schiller-wine

Annette and I enjoyed a great wine dinner at Roberto`s Ristorante Italiano in Vienna/ Virginia with legendary Chef Roberto Donna and the wines of Amastuola in Puglia/ Italy.

See also:

Dinner with Legendary Chef Roberto Donna at his new Restaurant Roberto's Ristorante Italiano in Vienna/ Virginia

Winemaker Sabrino Loffredo’s Pietracupa Wines and Chef Roberto Donna’s Food at a Winemaker Dinner at Alba Osteria in Washington DC, Italy/USA

Invitation

Chef Roberto Donna and Italian importer Maurizio Farro continue their series of Sunday wine dinners at 5 pm on October 9 with a celebration of the Puglia wines of Amastuola. It’s a stunning estate in Italy’s deep South that’s making head-turning wines.

The cost of the five course dinner with five matched wines is $105 per person plus tax and tip. You can reserve your seats via the restaurant’s website at https://www.robertosva.com/wine-dinner/ or by calling the restaurant at 202-257-0168. If you have any special seating requests (such as having different groups at the same table), please call Nancy at the restaurant as well.

Roberto Donna

Chef Roberto Donna moved at about the same time (in the early 1980s) to the USA as Annette and I did, he from Northern Italy, we from the Frankfurt region in Germany.

Picture: Christian Schiller and Chef Roberto Donna in 2014. See: Winemaker Sabrino Loffredo’s Pietracupa Wines and Chef Roberto Donna’s Food at a Winemaker Dinner at Alba Osteria in Washington DC, Italy/USA

Rather quickly Roberto became one of the leading chefs of the Washington DC area, owning restaurants like Galileo and I Matti and several others, with about 500 employees. But in 2004 Roberto's fortunes turned sour. Galileo's parent company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Roberto had to struggle with financial and legal issues since then. Fortunately he did not go under. He is still cooking at the highest level.

His latest adventure is Roberto's Ristorante Italiano on Church Street in Vienna/ Virginia, owned by Roberto's wife, Nancy Sabbagh, who also runs the service.

Yesterday evening it was as it has always been at Roberto's restaurants: relaxed, exquisite food, top Italian wines and excellent service, like in a trattoria in Turino in the Piemonte area where Roberto spent the first 20 years of his life.

Chef Roberto Donna (from wikipedia)

Roberto Donna is an Italian chef and restaurateur in Washington D.C.

Donna was born in Turin, Italy, where he enrolled in culinary school at the age of 13. He came to the United States at the age of 19, working in an Italian restaurant on K Street in Washington, D.C. In 1984, Donna opened Galileo in Dupont Circle, which was an immediate success. The restaurant only seated 50, and in the early days, even Vice-President George H.W. Bush could not secure a last-minute reservation. Donna and his partner Savino Recine opened more casual trattorias, Primi Piatti, and then I Matti, serving pizza and pasta.

By the end of the 1990s, Donna's empire grew to 12 restaurants, including Il Radicchio, Pesce, and Barolo. In 1999, he expanded Galileo into a neighboring space and opened a restaurant-within-a-restaurant, Il Laboratorio del Galileo, serving multi-course meals in a small (25-30 seats) dining room, with a glass-walled "showcase" kitchen.

Donna published a cookbook, Cooking in Piedmont, in 1996.

Donna won the 1996 James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic. The next year, Galileo was named one of the "10 Best Italian Restaurants in America" by Wine Spectator. The Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington recognized Donna as the "Chef of the Year" in 1990, and the "Restaurateur of the Year" in 1995. Donna was invited to Rome in 1996 to receive the Insegna del Ristorante Italiano, awarded by the Italian Government in recognition of serving the best authentic Italian food outside Italy.

In 2004, Donna's company declared bankruptcy and his restaurants began to close; Galileo closed in 2006, and he had no restaurants to his name when Bebo Trattoria closed in 2009. Donna was prosecuted for failing to pay taxes at Bebo, and in 2010, Donna pled guilty to felony embezzlement, receiving a five-year suspended sentence on condition of probation, good behavior, and restitution. Donna and his business partners still faced several civil lawsuits when he returned to the kitchen with the opening of Galileo III in October 2010. The restaurant closed abruptly after less than one year.

Amastuola (winetourism.com)

Initially owned by the Prince of Taranto - Giovanni Antonio Orsini, Masseria Amastuola is located in San Vito del Pizzo, a beautiful Italo - Greek abbey in Taranto, Italy. The winery is a certified producer of high-quality organic wines, made with ancient traditions, clubbed with modern technology and innovative ideas. The wines of Masseria Amastuola have won several prizes and awards at national and international level.

The Masseria farm has traces of ancient times, dates back to 15th century. Over the years, the ownership of the winery has been passed to many a few families. Initially, it was owned by D’Afflitto, and Andrea D’Afflitto restored the lands and buildings of the winery in the early 1700s. She modernized the structures, built new outbuildings, established jazzi – a masonry fencing system, built trappeto – an Apulian oil mill, and cultivated new crops. Today, the Kaiku group of Montanaro family of Massafra owns Masseria Amastuola, and they have been managing the winery since 2003.

Maintaining the relationship between territory and nature, the Montanaro Family practices biological farming techniques and produces a broad range of rich-quality vines. The family cultivates world class Primitivo, Aglianico, Syrah, Merlot, and Fiano Minutolo. Masseria Amastuola also grows Malvasia, Chardonnay, Malvasia, and Sauvignon Blanc and in total produce delicious red, white and rosé wines, along with superb dessert and sparkling wines under the Puglia IGP status. Masseria Amastuola also consists of a charming winery resort, comprising of 18 rooms and suites to enjoy. The suites, with a private terrace and overlooking windows, are well-furnished with modern designs and sophisticated features. It also offers various exclusive and deluxe rooms that tell a lot about ancient stories and culture of the Puglia.

schiller-wine: Related Postings

Announcement: 3 Ombiasy Wine Tours in 2022 - Rhône Valley Tour: June 20 - June 29, Germany South - Alsace: July 01 - July 10, Bordeaux: September 20 - September 29

Cellar Tour and Tasting with Daniel Wagner at Weingut Wagner-Stempel (VDP) in Siefersheim, Rheinhessen - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

Dinner at a Historic (Second Empire) Café-Brasserie in Lyon: Grand Café des Négociants - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

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Christian Schiller`s SCHILLER-WINE Blog on Corking Wines` Top 101 Wine Writers of 2020 List

Christian Stahl, Winzerhof Stahl, Franken, Germany back in the USA - Winemaker Dinner at the Schiller Residence in McLean, Northern Virginia

The Wines of Germany: Presentation by Annette Schiller at the German Embassy in Washington DC/ Consular Conference December 2021

All Sorts of Sparklers: How do the Bubbles get into that Bottle - Presentation by Annette Schiller, ombiasy WineTours, at the 2021 American Wine Society National Conference in Atlantic City

Dinner with Legendary Chef Roberto Donna at his new Restaurant Roberto's Ristorante Italiano in Vienna/ Virginia

Winemaker Sabrino Loffredo’s Pietracupa Wines and Chef Roberto Donna’s Food at a Winemaker Dinner at Alba Osteria in Washington DC, Italy/USA

Following our first stop on the Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours (July 1 to 10, 2022) at Weingut Wagner-Stempel in Siefersheim, in the far northwestern corner of the Rheinhessen wine region, we visited another Riesling Giant, Weingut Dönnhoff in Oberhausen, Nahe.

From Wagner-Stempel to Dönnhoff, it was a short trip of just 45 minutes, although we moved from the Rheinhessen region to the Nahe region.

We were received by Sascha Johannes Schömel, who was a Sommelier at the Michelin-starred Restaurant Amador in Mannheim and L.A.Jordan Ketschauer Hof in Deidesheim before he joined Weingut Dönnhoff in 2017.

Hellmuth Dönnhoff, the Grand Master of Riesling, was there for part of the tasting.

See also:
Top 10 Riesling Producers in the World– Snooth 2012

The wines of Weingut Dönnhoff are available in the USA through Skurnik Wines.

Weingut Dönnhoff

The Dönnhoff family has been making wines for more than 250 years, but a new era started when Helmut Dönnhoff began making wine in 1971.

