Cellar Access
Cellar Access
Cellar Access
Cellar Access
SEPTEMBER 2024 - CELLAR ACCESS!
Do you remember the 21st night of September?
This month, iconically elevated by the band Earth, Wind, and Fire, is quite momentous, with many milestones and events. Whether you are celebrating the start of harvest, welcoming the beginning of the academic year (and the opportunity to get the kids out of the house), or mourning the end of Summer, we have some exceptional wines for your tasting pleasure.
For this month's selection, we begin on the limestone escarpment of Bourgogne and move east towards the Alpine Savoie before crossing the border and arriving at the foot of the mountain (Piedmonte) on the Italian side. Historically, this is one of the trade roads controlled by the House of Savoie, which was initially established as part of the Kingdom of Burgundy. Aside from the historical connection, we have been drawn over and over to these magical eastern regions, and love sharing these producers with you.
This wine has a per person limit. We do this as the wine is hard to find, very rare and/or incredibly sought after.
We do this to ensure that we are able to share the love with everyone!
We kindly ask that you do not abuse this limit by placing multiple orders. In the event that you place multiple orders - they will be canceled and subject to a 5% cancellation fee.
If you would like to request more than the allowable amount - we may be able to help - send us an email at info@thatcherswineconsulting.com
2019 Domaine Dominique Belluard, Ayze Les Perles du Mont Blanc, Vin de Savoie
2019 Domaine Dominique Belluard, Ayze Les Perles du Mont Blanc, Vin de Savoie
From Ayze, a named cru of Vin de Savoie appellation that covers the mountainous landscape south of Lake Geneva in far-eastern France. Wine made with 100% Gringet. Primary fermentation using native yeast and elevage occurs in concrete eggs. Second fermentation occurs in the bottle using native Champagne yeast; the wine is aged for two years on lees before disgorgement. The wine is unfined, unfiltered, with no SO2.
This fresh and delightful wine has high notes of crisp apple, hay, lemon zest, and a little funk. It is reminiscent of a Cidre de Normandie but with fine bubbles to enhance the structure. It is a delightful wine to drink or pair with various light and rich dishes.
A fresher, less "leesy" example of what "Methode Traditionelle" wine can be. It has excellent fresh fruit notes, length, and texture on the palate. Less funky aromas with time. This vintage is far fresher and cleaner than previous examples.
The late Dominique Belluard was a humble master of the Gringet (grahn-ZHAY) grape, a varietal which he quickly discovered was almost extinct outside of his family's land. Through his own vine nursery he created the largest selection of the grape perhaps in the world, and successfully made several monovarietal wines from the grape.
Domaine Dominique Belluard
Dominique's work carries on posthumously in the form of Domaine du Gringet
Sadly, we lost the great Dominique during the pandemic, bringing an unfortunate close to nearly 35 years at the helm of his family's estate. When he took over in 1988, the domaine was not entirely focused on grapes, with various crops and some dairy cows all part of the equation. Ever the student, Dominique chose to focus on the vines exclusively, and in particular in a native variety called Gringet.
As so many similarly thoughtful winemakers have done, Dominique chose to elevate the health of his vineyard with a focus on biodynamic methods; despite the cold (and close proximity to the Mont Blanc), he kept his vines trained close to the ground to grasp every last degree of warmth they could, despite the risk of mildew. The iron-rich soils absorbed a good amount of heat from the sun when it appeared, and his wines show ample ripeness.
Gringet, the grape that makes up nearly the entirety of his family land is unique - picture it somewhere between Sauvignon Blanc - the brightness, the green streak and tendency to produce honeyed flavors when ripe - and Chenin Blanc - the textural character, the way it shows lees-y flavors easily, and a bit of that lanolin hint. The structure is such that it should age well, particularly given the incredible attention to vineyard health, and some older examples show similar qualities to aged Chablis.
Perhaps what drew attention to the Belluard wines were the fine sparkling wines he crafted from 100% Gringet in the Champagne method. The wines spend about 2 years on the lees and have more than ample body, texture and expression. The still wines show both freshness and structure to age, and are generally made in vessels designed to suspend the lees so that batonnage is not needed, while the wines display the same texture as though batonnage had been performed, without tasting overtly of yeast.
