{"title":"March 2026","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"michel-mailliard-brut-cuvee-gregory","title":"Michel Mailliard Brut Cuvee Gregory","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;\"\u003eVertus is more than a dot on the Côte des Blancs. It’s a village where chalk runs close to the surface and Chardonnay is shaped by tension from the start. Since 1894, the Mailliard family has farmed here, four generations rooted in these pale soils, their history set into Vertus as firmly as the vines themselves. Cuvée Grégory takes its name from the fourth generation now at the helm, Gregory Mailliard, working alongside his sister Alexia after years spent learning, quite literally, shoulder-to-shoulder with their father Michel.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-end=\"1370\" data-start=\"536\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;\"\u003eMichel Mailliard was more than a grower. He was a builder—of vineyards, of systems, and of community. Long before “custom crush” became a global wine term, Michel recognized that many of his neighbors in Vertus tended tiny, excellent parcels but lacked the means to properfly vinify them.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-end=\"1370\" data-start=\"536\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;\"\u003eHe established one of Champagne’s earliest custom crush facilities, a state-of-the-art space where small vignerons could craft their own wines with temperature control, precision pressing and technical rigor. Though Cuvée Grégory is estate-grown, from the family’s 23 hectares, largely Chardonnay, half in Vertus itself, and made exclusively with Mailliard fruit, it bears the RC (Récoltant-Coopérateur) designation because it is vinified in that shared facility. It’s a reminder of Michel’s cooperative vision: independence without isolation.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-end=\"1866\" data-start=\"1372\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;\"\u003eIn the glass, Cuvée Grégory shows Vertus with clarity. The mousse rises in fine, persistent threads. Aromatically, it opens with green apple skin, lemon oil and white peach, then widens into acacia blossom and crushed chalk. There is a gentle autolytic undertone, fresh brioche, almond cream, a suggestion of hazelnut, but it never overwhelms the wine’s spine. That spine is pure Côte des Blancs: saline, linear, edged with citrus pith and a light note of ginger and white pepper on the finish.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-end=\"2277\" data-start=\"1868\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;\"\u003eThe Chardonnay dominance reads in its lift and definition, yet Vertus brings a touch more breadth than the grands crus to the north. The midpalate carries a subtle honeyed note and ripe pear flesh before tightening again into wet stone and sea spray. The balance feels deliberate, fruit generosity framed by mineral restraint, an expression of the house aim: Champagne that reflects both site and family style.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-end=\"2465\" data-start=\"2279\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;\"\u003eIt fits naturally at the table. Oysters and mignonette echo its saline edge. Roast chicken with crisp skin draws out its nutty depth. A wedge of aged Comté highlights its chalky finish.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-is-only-node=\"\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-end=\"2703\" data-start=\"2467\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;\"\u003eCuvée Grégory is not showy Champagne. It is rooted Champagne, born of Vertus chalk, shaped by four generations and refined by a family that understands both independence and collaboration. It tastes unmistakably of place and continuity.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Select Sellars","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44727526785257,"sku":"536201nv","price":68.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0579\/2805\/7022\/products\/image_f92a2d39-cda7-4a88-b660-a36c9167a6f3.png?v=1633392825"},{"product_id":"textura-dao-pretexto","title":"Textura Pretexto Dao Tinto","description":"\u003cp data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"613\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(15, 1, 1);\"\u003eThere are second acts in life that feel incremental, and then there are those that require a clean break, a leap across continents, careers and certainties. Marcelo Araujo’s journey to the Dão belongs to the latter. After moving his family from Brazil to Portugal, he left a successful career in investment management to begin again, drawn not by spreadsheets but by granite soils, mountain light and the steady appeal of Portugal’s interior. When Textura released its first vintage in 2018, it wasn’t a side project. It was a full commitment, hands in the soil, decisions made parcel by parcel, detail by detail.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"615\" data-end=\"1181\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(15, 1, 1);\"\u003eMarcelo chose the Dão deliberately. Nestled against the Serra da Estrela, Portugal’s tallest inland mountain range, the region offers an elegant tension: warm, dry summers moderated by altitude and cooling mountain air; decomposed granite soils that drain freely yet hold nuance; native grape varieties capable of perfume and structure rather than sheer weight. The Dão has become a quiet magnet for some of Portugal’s most thoughtful growers, precisely because it can show place clearly in the glass. Marcelo saw that clarity as both opportunity and responsibility.