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Read more The Ortenau is a distinct sub-region centered around the ancient mid-sized town of Offenburg. The predominant soil-types here are granitic, with high sandstone outcroppings and loess. This estate has a fascinating history dating back to 1300. It is one of a handful of great German estates, such as the Juliusspital in Franken and the Vereinigte Hospitien in the Mosel, that are publicly owned – in this case by the municipality of Offenburg. Run with fastidious care by the young and dynamic Matthias Wolf, the vineyards are cultivated sustainably (think feromonal inteference instead of insecticides, organic fertilisation and composting). They were innovative in German terms by eliminating cork in 2004, and they offer employment to handicapped people in their vineyards. We have increased our range without exhausting anything like the possibilities here! With the 2016 vintage, they also have snazzy new packaging that highlights the soil types. Schloss Ortenberg FEMALE WINEMAKER Producer: Schloss Ortenberg Country: Germany Region: Baden - Ortenau Subregion: Ortenau City of Origin: Ortenberg Date Founded: 1500 Owner Name: City of Offenburg, Ortenaukreis Vineyard Size: 45 HA Total Annual Production: 300,000 bottles Property History: Read more The wine estate was founded as an part of the St. Andreas Hospice by the people of Offenburg. The aim was to support the hospice work which was mainly to run the local hospital and an old people's home. By the disturbances of World War II it became property of the city of Offenburg. In 1997 this wine estate got merged with the famous reserch wine estate Schloss Ortenberg which was within the property of the county of the ortenau. Today it is still under the ownership of the city of Offenburg and the Ortenau county. Owner History: Read more History of the property Wines By Schloss Ortenberg Schloss Ortenberg 2022 Sauvignon Blanc "Granit" View Wine Schloss Ortenberg 2016 Klingelberger (Riesling) Alte Reben (Baden) View Wine Schloss Ortenberg 2021 Spaetburgunder "Granit" View Wine Schloss Ortenberg 2013 Klingelberger (Riesling) Kabinett trocken (Baden) View Wine Schloss Ortenberg 2015 Grauer Burgunder Alte Reben (Baden) View Wine

Read more This, our first island producer, comes from the home of Sappho herself. Yannis Lambrou is quite a character, with a fiercely original approach to wine and life. We especially enjoyed watching him take on not just the bureaucrats of the Greek Ministry of Agriculture but the high Paladins in Brussels itself over the ridiculous pregnancy warning symbol that Europe wants on wine labels but the U.S.A. does not. He gave them one week to come up with an answer – and they did! Unfortunately, it was not the one he wanted to hear. Still, it gave us a flavor of the man. The estate was the first modern Lesbian estate, although the island was exalted for its wines in ancient times. Phylloxera wiped the vine out at the end of the 19th century, so when the Lambrou family revived the almost-extinct Chidiriotiko grape on their ancestral property, it marked a dramatic turning point in Greece’s viticultural history. The situation is unique – the crater of an extinct volcano that used to be home to the famed petrified forest of Lesvos. The lava soil is fantastically rich in mineral content, particularly sulphur, which enables them to follow a strictly organic regime with relative ease. All this novelty aside, we would not have bought the wines if we were not struck by their exceptional quality. Methymnaeos FEMALE WINEMAKER Producer: Methymnaeos Country: Greece Region: Aegean Subregion: Lesvos City of Origin: Chidira. A remote village, not a city. Date Founded: 1985 Owner Name: Yannis Lambrou Vineyard Size: 5.68 acres Total Annual Production: 15-20,000 bottles Property History: Read more According to Archestratus (4th century BC), an ancient poet and connoisseur, the wine of Lesvos was the best of antiquity: I can praise the wines produced in many places And their names I do not forget But no wine is compared to the wine of Lesvos (quoted by Athenaeus, Deipnosophistae, A, 52d) Unfortunately, the famous, age-old winemaking tradition of Lesvos came to an end in the beginning of the 20th century because of phylloxera's arrival to the island. This vine-root eating bug had been spreading from its native America almost everywhere since the middle of the 19th century. The remedy against phylloxera in most parts of the world was to graft vines on rootstock resistant to the bug. However, Lesvos by the end of the 19th century had specialized in ouzo, made from alcohol produced elsewhere, so vineyards on the island were abandoned when hit by phylloxera. In the early 1980s the Lambrou family discovered the last remaining vines of an old grape of Lesvos near Chidira, a forgotten village of the island. The grape, named after the village Chidiriotiko, was replanted in 1985 by the Lambrou family in their private estate, located in the crater of the extinct volcano close to Chidira. The lava of this volcano had once created the Petrified Forest of Lesvos. Owner History: Read more In 1997 the Lambrou family completed construction of Methymnaeos Winery, located, too, in Chidira. The first bottles of Methymnaeos Organic Wine, of the harvest of 1997, came out of the winery's production line in 1999. This was the first bottled wine in the history of Lesvos. Nowdays Yannis Lambrou, son of the family, makes wine at Methymnaeos Winery from his own grapes and the grapes of other local vine growers, who, following the steps of the Lambrou family, have decided to replant and recultivate Chidiriotiko. Wines By Methymnaeos Methymnaeos 2015 Chidiriotiko Red (Lesbos) View Wine

