
varieties (especially Grillo and Frappato) and white limestone soils are capable of producing balanced wines with tension and moderate alcohol. Dario
Serrentino, after years of selling off his grapes (to naturalistas Frank Cornelissen, Lamoresca, inter alia), started to vinify and bottle his own wines in
2014 as Mortellito. Dario is a naturalista as well, but he insists on making clean wines that taste extreme only in their deliciousness. He works his
family’s 25ha, 15 of which are under vine; the rest are a mix of ancient olive groves and heirloom almond varieties. His wines have a tempered
hedonism, a mix of 'taking' in the sun (as the Italian idiom goes), and then 'taking a bath' in the salty-cool sea.
Benaza
The wine region Monterrei is located just above Portugal in the province of Ourense. Monterrei is a relatively new DO but possesses a long history of
winegrowing, and at the moment is experiencing a renaissance in winemaking. The climate is relatively dry and warm for Galicia and more continental
than Atlantic. The soils are a mix of clay and alluvial. Benaza Godello is a balanced, drinkable, and food-friendly vino blanco. It expresses the unique
personality and inherent qualities of the Godello grape and Monterrei terruño. Benaza Godello is a cuvée made especially for Vinos de Terruños in
collaboration with Álvaro Bueno, a vintner with deep roots and intimate knowledge of the Monterrei region. Fermented in stainless steel vat and
raised on the lees for up to a year.
Bodegas Corisca
Natalia Rodriguez is one of the most focused producers of Albariño in all of Galicia, as well as a trailblazer. Bodegas Corisca was founded in 2006 and
certified organic in 2010, the first in Rías Baixas. Before establishing Corisca, Natalia’s father José Maria (who is 82 years old and still goes to the
vineyard every day) sold his grapes to neighbors in the Condado do Tea, the southernmost subzone of Rías Baixas where Galicia meets Portugal. The
Atlantic coast of Galicia is a seriously difficult place to farm organically, and Natalia is keen to point out that it is always a challenge despite the slightly
drier, more inland zone where she farms (relative to literally coastal vineyards, where organic farming is often not possible at all). Work in the vineyards
is rigorous and natural, incorporating sheep manure and maintaining year-round cover crops, with fortifying applications of Natalia’s homemade infusions
of comfrey, willow, and garlic, in addition to standard topical copper and sulfur treatments. All of this effort is in the pursuit of perfecting the balance of
one wine, Corisca Albariño, made from two vineyards in Tui: her father’s beloved "Finca Muiño", where 35-year-old Albariño vines sprawl overhead in
the traditional parral system, in addition to a vineyard planted in 2010 next to the winery. In the winery, vinification is simple and unobtrusive. The grapes
are destemmed and pressed with a pneumatic press, after which the must undergoes a cold settling. Native yeast fermentation with pied de cuve lasts
1-2 months, and the wine remains on the finest lees for a minimum of 3 months, after which the tanks are blended and bottled to order.
La Milla
Rías Baixas represents the lowlands of Galicia, with an elevation generally less than 300m near the sea and the lower reaches of the rivers, giving
the region a distinct Atlantic influence with mild temperatures and high rainfall. Here, Albariño finds its natural habitat. La Milla is a cuvée made in
collaboration with third generation winegrower and winemaker Angel Parada. It is sourced from an organically and biodynamically farmed plot of old
vines (up to 80 years old) in the sandy soils of the Soutomaior subzone of Rías Baixas. After hand harvesting, spontaneous fermentation and aging
occur entirely in stainless steel tanks.
La Rioja
Siete
Siete Rioja comes from a second generation family farm using environmentally friendly methods for producing the best wines. Vineyards are divided
among several municipalities – Calahorra, Andosilla, and San Adrián – all within Rioja Baja. The soils are diverse, with limestone dominating, but also
sand, clay, and gravel. Siete is a wine made especially for Vinos de Terruños in collaboration with brothers Andrés and Ramón Serrano, pioneers in
organic farming in Rioja Baja. Tempranillo, Garnacha, and Mazuelo are each vinified separately in stainless steel before final blending.
