Bouchard Perè & Fils 2012 Pouilly-Fuissé Founded in 1731, Maison Bouchard Père & Fils is one of Burgundy’s oldest wine merchant houses. In 1775, Joseph Bouchard acquired his first vineyard in Volnay in the famous “Les Caillerets” climate and started to develop the family’s vineyard holdings. Over the centuries, the House has been devoted to acquiring highly renowned parcels, in order to build a prestigious domaine. The famed vineyards include: Beaune Gréves Vigne de L’Enfant Jésus, Chevalier-Montrachet, Montrachet, Corton, Corton-Charlemagne, Bonnes-Mares and Clos Vougeot to name a few. In 1995 this exceptional collection was purchased by Joseph Henriot, and is today part of Maisons & Domaines Henriot. Maison Bouchard Père…
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Orin Swift Mannequin 2013 Chardonnay The history of Orin Swift Cellars dates back to 1995 when on a lark, David Swift Phinney took a friend up on an offer and went to Florence, Italy to spend a semester “studying”. During that time, he was introduced to wine, how it was made, and got hooked. A few more years of university led to graduation and eventually a job at Robert Mondavi Winery in 1997 as a temporary harvest worker. Deciding that if he was going to work this hard, it would eventually have to be for himself, so in 1998 he founded Orin Swift Cellars; Orin is his father’s middle name…
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Taittinger Nocturne Champagne When Pierre Taittinger first discovered the Champagne region, he was a young liaison officer during the first World War. It was thanks to his passion for wine and gastronomy that he returned several years later and, with his brother-in-law, invested all his energy into the development of a burgeoning champagne business. Since 1932 Champagne Taittinger has grown and taken its place among the great Champagne houses, commanding a bold innovative style particularly influenced by Chardonnay. Having bought back the family business in 2006, Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger has surrounded himself with a team that is both young and bound together by a spirit of attainment and permanence. His daughter…
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Bastion De L’Oratoire Chanson Viré-Clessé 2014 Roots that stretch over several centuries, the history of Chanson is closely tied to the history of France. It perfectly reflects the evolution of the country through 260 years of existence. Every man and women who proudly bared the colors of Chanson over the centuries shared and still share a profound respect for the earth, the vine and the wine, and going on today. Gilles de Courcel and Jean-Pierre Confuron, pure Burgundians, took over from the Chanson family in 1999. Both are ardent supporters of an integrated viticulture, deeply respectful of the terroirs. The respect of vine, combined with precise and meticulous vinifications, aim…
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Jordan Chardonnay 2013 In 1972, Tom and Sally Jordan, a young couple from Colorado who shared a passion for French food and wine, followed their hearts to California’s wine country. When the two married in 1959, they dreamed of being vintners together. They drank virtually only French wines, enjoyed French food that Sally diligently learned to cook, and traveled throughout France, wining and dining their way through every region. In the 1950s there weren’t any restaurants of note in their home town of Denver, so the Jordans either traveled abroad or entertained at home for culinary experiences. The two knew a winery would one day be in their future, but…
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Matanzas Creek Winery 2014 Sonoma Chardonnay Naturally defined by the three mountain peaks that envelop it, Bennett Valley existed for many years in quiet obscurity – bountifully sustaining an agricultural community that had all but forgotten the valley’s pre-prohibition vinicultural roots. It wasn’t until 1977 with the founding of Matanzas Creek Winery that the area’s winemaking potential was once again unearthed. But Matanzas Creek didn’t just breathe new life into the area, it helped revolutionize the entire industry and, in the process, put Bennett Valley back on the map. And now, over thirty years after the release of its first vintage, Matanzas Creek stands at the forefront of California viticulture.…
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Wente Vineyards Riva Ranch Chardonnay 2013 The Wente Vineyards story began in 1883, when German immigrant, C.H. Wente made the voyage to America with the dream of creating a better life. After studying winemaking under Charles Krug in Napa Valley, he immediately knew he had discovered a passion and focus amongst the vineyards. He soon met and married Barbara Trautwein, and they moved to the Livermore Valley to pursue his new career. Unlike others of the time who started wine businesses as a hobby, C.H. Wente made his pursuit a lifelong commitment. His original 47 acres quickly grew to 200 acres before the constraints of Prohibition hit. To his seven…
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Grgich Hills Estate 2012 Napa Chardonnay Miljenko “Mike” Grgich first gained international recognition at the celebrated “Paris Tasting” of 1976. Then, in a now-historic blind tasting, a panel of eminent French judges swirled, sniffed, and sipped an array of the fabled white Burgundies of France and a small sampling of upstart Chardonnays from the Napa Valley. When their scores were tallied, the French judges were shocked: they had chosen the 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay, crafted by Mike Grgich, as the finest white wine in the world. Mon Dieu! The results stunned the international wine establishment and immediately earned Mike a reputation as one of the greatest winemakers in the world.…
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Copain “Tous Ensemble” Alexander Valley 2014 Chardonnay Copain Wines is perched on a hill overlooking the serenely beautiful Russian River Valley. Winemaker Wells Guthrie discovered early on that his taste in wine gravitated toward Europe in general and France’s Rhône Valley in particular. So much so, he picked up and moved with his new bride to the region to learn from the best. For two years, Wells apprenticed for esteemed winemaker and living legend Michel Chapoutier in France’s Rhone Valley. During that time, Wells was deeply inspired by the traditions and practices of French winemaking, not to mention the European attitude that wine is an essential part of life. At…
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Simi Russian River Valley Chardonnay 2013 Reserve In 1876, brothers Giuseppe and Pietro Simi began making wine in San Francisco from Sonoma County grapes and eventually planted vineyards near Healdsburg. Simi’s historic stone cellars were built in 1890 and are still used to age the wines. Today, Simi Winery is recognized as a leader in innovation and experimentation with a history of over 125 years of cutting-edge winemaking. Opening their Reserve Chardonnay, that was aged for 11 months in 100% French oak, the color was a bright straw yellow with aromas of stone fruits and baking spice notes. The palate shows tart apples, pears and melon flavors with subtle toasty…