Where Soif Meets Sagesse: Laurent Barth

The story of Laurent Barth is a dear one, because the honoring of a family legacy and terroir is done in large part by a strong commitment to restoring the soil with the eradication of chemicals. 

"I have a link to my family's land, and I'm proud it finally has the Barth name on it. The idea was always to make wine from my village." 

Laurent Barth

Laurent Barth went to wine school in Burgundy, as many sons whose fathers grow grapes in France tend to do, and so he set off around the world in search of a true path, living and working on estates in Libya, South Africa, the US (California), India, and even Australia, before returning home. Barth honored his father's existing contracts for a few years, selling grapes to the local co-op, in the meanwhile fostering his vineyards with organic techniques he learned to improve the soil and health of the vines.  

His first vintage of estate bottling was 2004. Each year thereafter he began to experiment more and more with biodynamic techniques in the vineyard and cellar, always aiming to integrate what he'd learned with the specific realities he encountered as well as those reflected in the larger events written into the biodynamic calender. Restoring the proper use of sulfur, which had for years been abused--it has so completely damaged the reputation of Alsatian wines that to this day one sees a preference for Austrian or German whites from all but the most discriminating sommeliers. Another imperative for him is to use only indigenous yeasts; not for doctrinaire reasons, but "if the grapes are clean, if they are well selected at harvest, you get much more substance," says Barth. 

Just as he was patient to transform his father's vines into his own, Barth has been equally patient in his cellar, allowing for fermentation to take its time, a small "price to pay for complexity" in the wine that comes out of it. We're offering proof of the payoff of Barth's wanderings and patient arrival back in his hometown of Bennwihr in the form of a cornucopia of old-vine cuvées. 

While many 2011 wines have been long on the market (now 2012s are even showing up!), Barth is just now releasing his 2011s as their élevage has brought them to a stage where soif (thirst) meets sagesse (wisdom), reminding us quietly that Alsatian wine can be some of the most pleasantly drinkable wine on Earth. We're clearing off a major portion on our shelves to make room for these wines--because these are wines that will transport you to a place that's somewhere special. Bennwihr, north of Colmar in Alsace, is where you'll be.

Barth Gewurtztraminer Les Clos des Trois Chemins 2010, $25

Barth Pinot [Blanc] d'Alsace 2011, $15

Barth Pinot Noir 2011, $23

Barth Pinot Noir M 2011, $31

Barth Racines Metisses 2011, $17

Barth Riesling Vieilles Vignes 2011, $24

Try all six for only $125 or save 10% off eight or more! Click here to order some.

Mediterranean Spring

We at Thirst Wine Merchants believe strongly in the greatness of Bandol; a greatness rooted by its Provençal terroir facing the Mediterranean Sea. If there's a place whose food and lifestyle we would never refuse for a respite, the shelves of our store in Fort Greene betray our preferences.  

String-turned roast of lamb at Domaine Tempier

Today we offer a "diagonal" flight across multiple vintages and vineyard sites of Bandol, making a case for the distinctiveness of its terroirs. We know of no other selection that's as passionate for Bandol as ours, and we hope you'll trust and share in our enjoyment of these treasures.

What you'll find here is a rustic and characterful Bandol planted entirely in clay soil (Gros 'Noré), a supple and luxurious Bandol from clay mixed with limestone (Tempier), and an ethereal Bandol coming from marl mixed into blue clay and a particular brown limestone (Terrebrune); as well as the field blends of different vineyards--for Tempier, their Bandol Rouge more Mourvèdre and Grenache; La Migoua less Mourvèdre and more Grenache and Cinsault; and La Tourtine, which has the most Mourvèdre of the bunch. 

To balance the budget of your case, we're also offering two fantastic values of declassified Bandol wines from the Provençal appellation of Vin de Pays du Mont-Caume, younger vines from the same terroir, as well as what may be our favorite rosé.

Jean Pierre Gaussen VdP du Mont-Caume 2010, $15 

Domaine Terrebrune VdP du Mont-Caume 2010, $23 

Domaine Terrebrune Bandol Rosé 2011, $34 

Domaine Terrebrune Bandol 1987, $129 

Domaine du Gros 'Noré Bandol 2006, $39 

Domaine Tempier Bandol 2006, $50 

Domaine Tempier Bandol la Migoua 2008, $73

Domaine Tempier Bandol la Tourtine 2008, $75 

5% off four bottles from this email, and 10% off six or more. Quantities extremely limited! Click here to order.

