In every vintage, Eric is the man, but in 2012, nature worked with him 11.8% ABV? The 2012s are just popping up on the market right now, rush out and... read more →
One label, two faces. I admit not being a fan of viognier, but tempered by the roussanne, it manages to avoid cloying perfume and segues into an ethereal florality. A... read more →
All of Texier’s hard work at Brézème has come together in 2012, so much so that he bottled without sulfur. It’s a beauty, and there’s plenty of finesse in this... read more →
I’m always on the lookout for a good old-fashioned grenache, and I might have one here. The grapes have a short semi-carbonic maceration, then aged for nine months in concrete... read more →
When I was out at Les Marchand Wine Bar in Santa Barbara, tasting through wines from the Jurassic Vineyard we all indulged in this one, and drank and drank even... read more →
There’s an enclave of winemakers clustered in the Ardeche who work with the kind of cold carbonic maceration used by the early natural winemakers. There, Manuel Cunin and Vincent Fargier... read more →
While researching Naked Wine, I wandered into the Ardeche and spent the night carousing with the band of winemakers up there. Among them, Andre Calek, Sylvain Bock, Gerald Oustric and... read more →
Wonderful wine values, classy stuff, can come from the Collines Rhodaniennes of the Rhône (mostly around Vienne on east side of the Rhône River). There’s even some lovely viognier, which... read more →
From the Southern Rhône town of Vaison la Romaine comes a vibrant wine made from biodynamic syrah, grown on limestone. Now, I’m usually not too in love with syrah from... read more →
Hervé Souhaut’s first vintage from this reclaimed vineyard in Saint Joseph, the 2012, is just about sold out. You’ll be lucky to find some on restaurant lists. It’s beautiful. I... read more →