Les Peyrautins Pinot Noir

You have been told that Pinot Noir is the most finicky of grapes; indeed, it’s supposed to be the “heartbreak grape.” The statement is not false but it’s also not completely true. To make great Pinot noir is bloody difficult and to do it consistently is virtually impossible, unless you’re in some famous place. But that’s true of most grapes. It’s true that Pinot noir grown in the wrong place is pretty dreadful, maybe more dreadful than most other grapes. But the middle ground has plenty of wealth to it – you need a friendly place for grape growing but not too friendly. With France’s Pays d’Oc, there are places where it’s easy to ripen grapes and areas that offer just enough challenge to coax Pinot Noir into showing its friendly and compelling side. This is an ideal example.

Lillie's Collection Red

Guenoc Winery Langtry Estate Lillie’s Collection Victorian Claret –The Langtry estate’s history is not just that it was planted by Lillie Langtry, a once famed and adventurous Victorian actress. The vineyard was nearly forgotten but rescued back in the 1970s by Orville Magoon. This is 49% Malbec, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Petite Sirah and 2% Petite Verdot.

Maison De Rue 37

Aside from sounding like Dustin Hoffman’s character in Midnight Cowboy, Rasteau is one of the genuine values in red wine. More or less baby Chateauneuf, Rasteau these days mimics the blend that has evolved in Chateauneuf-du-Pape and now extends to other critical areas of the Southern Rhone: 70% Grenache, 15% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah, 5% other (in this case, Cinsault).

Malluso Rosso

McKahn Morning Glass Cabernet

Chuck McKahn knew at fifteen he wanted to make wine. After studying fermentation science at Cal Poly, he spent five harvests at Chappellet on Pritchard Hill before co-founding McKahn Wines in 2014 with his wife Brittany and parents Kevin and Denise. His Morning Glass is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from a top southern Napa site: destemmed to stainless, 14 days on the skins, aged 18 months in French oak (40% new).

Meiomi Pinot Noir

This is what we like to call Pinot for Cab drinkers. Large and in charge this is the Pinot packs more punch than many Pinot's that are twice as expensive. Don't worry about the screw cap...these people know what they are doing.

Meyer Family Spitfire Cabernet

Minairo

The fame of Priorat is both recent and ancient; the beautiful Escaladei (Steps of God) mountain formation frames the monastery of Santa Maria of Escaladei; it was founded in the 12th century by Alfonso the Chaste (poor guy). And over the last few decades, the slate and quartz soils called llicorella generate super low yields and super concentrated wines. Grenache and Carignan dominate but this blend includes small amounts of Syrah and Merlot; six months in French oak barrels offers a wine that is powerful but still framed by useful acidity.

Momentum Solare

Grenache is juicy and full, Syrah is mouth-filling and peppery and the two of them, more often than not, need the indescribable weirdness of Mourvedre to complete a picture with chiaroscuro depth. The Cellier d’Eole is a cooperative based in Rieux Minervois (one of the best areas in the Languedoc-Roussillon) with 205 members that cultivate 3800 acres.

Montcharme Malbec

Malbec may turn out to be an excellent tool for Languedoc Roussillon winemakers. Is it for sure? Not at all. Malbec is a southwestern France grape and a tertiary grape at that; Mediterranean France has little experience with it. But the region has elevation, so maybe we’re going to see more like this tasty little thing. let’s be clear about this: Malbec likes altitude. Why? No one really knows.

Moon Springs Pinot Noir

Moulin St Jean Reserve

The large and sometimes overlooked (but never under-consumed) Languedoc enjoys southern French weather, more Mediterranean than western European. Winemaker/owner Frédéric Bousquet has vineyards that alternate with the critically aromatic scrubland French vintners call “garrigue”. But while most GSM’s are topped off with Mourvèdre, Bousquet uses a lesser known grape called Marselan, perhaps typical in the area but hardly ever seen on its own.