In the center of Meursault village, in Burgundy, Pierre-Henri Rougeot has been quietly producing impeccable minimal intervention, low-sulfur wines since he returned to the family domaine in 2010. The 18th century stone cellar was originally built for the Hospices de Beaune to press the fruit from the adjacent orchards, and was purchased Pierre-Henri’s great-great-grandfather in the 19th century. Today the orchards have been transformed into an elegant garden and stamp-sized monopole vineyard, and the cellar has been renovated to comfortably hold two vintages from Rougeot’s 13 hectares of vines in and around Meursault. Pierre-Henri’s experience travelling throughout France gives him a unique vision that hews strongly to Burgundian tradition with a soft touch inspired by the vins natures made by his friends in Saumur, Cahors, and beyond. Today, the Rougeot vineyards are farmed organically, and Pierre-Henri’s no sulfur vinification effortlessly balances a natural wine approach with traditional Burgundian technique to create wines with energy and balance. Each terroir from Aligoté and Passetoutgrain through Premier Crus is bottled as a single-vineyard designate. The wines are energetic, precise, and delicious. It’s simply astounding that the domaine has maintained a quiet profile while producing such compelling wines. It will be even more astounding if that continues.

Domaine les Semelles de Vent is run by Christophe Galon and his wife YuYen. While owner Christophe Galon has been growing grapes on his family’s land for 25 years in Vacqueyras, it was only in 2009 that he took the leap and left the co-operative to venture out on his own. Along with being a winemaker, Christophe is also an artist; he creates all the drawings that go on to each of their beautiful wine labels. His wines are made very traditionally, fermentation in concrete tanks then aging in old oak. The Grenache vines here are all over 60 years old, and the Syrah and Mourvèdre more than 40. The wines are bottled un-fined and unfiltered and are of outstanding quality. The house style is for very pure fruit and gentle extractions. Their Châteauneuf is extremely unique, being made from 100% Mourvèdre.

ARGAUX & Amlière Imports have been built on the idea of making good wine, made by good people, easy and accessible for everyone. Par Fore the Course is a project that developed after years of establishing relationships with winemakers who have the same sense of purpose. Wine should be thoughtfully crafted by people who care about the vineyards, take pride in the process of making wine and create something that is delicious and unique to its home. We teamed up with a trusted winemaker in Marlborough, New Zealand to create Par Fore the Course; a quintessential New Zealand style Sauvignon Blanc designed for everyday drinking.

The De Oliveira Family emigrated from Portugal to Chablis at the early part of the 20th century, long before Chablis became famous as a winemaking region. The family found work in the local logging industry, and produced a bit of wine on the side. In the 1950s, his son Mr. De Oliveira began working in the vines for William Fèvre at the age of 14 years old. After ten years, he saved enough to purchase his first parcel of land – a mere 33 ares, and he planted his first vineyard. Over the years, he continued to purchase land and plant new vineyards, and in 1965, he began working full time at his own domaine which had grown to 7 hectares, and created the Domaine Oliveira Lecestre with his brother in law. At this time in Chablis, many winemakers did more than grow grapes, and the De Oliveiras were no exception. They raised cows, chickens and pigs around the family domaine in the morning and evening, and spent the weekends tending to the wheatfields. It wasn’t until the 1990s that Mr De Oliveira gave up polyculture to concentrate exclusively on winemaking.Throughout the decades, the appellation of Chablis was slowly expanded, and Mr. De Oliveria judiciously purchased land that he could someday plant as Chablis (or even Premier Cru). Today the domaine encompasses 50 hectares of vines spread out over Petit Chablis (8 hectares), Chablis (35 hectares), Chablis Premier Cru (4.29 hectares), and Grand Cru (0.28 hectares).The wines are vinified and aged exclusively in stainless steel tanks, and reflect the perfect typicity of Chablis. The Petit Chablis is particularly noteworthy, as it comes from vineyards located on the plateau just a stone’s throw from Les Clos Grand Cru.Today Mr. De Oliveira is officially retired, but he continues to be an active presence at the domaine which is run by his son-in-law Benjamin Quevreux, daughter and granddaughter.

ARGAUX & Amlière Imports have been built on the idea of making good wine, made by good people, easy and accessible for everyone. Défi is a project that developed after years of establishing relationships with winemakers who have the same sense of purpose. Wine should be thoughtfully crafted by people who care about the vineyards, take pride in the process of making wine and create something that is delicious and unique to its home. Our team worked with a few of our trusted winemakers in Sonoma to create Défi, a word that means challenge and a label that gives you a taste of California, made by people who welcome hard work and the challenge of making noteworthy wine. Enjoy!

