Wine Club September 2026: Mary Taylor Wines

• Varietal: 100% Jacquère
• Region: Chignin, Savoie, France
• Taste: White flowers, peach, lime, bright minerality
• Elevage: Stainless steel fermentation with lees aging
• Serve: Well chilled
• Pairings: Shellfish, trout, Alpine cheeses, roast chicken

High in the French Alps, Savoie produces some of France’s most distinctive mountain wines. Chignin sits on the southwest-facing slopes of the Bauges Mountains, where abundant sunshine, a cool climate, and steep, well-drained vineyards create ideal conditions for Jacquère. Benjamin Ravier farms 40-year-old vines planted in limestone and glacial marl using sustainable practices. The wine is fermented with indigenous yeast, does not undergo malolactic fermentation, and spends three months on its lees. The result is exactly what you want from Alpine wine: light, energetic, mineral, and incredibly refreshing, with just enough texture to balance its vibrant acidity.

• Varietal: 100% Grillo
• Region: Sicilia DOC, Sicily, Italy
• Taste: Citrus, ripe orchard fruit, herbs, saline minerality
• Elevage: Stainless steel with 2–3 months on the lees
• Serve: Well chilled
• Pairings: Shrimp, grilled fish, calamari, Mediterranean vegetables

Grillo has deep roots in western Sicily and was historically an important grape in the production of Marsala, but today it also produces some of the island’s most exciting dry white wines. Sisters Clara and Annamaria Sala organically farm a single one-hectare parcel called Contrada San Nicola near Mazara del Vallo. The sandy limestone vineyard sits just 25 meters above sea level, where Mediterranean breezes and salty coastal air help give the wine its distinctive character. A short four-hour skin maceration adds texture before fermentation and aging in stainless steel. The result combines Sicilian sunshine and ripe fruit with bright acidity, citrus, and a wonderfully saline finish.

• Varietal: 35% Gamay, 35% Côt, 30% Pinot Noir
• Region: Valençay, Loire Valley, France
• Taste: Raspberry, blackcurrant, flowers, spice
• Elevage: 18 months on the lees in older neutral barrels
• Serve: Slightly chilled
• Pairings: Charcuterie, roast chicken, pork, goat cheese

Valençay is a tiny Loire Valley appellation better known by many people for its pyramid-shaped goat cheese than its wine. Sophie Siadou and Francis Jourdain sustainably farm 45-year-old vines here on flint-rich silex soils. Their unusual red blend combines juicy Gamay with Côt, the Loire’s traditional name for Malbec, and Pinot Noir. Each grape contributes something different: Gamay brings bright fruit, Pinot Noir adds perfume and elegance, while Côt provides darker fruit and tannic structure. Fermentation occurs naturally with indigenous yeast before 18 months of aging in older neutral barrels. It is a fascinating snapshot of one of the Loire’s lesser-known appellations.

• Varietal: 80% Cabernet Franc, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon
• Region: Anjou, Loire Valley, France
• Taste: Black cherry, raspberry, violet, tobacco, mineral
• Elevage: Stainless steel
• Serve: Cellar temperature
• Pairings: Pork, roast chicken, mushrooms, grilled sausage

Cabernet Franc has called the Loire Valley home for centuries, where it was traditionally known as Breton. Pascal Biotteau’s vineyards sit directly along an important geological divide in Anjou, with some vines planted in dark slate and others in white limestone. The different parcels are vinified separately before blending, giving the finished wine both richness and a distinctly mineral edge. Fermentation uses ambient yeast, the wine receives a ten-day maceration, and aging takes place entirely in stainless steel without oak. The result captures classic Loire Cabernet: dark and red fruit alongside flowers, earth, tobacco, fresh acidity, and enough structure to make it incredibly versatile at the table.

• Varietal: 50% Grenache, 50% Syrah
• Region: Costières de Nîmes, Southern Rhône, France
• Taste: Blackberry, black cherry, violet, pepper, herbs
• Elevage: Stainless steel
• Serve: Cellar temperature
• Pairings: Lamb, grilled sausage, barbecue, roasted vegetables

Costières de Nîmes is the southernmost wine-growing area of the Rhône Valley, where Mediterranean influence meets classic Rhône varieties. Caroline Pozzo di Borgo oversees a fifth-generation family estate in Jonquières-Saint-Vincent, farming organically on a pebble-strewn plateau formed by ancient deposits from the Rhône River. The 35 to 40-year-old Grenache and Syrah vines benefit from abundant southern sunshine while cooling sea breezes help maintain freshness. Gentle extraction and aging entirely in stainless steel keep the wine focused on fruit and terroir rather than oak. The result is a generous Southern Rhône red with ripe dark fruit and spice, but enough freshness and fine tannin to remain lively.

• Varietal: 100% Nebbiolo
• Region: Barbaresco, Piedmont, Italy
• Taste: Cherry, red fruit, flowers, herbs, fine tannins
• Elevage: 12 months in large Slavonian oak barrels
• Serve: Cellar temperature
• Pairings: Mushroom risotto, braised beef, truffles, aged cheese

While most of this month’s wines carry Mary Taylor’s familiar White Label, Flori is one of a small number of independent estates she imports under its own name. Cantina Flori is a four-generation family winery in the hills of Treiso, one of the key villages of Barbaresco. Their Nebbiolo grows in marine-origin soils composed of sand and calcareous marl and is harvested by hand. After fermentation in stainless steel, the wine spends 12 months in large Slavonian oak barrels rather than smaller new barrels. This traditional approach preserves Nebbiolo’s unmistakable combination of perfume, lively acidity, red fruit, and firm but elegant tannin.