Newsletter
September 18, 2026 – October 17, 2026
Saint-Joseph
2022 Saint-Joseph ‘La Gloriette/Vieilles Vignes’
(Lionel Faury)
Sale Price $44.99 – $458.90 case of twelve
Producers in the Northern Rhône have staged an impressive revival in the last decade. Reds from Côte-Rôtie and Hermitage have always impressed, and Cornas now commands some of the highest prices. Comparatively, the extra acreage in Saint-Joseph provides a more accessible Northern Rhône Syrah. Even though all red Saint-Joseph is made with Syrah, it is best to find a producer with old vines within the original boundaries of the appellation. The vines in Lionel Faury’s La Gloriette were planted between 1937 and 1976. His 2022 has glorious plum and stone aromas along with a smooth ripeness and gorgeous tannins. Try this great Syrah with a grilled leg of lamb studded with garlic.
Tablas Creek
2023 Patelin de Tablas Rouge (Tablas Creek Vineyard)
Sale Price $23.99 – $244.70 case of twelve
One of the crown jewels in importer Robert Haas’ portfolio is the great Southern Rhône selections from the Perrin family’s Château de Beaucastel, which is well known for cultivating all 13 of the allowable grape varieties that can go into Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Together they birthed an idea to start a winery in California with cuttings from Beaucastel. It took longer than expected due to quarantines of the vines, but when they were lifted the vines thrived in Paso Robles, and so did a lively nursery business for these top-quality Rhône vines. This month we luckily received a price break on their entry-level Rhône blend Patelin de Tablas. This 2023 mix of Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, and Counoise is a generous beefy red that will be excellent with BBQ and strong cheeses.
Presqu’ile
2022 Santa Barbara Syrah (Presqu’ile)
Sale Price $21.99 – $224.30 case of twelve
One quality that we like about Syrah is that in the right hands it can produce a wine of character with relatively low alcohol. The Saint-Joseph on this page is a full 13.5%, but Presqu’ile’s 2022 Santa Barbara Syrah is a spry 12.2%. This leads to charming aromas, lively fruit, and mild tannins. This lovely red will benefit from a slight chill and can be enjoyed with fish.
Mégaphone
2023 Ventoux Rouge ‘Mégaphone’ (Famille Brunier)
Sale Price $24.99 – $254.90 case of twelve
Another great family in Châteauneuf-du-Pape is the Bruniers of Vieux-Télégraphe. Instead of heading to California they have expanded into Ventoux and the Vaucluse. Their Mégaphone red is a hearty Grenache and Syrah blend that rivals many a Châteauneuf. The 2023 is a ripe and ready wine that will pair well with a Middle Eastern spread of skewers, dips, and olives.
Vaucluse
2023 Vaucluse Rouge ‘Pigeoulet’ (Famille Brunier)
Sale Price $19.99 – $203.90 case of twelve
Pigeoulet Rouge is a tour of Southern Rhône red grapes. This spicy blend of Grenache, Syrah, Carignan, Cinsault, and Mourvèdre is a great wine for burgers and late summer’s ripe tomatoes.
2023 Vaucluse Blanc ‘Pigeoulet’ (Famille Brunier)
Sale Price $19.99 – $203.90 per bottle
Listed prices are honored through October 17th, 2026. We will not honor mistyped prices. Vol. 50, No. 10
Gemischter Satz originated as an easygoing white blend made within Vienna to be served in its taverns. The Soellner winery is in Wagram just to the west of Vienna. They are biodynamic and are known as something of a specialist of Roter Veltliner. This month we have their incredibly fresh single vineyard Gemischter Satz. The grapes for this wine were all harvested, pressed, and vinified together on the same day. It’s light, fruity, spicy, and delicious. Have with a sautéed sole and new potatoes.
Greater Cheverny is allowed to plant a wide array of Loire Valley red and white grapes, but in 11 communes at the heart of Cheverny an old grape called Romorantin makes an interesting white called Cour-Cheverny. As a young wine it’s relatively neutral, but after a few years it develops into a rich and textured wine with real character. This 2022 from Cazin soaks the palate with ripe fruits and a ton of mouthfeel. A lovely wine for grilled swordfish and roasted leeks.
Riccardo Tiberio was working as the export manager for another winery when he came upon a vineyard of 60-year-old Trebbiano d’Abruzzo. This vineyard made him decide to start his own winery. He knew that true Trebbiano d’Abruzzo was a rarity and should not be confused with other grapes named Trebbiano, of which there are several. He bought the vineyard in 2000 and his first vintage was 2004. The accolades rolled in. The family continued to plant more vines and is now also known for Pecorino and Montepulciano, but it is this Trebbiano that made the winery. The 2024 has a sharp penetrating aroma and crisp concentration, making it perfect for a spicy seafood stew.
Colombard has received almost every backhanded compliment a grape can. It’s a workhorse (i.e. high yields)… it’s good in a blend… you can distill it... but when planted in the right spot and with yields kept low, Colombard can produce a pleasantly fruity Sauvignon Blanc-like white with a lively salty finish. The 2025 from Maison Ventenac delivers this with a bit of citrusy fruit and a gentle aroma. A lovely salad and chèvre white.
We had heard that Jean-Paul was bought out as he neared mandatory retirement age in France. But we just found out that he is still at it in the vines and the winery advising the new owners. This just as we found two great 2022 wines from the 40th harvest of his adored Terres Dorées.
In the early 1800s growers in Burgundy were advised to rip out their Aligoté. Given that so little remains this advice must have been taken. Yet now Aligoté has almost achieved respectability. Why else would growers like Jobard and Carillon persist in producing it? Last month’s insanely expensive Aligoté from Jobard was also insanely good. This month we have a moderately expensive version from François Carillon, who truly makes his living producing Puligny-Montrachet. The Carillons cultivate the superior Jaune doré clone of Aligoté whose vines are over 50 years old. Some of the vines are in Puligny-Montrachet along with some in the neighboring village of Corpeau. They treat this wine just like a Premier Cru Puligny with some aging in barrel. In 2023 the results were excellent. This crisp, lively wine has beautiful lime and peach fruit and a refreshing finish.
Rahmtaler is a unique cheese from the Gourmino collective and master cheesemakers Marlies Zaugg and Bernhard Meier. A variation on traditional Emmentaler, this is made with full-fat milk rather than skim and aged for eighteen months in the Reichenbach Mountain bunkers. It is full-bodied, rich, and buttery.
Renowned French affineur Rodolphe Le Meunier brings us this benchmark example of the most noble of alpine cheeses. Made exclusively with raw, summer milk from cows that graze above 1,500 meters, Rodolphe ages this version for two years to bring out its intensity and complexity. This bold cheese begins with a deep, brothy flavor and moves into a briny finish.
2024 Cabernet Sauvignon (Les Jamelles) 
2024 Jongieux Blanc (Carrel & Senger) 
2025 Douro Branco ‘Lavra’ (Lavradores de Feitoria) 