In addition to all of this, a TWM event you don't want to miss! François and Jonathan Sack of Tempier's neighbor, Clos Sainte Magdaleine, will pour their wines in our store on April 26th from 6pm until 8pm. 

stay true, 

the Thirst people 

Who's Afraid of CLOS SARON?

Whatever marketing executive came up with the title "Cult California" to describe wines that are treated like stocks and investment opportunities more than part of the table clearly doesn't put his work away when sitting down for dinner. Instead of financializing one's appetite, we'd like to give credit to California winemaking at its pinnacle where credit is actually due. 

Clos Saron

Gideon Beinstock, Susan Rice, and their small children, embody the American spirit in a distinctly Californian manner; instead of rehashing French formulae ("Meritage!?!") for blending their grapes, their starting premise is that French grapes Taste Different in American soil and thus should be fermented and blended uniquely in ways that exemplify their exceptional terroir in the Sierra Foothills. Thus they co-ferment grapes in unusual ways, achieving clarity and texture that's only found in their wines. The love and care that goes into every unorthodox bottle is just insane, with each batch of wines clocking a few hundred bottles, if that. 

Every part of our Thirst team takes our hats off to these wines, and have probably passionately sold more Clos Saron than most other wine merchants combined. We are proud to offer from our allocation some exclusives, both vin de soif and vin de garde. One sip and you'll just forget your cult costume at the cleaners (the "Wine Storage Locker"). 

Clos Saron Rose 2012, $34 

Clos Saron Carte Blanche 2012, $34

Clos Saron [Cinsault] Out of the Blue 2011, $34 

Clos Saron [Pinot Noir] Home Vineyard 2010, $68 

Clos Saron [Syrah/Viognier] Stone Soup 2010, $55 

Clos Saron [Syrah/Viognier] Heart of Stone 2007, $43 

Clos Saron [Syrah/Viognier/Merlot] Cuvee Mysterieuse 2007, $43 

Clos Saron [Syrah/Viognier/Cabernet Sauvignon/Petite Verdot] Black Pearl, $43 

Normal six-pack and case discounts apply. As limited as it gets. Click here to order.

  

stay true, 

the Thirst people 

Toscana: Feminine

What does it mean to call a wine feminine--beautifully perfumed, supple texture, delicate even?  We were discussing this way of describing wine the other day in the shop and found ourselves gravitating towards the Tuscan section of our store. 

And of the Tuscan winemakers in the shop whose wines we feel embody what's great about their terroir almost all are women: Giovanni Morganti (Chianti Classico); Dora Forsoni (Vino Nobile di Montepulciano); Elisabetta Fagiuli (San Gimignano); and the Padovani twins (Montalcino). We are thrilled to declare that these brilliant women are leading the current revolution in natural winemaking in the center of Italy, making expressive, elegant wines that are as addictive as they are powerful. A brief word on each: 

In the Southern limit of the Chianti Classico zone, Giovanna Morganti worked at the research laboratory and vineyards of San Felice in Castelnuovo Berardenga. She has a mere three hectares of vineyards and works according to the traditional rhythms of her territory such that the wine takes a thirty month journey before becoming available to the public. She describes her wines as "ferociously elegant." We can't agree more. 

  

Dora Forsoni cultivates the Prugnolo Gentile clone of Sangiovese in Montepulciano with her partner Patricia Castiglioni, a unique strain surviving from the 16th century that she describes as difficult to stop drinking (she calls it a "drug"). She also makes a delicious white wine out of the grapes that USED to be blended with Sangiovese in the past when that was the way to make a more thirst-quenching wine, so imagine: Malvasia Verde, Malvasia Bianco. Biancame, Trebbiano, and Grechetto brought up in concrete. After a day of pounding the pavement, this is an ideal aperitif to precede her red Vino Nobile (Dora calls this white her Vino Nobile as well). 

