Red by the Glass
Producer: Chateau Massereau
Grapes: Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot
Cuvée: ‘Cuvée K’
Region: Bordeaux Superieur
Vintage: 2012
Château Massereau – situated at Barsac (left bank) at about 30 kilometers from Bordeaux – was built in the 16th century and acquired by the Chaigneau family in 2000. The estate extends over 19 hectares in the Barsac, Graves and Bordeaux Superieur appellations. They are well known for aging their wines before release.
In the bottle: Average age of vines are 40-60 years. Vatting for 4 to 6 weeks in cement vats. Aging in barrels, 1/3 renewed every year. Farming is all organic/biodynamic. Soils are rich in gravel, limestone, and sand.
Notes: Classic old-school Bordeaux with depth, complexity, and age-imparted savory flavors like tobacco and leather. Great option for guests who want a glass with some age. Excellent with duck confit, coq au vin, jambon cru.
Glass $22, Bottle $98
Producer: Domaine des Frères
Grape: Cabernet Franc
Cuvée: ‘Les Pucelles’
Appellation: Chinon
Region: Loire
Vintage: 2021
Domaine des Frères was founded by two brothers, Henri and Valentin, who grew up near Chinon. After several years working in the field of engineering, they both realized they were not fit to stay in an office. After obtaining degrees in oenology and viticulture, the two brothers ended up working under some notable winemakers, including Patrick Corbineau, Yvon and Jules Métras, Philippe Chigard, and Bernard Baudry.
In October 2019, Henri and Valentin took over a unique 27-acre estate in Beaumont-en-Véron, planted with vines between 35 and 50 years old and located on a hillside containing 7 distinct terroirs. The farming is organic with precise and thoughtful tisanes. Harvest is done by hand and picked very early in the morning so the grapes arrive cold.
The brothers do not plow and avoid packing the soil; they only come twice during the year with a 1.9T tractor (usually 3T) for the hilling up and taking away. Each parcel has organic plants which indicate if the soil is alive or not. They also produce homemade tisane treatments such as fermented compost tea. They trim the vines only once per year (compared to the 3-4 times for most winemakers). This technique provides each vine with a maximum number of leaves, thus aiding photosynthesis and improving the aromatic complexity of the fruit.
In the bottle: All the wines are made based on their terroirs with the idea of minimum intervention with precision. Semi-carbonic whole-cluster maceration (“Beaujolaise” style) with indigenous yeasts and without SO2, aging in concrete tanks for 6 months, bottled without filtration and fining.
Notes: Pairs nicely with salade de poulet, petit burger, terrine de campagne.
Glass $18, Bottle $80
Producer: Domaine Coillot
Grape: Pinot Noir
Cuvée: ‘La Charme aux Prêtres’
Appellation: Marsannay
Region: Burgundy
Vintage: 2021
Domaine Coillot was established in Marsannay in the 1960s by Bernard Coillot, father of current owner Christophe. Marsannay is located in the northern Côte de Nuits and is the only appellation in Burgundy that is permitted to produce white, red, and rosé. Among producers like Sylvain Pataille, Coillot has been advocating for Marsannay to achieve premier/grand cru status for years.
The estate itself is 11 hectares spread out over 12 different appellations. The vines range from 20-65 years of age, with yields that never exceed 32-40 hectoliters per hectare. Due to the low yields, production is small, with about 50,000 bottles of wine produced annually. Christophe’s philosophy is to make terroir-driven wines as naturally as possible, with the least amount of intervention in the vineyard. The estate practices sustainable farming and does not use insecticides, pesticides, or herbicides.
In the bottle: There is no addition of yeasts, enzymes, or any chaptalization during vinification. Fermentation takes place during a period of 20-30 days under strict temperature control. This is followed by 18 months of aging in oak barrels (some new wood used).
La Charme aux Prêtres is named after ‘charme/chaume’ which is a term in Burgundy used to describe a place so rocky that few plants will grow. Prêtre means priest. Soil types here are reddish-brown and a mixture of gravel and limestone.
Notes: Nuanced, ethereal, super pretty and elegant – all the things we love about Burgundy. High toned, fragrant, balanced acid. On the nose, hibiscus, dried roses and violets. On the palate a mixture of fresh blackfruit, crushed rocks, and sage. Pair with steak tartare, kunik, cassoulet, peas in spring.
Glass $21, Bottle $92
Producer: Eliza Guerin
Grape: 100% Gamay
Region: Beaujolais
Appellation: Beaujolais Villages
Vintage: 2022
Elisa Guérin delivers a fresh new vision for Beaujolais and a reminder of how noble a grape Gamay can be. Elisa crafts not only joyous wines for early drinking—full of violet, cherry and wilted roses—but also intense-yet-harmonious, age-worthy wines with notes of undergrowth and steeped black tea that provide tannin and structure.
In the bottle: Organic grapes purchased from two growers in cool climates. Quincié-en-Beaujolais: blue shist and limestone on a northern exposure; Lantignié: granitic sandy soil on a high southeast exposure at 400m. Grapes are hand-harvested. Traditional Beaujolais fermentation with indigenous yeast; carbonic maceration of whole clusters to obtain an enzymatic fermentation. Minimal mechanical intervention. Soft pump over, twice during the fermentation. No punch-downs. Slow press. Aged one winter in stainless steel tanks.
Notes: aromas of ripe cherry, wild strawberry, rose. On the palate, similar ripe berry fruit and breakfast tea. Silky, perfect Beaujolais. Pair with roasted chicken, steak tartare, jambon cru.
Glass $19, Bottle $90
Producer: Mooa
Grapes: 40% Syrah, 40% Carignan, 20% Cinsault
Cuvée: ‘Les Sauriens’
Appellation: Aix-en-Provence (in the town of Jouques)
Region: Provence
Vintage: 2021
Mooa is the project of Jean Luc Lametrie, founder of Wine MC2. Jean Luc spent lots of time in Provence over many years and has an extensive network of winemakers there, like Pierre Michelland of Domaine de la Réaltière.
The fruit for Les Sauriens (sauriens are the tiny lizards that live in the rocks in this area) is purchased from growers in the towns of Jouques and Rians; both very wild and rural places, relatively sparsely farmed areas north of Mount Saint Victoire. The soil is dense red clay with a base of limestone and deposits of calcium. If you are lucky, you can find bits of ancient pottery in the ground. Provence is ostensibly the very first wine region in France. (The Phonecians first settled in what is now Marseille in roughly 600BC, followed by the Romans who expanded into Provence and brought grape vine cultivation in approx. 200 BC).
This part of Provence has a unique micro-climat compared to the areas further south. The vineyards are protected from heavy winds by high hills and receive strong sun during the day. This warms the soil before the respite in the evenings when temperatures fall drastically (even in the height of summer you’ll need a jacket).
In the bottle: The Mooa wines are designed to be lively, fresh and ready to drink now; with no sulfites added and minimal intervention in the winemaking – hence the sourcing of fruit for this natural wine is of the utmost importance.
Notes: Juicy, fresh, with a balanced characteristic of red fruit, game, and herbs. Great with a slight chill. Highly versatile wine – pair with steak tartare, cassoulet, charcuterie.
Glass $16, Bottle $70