The Artisan Collection

In 1997, Michel George left the local cooperative to become an independent vigneron. Today his sons, David and Jonathan, continue the tradition at their family winery and vineyards in the picturesque village of Courgis in the heart of Chablis. The Chablis, Vieilles Vignes and Montmains 'Butteaux' wines are grown in Kimmeridgian soils comprised of limestone, clay and marine fossils (from the area's history as a sea floor). Domaine George makes elegant and classic wines that proudly represent their origins. Cheers!

Pasal de Esile is located in Amandi, in the heart of the Ribeira Sacra, in the Northwest of Galicia. The winery is built inside of a former 17th century rectory. Sister and brother Myriam and Manuel Vázquez run the winery.

The vineyards are planted on the steep slopes of the canyons of the Sil river. The old vines are planted on ancient built terraces. The steep terraces are very small, making it necessary to do by hand 100% of the work. Also, due to the steep slopes, access is often very difficult and sometimes only possible from the river. This is one of the only 4 regions in Spain certified as “Heroic Viticulture”.

The farming is based on respect for the environment. Herds of sheep keep the land clean. The harvest is done by hand 100%. Native yeast fermentation guarantee the authenticity of the wine. The result is wines full of character and personality.

Vinito is a premium sangria crafted with high-quality estate Tempranillo and Garnacha grapes from their own vineyards in Valencia! All the ingredients are 100% natural, including the citrus extracted from the region. This traditional sangria recipe has been unchanged since 1944, offering a classic and authentic Spanish tradition. It is smooth, with luscious ripe red fruit flavors and a hint of citrus. Vinito is best served chilled and in the company of friends! Cheers!

The Manuel D'Amaro winery is located in Rubios, in the Condado de Tea hilly landscape. The vineyards are cultivated as sustainably and carefully as possible - through the use of natural vineyard greening, strict thinning and working each vine individually like in a garden. The clay and loess soils, the long summer days and cool autumn nights give our grapes special, rich aromas. It is our goal to bring the taste of these grapes into the bottle for you.

Castillo de Anna is located in southwest Valencia at 2,500 feet above sea level, in a beautiful natural countryside full of ilex and oak forests. Winemaker Jorge Caus was born and raised in Valencia, and wine has always been his passion! His white blend bag in box is perfect for bringing to any outdoor summer gathering, with its attractive aromas of pear, apricot and melon, and tropical fruit and floral notes that continue on the palate. We recommend pairing it with pasta, seafood or cheese. Cheers!

Agnès and Eric Panay started working in the estate at Cave du Pere Tienne in 1992. From the beginning, they minimized treatments and careful vineyard work was the main focus. They have been delighted to observe the new rich life of the soils and the return of biodiversity to the vineyard. The commitment towards French organic certification is the realization of this path.

Our orchards are located overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. "We believe that quality must be made, first and foremost, in the orchard; we pay particular attention to traditional agricultural practices aimed at respecting the environment and capable of producing healthy fruit.

At Domaine Vuillemez, we create wines with great aromatic precision. If time seems to stand still with each sip, it is because our wines are designed like clockwork, with rigor, slowness and a perpetual search for greatness.

Winemaker Maria Jesus Hernadez is one of the few female winemakers in the region of Rueda, Spain. Maria's family farmed their vineyards for generations, but she is the first winemaker in her family. With her Balnea Verdejo, she has created a clean wine with citrus and herbal notes on the nose and a creamy and delicate body. The grapes are entirely hand-harvested from 25+-year-old, estate-grown vines. Good pairings include shellfish, salads and spicy food. Cheers!

Thank you to and for featuring our wines at their tasting series last week!

The Mehofer family has lived and farmed the land in Neudeggerhof, Austria, for ten generations, over 300 years! In 1992, they became one of the first wineries in the area to convert to 100% organic production. Stephan Mehofer, grower, winemaker, and head of the 10th generation, believes in the philosophy of making the wine in the vineyard, comparing the grapes to musicians in an orchestra and explaining, “The winemaker, as a conductor, only spreads what already exists.” As a result, he employs as few interventions as possible in the cellar, using no winemaking additives and only lightly fining or filtering. Cheers!

Cantina Castelnuovo del Garda is located on the edge of the Dolomites, where ancient glaciers formed this beautiful alpine region. The particularly mild micro-climate allows for the growth of some Mediterranean climate crops like vines, olive trees or even citrus, which are extremely rare at this latitude (46° North).

When Agnès and Philippe Badea purchased a small plot of old vine Grenache, their loved ones said they were ‘zinzin’ (slang for cracked, bonkers, nuts). They embraced it by naming their wine ‘Foulée des Zinzins’ – ‘The Stride of the Crackpots.’ As whimsical as this may seem, the Badeas take their efforts in the vineyard and winery seriously. They farm using certified organic methods and hand harvest the grapes, making for an elegant, well-balanced wine with abundant aromas and flavors of red fruits. Cheers!

Azienda Agricola Pezzuoli is located in Grasparossa di Castelvetro, Italy, the smallest Lambrusco wine-producing region. Now in its 4th generation, winemaker Alberto Pezzuoli continues the family tradition that started back in 1932.

We are heading into the weekend with 2 of our favorite Argentine white wines! Aguijón de Abeja Chardonnay Semillón is bright gold with a nose of tropical and white stone fruits and citrus. Cara Sucia Blanco Legitimo features notes of granny smith apple and pomelo, and hints of fresh aromatic herbals. Both are fresh and crisp wines made by brothers Pablo and Hector Durigutti that are perfect for summer. Cheers!