He started out with a vineyard of 10 acres, and through careful acquisition he now cultivates 60 acres of the best vineyards in the Nahe valley.

Helmut Dönnhoff has become a living legend of German wine and is celebrated around the globe as one of Germany’s very best producers. His wines are from the world-famous Niederhausen and Schlossböckelheim vineyards as well as from lesser known vineyards in Norheim and Oberhausen. He is committed to making the most out of the terroir to attain the ultimate in quality.

I quote Helmut Dönnhoff: “We make wines that represent their origin, we do not make brands. And I do not need to come up with stories, it is the vineyard that tells me the stories. The majority of the grapes planted are Riesling, but Dönnhoff also produces outstanding Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris. His wines are exceptionally racy, rich and minerally. They are very delicious when drunk young, however they also have long ageing potential.

Interview with Cornelius Dönnhoff (from VDP website)

VDP: What is so special about your winery?

Cornelius Dönnhoff: We have been at home here in Oberhausen an der Nahe for more than 250 years, in the scenic valley between Niederhausen and Schloßböckelheim. We are known worldwide for our elegant Rieslings, which reflect the geological diversity of our region's soils in an exciting way. We are very lucky to cultivate our Rieslings in some of the most famous locations of the Nahe. We take up this challenge with joy, in responsibility for nature and our homeland. With Niederhausen and Oberhausen, Schloßböckelheim, Norheim as well as Roxheim and Bad Kreuznach, our property diversifies widely and covers dozens of rock types and soil characteristics which are reflected in our wines. With us you have the whole white variety of the Nahe in one enterprise!

VDP: What is your winery philosophy?

Cornelius Dönnhoff: We love our historical roots and are responsible for the vineyards on the Middle Nahe, the senses of landscape and wine culture. In harmony with and out of respect for nature.

VDP: What wine style do you strive for? Do you have a favourite grape variety?

Cornelius Dönnhoff: Riesling is quite clear, with the focus here on very clear, complex, long-lived, mineral and refined wines that reflect their origins. But we also take the Burgundy varieties very seriously, which account for 20 percent of the area under cultivation.

VDP: Which of your wines would you recommend to someone who does not yet know your winery - as an introduction, so to speak?

Cornelius Dönnhoff: Just a sip of Tonschiefer Riesling is enough to get to know and understand our winery and our wines. This wine already has a clear terroir connection. The fragile black-grey slate is perfect for wonderfully elegant wines. A full-bodied, mineral wine with a fruit aroma rich in finesse and a fine acidity play, mainly from the VDP.GROSSEN LAGE® LEISTENBERG in Oberhausen. Drinks himself to every occasion with a lot of pleasure!

VDP: Which wine are you particularly proud of?

Cornelius Dönnhoff: To the VDP.GROSSE GEWÄCHS® from the location HERMANNSHÖHLE in Niederhausen. A wine from one of the most famous of all Nahe sites. A pure southern exposure, 130 to 175 meters above sea level. The soils are mostly black-grey slate, mixed with volcanic eruptive rock, porphyry and limestone. Here grow grandiose wines, both dry and noble sweet predicates, which with their complexity, strength, elegance and storability have contributed much to the good reputation of German wines worldwide. We won the German Riesling Cup four times with this extraordinary wine.

VDP: What are your next goals?

Cornelius Dönnhoff: After the harvest is before the harvest, so the new vintage should always be your next goal.

VDP: How do you combine tradition and innovation?

Cornelius Dönnhoff: The one does not exclude the other. The deep understanding for great vineyards in extraordinary locations has shaped our family. The love for the vines and the annual new dream of unmistakable wines have been passed on over the generations. Of course, innovations also flow into our business processes if they bring us a little closer to our goal.

VDP: Why should you still visit your winery?

Cornelius Dönnhoff: If you ever want to escape the hustle and bustle, you are in good hands with us. The region offers a variety of activities and culinary delights, far away from everyday stress. After an enjoyable, informative rehearsal in our winery, it is always worth taking a short trip to Lemberg, from where you can see the most beautiful side of the Nahe Valley. And some of our best locations such as the FELSENBERG in Schlossböckelheim, the HERMANNSHÖHLE in Niederhausen or our monopoly location BRÜCKE in Oberhausen can be explored and admired at a glance.

Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: All Postings (already posted and forthcoming)

The Sun-Kissed South: Germany’s Pinot Noir, the Other Whites, the Culinary Regions - Germany-South and Alsace 2018 Tour by ombiasy WineTours: Baden, Alsace, Pfalz and Rheinhessen

Cellar Tour and Tasting with Daniel Wagner at Weingut Wagner-Stempel (VDP) in Siefersheim, Rheinhessen - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Wagner-Stempel in Siefersheim, Rheinhessen, with Winemaker Oliver Müller and Owner Cathrin Wagner - Germany-South and Alsace 2018 Tour by ombiasy WineTours: Baden, Alsace, Pfalz and Rheinhessen

Tasting with Helmut Dönnhoff and Sascha Johannes Schömel at Weingut H. Dönnhoff (VDP) in Oberhausen, Nahe - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

An Afternoon with Riesling Star Winemaker Helmut Doennhoff at Weingut Doennhoff in Oberhausen in the Nahe Valley, Germany

Dinner in a Typical Old Town Mainz Wine Tavern: At Weinhaus Bluhm and at Weinhaus Schreiner - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Taverns in Mainz, Germany

Cellar Tour and Tasting in the Courtyard with Owner/ Winemaker Gesine Roll at Weingut Weedenborn Weedenborn in Monzenheim, Rheinhessen - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

Weingut Jülg (VDP): Lunch in the Wine Tavern with Karin and Werner Jülg and Tasting in the Vineyard with Johannes Jülg - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

Wine Lunch at Weingut Jülg with Johannes Jülg– Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting with Sven Nieger at Weingut Sven Nieger in Baden-Baden-Varnholt, Ortenau - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

Vineyard Tour and Tasting with Owner/ Winemaker Robert Schätzle at Weingut Schloss Neuweier (VDP) in Baden-Baden-Neuweier, Baden - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour (and Lunch) with Robert Schätzle, Owner/ Winemaker, Weingut Schloss Neuweier in Baden - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

Cellar Tour and Tasting with Martin Bercher at Weingut Bercher (VDP) in Burkheim, Kaiserstuhl, Baden - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting with Matthias Höfflin and Kaylie Magestro at Weingut Höfflin in Bötzingen, Kaiserstuhl, Baden - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

Cellar Tour and Tasting in the Courtyard with Joachim Heger and Winemaker Markus Mleinek at Weingut Dr. Heger (VDP) in Ihringen, Kaiserstuhl, Baden - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Dr. Heger in Ihringen, Kaiserstuhl, Baden – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

The World Class Wines of Alsace

In the world class white wine region Alsace

Cellar Tour with Pierre Gassmann and Tasting at Domaine Rolly-Gassmann in Rorschwihr, Alsace - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

Cellar Tour and Massive Tasting at Domaine Rolly-Gassmann in Rorschwihr, Alsace, with Pierre Gassmann - Germany-South and Alsace 2018 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

Tasting at Domaine Zind-Humbrecht in Turckheim, Alsace - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

Dinner with Chef Laurine Gutleben and Restaurant Manager/ Husband Antoine Bauer, both Owners, at Michelin-rated Restaurant La Veille Forge in Kaysersberg, Alsace - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

Vineyard Tour and Tasting with Jean Pierre Dirler at Domaine Dirler-Cadé in Bergholtz, Alsace - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

Tasting at Domaine Dirler-Cadé with Jean Pierre Dirler and Ludevine Dirler-Cadé - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

Cellar Tour and Tasting with Frédéric Hugel at Domaine Hugel & Fils in Riquewhir, Alsace - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

Tour and Tasting at Hugel in Riquewhir, Alsace, with Jean Frédéric Hugel - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting with Owners Catherine Faller and Eddy Leiber-Faller at Domaine Weinbach in Kaysersberg, Alsace - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

