For your next Italian vacation, forget the usual suspects. Leave the strikingly rugged coastline of Amalfi, the azure beaches of Sicily and Sardinia, and the storied ruins of Rome for another time. Instead, I recommend a place you may not even know exists…

Raised in the Languedoc city of Nîmes with no family background in wine, Ludovic Engelvin did not have a straightforward path to becoming a vigneron. On the contrary, the road was long, winding, and at times uncertain. But after a formative stint in the late Didier Dagueneau’s cellar and another working as sommelier in an haute cuisine establishment, a dream took hold.

Olivier Savary was not always destined to make wine. Even though many of his relatives around the Chablisien village of Maligny did, a string of challenging harvests had discouraged Olivier’s parents from joining the family business.

Here you will discover twelve examples from Italian and French vignerons who have resisted the tendency to globalize their vineyards, honorably sustaining the varieties native to their respective terroirs.

Even the most renowned vignerons in Villié-Morgon tend to be laid back and unassuming despite the monumental Gamays they produce—perhaps none more so than Jean Foillard. One of Morgon’s “Gang of Four” Kermit first championed thirty years ago, Jean farms some of the cru’s most celebrated vineyards and his translation of these schist, granite, and sandstone terroirs is never anything short of breathtaking.

For me, it’s no surprise—legend has it that Gigondas derived its name many moons ago from jucunda, Latin for “joyous.”

When I moved to Burgundy many years ago, I befriended a young Savoyard who had recently inherited some family vineyards, and he invited me for a tour of his vines in the village of Chignin. Having never set foot in Chignin, nor ever tasted a wine from Savoie, I gladly accepted his invitation.

While passing by a restaurant recently, I overheard a customer order a glass of “the Sauvignon Blanc.” I wondered what she’d end up with, where this wine was from and who had made it––all the while lamenting the use of a grape variety to convey an entire category. It got me thinking of all the possibilities that might fall under the umbrella of Sauvignon Blanc, especially when considering the diverse selections within our own portfolio.

With our spirits high and palates cleansed, we left the winery awed by his Kerner: a wine of pinpoint focus, featuring aromas of tropical fruit that jump out of the glass. Equally stunning is the Veltliner.

Our five wine clubs feature our best values from France and Italy as well as complex and cellar-worthy wines.

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!