The independent restaurant community employs over 11 million people in the U.S. As members of the wine community, we feel it is our duty to contribute to this cause and help build this industry back up together. Argaux and Amlière are donating a portion of all proceeds from these kits to the IRC. Help us give back!

The Independent Restaurant Coalition (IRC) was formed to save the local restaurants and bars affected by COVID-19 and the subsequent economic fallout. IRC was founded on the simple belief that there is power to affect legislative change if we unite our voice. This national movement is quickly growing and EVERYONE is welcome to join. Together, we represent 500,000 small businesses across this country, playing a key role in the $760 billion restaurant economy. For the 11 million people across the country employed by independent restaurants — and the 5 million workers up and down the food supply and delivery chain who depend on our restaurants — these small businesses cannot fail.

500,000 independent restaurants and 11 million jobs are on the brink of going away forever. Unlike most businesses that can just turn their lights on, restaurants across the country are restricted from reopening their dining rooms, and will have capacity restrictions when they do. In order for restaurants to serve communities again and assist in reigniting the economy, we need Congress to pass the RESTAURANTS Act, establishing the $120B Independent Restaurant Revitalization Fund.

The Château de Montfrin has been an important site for centuries, and always played host to travelers and statesman including Saint Francis of Assisi, Saint-Louis, Louis XIII, and Molière. It has been in winemaker and owner, Jean René de Fleurieu’s family since the mid-1800’s, and he still resides there to this day. Today the château is surrounded by 200 hectares of vineyards and olive orchards which are all farmed organically, an ode to good heath that Jean René is so passionate about. His passion for good ingredients shows in the finished product; delicious Rhone blends for any occasion. From the peaks of Pic st Loup to the summits of Mont Ventoux, I have always loved this country, my land of freedom, the great house and my village. Whose houses, and doors are always open and through which one enters and is greeted with kindness. I would like to pay tribute to the town saddler who took me in, who carder wool, patched mattresses, repaired the harnesses of horses and mules, children’s school satchels and told an infinite number of beautiful stories. He welcomed me in his house and his workshop and thaught me that man’ greatest treasure is his ability to enjoy life. It is he who also taught me that the best way to know a land is to cultivate it. I am forever thankful. His name was Jean Donnet.” – Jean-René de Fleurieu.

The great house is a beautiful house with a rich and historic past. Residing in the heart of a village she was once deemed to protect. Through out her history, many famous people have stopped by. Such as Francis of Assis, patron saint of animals, Saint Louis, Louis XIII and Moliere to name but a few of the more well known.

The far mis structured between two activities : The Domaine des Captives composed of vineyards with its winemaking and the Moulin des Ombres (Mill of the Shadows) for olive oil.

Owing to acquisitions, exchanges and transfers of land it extends over approximately 500 acres, of which half is grapevines and the other olive trees and arable land. Le Domaine des Captives: THE CELLAR & THE GRAPEVINE

The Domaine des Captives is the activity dedicated to viticulture, winemaking and marketing of the wines we produce. The estate comprises nearly 250 acres producing wines of different appellations, Côtes du Rhône and Côtes du Rhône villages, Les Costières de Nîmes and Les Coteaux du Pont du Gard.

4 wines in 3 colors originating from a dozen different varietals of which the best known are Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, Carignan, Roussane, Viognier and several others. The vines grow in a hallowed farmland made up of contrasting terrain. From the vast silty soils of the plains along the majestic Rhone to the sunny hillsides of its banks and the stony plateaus of it’s now abandoned river beds. Most of the plots are irrigated to allow the vine to resist the increasing draughts in the area. Some of the wine is hand harvested allowing for carbonic maceration bestowing a distinctive characteristic to some of our wines. The style of the estate is defined by wines which are lively and elegant, the use of little or no wood, with emphasis on the fruit and the terroir.

Poderi e Cantine Oddero is a historical name among Barolo producers. The winery’s roots go back to the end of the 18th century when their ancestors began to make wine under their own name. The wine cellars, located in the frazione Santa Maria of La Morra, are raised up on a natural terrace and overlook the hills of the Langhe. Immersed in a sea of beautifully tended vineyards, their winery cultivates 35 hectares of the best crus of the Langhe and Asti territories to make some of Piedmont’s most renown wines: Barolo, Barbaresco, Langhe Nebbiolo, Dolcetto d’Alba, Barbera d’Alba, Barbera d’Asti, and Moscato.