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1183\" data-end=\"1818\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(15, 1, 1);\"\u003eTextura’s winery, housed in the bones of a former textile factory, is a nod to the region’s industrial past, while its vineyards chart the agricultural future. Investment went heavily into organic farming, careful parcel study, and the ability to vinify each plot separately. This approach makes room to track differences in exposure, elevation and vine age, and to translate those distinctions into wines with minimal interference. Winemaking is directed by Mariana Salvador, with Luís Seabra consulting, a pairing that brings precision and a broader commitment to transparency and site.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1820\" data-end=\"2346\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(15, 1, 1);\"\u003eThe 2022 Textura Pretexto Tinto reads like the distilled result of that curiosity. It opens not with bombast but with lift, red currant and wild blackberry alongside crushed violet and a faint floral note suggestive of mountain air. Beneath the fruit, granite minerality runs through the wine: iron filings, wet stone and a suggestion of graphite. There’s cracked black pepper, dried bay leaf and a savory flicker of rosemary and thyme. A subtle trace of cocao nib and cedar points to elevage, integrated rather than declared.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2348\" data-end=\"2806\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(15, 1, 1);\"\u003eOn the palate, the wine is medium-bodied and tensile, its acidity bright and linear, pulling the fruit across a fine-grained tannic frame. Black plum and sour cherry move into more savory tones, black olive, espresso crema and a gentle bitter edge reminiscent of cocoa husk that keeps the finish dry and focused. There’s an earthy undertow too, like freshly turned soil after rain, and a quiet herbal note that reinforces the sense of altitude and restraint.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2808\" data-end=\"3149\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(15, 1, 1);\"\u003eThis is Dão as it is increasingly meant to be understood: not a region of excess but of balance. The mountain influence keeps the wine lifted, the granite gives it spine and the native varieties provide aromatic complexity without heaviness. It reads structured, stony and persistent, a bottle best appreciated for detail rather than impact.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3151\" data-end=\"3410\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(15, 1, 1);\"\u003eAt the table, it shines alongside food. Grilled lamb rubbed with garlic and thyme echoes its herbal core. Roasted mushrooms and lentils draw out its earthy nuance. Even a simple board of aged sheep’s milk cheese and olives gives its mineral line room to show.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3412\" data-end=\"3800\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(15, 1, 1);\"\u003ePretexto may be the “pretext,” but nothing about it reads as preliminary. It’s an early chapter of a long-term vision, a family’s relocation, a deliberate bet on the Dão’s future and a commitment to presenting granite, altitude and native grapes without distortion. Give it a little air and the result is clear: cool evenings, mountain light and a new beginning rooted firmly in old soil.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Select Sellars","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43116409127145,"sku":"465302","price":24.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0579\/2805\/7022\/files\/IMG-2989.png?v=1772482546"},{"product_id":"tavignano-rosso-piceno-cervidioni","title":"Tavignano Rosso Piceno Cervidioni","description":"\u003cp data-start=\"55\" data-end=\"421\"\u003eIn the folds of the Marche hills, where the Apennines loosen into olive groves and Adriatic breezes, Rosso Piceno often lives in the shadow of louder Italian names. But Cervidoni reminds you why this blend—Montepulciano anchored by Sangiovese—has always been the quiet table wine of central Italy: built for food, built for conversation, built for the second bottle.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"423\" data-end=\"933\"\u003eThe 2023 opens with a rush of dark cherry and black plum, but it’s not a heavy fruit profile. There’s a lifted edge—violet and crushed rose petal—alongside a flicker of wild fennel and tomato leaf that feels distinctly Mediterranean. A hint of anise and cracked pepper follows, then something subtly ferrous and earthy, like warm brick after rain. The Montepulciano gives it that plush, purple-toned fruit core; the Sangiovese tightens the frame with red currant brightness and a gentle, mouthwatering acidity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"935\" data-end=\"1362\"\u003eOn the palate, it’s medium-bodied and energetic. The tannins are fine-grained but present—more dusting than grip—carrying flavors of black raspberry, sour cherry skin, and a touch of cocoa nib. There’s a savory undercurrent—dried herbs, a whisper of leather, and that faint saline mineral thread that keeps everything honest. No overt oak here; the wood, if used, is quiet and structural, letting fruit and acidity do the work.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e The finish is clean and lightly spiced, tapering with red fruit and a subtle bitter-chocolate snap that pairs naturally with food. Grilled sausages with fennel, tomato-braised chickpeas, pecorino with a drizzle of chestnut honey, this is where Cervidoni shines.