The Hiriart family settled in the Cigales region centuries ago, and created their first winery around 1750. The family was originally sheep farmers but learned winemaking and grape growing through trade in Bordeaux. The original caves were underground and the vessels were made from clay -- you can still visit these today. They were eventually replaced by concrete tanks, and fermentation now takes place in stainless steel.

Cigales is northwest of Madrid, and the Cigales wine region has its own D.O. (Denominación de Origen). The Hiriart Roble is 100% Tinta del País, the local name for the Tempranillo grape. It's aged in oak for a year, to mellow the tannins a bit, then in the bottle for a year before release. There are big fruit flavors with some spice and a little oak -- a full-bodied wine for any occasion.

Vaison la Romaine is a village in the Northern Vaucluse, and is home to a world-famous weekly market for foods and dry goods. If you’ve read any of Patricia Wells’s Provençal cookbooks, you’ve seen pictures of Vaison with its Roman ruins, ancient (and still used) Roman bridge, and breathtaking stone houses hanging on a cliff by the river. Vaison la Romaine’s cooperative winery produces Côtes du Rhône and Côtes du Ventoux wines – the latter named for nearby Mont Ventoux (famous in the U.S. for the Tour de France). While similar in composition to Côtes du Rhônes, Ventoux wines are a bit lighter and brighter tasting. In the past few years, the coop has started producing Côtes du Rhône Villages wines. This means that all the grapes in that particular wine come from villages that have received a higher designation from the French winemaking authorities, and from particular vineyards in those villages. When the village is named, all the grapes come from a single village. Cave la Romaine produces Villages wine from Puyméras, a village near Vaison la Romaine, as well as other small villages in the region.

You'll notice the label looks nearly identical to another of our wines from Cave la Romaine, the Côtes du Rhône Villages Séguret. When the cave gained members in some of the surrounding villages and their grapes had the same Villages designations, the winemaker decided to try something new: take the wines from these villages and vinify them exactly the same way (steel fermentation, aged in concrete tanks), with the same blending composition (70% Grenache and 30% Syrah). The only difference is the villages that the grapes come from. Try both and you'll get a real sense of what it's like to visit the region and compare wines!

Domaine de Mairan is located on the site of an ancient Roman villa, and the property was also the birthplace and home of Jean-Jacques Dortous de Mairan, the celebrated 17th century physician, mathematician, philosopher, and academic. Jean-Baptiste Peitavy, the winemaker, is the seventh generation owner of Domaine de Marian, and took over production from his father and grandfather, who was the first winemaker in the region to introduce single-varietal Cabernet Franc wines. Today, the vineyard is frequently listed in the Guide Hachette and sells wine to restaurants throughout France. First Vine is the first importer to bring Domaine de Mairan wines to the U.S.

Jean-Baptiste’s grandfather decided to break with the traditional Languedoc grape varietals of the region, and Jean-Baptiste has continued refining the wines to strike a balance between rusticity and elegance. Many of you have asked us for Chardonnay, and here it is! The Chardonnay "Classique" is 100% Chardonnay aged in steel, so it doesn't have that oaky/creamy feel of some California and Australian Chardonnays. It's light, fruity, aromatic, and has a nice, mildly acidic finish. The 2010 vintage may be the best ever. Perfect for summer!

Vaison la Romaine is a village in the Northern Vaucluse, and is home to a world-famous weekly market for foods and dry goods. If you’ve read any of Patricia Wells’s Provençal cookbooks, you’ve seen pictures of Vaison with its Roman ruins, ancient (and still used) Roman bridge, and breathtaking stone houses hanging on a cliff by the river. Vaison la Romaine’s cooperative winery produces Côtes du Rhône and Côtes du Ventoux wines – the latter named for nearby Mont Ventoux (famous in the U.S. for the Tour de France). While similar in composition to Côtes du Rhônes, Ventoux wines are a bit lighter and brighter tasting. The Tradition red is a wonderful sipping and apéro red that goes well with everyday food. It is slightly lighter-bodied but with enough tannins to stand up to most food. It goes well with roast chicken and salmon. 2011 is a great vintage, so there is a little more fruit flavor than in years past.

Bodega Traslagares is a new winery in Rueda, northwest of Madrid. Rueda is known for its white wines, particularly Verdejo, as well as Sauvignon Blanc. The Verdejo is sometimes blended with a grape called Viura, although Traslagares uses 100% Verdejo in its wine.

And quite a Verdejo it is -- crisp, elegantly fruity, with both citrus and tropical fruits, a good but not overwhelming amount of acidity, and a nice, clean finish. It may become your go-to wine for fish and seafood!

