2023 Quilla - Muscadet (750ml)

"Primarûl - the first among the first. In the Friulian language, 'Primarûl' means firstborn, progenitor, the first among the first. The first of all: the first grapes to be harvested by the founder Daniele Venica and the first must to be vinified. Friulano Doc is the most consumed white wine in Friuli, the firstborn in the heart of the people of this land. The quintessential 'taj di blanc' of the Friulians. This is the name that Gianni and Giorgio Venica, on the occasion of the company's 90th anniversary, wanted to attribute to our Friulano, in honor of the grape variety and grandfather Daniele."

-Winery notes

In 2016, Pépière's classic, earliest-release bottling saw an addition to the label, the "La Pépie" moniker, because of the necessity of adding non-estate fruit to the production (Pépière had 85% of their own crop devastated in 2016 due to mildew). It marks the first time the estate has purchased fruit.

It comes from neighboring parcels that match their terroirs and work philosophy. The wine is a combination of said purchased fruit and estate fruit, 50% of which comes from vineyards that could technically produce cru bottlings.

-Importer notes (Dressner)

I went out of my way last year to visit this beautiful property located right in the heart of the Entre-Deux-Mers between the Garonne and the Dordogne, not far from Saint-Émilion. A very beautiful terroir, and their Merlot based red is easy-drinking yet has some very fine complexity. WSJ columnist Lettie Teague wrote up the Chateau after we sent her a bottle to try for one of her columns. Perfect burger on the grill wine! -Phil

Pasquiers has been a long-time favorite here, farmed organically since 2010, this wine is a great example of an excellent Cotes du Rhone. This Sablet will out-drink many a Gigondas at more than half the price!