Georges Laval

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Vincent Laval is the current generation of the Laval family, barons of Cumières since before the records of the town even existed. Because the family is so beloved throughout the village, Vincent has been able to deftly trade his vineyards to acquire larger, contiguous vineyard parcels so that he can avoid chemical damage to his vines from unwitting neighbors, as the family has somehow avoided the use of herbicides or pesticides for hundreds of years.

Cumières acts as a natural amphitheater, its hills not only allowing the heat to settle and maintain, but also protect the village from rough weather - Cumières is usually the very first of the Champagne villages to be harvested, thanks to that warmth. Laval will often make single-varietal wines for his higher-echelon cuvées, but his blending skills are beyond many. In fact, he’s so nonchalant, not dogmatic about anything that he will allow multiple vintages of wine to stay in barrel to allow cooler, more acidic vintages to develop enough that a richer, broader wine to be harvested and blended together to create a more balanced wine. Everything in the winery is old-school - the smallest press in champagne, the gravity-flow because “we never had a hose in here”, and the blending to taste. Laval’s oldest vines in recent years were as old as 1929 (recently ripped out) and generally average about forty years’ age, producing incredible depth and concentration. Laval for long only produced 10,000 bottles a year as it was the maximum he could hold in his cellar; he recently bought his neighbor’s house and tunneled into his basement to gain some more space. Wines are often aged until Laval deems them ready (again, not dogmatic), and his portfolio is not always consistent, with many one-offs through the years.

Les Garennes is from the youngest vines, a blend of all three varietals, and the only wine in the portfolio to receive dosage - made in both Brut and Demi-Sec. The blend of the Cumieres 1er Cru will change every bottling - usually three contiguous vintages, and so expressive of the Meunier element, with high-toned floral tones complementing ripe orchard fruits. Magnums and Jeroboamss will typically be single-vintage. Les Chenes consists of entirely old-vine Chardonnay, and the perfect expression of the warmth of Cumières, smelling of springy sweet greens and wildflowers. “The high goat” - Les Hautes Chevres - was traditionally the oldest vines of the family, these days more Pinot Noir-dominant, but was often made with a lot of Meunier as well (those were the 1929 vines). This rewards time, but is a holy grail for many. Laval produces about 8-12 magnums of this a year. Les Longues Violes is the newest cuvée, but one Vincent has planned for a while - a single bottling of the oldest vines of the estate, this is a breathtaking wine that should be served as a meal in itself. Pinot Noir and Meunier. Vincent will make a rosé from time to time, depending on the harvest. Made in rare instances, though it’s one of the most exciting rosé wines that exists. This is often an output for ripe vintages, and Laval will let the juice macerate for a long time before pulling it off the skins. A sensory experience, and deserving of decanting and service like a fine red burgundy. If you ever set eyes on a Coteaux Champenois, snap it up - this hasn't been made since 2009.

From 14 hectares in Beaujolais, Jean Foillard was a trailblazer as part of the "Gang of Four." For us, Foillard's wines, however are singular - undoubtedly pure, they possess unparalleled depth, intensity and structure that seem to bely what we once knew Gamay could be. Most of the vineyard land is in the Cote du Py, the finest spot within Morgon; Foillard's Fleuries are equally, if not more deep and compelling. It's difficult to decide which Foillard to choose from, as they all possess such quality. One thing is for sure though: you will never find more age-worthy Gamay on this planet than the wines from this house.

Jean Foillard

When one thinks of Beaujolais, and I mean the "real" Beaujolais, not the pink bubblegum watermelon candy B.S. people consume around the third week of November, the name Foillard is not too far away from their thoughts. The Domaine, established by Jean and Agnes Foillard in the early 80s, became one of the most important producers in the regions for quality wines that defined expectations, especially at the peak of Beaujolais Nouveau's success.

Along with Marcel Lapierre, Jean-Paul Thévenet, and Guy Breton, Foillard led the revolution not just for quality but also for conscious viticulture and winemaking. The above Vignerons, inspired by the teachings of Jules Chauvet (one of the first proponents of low-intervention winemaking) became the "Big Four" of Beaujolais. They set an example for all the progressive regions in the region.

If Foillard were located in the Cote d'Or and producing Pinot from Premiers/Grands Crus, his wines would have long been out of reach for most consumers. Yet, luckily, the wines of Beaujo, even the classics, are still "on the down-low" and thus outstanding value.

Some fifteen years ago we celebrated the rise of Priorat, where several Bordeaux-trained winemakers were making bold, rich wines in the vein of what was popularized at that point - look to a few critics for their heavy-handed influence there! Today, the region has come almost full circle, epitomized in the Nin-Ortiz collaboration which honors the teachings of Nicolas Joly, bringing biodynamics, precision and delicacy to a historically important region.

Nin-Ortiz

In every region there are traditionalists and radicals, but Ester Nin straddles both sides. A native of the Alt Penedes, she worked as a viticulturist in the Priorat following her studies in biology at the University of Barcelona, and earned her way to working for Daphne Glorian at Clos i Terrasses - you may know the Clos Erasmus well. Part of the Gratallops Project in Priorat, Daphne looked to Ester to convert the entire estate to biodynamic viticulture. Gaining a strong foothold in the region's geology and temperament, Ester purchased her own plots on the steep hillsides above Priorat in 2004. As luck would have it, there was another aspiring enologist not too far away, seemingly destined to collide course. 

Carles Ortiz and Ester today form Familia Nin-Ortiz, bringing together their 6.5 hectares and their combined know-how to coax incredible depth and precision from their wrought, old vines. The emphasis on biodynamics mean a strong eye to the health of the vines, which, tunneled into essentially dense rock rather than soil produce a more elegant, mineral-focused version of the region's grapes that we had long associated with broad, powerful wines. 

All processes in the vineyard are guided by hand, plowed by mule, and again tended to by hand in the winery to assure the greatest quality and preservation of the most delicate flavors and aromas.