Read more This pocket-sized estate is now in its third generation, but has only sold its own label for twenty years. Young Giorgios Diamantakos is well-trained and ambitious and offers what are arguably the most dramatic wines we offer from this region. Total production averages 1000 cases! Diamantakos FEMALE WINEMAKER Producer: Diamantakos Country: Greece Region: Naousa Subregion: Mandemi City of Origin: Naoussa Date Founded: 1998 Owner Name: Diamantakou Aikaterini Vineyard Size: 10 acres Total Annual Production: 20,000 Property History: Read more In 1968, ruins were found on Diamantakos’s land, which later proved to be Aristotle’s school, where Alexander the Great was taught. The government compensated the family for the land and they bought what now is the Diamantakos 'Ktima' vineyards and winery. The vineyards consist of two indigenous Greek grape varietals, Xinomavro and Preknadi. Owner History: Read more George Diamantakos is the third generation winemaker. His grandfather and father planted the grapes in the 80s, and began making their own wine in the 90s. George grew up working the vineyards with them and went off to study oenology, where his passion for winemaking began. He took over when he returned in 2005, and continues his artistry, cultivating, learning and perfecting with each harvest. Wines By Diamantakos Diamantakos 2022 Preknadi View Wine Diamantakos 2019 Xinomavro (Naoussa) View Wine

Read more We renewed contact with this old estate at a sad point, shortly after the untimely death of young proprietor Jean-Marc Vergnes. His widow, Isabelle, wanted to carry on the domaine, but finally decided to take on new partners, as she has young children. We are optimistic that the quality-mindedness of this superb producer of sparkling wines will not change. Limoux is arguably the first place in France to have invented sparkling wine. Its limestone soils and markedly cooler climate make it apt for this category. The price-quality ratio is amazing. Vergnes FEMALE WINEMAKER Producer: Vergnes Country: France Region: Languedoc Subregion: Limoux City of Origin: Saint Hilaire Date Founded: 1898 Owner Name: Jean Claude Mas Vineyard Size: 197.60 HA Total Annual Production: 430,000 bottles/year Property History: Read more This charming property is only 15 minutes away from the famous City of Carcassonne, at the end of a road that winds its way across the countryside through vineyards, olive trees and heath. You will be welcomed in our wine-tasting cellar which is listed as a "landmark of good taste" (site remarquable du gout) and classified as a special stopover in Cathar country (étape terroir du pays cathare). Owner History: Read more Domaine Vergnes has been a family-run Estate for three generations and is located in Saint-Hilaire, where the Blanquette de Limoux wines were born. Jean-Claude Mas acquired the Estate in 2011, fascinated by the place, the quality of the wines and the chance to make his dream come true and have his own sparkling wines! Wines By Vergnes Vergnes N.V. Blanquette de Limoux (Mauzac) View Wine Vergnes N.V. Cremant de Limoux Rosé (Ch. Martinolles) View Wine