Navarra
Naipes
The region of Navarra is located northeast of the Rioja border. It’s a region that enjoys three distinct climatic influences: Atlantic, Continental, and
Mediterranean, as well as a great variety of soils types and elevations. This makes Navarra one of the most interesting regions for viticulture in Spain.
The fruit for Naipes is sourced from the town of Carcar located in the Ribera Alta sub-zone of Navarra. Due to its limestone subsoils, high elevation,
and accompanying temperature fluctuations between day and night, it is a well-known area to produce excellent wines based on Garnacha Blanca and
Tinta. Naipes is made in collaboration with the brothers Andrés and Ramón Serrano, pioneers in organic and biodynamic agriculture in Navarra. The
wines are certified organic and biodynamic by Demeter and fermented with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel tanks to highlight the fruit and minerality
of the region.
Verasol
The region of Navarra sits just northeast of the bordering Rioja. It is a region that enjoys three distinct climate influences – Atlantic, Continental, and
Mediteranean – as well as a myriad of soil types and elevations. This makes Navarra one of the most interesting regions for winegrowing in all of
Spain. The fruit for this cuvée is sourced from organically farmed vines around the town of Olite, a winemaking town in the Ribera Alta subzone of
Navarra. Due to its limestone sub-soils, high elevation, and accompanying fluctuations between daytime and nighttime temperatures, this is an area
known to produce excellent Tempranillo and Garnacha based wines. Verasol is a cuvée made especially for Vinos de Terruños in collaboration with
Charo Moriones, a vintner with deep roots and intimate knowledge of the Navarra region. Fermented and raised in old cement vats. Bottled unfiltered.
Castilla y León
M. Sokolin
After working as a sommelier in San Francisco at Michael Mina and Acquarello, Mitchell Sokolin decided to spend the last several years traveling the
globe learning to make in both hemispheres, at places like Mac Forbes in Australia. Finally, for his first solo project, he has settled down in the
southern part of Castilla y León in Sierra de Salamanca. The grapes for this wine come from a vineyard planted in 2004 as part of research
collaboration with the regional government. Called "La Espaldera" ('trellis' in English), it represents the most comprehensive collection of the known
clones of Rufete. While the trellised, cordon-pruned vines are a departure from the more traditional bush vines of the region, it is tightly planted on a
steep WNW-facing slope of decomposed granite and quartz, supported by hand-built stone terraces. It has been farmed organically (and certified as
such) since it was planted, and the winemaking follows a very minimalist approach, with SO2 as the only addition.
Madrid
Rubén Díaz
Rubén Díaz is a proud son of Cebreros, the village at the historic heart of the Sierra de Gredos and namesake of the new DO Cebreros, where perfectly
adapted old vines of Garnacha grow on granite and schist terroirs between 600-1250m elevation. In 1999, Rubén had an awakening when some of his
family vineyards were about to be torn out. He recounts having a physical reaction to the threat and realizing the importance of preserving his village’s
viticultural history. He started asking questions about viticulture and learning from his father and village elders, then studied, experimented, and compared
notes with fellow pioneers in the push for quality in Gredos. His focus is on organic viticulture and low-intervention, single-parcel vinifications across wide-
ranging terroirs. He is also a vital connector between the region’s producers and its most desirable vineyard sites – it doesn’t take more than a few
minutes in conversation with aspiring and established 'Garnachistas' in the area for Rubén’s name to come up, usually in gratitude for his generosity with
knowledge, space, grapes, and time. Rubén is hands-off in the vines, aiming for minimal disruption of the soil, and he uses no additives or set protocols
in the cellar except for very low, strategic sulfur additions. His only obsession is transferring into each glass of wine the meticulous care of the vineyards
and the peculiarities of each vintage. Weather conditions and temperatures change quite suddenly in these mountains, vintages vary quite radically, and
you can really feel it in all of Rubén’s wines over time. His whites are made from old vines of Chasselas Doré and Albillo Real and exhibit a range of
styles: young and fresh, skin-macerated, sous-voile, oxidatively aged in solera, and more. His reds are pure Garnacha, naturally made but classically
built, exhibiting the power, precision, and elegance for which Sierra de Gredos is gaining fame.
