Wines In The Collection
Clos Saint-Joseph France | Provence
This gorgeous blend of Vermentino, Ugni Blanc, Sémillon, and Clairette is both fleshy and mineral-driven.
Roland Lavantureux France | Burgundy
Displaying both the oyster shell quality we love about Chablis and the sunny orchard fruit notes that make Bourgogne blancs so delicious.
Henri Costal France | Burgundy
Devouring a fresh crab and pairing it with this pure, elegant, chalky, earthy (wet stone), and stunning finish is the perfect combo.
Les Eminades France | Languedoc-Roussillon
The Jurassic limestone soil and high elevation lieu-dit where the name “Montmajou” springs from lend this blanc a lean elegance.
Prieuré de Saint Céols France | Loire
Offering ebullient perfume of grapefruit zest, white blossoms, and fines herbes that soar up and greet your nose cheerfully.
Domaine de la Chanteleuserie France | Loire
Alouettes harkens to a different era: it’s pleasantly tannic and chalky, with sleek notes of licorice, cranberry, and prickly black pepper.
Domaine de Terrebrune France | Provence
A terroir-driven rosé redolent of a Provençal summer with notes of thyme and white peach, and a mouthwateringly salty finish.
Domaine La Tour Vieille France | Languedoc-Roussillon
If you can’t make it to the south of France this year, here’s a way to bring the Mediterranean sun to you.
Grottafumata Italy | Sicily
This low-alcohol Etna white shows subtly smoky aroma complemented by notes of yellow fruit, herbs, and wild broom.
Champalou France | Loire
This is Vouvray sec of the cold mountain stream persuasion—bracing, with a clean finish.
Domaine Montanet-Thoden France | Burgundy
Valentin’s Galerne blanc is a divine rendition of pure, chiseled Chardonnay.
Colleleva Italy | Le Marche
A crisp, linear white with subtle aromas of flowers and herbs, this is an all-purpose bargain sipper made for aperitivo, salads, and seafood.
Domaine du Salvard France | Loire
Sauvignon and a splash of Chardonnay: the epitome of minerally Loire refreshment
Domaine Les Hauts Lieux France | Savoie, Bugey, Hautes-Alpes
Crystalline purity, mouthwatering salinity, and complexity without weight make this akin to an Alpine premier cru.?
Ludovic Engelvin France | Languedoc-Roussillon
This wine is full of fresh Grenache fruit, beautifully perfumed, with a refined and elegant finish.
Tenuta La Pergola Italy | Piedmont
A laid-back Barbera-based rosso with soft fruit and gentle tannins to enjoy with anything, not just Italian food.
Maxime-François Laurent France | Southern Rhône
It beckons you to follow Maxime-François’s advice: “Drink it when you are very, very thirsty!”
Barruol / Lynch France | Northern Rhône
From vines that are more than eighty years old comes this Marsanne with magnificent floral, pit fruit, and bitter notes.
Kuentz-Bas France | Alsace
Dry, with tart green apple, pear, and a classic hint of petrol on the nose. The firm, zesty palate has enough substance for endless delicious pairings.
Lionel Faury France | Northern Rhône
Exuberant, dark-fruited aromatics melding with earthy undertones of bitter cacao. Delicious now, or mind-melting in ten years.
Domaine Jean-Claude Marsanne France | Northern Rhône
This small parcel has a fruit-forward, approachable style, yet with intense spice and licorice in there as well, perhaps from the deep-rooted old Syrah vines.
Château Graville-Lacoste France | Bordeaux
April Club Gourmand ~ Brimming with honeysuckle, lychee, and citrus, this Bordeaux blend is reliably harmonious with Eastern cuisine.
Masseria del Pino Italy | Sicily
A profound red wine full of depth, liveliness, and old-school, rustic character.
Domaine Follin-Arbelet France | Burgundy
The Follin family’s reds are some of the most delicious I have tasted, none more so than their incredibly vibrant and pure Aloxe-Corton.
Maxime Magnon France | Languedoc-Roussillon
The Rozeta features the exuberant, inviting perfume and velvety wild fruit we expect from a wine that underwent 100% whole-cluster fermentation.
Château Ducasse France | Bordeaux
This refreshing, food-friendly white walks the line between racy and voluptuous. Excellent with sushi, or anything else from the sea.
Château Belles-Graves France | Bordeaux
Made from mostly Merlot and a splash of Cabernet Franc, this velvety rouge is approachable now despite having years of beautiful life ahead.
Domaine Robert-Denogent France | Burgundy
Limited to vintages where poor weather prevents individual bottlings, Climat renders all the top qualities of the Robert family’s holdings.
Meyer-Fonné France | Alsace
This bottle gives some of my favorite grand cru Rieslings a run for their money with a nose evoking peach skin and a palate rippling with fresh acidity.