Read more We have never been particular fans of Malbec’s expression in Cahors, but this recent discovery caused us to re-examine our prejudices. Benoit Aymard took over the small estate founded by his grandfather as recently as 2014. Previously, he served for many years as Maître de Chai for Georges Vigouroux, the man who put Cahors back on the map last century. He did not want to reinvent the wheel, so to speak, but he was interested in putting his own stamp on the family’s traditional wines. The land he inherited is already very complex geologically-speaking, and also relatively steep for the region. But he recently planted some very sparse parcels at 260 meters in elevation on limestone-rich soils dating to the Kimmeridgean era. Clos d'Audhuy FEMALE WINEMAKER Producer: Clos d'Audhuy Country: France Region: Cahors City of Origin: Cahors Date Founded: 2014 Owner Name: Benoit Aymard Vineyard Size: 34.58 acres Total Annual Production: 25,000 bottles/year Property History: Read more This is an old family vineyard. The vineyard is planted on a varied and beautiful terroir (limestone plateau, gravel, clay…). Benoit Aymard in 2014 began to work commercially with a little part of the vineyard. Owner History: Read more Berrit Aymard is Oeneoligist, he has worked for different companies in France, USA and Argentina. He specialized in Malbec and restored the family vineyard with the desire to produce quality in relation to the terroir. Wines By Clos d'Audhuy Clos d'Audhuy 2021 "Queue de Pressoir" (Vin de France)) View Wine Clos d'Audhuy 2021 "Les Polissons" View Wine Clos d'Audhuy 2019 Cahors (Malbec) View Wine

Read more We were tremendously excited to discover this dynamic Catalan producer based in the famous town of Manresa. Under the leadership of young Ramon Roqueta since 2006, it has achieved great acclaim in Spain and has embarked on a series of acquisitions and refurbishments designed to recreate some of the glory of the long and illustrious past of its forbears, who can trace a family wine history back to 1199. Among the several projects that they run, we were especially drawn to two : LaFou Celler and Joan Sardà. Joan Sarda FEMALE WINEMAKER Producer: Joan Sarda Country: Spain Region: Penedès & Cava City of Origin: Castellví de la Marca Date Founded: 1927 Owner Name: Family Roqueta Vineyard Size: 12 HA Total Annual Production: 35,000 bottles Property History: Read more JOAN SARDÀ is a winery located in Castellví de la Marca, in the Alt Penedès Region (Barcelona). Our wines and cavas are the reflection of a long wine tradition and a respectful commitment to the territory surrounding us, the Penedès, faithfully expressing the virtues of this historically wine-producing territory, its landscape and its more traditional varieties, which provides a unique character to our wines. Owner History: Read more The story of the winery began in 1927, with the help of an entrepeneur and visionary Tomàs Sardà; to this day, the Joan Sardà winery continues to preserve the entrepeneurial spirit of its founder. Wines By Joan Sarda Joan Sarda 2020 Xarel-lo View Wine

Read more Since returning to the family domaine more than twenty years ago, Stéphane Tissot has converted all 32 hectares to bio-dynamic viticulture and dramatically reduced yields. Vinifying terroir by terroir, he makes Chardonnay and Pinot Noir of Burgundian quality with a distinctive mineral expression. He also honors the family traditions with brilliant versions of the semi-oxidized wines of the region. One of the world’s most restlessly innovative producers, he never ceases to come up with daring new ideas relating to viticulture, wine-making and hitherto unthought-of products. The acclaim with which he been met is truly deafening! Tissot FEMALE WINEMAKER Producer: Tissot Country: France Region: Jura Subregion: Arbois City of Origin: Montigny-lès-Arsures Date Founded: 1962 Owner Name: Bénédicte et Stéphane Tissot Vineyard Size: 50 HA Total Annual Production: 140,000 bottles/year Property History: Read more Domaine André et Mireille TISSOT was created in 1962. The objective has always been a search for quality and an expression of the terroirs. In the beginning of the 1990’s, the work was essentially focused in the cellar. But quickly, we understood that the cellar and vinification have their limits. It was necessary to do more work in the vineyard. The opportunity to acquire exceptional terroirs like Curon, La Mailloche, Les Bruyères or Château-Chalon came our way. Today, our 50 hectares of vines are cultivated in bio-dynamic viticulture to allow the soils to live, the grapes to be untouched by chemical products, fermentations made with natural yeast, and to reduce the amount of sulphur used in the cellar. This evolution is a means and not an end - a means to enjoy what we do and to put our terroirs first. Today, there are 24 people who work year-round at the domaine in order to produce a harvest limited to 25 hectolitres per hectare. A research for diversity led us to produce 35 different cuvées. Often, terroir by terroir, with lots of innovation keeping account of the extaordinary potentional of the Jurassien vineyard with its white varietals - chardonnay and savagnin - and its reds - poulsard, trousseau et pinot noir. Finally, new projects are not lacking from the creation of new cuvées to replant very nice spot, without forgetting the desire to continue to increase the quality of all the wines which is so important to us...for always more pleasure in the bottle!!! Owner History: Read more History of the property Wines By Tissot Tissot Tissot N.V. Macvin du Jura Rouge View Wine Tissot N.V. Crémant du Jura Extra Brut [6/1500] View Wine