Aragón
Bielsa
The wine region Cariñena is located just southeast of Navarra in the province of Zaragoza. It is part of the larger political region of Aragón, the area
considered to be the ancestral home of the Garnacha grape. Cariñena possesses an ideal terruño for growing and making wine from old vine
Garnacha. The soils are poor and limestone based. The climate is continental, with hot days to ensure ripening and cool nights to preserve acidity,
along with a unique cooling influence from a wind that blows from the north, called Cierzo. This cooling influence helps give unusually delicate
aromatics and elegant wines from the late-ripening and potentially alcoholic Garnacha grape. Bielsa Garnacha is meant to be a drinkable and food-
friendly wine that expresses the unique personality and inherent qualities of self-sustaining, old vine viticulture and the Cariñena terruño. It is a cuvée
made especially for Vinos de Terruños in collaboration with Ana Becoechea, a vintner with deep roots and intimate knowledge of the Cariñena region.
Fermented and raised 3 months in American barrels. Bottled unfiltered.
German Gilabert
Cava is Spain’s most famous sparkling wine. In order to be called Cava, the wine has to be made using 'método tradicional', where the secondary
fermentation happens in the bottle. 95% of Cava is produced in the Penedès area of Catalunya, located just southwest of Barcelona. It is no wonder
that Cava is the drink of choice in the many tapas bars of the great city. The grapes used for German Gilabert come from the subzone Alt Penedès,
where the highest elevation plots are located. Only native grapes are used, the vines are farmed organically, and the wine is bottled without added
sugar or Brut Nature. German Gilabert is a cuvée made especially for Vinos de Terruños in collaboration with a vintner who has deep roots and
intimate knowledge of Cava production. Primary fermentation in stainless steel vats. Secondary fermentation in the bottle, and it is raised on the lees
18-20 months before disgorgement. Bottled with no dosage.
Canary Islands
Iñaki Garrido
Iñaki Garrido is an exciting new voice in the Canary Islands. Originally from the Basque region, Iñaki studied industrial design at university, then went on
to formally train and work as a sommelier. With time, it became clearer that he needed to work in the vines, so he went back to school in Rioja for an
advanced degree in viticulture and started his first small wine project there. His search for a vineyard of his own to farm and vinify drew him to the Canary
Islands and the oldest, highest zone of Tenerife’s Valle de Güímar, called Las Dehesas. It was here that Iñaki says he found everything he had ever
wanted: 0.5ha of own-rooted Listán Blanco, aged 150-200 years old, growing at 1400 meters on poor, rocky volcanic soils over sand and clay. This is
a special zone, very steep, difficult to access, and dry, with almost all of the annual moisture coming from the science fiction-worthy “horizontal rains” that
blow into the sides of Mt. Teide and provide critical hydration to the vegetation and vines growing along the sides of the volcano. Iñaki moved to Tenerife
full-time in pursuit of this profound mountain parcel. With the help of his friend (and competitive tasting partner), Jonatan García Lima of Suertes del
Marques, he produced his first vintage of Canary Island wine in 2019. Iñaki farms organically and vinifies Las Toscas naturally. The Listán Blanco
bunches were pressed gently and fermented with native yeasts in two 500L barrels (one new Stockinger and one used French), racked from the gross
lees after fermentation, and returned to barrel to rest on the fine lees for 6 months with no batonnage. Relative to the impressive range of expressions
of Listán Blanco from Tenerife, Las Toscas is unique. There is no sign of the reduction commonly found in Listáns from Orotava, nor the volume and
glycerol found in Santiago del Teide. The flavors are cool and enveloping, delicate and long. It is a thrill to experience a stunning new side of Listán
Blanco from Tenerife!
Terras do Dão
Mary Taylor
When founding partner Mary Taylor first fell in love with wine in the early 90s, it was the European classics that truly spoke to her and stole her heart.
