I’m thrilled to be co-hosting an oyster roast to remember on Sunday, March 25th with renowned wine importer Thomas Meunier of L’Authentique Vin.  Thomas will be joined by very special guests: French winemakers as Coarlie Goumarre, Joseph Landron, and Lionel Latorse. They are all part of a new generation of winemakers with a strong farming passion and an emphasis on small scale, sustainable and organic viticulture.

I recently sat down with Thomas and asked him a bit about himself, to help introduce him and our event to our guests. Here’s what he said:

1) What got you interested in the wine business? Did you always know that this would be your profession?

"I come from a family of hedonists with a father has an extended cellar with beautiful old vintages of Bordeaux. Every year, with a group of friends, they would buy a barrel and have it delivered to our house.  I will never forget those Saturdays when they would bottle the wine, all this ceremony of cleaning the bottles, gently putting in the cork and the final touch of putting the labels. I remember all the smells, all the smiles, all the conviviality of those times. More...

When conversations arise about the great wine producing nations of the world, Spain is not always the first to jump out.  While Spain has a rich and long history (some of the first vines were planted by the Phoenicians in the 4th century BCE), it still does not carry the same caché of other winemaking nations.  When Spain does come up, it is always the “Big 3” that come up, Rioja, Ribera del Duero, and Priorato, and then the way too often forgotten and way too under-appreciated, Sherry or Jerez. 

Not to say that these are not world class wine regions, because they are indeed and very exciting ones at that, but there is so much to explore in Spain, so many wines that can bring so much enjoyment, wines that can make you think, wines that can make you laugh, and wines that can bring your senses to another world. Spain is in a class all its own, and it can cover any taste from dry to sweet, sparkling to still, and red, white, and rosé.  Is there a reason for this “Ode to Espagna”? For all of the reasons above I am showcasing the wines of Spain in a number of ways through out Fearrington Village over the holidays, in an effort to promote all the diversity of Spanish wine. More...

In many ways Champagne is the best wine in the world.  It is can be refreshing, lively, celebratory, serious, complex, in your face, or subtle all in a few sniffs and a few sips.  It can pair with more foods than almost any other wine. It is extremely difficult to make, that is in comparison to a large section of other wines. 

However, it seems that so many forget about Champagne, and all sparkling wine for that matter. Some only drink it to celebrate, and some just think it is not “serious” enough to be considered in the same breath as the Burgundies or Bordeaux of the world.  They're missing a whole lot of enjoyment, and missing one of the most exciting regions in France at the moment.  Champagne is no longer just about the image or the brand, it is about the family, the grower, and the terroir.  This is not to say that the larger Champagne houses make inferior wine; they in fact make great bubbly, it is just that they represent a different idea, a different perspective. What everyone loves about Burgundy or the Rhône valley, is that the wines show a sense of place, they are where they are from, and that is why wine lovers go crazy about them.  More...

As you prepare for your holiday parties this season don't forget to stop by the Belted Goat for some celebratory drinks.  We have some treats to enjoy with friends and family, and a plethera of different styles of wine.

To start, we have the Terre Dorees Beaujolais Nouveau, 2010 in Magnum.  This is seriously good juice and a crowd pleaser to boot.  Jean Paul Brun, the owner and winemaker of the winery is perhaps one of the most talented people living between the Cote D'Or and th Northern Rhone, and this wine is made for celebration. So go ahead, pick up a bottle and enjoy.

If your in the mood for some Bubbly we have the Avinyo Cava Brut from Penedes in Spain.  The winery is all family owned, and was started when the family patriarch Joan Esteve decided to plant some Macabeo, Parellada, and Xarel-lo wines 50 years ago to one day make wine for him and his family and friends.  Now run by his two sons and his daughter, the winery has expanded but keeps solid roots.  The wine is a blend of all three previously stated grapes, and ages on its lees for 18 to 20 months before being disgorged.  It is refreshing, with lemon zest and green apple aromatics, great acidity, and addictive ripe fruit on the palate.  This wine is perfect to start off any celebration, and is great with triple creme cheeses, and bloomy rind goat's milk cheeses.