Visiting Colette Faller at Domaine Weinbach in Kaysersberg in Alsace

Dinner with Chef de Cuisine Jean-Michel Eblin at 1-star Michelin Restaurant Le Maximilien in Zellenberg, Alsace - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

Cellar Tour and Tasting with Adrien Schoenheitz at Vins Schoenheitz in Wihr-au-Val, Alsace - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

Lunch at Restaurant 1-star Michelin Restaurant La Nouvelle Auberge in Wihr-au-Val, Alsace - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

Tasting with Rémy Gresser at Domaine Rémy Gresser in Andlau, Alsace - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

Tasting at Domaine Rémy Gresser in Andlau, with Rémy Gresser - Alsace Tour 2019 with the Weinfreundeskreis Hochheim, France

Vineyard Tour and Tasting with Hans Rebholz, Weingut Ökonomierat Rebholz (VDP), Pfalz - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

Tasting at Weingut Ökonomierat Rebholz in Siebeldingen, Pfalz – Germany-South by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Lunch at Restaurant 1832 at the Hambacher Schloss - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

Tasting in the Courtyard and Cellar Tour with Frank John at Weingut Frank John in Neustadt an der Weinstraße - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

Cellar Tour and Tasting with Andreas Rings at Weingut Rings (VDP) in Freinsheim, Pfalz - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

Tasting and Cellar Tour at Weingut Rings in Freinsheim, Pfalz, with Andreas Rings - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

Tasting with Bettina Bürklin-von Guradze and Riccardo Korner at Weingut Dr. Bürklin-Wolf (VDP) in Wachenheim, Pfalz - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

Impromptu Tasting at Weinbar & Vinothek Weingut Dr. Bürklin-Wolf in Deidsheim, with Managing Director Steffen Brahner - Germany-South and Alsace 2018 Tour by ombiasy WineTours: Baden, Alsace, Pfalz and Rheinhessen

Wine-Pairing Lunch with Chef/Owner Swen and Sommeliere/Owner Sybille Bultmann at Restaurant Atable im Amtshaus (bib gourmand Michelin / 16 points Gault Millau)in Freinsheim, Pfalz

Tasting with Anne and Matthias Gaul at Weingut Matthias Gaul in Grünstadt-Asselheim, Pfalz - - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

The Bordaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours typically begins in Bordeaux City in the afternoon. We meet at the hotel, visit an estate in the viccinity of Bordeaux City and a negociant house and finish the day with dinner in Bordeaux city.

This year, on the Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, we went to Château Haut-Bailly, Graves, Appellation Pessac-Léognan, Grand Cru Classé, toured the Millésima Negociant House and had dinner at Restaurant L’Estacade in Bordeaux City, which literally sits on the Garonne river opposite of Bordeaux City center.

At Millésima over two million bottles of top Bordeaux wines are stored and waiting to be shipped. In Bordeaux wine merchants have always played a decisive part in the wine world. The buying and selling of wine, the setting of a price of a bottle of wine from a specific chateau for a specific vintage, the entire conduct of business is described as „La Place de Bordeaux“.

Millésima is conveniently located just on the other side of the street of our hotel.

This was a fitting introduction to “Bordeaux”.

See also:

How Does the Negociant System in Bordeaux Work? Tour and Tasting at Millésima - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Bordeaux - En Primeur, Negociants, Courtiers, the Quai de Chartons and the Place de Bordeaux– A Short Introduction

Place de Bordeaux and En Primeur

The way the top producers of Bordeaux sell their wines to their customers all around the world differs strikingly from the way their colleagues in other countries or even in Bordeaux do.

Wine maker Doug Fabbioli from Fabbioli Cellars in Virginia, for example, sells the wine he produces during the course of the year to the consumers who show up at his winery and by the wine directly from him. Wine maker Ernst Loosen from Dr. Loosen in the Mosel Valley in Germany, whose wines are available all over the world, works, I assume, with wholesalers in Germany as well as with importers from all over the world, who buy the wine from him during the course of the year. The wines of both Doug Fabbioli and Ernst Loosen are sold after the wines have been bottled and are ready to be consumed.

Picture: The Quai de Chartons (Painting at Millésima)

The way the system works for the premium Bordeaux wines is different. And it is unique in the world. The wines are sold well before they are bottled (en primeur system) and the wines are sold and distributed to the world through negociants (Place de Bordeaux).

Buying Bordeaux wines en primeur is like buying commodity futures, with cash laid down now for later delivery of something that does not yet exist as a finished product. The futures reach the consumer through a series of phases.

Today, there are 400 négociants on the Place de Bordeaux, and most labels are purchased by an average of 40. Each chateau works with a different number of negociants. Some properties work with 5 different negociants, others work with over 100.

I provided an overview of the system here: Bordeaux - En Primeur, Negociants, Courtiers, the Quai de Chartons and the Place de Bordeaux– A Short Introduction. Go there for more information.

Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France (Published and Forthcoming Postings)

Total Immersion in Bordeaux: World Class Wines and Exquisite French Gourmet Cuisine - Bordeaux Tour 2019 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Total Immersion in Bordeaux: World Class Wines and Exquisite French Gourmet Cuisine - Bordeaux Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Total Immersion in Bordeaux: World Class Wines and Exquisite French Gourmet Cuisine - Bordeaux Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

Bordeaux Wine Tour 2013 by ombiasy

Bordeaux Wines and their Classifications: The Basics

The 5 Premiers Grands Crus Chateaux en 1855 of Bordeaux, France

What is a Bordeaux Cru Bourgeois? France

Tour and Tasting at Château Haut-Bailly, Graves, Appellation Pessac-Léognan, Grand Cru Classé - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Tour and Wine Dinner at Château Haut-Bailly, Graves, Appellation Pessac-Léognan, Grand Cru Classé - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2017, France

How does the Negociant System in Bordeaux work? Tour at the Negociant Millésima - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

How Does the Negociant System in Bordeaux Work? Tour and Tasting at Millésima - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Bordeaux - En Primeur, Negociants, Courtiers, the Quai de Chartons and the Place de Bordeaux– A Short Introduction

Dinner with a View: At Restaurant L’Estacade in Bordeaux City - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Dinner with a View: At Restaurant L’Estacade in Bordeaux City - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Bordeaux City - An Update

Schiller’s Favorite Seafood Places in Bordeaux City, France - An Update

Tour and Tasting at Château La Conseillante, Appellation Pomerol - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Tour and Tasting at Château La Conseillante, Appellation Pomerol, with General Manager/ Winemaker Marielle Cazaux - Bordeaux Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Clos Puy Arnaud with Owner Thierry Valette, Appellation Côtes de Castillon - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Lunch at Restaurant L’Atelier de Candale in Saint-Laurent-des-Combes - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Tour and Cellar Tasting at Tertre-Rôtebœuf with Owner/ Winemaker François Mitjavile, Appellation Saint-Emilion - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Tour and Tasting (including from Barrel) at Tertre Rôteboeuf, Saint Emilion, with Owner and Winemaker François Mitjavile, France – Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2018)

Saint Emilion Wines and their Classification, Bordeaux, France

Saint-Émilion: Tour of Saint-Émilion and Dinner at Restaurant Le Bouchon on the main Square - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Vineyard Tour in a Golf Cart and Tasting at Château Beau-Séjour Bécot, Premier Grand Cru Classé, Appellation Saint-Émilion - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Winery Tour and Tasting at Château Dassault with the Managing Director, Grand Cru Classé, Appellation Saint-Émilion - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Gourmet Lunch at Château Le Bon Pasteur with Dany Rolland - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Wine-pairing Lunch at Château Le Bon Pasteur, Pomerol, with Dany Rolland, GM Benoit Prévot and Chef Frédéric Bozzo - Bordeaux Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Tour and Tasting at Couvent des Jacobins, Grand Cru Classé, Appellation Saint-Émilion - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in St. Emilion, France

Saint Emilion Wines and their Classification, Bordeaux, France

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour, Lecture and Tasting at Château Reynier with Owner/ Winemaker Marc Lurton, Appellation Entre-Deux-Mers - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Tour and Tasting at Château Reynier, Appellation Entre-Deux-Mers, with Owners/ Winemakers Marc Lurton and Agnès Lurton