As a young professional selling wine, she quickly learned to appreciate wine in the “Old World” way — not as a luxury good reserved for special
occasions, but a living agricultural product that belongs to everyday life. After many years working with the wines of Europe, Mary arrived at an
important insight. Left in the dark by decades of simplistic marketing efforts that placed grape above geography, American consumers needed a
brand they could trust to decipher the complex notion of terroir in a clear and straightforward way. Out of this realization, the “White Label” series
was born. Today, it is Mary’s mission to unlock the world of European appellation wines by working with individual growers in multiple villages — from
Bordeaux to Nîmes to Valençay to the Douro and beyond — who produce exceptional, regionally-distinctive wines at extremely accessible prices. In
the traditional spirit of the Old World, each Mary Taylor wine has been selected as a faithful ambassador of its geographic origin, true to local traditions
and the vision of the individual farmer who bottled it. All fruit is farmed sustainably or organically, only indigenous varieties are used, fermentations are
with native yeast, and only inert vessels are used for aging to yield a set of wines of genuine quality and integrity that will bring the magic of their
terroirs to life wherever you choose to enjoy them.
Lisboa
Uncondemned
Very old “backyard” vineyards in the rural area north of Lisbon farmed by grandmothers and planted by their grandfathers. A full-time train conductor
whose maniacal off-hours toiling in said vineyards is the only thing holding condemnation at bay. A flirting-with-the-law tradition called 'palhete' of wines
made from a blend of red and white grapes. The nightmarish doodles of a medieval monk who feared retributive torture at the hands of unforgiving
rabbits. This is the story of Uncondemned. The wine from these 120-150-year-old vines was originally a product the local farmers would make for their
personal consumption or to be commercialized locally, along with the olive oil, vegetables, fruit, and animals they also raised. Feeling as though they
could not live off of selling these products alone, the next generation has moved away to find jobs elsewhere, leaving the vines to grow wild. So, André
Gomes, the winemaker at Quinta do Montalto in Lisboa, took action to save these historic vineyards. André organically farms two old-vine parcels in the
Encostas d'Aire DOP, where the chalky soils and cool sea breezes from the Atlantic Ocean give the wines a fresh acidity. André uses a traditional
Portuguese method of blending red and white grapes called 'palhete', which was described by the local monks centuries ago. This was traditional
throughout central Portugal until the mid-20th century when it eventually fell out of favor for commercial reasons. Both white and red grapes are
destemmed, crushed, and allowed to start fermenting spontaneously in unlined, open-top concrete tanks. The wine ages in concrete tanks with no
temperature control until the following summer, when it is bottled without filtration and just a minimal addition of sulfur.
Orgo
Orgo, a small, artisan winery located in the Kakheti AOP in eastern Georgia, is a project between Georgian winemaker Gogi Dakishivili and his son
Temur Dakishvili. Temur’s youth and energy coupled with Gogi’s experience and wisdom create a unique partnership that both honors the centuries-old
Dakishvili family winemaking tradition, yet strives to make it new again each year. Their mission is to make singular, unique wines that add their own
voice to the 8,000-year-old Georgian winemaking tradition. To this end, Orgo only works with old vine, 50-80-year-old vineyards, with yields as low as
1.5kg of grapes per vine-tree. Sourcing from old vines is an extremely rare and difficult project in Georgia since during the Soviet era, these older
vineyards were ripped up and replaced to increase production. The wines are all fermented spontaneously with native yeast and age in traditional clay
Qvevri with very low sulfur additions. In addition to Orgo, Temur and Gogi have created Dila-o as a way to show off these traditional Georgian
winemaking techniques while overdelivering on price.
Our Wine
Our Wine is a family-run winery led by winemaker Soliko Tsaishvili. Soliko started making wine as a hobby 30 years ago and he now farms 5.5ha in
Kakheti under biodynamics with some vineyards up to 50 years old. Most of his days are spent in the vineyards by himself tending to the vines like his
children (his actual ones are pictured on the labels). Soliko and his family do everything themselves by hand and their love for each bottle shows.
Grapes are destemmed and pressed into traditional Qvevri. After a wild fermentation, the wines age in Qvevri for six months and are bottled without
filtration and with no sulfur added. These are traditional wines with as much character as Soliko himself: bold, rustic, and authentic of place.
Kartli
Tevza
Goga Tevzadze established his traditional micro-winery at his home in Mtskheta in the Kartli region of Georgia in 2018. After starting a small, craft
distillery, Goga eventually left to pursue his love of winemaking. Tevza is focused on producing lively, natural, and highly expressive wines from the
unique and ancient grape varieties of Kartli. The wines are made from younger vine, 10-14-year-old vineyards with super low-intervention work in the
cellar. Fermentations are spontaneous in 900-1,300L traditional Qvevri with extended maceration, and the wines are bottled with no filtration.
