Domaine de Vaccelli

Jul 2013

Domaine de Vaccelli

In 1962, Roger Courrèges started Domaine de Taccelli when he came from Algeria to the Taravu Valley in the southwestern Corsican appelation of Ajacci. Following his father’s death in 1974, Alain Courrèges took over the estate and his son Gérard, who has four years of wine studies behind him, has been vinifying the Vaccelli wines since 2000. When Alain took over from Roger, he restructured the winery to focus on native Corsican varieties, replanting the vineyards with primarily Sciaccerellu and Vermentinu. The vines, twenty percent of which are over 50 years old, are planted on southeast-facing hillsides of decomposed granite, the primary soil type in the AOC Ajaccio area. Alain and Gerard embrace the Corsican landscape and make their wine to showcase the granite soil.… Read the rest

Tissot Cremant Du Jura

July 2013

“A wine made with love and passion produces an emotion…The industrialization of wine is the end of its identities, its nuances, its characteristics which are part of the magic of a bottle.” This raison d’etre makes Domaine Tissot one of the most progressive estates in Arbois. Andre and Mireille Tissot established the domaine in 1962 and their son Stephane took over in 1990 after working at wineries in Australia and South Africa. Stephane is responsible for transforming the winery to total organic production in 1999 and to bio-dynamic winemaking in 2004. While producing a wide range of traditional Jura wines, Tissot makes wines that find a balance between terroir and their unique house style. Their Cremant du Juras is no exception.… Read the rest

Marie Courtin Highlight

July 2013

We can’t introduce these wines any better than Antonio Galloni of Wine Advocate; “This is a breathtaking set of wines from proprietor Dominique Moreau. I can’t say enough good things about these artisan Champagnes. If Moreau keeps making wines like these she will soon be one of the superstars of Champagne. Readers should do whatever they can to taste these fabulous wines.”Dominique opened the vineyard in 2005, naming the house after her grandmother, Marie Courtin, who she described as a “woman of the earth”. That same spirit in mind, Dominique has set out to produce single-vineyard, single varietal, single vintage Champagnes from biodynamically-grown grapes, using indigenous yeasts and no dosage. Dominique also embraces a spirituality in her production and pays devoted care to the evolution of the grape in the vineyard as well as in the wine.… Read the rest

Bordeaux – Chateau La Clemence Pomerol

July 2013

After meeting in viticulture classes in the 1970’s, Christian Dauriac and Michel Rolland both went into the wine business in their own way. In 1996, Michel suggested La Clemence to Christian. It would take faith to turn around this plot of land that had lain uncared for for years, but Christian took the leap. Several years of work went into cleaning up La Clemence, six plots of vines divided between Merlot and Cabernet Franc. The crowning moment was in 2000, when they constructed their massive circular cellar in the middle of the vineyard. The design celebrates the Pomerol terroir, the walls decorated with the three kinds of soil present in the winery, red iron soil, blue clay, and white sand.… Read the rest

Extreme deal- Olivier Hillaire Petits Pieds d’Armand 2008

July 2013

“Olivier Hillaire has taken over vineyards that once comprised Domaine des Relagnes, and has profoundly changed the wines from very good to sensational.” (Robert Parker)

 

In 2006, after working at Domaine des Relanges for many years, Olivier Hillaire decided to branch out on his own when his former father-in-law, Henri Boiron, decided to retire. Olivier purchased a mere 20% of the vineyard and since then has used his experience to produce great wines, and his charisma to become a major member of the community. In 2007 Olivier also purchased a brasserie in Chateaunuef du Pape, where at lunch time you can see him serving the guests with the same engagement he shows talking about his wines.  Among his plots, there grows Grenache grapevines that are over 110 years old, planted in 1899 and contained in this special bottling which he named after his grandfather Armand.… Read the rest