Located west of Vienna along the banks of the River Danube, Austria’s Wachau region is not only incredibly historic (wine has been made here since Roman times) but as strikingly scenic as any wine land on earth. Vineyards climb steep, terraced slopes that rise from the banks of the Danube, with vines rooting in poor, rocky soils such as gneiss, a weathered metamorphic rock found at higher elevations, and loess, a wind-blown silt/sand found on the lower slopes.

The Pichler family has been growing vines and making wine in the village of Wösendorf since the early 1700s, and the “modern”-era winery—today run by Rudolph “Rudi” Pichler III—was founded in 1904. Pichler’s operation is, as of 2004, housed in a sleek, architecturally contemporary facility, but the practices in the vineyards and cellar remain staunchly traditional. In terms of ‘authenticity-for-dollar’ it’s next to impossible to beat this estate, which extends across 12.5 hectares of family-owned vineyards (of which 65% are devoted to Grüner Veltliner), supplemented with grapes from three hectares of leased vines.  

‘Grüner’ means ‘green,’ and as you explore the range of Grüner Veltliner wines out there, you’ll notice some greenness in both their appearance and flavor profiles. This 2016 is a pale straw-gold with some hints of green and silver at the rim, with aromas of grapefruit, green apple, white pepper, radish, honey, lemongrass, and wet stones—classic Grüner sensations all, which carry through to a crisp, mineral-driven palate with no oak influence. One of the most food friendly wines on earth, you can pair this with just about any first course you can imagine due to its delicate spice and savor. This is one of our favorite wines to have on hand on any occasion.

The great appellation of Chablis—the most northerly outpost of the Burgundy region and home to the most transparent and mineral Chardonnays—is divided into four quality levels, determined by location, soil, and exposure of the vineyard site. These levels, in ascending order, are indicated on the label as: Petit Chablis, Village, Premier Cru or Grand Cru. Of all the individual vineyards in the Chablis region, the French government has determined 79 sites garner the title of Premier Cru, although many of the lesser-known sites are bottled under 17 Premier Cru names. This wine brings us to one of those elite, Premier Cru vineyard sites, “Beauroy.” Situated on the left bank of the River Serein, Dauvissat’s parcel of the Beauroy Premier Cru faces Lake Beines, which lends the wine ample finesse and incredibly concentrated fruit. The 30-year-old Chardonnay vines are rooted in Kimmeridgian limestone, the signature soil type of the Chablis region, which was once an ancient seabed about 150 million years ago—oyster shells can still be found in these vineyards!

The Dauvissat family produces just 500 cases of this Premier Cru wine. Farmed lutte raisonée, which translates to “reasoned fight” and entails organic farming practices unless an emergency arises, the resulting fruit is full of life and terroir-driven energy. The wines are aged for 6-12 months on their fine lees in climate-controlled stainless steel (no oak here, as is common in Chablis). They are then very lightly filtered and fined prior to bottling and deliver a stunning expression of Premier Cru Chablis at a price point that is practically without rival. 

The 2015 “Beauroy” displays a concentrated light golden core with green and gold reflections on the rim. The lively nose offers aromas of fresh white peach pit, yellow apple, bosc pear and salt-preserved lemons over raw crushed hazelnuts, a bed of acacia blooms, wet chalk, and abundant oyster shells. The palate is medium-plus in body with beautiful creaminess and a depth of flavor that reveals a complex mix of green plum, yellow apple, white peach, crushed nuts, lemon verbena, and finely crushed stones. Oxygen and proper service temperature is key when serving this wine. Ideally, decant for 30-45 minutes and serve at 50-55 degrees in Burgundy stems. For a pairing that will dazzle the senses, serve this wine alongside miso-glazed Black Cod with bok choy.

In relatively short order, Oregon’s Willamette Valley—about 45 minutes southwest of Portland—has evolved into one of the world’s premier Pinot Noir terroirs. And as we at SommSelect are often saying, this region has proven itself to be the premier source of great-value Pinot Noir, in a style that is often strongly reminiscent of the great Pinot Noirs of Burgundy in France. With its northerly latitude and cool climate, Willamette Valley has proved especially hospitable to the finicky, place-sensitive Pinot Noir grape, and this wine shows off the trademark balance and perfume the region so consistently delivers.

