Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

Elena Lapini’s Ribollita Recipe

Earlier this month, Elena Lapini of Podere Campriano shared her recipe for ribollita with us. She explained, “Usually, every family in the Florence area (ribollita is typical only in Florence, Arezzo, and the plain of Pisa) has its own recipe that was passed down from generation to generation, and I have my own recipe that […]

Eating Donkey Ravioli in Piedmont

A few months ago, many of us in Berkeley had the good fortune of getting to spend some time with two producers who are relatively new to our portfolio: Fabio Altariva, of Fattoria Moretto in Emilia-Romagna, and Luca Marchiaro of Antica Distilleria Quaglia in Piedmont. At dinner, I asked Luca, who looks like Liam Gallagher, […]

From the archives … My Problems with White Wine

by Jim Harrison MAY WE POLITICIZE WINE? I will if I wish. This is a free country though it is quickly becoming less so. I have noted, for instance, that the Bay Area has become fatally infected with the disease of sincerity. Last early December in San Francisco I naively looked for a bar where […]

Artisan Vignerons – In Defense of Prices

by Anthony Lynch We take pride in the bargains in our portfolio, but from time to time we cannot resist buying wines that some people would deem expensive. Our intention is not to gouge or cheat; in fact, we regret that something like wine, a product of the earth whose purpose is to unify and […]

A Guide to the Jura Through the Wines of François Rousset-Martin

By Anthony Lynch      The Jura wine world is a fascinating, mysterious, and at times confusing one. The region’s recent surge in popularity on American wine lists lies in stark contrast with how strange its wines come across to the uninitiated, with many of its indigenous production methods and quirky winemakers requiring more than […]

July Newsletter: New Arrivals Corsica, Rosé Time Continues, François Rousset-Martin

The July Newsletter is now available. Click here to download the pdf. Highlights from this month’s newsletter… NEW ARRIVALS FROM CORSICA > by Chris Santini 2013 MONTE BIANCO ROUGE DOMAINE comte ABBATUCCI I hate to make bold claims, but I gotta say that this is the single greatest pure Sciaccarellu I’ve ever tasted. Once seen as […]

March Newsletter: 2014 Vieux Télégraphe, Côte d’Or, Alsace—Beyond Riesling

The March Newsletter is now available. Click here to download the pdf. Highlights from this month’s newsletter… PRE-ARRIVAL OFFER 2014 VIEUX TÉLÉGRAPHE > by Dixon Brooke A meaningful number of the most prestigious (expensive) cuvées of Châteauneuf-du-Pape come from the lieu-dit of La Crau. All of the fruit iused for VT’s classic bottling is sourced […]

January Newsletter: Surrounding the Alps, Rhône, and An Epic Vouvray

The January Newsletter is now available. Click here to download the pdf. Highlights from this month’s newsletter…   SURROUNDING THE ALPS mountain SAMPLER > by Anthony Lynch Today we visit the Alps to discover a fascinating tradition of viticulture and winemaking. Grape growing has long held a sacred place in these mountain cultures, often as […]

December Newsletter: Values of the Month, White Burgundy

The December Newsletter is now available. Click here to download the pdf. Highlights from this month’s newsletter… VALUES OF THE MONTH selected by kermit lynch by Dixon Brooke We’ve got two Kermit Lynch custom selections here, an old friend and a new face. We are excited about having a white selection out of Italy, even […]

A Crusade for Alsace Part II: Kuentz-Bas

Greg Schlagdenhauffen is the Frenchman who is the United States sales manager for the Alsatian domaine Kuentz-Bas. His name doesn’t sound very French does it? Embodied in Greg’s last name is an a propos reminder of the history and culture of Alsace.  The end of WWII marked the most recent change of hands of Alsace […]