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Château Coutet, Premier Grand Cru Classé, Appellation Sauternes, with the General Manager - Bordeaux Tour 2019 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Lunch at Restaurant L’Entrecœur in Preignac - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Winery Tour and Tasting at Château Smith-Haut-Lafitte, Grand Cru Classé Appellation Pessac-Léognan - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Visit and Tasting: Château Smith-Haut-Lafitte, Pessac-Léognan, Grand Cru Classé– Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

Lunch at Restaurant Le Bord d’Eau in Fronsac - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Winery Tour and Tasting at Château de la Rivière, Appellation Canon-Fronsac - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Lunch at Pinasse Café, Cap Ferret, Bassin d'Arcachon - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Lunch at Pinasse Café, Cap Ferret/ Bassin d'Arcachon - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2019, France

Schiller's Favorite Seafood Restaurants in Arcachon and Cap Ferret (Bassin d'Arcachon/ Bordeaux)

L’Herbe: Visit of an Oyster Farmer - Bordeaux Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Oysters in Bordeaux: Visiting the Oyster Farmer Raphael Doerfler and his Earl Ostrea Chanca Oyster Farm in Grand Piquey/ Bassin d'Arcachon - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2019, France

Winery Tour and Vertical Tasting at Château Cos d’Estournel, Appellation Saint-Estèphe, 2ième Grand Cru Classé, Appellation Saint-Estèphe - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Tour and Tasting at Château Cos d’Estournel, Appellation Saint-Estèphe, 2ième Grand Cru Classé, with Managing Director Aymeric de Gironde - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Lunch at La Maison d’Estournel in Saint-Éstèphe - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Tour and Tasting at Château Phélan-Ségur in Saint-Éstèphe, with Winemaker Fabrice Bacquey - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Tour, Tasting and Lunch at Château Phélan-Ségur, with General Manager Véronique Dausse and Winemaker Fabrice Bacquey - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2019, France

Tour and Tasting at Château Ferrière, 3ième Grand Cru Classé, Appellation Margaux - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

How a Barrel is Made: Visit of the Cooperage Berger & Fils in Vertheuil - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

How a Barrel is Made: Visit of the Cooperage Berger & Fils in Vertheuil– Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2017, France

Winery Tour and Tasting at Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, 2ième Grand Cru Classé, Appellation Pauillac, with Nicolas Glumineau, Managing Director - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Wine-pairing Lunch at Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, 2ième Grand Cru Classé, Appellation Pauillac, with Nicolas Glumineau, Managing Director - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Massive (16 Vintages) Tasting of Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande with MD/ Winemaker Nicolas Glumineau and Panos Kakaviatos in Washington DC, USA

Tour and Tasting at Château Pichon Longueville Baron in Pauillac - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2017 France

Wine-Pairing Lunch at Château Pichon Longueville Baron in Pauillac - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2017 France

Winery Tour and Tasting at Château Gruaud-Larose, 2ième Grand Cru Classé, Appellation Saint-Julien - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Winery Tour and Tasting at Château Lynch-Bages, 5ième Grand Cru Classé, Appellation Pauillac - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Picnic-style Lunch at Château Kirwan, 3ième Grand Cru Classé, Appellation Margaux - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Lunch, Tasting and Tour at Château Kirwan, Appellation Margaux, 3ième Grand Cru Classé, with Owner Natalie Schyler - Bordeaux Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Sophie Schÿler, Owner of Château Kirwan, 3ième Grand Cru Classé, Margaux, for a Wine Pairing Luncheon at Evo Bistro in McLean, with the Wines of RdV and Clemens Busch, USA/ France/ Germany

Dinner in the Private Quarters of the Château Bouscaut, Grand Cru Classé de Graves, Appellation Pessac-Léognan, with Owner Sophie Lurton Cogombles and Winemaker/ Owner/ Husband Laurent Cogombles

Winery Tour and Dinner at Château Bouscaut, Appellation Pessac-Léognan, Cru Classé de Graves, with Owner Sophie Cogombles-Lurton and her Husband Laurent Cogombles - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2019, France

Less than 2 weeks back from the 2022 Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours, led by Annette Schiller, Annette and I enjoyed an outstanding Bordeaux wine dinner at Bistro Provence with the food of legendary Chef Yannick Cam and the #worldclass wines of Chateau Rauzan-Segla in Margaux and Château Canon in Saint Emilion.

Adreane Cornard, Export Manager of the 2 estates, who arrived from Paris at Dulles Airport on the day of the dinner in the afternoon, presented the wines.

The event was arranged by Phil Bernstein of MacArthur Beverages.

The price was US$ 350 per person including tax and tip. Bordeaux does not come cheap as those who came with Annette Schiller on the recent Bordeaux Wine and Food Tour 2022 by Ombiasy Public Relations and Wine Tours found out while they were there.

We had six outstanding wines and they are all available for US$109 to US$169 at MacArthur BeveragesPhil Bernstein.

See also:

Tour and Tasting at Château Haut-Bailly, Graves, Appellation Pessac-Léognan, Grand Cru Classé, with Cellar Master Jean Christoph - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Invitation

We are thrilled that Andréane Gornard has agreed to travel all the way from St. Emilion to host an incredible dinner in collaboration with the incomparable French master chef Yannick Cam. The winery has air freighted six different wines all from great vintages for us to enjoy. These are direct from the Chateau so you cannot get any better provenance! We are sure Rauzan Segla and Canon need no introduction. Both have been receiving huge scores over the last few years thanks in part to the hard work of first John Kolasa and now Nicolas Audebert. Both Chateau are under the ownership of the CHANEL group who spare no expense in making sure that some of the best wine in all of Bordeaux is being produced at these two estates. This is a once in a lifetime experience so do not miss it!

Tuesday, October 11th 7:00 PM
Bistro Provence
4933 Fairmont Avenue
Bethesda, MD 20814

Cost $350 per person (includes tax and tip)

Château Canon

Château Canon is located southwest of the Saint-Émilion village, neighbouring Château Magdelaine, Château La Gaffelière and Château Ausone. It is a Premiers Grands Crus Classés B in the Classification of Saint-Émilion.

In the late 1700s, the estate - named Clos St-Martin - was sold to Jacques Kanon, probably the source of the name Canon. A true clos, the original 12 hectare vineyard was encircled by a wall, which Jacques Kanon expanded by acquiring seven small surrounding vineyards. The estate went through several ownerships, until it was sold to the Wertheimer family in 1996.

Today, the vineyard area totals 21.5 hectares, with Merlot accounting for 60% and Cabernet Franc for 40%. On average, the vines are 25 years old. Chateau Canon annually produces on average 7,500 cases of the Grand Vin Chateau Canon and the second wine Clos de Canon.

Wine-searcher prices Château Canon

2021: US$ 120

2020: US$ 152

2015: US$ 346

2010: US$ 218

Château Rauzan Ségla

Château Rauzan-Ségla is a Deuxièmes Crus in the Classification of 1855, located in the Margaux appellation. Château Rauzan-Ségla was once part of the vast Rausan estate owned by Pierre de Mesures de Rauzan in the mid-17th century. Over time, this estate was divided, and by the time of the 1855 Classification, had been separated into the estates of Château Rauzan-Gassies, Château Rauzan-Ségla, Château Desmirail, and Château Marquis de Terme.

After a long ownership by the Durand-Dasier family, the estate was acquired by Frédéric Cruse of the Cruse family in 1903 who held ownership until 1957. Liverpool shipping magnate John Holt and Brent Walker followed as owners, before the Wertheimer family bought the estate in 1994.

The vineyard area totals 51 hectares, with Cabernet Sauvignon accounting for 61%, Merlot for 35% and Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot for 2% each. The Grand Vin is Château Rauzan-Ségla, with an annual production of 8000 cases. The second wine is named Ségla.

Wine-searcher prices Château Rauzan-Ségla

2021: US$ 076

2020: US$ 100

2015: US$ 119

2010: US$ 150

Chef Yannick Cam

Few chefs in the Washington DC area can match the accomplishments of Yannick Cam.

Internationally acclaimed, this native of Concarneau, France has helped reinterpret classical French cooking in America since his arrival nearly 30 years ago. With rave reviews over the years from magazines across the country and internationally, Chef Cam continues to demonstrate his unique culinary vision.

