René Barbier of Clos Mogador explains his wines to wine professional George Skorka

With Spring comes flowers, baby animals, and current vintages of some of the very best wines in the world.  Last month, Golden State Wine Co poured wines from their stellar portfolio for members of the wine trade, showcasing wine producers from Spain, France, Italy, Oregon, South Africa and California.  And soon, these wines can be found at your local wine shop, as they make their way across the country for your drinking pleasure.

The best of the best, Golden State Wine Co is known for their portfolio of fine wine.  For over forty years, Mike Miller and his team have imported and distributed a select group of producers that have that “whisper” quality, beautiful wines from around the world that embody quality and a sense of place, offering a deeply genuine drinking experience and value for the consumer.  Many of his producers are legend incarnate, the Spanish powerhouses of Vega Sicilia, La Rioja Alta, Emilio Lustau and Clos Mogador to name a few.  Golden State Wine Co has banded together with Europvin SAS to offer a new import division, Europvin USA.  This partnership offers a nationwide distribution network that can reach every US wine market, a bonus for wine lovers everywhere!

Céline Guillemot of EuropvinUSA with a surprise tasting of Alexandre Burgaud Beaujolais Village L'Antique

Almost three dozen wine labels were presented, a diverse group from Champagne to Sherry.  Wine producers and their representatives poured tastes of a select number of high quality wines.  So many wonderful wines, and unfortunately not enough time to taste them all.  But I will mention some of my personal highlights, wines that I look forward to purchasing in the very near future.

Kevin Blanco, National Sales Manager, brought on the bubbly for Champagne Gremillet

Champagne Gremillet, with their selection of Champagnes, the 2016 Le Millésime is a vintage delight, with an expressive nose, fine bubbles, and rich body.
​Domaine Chatelain with it’s Loire Valley 2020 Sancerre, Expression Terroir, depth of flavor and elegant body

La Bastide Saint Dominique of the Southern Rhône, a white 2021 Chateauneuf-du-Pape, and two other red CdP, the 2019 Chateauneuf-du-Pape and 2019 Hesperides Chateauneuf-du-Pape are beautiful wines that will wow you.

Jonathan Ducourt with Château Plaisance 2018 Montagne-Saint-Emilion

Famille Ducourt of Bordeaux, the Château Plaisance 2018 Montagne-Saint-Emilion, a Merlot dominant with a splash of Cabernet wine poured by Jonathan Ducourt himself.
Siro Pacenti of Montalcino with the 2017 and 2018 vintages of his Brunello di Montalcino, Pelagrilli and Vecchie Vigne versions, a fascinating comparison of vintage variation.

Leonardo Stroppiano with the 50th anniversary bottling of San Giacomo Barolo

Alessandro Rotolo with Schiopetto

Stroppiano of Piemonte with their elegant and approachable Barolos, notably the 2017 San Giacomo 50th Anniversary Barolo.
Schiopetto of Friuli with their fascinating large bottle of Mario Schiopetto blend of 95% Friulano and 5% Riesling, and a single vineyard Amrità mostly Chardonnay with a splash of Friulano blend, see the video above for Alessandro's explanation of why this wine is so special.
Volpe Pasini of Friuli, really crazy about the 2019 Refosco Collio Orientali di Friuli DOC and the 2021 Ribolla Gialla.

Bethany Ford of Illahe poured a taste of the New World among the Old World

Illahe of Willamette Valley with their hand-made wines, the NV Capitol Fizz, 2021 Estate Pinot Gris, 2020 Bon Sauvage Pinot Noir, and 2022 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, minimal intervention, native yeasts, natural wines so fresh and full of character.

Jose Navarro for La Rioja Alta, S.A. brought many beautiful wines

​La Rioja Alta, S.A. of Rioja, so many fabulous wines were poured, the elegant and complex 2019 Aster Crianza from Ribero del Duero, the spectacular 2015 Viña Ardanza Reserva (only made in exceptional years), and the 2011 Gran Reserva 904.

René Barbier of Clos Mogador was sensational, pouring his classic alongside newer wines

Clos Mogador of Priorat, poured by the man himself, René Barbier, and what a treat!  His father, René Barbier Ferrer (René III) is considered the father of “Modern Priorat”, founder of Clos Mogador and instrumental in propelling Priorat wines to the very pinnacle of Spanish wine, one of only two DOCa regions.  The voluptuous, iconic 2020 Gratallops and the spectacular Nelin Blanco (a blend of 8 grapes) were a revelation.  An even bigger surprise, the Venus “la Universal” and Dido project of he and his wife, Sara, with the 2020 Dido Blanc (skin contact), the 2020 Dido Tinto and the 2018 Venus Tinto, all beautiful wines.  And the 2019 Espectacle Montsant, old vine Garnacha from a steep vineyard, how often do you get to taste wine made from 100+ year old vines?!

Vega-Sicilia of Spain, with their fabled Tempranillo-based red wines, opulent and complex.  The Macán Rioja 2017, Pintia Toro 2017, and Valbuena Ribera del Duero 2017, masterful but still so young, complex layered wines with a long life ahead.

​My very limited tasting of Lustau sherry wines, the NV Manzanilla Pasada de Sanlucar 1/80 Jurado was a revelation.

Hamachi crude with gooseberry, yuzu, watermelon radish, sudachi, crispy wild rice and fennel frond

Jordan Ogron and Patricia Decker

​And if you’re not in the wine business, but want to experience world-class food and wine, I highly recommend an evening at Tesse Restaurant in West Hollywood.  Tesse is a wine lover’s best friend, excellent food that yearns for wine, seamless wine service by a knowledgeable staff, an intriguing wine list and attached wine shop that offers the world in a glass.  Jordan Ogron has expanded Tesse's wine focus, with winemaker dinners, sunset and happy hour, and an outdoor wine lounge to boot.

All of the wines tasted and even more from the portfolio are imported and distributed by Golden State Wine Co and Europvin USA, and although all are high quality, there is a wide range of prices to fit any budget.  So, as quoted on the Golden State Wine’s home page, “Life is too short to drink bad wine”, attributed to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Golden State Wine’s President Mike Miller!