It is impossible to think of Chinon without uttering the name Baudry. Bernarnd Baudry acquired his first holdings in 1975 and is undoubtably one of Chinon’s most outstanding producers, not to mention one of the greatest cultivators of Cabernet Franc. Their wines are noted for exquisite precision, concentration and texture. They are unquestionably among the finest and most expressive in Chinon.

Garage Wine Co. was actually started in a garage in 2001 by Derek Mossman and wife Pilar Miranda. Ever since, the dynamic couple have dedicated their life's work to resurrecting old vineyards, working with farmers in the Maule and Itata regions. Quickly rising from making a few barrels for friends and families to internationally recognized and coveted bottles. Their Single Ferment Series was founded on the premise of reviving historic, native varieties, hence the name '215 BC', an hommage to País, which was being cultivated here some 215 years before Cabernet Sauvignon.

I love Bordeaux, even though it has sadly been considered "not cool" in some wine circles for quite some time now. There is some truth to it, as a large portion of Chateaux from this historic and paramount region have fallen pray to 'Parkerisation.' Instead of sticking to their roots and favoring nuance, freshness and drinkability, many have succumbed to the American market and its' preference for big, oaky, fruit bombs; bearing no resemblance to the wines they once were. We should also mention the pricing, which tends to match the behemoth nature of the wines. Today's St-Émilion is the antithesis to those 'modern' beasts.

There are so few examples of successful, second-generation winemakers in North America. Drake Whitcraft has not only carried forward the standard set by his father Chris, but he has also envisioned new sites and varieties that continue the adventurous work his father started in 1985. This old world tradition of a family winery, and the wisdom passed from father to son, is what is most compelling to me. The vineyard is organic, biodynamic and dry farmed. Drake is the only person the vineyard owners sell grapes to and he is crazy pumped about this site. They sold him 1 ton, so he sold us 1 case.

Known for many years in NYC's natural wine scene as the other half of pioneering wine importer, Jenny & François, Francois Ecot gave up city life and moved back home to become a vigneron. Working closely with several farmers and vignerons in the Loire Valley to produce a wine specifically for J&F Selections, he chose the name Gaspard, meaning treasure. It is the perfect name to describe these darling wines that capture the essence of Tourraine's terroir at an approachable price.

Of all the descriptions for wine, the one I love most is BEAUTIFUL. Yes, it's subjective (as are most things in wine) and hard to describe, but to paraphrase Justice Stewart "I know it when I taste it." Beautiful wines share a few common characteristics. Clear, defined aromatics with perfumed flowers and spice. They are balanced and detailed, with flavors that meld together yet are distinct from one another. Elusive wines that are both concentrated and lithe. Today's wine, from Cascine delle Rose, embodies all of these.

Mathieu Coste has an impressive history in education, including Professor and Winery Director at the Beaune Viticulture School in Burgundy. After a short stint in the military, he began working for a co-op in the tiny, almost forgotten appellation of Coteaux du Giennois, just a stones throw from Sancerre. The influence of his pedigree is without a doubt reflected in one's first sip of his wines. Farming a mere five and a half hectares split between Gamay, Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc, he grows everything biodynamically on the region's classic limestone soils. Matthieu is making some of the most breathtaking wines from this nearly forgotten land.

Situated in the village of Maisdon-sur-Sèvre, in France's Loire Valley, Domaine de la Pépière's Marc Olivier has been producing stunning wines for nearly 40 years. The domaine is named for the small village of La Pépière, where Marc was born and raised. La Pépière has its root in the word pépie, meaning thirst, a nod to the vibrant and thirst quenching wines that Olivier has dedicated his life to making. They take their time at Pépière. Everything is hand harvested (a rarity in the region) and only natural yeasts are used for fermentation. The vineyards are all old vines with a superb exposition on original root stock. Olivier is the only grower in the Muscadet who does not have a single clonal selection in his vineyards. These wines are true Muscadet.

Last summer I sent an email offer about how I had to beg and plead for these wines. The response was overwhelming and unfortunately I didn't have enough to satisfy all of the requests. The wines from Les Dolomies are made in such tiny quantities, and allocations are so scarce, I never thought I'd be able to offer wines from this estate again. But sometimes lightning strikes the same place twice.

When I contemplate why most of you (hopefully!) read our emails, one of the main reasons would be for the insider tips. Wines and producers we feel are some of the greatest wines being produced today, yet fly under the radar. I was introduced to the Loire's Château Yvonne just over five years ago. The wines blew me away then, and their projection to one of the top estates in the Loire Valley (and France overall) has come as no surprise. What does surprise me is their recognition outside of the wine community, has yet to catch up to the quality of the wines. The Château, after all, is the heir apparent to the legendary (and recently sold) Clos Rougeard estate.

If you're a wine nerd like me, drinking various wines from the same wine maker, side by side, is thrilling and fascinating. Picking up on the similarities and differences between two wines, made by the same person, allows me to really get to know a producer on a deeper and profound level. Today's offer showcases two wines with stark variances, made by one of my favorite Italian winemakers, Elisabetta Foradori. What really makes this an interesting duo is that they are both white wines, so while it would be obvious to offer a white and red in a contrast study of style, these two white wines stand out on their own. Both unique and delicious, for completely different reasons.

Mas Coutelou was one of the earliest estates in France to be officially certified organic (back in 1987). Nowadays, Jeff Coutelou is renowned as one of the foremost producers of natural wine in the Languedoc. This extends to using virtually no sulphur (very rare in the region) in order to preserve the purity and elegance of the old-vine fruit.

Great wine elicits a wide range of positive emotions in me. When a wine really checks all my boxes, it can make the hair on my neck stand up and pupils dilate but I can't remember ever having an audible vocal reaction like the one I had when trying these Champagnes. 'Wow!' I exclaimed to myself in an empty, quiet store the first time I tasted a bottle of Thomas Perseval Champagne. It was exuberant and exciting, brilliant and delicious, living up to all its' praise and hype. I couldn't have been happier to finally have some on Monarch's shelves.