Read more Grain-farmer turned wine-grower Jean-Claude Roux turns out to have a deft hand with Sauvignon Blanc. With dynamic son Albin now at his side, the quality being delivered is higher than ever Jean-Claude Roux FEMALE WINEMAKER Producer: Jean-Claude Roux Country: France Region: Loire Subregion: Centre Loire City of Origin: Quincy and Chateaumeillant Date Founded: 1995 Owner Name: Albin Roux, son of Jean Claude Vineyard Size: 12 HA Total Annual Production: 5500 Cases Property History: Read more Founded by Jean Claude and started only with 1,5 ha of vines in Quincy back in 1995, the domain has now almost 12 ha of vines mostly in Quincy (9 ha) and Châteaumeillant. Using a very innovative way of working in collaboration with other colleagues for the management of workers and also under a shared-cellar but not a cooperative producing a single range of wine, we have managed to develop ourselves as well as the quality of our production. Owner History: Read more Jean Claude has been travelling the world before he came back to his passion : farm growing and then wine growing helped by professionnals. His elder son Albin, has also traveled and worked abroad (mostly in Asia) in the wine industry before he came back in 2015 to take over the family wine business. Wines By Jean-Claude Roux Jean-Claude Roux 2022 Quincy "Cuvee Jean-Claude Roux" View Wine

Read more Rather like VAENI in Naoussa, Zoinos is a high-quality co-operative winery that enables the myriad growers of Epirus, a fabled district in Greece’s northerly Ionian region, to gather their forces and offer to the world the unique joys of their steep, high-altitude calcareous vineyards. In a universe of tiny holdings such as this, it makes great sense for the co-operative principle to hold sway. The exceptional results are there for all to see. Zoinos FEMALE WINEMAKER Producer: Zoinos Country: Greece Region: Ioannina Subregion: Zitsa City of Origin: Zitsa, Ioannina Date Founded: 1974 Owner Name: brothers Aristides and Eustatius Stathios Spanos Vineyard Size: 210 HA Total Annual Production: 200,000 Property History: Read more EPIRUS – The Apiros Chora (meaning infinite land) as it was once known because of its size and the magnificence of its landscape – present not only a rich history but also a tradition full of wine. At Zoinos Winery this tradition lively remains waiting for the wine lovers to consume the wine of Zitsa. In 2006 the winery separated from the Agricultural Union of Ioannina, creating Zoinos Winery, as we know it today. Since then, the company has made several investments in order to upgrade the winery facilities, established a new branch in the city of Ioannina and participates in viticultural research programs for the identification of the native varieties from Epirus, in cooperation with the Universities of Ioannina, Crete and the Institute of Wine. New vineyards, 130 acres cultivated by Zoinos, planted with the indigenous varieties of Zitsa and at the same time, reviving some of the rarest indigenous varieties from Epirus, by producing wines rooted in an organic logic and representative of their terroirs. Owner History: Read more History of the property Wines By Zoinos Zoinos 2021 "Epiloges" Debina ORGANIC View Wine