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1493\" data-end=\"1649\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\"\u003eYoung, vivid and perfectly balanced, the 2023 favors flow over heft. It fits the rhythm of the Italian table: pour, pass, laugh, repeat.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Select Sellars","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45545069314281,"sku":"812406","price":16.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0579\/2805\/7022\/files\/IMG-2694.png?v=1769119151"},{"product_id":"chateau-pegau-cuvee-lone-2024","title":"Chateau Pegau Cuvee Lone 2024","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"flex flex-col text-sm pb-25\"\u003e\n\u003carticle class=\"text-token-text-primary w-full focus:outline-none [--shadow-height:45px] has-data-writing-block:pointer-events-none has-data-writing-block:-mt-(--shadow-height) has-data-writing-block:pt-(--shadow-height) [\u0026amp;:has([data-writing-block])\u0026gt;*]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]\" dir=\"auto\" data-turn-id=\"request-WEB:fd588985-7a5b-4c5b-b64c-d199bafbf9e9-1\" data-testid=\"conversation-turn-2\" data-scroll-anchor=\"true\" data-turn=\"assistant\" tabindex=\"-1\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-base my-auto mx-auto pb-10 [--thread-content-margin:--spacing(4)] @w-sm\/main:[--thread-content-margin:--spacing(6)] @w-lg\/main:[--thread-content-margin:--spacing(16)] px-(--thread-content-margin)\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"[--thread-content-max-width:40rem] @w-lg\/main:[--thread-content-max-width:48rem] mx-auto max-w-(--thread-content-max-width) flex-1 group\/turn-messages focus-visible:outline-hidden relative flex w-full min-w-0 flex-col agent-turn\" tabindex=\"-1\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flex max-w-full flex-col grow\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-message-author-role=\"assistant\" data-message-id=\"a9eb36c5-9113-49b1-a54a-9d932d367c75\" dir=\"auto\" data-message-model-slug=\"gpt-5-2\" class=\"min-h-8 text-message relative flex w-full flex-col items-end gap-2 text-start break-words whitespace-normal [.text-message+\u0026amp;]:mt-1\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flex w-full flex-col gap-1 empty:hidden first:pt-[1px]\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"markdown prose dark:prose-invert w-full wrap-break-word light markdown-new-styling\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"41\" data-end=\"444\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eThere’s something quietly subversive about white wine from Châteauneuf-du-Pape country. We come expecting sun-warmed Grenache, garrigue, and stones that hold heat well into the evening — not lift, not salt, not citrus oil and crushed fennel. And yet here is Pégau’s Cuvée Léon Blanc, named for Léon Féraud, carrying that same wild, unvarnished spirit the estate is known for, only rendered in pale gold.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"446\" data-end=\"936\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eThe blend typically leans on Clairette for breadth and gentle bitterness, buoyed by Roussanne’s orchard fruit and floral perfume, with Grenache Blanc contributing weight and warmth. Fermentation and élevage in older barrels (nothing flashy, nothing cosmetic) allow oxygen to polish rather than perfume, preserving texture while keeping the fruit honest. The result is not a white chasing primary exuberance, but one shaped by sun, wind, and stone — a wine that feels grown rather than made.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"938\" data-end=\"1475\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eIn the glass, it opens with pear skin, quince, and Meyer lemon zest, then moves into chamomile, fennel frond, and a whisper of acacia blossom. There’s a savory undercurrent — almond paste, crushed chalk, a faint saline edge — that keeps the ripeness in check. Texture is the story here: broad across the mid-palate, almost waxy, but threaded with a bright line of citrus pith and mineral tension. Subtle notes of honeycomb and warm hay emerge with air, along with a gentle phenolic grip that feels like the memory of the vineyard itself.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1477\" data-end=\"1796\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eThis is a white that belongs at the table. Think roast chicken with preserved lemon, saffron-laced bouillabaisse, or a wedge of aged Comté whose nuttiness mirrors the wine’s quiet oxidative echo. It carries warmth, yes — the southern sun is unmistakable — but it finishes surprisingly lifted, herbal, and mouthwatering.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1798\" data-end=\"2034\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003ePégau has always been about authenticity over polish, about letting place speak in its own accent. Cuvée Léon Blanc does exactly that — a white wine that tastes of wind through garrigue and stones still warm at dusk.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/article\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"AVA","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50095758246121,"sku":"6826","price":27.