The 'Tour de 2021 France' 6-pack
We’ve been ecstatic about the wines of France from the 2021 vintage. After a string of hot years resulting in lush-but-uncharacteristic wines, ‘21’s bottles remind why we fell in love with French wine long ago: lots of fresh acidity and minerals.
That’s not to say the wines lack fruit. The fruit is there, too, giving us fully realized wines that have it all: the ideal combo of freshness, minerality, layers of fruit, and reasonable alcohol levels. What they don’t have, however, is a large quantity of supply. A late spring frost (among other issues) led to drastically reduced yields of grapes, so many producers made just 30-40% of what they normally do. These 2021s won’t be around for long, and—sadly—we have no idea how many vintages like this we will see in the future. By all reports, France is just going to trend warmer and warmer.
Here are three wines we think showcase the wonderful treat that is 2021 across France. You’ll receive two bottles of each. Drink one and save the other, if you have that kind of self-control.
These 6-packs will be available for pickup starting Friday, June 30th.
The ‘Tour de 2021 France’ 6-Pack
Chablis, Samuel Billaud, Burgundy, France, 2021
Outstanding cult Chablis from son and former winemaker at famed house Domaine Billaud-Simon. Samuel split off in 2009 to form his own domaine and has been raising sommelier eyebrows ever since. Tastes like white rocks and bright green apples.
Beaujolais-Villages, Domaine Chapel, France, 2021
Lauded husband-wife winery in the Beaujolais countryside making a pure, handmade style. David Chapel’s family are Beaujolais vine-growers and wife Michelle Smith is an American sommelier who was wine director at Michelin 3-Star Brooklyn Fare in NYC before falling in love with this region (and David). The warming climate has been no more apparent than in Beaujolais, where 2019 and 2020 wines were 14.5% alcohol and heavy, contrary to everything we expect from the region. ’21 is a return to bright, spicy form.
Saumur-Champigny, Chateau Yvonne, ‘La Folie’, Loire Valley, France, 2021
Matthieu Vallée is one of a handful of producers who have transformed the area of Saumur into France’s new hotbed of coveted whites and reds. Yvonne is quickly becoming a cult icon of the Loire. This Cabernet Franc red matches incredible freshness and detail with succulent, layered red fruits.
—SG
We’ve been ecstatic about the wines of France from the 2021 vintage. After a string of hot years resulting in lush-but-uncharacteristic wines, ‘21’s bottles remind why we fell in love with French wine long ago: lots of fresh acidity and minerals.
That’s not to say the wines lack fruit. The fruit is there, too, giving us fully realized wines that have it all: the ideal combo of freshness, minerality, layers of fruit, and reasonable alcohol levels. What they don’t have, however, is a large quantity of supply. A late spring frost (among other issues) led to drastically reduced yields of grapes, so many producers made just 30-40% of what they normally do. These 2021s won’t be around for long, and—sadly—we have no idea how many vintages like this we will see in the future. By all reports, France is just going to trend warmer and warmer.
Here are three wines we think showcase the wonderful treat that is 2021 across France. You’ll receive two bottles of each. Drink one and save the other, if you have that kind of self-control.
These 6-packs will be available for pickup starting Friday, June 30th.
The ‘Tour de 2021 France’ 6-Pack
Chablis, Samuel Billaud, Burgundy, France, 2021
Outstanding cult Chablis from son and former winemaker at famed house Domaine Billaud-Simon. Samuel split off in 2009 to form his own domaine and has been raising sommelier eyebrows ever since. Tastes like white rocks and bright green apples.
Beaujolais-Villages, Domaine Chapel, France, 2021
Lauded husband-wife winery in the Beaujolais countryside making a pure, handmade style. David Chapel’s family are Beaujolais vine-growers and wife Michelle Smith is an American sommelier who was wine director at Michelin 3-Star Brooklyn Fare in NYC before falling in love with this region (and David). The warming climate has been no more apparent than in Beaujolais, where 2019 and 2020 wines were 14.5% alcohol and heavy, contrary to everything we expect from the region. ’21 is a return to bright, spicy form.
Saumur-Champigny, Chateau Yvonne, ‘La Folie’, Loire Valley, France, 2021
Matthieu Vallée is one of a handful of producers who have transformed the area of Saumur into France’s new hotbed of coveted whites and reds. Yvonne is quickly becoming a cult icon of the Loire. This Cabernet Franc red matches incredible freshness and detail with succulent, layered red fruits.
—SG
We’ve been ecstatic about the wines of France from the 2021 vintage. After a string of hot years resulting in lush-but-uncharacteristic wines, ‘21’s bottles remind why we fell in love with French wine long ago: lots of fresh acidity and minerals.
That’s not to say the wines lack fruit. The fruit is there, too, giving us fully realized wines that have it all: the ideal combo of freshness, minerality, layers of fruit, and reasonable alcohol levels. What they don’t have, however, is a large quantity of supply. A late spring frost (among other issues) led to drastically reduced yields of grapes, so many producers made just 30-40% of what they normally do. These 2021s won’t be around for long, and—sadly—we have no idea how many vintages like this we will see in the future. By all reports, France is just going to trend warmer and warmer.
Here are three wines we think showcase the wonderful treat that is 2021 across France. You’ll receive two bottles of each. Drink one and save the other, if you have that kind of self-control.
These 6-packs will be available for pickup starting Friday, June 30th.
The ‘Tour de 2021 France’ 6-Pack
Chablis, Samuel Billaud, Burgundy, France, 2021
Outstanding cult Chablis from son and former winemaker at famed house Domaine Billaud-Simon. Samuel split off in 2009 to form his own domaine and has been raising sommelier eyebrows ever since. Tastes like white rocks and bright green apples.
Beaujolais-Villages, Domaine Chapel, France, 2021
Lauded husband-wife winery in the Beaujolais countryside making a pure, handmade style. David Chapel’s family are Beaujolais vine-growers and wife Michelle Smith is an American sommelier who was wine director at Michelin 3-Star Brooklyn Fare in NYC before falling in love with this region (and David). The warming climate has been no more apparent than in Beaujolais, where 2019 and 2020 wines were 14.5% alcohol and heavy, contrary to everything we expect from the region. ’21 is a return to bright, spicy form.
Saumur-Champigny, Chateau Yvonne, ‘La Folie’, Loire Valley, France, 2021
Matthieu Vallée is one of a handful of producers who have transformed the area of Saumur into France’s new hotbed of coveted whites and reds. Yvonne is quickly becoming a cult icon of the Loire. This Cabernet Franc red matches incredible freshness and detail with succulent, layered red fruits.
—SG