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Take a look through our past articles pertaining to wine, tastings, and events. These will help you become a well-rounded wine-o!If you like what you see here, sign-up for our newsletter!
December 22, 2019
Arianna has been a rising star throughout the past decade, crafting wines that reveal the chalky minerality of Vittorian soils, the freshness of the sea sprayed air, and the uniqueness of native Sicilian varietals. This is her flagship and most important wine.
December 21, 2019
Mont de Marie is the creation of Thierry Forestier, son of a wine making family in Costières de Nimes. In 2002 he pieced together 7.5 hectares of land around the eastern-most part of the Coteaux du Languedoc. Nearly a third of his vineyards are planted with Aramon, an indigenous grape variety whose vines are at least 100 years old.
December 20, 2019
This is old-school Bordeaux, crafted by a young man, Michel Théron. Michel moved to Bordeaux in 1988 from the Languedoc to study winemaking. What I love most about his wines is that while they are no doubt age-worthy, they are simply delicious now. Showing beautiful fruit and balance, and gaining complexity as they open.
December 19, 2019
Current shop inventory of wines from South America: JUST ONE. This wine is different. One of the most amazing Pinot Noir's I've had in a long time. Piero has created a winery that exists outside of the usual New World vs. Old World debate, actively redefining what is possible from Pinot Noir in the Southern Hemisphere.
December 18, 2019
Jean-Luis Dutraive is often referred to as the 'heart of Beaujolais.' The wines of Jean-Louis' estate, Domaine de la Grand'Cour, are singular in that each wine comes from a specific vineyard, or 'lieu dit' in Fleurie.
December 17, 2019
A Cabernet Sauvignon grown in the heart of Chianti Classico was a revelation! The idea of crafting a wine from this grape was not a decision Silvio made based on trends or market demand. These were vines he inherited from his father.
December 16, 2019
Dominique Belluard farms his vineyards biodynamically in the tiny village of Ayse, at the foot of the French Alps. On exceedingly steep, rocky terrain the Gringet (GRAN-jay) grape variety has been grown since the 14th or 15th century but had nearly gone extinct before Belluard began cultivating it; establishing himself as the only winemaker currently bottling Gringet commercially.
December 15, 2019
Few winemakers have ascended to stardom more quickly than Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey. In the matter of a decade (a split second in Burgundian time), Pierre-Yves' wines have become some of the most sought-after, collectible and allocated in the world. Some call him the 'Magician of White Burgundy.'
December 14, 2019
A quartet of Spanish friends and schoolmates are making world-changing, earth-shatteringly beautiful wines on the Canary Islands! Formed back in 2005 in college, they set out to make wine with a focus on Coastal Atlantic vineyards. A truly unique and characterful white wine that is deliciously pithy, salty and smoky with refreshing acidity.
December 12, 2019
Let’s get the party started with what else but CHAMPAGNE! Not your average Champagne, these bubbles are grown way down South, in a region called the Aube. It's in this unique corner of Champange that Bertrand Gautherot crafts some of the most distinct and unique wines we have ever tasted.
December 5, 2019
The Jura, one of our favorite wine regions (right up there with Champagne, Burgundy, and Barolo too!). Tucked away in a sleepy corner of France, only an hour east of its more illustrious neighbor Burgundy. While the notoriety of Burgundy and the Jura couldn't be more opposite, their wines possess the same mesmerizing beauty
November 21, 2019
Make no mistake, every Monarch Exclusive is special. Each of these wines take extra effort to obtain. They are wines we believe in so strongly that we go the extra mile to bring them to you. However, this is a BIG ONE. We are proud to be the only retailer on EARTH to offer Raj Parr's 'Monday Club' Pet-Nat!
November 13, 2019
Oilvier Lejeune (as his name suggests) is a young and incredibly talented winemaker in France's Loire Valley, the ancestral home of Chenin Blanc. He has been mentored by the region's 2 most revered winemakers, Angeli and Leroy. These two names are revered by Chenin freaks (like me!).
November 7, 2019
We're partnering with a number of our friends from Grassroots, Avant Partir, Kellogg Selections and more to host a festive pre-Thanksgiving tasting! The entire Monarch community is invited to our 1st Annual Thanksgiving shindig! Join us for a walk-around tasting where bottles upon bottles will be popped! This is a wonderful opportunity to welcome the holiday season with your neighbors and taste a slew of SUPERB wines!
October 30, 2019
When a winery you've never heard of outshines some of the region's heaviest hitters, it makes a lasting impression and creates a mild obsession. Chandon de Briailles has long been synonymous with traditional, age-worthy Burgundy. Monarch is proud to offer the only bottles of Chandon de Briailles in South Carolina!
October 15, 2019
Wrapping up our Producer Profile series for our Legendary Winemakers tasting with Silvio Messana of Montesecondo, who has been redefining Chianti for nearly 20 years. Silvio is making uniquely pure Tuscan wines with character and freshness, breathing new life into a misunderstood region that, according to some, has lost its way.
October 10, 2019
We are back again with our Producer Profile series as we gear up for our Legendary Winemakers tasting! This week, Éric Texier! Texier, who has been growing grapes organically in the Northern Rhône for over 20 years, is a true trail-blazer of low-intervention wine. He consistently makes wines that are precise, approachable and drinkable. All result in true expressions of his land, his home: the mighty Rhône.
October 10, 2019
Our Producer Profile series continues. This week, Elisabetta Foradori, who has, since the age of 19, dedicated her life to championing the indigenous Teroldego. Considered one of the most influential female winemakers in the world, her philosophy is simple: trust and love the vines, make wines that are true reflections of indigenous grapes and their land.
October 10, 2019
In advance of our Legendary Winemakers tasting on October 23, we are thrilled to kick off our "Producer Profile" newsletter series. Kicking off with none other than Arianna Occhipiniti! An inspiring woman who has changed the course of Italian wine.
October 9, 2019
Those of you who know me or follow Monarch, even from a distance, can see my passion for Burgundy. Few wines match the purity, delicacy, and terroir transparency of those hallowed vineyards. You can imagine my sheer delight, my astoundment, when tasting Il Borghetto 'Bilaccio' for the first time. A Tuscan Sangiovese with unmatched grace. An ethereal red, from the heart of Chianti Classico.