A. & G. Fantino Italy | Piedmont
Made from Riserva-quality Barolo Nebbiolo, it’s a throwback to the Baroli of yesteryear, profound and stately.
Tintero Italy | Piedmont
Who could resist such a heavenly ambrosia, with its scent spring wildflowers, citrus blossoms, and succulently ripe grapes?
Maxime Magnon France | Languedoc-Roussillon
Carignan from very old vines with immense depth but the immediate drinkability of a Cru Beaujolais.
Roland Lavantureux France | Burgundy
A wine of striking finesse that shows off the crunchy red fruit, floral notes, and peppery spice typical of Pinot Noir from Burgundy’s far north.
Giovanni Montisci Italy | Sardinia
You’d be right to be skeptical of a Nebbiolo from Sardinia, but from a top-notch terroir high in the mountains, it is something else entirely.
Il Palazzotto Italy | Piedmont
Real refreshment, plus a serious side and good concentration from old vines in chalky marl soils.
Jean-Baptiste Arena France | Corsica
Think classic, spirited Sangiovese with a wilder, slightly darker-fruited, herb-singed character from the ancient seaside maquis-studded limestone.
Domaine de la Tour du Bon France | Provence
Experience the delicate side of Bandol—gentle and full of charm, it offers notes of clementine, white peach, and lavender.
Clos Sainte Magdeleine France | Provence
Bursting with exuberant floral aromas and fragrant summer fruit, it boasts low alcohol and a zippy acidity.
Domaine Giacometti France | Corsica
Not quite Rhône-like and not quite Corsican, this has the best of both worlds, with plenty of palate-staining black fruit to boot.
René Bouvier France | Burgundy
Classic Burgundian Pinot Noir aromas and flavors, and a deeply fruited and solid core.
Antoine-Marie Arena France | Corsica
A beautiful example of Biancu Gentile, an heirloom white grape revived from near-extinction by Arena in the 1990s.
Deperu Holler Italy | Sardinia
The interplay of salinity, bitters, and a waxy richness tug at the palate in every direction, providing a textural experience you’ll particularly appreciate at table.
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
This wine is deep and textural, with serious presence on the palate and a dry, flinty finish.
Albert Boxler France | Alsace
Made from young vine fruit from Grand Cru vineyards, this Riesling delivers delicious fruit, crispness, and minerality beyond its price point.
Grange Saint Sauveur France | Loire
The new vintage shows great freshness and brightness, making me think of tart berries picked in the forest just a touch below full ripeness.
Domaine Leon Barral France | Languedoc-Roussillon
Searching for something a bit funky to enliven your jaded palate? Look no further and prepare for an experience like none other.
Kante Italy | Friuli
Aged eight years before release, the wine is textured, vibrant, and delightfully decadent.
Christine de Mianville France | Loire
A single-vineyard bottling whose age lends a soft, drawn butter richness to its bright, tart citrus palate.
Domaine Larue France | Burgundy
With notes of freshly crushed black cherries and cranberries filtered through stones, this rouge would be sublime alongside roasted chicken or turkey.
Jean-Paul et Charly Thévenet France | Beaujolais
In classic Thévenet fashion, the wine is bright and energetic—a snappy Chardonnay that tastes like fresh green apple skin with a whisper of gentian.
Domaine Ostertag France | Alsace
Fronholz’s vibrant mix of fruit and earth, flesh and structure, is Domaine Ostertag’s hallmark.
Château La Roque France | Languedoc-Roussillon
One of the greatest values we import from any region.
France | Provence
This gorgeous blend of Vermentino, Ugni Blanc, Sémillon, and Clairette is both fleshy and mineral-driven.
France | Provence
It is a seafood lover’s dream wine.
France | Burgundy
Displaying both the oyster shell quality we love about Chablis and the sunny orchard fruit notes that make Bourgogne blancs so delicious.
France | Burgundy
Devouring a fresh crab and pairing it with this pure, elegant, chalky, earthy (wet stone), and stunning finish is the perfect combo.
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
The Jurassic limestone soil and high elevation lieu-dit where the name “Montmajou” springs from lend this blanc a lean elegance.
France | Loire
Offering ebullient perfume of grapefruit zest, white blossoms, and fines herbes that soar up and greet your nose cheerfully.
France | Loire
Alouettes harkens to a different era: it’s pleasantly tannic and chalky, with sleek notes of licorice, cranberry, and prickly black pepper.
France | Alsace
New to Alsatian wine? This is the perfect place to start.
France | Provence
A terroir-driven rosé redolent of a Provençal summer with notes of thyme and white peach, and a mouthwateringly salty finish.
France | Loire
Some wines deliver well beyond expectations—this is one of them.
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
If you can’t make it to the south of France this year, here’s a way to bring the Mediterranean sun to you.