This is, of course, just a little sample of what we have for you at the Belted Goat, but please stop by and explore some of the great wines that we have for your celebration - or a just any day you feel like celebrating.

We are excited to announce the addition of four wines at The Fearrington House Restaurant from the Raffaldini Winery, located in the Swan Creek area of North Carolina. The wines are with out a doubt the best wines I have tasted from North Carolina.

The Raffaldini winery is located in one of North Carolina's three American Viticultural Areas and is nestled in the rolling hills near the Yadkin River and Blue Ridge Mountains.  There it receives mild breezes that constantly freshen and circulate the air.

The winery is owned by the Raffaldini family, who are first generation Americans from Italy. Their Vermentino, most famous for the white wines of Sardegna, is stunning.  On the nose it shows notes of Lime, Lemon Grass, and Orange Blossom, on the palate the wine has great acidity, dry, and a great match to the Country Ham Agnolloti.  Equally enticing are the Sangiovese Riserva and Montepulciano Riserva, both varietally correct, and full of their own unique character and charm.  The wines are all very well balanced and great partners with Chef Colin’s menu.  We look forward to hearing more from this exciting winery!

Hello Wine Lovers,

On Wednesday, March 3rd we are hosting a titan of the wine world, Bartholomew Broadbent. Bartholomew is the founder and CEO of Broadbent Selections, a wine import business focused on representing high quality family owned wineries from as far away as Lebanon, New Zealand, and South Africa.  For our dinner we have the priveledge to be tasting exclusively from Bartholomew's Portuguese selection. Bartholomew is a very engaging speaker, who possesses a great wealth of knowledge and experience.

He is the son of the highly respected Michael Broadbent, who as head of the Christie's Wine Auction for over fifty years is one of the world's foremost expert on aged wines.  Bartholomew worked around the world, from Cognac to Australia, to Canada, and then to the United States, where he set up a Port import business.  It is at this time that Bartholomew started to become known as one of the foremost experts in Port and Madeira.  He started his own Port and Madeira label in 1994, and in 1996 started Broadbent Selections, which represents properties all over the world. He is a frequent lecturer, teacher, and auction host, and was nominated as Wine and Spirits Importer of the Year in 2005, and as one of Decanter Magazine's 50 most influential wine professionals.

We will start the evening off with in the Garden House with a white port cocktail, Ferreira white port and Dolin Vermouth, and hors d'oeuvres created by Fearrington House's Executive Chef Colin Bedford. 

The wines at dinner will showcase some of the best wines that Portugal is making and highlight how Portugal has transformed itself into a modern high-quality dry wine producer.  Colin and I had a lot of fun working on ideas for this menu; these wines all have lots of personality, and are all nuanced and complex.  We will have the Quinta do Crasto, Branco, a white blend of indigenous Portoguese grapes, which is fresh with citrus and herbal elements, refreshing on the palate while still being rich, and a mineral laden finish.  Then onto the Casa Ferreirinha, Vinha Grande, 2002 from the Douro Valley; it is a blend of Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo), and Tinta Barocca.  This wine is very complex, with aromas of dark cherry, tobacco, roasted coffee beans, and cocoa, while on the palate it is medium bodied, with powerful acidity; this is a great wine to pair with food.  Then on to the star of the show, the Quinta do Crasto, Touriga Nacional, Single Quinta, 2005.  This wine needs to be decanted well before serving; it is a powerful wine with aromas of blackberries, graphite, leather, and smoked plum, very full bodied on the palate. It is powerful yet elegant, great to drink now, but will be amazing to see what it will be like in the decades to come.  Then we will finish of with Bartholomew's Broadbent 10 Year Madeira, made from 100% Malvasia, and a perfect way to finish off dinner.  Please view the menu on our website.

I look forward to seeing you at the dinner.