Chef Cam was just 15 years old when he first entered a professional kitchen as an apprentice in a restaurant near his boyhood home. The aspiring young chef spent the next decade cooking in several of the top restaurants and hotels in France, including the five-star Royale Hotel in Deauville and the three-star Michelin restaurant Lasserre in Paris. In 1973, Chef Cam moved to America, heading straight for the nation’s epicurean capital – New York City. For the next four years, he worked at the world-famous Four Seasons restaurant, which led to his opening of Le Coup De Fusil in 1977, one of the country’s first contemporary French restaurants. There, Chef Cam built a reputation as a talented and engaging French chef.

In 1978, Chef Cam accepted an offer to become Executive Chef at Le Pavillon in Washington, D.C. Over the next 12 years, he elevated the restaurant to one of the best restaurants in the Washington area and the United States, earning the Wine Spectator’s 1985 Grand Award. Chef Cam also opened Yannick’s in the Radisson Hotel in Alexandria, Virginia. The restaurant and Cam’s highly honed skills earned the chef a James Beard nomination as Best Mid-Atlantic Chef in 1993 and 1997. In 1994, Esquire magazine recognized Yannick’s as one of the nation’s 25 Best New Restaurants, and in 1995, Washingtonian magazine named Cam as Restaurateur of the Year. He followed with critical and culinary successes at Provence and Coco Loco in Washington, D.C.

In 2004, Yannick Cam and partner Michael Klein opened a restaurant that combined the highest-quality service with Chef Cam’s signature French cuisine and provided a showcase for his considerable culinary talents. With the opening of Le Paradou, Cam’s dream became a reality. Since its debut, Le Paradou was recognized by Esquire magazine as one of the nation’s 25 Best New Restaurants in 2004. And in 2005, Le Paradou earned the Wine Spectator’s Best of Award of Excellence.

The Dinner at Bistro Provence

Passed Hors D'oeuvres

NV Delamotte Brut

Crab cake aioli sauce/ Zucchini tarte, Smoke salmon parmesan/ Fried Shrimps, Apple Chutney

Courses

Lobster Purse, Carrot Ginger Emulsion pairing

2021 Domaine de L'ile - Cotes de Provence, Porquerolles

Stuffed Quail, Chesnut, Foie Gras

Paired with Château Rauzan Segla 2010 and Chateau Canon 2014

Saddle of Lamb with Puree of Cepes and Eggplant

Paired with Château Rauzan Segla 2001 and Chateau Canon 2005

Dessert

Chocolate Molten Cake with Crème Chantilly

Paired with Château Rauzan Segla 2016 and Chateau Canon 2016

schiller-wine: Related Postings

Announcement: 3 Ombiasy Wine Tours in 2022 - Rhône Valley Tour: June 20 - June 29, Germany South - Alsace: July 01 - July 10, Bordeaux: September 20 - September 29

Cellar Tour and Tasting with Daniel Wagner at Weingut Wagner-Stempel (VDP) in Siefersheim, Rheinhessen - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

Dinner at a Historic (Second Empire) Café-Brasserie in Lyon: Grand Café des Négociants - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

2022 Annual Riesling Party at the Schiller Residence in McLean, Virginia, USA

Christian Schiller`s SCHILLER-WINE Blog on Corking Wines` Top 101 Wine Writers of 2020 List

Christian Stahl, Winzerhof Stahl, Franken, Germany back in the USA - Winemaker Dinner at the Schiller Residence in McLean, Northern Virginia

The Wines of Germany: Presentation by Annette Schiller at the German Embassy in Washington DC/ Consular Conference December 2021

All Sorts of Sparklers: How do the Bubbles get into that Bottle - Presentation by Annette Schiller, ombiasy WineTours, at the 2021 American Wine Society National Conference in Atlantic City

Wine Dinner with Legendary Chef Roberto Donna and the Wines of Amastuola in Puglia/ Italy at Roberto's Ristorante Italiano in Vienna/ Virginia, 2022

Tour and Tasting at Château Haut-Bailly, Graves, Appellation Pessac-Léognan, Grand Cru Classé, with Cellar Master Jean Christoph - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

After we spent the morning at Guigal,

See here: Maison Guigal in Ampuis, Côte Rôtie, Northern Rhône: Cellar Tour, Tasting and Vineyard Tour - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

we had lunch at the Le Bistro de Serine in Ampuis. This is a simple village lunch hang-out for locals and the occasional tourist alike. The owners also have a wine store next door with a fabulous selection of Rhône wines.

We all chose 3 courses from the Menu du Marche. I started with a salad, had the tartare as main course and ice cream as dessert. Annette had the dorade as main course.

Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours (Issued and Forthcoming Postings)

Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Rhône Valley Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Rhône Valley Tour December 2017: From Lyon to Avignon - Wine, Food, Culture, History

Understanding the Wines of the Rhône Valley: The Classification - AOC/ Vin de Pay/ Vin de France

The Rhône Wine Region in Southern France and its Wines: History, Classification, Northern and Southern Rhône

Dinner at a Historic (Second Empire) Café-Brasserie in Lyon: Grand Café des Négociants - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Maison Guigal in Ampuis, Côte Rôtie, Northern Rhône: Cellar Tour, Tasting and Vineyard Tour - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Cellar Tour, Tasting and Vineyard Drive at E. Guigal in Ampuis, Côte Rôtie, Northern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Lunch at Le Bistro de Serine in Ampuis, Northern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Visit and Tasting at Domaine de Boisseyt in Chavany, Northern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Wine-pairing Dinner at Restaurant Beau Rivage in Condrieu, Northern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Dinner at Hôtellerie Beau Rivage in Condrieu, with Chef Chef Ludovic Mounier - Rhône Valley Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Tasting at Vins Jean-Luc Colombo with Anne Colombo in Cornas, Northern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Tasting at Vins Jean-Luc Colombo in Cornas, Northern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Visit and Tasting at Domaine du Tunnel with Owner/ Winemaker Stéphane Robert in Saint-Peray, Northern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Lunch at Restaurant Le Quai (Michelin/ Bib Gourmand) in Tain-l’Hermitage, Northern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Vineyard Walk and Tasting at Paul Jaboulet Aîné in Tain-l’Hermitage, Hermitage, Northern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Vineyard Walk and Tasting at Paul Jaboulet Aîné in Tain-l’Hermitage, Hermitage, Northern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Visit and Tasting at Domaine Les Bruyères with Owner/ Winemaker David Reynaud in Beaumont-Monteux, Northern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Les Bruyères in Beaumont-Monteux, Northern Rhône, with Owner/ Winemaker David Reynaud - Rhône Valley Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Lunch at Maison Chabran - La Grand Table with Chef Louis Chabran and his Father Chef Michel Chabran in Pont d l’Isère, Northern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Lunch at La Grand Table de Michel Chabran, 1-star Michelin, in Pont d l’Isère, Northern Rhône, with Chef Michel Chabran - Rhône Valley Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Tasting at Domaine Chaume-Arnaud with Owner/ Winemaker Valérie Chaume-Arnaud in Vinsobres, Southern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Visit and Tasting at Domaine André Berthet-Rayne in Cairanne, Southern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Tasting of the Wines of Château de Beaucastel at Domaine du Clos des Tourelles in Gigondas - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Wine-pairing Dinner at Restaurant L’Oustalet (1* Michelin guide) in Gigondas, with Chef Laurent Deconinck - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Visit and Tasting at Domaine des Pasquiers with Jean Claude and Philippe Lambert in Sablet, Southern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Lunch at Restaurant La Maison de Celou (Michelin Bib Gourmand) in Châteauneuf-de-Cadagne - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

In Les Baux de Provence: Visit of the Olive Oil Mill Moulin Castelas and Overnight Stay and Dinner Hôtel Le Mas de l’Oulivier - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Dinner and Overnight-stay at Hôtel/ Restaurant Benvengudo in Les Baux de Provence - Rhône Valley Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Arles: City Tour - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