Italy | Sicily
This low-alcohol Etna white shows subtly smoky aroma complemented by notes of yellow fruit, herbs, and wild broom.
France | Loire
This is Vouvray sec of the cold mountain stream persuasion—bracing, with a clean finish.
France | Burgundy
Valentin’s Galerne blanc is a divine rendition of pure, chiseled Chardonnay.
Italy | Le Marche
A crisp, linear white with subtle aromas of flowers and herbs, this is an all-purpose bargain sipper made for aperitivo, salads, and seafood.
France | Loire
Sauvignon and a splash of Chardonnay: the epitome of minerally Loire refreshment
France | Savoie, Bugey, Hautes-Alpes
Crystalline purity, mouthwatering salinity, and complexity without weight make this akin to an Alpine premier cru.?
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
This wine is full of fresh Grenache fruit, beautifully perfumed, with a refined and elegant finish.
Italy | Piedmont
A laid-back Barbera-based rosso with soft fruit and gentle tannins to enjoy with anything, not just Italian food.
France | Southern Rhône
It beckons you to follow Maxime-François’s advice: “Drink it when you are very, very thirsty!”
France | Northern Rhône
From vines that are more than eighty years old comes this Marsanne with magnificent floral, pit fruit, and bitter notes.
France | Alsace
Dry, with tart green apple, pear, and a classic hint of petrol on the nose. The firm, zesty palate has enough substance for endless delicious pairings.
France | Northern Rhône
Exuberant, dark-fruited aromatics melding with earthy undertones of bitter cacao. Delicious now, or mind-melting in ten years.
France | Northern Rhône
This small parcel has a fruit-forward, approachable style, yet with intense spice and licorice in there as well, perhaps from the deep-rooted old Syrah vines.
Italy | Campania
A dense and chiseled Aglianico from old vines at elevation.
France | Bordeaux
April Club Gourmand ~ Brimming with honeysuckle, lychee, and citrus, this Bordeaux blend is reliably harmonious with Eastern cuisine.
Italy | Sicily
A profound red wine full of depth, liveliness, and old-school, rustic character.
France | Burgundy
The Follin family’s reds are some of the most delicious I have tasted, none more so than their incredibly vibrant and pure Aloxe-Corton.
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
The Rozeta features the exuberant, inviting perfume and velvety wild fruit we expect from a wine that underwent 100% whole-cluster fermentation.
France | Bordeaux
Sémillon makes up about 70 percent of this blend and provides weight and texture, along with gentler floral and stone-fruit aromatics. It is wonderfully complemented by Sauvignon Blanc, and together the two varieties produce a refreshing, food-friendly white that walks the line between racy and voluptuous.
France | Bordeaux
Made from mostly Merlot and a splash of Cabernet Franc, this velvety rouge is approachable now despite having years of beautiful life ahead.
France | Bordeaux
The Roûmieu-Lacoste Sauternes is a ravishing beast, its decadent sweetness matched only by its refreshing acidity. The excellent balance and dazzling complexity make it a thrill to drink now and a sure thing for the cellar.
France | Burgundy
Limited to vintages where poor weather prevents individual bottlings, Climat renders all the top qualities of the Robert family’s holdings.
France | Alsace
This bottle gives some of my favorite grand cru Rieslings a run for their money with a nose evoking peach skin and a palate rippling with fresh acidity.
Italy | Sicily
Delicate floral perfume, medium body, and velvety tannin.
Italy | Piedmont
Made from Riserva-quality Barolo Nebbiolo, it’s a throwback to the Baroli of yesteryear, profound and stately.
Italy | Piedmont
Who could resist such a heavenly ambrosia, with its scent spring wildflowers, citrus blossoms, and succulently ripe grapes?
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
Carignan from very old vines with immense depth but the immediate drinkability of a Cru Beaujolais.
France | Burgundy
A wine of striking finesse that shows off the crunchy red fruit, floral notes, and peppery spice typical of Pinot Noir from Burgundy’s far north.
Italy | Sardinia
You’d be right to be skeptical of a Nebbiolo from Sardinia, but from a top-notch terroir high in the mountains, it is something else entirely.
Italy | Piedmont
Real refreshment, plus a serious side and good concentration from old vines in chalky marl soils.
France | Corsica
Think classic, spirited Sangiovese with a wilder, slightly darker-fruited, herb-singed character from the ancient seaside maquis-studded limestone.
France | Provence
Experience the delicate side of Bandol—gentle and full of charm, it offers notes of clementine, white peach, and lavender.
France | Provence
Bursting with exuberant floral aromas and fragrant summer fruit, it boasts low alcohol and a zippy acidity.
France | Corsica
Not quite Rhône-like and not quite Corsican, this has the best of both worlds, with plenty of palate-staining black fruit to boot.