Elisabetta Fagiuoli, born in Valpolicella, has high altitude vineyards in San Gimignano overlooking the rest of Tuscany. Because of this elevation, she's most famous for her white Vernaccias, of which she makes four different kinds(!), all of which are of the stature of her compadre in world class white wines, Mme. Bize-Leroy in Burgundy. We're selling her Tradizionale bottling, which is vinified one year "sur lie" (the raw good stuff) before bottling.  And her reds are divine too!

  

Twin-sisters from Milan, Margarita and Francesca Padovani took over their mother's small farm in Montalcino in the late nineties, with the goal of making drinkable, honest wines in a region plagued by Parkerization (over-extracted, magazine score-fetching wines that say look at me but are impossible to drink). Whatever your experience of the Brunello clone of Sangiovese, the Fonterenza sisters make a variety of wines in levels of intensity from the most accessible to the most potent, all of which harmonize with food instead of making loud speeches from the glass. 

Le Boncie Chianti Classico 2008, $41 

Poderi Sanguineto Bianco Toscana 2010, $19 

Poderi Sanguineto Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2008, $42 

Sono Montenidoli Vernaccia di San Gimignano Tradizionale 2010, $21 

Sono Montenidoli Colorino Rosso Toscano 2010, $22 

Sono Montenidoli Chianti Colli Senesi Il Garullo 2009, $23 

Fonterenza Pettirosso Rosso Toscano 2010, $24 

Fonterenza Rosso di Montalcino 2009, $34 

Build your own Toscana six-pack from these wines and save ten percent!  Click here to order.

Spain by Other Means

Spain is a great example of how some traditions must survive, at all costs (Sherry), while others (new oak) simply must go.  Neither sustainable nor terroir revealing, the Tempranillo-based appellations were not thinkable without the use of wood until now.  Thanks to our intrepid friend Jose Pastor (aka "the Joe Dressner of Spain") small wineries that are getting back to basics are coming to light.

Write Ribera del Duero in your head and then cross it out; Alfredo Maestro's there but would rather not have his wines associated with the oak-bombs the region was famous for. His wines are super-natural in both senses--no additives and incredibly powerful, raw, think Paolo Bea but Tinto Fino and Grenache. This is the difference.

And instead of using the standard form of "Rioja" based on grape-assemblages, Abel and Maite Mendoza are making wines exclusively by soil type. This one's tempranillo collected only from limestone-laden ("limoso") vineyards in the Rioja Alta with no oak at all (only concrete!), one of the more fresh takes on Rioja we've had in a while!

Our Spanish re-assemblage would not be complete without Fabio Bartolomei's bonkers-good unfiltered wines from Madrid. Our wine club members get first dibs on our final re-stocking this vintage (our allocation is relatively large, but actually quite miniscule!).  His "Titulciano" is mostly old-vine tempranillo with some "Sirah" and Graciano, wonderfully spiced and complex, and the "Malvar" is from one hundred-year-old vines and made the way Lapierre and co. make their quaffable Beaujolais (Carbonic Maceration in shop talk), where the berries are fermented quasi-intact and then pressed afterwords.  The result is a new plateau of deliciousness: blood-orange wine.

Sherry, we mentioned, should not change at all, but is rarely organic.  We found you one that's both--a half-bottle of Manzanilla is heading your way--if you like it, come get some Fino or Oloroso in our shop!  Serve the sherry with green olives, salted nuts, and lighter fish tapas, and the reds with anything you can get your roast on.

(If you're curious to join the club, rsvp and we'll get you started.)

hearts,

the Thirst team

Real Wine All The Time

When we were living in the Bay Area and first discovered the wines of Kermit Lynch, one of the first mixed cases we compiled was made up entirely of wines from the Loire Valley.  If there’s a single region in France whose stylistic bent is geared towards wines of “thirst” (vin de soif), we decided early on this is it.  The whites can be highly nuanced, crisp without being bracing, and somehow deeply supple too, and the reds as chillable and refreshing as the whites but with an abundance of fruit and herbs that never tire the palate.

Since that idyllic time of drinking the Loire in San Francisco, a new generation of intrepid wine importers have made available to us a new cast of characters from the Loire coming not only from other wine regions but other walks of life.

