Antonia Munari owns and operates VIlla di Corlo, a family estate in the plains 15 minutes Southwest of Modena. It is one of the region’s few properties that is genuinely dedicated to pushing the envelope with organic farming. Furthermore, the entire winery is solar-powered and carbon-neutral, the vineyards are organic, and there is a concerted, consistent effort to take the entire operation in an ever more “green” direction.

Antonia farms the gamut of Lambrusco sub-varieties and bottles wine under multiple appellations, but the focus is always the same: juicy, clean, user-friendly “restaurant-style” Lambrusco intended to be glugged back in between mouthfuls of prosciutto and pizza.... or Turkey and mashed potatoes drowning in gravy.

Serve it as an aperitif as you greet guests, with appetizers, or the main event! Truly a versatile workhorse when it comes to wine pairing!

• 🍇 Grape Variety: 100% Lambrusco di Sorbara, one of the many sub-varieties of Emilia Romagna's flagship grape
• 🌱 Farming: Organic
• 🍾 Winemaking: Charmat (tank) method; 100% stainless steel
• 🧑🏼‍🌾 Winemaker: Antonia Munari
• 🌎 Region: Emilia Romagna, Italy
• 🌡 Serve: Cold

Domaine de la Sorbière is a hidden gem nestled around the Beaujolais Crus of Brouilly and Morgon, where Gamay vines thrive in small parcels. Here, nobody speaks of Chardonnay. 

But half a mile from the Brouilly cellars, Jacques tends a rare plot of Chardonnay on prized limestone-rich soil – virtually unheard of this far south in the prestigious French region of Burgundy!

To let this unique terroir shine, Jacques takes a hands-off approach - Native yeast fermentation, a combination of amphorae and neutral 600-liter barrels, and minimal sulfur additions.

The medium-weight body strikes a Burgundian balance between ripe fruit and saline minerality. 

• 🍇 Grape Variety: 100% Chardonnay
• 🌱 Farming: Certified Organic, Practicing Biodynamic
• 🍾 Winemaking: native yeast fermentation; aged in a combo of amphorae and large neutral barrel; kiss of sulfur addition at bottling
• 🧑🏼‍🌾 Winemaker: Jacques Juilliard
• 🌎 Region: Burgundy, France
• 🌡 Serve: Cold. Decant if smelling reductive

Vins de la Modone, "Dacite," Gamay, Loire Valley, France, 2021

 

The Côtes du Forez is a hidden gem of magnificent terroir tucked near the source of the Loire River. There are less than 170 hectares planted compared to the region's rich history when there were ~5,000 hectares planted aside mansions pre-phylloxara. The region is now making a comeback under the care of vignerons like Gilles Bonnefoy.