The Fallet family of Champagne Fallet-Dart has written records of being vine growers in Drachy going all the way back to 1610. The family has almost certainly been there even longer than that. Their 47 acres of vineyard are closer to Paris than to Épernay, located in the Aisne department on the banks of the Marne river. The family’s extraordinarily long time in this business has given them patience like few other producers—as a matter of fact they supply us with our oldest current-release Champagne at 20 years old!
Read MoreThe history of Valentine’s Day is as long as it is ambiguous. Whether you believe it’s rooted in the ancient Roman fertility festival called Lupercalia; the Christian Saint Valentine who performed marriages in secret; or Cupid, the Greek god of love, the idea is the same: it’s a holiday where we get to celebrate our loved ones. And in our book, that means to wine and dine them—whether its your gal pals for Galentine’s Day or your sweetheart.
Read MoreEven though the grape variety Meunier covers about one-third of the Champagne region, it is still little understood by most wine lovers. Follow Gary Westby on the trail through Champagne to explore the wonder of this dynamic and not-to-be-missed varietal that great Champagne could not do without.
Read MoreAs a long-time lover of this historic wine, I’m excited to share with you some of the finest and most unique Champagnes we’ve discovered recently as well as sharing a few highlights as I reminisce on 2024. Whether you're a seasoned enthusiast or just beginning to explore the world of Champagne, I’ve handpicked some exceptional bottles and offers that I think you'll absolutely love. Cheers to great bubbles and even better moments ahead!
Read MoreAlexandre Le Brun is the smallest producer that we work with in Champagne. He has just seven acres and sells three-quarters of his production to Champagne Bollinger. He keeps the remaining quarter for himself, creating incredible wines of depth, concentration, and finesse in a 16th-century cellar underneath his ancestral home. Of this tiny production, he makes just one press load—and not every year—of his Révélation Blanc de Meunier. For those of you who tasted the 2009 or the 2012, the wine needs little introduction: it is flat out one of the best wines that we have in stock, regardless of price.
Read MoreI have received more calls for the Billecart-Salmon "Le Rendez-Vous" Pinot Meunier Extra Brut #1 Champagne than any other bottling this year. Yesterday, our small allocation of 180 bottles finally arrived. I didn’t waste time—I am just as excited as all of the customers who called and emailed—so I chilled one down and drank it last night. Cinnamon and I had the wine both as an aperitif, and with the excellent Taiwanese food of I-Dumpling here in Redwood City. It was a huge success both ways and “a small bottle”—our code at home for “we liked it so much that we drank it too fast.”
Read More