Vaison la Romaine is a village in the Northern Vaucluse, and is home to a world-famous weekly market for foods and dry goods. If you’ve read any of Patricia Wells’s Provençal cookbooks, you’ve seen pictures of Vaison with its Roman ruins, ancient (and still used) Roman bridge, and breathtaking stone houses hanging on a cliff by the river. Vaison la Romaine’s cooperative winery produces Côtes du Rhône and Côtes du Ventoux wines – the latter named for nearby Mont Ventoux (famous in the U.S. for the Tour de France). While similar in composition to Côtes du Rhônes, Ventoux wines are a bit lighter and brighter tasting. The rosé is a perfect accompaniment to shellfish – it particularly brings out their sweetness – and also your holiday turkey. It is nearly like a white wine, except that it has a bit of tannins at the end that help it cut through heavier foods. Word is out that 2011 is a great vintage for rosé, so try it while you can!

Vaison la Romaine is a village in the Northern Vaucluse, and is home to a world-famous weekly market for foods and dry goods. If you’ve read any of Patricia Wells’s Provençal cookbooks, you’ve seen pictures of Vaison with its Roman ruins, ancient (and still used) Roman bridge, and breathtaking stone houses hanging on a cliff by the river. Vaison la Romaine’s cooperative winery produces Côtes du Rhône and Côtes du Ventoux wines – the latter named for nearby Mont Ventoux (famous in the U.S. for the Tour de France). While similar in composition to Côtes du Rhônes, Ventoux wines are a bit lighter and brighter tasting. The Blanc Tradition is a blend of White Grenache, Clairette, and Bourboulenc. It's light in body, with citrus flavors, floral notes, and the right amount of acidity. Think of it as a go-to white wine for nearly any occasion, or no occasion at all!

The Cave in Vinsobres is also a cooperative. Vinsobres is located at the top of a mountain and provides south-facing slopes at higher altitudes that allow production of high-quality grapes. Because of this terrain and its reputation for quality, Vinsobres is the first village in the Drôme to receive a Cru designation for its wines. This is the highest designation available for villages and requires the producers to restrict the numbers of acres of production to maintain quality. While wines from Vinsobres are available throughout Europe, the Cave's wines have never been exported to the U.S. Pascal Monier, Director of the Cave, is the second generation of his family to run it -- he took over from his father and has been the driving force behind the AOC's awarding of cru status to Vinsobres. The Côtes du Rhône white is 50% Viognier, 20% White Grenache, and 30% Marsanne. It's a little crisp but round, on the lighter side, fruity, floral -- it's got it all!

Vaison la Romaine is a village in the Northern Vaucluse, and is home to a world-famous weekly market for foods and dry goods. If you’ve read any of Patricia Wells’s Provençal cookbooks, you’ve seen pictures of Vaison with its Roman ruins, ancient (and still used) Roman bridge, and breathtaking stone houses hanging on a cliff by the river. Vaison la Romaine’s cooperative winery produces Côtes du Rhône and Côtes du Ventoux wines – the latter named for nearby Mont Ventoux (famous in the U.S. for the Tour de France). While similar in composition to Côtes du Rhônes, Ventoux wines are a bit lighter and brighter tasting. The Volupté, as you might expect from the name, is richer and has a longer finish than the other Cave la Romaine Ventoux red we are importing, theTradition. This makes it an excellent wine for meats and roasted vegetables. The 2011 vintage is the result of a very warm year and has even more "voluptuous" character than past years.

Lalande de Pomerol is a small city in Bordeaux with its own wine appellation. The climate is exceptional, warm and dry. It's rare that the grapes need anything other than the soil and climate to produce wonderful wines with aromas of figs and hints of chocolate. Château de Roquebrune has been a family-owned winery for over five generations. Florent Guinjard, the winemaker, is mindful of family tradition and considers the wine almost like one of his children. Harvesting is done by hand, and the entire vineyard is run using no chemical treatment. The Lalande de Pomerol 2005 red is full-bodied yet elegant, uniquely balanced with enough acidity and tannins to keep for several years, yet it's also a great drinking experience right now!

Vaison la Romaine is a village in the Northern Vaucluse, and is home to a world-famous weekly market for foods and dry goods. If you’ve read any of Patricia Wells’s Provençal cookbooks, you’ve seen pictures of Vaison with its Roman ruins, ancient (and still used) Roman bridge, and breathtaking stone houses hanging on a cliff by the river. Vaison la Romaine’s cooperative winery produces Côtes du Rhône and Côtes du Ventoux wines – the latter named for nearby Mont Ventoux (famous in the U.S. for the Tour de France).

The Côtes du Rhône Viognier is a new wine for the Cave. DC-area residents know that Viognier is practically the official grape of Virginia wineries. The original French version combines great fruit and a little bit of floral aroma, like the Virginia version, but with little or no sweetness, a bit more acidity, and a little flintiness or mineral character. It's an outstanding wine, great for typical white wine pairings and also special-event meals.

