Regal Rhônes
 
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Chateauneuf-du-Pape
 

The Southern Rhone region of Chateauneuf-du-Pape is the king when it comes to power and impact. These wines are loaded to the hilt with aromatics, tannins, bombast, and terroir. Even the whites hit like no other.
 
What makes these so delicious?
 
This is the home of GSM blends, the trio of grapes (Grenache-Syrah-Mourvèdre) that comprise the majority of CDP wines. Grenache typically is the base with proportions of the other two varying widely between producers. Rustic herbal and rich spice notes frame the red and black fruit aromas typical to the wines.
 
You’ll find plenty of terroir here, especially among the top estates, where vines are grown in poor, stony soils that impart deep and dark mineral notes.

 

Inspirational Riesling
 
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Emrich-Schonleber
 

Despite the fame and renown of the estate inside Germany, Emrich-Schonleber flies under the radar in the USA. These are spectacular wines—every bit the equal of Dönnhoff, their main competition in the Nahe. This is the producer that inspired Stephan Bitterolf to open Vom Boden, the mostly-German wine importer best known for bringing Keller to the States.
 
Father and son team Werner and Frank Schönleber work with awe-inspiring sites, the most prominent being Halenberg and Frühlingsplätzchen. Both are unusually steep for the Nahe—they have slopes of up to 70%. Halenberg is as you’d dream for the Nahe: a mixture of blue slate (like the Mosel) and quartz.

 

Leaders of the ‘New Spain’
 
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Envínate
 

The “New Spain” movement has transformed Spain’s image in the world of wine. Before, Rioja was essentially shorthand for Spanish wine and all other regions seemed to follow suit with big, ripe flavors, high alcohol, and so, so much new oak. In the last couple of decades, an alternative style has arisen, eschewing the fat for finesse.
 
Though less individually famous than the other leading figures in the “New Spain” winemaking movement, such as Ester Nin and Carles Ortiz of Familia Nin-Ortiz, Daniel Landi and Fernando Garcia of Comando G, and Raúl Pérez Pereira of Bodegas y Viñedos Raúl Pérez, the impact of Envínate has been profound.

 

Travel Down the Danube to Your New Favorite
 
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Knoll
  

In the wine region of Wachau in Austria, Weingut Knoll occupies some of the country’s most celebrated vineyards. As a leading member of the Wachau Nobilis Districtus (an illustrious organization of the top Wachau winemakers), the winery is heralded by critics, somms, and collectors as one of the finest. Quality is the focus to best capture the individual expressions of their famed parcels along the Danube River.
 
Across fifteen hectares, Riesling and Grüner Veltiner vines are cultivated by third-generation members of the Knoll family: Emmerich III oversees the cellar and August is head of vineyard work. The family’s history growing grapes in the region dates as far back as 1379.

 

At The Cusp of Cult
 
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Brovia
 

Traditionally farmed, the expressive Barolos of Brovia have wowed insiders for decades. Ever since the 2015 vintage, we’ve been writing about how surprised we are that these wines don’t fly off the shelves. They seem to have it all: perfectionist vineyard management (organic without certification, careful pruning, and hand harvesting), superb and distinctive holdings (see for reference: Villero), unapologetically old-school winemaking (long and slow fermentation and long aging in large barrels and, subsequently, in bottle), and consistently excellent releases (see for reference: their reviews). A long, solid list of reasons why you should take note.
 
So, given their traditionalist stance and indifference to the whims of modern preferences, what could be bringing the limelight to this small producer?