The terrible floods of the Maule River in 2023 hit Gonzales Bastias hard. Their vineyards were flooded, although luckily, without damage to the plants, since their advanced age withstand such occasional disasters. But their cellar and winery were wrecked. As a result they felt "headless", and that feeling lends its name to the new wine they made following the tragedy. Descabezado was made in their new winery, built above the hill where the old one stood, and it is one hundred percent Pais from their incredible 200 year old plus vines. It fermented from native yeasts, and macerated three days on the skin before a slower, extended three month fermentation. Unfined and unfiltered, it shows the loveliest side of Pais, soft on the palate with plenty of berry fruit. An easy drinking wine showing the versatility of the grape and the high standards of the wines coming from Chile these days. - Bowler Wine

Situated near the famous Mont Ventoux, and close to the fabulous ancient city of Orange, lies the estate of Lou Frejau. In 1982, Serge Chastan, a traditional man of the earth, founded a domaine he called Lou Fréjau, meaning “the round pebble" in Provençal dialect. This name is inspired by the polished river stones that offer a unique habitat for growing vines in and around Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Chastan’s wife, Christiane, joined him in 2003, and together they manage the wine making of the estate using traditional methods and their expansive knowledge of oenology, working with total respect of the region and environment. The estate's village Cotes du Rhone comes largely from grenache vines laboring in sandy soils. While less profound and rich than the estate's Chateauneuf-du-Pape, with a few years in bottle, this wine offers real complexity and nuance. Scents of blackberry jam lead to a broad range of savory, spicy notes. Try it with beans, sausage, or burgers.

New importer San Pelayo Imports offers two sentences on the back label of this wine that are more compelling than anything we could come up with: "Valutille de Abajo is a village of 85 inhabitants that boasts fifteen wineries and over 400 hectares of centenary vineyards. It is in this village that the sister and brother team of Elena and Marcos 'Polo' Garcia Alba farm grapes and make wine, as many generations of their family have before them." This is the Bierzo that we've been trying to find for years now -- as lithe and effortless as Beaujolais, though truly demonstrative of its mountainside origin, giving real verve and grit. Assembled from several parcels of very old (125+ years) vines of mostly mencia with small amounts of alicante bouschet, trousseau, and palomino, made in the classic Joven style. Best served with grilled lamb, wild mushrooms (especially morels and chanterelles), and aged cheeses.