Guria
Dato's Wine
Dato Kobidze of Dato's Wine makes fascinating and expressive natural wines from his family vineyard in Ereketi in the western region of Guria bordering
the Black Sea. His wines are precious: often made from rare grapes and produced in small quantities, celebrating indigenous Gurian varieties that nearly
disappeared during the Soviet era, all of which are made traditionally in Qvevri. In past vintages, Dato has offered fascinating wines, such as a Qvevri
rosé from the uncommon, tree-climbing variety Chkhaveri, fruit-forward reds from the autochthonous variety Aladasturi, and wines from almost extinct
varieties such as Jani and Skhilatubani. Look for more exciting things to come from this hero of Western Georgian viticulture!
United States
California
Amplify Wines
Lifelong Santa Barbara natives Marlen and Cameron Porter are the husband-and-wife team behind Amplify Wines. After initially bonding over a shared
love of wine and music, they created Amplify as a natural extension of the marriage between their two greatest passions. As winemakers, they seek to
amplify the voice of a site and enhance the most singular characteristics of a given vineyard, marrying a sense of place with a sense of style. Although
not fans of dogma, there are certain winemaking and farming principles that are central to their beliefs: native yeast fermentations, neutral vessels for
fermentation and aging, no additions of any kind besides sulfur, farming that seeks to establish a healthy ecosystem, enhancing and supporting the
natural characteristics of a given place, and embracing happy accidents and letting intuition be their guide. And by following that intuition, they have
created some gorgeous and authentic wines with a unique voice that is all their own.
Broc Cellars
After growing up in Nebraska and working in Seattle, Chris Brockway arrived in California to study winemaking. Following a textbook education at UC
Davis and Fresno State, Chris’ experience of drinking and enjoying more low-intervention, natural wines persuaded him to take a somewhat different
path than most of his classmates. In 2002, he began working at an urban winery in Oakland before leaving in 2006 to set up his own label from a
small industrial unit in Berkeley. Today, he runs his operation from a slightly bigger premises around the corner, but the focus remains the same:
producing site-specific wines from off-the-beaten-path vineyards or with unique, heritage grapes varieties, working only with fruit that is organically or
biodynamically grown, and taking a decidedly hands-off approach in the cellar, with only natural ferments and no additions other than sulfur when
needed. Chris' work continues to push the boundaries of "The New California", and his wines are some of the most compelling, terroir-expressive
examples being produced in the state today.
Oregon
Bow & Arrow
Husband-and-wife team Scott and Dana Frank of Bow & Arrow are producing wines from Loire Valley varieties in an urban winery in downtown
Portland. Both Scott and Dana have worked multiple roles throughout the wine industry: Scott previously worked as a wine retail buyer as well as an
assistant winemaker at Cameron Winery in the Dundee Hills, while Dana held numerous restaurant jobs in both the back and front-of-house. Inspired
by vignerons like Didier Barouillet of Clos Roche Blanche (who was an over-the-phone consultant on the project), Thierry Puzelat, and Marc Ollivier of
by vignerons like Didier Barouillet of Clos Roche Blanche (who was an over-the-phone consultant on the project), Thierry Puzelat, and Marc Ollivier of
organic or biodynamic vineyards around the Willamette Valley, and the work in the cellar is completely natural. The result is a set of serious, well-
crafted, food-friendly, affordable wines that are a true homage to the Loire.
Colston Biblio
Originally from Cincinnati, Matty Colston spent the last decade in Chicago working in the wine and restaurant biz at places like Webster's Wine Bar,
Telegraph, Rootstock, and was most recently the Beverage Director at Parachute Restaurant since its opening in 2014. However, his experience has
weaved its way into his love for many things beyond the calls of a traditional sommelier. With the release of his Biblio wines, he aims to portray these
facets in a way that highlights a soulful thread of expression by the way he collaborates with winegrowers, artisans, authors, and even musicians.
"CB001" is his first wine and the first release of a future catalog that will create form and artistic expression through a love for curating and taste-making
available to everyone.