Read more This ancient family firm has become a dependable source for some heart-warmingly traditional examples of Alsace wines. In recent years, they have systematically converted all their own holdings to certified organic viticulture, though they continue to buy a significant proportion of other grapes from long-term partners. The wines are full-flavored, varietally distinct and properly dry. They offer a price-quality ratio that is hard to beat. Now that the 23 hectares are fully organic, a new range of wines under the name “Midelberg”, an ancient dialectal name for their beautiful village, has been released with a striking label and bottling under screw-cap. Boeckel FEMALE WINEMAKER Producer: Boeckel Country: France Region: Alsace Subregion: Mittelbergheim City of Origin: Mittelbergheim Date Founded: 1853 Owner Name: Thomas and Jean-Daniel Boeckel Vineyard Size: 59.28 acres owned, grapes also purchased Total Annual Production: 300,000 bottles Property History: Read more For 400 years the Boeckel family has had its roots firmly planted in the terroir of Mittelbergheim. In 1853, Frédéric Boeckel, an established winemaker from the centre of the village, founded the business which is today managed by the brothers Jean-Daniel and Thomas Boeckel, who are the fifth generation. Owner History: Read more History of the property Wines By Boeckel Boeckel 2021 Pet Nat View Wine Boeckel 2021 Riesling Brandluft ORGANIC View Wine Boeckel 2012 Riesling Stein, "Clos Eugenie" View Wine Boeckel 2014 Sylvaner Vieilles Vignes View Wine Boeckel 2021 Pinot Noir Oberpfoeller ORGANIC View Wine Boeckel 2020 Sylvaner Midelberg ORGANIC View Wine Boeckel 2020 Riesling Midelberg (organic) View Wine Boeckel 2019 Cremant d'Alsace Chardonnay Extra Brut View Wine Boeckel 2018 Sylvaner Midelberg (organic) View Wine Boeckel 2019 Cremant d'Alsace Rosé Brut View Wine

Read more I have admired this house since encountering a delicious 1976 vintage on an early visit to Champagne. The holdings are all in the villages of Moussy and Pierry, just south of Épernay and just above the start of the Côte des Blancs. Their spacious buildings are testimony to the scale of their former operations. Now they are content to sell off the majority of their grapes to other houses while retaining the best for themselves, all of which are Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Production is now down to a scant 50,000 bottles a year, and they show no hurry to sell anything! One of the attractions is their considerable library of old vintages for sale, including the Mathusalems of 1990, of which we always seem to sell out! R. Renaudin FEMALE WINEMAKER Producer: R. Renaudin Country: France Region: Champagne Subregion: Coteaux Sud Epernay City of Origin: Moussy Date Founded: 1724 Owner Name: Mr. Dominique Tellier Vineyard Size: 12 HA Total Annual Production: 20,000 bt/year Property History: Read more Time Honoured Renown: the Renaudin family, successors to the prestigious lineage of the "Seigneur des Conardins", Pierre Comte de Failly since 1724.Production of Quality Champagne, with larges reserves : the cellars of the Champagne house Renaudin hold 4 years of stock which come solely from our vineyards. These cover 24 hectares (58 acres) and they are located on the most covoted slopes of Epernay and the Côte des Blancs. Quality : this starts from the time of harvesting right up the moment of labelling. This is all done in the pure champagne tradition. Thanks to its structure, vineyards, and production capacity, Champagne Renaudin is among the finest middle-sized properties (after the large Champagne Houses). The Renaudin signature is a pledge to customers and friends, alike. The Renaudin family takes the head of this historic champagne Estate after Pierre Louis, Comte de Failly since 1724, who belong to the prestigious Seigneurs des Conardins. The spirit or R.Renaudin champagne is to let time take its course. The vinyards located on the south of Epernay’s hills are worked in a way that respects nature and is based on a sustainable viticulture. Their wines are mainly blended with Chardonnay Premier Cru and Millesimes of over 10 years of age, keeping all their freshness thanks to a specific winemaking process. Their characer is expressed though the strikingly fruity and mature aromas, as well as the delicacy of their effervescence and their distinctive bottling : a singularity in the Champagne region. Owner History: Read more In 1777, the last lord, " Seigneur Pierre Louis de Failly, Chevalier, Vicomte de Vinay, Seigneur de Moussy, des Conardins, des Grelets, la Neuveille, Chouilly, Vicomte de Vrigny et Coulommes, Baron de Gueux, Seigneur de Montmarsant, Feuillet et Chevalier de l'Ordre Royal et Militaire de Saint-Louis ". abandoned his military career and devoted himself entirely to the management of his estates and vineyards. Exiled in 1791, he died in Liège in 1792. The Château des Conardins was sold in December 1797 as property of the state. It was devastated and destroyed, probably by fire. At the Domaine des Conardins, a vestige of this bygone age, the tradition of its illustrious lords is maintained year after year by vinifying the fruit of its harvests, laid to rest in its cellars. Derived from the book :"Historv of a family from Lorraine"by Geoffroy de Failly. Henri de Failly was born on December 14, 1670 at the Château de Givron, and died at the Château de Vinay on May 5, 1756.Their children were: a/ Marie-Françoise-Claire de Failly, born in 1720. b/ Barbe de Failly, born in 1723. c/ Pierre-Louis, who follows hereunder.d/ Suzanne-Rose de Failly, born in 1727. Pierre-Louis will, dated August 26, 1827, indicates that for his part, he received 4436 francs of 3% annuity. This must-have represented one-fifth of his mother's estate. Eight children were born of this marriage: a/ Achille-Henri, who follows. b/ Emilie-Françoise de Failly, born in 1755 c/ Adélaide-Barbe de Failly, born in Vrigny in 1756. d/ Alexandre- François-Jacques- Guy- Aldon de Failly, born at the Château des Conardins on December 6, 1760. e/ Auguste-Claude-Bernard de Failly, born in 1763. f/ Jeanne-Rose de Failly, born in 1759. g/ Pierre-Louis Marie. Dominique TELLIER RENAUDIN ensure the permanence of domain. Wines By R. Renaudin R. Renaudin 2013 "L'Espiègle" Brut Blanc de Blancs 1er Cru View Wine R. Renaudin N.V. Brut Reserve View Wine R. Renaudin N.V. Brut Reserve View Wine R. Renaudin 2005 Brut Nature Blanc de Blancs Lot 54 View Wine R. Renaudin 2006 "L'Espiègle" Brut Blanc de Blancs 1er Cru View Wine