The total surface area of Oddero vineyard property is about 35 hectares, of which 16.5 are cultivated with Nebbiolo for making Barolo and Barbaresco. The family property also includes about 6 hectares of hazelnut trees, the prized Nocciola Piemonte IGP of the Langhe. The new Production Regulations (Disciplinari di Produzione) for Barolo and Barbaresco officially include the codifications for “Menzioni Geografiche Aggiuntive.” These are geographical areas that are particularly prized for Nebbiolo cultivation. Several of the Oddero winery’s historical vineyard properties enter into this designation, and the names have been used since the 1980s on the labels of our Barolo and Barbaresco wines.

Since 2008 we have started to experiment with organic practices of running our vineyards. The first step was to completely eliminate the chemical weed control and mechanically control the weeds on the row of vine stocks, in all our vineyards.

Today all our Nebbiolo, Barbera and Dolcetto vineyards are certified organic (Valoritalia IT BIO 015), while our Moscato and Riesling vineyards are sustainably managed. “Traditional knowledge and modern production techniques. Tenacity, patience, and respect for our territory and its raw materials. Making wine means attending to every last detail, from winter to spring pruning, from thinning to harvest, from pressing to fermentation and a long aging time. Quality reveals itself in the details.

This wine is made by our friends at the Chateau de Montfrin in the Southern Rhône.  In colloquial French, a “Cherche Midi” or “Noon-Seeker” means someone who is looking to invite themselves in for a free lunch, so this bottle is a perfect tool to have in hand for all the “Cherche Midis” out there. The Cherche Midi wines are made from organic alluvial vineyards between the Gardon and Rhône rivers. The vines are trellised as double cordon which helps to spread out the grape bunches allowing for better aeration and maximum sun exposure. The wines are crafted to be enjoyable and easy to drink straight away, and to offer great value for an organic wine from the south of France. Direct Press Rosé: This rosé gets its very light color through direct press. Instead of allowing the juice time to soak and gain color from the skins, the grapes are pressed right away, the juice is removed from the skins and the wine is vinified like a white wine. However, due to the pigmentation of the red grape skins, a hint of color will remain in the juice. The wine then undergoes a temperature controlled fermentation in stainless steel tanks.

Since taking over the family winery at the age of 18, Bernard Bohn has crafted an individually unique style of wines on the only outcrop of schist terroir in Alsace. The Bohn family members have been winegrowers for well over three centuries in Reichsfeld, a small village at the far end of the valley, where until recently, the local Alsatian dialect was still more common than French. Today, Bernard and his son Arthur farm just over 9 hectares and go beyond organic agriculture to incorporate uncommon techniques, such as completely abandoning vineyard plowing and allowing cover crops to coexist to create balance in the vines. As a passionate and atypical winegrower, Bernard immortalizes with his son, Arthur, the Bohn family’s viticultural tradition. The Bohn family has lived in Reichsfeld for over three centuries. This father and son team tend their vines on the surrounding hills (330- 400 metres) on which grapes benefit from a prolonged and slow maturing process.

The unique shale and greso-volcanic terroir is meticulously looked after. Yield is kept low and grapes are harvested by hand. Natural diversity and wildlife conservation are fundamental values for the Bohn wineyard. For many years Bernard and Arthur have chosen, as independent winegrowers, to follow organic, ecological methods for their vineyards.

This logic is taking them towards official certification for organic wines. This three year process which began in 2017 will produce the first official organic harvest in 2020. They recommend minimalistic wine production without any oenological inputs, and using sulfite free maceration methods. For a majority of their wines, vinification ends with prolonged aging in old barrels from the local Alsace area or casks in order to achieve the necessary balance and persistence of great gastronomic wines: mineral, aired, persistent, fresh and easily digested. 40km south of Strasbourg and away from traffic of the main wine route, Reichsfeld, the idyllic and preserved village which offers itself to those who want to get off the traditional journey. “So take your time to encounter the unpredictable surprise and be tempted by tasting wine in my cellar, then sharing our passions about wine together.” – Bernard Bohn

Since 12th century, the count of Andlau already planted the vines in Reichsfeld. Later on, in 14th century, the monastic vineyard has been developed around Baumgarten Cistercian abbey, extending from Schieferberg to Muenchberg. According to the book of ”Phantheum Hygiasticum”, written by Doctor Claudius Deodatus (1628) in Basel, Plus the “New Tisch Book” by Joan Sig Elsholzius, wines from Reichsfeld had been listed among the best wines of Alsace.