Pray Tell
When Tom Caruso was a kid, he helped his grandfather make wine on a city sidewalk in Philadelphia – ironically on the corner of Oregon Avenue.
They would source grapes from a local farm and use a small hand crank destemmer and basket press (which he still has today). In adulthood, try as
he might to find another career path, the inevitable reality sank in and he decided to drop everything and focus on wine. Tom enrolled in a wine school
where he met Jess. At the time, Jess already had a growing list of wine experience in San Francisco and the Napa Valley and was working with the
beverage program of a restaurant in NYC. After passing their exams, they realized suits and ties weren't their style and that their focus had shifted to
how wine is actually made. From New York to Sonoma to the Willamette Valley, they've spent years learning and working alongside some amazing
winemakers and mentors until finally deciding to add their own voices to the growing landscape of wine with Pray Tell in a little corner of Oregon’s
Willamette Valley. Their values are founded on sustainable, mindful farming, reactive winemaking, and an unflinching pursuit to continue learning and
enjoying each bottle they make.
Chile
Valle Central
Escándalo
After obtaining his enology degree in Spain, Mauricio Veloso Estuardo spent the next five years making wine around the country, including stints in
Bierzo where he first learned about low-intervention winemaking. In 2011, Mauricio decided to return back to his native Chile, taking a job with a large
producer where he was tasked with sourcing fruit from small farmers in the various winemaking valleys throughout the country. Through his travels,
Mauricio was able to discover beautiful, old vineyards in Colchagua, Itata, Maule, and beyond, home to traditional grapes like Pais, Sémillon, Cinsault,
and a few small lots of the forgotten-about Carignan, with vines ranging from 60 to over 200 years old. With this knowledge, in 2013, Mauricio decided
to start his own project, Escándalo, to highlight the amazing potential of these old, patrimonial vineyards throughout Chile. Today, Mauricio travels
nearly 400km from north to south searching out these old plots. The work in the vineyards remains extremely traditional with no chemicals used in
the vines (only organic treatments or plant and citrus extracts the farmers have used for generations) and all harvesting is done by hand. In the cellar,
everything is allowed to ferment spontaneously, and there is no fining or filtration, and only small additions of SO2 before bottling. These are honest
wines with great purity and freshness, proving that these old vineyards and traditional methods are still the best way to show off the amazing
viticultural history of Chile.
Argentina
Mendoza
Campo
We are proud to introduce Campo. Old-vine, organically-farmed fruit, made with low intervention: wild yeast fermentation, no acid adjustments, no new
oak... Pure, straight-forward Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon from Argentina that don’t taste like blueberry pie!
FUSO Project
FUSO
FUSO is PortoVino’s project to search for and bottle the best of Italy’s daily drinkers – the wines you’d find in a memorable trattoria or wine bar. Italians
have a long DIY tradition of filling up big, glass jug 'damigiana' from their favorite local producers and storing it in their garage or cellar to siphon off a
bottle or carafe when needed for lunch or dinner. In that spirit, FUSO works only with real producers, native grapes, low sulfur, practicing or certified
organic farming, and native yeasts. These are daily drinkers with character: a touch vinous, and lots of deliciousness.
France – Southwest
Domaine Séailles
Domaine Séailles is one of the pioneers of organic viticulture in the Côtes de Gascogne region of Southwest France. A family-owned estate since
1961, Séailles is now run by Jean Labérenne, who lead the domaine to Ecocert organic certification in 1997, swearing off all chemical fertilizers,
herbicides, insecticides, and synthetic chemical products. Located in the town of Ténarèze, which is unique in the region for its limestone soils, Jean
farms a total of 25ha of hillside vineyards with help the of Julien Lanclet and Laurent Lefèvre, even saving 2ha of vines to make the traditional spirit
of the region, Armagnac. The distillation is carried out at the domaine using an old, direct wood flame heated still, and the resulting spirits are aged
in 400L barrels for a minimum of 20 years.