At the Pont du Gard: Lunch at Restaurant Les Terrasses and Sightseeing at the Pont du Gard - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Lunch at Pont du Gard - Rhône Valley Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Avignon: Guided Tour of Pont Saint-Bénézet, the so-called ‘Pont d’Avignon’, and the Palace of the Popes - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Beaurenard in Châteauneuf-du Pape - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Vineyard and Cellar Tour at Vignobles Alain Jaume, Domaine Grand Veneur, with Hélène Jaume in Courthézon, Châteauneuf-du-Pape - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Wine-pairing Lunch at La Table d’Alain Jaume with Hélène Jaume at Domaine Grand Veneur in Courthézon, Châteauneuf-du-Pape - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Tasting at Domaine de La Solitude in Châteauneuf-du-Pape - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine du Pegau in Châteauneuf-du-Pape - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine du Pégau in Châteauneuf du Pape, with Owner/ Winemaker Laurence Féraud and Winemaker Andreas Lenzenwöger - Rhône Valley Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Châteauneuf-du-Pape: Sightseeing of the Ruins of the Summer Palace of the Popes and Lunch - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Tasting of Châteuneuf-du-Pape Wines at La Cave de Mathias with Mathias in Châteauneuf-du-Pape - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Wine-pairing Dinner and Overnight-stay at Hôstellerie du Château des Fines Roches in Châteauneuf du Pape - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Dinner and Overnight-stay at Hôstellerie du Château des Fines Roches in Châteauneuf du Pape, with Chef Hugo Loridan-Fombonnet - Rhône Valley Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Both at the beginning and at the end of the Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, we had dinner at a typical Old Town Mainz wine tavern: At Weinhaus Bluhm and at Weinhaus Schreiner. The former is right in the center of Old Town Mainz, the latter is on the same street as the Hotel Hilton. Both are in walking distance.

See also:

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Taverns in Mainz, Germany

Al Fresco Dinner at Weinhaus Bluhm in Old Town Mainz.

This wine tavern is tucked away in Old Town Mainz. Owners are the French/German father and daughter team Pierre and Mureille Stadelmann. Murielle is an accomplished opera singer but it is also her passion to conjure up delicacies with her father behind the stove. Their motto is: „French-Mainz-Fusion; this special connection between German ‚Gemütlichkeit’ and French ‚savoir-vivre’ is our goal.“

Weinhaus Schreiner

asausagehastwo: During this long, grey, miserable winter, in the absence of a good pub with a roaring log fire, a pint (or two) of cloudy scrumpy and a packet of pork scratchings, there’s nowhere I’d rather spend an evening than at a Mainzer Weinstube. Jolly, cheery, cosy and warm, they’re the perfect place to hide from this cold, damp weather with a couple of glasses of wine and a hearty dinner. Mainzers are spoilt for choice for these little wine taverns (we’re not quite so lucky on this side of the river) and, depending on what I fancy, I have a couple of regular favourites. For something a bit special, however, and in terms of consistently excellent and high quality local, seasonal food, as far as I’m concerned, Weinhaus Schreiner’s at the top of the pile.

Schreiner’s is clearly a smarter-than-average Mainzer Weinstube: the food is a little more refined, with prices to match, and the atmosphere a little quieter and calmer than its competitors. But though the restaurant is larger and airier than many others and the young staff in their neat black and white uniforms take their work rather seriously, this is Mainz, after all, so the atmosphere remains extremely warm and friendly and tables are often shared, with inter-table chat not entirely unlikely either. And I must say, after an evening in a cosy, traditional German wine tavern feasting on wolffish and mash drenched in creamy truffle butter I did briefly think to myself, well, who needs a pint and a pork scratching anyway?

Tasting with Helmut Dönnhoff and Sascha Johannes Schömel at Weingut Dönnhoff (VDP) in Oberhausen, Nahe - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

An Afternoon with Riesling Star Winemaker Helmut Doennhoff at Weingut Doennhoff in Oberhausen in the Nahe Valley, Germany

Dinner in a Typical Old Town Mainz Wine Tavern: At Weinhaus Bluhm and at Weinhaus Schreiner - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Taverns in Mainz, Germany

Cellar Tour and Tasting in the Courtyard with Owner/ Winemaker Gesine Roll at Weingut Weedenborn Weedenborn in Monzenheim, Rheinhessen - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

Weingut Jülg (VDP): Lunch in the Wine Tavern with Karin and Werner Jülg and Tasting in the Vineyard with Johannes Jülg - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Dr. Heger in Ihringen, Kaiserstuhl, Baden – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

The World Class Wines of Alsace

In the world class white wine region Alsace

Cellar Tour with Pierre Gassmann and Tasting at Domaine Rolly-Gassmann in Rorschwihr, Alsace - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

Tasting at Domaine Dirler-Cadé with Jean Pierre Dirler and Ludevine Dirler-Cadé - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

Cellar Tour and Tasting with Frédéric Hugel at Domaine Hugel & Fils in Riquewhir, Alsace - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

Visiting Colette Faller at Domaine Weinbach in Kaysersberg in Alsace

Tasting at Weingut Ökonomierat Rebholz in Siebeldingen, Pfalz – Germany-South by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Annette and I had the pleasure of enjoying an intimite wine dinner at Winelair Washington, D.C., with WineLAIR Owner Fred Ellemann and his family, Christian Ress of Weingut Balthasar Ress in the Rheingau and "father" of the international WineBANK/ WineLAIR network and WineLAIR General Manager and Chef Jonathan Krinn, formerly Clarity Restaurant and 2941 Restaurant.

Christian Ress owns Weingut Balthasar Ress in the Rheingau. Christian was in Washington DC as the boss of a renowned German winery but also as the "father" of the European/ American WineBANK/ WineLAIR family.

Christian is one of those winemakers who also have a strong entrepreneurial mind. When he moved the winery from the old facilities in the center of Hattenheim, where Christian and Stefan Ress continue to live, to more modern facilities at the entrance of Hattenheim, he used some of the space that became idle to open the wineBANK Rheingau in 2009, a members-only lounge with wine storage facilities that is open 24 hours 7 days a week.

Over the following years, the WineBANK Rheingau expanded into a network of WineBANKS in Europe. The WineBANK Frankurt additionally has a wine bar which is open to the general public. There are now 8 wineBANKS in Europe.

A couple of years ago, Fred Ellemann from Washington DC and Texas, a long-time fan of Weingut Balthaar Ress wines and regular visitor of the Riesling Gala, an annual celebration of Riesling at Kloster Eberbach in the Rheingau, suggested to Christian to expand the WineBANK family to the USA. The first American WineBANK, called WineLAIR in the USA, opened in 2019 in Washington DC during the covid-pandamic. It opened in a 5,000-square-foot space formerly occupied by an art gallery along the West End strip (1120 22nd Street NW) that counts the Ritz-Carlton as tenant.

As of now, it is the only WineLAIR in the USA, but Fred plans to expand the network of wineLAIRS in the USA rapidly over the coming years. His plan is to open 2 new WineLAIRS every year and he has hired Jonathan Krinn, formerly Clarity Restaurant in Vienna/ Virginia, to make his dream true.

I have been several times to the WineBANK Rheingau, including on a Germany wine tour by Ombiasy Public Relations and Wine Tours. I am a regular guest of the WineBANK Frankfurt, when I am in Germany.

I have also met Fred Elleman several times over in Germany at the annual Riesling Gala at Kloster Eberbach in the Rheingau.

Thera are now 9 WineBANK and wineLAIR clubs in the world with 2000plus members. As a member of one club, you have access to all WineBANK and WineLAIR clubs in the world.

Thanks Fred, Christian and Jonathan for a wonderful evening.

The dinner was the first of a series of wine dinners with Christian Ress over several days while he was in Washington DC. Here is Jonathan Krinn on facebook:

Getting outside the comfort zone….This Thursday evening, if you're free, and interested in exploring an under-appreciated grape variety, I have two tables available for a small Estate Riesling wine dinner with winemaker Christian Ress. PM me if you’re interested.

Here's the back story....In July, I was fortunate to travel to the Rheingau region of Germany, hosted by 5th generation winemaker Stephan Ress and son Christian. A wonderful family, picking their vines for over 300 years on hills so steep that you need support ropes, I was amazed at the wines they produce. It's really the old school (father Stephan) blended with the young cool school (Chirstian). Careful if you blind taste these against French white burgundies - good chance you pick these!

