BLOG
Producer Spotlight: Bellula
Meet Vianney and Emilie Castan Vianney and his wife, Emilie, come from a tradition of winemaking, but they did not inherit Château Saint-Jean d’Aumières. The Castan family lost its vines in the 1970’s, but Vianney and Emilie chose to return to the land anyway. They...
Valentine’s Day Wines for Every Relationship
February can only mean one thing. Tons of sugary messages about love. For singles, it can feel isolating. But love takes many forms, and so should your Valentine’s Day wine assortment. As the movie says, Love Actually is all around, and as corny as it sounds, it is...
Producer Spotlight: Roc Meynard
Esther Hermouet brings Heritage and Innovation to Her Role at Historic Bordeaux Estate. Location: Fronsac, Right Bank of Bordeaux, France On the famed Right Bank of Bordeaux, in the village of Fronsac, sits the historic Château Roc Meynard. We are not exaggerating...
Linguine with White Clam Sauce Featuring Roc Meynard
Market Visit with Esther Hermouet of Roc Meynard In November, we were delighted to welcome Esther Hermouet, winemaker at Roc Meynard, to the Florida market. Alongside our regional sales manager, Sami Berenson, Esther spent several days visiting accounts, checking in...
Dry January Is for Quitters
A Trade-Friendly Way to Talk Wellness Without Killing the Mood Dry January is a tough month for the wine industry. Buyers go quiet. Consumers announce they’re “being good.” And suddenly, everyone is acting like pleasure is a bad habit that needs correcting. But we all...
Producer Spotlight: Résidence Spirits
A Meeting of Worlds in the Heart of Charentes In a category full of “me too” brands, Résidence stands out because it refuses to flatten its identity. This is a house built from two very different worlds, and all the richness that comes from letting those worlds...
How to Host a French Christmas
A Celebration of Family, Food, and Fine Wine JP’s favorite bottles and simple tips for hosting a warm, elegant French-style Christmas Eve dinner. In France, Christmas is a cozy but elegant affair. A time for family, loved ones, and time well spent at the table....
Producer Spotlight: Champagne Philippe Fontaine
If you ever find yourself in Balnot-sur-Laignes, you’ll know exactly why the wines of Champagne Philippe Fontaine feel the way they do. The village has a quiet energy. It is the kind of place where people wave from tractors, the air smells faintly of chalk and apples,...
The Beaujolais Spectrum: From Fresh to Profound
From Pierres Dorées to Moulin-à-Vent, here’s why Beaujolais deserves a real spot on your fall and winter lists. Every November, Beaujolais pops back into everyone’s mind, and usually because of Nouveau. It’s fun, it’s festive, and it has its place. But if that’s where...
A Frenchman’s Thanksgiving Table
When I moved to the United States, I discovered a holiday that doesn’t exist in France, Thanksgiving. But I have to say, it’s become one of my favorites. What could be more French than gathering with friends and family, eating too much, and making sure there’s always...