Italy – Veneto
Le Vigne di Alice
Sisters-in-law Cinzia Canzian and Pier Francesca Bonicelli started Alice in 2004 to fulfill their dream of bottling artisanal Prosecco thatʼs all their
own: estate fruit, pre-Dolomite, grower Prosecco. We call it Prosecco for non-Prosecco lovers (a category that includes us). In addition to their
exceptional sparkling wines, the women also continue on the tradition of producing a small amount of Amaro. Previously, this Amaro was reserved
just for friends and family that came to visit at Cinzia's grandmother's osteria in Vittorio Veneto (she is the 'Alice' in 'Le Vigne di Alice'). Luckily, we
managed to convince them to sell us whatever extra they could so we have a small amount to share with you today. Cinzia’s aunt’s nickname was
'Nina' and she was the one who composed the amaro recipe with over 30 different medicinal (and mountain) herbs. The bitter cut comes from
Gentiana lutea, known in English as bitter root. The herb grows in grassy alpine and sub-Alpine pastures, usually on calcareous soil. You may
recognize its bitterness, as it is the main ingredient in Angostura bitters. Mint, orange rind, sage, fennel fronds, and more give aromatic nuance.
Scarpa
We sometimes assume that the great, historic producers in Italy are all well-known in the U.S. But ask the old timers: "I remember Scarpa…"
Antica Casa Vinicola Scarpa has been producing traditional, aristocratic wines in the Monferrato hills of southeast Piemonte for 150 years. They
have vineyards, farmed organically, in the Langhe as well as the Monferrato. Mario Pesce, admired by both Giacosa and Gaja, made Scarpa’s
reputation in the late 20th century, and today Maria Pier Zola and her family carry on his tradition of aging all the wines for years, and sometimes
decades before release. Traditional sometimes means 'rustic', but that's not the case here; Scarpa produces elegant wines with arrow-like acidity
and well-aged tannins. Bottle evolution and vintage characteristics emerge instead of pointillist fruit. Be on the lookout for releases from the
family's 45,000+ bottle library.
Italy – Sardegna
Silvio Carta
The Carta family has been making (and storing) wine in the sleepy coastal town of Oristano for generations. The local grape is Vernaccia (though not
the one from Gimignano). The vine was possibly introduced by the Phoenicians or it was cultivated from wild vines of the Tirso valley. The style is
"oxidative", but no Englishman created or discovered this wine (as happened in Marsala). And maybe that’s a shame because these wines deserve
to be better known outside their home. The wine is vinified dry, and the nose is chalky and intriguing. Multiple aged vintages are available. The
register is something new for us, falling somewhere amid the mineral tones of Fino, the nuttiness of Marsala, and a bit of passito fruit.
Spain – Valencia
Vidte
Vidte Vermouths come from the La Marina Alta sub-zone of Alicante, a region with many years of history in both wine and vermouth production. The
climate is Mediterranean giving these vermouths distinctive herbal characteristics. The soils of La Marina Alta are very limy, with low levels of clay
and very little organic material, giving very high-quality base wines. Vidte Vermouths are made in collaboration with winemaker Pedro Sarrión, an
oenologist with extensive knowledge in the production of wines from Alicante and Castilla-La Mancha. The base wines are made from the traditional
varieties Muscatel and Merseguera and are then macerated for several months with a combination of local Mediterranean aromatic herbs.
Wine Cocktails
Spain – Castilla-La Mancha
El Chiringuito
El Chiringuito is a project created by Vinos de Terruños in collaboration with the Delgado brothers, pioneers in organic farming in Castilla-La Mancha.
Named after the small beach bars selling drinks and tapas in coastal Spain, the intention is to create an authentic, organic version of the local favorite
drink, Sangria, transporting the aromas of beach evenings, summer times, and moments with friends. The Delgado brothers use only certified organic
grapes for the base wines and blend them with organic Valencian orange and lemon juice, with no sugar added.