The 2014 Love & Squalor is sourced from seven different vineyards—which vary in terms of soil, altitude, and age. The predominant soil types in the Willamette Valley are volcanic and sedimentary, with the former lending minerality and structure and the latter lending volume. Among the vineyards that factor into this wine are the Temperance Hill Vineyard in the Eola-Amity Hills (arguably one of Willamette Valley’s greatest sites); the Vista Hills Vineyard in the Dundee Hills; and the Cherry Grove Vineyard in Gaston.

Winemaker Matt Berson ferments in small lots, using only the yeasts that arrive in the cellar on the grapes, and he typically incorporates some whole grape clusters (the 2014 Love & Squalor was about 11% ‘whole-cluster’ fermented). “Punch-downs” (the practice of submerging the ‘cap’ of skins into the fermenting juice) were done manually. The wine was aged in neutral French oak barrels for 18 months before bottling, and was “racked” (transferred from one barrel to another, to clarify and slightly oxygenate the juice) twice during that time.

In the glass, the 2014 Love & Squalor Pinot Noir has a deep ruby core moving to magenta at the rim. The nose is heady and complex, the product of a ripe vintage: black cherry, pomegranate, black raspberry, warm spices, forest floor, and a hint of dark chocolate are all part of the aromatic mix. The palate is rich, layered, and framed by acidity that gives the wine a refreshing, palate-enlivening crunch. This is exceptionally well-balanced and mineral Pinot Noir, with no perceptible oak influence and moderate alcohol, and it’s ready to go now: Decant it about 30 minutes before serving in Burgundy stems at 60-65 degrees. Cedar-planked Pacific Salmon would be a perfect accompaniment.

Bordeaux with some bottle age is one of wine’s most enduring pleasures. This wine’s appellation (AOC), or place, name is ‘Médoc,’ referring to a stretch of land along the Garonne River north of the city of Bordeaux, on the ‘left bank’ of the Gironde Estuary, which flows into the Atlantic a little further north still. Within the broader Médoc region are other famous wine-producing appellations such as Margaux, Pauillac, and Saint-Estéphe, and Château Livran is situated just to the west of Saint-Estéphe in the village of Saint-Germain-d'Esteuil—placing it outside the Saint-Estéphe appellation boundary and instead within the Médoc AOC.

The Médoc is characterized first and foremost by its gravelly soils, which are created by the ‘alluvial fan’ of the rivers that run through it. These soils are both well-drained and heat-retaining, enabling the native varieties Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and others develop considerable intensity. These are some of the longest-lived red wines on earth, often burly and tannic in their youth and needing decades in some instances to reveal their best selves.

Château Livran, which is just nine kilometers from the iconic Château Lafite Rothschild (one of the five ‘First Growths,’ the highest classification in Bordeaux), is a little further from the banks of the Gironde and therefore has a higher percentage of clay in its soils. Its 27 hectares of vines are planted to a mix of 55% Merlot (which thrives more in clay than Cabernet) and 45% Cabernet Sauvignon. Generally, the ‘Left Bank’ of Bordeaux is known for Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated blends, while the ‘Right Bank’—appellations such as St-Émilion and Pomerol—is known more for Merlot. But there are many Left Bank wines with substantial Merlot percentages up and down the Médoc.

This wine from acclaimed 2009 vintage, has enjoyed a few years of bottle age and is starting to show some signs of maturity, both in appearance and flavor. In the glass, it’s a deep garnet red with hints of orange (red wines lose color over time) at the rim. The nose is a textbook expression of Bordeaux, with a mix of dark, black fruits and savory mineral notes: blackberry, cassis, black and red currant, tobacco leaf, pencil lead, and a hint of cacao all waft from the glass and carry through to a rich, voluptuous palate. Medium-plus in body and rather silky thanks to its ripe vintage and bottle age, this deep and brooding red is crying out for a well-marbled, well-charred ribeye steak with lots of cracked black pepper.