Rarely would we ever tell the truth. We wanted to hoard them for ourselves, or stash them away to drink with our
sommelier friends in-the-know. Well, Parcelle Picks is our big reveal. This is our selection of the hard-to-find,
ready-to-drink, sometimes well known, maybe obscure, and always limited wines we love most.
Call it a hit list, a daily deal, or whatever you like. It’s the best stuff we have right now—and at the best prices.
Chosen by sommeliers. Ready to drink now.
The best bottle on the list today.
Parcelle Picks
Julien Courtois, VdF White 'Autochtone' 2018
$68
Julien Courtois handcrafts small quantities of natural wine in a remote part of the Loire Valley between Vouvray and Sancerre. Instead of chenin or sauvignon blanc, as you’d find in those two areas, Julien instead focuses on local grapes like menu pineau and genouillet. Despite the esoteric grape varieties and super-limited production, Courtois has gained a following in natural wine circles around the world.
The Autochtone is a white wine that showcases Julien’s vibrant, head-turning style. Made entirely from romorantin, it’s ripe and nutty, reminiscent of savory, textured whites from the Jura.
Here's what you should know about it:
- Julien Courtois’ father was a trailblazing natural winemaker in the Loire. Julien began working with his dad full-time at the age of 18.
- Julien then launched his own natural winery in a rural part of the Loire called the Sologne.
- While he makes 8 different wines, he only produces about 1000 bottles of each annually.
- This rich, aromatic white wine is made entirely from a local grape called romorantin, which Julien aged for nearly 5 years before bottling.
As sommeliers, we often get asked, “What’s the best wine on the list?”