Spain has been making Cava for more than one hundred years! Cava shares the same elaboration method as French Champagne but has significant differences coming from the use of Spanish native grapes (Macabeo, Xarel-lo and Parellada), the soils, and the influence of the Mediterranean climate. Winemaker Maria Galup has been making Cava for more than 20 years! Only the top 5% of the fruit from the vineyards are carefully selected for the Gran Gesta Brut Reserva. Cheers!

Winemaker Gianni Pasquale was born and raised in Abruzzo, and wine was always his passion. Located in the foothills of the Majella mountains facing the Adriatic coast, Delacorte is a winery where tradition is combined with progressive methods to produce excellent wines with an authentic heart.

Emilio Ostazola is the third generation of a family of winemakers. He runs the small Txakoli Agerre winery with the help of Elizabeth, his wife. The family has 10 Has planted on the slopes of a mountain overlooking the Atlantic Ocean in Getaria, Spain. The vines range from 20-30 years old, with the Atlantic climate providing the perfect conditions for the native Hondarrabi Zuri varietal that creates Txakoli Agerre's crisp and refreshing wines. Cheers!

The Cinsault and Grenache grapes in Le Bienheureux are harvested in the cool, early morning hours and sorted to ensure that only the best make it into this rosé. The result is a crisp and precise wine with lovely freshness and delicate aromas of forest fruits.

We are taking you to the vineyards that grow Atla Pinot Grigio, located on the hills surrounding Castelnuovo di Garda, Italy. Winemaker Massimo Mameli embraces the principles of sustainability and biodiversity in managing these vineyards. The grapes are 100% estate grown from 25-year-old vines that produce a light straw-yellow wine with pleasant floral aromas that are dry, balanced and harmonious on the palate. Cheers!

Today we are spotlighting winemaker Andreas Roll of Gustavshof in Rheinhessen, Germany! The Gustavshof winery was built in 1924 and has been family owned and operated since then. In 2004, fourth-generation Andreas Roll and his wife, Frederike, began farming organically in all their vineyards. In 2012 they received their biodynamic certification from Demeter! The whole family is involved in the day-to-day work of the winery and caring for their land. They believe carefully tending to their vines is the surest path to excellent wines! Cheers!

We've spent the week exploring Montana with . Many thanks to our wine tasting hosts, and

La Ardilla Moscato is made with Muscat of Alexandria, one of the most iconic grapes of the Mediterranean region of Valencia, Spain! Translated to "the squirrel," this lightly sweet wine is a labor of love from winemaker Fernando Tarin and his family. Wine is so central to the family that his baptismal pacifier was dipped in Cava, a tradition he continued with his two children and godson! This crisp and refreshing wine features notes of apple, citrus, honey, and apricot and pairs beautifully with spicy Thai or Vietnamese food and desserts. Cheers!

We are thrilled to announce the arrival of the Pie de Monte Single Vineyard Wines from Durigutti. The Pie de Monte wines are made from from ungrafted, pre-phylloxeric, centennial single vineyards from small farmers in some of Mendoza’s highest Mountains.

PIE DE MONTE MALBEC FINCA RUANO – VISTALBA (97 DECANTER)

PIE DE MONTE MALBEC FINCA LAS JARILLAS – GUALTALLARY (95 DECANTER)

PIE DE MONTE MALBEC FINCA ZARLENGA – LOS ÁRBOLES (91 VINOUS)

Las Lilas is made in the Vinho Verde region in the Lima Valley of northern Portugal. The cooling influence of the Atlantic Ocean and the granitic soils produce elegant wines with delicate aromas and freshness. Winemaker José Oliveira has been working in the region for more than 25 years! He has crafted a lightly effervescent rosé with cherry flavors, floral notes and a crisp palate. It is a perfect backyard wine! Pair it with salads and seafood, or enjoy it as an aperitif. Cheers!

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On this we take you to the Laetare winery in Veneto, Italy! Founded in 1925, third-generation vigneron Francesco Dissegna is now proud to continue the work and commitment made by his father and grandfather. One of the most enduring lessons Francesco learned was the importance of respecting nature and following its rhythms: “The vine is like a mother, and every wine is its creation, with a well-defined personality that reflects the originality of the territory.” In accordance with this inherited regard for nature, Francesco converted his farming to organic practices in 1998, a decision he refers to as “a choice of life and work.” Francesco’s commitment to the natural world has gone beyond his farming and winemaking practices – in 2010 he converted the Estate to being run entirely on solar power, lowering their environmental impact to almost zero. Cheers!

Kalls focuses on traditional craftsmanship to create elegant wines with a sense of place. The Riesling Kabinett is made with grapes grown only on the rugged cliffs of the Steinacker Vineyard, which has been distributing grapes since 1270! The Sankt Laurent is made only with grapes grown on the Kobnert Vineyard, with tax records documenting 800 years of production!

Today we are taking you to the northern edge of the Bassin de Thau, France. This large inland sea, on the southern part of the Pinet appellation, has a microclimate significantly influenced by cooling sea breezes which accounts for the particular expression of freshness in its white wines. The Allies family has grown vines for several generations in Pomerols. Their Charisse Picpoul de Pinet Blanc is fresh and zesty, with aromas of white flowers, fresh lemon and green apple. Cheers!

In Anjou, Loire Valley, France, the Denis family has been making wine on their estate for four generations! The family’s motto is ‘quality and respect for life.’ As such, they pay close attention to the interplay between the soil and vine. They are committed to both the short-term production of quality wines and the land's long-term health. The results of this meticulous, year-round care are wines that are an excellent expression of the vineyards, vines and family who carefully tend them. Cheers!

We closed out our 2024 Winemakers Tour deep in the heart of Texas! Many thanks to & for their fabulous hospitality.

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