Rabbit In Mustard Sauce

Loire Cabernet Franc at its most refined — pencil-shavings, raspberry, and a flint-stone finish. The bistro red of choice; equally good chilled in summer.

The rarest of the Beaujolais Crus — Gamay with floral aromatics and a touch of oak influence, often. Drinks like a quiet bridge between Pinot and a southern French red.

Southern Rhône's other great red — Grenache-led, more structured than Côtes du Rhône, less expensive than Châteauneuf. Dark fruit, herbs, garrigue; built for slow-cooked lamb.

Tannat-based reds from southwest France — inky, tannic, age-worthy, with notes of blackberry and tobacco. The wine for the cassoulet and the long winter night.

Red · Medium · Dry

The Côte Chalonnaise's most serious village — Pinot Noir with concentration and structure, drinking like a Premier Cru Côte de Beaune at half the price.

Beaujolais's grandest Cru — Gamay grown on manganese-rich granite, producing wines of unusual structure and longevity. Decades-old bottles still drink fresh.

The northernmost and most lyrically named Beaujolais Cru — Gamay with a touch of weight and a long red-fruit finish. Romantically appropriate for Valentine's Day.

Red · Medium · Dry

Northern Rhône Syrah from the right bank of the river — lighter and more aromatic than Hermitage, all raspberry, violet, and white pepper. Ready to drink within a few years.

Red · Medium · Dry

Sauvignon Blanc from the upper Loire, grown on flint and chalk. Citrus, smoke, and a mineral finish that hints at struck stone. The refined antithesis of New Zealand's tropical SBs.