Weingut Salomon Undhof is an historic family-owned winery (est. 1792!) in the Kremstal wine region of Austria. Currently managed by 9th generation brother & sister twins Fanny-Marie and Bert Salomon, the estate farms 25 hectares of terraced vineyards along the Danube river that are primarily dedicated to Riesling and Grüner Veltliner. Cellar practices are kept simple, farming is sustainable, grapes are hand harvested & fermented with native yeasts then rested on the lees in stainless steel or neutral oak. This produces wines of great texture and depth that are reflective of their particular vineyard sites. The “von der Terrassen” bottling is a dry Riesling characterized by notes of citrus zest, white peach, green apple, smoky minerality and a long saline finish. It’s a great pairing for sushi but you can also go in the other direction with some sausages and pickled accoutrements.

Davide Carlone is a key figure in resurrecting the Alto Piemonte wine region at the foothills of the Italian Alps. After post-WW2 abandonment shrank the area's vineyards from 40,000 hectares to just a few hundred, Carlone restored 11 hectares across Boca and Colline Novaresi, situated on the ancient Valsesia Supervolcano. While focused on Nebbiolo, he also cultivates Erbaluce, Croatina, and Vespolina. Uniquely, he showcases Vespolina as a single variety—fully ripening the grapes despite pest risks (its name derives from vespa, meaning wasp). Carlone ages his flagship Boca (Nebbiolo) wines in oak, while the Colline Novaresi lineup undergoes stainless steel aging to preserve freshness. Pair these expressive wines with mushroom ragù or pasta alla puttanesca.

Dialect Imports, whose founder Christina Solazzo lives right here in Jamaica Plain has assembled a book of sustainability-minded, largely women-led producers covering many of Italy's wine regions. Diversitas is a new project from the Redmont-Di Tonno family, based in the Pesaresi comune of Loreto Aprutino (also the home of the the legendary Valentini family).

Founded in 1816 by Portuguese crown heir D. Pedro IV and owned by the Roseira family since the late 19th century, Quinta do Infantado is a pioneering estate in the Douro's Cima Corgo sub-region that farms exclusively top-tier A-grade vineyards across its 46 hectares. Run today by João Roseira and family, the winery broke local traditions in the 1970s by becoming the first to exclusively estate-bottle its own wines, crafting a signature meio-seco (medium-dry) Port style using artisanal foot-treading, natural yeasts, and 30% less brandy fortification than standard industrial brands. They have also forged the way in the production of dry table wines, exploring the possibilities of blending native grapes, and as in this case, isolating one of them. Rabigato is a rare white grape grown almost exclusively in the Douro valley. It is known for preserving its acidity even in hot summers, and produces a bracingly fresh wine suitable for all manner of seafood.

“Les Equilibristes” (the “Tightrope Walkers”) aim to shake up winemakers willing to craft different wines. By freeing them from their habits and practices, they intend to shape together a vibrant and unique wine. Their set of golden rules are the following: indigenous grape varieties, organic winemaking, tillage, indigenous yeasts, minimal sulphur rates. 10 vintages, 7 winemakers, 18 grape varieties, 5 regions (Anjou, Périgord, Languedoc, Corbières, Banyuls). The 2 Equilibristes: – François de Monval: “wine merchant”, cellar and restaurant owner in Paris (La Canonnière), wine enthusiast fed every day by its clients. – Florent Girou: “travelling oenologist”, winemaker in the Perigord Region, wine-maniac, torn between the preservation of the ancient know how and the constant calling into question of some practices

Michael Cruse gained fame for his inimitable and nearly impossible to find sparkling wines. We've toyed with a handful of his still wines over the years, and keep coming back to "Monkey Jacket". Nearly equal parts Valdiguié, Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, and Carignan, with a touch of Tannat and Pinot Noir to finish, this is a bright and juicy blend full of acidity, but with enough structure and tannin to make it wildly compatible with various cuisines and occasions. Feel free to chill when the weather is warmer -- this wine is ready to be enjoyed now and for years to come.