BY REGION

Domaine Estelle Sauvion has been making some of the best Muscadet  for years now. Since becoming certified organic in 1996 and using a unique approach of aging the wine in large ‘foudres’ (oak barrels) they are making Muscadet that really delivers a unique experience.  Pair with oysters.

Dolcetto translates to “Little Sweet One” but don’t let it fool you. This bone dry wine has a brilliant ruby color and an expressive nose, full of savory aromatics balanced with tart red fruits.

Giulia Negri is producing everything we want in a great Nebbiolo at her high-elevation vineyards in Barolo. Her Langhe Nebbiolo is perfumed & precise,  bursting with lively fruit & freshness. Giulia is more than a rising star, she’s affirmed talent among Piedmontese vignerons.

Nicole Chanrion inherited her family’s estate at a time when few believed that women could make great wine. Yet, she persisted in making one of the best, most traditional Côte de Brouilly’s according to natural methods of winemaking. Her gloriously grapey Brouilly remains a killer value. Stock up and enjoy!

Jean Foillard is best known for popularizing and expanding the idea of ‘natural’ wine to the greater wine community. In his vision, wine should come from undisturbed, unmanipulated vines, and nothing should be added nor taken away from the final product. His Beaujolais-Villages is driven by a purity and energy that is unmistakably Foillard.

When we think “old World Chardonnay” our minds immediately head to Burgundy, but this Piemontese Chardonnay is a close second! The high altitude of these vines brings lightness, brightness, and freshness to this mineral-driven expression of Chardonnay.

We can barely restrain our excitement for this brand new wine from the best value producer in all of Italy. All of Elvio Tintero’s wines are spot on, delicious, and cheap! Delicious, classic Nebbiolo for 13 bucks? How can you beat it? With some fresh pasta, that’s how.

Sparkling Chenin Blanc is one of the best ways to get any party started. This wine is orchard fruited, floral, and spunky - perfect for your next get together. Sebastien Brunet converted his family estate to organics in 2006 and the wines are only getting better for it.

Between vegetable farming and tinkering with his motorcycle, Régis Minet makes beautiful, precise, textbook Loire Sauvignon Blanc. You couldn't ask for a better summer white to accompany you poolside or paired with Sage Farm Sterling cheese!

Poderi Cellario represents the best of old and new Piedmont. They are firm classicists when it comes to respecting local winemaking traditions,  yet manage to imbue their bottlings with a sense of modernity and playfulness. This is glou-glou with structure and depth, meant to be enjoyed with pizza.

The Favorita grape is quite rare, even in Piedmont. Genetically identical to Ligurian Vermentino, it bears a nose of intensely perfumed pear, with serious freshness & considerable minerality. It’s easy on the palate & the wallet, as well as a downright crushable Italian white, perfect for a wide array of dishes.

Andrea’s “Dellamesola,” named after his particular zone of Brusnengo, is a letter-perfect exemplar of the specialness of his terroir in miniature. Comprising 80% Nebbiolo and 10% each Vespolina and Croatina from just outside the delimitation of the Bramaterra appellation, it spent one year in large Slavonian oak casks.

Northern Piedmont’s growing conditions are much different than that of the Langhe - with close proximity to the Alps the season is earlier and skins are thicker. Ioppa uses large oak barrels on their Nebbiolo, creating a wine that is softer with pronounced aromatics. Enjoy with steak or something on the grill!

Dolcetto is often relegated to second–or even third–fiddle in the realm of great Piedmontese reds. Yet–a really sublime Dolcetto paired up with the ideal cuisine can surely outshine far more sophisticated wines. That is certainly the case in the cellars of Guido Porro. A humble winemaker with a lineup as sharp as they come, you won't find more value in approachable Italian reds anywhere else in the country. This release of his Dolcetto is particularly delicious, begging to be paired up with your favorite pizza pie.

You know the gang by now–Lapierre, Foillard, and Breton. These guys banded up in their twenties to (help) change the world of French wine, natural wine, and Beaujolais forever. But the name Thévenet, the fourth gang of Four member, rarely gets mentioned. That's partially because Jean-Paul makes far less wine than the others. The single wine he makes, perhaps the most elegant and long-lived expression of Morgon I've ever tasted is a true study on that lovely village. It is high-toned, zesty, and lightly funk in its youth, and can age like great Burgundy–if, unlike me, you have the patience to wait. I've gone through chilled bottle after chilled bottle this summer. If you love Beaujolais and haven't yet experienced Thévenet's rendition, now's the time to do it!

 

This classic Anjou Cabernet Franc is exactly what we want on the dinner table every night. It is bright, with a lively freshness and a savory backbone only Cab Franc can produce.

Interested in learning what Nebbiolo is all about? This is a great place to start. All of the fruit for this wine comes from the Balluri cru in Neive, and it goes through all the steps to earn the title. Barbaresco: 100% Nebbiolo, and 2 years in large neutral oak.

Guy’s friends may call him “Petit Max”, but in the world of wine, he is quite the contrary. Breton is a major force in restoring the honor of Gamay in Beaujolais. This Morgon is his principle offering from 80-year-old vines, contributing a deeper complexity and structure to lush red fruits.

Ask any sommelier, and they will tell you Chenin Blanc on Schist soil is an absolute dream come true. Here in Anjou, that’s exactly what we’re working with. The mild climate and Maritime influence of Anjou, paired with the mouth watering acidity and gorgeous orchard fruited characters of Chenin Blanc deliver way above its price point.

Taking after his father and his legendary winemaking, Adrien Renoir is making a statement in their appellation as he converts their farming to biodynamic, making fresh bubbles with finesse. His ‘Le Terrior’ cuvee is 50% Chardonnay and 50% Pinot Noir, bone-dry, bold flavor, with a gorgeous, long finish.

This organic and biodynamic farm in the rolling hills of Tuscany doesn’t just grow delicious Sangiovese, they also grow olives, fruits, and vegetables alongside the vines. This high-toned wine is the perfect pairing for a spaghetti and meatball dinner.

Athletes du Vin is a collective of Loire Valley producers that set out on a mission to bring the winemaker's table to you. These are the everyday wines you will find on winemakers tables littered among goat cheese crottin and heaping jars of rillettes. The wines of Athletes du Vin are meant to be opened often and consumed without pretension. Poured out liberally with cherished friends and good food.

Cabernet Franc and Chenin Blanc spring to mind when discussing Loire Valley wine but have you ever heard of Pineau d’Aunis? This little-known grape is a hidden gem in the Loire valley. A native grape to the region and a true sponge of terroir. It has a reputation for being extremely finicky to grow and by the 1970s there were only 17 hectares of Pineau d'Aunis remaining in the Loire Valley! Recognizing the importance of preserving native varietals from extinction a few winemakers decided Pineau d'Aunis was worth the additional attention to grow and we are glad they did! At Dedalus, we are on a constant hunt for value-driven chillable reds. A staff favorite and a style of wine that pairs with almost anything or nothing at all. Athletes Pineau d'Aunis is packed with crunchy cherry fruit but showcases its savory side delivering waves of sage and black pepper. If you find yourself gravitating towards more youthful expressions of Beaujolais this will be right up your alley!

Craving a truly transportive experience? Throw a slight chill on this bottle, and enjoy at lunchtime with a slice of roasted pheasant terrine, grilled sausages, and cornichons. You won’t be disappointed!