THE REDS Part 1: Anjou

Nicholas Reau was a rugby-playing blues and jazz pianist who did a one-eighty after nearing the end of his business studies. He dropped his briefcase and scraped together the funds to buy a vineyard, Clos des Treilles, and immediately started getting his hands dirty.  Even though Nicolas had studied in Bordeaux, there was something about Anjou which drew him in—as with Benoit Courault, who also started in a more mainstream region (Burgundy) only to find a sense of in-authenticity that left him seeking truer mentors elsewhere (causing him to spend a couple years working with Eric Pfifferling of L’Anglore in Tavel, as well as learning how to make a horse his vineyard manager from the likes of Olivier Cousin).

If there’s a way to describe both the jazz musician’s and the equestrian’s approaches to vineyard tending and winemaking, it would be natural improvisation.  While Nicolas harvests from the older vines he found already in his Clos des Treilles vineyard, allowing the resulting grape juice to turn itself into wine auto-poetically through a path that starts in cement, then used oak, and finally settling into the bottle without any fining/filtering/sulfuring or other interferences, Benoit converted the old farm house on his six hectare property into a winery and decided to create his own living inhabitation directly in the vineyard itself with a trailer, not fussing with the soil (but allowing his horse Norway to take care of that) so that the itinerary from harvest to cuvaison is entirely ecosystemic.  He also uses an old apple press from Brittany that is then gravity fed so that only the earth’s native forces enable the wine to come into its own.

When you drink both Nicolas’ and Benoit’s wines, their versatility will allow you to improvise too, in the kitchen, as the structure of these wines are wound differently—Nicolas Reau’s Pompois Anjou Rouge 2010 at a looser coil, with boisterous vibrancy, and the Benoit Courault Les Rouliers Vin de France 2010 more densely woven in a way that your own letting it be will be rewarded with a good, long decantation.

Part Two: Touraine

Further inland along the river valley is Touraine, home to one of our favorite of the greatest small appellations in France, Cheverny.  Less people live in Cheverny than in Fort Greene but the wine scene there is beyond urbane.  Christian Venier, one of seven siblings, took over his family’s domaine as the only child who took up the winemaking call, and makes nearly a dozen single parcel wines.  With trouble just picking one (we cherish them all!) we’ve decided to give you one of his reds, “La Pierre aux Chiens,” a lovely filigreed and potpourri’d pinot noir.  This is natural winemaking at its most balanced, ripened to only 12% alcohol. Also on offer is Philippe Tessier’s Cheverny Blanc, which is by law a blend of Sauvignon Blanc with at least 20% and no more than 25% of another grape (candidates being either Chardonnay or Menu Pineau, Tessier opting for the former), a wine that many of you have been ordering second glasses of at THIRSTBARÀVIN.

To complete the bag is a dry bottle of classic Vouvray from Catherine and Pierre Breton, who were one of the earlier pioneers of biodynamics in the region after Nicolas Joly and Domaine Huet.  Enjoy!

Have an indoor picnic! Spread your best table cloth on the floor and pair these wines with rillettes, spicy tripe sausages, and an assortment of goat cheeses.

If these wines pique your interest, click here to sign up for our club at the $25, $50, or $100 level and we'll get you started.

On Doing Nothing

Thank God there's a new wave of California winemakers making wine where nothing is added and nothing is taken away. 

Hank and Caroline Beckmeyer of La Clarine Farm, which is located at 2600 feet in California's Sierra Nevada Foothills, have throughout the past decade been moving toward doing nothing. Well, not exactly nothing. Their inspiration comes from Masanobu Fukuoka, a Japanese farmer-philopher whose ideas were translated as "do nothing farming." Hank thinks either the phrase was badly translated or Fukuoka had a wicked sense of humor. What it means to him is not doing anything unnecessary; basically working with rather than against nature in the vineyard to produce grapes, and beyond that, simply crushing the grapes to make the wine.  

The Beckmeyers prefer to use their feet, as does Michael Christian in the San Diego area, who started Los Pilares with three co-conspirators a few years after Clarine Farm began to bring it on. Neither want to see much sulfur in their bottlings, which stylistically produces a wine so fresh and fruity you'd mistake it blind for other terroirs for sure. Keep your eyes open though because the colors are beautiful, vivid, and the quantities less than miniscule.

La Clarine Farm Mourvedre "suma kaw" 2011, $25

La Clarine Farm Syrah "suma kaw" 2011, $25

Los Pilares Grenache/Syrah 2011, $26

One bottle of each for $69 while they last!