For more than two centuries, the BOHN family kept inheriting their knowledge about wine from father handover to son. After Bernard took over for his parents, René and Hélène, he is seeking to continue the impression and spirit of BOHN wines.”I love:  Sharing a glass of good wine, Being in communion with nature, Planting vines, Cherishing them, Harvesting the grapes, Transforming them into divine beverage to reach the initial pleasure, Sharing a glass of wine or more, create the new world.
In the morning I wake up…Planting vines, Cherishing them… And thus repeats the toil of winemaker while evolving towards perfection. And then, put a few of my dreams into bottles that will awake your senses and open your mind, so you can share the happiness in your turn. It is important that our lives have the great dreams and make them come true without hesitation. A happy man is the one who realizes his dreams. So my friend, fill up my glass…”  – Bernard Bohn

Champagne Delavenne is a family-owned estate that has been passed down from generation to generation. Their family expertise follows the Champenois tradition while combining it with techniques characteristic of their estate, to offer beautifully complex champagnes.

Champagne Delavenne are referred to as what is known as récoltants-manipulants. This is a classification for Champagne producers who only vinify, make and market champagne from their own grapes. It is recognisable by the RM mention on the label. This classification is a sign of their independence and enables them to control every stage of the production, as well as the quality of their champagnes including: own the land they work themselves, harvest the grapes of their vineyards only and press them at the family estate, the vinification process takes place in their own cellars, and they sell their champagnes and Bouzy Rouge directly.

This is their first time exporting to the state of California and Amliére is so proud to be representing them!

As opposed to the general practice in Champagne, they do not perform malolactic fermentation. This technique requires great skill and attention. They let their wines evolve in vats as naturally as possible. This natural process of vinification is a long and subtle one. It requires irreproachable hygiene, daily checks and lots of patience. Their champagnes age in natural cellars, carved out of the local chalk, for a minimum of three years – longer for the vintage cuvées.  This careful effort is clearly expressed in their high-quality champagnes which age better and express the typicity of their terroir.

Bouzy is a delightful winegrowers’ village located on the south slopes of the Mountain of Reims, between Reims and Epernay, the capital of Champagne. It is the cradle of our family estate, and the reputation of the wines grown here goes back to the time of royal courts in France, in particular that of the Sun King, Louis XIV.

The Bouzy terroir has been classified as a Grand Cru since 1895 – a token of its quality.Only 17 of the 320 villages in the Champagne AOC-classed Champagne area have received this distinction.

The Château des Antonins is housed in a 13th century convent that was built for the monks of the order of Saint Antoine. After the French Revolution, the property passed into the Roquefeuil family, and in 1985 Geoffroy and Martine Roquefeuil took over this historic property along with its vineyards. The domaine is located in Pondaurat on the left bank of the Garonne near the Graves appellation. The domaine consists of 24 hectares of red grapes, and 3 hectares of white within the Bordeaux and Bordeaux Supérieur appellations. The reds are planted 53% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 2% Cabernet Franc. The white vineyards are 75% Semillon and 25% Sauvignon Blanc. The final blend for the red and white wines varies each year according to the harvest.

Sustainable farming. The name of the estate « Chateau des Antonins » comes from the St Antoine hospitallers whom established themselves in this former convent around the 13th century. The monastic order was founded to heal patients suffering from St Anthony’s fire – later called ergotic poisoning. The monks treated this illness thanks to healthier food – the famous saint Antoine’s pig – but more importantly thanks to the concoction of a secret drink with extraordinary therapeutic properties. The Saint Vinage is made with a wine base mixed with herbs.  The Antonins’s commandery still remains an halt to the pilgrims travelling to the shrine of Santiago de Compostella. Of this era remains a fine collection of buildings dating from the 13th to the 16th centuries including; the convent, chapel, the “toll” bridge, the water mill, all listed as “historical monuments”. In 1985, Geoffroy de Roquefeuil revive the the winemaking traditions of the hospitallers. He gradually restructured the old monks’ estate and joined the Abbeys Wines association. In 2016, Antoine, the aptly named, joins the family team and takes care of all the production.