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Hi, I'm John Truax.

I grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota in the Fifties. My grandparents on my mother's side loved wine and traveled to Europe many, many times. We always had wine at Sunday dinners, Burgundy, Bordeaux, Rhone, and German wines. This was uncommon in Minnesota in those days.

Alto Piemonte: Drilling Down

Eric Asimov recently had a great write-up on Nebbiolo from the "other" parts of Piedmont (meaning not Barolo or Barbaresco), as well as Valtellina in Lombardy. The vast majority of the wines covered by the article are from a region called Alto Piemonte, which is basically higher up in the foothills of the Alps north of Barolo/Barbaresco. It is one of the most interesting wine regions in the world. We are fascinated by it, and have a wide selection of wines from the region, so we thought it would be helpful to drill down a little and take a look at the Nebbiolos that it has to offer, taking each of the most important DOCs in turn.

Cru Beaujolais: Focus on St. Amour and Chenas

Today we'll finish up with the two remaining crus, St. Amour and Chenas.

It is tempting to assume that, because I am covering them last, I hold St. Amour and Chenas in least regard among the 10 Crus. This is far from the case.

It is true that, when you browse our selection of Cru Beaujolais (we have over 60 right now!), you do not encounter very many examples of either Cru. In fact, I see that we presently have exactly one bottling of each.

But both those bottlings are dear to my heart. I drink them frequently. I cellar them. I love them.

Everything to Know about New York Burgundy Week and La Paulée: An FAQ

The Paulée 2014 is on, and New York Burgundy Week is here! What's that? You have no idea what I'm talking about? Well, you've come to the right place... Here, in a nutshell, is everything you need to know to get started celebrating the motherland of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, the glorious land of Burgundy.

We're huge in Denmark!

Well, we recently had a visit from Danish wine-lover and winewriter, Mads Jordansen, who said he loved the store and asked permission to take some pictures. And now he sent us this link to an article they published in Denmark about our shop! Thanks Mads -- we're ready for the Danish Invasion!

You can find that wine! Here's how to get your hands on the New York Times top wine picks

Eric Asimov, writing in the New York Times, gave us a super shout-out when he declared that we are one of the “great New York City wine shops,” and one of the rare wine stores in America where you can actually find the wines that he recommends in the New York Times.

Cru Beaujolais: Focus on Chiroubles

Regnie and Chiroubles have a couple of things in common. They both border Morgon, but, unlike their famous neighbor, they are considered among the lightest and most forward-drinking of the 10 Crus.

Cru Beaujolais: Focus on Cote de Brouilly and Brouilly

We deal with two AOCs in one focus this time because, as the names suggest, these are two Crus that really ought to be discussed together. The most important distinction between the two Crus is in the names themselves: Brouilly is on the flatland; Cote de Brouilly is on the adjacent "Cote," or slope. If you know anything about wine, you can guess which produces the more interesting wine. While Brouilly produces fun, light, fruity juice for drinking young, often out of a jug at a simple bistro in Paris, while Cote de Brouilly makes serious wine. Both Brouilly and the Cote de Brouilly have similar soils — a mix of granite, clay, and limestone — so really we have a natural experiment that proves conclusively that the superior drainage and exposure offered by a cote results in better wine.

Cru Beaujolais: Focus on Julienas

If Julienas sounds a bit like Julius Caesar, it’s because they were actually making wine here 2000 years ago and Julius did in fact give the AOC its name (as well the name of its principal village, also Julienas, and another village in the AOC, Jullie). When I learn stuff like that it gives me great hope that quality wine production will continue in the great vineyards of France despite climate change.

Top Ten Wine Regions to Watch

Ribeira Sacra, Alto Piemonte, and the tastiest, trendiest wines in the world.

Cru Beaujolais: Focus on Fleurie

Fleurie may lack the blockbusters that Moulin-a-Vent can produce, and it may not have the same league of famous producers that you find in Morgon, but some believe that Fleurie’s terroir is the finest, and that it is capable of producing the most elegant wines of Beaujolais. It may not be the “king” of Beaujolais – that would be Moulin-a-Vent – but you can certainly call it the “queen.”

Dispatch: Bartolo Mascarello (Maria Theresa)

Having the opportunity taste at Bartolo Mascarello was one of the great honors of my life. I have been in love with the wines since my first bottle of 1996 Barolo at Babbo for I think, my 26th birthday.

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Ribeira Sacra, Alto Piemonte, and the tastiest, trendiest wines in the world.