Christian surprised me and is coming to the US on business and we have created a dinner together!

PM me if you would like to come. Thank you!!!! JK

The Dinner at Wainlair, Washington DC

Those who have been to 2941 or Clarity, when Jonathan Krinn was running these restaurants, knows that Jonathan is an outstanding chef. No wonder that the menu he prepared for us was amazing. And, of course, the food of Jonathan went very well with the wines of Christian.

WineLair: An Elite European Wine Club Is Checking In Next to the West End Ritz-Carlton

WineLair will double as a members-only storage facility and wine bar
by Tierney Plumb Feb 7, 2019

Apparently some D.C. oenophiles have bottles so pricey or rare they feel uncomfortable keeping them at home. Luckily for them, a secure wine vault-slash-bar — complete with climate-control capabilities and insurance — is expected to land in D.C. soon.

WineLair, the American branch of the German-based WineBank, is sliding into a vacant 5,000-square-foot space formerly occupied by an art gallery along the West End strip (1120 22nd Street NW) that counts the Ritz-Carlton and Equinox as tenants. The business already has its liquor license approved and was originally expected to open by the end of 2018.

Along with a private members cellar and personal lockers for safekeeping, the wine cave will also house a bar and lounge open to the public. Along with wines available by the glass and the bottle, the menu is expected to feature meats, cheeses, breads, and light fare “brought in from neighboring restaurants,” according to the ABRA notice posted on the door. Ris, Rasika West End, Westend Bistro, and Upper West Side Cafe all sit nearby.

Pictures: Christian Ress Visiting WineLAIR Washington DC in 2019, with Annette and Christian Schiller. See: Christian Ress at RIS Restaurant in Washington DC: Wine Lair Washington DC and Weingut Balthasar Ress, USA/ Germany

WineBank was started a decade ago by Christian Ress, the owner of Balthasar Ress vineyards in Germany. WineLair’s first U.S. location is expected to open in Austin, with D.C. trailing behind. Ron Wight, who ran the now-shuttered Uncorked Tasting Room and Wine Bar in Austin, is spearheading the U.S. expansion. Eater reached out to Wight for comment.

Along with invites to private tastings and events, U.S. club members are granted access to the brand’s nine locations across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Each site sports its own opulent style, so it’s unclear what D.C.’s inaugural location will look like.

Pictures: Christian and Annette Schiller at WineBANK Frankfurt

D.C. got another exclusive drinking club last year with the arrival of Scotts Restaurant & Bar’s adjoining whiskey den, accessed by members via a fingerprint scan.

WineLair’s membership prices are dictated by the size and location of the vaults inside, but a 35-bottle vault in Frankfort runs 99€ monthly ($112). Invoices tack on expenditures on food and drink throughout the month, much like a country club tab.

D.C.’s WineLair can hold 199 people and hopes to open daily at 8 a.m. and serve late until last call, according to the ABRA license.

Pictures: Annette Schiller, Christian Schiller and Stefan Ress in the wineBank in Hattenheim in 2013 during the: German Wine and Culture Tour by ombiasy, 2013. See: Tasting at Weingut Balthasar Ress, Hattenheim, Rheingau, with Stefan Ress, Germany

Weingut Balthasar Ress

Area under vine: 42 ha / 109 acres
Main grape varieties: Riesling, Spätburgunder
Bottles per year: 250,000

Christian Ress: In 1870, the Balthasar Ress winery was founded in Hattenheim. What began with a butcher's shop and a restaurant quickly developed into a wine trade and a winery, which today is one of the leading businesses in the region and in the country. Today, almost 150 years after its foundation, the Balthasar Ress Winery is still completely owned by the Ress family. Stefan and Christian Ress are the fourth and fifth generation. Oliver Schmid, who joined the estate in 2014 as vineyard manager, has become operations manager in 2018 and is now in charge of the entire production, making - together with the support of winemaker Stephan Sänger - Balthasar Ress wines what they are today.

We are Rheingau winegrowers and our wines reflect what our soils, microclimate and philosophy can achieve. We produce native wine - the counter-design to the interchangeable mainstream. Wine with character and great potential. Since 2010, we have slowly and continuously incorporated "organic viticulture" for our vineyards. Every year, we have converted additional areas and in 2019, the entire company got certified. We work with nature and not against it and take the right time into account in everything we do.

The Ress family is an old, established family in Hattenheim. For generations, they were butchers, and the butcher shop "Metzgerei Ress" exists to this day. In 1870, Balthasar Ress, who was a butcher himself, founded the inn "Gasthof Ress" on Hattenheim's main street, thereby laying the cornerstone of a long tradition in the hotel and restaurant business as well as the wine estate and wine business.

Pictures: 2015 Harvest at Weingut Balthasar Ress. See:At Weingut Balthasar Ress in Hattenheim, Rheingau, during the 2015 Harvest with Winemaker Dirk Würtz, Germany

Since then, Carl, Paul, Stefan and now Christian Ress have been at the helm of the Ress Empire. By the 1920s, a thriving wine business had developed. In 1947, Carl Ress founded "Balthasar Ress KG - Wine Estate Proprietor, Winery, Hotel Ress." After Paul Ress’ death in the early 1980s, the family's entire properties were redistributed. Stefan Ress' siblings received the properties in Rüdesheim; he remained the proprietor of Weingut Balthasar Ress.

In 1999, Stefan's son Christian Ress entered the business as the fifth generation of the founding family. He became General Manager in 2010. Since then, he has continued to expand the wine estate, which today comprises 42 hectares. Christian Ress has achieved considerable attention in the wine trade for innovative projects, such as planting Germany's most northerly vineyard on the island of Sylt, near the border with Denmark, in 2009 and opening the wineBANK in Hattenheim in 2009.

Picture: Christian Schiller with Christian Ress in Berlin in 2010. See: Germany's Grosses Gewaechs Wines - Premiere 2010 in Berlin

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Our first day in Bordeaux ended with dinner at Restaurant L‘Estacade.

The restaurant is situated right on the water of the Garonne river and the view of the city of Bordeaux across the river is magical. The restaurant literally sits on the Garonne river opposite of Bordeaux city center. The view on the illuminated Place de la Bourse is breathtaking and makes you fall in love with Bordeaux right away.

Fodor Guide (2022): Le tout Bordeaux comes to this trendy glass-encased restaurant, which hangs spectacularly over the Garonne River, for its privileged views of Bordeaux proper and the 18th-century Place de la Bourse on the opposite bank. The cuisine is creative but not edgy (imagine sesame-and-soy-marinated veal, or mullet tartare with cream and fish eggs), while the wine list focuses on young Bordeaux. The setting is sleek modern with a casual, sometimes noisy crowd. The city lights make views better at night.

Rooftop Guide (2020): Set on the banks of River Garonne, L’Estacade restaurant and bar sure comes with both a beautiful location and a stylish setting. Offering panoramic window seating inside, the best part is the outdoor panoramic terrace. While the terrace by no means is sky-high (just elevated on stilts), it still offers some fantastic views. Here you can watch the boats sail up and down the river, as well as Place de la Bourse and the promenade along the Garonne.

Open for sunny lunches, romantic dinners or just some drinks in between, the L’Estacade food menu mixes flavors of the Mediterranean with those of the Atlantic, including contemporary spins on southwestern French classics. To go with the food, there is an impressive selection of more than 100 wines, served in bottle, half-bottle, magnum or by the glass. Or you let the talented barmen mix you a cocktail. For soothing views, a river breeze and sophisticated vibes, L’Estacade is the go-to option in Bordeaux. If you plan to eat, reservations are recommended.

Tom Cannavan (Tom Cannavan‘s Wine-Pages.com): Across the River Garonne (an easy stroll) and built on stilts over the water with amazing views of the city, the food doesn’t need to be good, but is. Respectful, but fusiony cuisine.

