Sur Le Zinc

Interview with Benjamin Gras of Domaine Santa Duc

Benjamin Gras represents the sixth-generation of winemakers at Domaine Santa Duc in Gigondas. In this short interview, Benjamin shares his perspective on farming–namely the implementation of biodynamic agriculture in his family’s vineyards, which have been farmed organically by his father, Yves, for over 30 years.  How long have you been interested in biodynamics? For many… READ MORE

Wink Lorch Blows Whistle on Altesse Folklore in French Alps

Wink Lorch is not one to skip her homework in favor of fanciful tales. It is this dedication to truth and discovery that made her first book, Jura Wine, so compelling and a necessity for anyone interested in the wines of that region. It is with this same conviction and desire for fact over fantasy that… READ MORE

Bandol From Above: A Vineyard Tour with Robert De Salvo and Romain Bournaud

A few weeks ago, we had the good fortune of spending the day in Bandol with Robert De Salvo (owner) and Romain Bournaud (winemaker) of Bastide de la Ciselette. It was hard to imagine there ever being a bad day to be in Bandol, with gorgeous hillsides of vines spilling out under a spotless sky that… READ MORE

Burgundy From Above: A Vineyard Tour with Julien Cruchandeau

We came upon a bucolic scene in January when we wound our way up from Nuits-Saint-Georges to the tiny village of Chaux to visit with Julien Cruchandeau. A former DJ turned vigneron, Julien has created quite a stir with the wines he creates in the cellar just below his family home. We joined Julien and his… READ MORE

Domaine Gouffier: Charm, History, and Elegance in Fontaines

In January of this year, Martine’s Wines Vice President Kate Laughlin traveled to Burgundy to meet with some of our producers, including our newest addition to the portfolio–Domaine Gouffier. Here, Kate shares “sur le zinc” her account of the team’s visit with Frédéric Gueugneau and Benoît Pagot at the domaine in Fontaines. We arrived to Domaine Gouffier… READ MORE

Drone Over Bourgogne Returns

We are back in Burgundy again, which means MW One is taking to the skies and providing new perspectives of the vineyard holdings of our producers. Today, Thibault Morey of Domaine Morey-Coffinet was our guide in Chassagne-Montrachet, as we filmed his prized holdings in Dent de Chien (1er Cru), Blanchots Dessus (1er Cru), and Bâtard-Montrachet (Grand Cru). Later… READ MORE

Burgundy From Above: A Vineyard Tour with Bruno Clavelier

In January of this year, we spent an afternoon with vigneron Bruno Clavelier, touring several vineyards to gain insight from the man himself about each location. We brought our company drone–MW One–along with us to provide a new perspective on these special plots of vines. Here, in our first installment of “Burgundy From Above,” we… READ MORE

Announcing Special Producer Interview Series

The streets of downtown Chicago served as a beautiful backdrop as we sat down with representatives of 15 of our producers from France at our Grand Tasting 2017 event yesterday. Sharing insights and stories (and even a song!), these incredible people conveyed both passion and purpose in their answers to compelling questions that provide a… READ MORE

Talking Terroir With Laurent Noblet of Domaine Laporte

Laurent Noblet, Sales Director for Domaine Laporte, took some time in the sun with us in San Francisco to speak about the terroir of Sancerre. He elaborates on what makes the vineyards of Laporte unique within this treasured Loire Valley appellation.  

Damien Carney Hails Cuvée Silice

Damien Carney, the Director of Sales for Direct Markets at Martine’s Wines, shares the story on the newest offering from Domaine des Ardoisieres–the 2015 Cuvée Silice. Two years ago, I became obsessed with tasting a wine that had never been made.  The wine didn’t even exist, the growing season not yet begun, when the idea… READ MORE