It seems the domaine will stay in the family, with a new winemaker brought on who grasps the importance of tradition and carrying on the legacy; as such, the future bottlings will bear the name of Belluard's love child: Domaine de Gringet.
With two years on the lees, the Ayze Les Perles du Mont Blanc (2018) is reminiscent of fine Champagnes but with Gringet's trademark green streak, spice and citrus flavors. Monsieur Gringet is as texturally gripping as a top Chablis, with crystalline minerality and length to the finish. The 2020 Eponyme, a wine that was finished by Jean-Francois Ganevat, a close friend of the family, is entirely Gringet, a slightly riper wine, showcasing white fruits, pears and a delightful salty mineral touch. Les Alpes showcases the brilliant freshness of Gringet, with dried apricot, lime zest and a fleshier palate.
Bay Area
Available same day if ordered by 2pm
25811 Clawiter Road
Hayward CA 94545
United States
+14152340046
Brentwood LA
Available same day if ordered by 2pm
11718 San Vicente Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90049
United States
+14152340046
This wine has a per person limit. We do this as the wine is hard to find, very rare and/or incredibly sought after.
We do this to ensure that we are able to share the love with everyone!
We kindly ask that you do not abuse this limit by placing multiple orders. In the event that you place multiple orders - they will be canceled and subject to a 5% cancellation fee.
If you would like to request more than the allowable amount - we may be able to help - send us an email at info@thatcherswineconsulting.com
2021 Yves Boyer-Martenot, Bourgogne Aligote
2021 Yves Boyer-Martenot, Bourgogne Aligote
The 10-70-year-old Aligote vines grow in the vineyards on the outskirts of Meursault, where the soils are deeper and more fertile. These soils are unsuitable for Pinot Noir or Chardonnay but an excellent fit for Aligote. Grapes are hand-harvested and fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks with indigenous yeasts. The wine proceeds with elevage in mainly neutral, older French oak and then concrete egg.
What surprised us the most about the Yves Boyer Martenot Aligote was just how richly structured it was. Much Aligote is very thin: high in acid but low in body and complexity. This Aligote, on the other hand, was juicy and rich, and its structure complemented the lightning-bolt acidity. The Yves-Boyer Martenot Aligote is a perfect aperitif wine but may get you in trouble if you hope to avoid drinking too much, as it is very crushable.This wine has a per person limit. We do this as the wine is hard to find, very rare and/or incredibly sought after.
We do this to ensure that we are able to share the love with everyone!
We kindly ask that you do not abuse this limit by placing multiple orders. In the event that you place multiple orders - they will be canceled and subject to a 5% cancellation fee.
If you would like to request more than the allowable amount - we may be able to help - send us an email at info@thatcherswineconsulting.com
The Langhe Nebbiolo is assembled from a combination of high-altitude vines in Levice and Vicoforte (Alta Langa), plus younger vines in the estate’s La Morra holdings. Fermented & aged in concrete and stainless steel.
Though young for a Nebbiolo, the 2023 Trediberri Langhe is designed to be consumed. The wine is red-fruited and crisp, with firm but fine tannins, plenty of grip, and high acidity. Flavors of raspberry, pomegranate, rosehip, pepper, and violets permeate the palate. This wine represents the perfect Langhe, not quite as complex as Barolo/Barbaresco, but amply delicious to pair with a variety of rich and light fare.
A newer name in the context of the historic (read: transcendent) La Morra section of Barolo, Trediberri has a passionate trio behind it, dedicated to crafting profound examples of the legendary terroir.
Trediberri
Winemaker Nicola's father had family vines just outside of La Morra in Torriglione, and knowing his local terroirs well, Nicola, his father Federico and their partner smartly purchased 5 hectares in the historic section of Berri within La Morra. Limestone soils with sandstone interwoven create a unique clay-like soil, and was historically held to be a highly desired terroir; many of the vineyards were abandoned after the second World War, only to be revitalized by the trio who replanted it in 2007. With the vines coming of proper age, the resultant wines are highly perfumed with great finesse and astounding potential.
The grapes from the Berri vines make up most of the production, but Federico's old vineyards in Torriglione and Rocche dell’Annunziata also contribute tremendous wines in Nicola's hands. Winemaking for the Nebbiolo wines is traditional: the grapes will soak for 3+ weeks during fermentation in concrete, and then will age for about 2 years in slavonian "botti" casks.