Decanter - Insider‘s Guide to Bordeaux City (written by Véronique Sanders of Château Haut-Bailly , Pessac-Léognan, in 2014): For me , if I am looking for a relaxed atmosphere I go to Gravelier for its modern cuisine and delicious menu du jour, or La Brasserie Bordelaise for its foie gras and fine grilled meats. Other favourites of mine include L’Estacade on the right bank of the Garonne, looking across the river to the Place de la Bourse, La Tupina for the typicity of its regional cuisine, L’Univerre for its wine list and Le Petit Commerce for its selection of fresh fish. These are some of my long-time favourites, but there are also many new and inventive restaurants opening in the city … Garopapilles, a wine shop and restaurant, is the new project from our former chef, Tanguy Laviale, offering fine cuisine in an intimate setting.

We had a pre-ordered (by Annette Schiller) 3-course dinner with 2 petits châteaux wines. There are thousands and thousands of petits châteaux. They make inexpensive but very good wines. It’s easy to forget what a huge wine producing area Bordeaux is – as an appellation, it produces more wine than the whole of Australia. These petits châteaux can struggle to make their voices heard on the market.

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Stefan Schindler: Germany is not only Riesling! The oldest document mentioning SILVANER in Germany dates back to 1659, and that’s why the wine-region Franken calls itself „Silvanerheimat“ – the home of Silvaner.

At this year’s New York Wine Experience, organized by Wine Spectator magazine, only one German wine-estate (God knows why?) was invited to pour its wines, and it was not one of the well-known Riesling estates along the Rhine and Mosel rivers.

Andrea Wirsching of Weingut Hans Wirsching in Franken came to New York and was more than happy that for once Silvaner was in the limelight. And I am sure it was not the last time… .

The Wine Spectator/ Kristen Bieler: Speaking of rare birds, the white variety Sylvaner is one that even those of us who taste wine for a living don’t frequently encounter. Most come from Germany, a country that doesn’t get the love and attention it deserves from American wine drinkers, IMHO. This year, Hans Wirsching, a fantastic producer from the Franken region, will be pouring the estate’s 90-point 2019 Silvaner Iphöfer Julius-Echter-Berg GG (the “GG” means a wine is dry and from a grand cru vineyard), which has a fascinating combination of concentration and austere minerality.

Weingut Wirsching

The Wirsching family has been producing wine since 1630 in the village of Iphofen, a leading wine village in Franken. Today, Weingut Wirsching is one of the largest privately-owned winery in Germany.

In the early 1960's, Hans Wirsching Jr. brought back to Iphofen from Munich his brother Heinrich, who was a graduate business economist there. From then on, these two brothers wrote the great success story of the estate, with Hans Wirsching Jr. focusing on winemaking and Dr. Heinrich Wirsching on all other aspects of the winery. Thanks to their particular dedication to Iphofen's vineyards, Iphofen has developed into one of the leading wine-growing communities in all of Franconia. The 'new style' that Hans Wirsching had given his wines - fresh, reductive, elegant and slim - has become a trademark. The early passing of Hans in 1990 did not change the qualities that make Wirsching wines special.

Today, Dr. Heinrich Wirsching is still in charge of the estate. He is over 80 years of age but looks rather juvenile. While he is still the boss in every-day business, he is actively supported by his daughters Andrea and Lena as well as by management team. Andrea Wirsching, in her fifties, re-joined the family recently to assist her 20 years younger half-sister Lena. They carry on 350 years of family wine making tradition, with the General Manager Dr. Uwe Matheus, who was our host, Wine Maker Werner Probst and Marketing Chef Armin Huth.

Weingut Wirsching and the Germany East Tour by ombiasy WineTours

We have visited Weingut Wirsching a few times already on the Germany East Tour by ombiasy WineTours, which starts in Berlin and ends in Frankfurt, after having toured the Sachsen, Saale-Unstrut, Franken and Württemberg wine regions.

See: Tour and Tasting at Weingut Wirsching in Iphofen in Franken with General Manager Uwe Matheus – Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

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Located in the midst of the most iconic wine communities of the Northern Rhône, this Domaine has vineyards in the top of the top locations. The domain is the oldest still existing wine estate in Chavanay, a tiny hamlet between Condrieu and Saint-Joseph. The history of the estate can be traced back to the 14th century. It was in 1797, after the French Revolution and secularization that Domaine de Boisseyt was formed. For six generations the estate was owned by the Chol family. In 2017, without any heirs, they decided to sell the estate to Oliver Decelle and Pierre-Jean Villa, a local vigneron.

I quote Pierre-Jean Villa: "Côte-Rotie has the historic Côte Brune and Côte Blonde. Our plot was planted in the 1930s and puts us in the heart of the mythic Côte Blonde. The wines are silky, with elegance and finesse, while still having the present tannins, structure and fruit of Syrah."

The Domaine also has plots in great terroirs of Saint-Joseph. The vineyard portfolio also includes the tiny, steep terraced plot of Les Corbonnes in Condrieu. Pierre-Jean Villa says: “The incline is more than 50 percent, all worked manually, of course. And again, it's a very specific terroir in the region”. The new owners want to convert all vineyards to organic viticulture within the near future.

Winemaking Partners Purchase Côte-Rôtie's Domaine de Boisseyt-Chol and Its Côte Blonde Vines - Olivier Decelle and Pierre-Jean Villa have acquired the historic Rhône estate and its 24 acres (Wine Spectator 2017)

Winemaking partners Olivier Decelle and Pierre-Jean Villa have acquired the historic Rhône estate Domaine de Boisseyt-Chol in Chavanay, a prime Côte-Rôtie spot, from Didier and Agnes Chol. The deal, which will close on Aug. 1, includes 24 acres of vines in multiple parcels. Neither side would disclose a price, but the sale is notable, as top-quality vines in Côte-Rôtie rarely come on the market. When they do, the region's prominent names, such as E. Guigal and M. Chapoutier, often have the inside track on acquiring them.

"Let's just say there was big competition," Pierre-Jean Villa, owner of his namesake domaine in Chavanay, told Wine Spectator.

Decelle was an heir to the French frozen-food chain Picard Surgelés, and now owns Bordeaux châteaus Jean Faure in St.-Emilion and Haut-Maurac in the Médoc, as well as the Languedoc-Roussillon estate Mas Amiel. In Burgundy, Decelle and Villa are already partners as grower-négociants at Decelle-Villa, which they set up in a historic cellar in Nuits-Saint-Georges in 2009, farming 20 acres biodynamically.

Villa produces 5000 cases annually from his own vines planted in Côte-Rotie, Condrieu, St.-Joseph, Crozes-Hermitage and Vin de Pays.

It was more than Decelle's deep pockets that sealed the Boisseyt-Chol deal. Villa grew up across from de Boisseyt-Chol, which has been in the Chols' family since 1797. Didier and Agnes have decided to retire, and their children did not want to take over. They chose to sell to a partnership that included a talented, modest local vigneron and appreciated that the acquisition would allow for transmission to the next generation in Villa's family.

"It was more than just the financial side; this was also an emotional decision for them. I really saw this as an opportunity for the future, a way to keep the vineyards in my family. I have a son and a daughter, and I only had 12 hectares [30 acres],” said Villa. "I'm a first-generation winemaker. I started with nothing. This will assure the next generation of the domaine."

At Domaine de Boisseyt (the new owners will drop “Chol” from the name), Villa will work with his technical director Justin Prudhomme. De Boisseyt has an annual production of 5,000 cases produced from 24 acres spread among Côte-Rotie, Condrieu, St.-Joseph and Vin de Pays. The estate has underperformed in recent years, but owns some legendary Rhône plots.

"Côte-Rotie has the historic Côte Brune and Côte Blonde. This plot was planted in the 1930s and puts us in the heart of the mythic Côte Blonde," said Villa. "The wines are silky, with elegance and finesse, while still having the present tannins, structure and fruit of Syrah."

The acquisition also comes with plots of Les Rivoires in St.-Joseph—“a magnificent terroir," according to Prudhomme—and the tiny, steep terraced vineyards of Les Corbonnes in Condrieu. "The incline is more than 50 percent, all worked manually, of course. And again, it's a very specific terroir in the region," said Villa.

Both Decelle and Villa are committed to sustainability. "We're giving ourselves five years to convert the vineyards to organic viticulture," said Villa.