France | Burgundy
Classic Burgundian Pinot Noir aromas and flavors, and a deeply fruited and solid core.
France | Corsica
A beautiful example of Biancu Gentile, an heirloom white grape revived from near-extinction by Arena in the 1990s.
Italy | Sardinia
The interplay of salinity, bitters, and a waxy richness tug at the palate in every direction, providing a textural experience you’ll particularly appreciate at table.
France | Loire
This wine is deep and textural, with serious presence on the palate and a dry, flinty finish.
France | Alsace
Made from young vine fruit from Grand Cru vineyards, this Riesling delivers delicious fruit, crispness, and minerality beyond its price point.
France | Loire
The new vintage shows great freshness and brightness, making me think of tart berries picked in the forest just a touch below full ripeness.
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
Searching for something a bit funky to enliven your jaded palate? Look no further and prepare for an experience like none other.
Italy | Friuli
Aged eight years before release, the wine is textured, vibrant, and delightfully decadent.
France | Loire
A single-vineyard bottling whose age lends a soft, drawn butter richness to its bright, tart citrus palate.
France | Burgundy
With notes of freshly crushed black cherries and cranberries filtered through stones, this rouge would be sublime alongside roasted chicken or turkey.
France | Beaujolais
In classic Thévenet fashion, the wine is bright and energetic—a snappy Chardonnay that tastes like fresh green apple skin with a whisper of gentian.
France | Alsace
Fronholz’s vibrant mix of fruit and earth, flesh and structure, is Domaine Ostertag’s hallmark.
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
One of the greatest values we import from any region.
More Collections
Garden of Variety
As the Loire River winds through the region known as le jardin de la France, it creates a myriad of microclimates and a rich variety of soils, yielding impressive diversity even among the same grapes...
Unheated Rivalry
It’s a bit funny to write about two equally fantastic Bandols made by men with quite opposite personalities. I don’t imagine their interpretation of the métier is that different—make wines that express their terroir—but a vigneron always leaves their mark, and that fascinates me…
A Primer on Vouvray
Vouvray’s wine is a product of what we call the Chenin Blanc grape, but I prefer the local name, Pineau de la Loire, and [René] Loyau is of the opinion that the original plantings of Pineau were Pinot, the Chardonnay, imported to Vouvray from Burgundy. Over sixteen centuries or more, the plant evolved ever so slowly as it adapted to Vouvray’s soil and climate. Even today, Loyau says, certain Vouvrays show a striking aromatic kinship to the Chardonnays of the Côte d’Or…
The Alchemy of Red Wine and Braised Beef
In the Adventures Club bulletin from 2011, where I found Chef Chris Lee’s recipe for beef braised with red wine and chocolate, Chris muses that rustic French stews are typically quite soupy and made to be sopped-up with lots of country bread. The French actually have a word for the act of sweeping bread across one’s bowl or plate to capture every last bit…
Snowed in, Tuscan Style
On a Friday afternoon last month, as a winter storm closed in on my mountain town, I made a few last-minute stops to stock up on provisions for what promised to be a snowed-in weekend. The final stop on my checklist was my local butcher, to pick up a cut of pork I’d never considered preparing before Chez Panisse chef Gary Podesto created a recipe he called “Coppa à la Matignon” for our Adventures Club last winter…
Preserving and Enhancing Aeolian Winemaking Traditions
The magnificent Aeolian Islands are a string of volcanic islands north of Sicily that include Vulcano, Lipari, Salina, Panarea, Stromboli (an active volcano), Filicudi, and Alicudi. Capers are a primary local export, particularly from Salina and Lipari—the two largest and most populous of the islands— but Antonino “Nino” Caravaglio is at once the caper champion of the region and its wine maestro. He has built what is unquestionably the most qualitative collection of vineyards and wines in this little slice of Italy…
New Arrivals
Here is a collection of recent arrivals. Every week, we’ll be adding a dozen or more new arrivals, so check back often for your favorite classics or new discoveries!
The Carpe Vinum Collection
An ever-changing offering of wines that are just about to sell out; one last opportunity to seize a range of selections before they disappear from our shelves forever.
50th Anniversary Merchandise
When the esteemed French wine artist Michel Tolmer created beautiful artwork for our 50th anniversary, we knew right away that we had to feature it on a few select items of merch. After spending maybe a little too much time researching the options, we landed on a classy, leather-strap cap, a comfortable t-shirt made from 100% cotton, and a tote made with incredibly sturdy, fair-trade, and organic cotton by a certified B corp that invests in the livelihoods of women and farmers of India, featuring three wine sleeves and two other compartments for all of your other needs!
Recent Wine Club Selections
Our five wine clubs feature our best values from France and Italy as well as complex and cellar-worthy wines.