For the Love of Fromage
by Madison Brown
Let us take a moment to appreciate cheese—le fromage—in all its glorious forms: aged and flecked with crunchy crystals, nestled beside ribbons of salty salumi; encased in a rich rind, spread onto crusty bread; warm and gooey, folded into a fresh herby pasta; grated generously over hearty soups and salads... Though we often use cheese as a delicious adornment to our everyday dishes, the most artisanal cheeses shine in the spotlight of a simply laden platter. When paired with the right wine, they offer us a wonderfully complex, even transcendent, experience.
This month, we’ve put together an indulgent selection of wines from cheese-making regions throughout France and Italy. We’ve grouped the collection into regional categories and provided recommended pairings for each bottling. Shop around for wines that pique your interest, head to your local cheesemonger, and taste your way through the rolling, pastoral hills of the wine route.
Wines In The Collection
André et Michel Quenard France | Savoie, Bugey, Hautes-Alpes
Grown on near-vertical limestone scree slopes, Bergeron reaches incredible heights here, yielding a blanc full of character and flavors of peach, tangerine, and pine resin.
La Soeur Cadette France | Burgundy
Few domaines bring out the joyous side of red Burgundy like La Soeur Cadette. When I close my eyes and try to dream up the ideal bistro red, this is it.
André & Michel Quenard France | Savoie, Bugey, Hautes-Alpes
Travel no further than Chignin, where the Quenard family bottles a Roussanne (dubbed Bergeron in these parts) that will exceed your wildest expectations.
Gregoletto Italy | Veneto
The 2021 has a sweet nose with summery whiffs of peach and apricot, a silky mid-palate, and a lovely citrus and mineral finish.
Davide Vignato Italy | Veneto
It’s made from his oldest, highest-altitude vines trained in the traditional pergola style, creating a beautiful canopy from which his Garganega dangles in slinky, loose bunches.
Domaine Arretxea France | Southwest
Any lover of whites from Chablis or the Loire should try this white made of Gros Manseng, Petit Manseng, and Petit Courbu.
France | Savoie, Bugey, Hautes-Alpes
Grown on near-vertical limestone scree slopes, Bergeron reaches incredible heights here, yielding a blanc full of character and flavors of peach, tangerine, and pine resin.
France | Burgundy
Few domaines bring out the joyous side of red Burgundy like La Soeur Cadette. When I close my eyes and try to dream up the ideal bistro red, this is it.
France | Savoie, Bugey, Hautes-Alpes
Travel no further than Chignin, where the Quenard family bottles a Roussanne (dubbed Bergeron in these parts) that will exceed your wildest expectations.
Italy | Veneto
The 2021 has a sweet nose with summery whiffs of peach and apricot, a silky mid-palate, and a lovely citrus and mineral finish.
Italy | Veneto
It’s made from his oldest, highest-altitude vines trained in the traditional pergola style, creating a beautiful canopy from which his Garganega dangles in slinky, loose bunches.
France | Southwest
Any lover of whites from Chablis or the Loire should try this white made of Gros Manseng, Petit Manseng, and Petit Courbu.
More Collections
New Arrivals from Savary
(and an Unexpected Trip Down Memory Lane)
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Domaine Savary’s 2023 wines have landed, and just in time for oyster season! In celebrating the new arrivals from one of our favorite domaines in Chablis, I can’t help seizing the opportunity to take a trip down memory lane of the appellation to recall some of its colorful history here in the states…
Spotlight on Corbières
If you’d like a travel tip for France, I have a good one for you: go to Corbières! Living is good in those southern hills, with plenty of artsy villages, locavore restaurants, B&Bs with old-school charm, hikes and sites galore, and, of course—the reason we’re here—a plethora of local wines that are most often affordable and pleasantly drinkable, and, at their best, truly exceptional.
Most Chillable Reds
A little before 8 p.m. on a warm night last June, I sat down at a Paris wine bar across from François-Régis Gaudry, host of Radio France’s On Va Déguster. The waiter arrived and Gaudry asked for a couple glasses of whatever “vin frais” he’d recommend. It wasn’t the open-ended nature of this request that caught my attention—the order was appropriately vague, exhibiting the sort of trust you place in the staff of your favorite establishment. My curiosity snagged instead on the word “frais”...
Introducing Our Newest Producer: Cantine Garrone
Exactly what I had been searching for over many years was hidden in this remote corner of northern Piedmont, waiting intently, jewel-like, to be discovered.
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!
Memories, Wines, and Reflections
In our July newsletter, Kermit reflects on the old days after cleaning up his home office and finding his earliest tasting notes. Particularly inspired by his first wine-buying trip to Paris, he notes that on May 3, 1974, he walked into the wine shop of Monsieur Jean-Baptiste Chaudet, who “generously opened at no charge so many great bottles for tasting and devoted such a big chunk of time to me, just me, of all people…”
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.