JL Chave 2011 Hermitage and Saint Joseph

“Our role is to ensure the story continues, to act as a relay and in so doing not make any radical changes..”  –Jean Louis Chave, on his family’s famed history in Hermitage

For over five centuries, the Chave family has been producing Hermitage wines of extraordinary quality and complexity. The current producers, Jean-Louis Chave and his father, Gerard, draw from the accumulated wisdom transmitted down through the generations of Chaves that began making Hermitage in 1481.

The family has 37 acres of vineyards in Hermitage and draw from their numerous lieu-dits scattered around the hill of Hermitage (L’Hermite, Peleat, Meal to name a few) to produce their Hermitage Rouge and Blanc. A blend of cuvees, the fruit in the Hermitage Rouge varies from year to year depending upon the strength of the individual climats, but the Bessards, their most revered plot located on a steep granite slope, always plays a starring role.… Read the rest

January 2014

October 2013

Alvaro Palacios is not exactly a new face in the wine scene  – he has helped revolutionise the Spanish wine industry by making rich, complex wines from Priorat and is considered, along with Peter Sisseck of Pingus, to be one of the most important winemakers of Spain’s modern era.

One of nine children from the esteemed Rioja winemaking family Bodegas Palacios Remondo, Alvaro Palacios interned in Bordeaux at the side of Christian Moueix, the celebrated winemaker of Pomerol château Pétrus. He credits his tenure under Moueix for much of his winemaking philosophy and for showing him “the importance of great wines.” Upon his return to Spain he decided against getting involved in the family business and instead pursued his own ventures.… Read the rest

“From the time I was a young boy I worked year round in these vineyards and I understand that without superior grapes you can’t make superior wine. I know how lucky I am. “

— Renato Vacca -winemaker/owner Cantina del Pino

Who wouldn’t want to drink Barbaresco from the first vineyard to ever make the wine? Though Cantina Del Pino has only been producing since 1997, the Vacca family, and their vineyard, have been a part of Italian winemaking for over 100 years. Domizio Cavazzo established the vineyard in 1894, becoming one of the first winemakers to produce Nebbiolo under the name Barbaresco. An advocate for Langhe farmers, Cavazzo’s vineyard was well known, recognizable by the large Mediterranean pine tree he planted on the day his first son was born.… Read the rest