Nestled between Savoie, the Jura, Burgundy, and the Rhône, this small yet mighty appellation is one to explore. Patrick Bottex, along with his wife and son, farm the rocky limestone slopes of Bugey to produce a beautiful sparkling rosé. Predominantly Gamay, this slightly sweet bottling shows bright fruit and refreshing acidity.
Located in Bouzy, Champagne Paul Bara uses only their own estate grown fruit from 100% Grand Cru rated vineyards. This bottle offers great complexity on the nose and palate, it’s both full in the mouth and crisp with a very refined mousse, bright acid and a lengthy finish.
Edi Kante produces wines that are brimming with the character of his grapes and the stark limestone soil of Carso. A blend of Chardonnay and Malvasia Istriana, bottled with zero dosage. Dry, chalky, and just the right combination of fleshy and lean. A shop favorite, these are some serious bubbles.
Forget what you know about Rhône reds. This light, snappy Syrah-based rouge is meant for everyday drinking. You’ll find blue fruits at the forefront, with dark, smoky tinges toward the back. Yet the acidity is high, and tannins are silky. La Belle Étoile is about freshness and drinkability. Try it with burgers.
The name means the blood of the stones and for good reason. Here, the vineyard site is on top of a plateau of red clay, limestone, and copious round stones. These stones are influential in the creation of this wine’s depth of flavor and intensity. Rich notes of earth and dark, brooding fruit.
This bright and energetic blend of Vermentino and Chardonnay is poised to shake up your white wine regimen. On the nose, expect sea-kissed lemon rind and ripe pineapple. On the palate, it is crisp, dry, and seriously refreshing. Cue up the seafood: fish, scallops, anything in a shell. It’s going to pop when paired with this wine.
Despite the domaine’s proximity to the Alps, these vineyards in the Savoie enjoy a surprisingly warm microclimate with southern sun exposure. This brings ripeness to the Gamay vines, along with freshness and brightness and we just cannot stop drinking it.
Guy Breton ’s cuvee “Marylou” is named for his daughter. The Gamay in this Beaujolais Villages is sourced from 45-year-old vines in Saint Joseph and surrounding subzones laden with granite and rocky soils - resulting in a wine that is filled with juicy red fruits, notes of violet, and profound minerality. Enjoy Cool!
Raphaël Saint-Cyr recently inherited his family's estate and immediately began the conversion to organic–making him the largest certified organic domaine in the Beaujolais. His wines emphasize simplicity, elegance, and drinkability–perfect for the quenching of summertime thirsts. Raphaël's Beaujolais Rosé was lithe, characterful, and frankly downright stunning for the price. It was a huge hit as well with classic cookout fare.
For centuries, Chateau de Montfrin has been a somewhat famous rest stop in Southern France, with notable customers like Louis XIII and Moliére! In the 1990s, Jean Rene de Fleurieu decided to expand their historical site to include over 120 hectares of grape vines. This GSM blend is bright and rich- a perfect expression of the southern terroir.
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.
You simply cannot get a better bottle of Burgundy for under a hundred bucks than the Guillemot’s family best cuvèe from the Serpentières vineyard. Young or old, it always delivers everything we love about Burgundy, no more, no less. It’s fresh and youthful today, but will live for decades in the cellar.
Vignerons Ardèchois is one of the most well known cooperatives in southeastern France, hosting over 1,000 families. Sitting between the Cévennes foothills and the Rhône river, this microclimate produces a particularly fresh wine since the grapes are grown at a higher altitude. Enjoy this mouthwatering chardonnay with shrimp or salmon.
Marcel Lapierre helped launch the natural wine movement with his quest to produce delicious, highly drinkable Gamay without sulphur or chemicals. The estate has since set the standard for proper natural wine. The winemaking is now done by his son Mathieu & remains lively, fresh, and exuberant.