Dessert
Name Vintage Grapes Size Pack Importer SLO Code
France
Domaine de Saint Pierre Vin de Liqueur "Les Larmes du Paradis" NV Chardonnay/Trousseau 750mL 6* MFW 570474
Mélaric Coteaux de Saumur "Funambule" 2013 Chenin Blanc 500mL 6* MFW 603343
Mélaric "Liquoreux de la Cerisaie" VdF Blanc 2011 Chenin Blanc 500mL 6* MFW 603342
Vins Hodgson "MF Doux" Rancio VdF Blanc 2016 Chenin Blanc 500mL 6 MFW 613741
United States
Eden Ice Cider "Heirloom Blend" NV ('13) Empire/McIntosh/++ 375mL 6* MFW 569675
Eden Ice Cider "Windfall Orchard" NV Heirloom Blend 375mL 6* MFW 569676
Eden Ice Cider "Northern Spy Barrel-Aged" NV ('13) Northern Spy 375mL 6* MFW 569677
Big Bottles
Name Vintage Grapes Size Pack Importer SLO Code
Sparkling/Pét-Nat
France
Bernard Vallette "Née Bulleuse" VMQ Rosé NV Gamay 1.5L 6 597106 562442
White Wine
France
Domaine des Rouges-Queues Bourgogne Aligoté "L'Aligator" 2017 Aligoté 1.5L 6 MFW 613682
Georges Millérioux Sancerre "Les Collinots" 2015 Sauvignon Blanc 1.5L 6* MFW 625940
Germany
Hofgut Falkenstein Niedermenniger Herrenberg Spätlese Feinherb (11) 2019 Riesling 1.5L 6* MFW 624056
Rosé Wine
France
Bernard Vallette "La Rose Gorge" VdF Rosé 2019 Gamay 1.5L 6 MFW 624042
Germany
Weingut Beurer Württemberg Rosé Trocken 2019 Trollinger/Portugieser/++ 1.5L 6* VB 620778
Stein Mosel Rosé Trocken 2019 Pinot Noir/Cab Sauv/Merlot 1.5L 6* VB 620983
Italy
Marco Merli "Jacone" Vino Rosato 2018 Sangiovese/Ciliegiolo 1.5L 1 PV 622285
Red Wine
France
Le Clos des Jarres "Insouciance" IGP Aude 2018 Caladoc/Merlot 1.5L 6 MFW 625974
Château La Grolet 2019 Merlot/CS/CF/Malbec 1.5L 6 MFW 627069
Elian Da Ros Côtes du Marmandais "Le vin est une fête" 2018 Abouriou/Cab Franc/Merlot 1.5L 6 MFW 622709
Benoît Roseau "Petit Patagon" IGP Collines Rhodaniennes 2015 Syrah 1.5L 6 MFW 579560
Bertin-Delatte "Rabatière" VdF Rouge 2017 Grolleau 1.5L 6* MFW 608469
Mélaric Saumur Puy-Notre-Dame "Clos de la Cerisaie" 2017 Syrah 1.5L 6* MFW 604063
Le Clos des Jarres "Une pour 2" IGP Aude 2017 Carignan 1.5L 6 MFW 608516
Domaine des Rouges-Queues Coteaux Bourguignons "Celsius" 2017 Gamay 1.5L 6* MFW 613690
Domaine Thillardon Chénas "Les Carrières" 2018 Gamay 1.5L 6* MFW 611602
Elian Da Ros Côtes du Marmandais "Histoires de Boire" 2018 Merlot 1.5L 6 MFW 622711
Domaine Thillardon Chénas "Les Vibrations" 2018 Gamay 1.5L 6* MFW 611601
Roland Pignard Morgon 2014 Gamay 1.5L 6* MFW 627104
Domaine des Rouges-Queues Maranges "En Buliet" 2017 Pinot Noir 1.5L 6* MFW 613686
Benoît Roseau Côte-Rôtie "Coteaux de Tupin" 2016 Syrah 1.5L 6* MFW 605016
Italy
Bella Vita Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2018 Montepulciano 1.5L 6 MFW 538945
I Custodi Etna Rosso "Pistus" 2017 N. Mascalese/N. Cappuccio 1.5L 6* PV 617301
Scarpa Barbera d'Asti "Casa Scarpa" 2016 Barbera 1.5L 1 PV 617441
I Custodi Etna Rosso "Aetneus" 2011 N. Mascalese/N. Capuccio/+ 1.5L 6* PV 617297
Scarpa Barbera d'Asti "La Bogliona" 2006 Barbera 1.5L 1 PV 617438
Spain
Adega Sernande "Mil Vueltas" Vino Tinto 2018 Mencía/Caíño/Palomino/++ 1.5L 3* ARW 625860