Vaison la Romaine is a village in the Northern Vaucluse, and is home to a world-famous weekly market for foods and dry goods. If you’ve read any of Patricia Wells’s Provençal cookbooks, you’ve seen pictures of Vaison with its Roman ruins, ancient (and still used) Roman bridge, and breathtaking stone houses hanging on a cliff by the river. Vaison la Romaine’s cooperative winery produces Côtes du Rhône and Côtes du Ventoux wines – the latter named for nearby Mont Ventoux (famous in the U.S. for the Tour de France). While similar in composition to Côtes du Rhônes, Ventoux wines are a bit lighter and brighter tasting. In the past few years, the coop has started producing Côtes du Rhône Villages wines. This means that all the grapes in that particular wine come from villages that have received a higher designation from the French winemaking authorities, and from particular vineyards in those villages. When the village is named, all the grapes come from a single village. Cave la Romaine produces Villages wine from Séguret, a village near Vaison la Romaine, as well as other small villages in the region. It's a ripe, lush wine, not too overwhelming, and a fascinating comparison to other Côtes du Rhône wines around. Its earthiness and fruit pair well with a variety of foods, so many that it's tough to categorize the wine.

While 2009 and 2011 were extremely hot years, 2010 was a little cooler, and created the complex wines we traditionally expect from the southern Rhône. We think you'll love it -- it may just become your go-to wine!

The Cave in Vinsobres is a cooperative winery. Vinsobres is located at the top of a mountain and provides south-facing slopes at higher altitudes that allow production of high-quality grapes. Because of this terrain and its reputation for quality, Vinsobres is the first village in the Drôme to receive a Cru designation for its wines. This is the highest designation available for villages in the region and requires the producers to restrict the numbers of acres of production to maintain quality. While wines from Vinsobres are available throughout Europe, the Cave's wines have never been exported to the U.S. Pascal Monier, Director of the Cave, is the second generation of his family to run it -- he took over from his father and has been the driving force behind the AOC's awarding of cru status to Vinsobres. The Diamant Noir is made from grapes from vines at least 30 years old. It's sold as a finer house wine in many restaurants and the region, and has good fruit up front, with great earthy flavor and a nice tannin/mineral finish.

2009 and 2011 were very hot years in the region, but the 2010 was a little cooler. Many wine critics have been excited about the 2010 vintage because it has the complexity and depth of flavor they thought was missing from the hotter years. Vinsobres is at a higher elevation than other villages in the region, so the temperature is a little cooler -- making for a richer earthiness than you'd expect.

The Cave in Vinsobres is a cooperative enterprise. Vinsobres is located at the top of a small mountain and provides south-facing slopes at higher altitudes that allow production of high-quality grapes. Because of this terrain and its reputation for quality, Vinsobres is the first village in the Drome to receive a Cru designation for its wines. This is the highest designation available for villages and requires the producers to restrict the numbers of acres of production to maintain quality. While wines from Vinsobres are available throughout Europe, the Cave's wines have never been exported to the U.S.

The Emeraude is one of the Cru wines. It is made from grapes from vines at least 40 years old and is restricted to years of better growing conditions. It is also aged for 12 months in wood and so has slight vanilla undertones. 2007 was an excellent year for wine grapes in Vinsobres, and the 2007 Emeraude has more deep ripe fruit flavor than the 2005, as well as a little more spice.

The Cave in Vinsobres is also a cooperative. Vinsobres is located at the top of a mountain and provides south-facing slopes at higher altitudes that allow production of high-quality grapes. Because of this terrain and its reputation for quality, Vinsobres is the first village in the Drôme to receive a Cru designation for its wines. This is the highest designation available for villages and requires the producers to restrict the numbers of acres of production to maintain quality. While wines from Vinsobres are available throughout Europe, the Cave's wines have never been exported to the U.S. Pascal Monier, Director of the Cave, is the second generation of his family to run it -- he took over from his father and has been the driving force behind the AOC's awarding of cru status to Vinsobres.

The Côtes du Rhône Rosé is made from 50% Grenache and 50% Cinsault. 2011 was a hot summer, and some vineyards produced Cinsault with too high a sugar content for producing rose wines. But Vinsobres is at a higher elevation than other villages in the region, with a slightly cooler climate that allowed for Cinsault production that meets the requirements of roses. The result is a refreshing wine with a light strawberry/currant flavor profile, some citrus, and a clean, satisfying finish. A classic rose!

The village of Montans was a crossroad for the pottery trade from Roman times. It was also an important area for wine production, and the wine amphoras produced in the area (and presumably filled with local wine) have been found as far away as Northern Scotland and Southern Spain. The village is part of the Gaillac AOC in the Languedoc. Jerome Bézios produces wines under two labels: Domaine la Croix des Marchands, a tribute to the traveling merchants of the past, and Château Palvié, a subsection of the property named for the family that owned the property before the French Revolution. First Vine is the first importer to bring M. Bézios’s wines to the U.S.

The Gaillac region of France produces some Bordeaux-style wines, and also wines with local varietals, some of which have been grown for centuries. M. Bézios focuses on the best of the locals. “Methode Gaillacoise” is a sparkling wine made from 100% Mauzac, the region's oldest varietal. Mauzac is a grape that can be either fruity, sweet, dry, or spicy depending on vinification, but it has a sort of pear and green apple flavor that comes through. The wine is crisp, fresh, slightly sweet, lightly fruity, a real treat.