Cal Bessó is the relatively new Montsant project from the Castellví Figuerola family, who own and run Celler de l’Encastell in Priorat, and local grape grower, Jaume Valles. It is based around the village of Els Guiamets, which is located fewer than 10 miles south of the heart of Priorat.
Read MoreYields are down. A common colloquialism among many in the supply side of the wine world. Since wine crops are so measurable, it is not just out there to garner sympathy—it is usually a meaningful component to quality of a vintage and the marketplace for the wine. But low yields are a symptom that can be ascribed to many different issues, good and bad. We take a look at what it means for the 2022 vintage.
Read MoreThis week, staff members in all three stores were treated to a special winemaker tasting and training with Alfred Tesseron, the man behind the wonderful Pontet Canet estate in Pauillac, Bordeaux, and from the Tesseron family in Cognac. The occasion for his visit was to introduce us to his brand-new project on the other end of the winemaking world—our end of the winemaking world, in fact—Napa Valley. Tesseron is releasing the very first vintage of his Napa wine called Pym Rae, and it is as exceptional as one might expect from this talented, venerated winemaker.
Read MoreWe are always happy to have a visit from our owner Clyde down in LA, and on Friday, Oct. 18th, we had the added bonus of a Clyde-hosted tasting–the first one ever in Hollywood! He poured a suite of Bordeaux wines from the 90s (which, to Clyde, includes 2000 but not 1990).
Read MoreGreg recently returned from a trip to Italy and he brought back some great finds that will be coming into the store over the next few weeks. First to arrive is De’Ricci, a new direct import from Montepulciano. This is an exciting new producer - not only for us, but for the region as a whole. With an interesting past, as well as a promising future, this winery offers some really fun and delicious wines.
Read More