Read more We shall be eternally grateful to Vincent Raimbault for introducing us to his friend in the village of Mosnes – one of only two vignerons making it their home!. This fellow is a star. Xavier Frissant FEMALE WINEMAKER Producer: Xavier Frissant Country: France Region: Loire Subregion: Touraine Amboise City of Origin: côtes de la Commune de Mosnes. Owner Name: Isabelle & Xavier Frissant Vineyard Size: 66.69 acres Property History: Read more Our vineyards encompass 5 different lieux-dits , spread out over 2 terroirs : -Our clay and silicate soils are rich in flints. Thes soils make up the parcels we call Frênes, Pierres et de la Touche. -Silt and sand soils can be found in our Hauts- Noyers and Clos du Verger parcels. Each grape is planted in the terroir that allows for maximum expression of complexity for the grape. We have land in the following areas-- : - L'AOC Touraine Amboise, wheere we have planted Chenin for the whites, allowing for delicate and yet rich wines, and in red the Côt where structure, finesse, and ageability are paramount. - L'AOC, TOURAINE shows off the Sauvignon blanc expressing the minerality of our terroir. For many years now we have also grown an old variety,« Fié Gris », from an old strain of Sauvignon. It is characteristically rich, unctous, and floral, while remaining surprisingly delicate. We work in a sustainable and responsible way,and intervene in the vineyard solely in extreme situations of climactic risk. This avoids harming the ecosystem and the lives of men.In the cave we adapt our vinification according to the needs of the terroir and the grape to maximize their elegance and structure.. We work carefully with a tractor along the row, in such a way as to favor biodiversity in our parcels. we maintain grass and weeds in the rows to limit erosion, and to keep the vigor of the vine in control to prevent to high a yeild, but mow regularly to keep it under control. We practice green harbvesting as necessary depending on the size of the crop. Everything is done with an eye towards acheiving a healthy crop. Owner History: Read more The FRISSANT estate has passed from father to son for eight generations. Wines By Xavier Frissant Xavier Frissant 2011 'Renaissance' (Touraine-Amboise) View Wine Xavier Frissant M' de la Touche 2014 View Wine