Our wine selection process
How we source our wine
Every bottle in the Argaux portfolio has been personally tasted and vetted by our sommelier team. Here is exactly what we look for — and why.
The question we always ask
Is it good?
When it comes to our sourcing process, there is no need to overcomplicate things. The question we ask is simple: is the wine good?
Not technically correct. Not commercially successful. Not heavily scored by a publication. Good — in the sense that it genuinely tastes like the grape varietal that has been grown in the region stated on the label. That it expresses the land, the farmer, and the vintage with honesty and integrity.
It is about respecting the craft and the winemaker's ability to foster the process and create a wine that is a true representation of the grape — and more importantly, how that grape expresses itself in its unique environment.
"If a wine's genius shows itself in the vine's ability to express the minerality and aromas of a grape and of a terroir, it's the winemaker who gives it a soul that reflects its ambiance and harmony."
— Bernard Bohn, Winemaker
This is what we look for. Wines with a soul. Producers who are proud to serve their bottles at a dinner table among their closest family and friends — not making up for bad, overproduced grapes with 75+ FDA-approved additives.
Why small production matters
The difference small production makes
Small production and minimal intervention winemaking go hand in hand. Grapes need to be nurtured and cared for — and small production winemakers can remain vigilant over their grapes from vine to bottle in a way that commercial wineries simply cannot.
The winemakers we work with are passionate about their craft, driven by quality and authenticity. They are not adding the 75+ FDA-approved additives available to commercial producers to compensate for grapes that were not given the care they deserved. They are producing wines they are proud to serve at a dinner table with their closest family and friends.
We define small production as under 15,000 cases annually. That ceiling is intentional — it is where the real attention to the vineyard begins.
What we look for
It's all about authenticity — of people, place, grape, and flavor.
These four pillars define every sourcing decision we make. A wine that cannot meet all four does not make it into the Argaux portfolio — regardless of how well it scores or how recognizable the producer.
Pillar 01
Authenticity of People
Family-owned, authentic artisans who put genuine hard work into their craft. The winemakers we represent produce something they are proud to serve at their own dinner table to their closest family and friends. Their name is on the bottle. Their reputation is in the glass.
These are not corporate labels managed by committees. These are individuals and families who have dedicated their lives to understanding their land and expressing it honestly in every vintage.
Pillar 02
Authenticity of Place
Farming responsibly — organic and/or biodynamic — and respecting the biodiversity of the land. Responsible farming creates better grapes, and better grapes create wines that are true representations and expressions of their unique environment.
The land is not a backdrop. It is an ingredient. Producers who understand this farm with long-term thinking, preserving the health of their soil and ecosystems for the generations of winemakers who come after them.
Pillar 03
Authenticity of Grape
Small production — under 15,000 cases annually. Grapes need to be nurtured and cared for, and small production winemakers can remain vigilant over their grapes from vine to bottle in a way that commercial wineries cannot.
When a producer is managing a small number of rows rather than thousands of acres, every vine receives attention. The result is a grape that has been given everything it needed to become the best expression of its variety and vintage.
Pillar 04
Authenticity of Flavor
Minimal intervention winemaking — no additives, fake flavors, artificial dyes, or powdered tannins. Nothing added to compensate for grapes that were not given the care they deserved from the beginning.
When a wine tastes genuinely of its grape and its place, it does not need enhancement. Our producers believe this deeply. The cellar is not a laboratory for correction — it is a space for careful stewardship of what the vineyard already gave them.
"Argaux and Amlière Imports are putting together a portfolio of wines that incorporate well-known and high-end wines of the world in addition to the smaller, unique, hard-to-find wines that are going to push consumers to try something new and different. They are there to educate and provide assistance — the basis and foundation of what they started their company on."
— Chase Carhartt, Winemaker
Our vetting process
Personally tasted. Individually approved.
Every wine that enters the Argaux portfolio has been tasted by our sommelier team — not delegated to a third-party scoring system or sourced from a distributor catalog. Our team tastes blind when possible, evaluates against our four authenticity pillars, and considers how the wine fits within the broader context of what our members and clients are looking for.
We also visit producers when we can. Understanding the land, meeting the winemaker, and seeing the cellar are all part of how we evaluate whether a producer truly belongs in our portfolio. The wines we carry are not just good in the glass — they are good in context.
Experience the difference
Taste the difference small production wine makes.
The easiest way to understand why sourcing philosophy matters is to open a bottle. Club Argaux members receive sommelier-curated seasonal shipments built entirely around these four pillars — wines that tell a story and open a conversation.
Want to learn more about the founders and team behind the curation? Read the Argaux story →