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0579\/2805\/7022\/files\/IMG-2981.png?v=1772479585"},{"product_id":"marx-coutelas-tradition-brut-champagne","title":"Marx-Coutelas Tradition Brut Champagne","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"flex flex-col text-sm pb-25\"\u003e\n\u003carticle class=\"text-token-text-primary w-full focus:outline-none [--shadow-height:45px] has-data-writing-block:pointer-events-none has-data-writing-block:-mt-(--shadow-height) has-data-writing-block:pt-(--shadow-height) [\u0026amp;:has([data-writing-block])\u0026gt;*]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]\" dir=\"auto\" data-turn-id=\"request-WEB:bb805b78-b517-4099-8cd1-7b504d198496-7\" data-testid=\"conversation-turn-4\" data-scroll-anchor=\"true\" data-turn=\"assistant\" tabindex=\"-1\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-base my-auto mx-auto pb-10 [--thread-content-margin:--spacing(4)] @w-sm\/main:[--thread-content-margin:--spacing(6)] @w-lg\/main:[--thread-content-margin:--spacing(16)] px-(--thread-content-margin)\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"[--thread-content-max-width:40rem] @w-lg\/main:[--thread-content-max-width:48rem] mx-auto max-w-(--thread-content-max-width) flex-1 group\/turn-messages focus-visible:outline-hidden relative flex w-full min-w-0 flex-col agent-turn\" tabindex=\"-1\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flex max-w-full flex-col grow\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-message-author-role=\"assistant\" data-message-id=\"6e007c21-1d65-45a9-b576-f93efd23ca68\" dir=\"auto\" data-message-model-slug=\"gpt-5-2\" class=\"min-h-8 text-message relative flex w-full flex-col items-end gap-2 text-start break-words whitespace-normal [.text-message+\u0026amp;]:mt-1\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flex w-full flex-col gap-1 empty:hidden first:pt-[1px]\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"markdown prose dark:prose-invert w-full wrap-break-word light markdown-new-styling\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"68\" data-end=\"931\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(10, 0, 0);\"\u003eWinemaking under the Coutelas name reaches back to 1675, though it was in 1927 that Pierre Coutelas first committed the family’s fruit to intentionally sparkling wine. Four generations later, his great-grandson Bryan has taken the helm, modernizing Champagne Marx-Coutelas without loosening its roots. Beneath the winery lie hand-dug chalk cellars — cool and humid— where reserves rest from organically and sustainably farmed vineyards in Venteuil and its neighboring villages.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"68\" data-end=\"931\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(10, 0, 0);\"\u003eThe family’s original parcel, first tended in the 11th century, still forms the backbone of the blends: a south-facing plateau of sand and clay over deep calcareous subsoil, capturing warmth above and chalk tension below. Today the estate spans 5.5 hectares across 30 plots, with Bryan’s father Patrick officially retired but still quietly present among the vines and barrels.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"933\" data-end=\"1413\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(10, 0, 0);\"\u003eThe Tradition Brut is the house’s calling card and a clear expression of that layered history. Made mostly of Pinot Meunier — the Vallée de la Marne’s most popular grape — with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in support, it reflects Bryan’s modern instincts: riper harvests for textural depth, lower dosage for clarity, native grasses between the rows, and the firm rejection of synthetic vineyard treatments. The result is a generous yet finely tuned Champagne.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1415\" data-end=\"1808\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(10, 0, 0);\"\u003eIn the glass, the mousse rises in a steady, silken stream. Aromatically, it opens with orchard fruit — yellow apple, ripe pear, a touch of white peach — before widening into lemon zest, crushed chalk, and a gentle autolytic hum of almond croissant and fresh brioche. There’s a floral lift of acacia and chamomile, and underneath, a faint saline breeze that recalls the Marne’s ancient seabeds.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1810\" data-end=\"2227\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(10, 0, 0);\"\u003eThe palate carries Meunier’s supple breadth — baked apple, honeycomb, hazelnut — yet remains brisk and energetic, framed by citrus oil and green apple snap. The chalk subsoil comes through in a fine, powdery grip, lending shape and a lengthy finish. Dosage is measured and discreet, polishing without softening the wine’s limestone backbone. The finish lingers on preserved lemon, toasted almond and a whisper of smoke and stone.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2229\" data-end=\"2517\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(10, 0, 0);\"\u003eThis is Champagne for the table and time — oysters, fried chicken, Comté shaved thick — a bottle that carries centuries of family continuity into the present tense. This is a remarkably fresh interpretation of an old terroir by an ascending winegrower.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/article\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Select Sellars","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50565666668777,"sku":"544201NV","price":79.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0579\/2805\/7022\/files\/Stockbottlewhitelabel_17f388c4-b449-49ba-b62c-da18f43f94af.png?v=1772144132"}],"url":"https:\/\/waterfordwine.com\/collections\/march-2026.oembed","provider":"Waterford Wine and Spirits","version":"1.0","type":"link"}