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Most Improbable: Stein Cabernet Sauvignon vom berg
We got a case of this wine a few months ago, and I thought I'd better not mention it, as there was no more to be had. Today I got...

John Paul Kaminga
Mar 15, 20224 min read
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More Moonchild + Syrah/Viognier: Saladin
You guys loved the 2019 Saladin Fan de Lune last year, but we sold out pretty quickly. It's back, and it somehow went down a buck......

John Paul Kaminga
Mar 9, 20222 min read
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Proselytizing @craftandcru: Chidaine Clos du Breuil
It was Chenin Blanc that many years ago convinced me I loved white wine as well as red. I wish I could say that a Chidaine was...

John Paul Kaminga
Mar 2, 20222 min read
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More Than Pink: RIPA
Many years back at Esprit du Vin, Keith and I had a short discussion about whether or not we should sell the unique pink wine of Lopez de...

John Paul Kaminga
Feb 25, 20223 min read
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Who Makes Your Wine: Vincent Dureuil
"If the 2017 vintage in Burgundy has a defect, it's that the wines can be rather facile and immediate; but that is emphatically not the...

John Paul Kaminga
Feb 2, 20222 min read
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Breezy Savoie Wine
From my first taste of these wines, it was obvious they were something special. Their energy and purity are astounding. I remember an...

John Paul Kaminga
Jan 27, 20221 min read
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Cabernet Franc: Hureau Fours a Chaux
One could argue that there are world-renowned crus in the Loire Valley, but aside from a few notable exceptions, the region isn't really...

John Paul Kaminga
Jan 26, 20222 min read
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Silky Gem: Francesco Rinaldi Cannubi
There are more than a few famous crus in Barolo, but no single site is more famous than Cannubi. Situated in the heart of Barolo, facing...

John Paul Kaminga
Jan 21, 20222 min read
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Easiness: Clos de la Roilette
For those in the know, Coudert's Clos de la Roilette is an easy perennial buy. We at Craft and Cru certainly take as much as we can get....

John Paul Kaminga
Jan 20, 20222 min read
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Criminality: Behind Saars
... a customer recently mentioned that our still having a few extraordinary wines was "criminal", and we couldn't have agreed more, so...

John Paul Kaminga
Jan 13, 20223 min read
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Drinking Burgundy @craftandcru: Chablis et Marsannay
I will be the first to point out that the entire world of wine is worth exploring, but I'll also be quick to return to Burgundy, and I'll...

John Paul Kaminga
Jan 5, 20222 min read
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A Nod, a Nudge, a Barb to Brunello: Campi Nuovi Riserva
It's twentytwentycru y'all! Eeesh... I hope you didn't enjoy that as much as I did. In any case, I want to be clear: I'm looking forward...

John Paul Kaminga
Jan 3, 20223 min read
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Tiny Bubbles: Marie Courtin's a Big Deal
In 2005 Dominique embarked on a rare journey in Champagne, focusing exclusively on the production of single-vineyard, single-variety,...

John Paul Kaminga
Dec 30, 20212 min read
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Original Grower: Egly Ouriet
When it comes to great grower Champagne, there are basically two originals: Egly-Ouriet and Jacques Selosse. If you're interested in...

John Paul Kaminga
Dec 22, 20211 min read
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Pure Folly @craftandcru
Jo Landron: a great winemaker, one of the finest mustaches in the universe, a friendly, insightful, intellectual fellow, a farmer at...

John Paul Kaminga
Dec 19, 20211 min read
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Best in Class: Fratelli Alessandria Barolo 2017
Above we see a nice aerial shot from just behind the winery of Fratelli Alessandria. We're looking pretty much due south, and if you were...

John Paul Kaminga
Dec 16, 20213 min read
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Recoltant-Manipulant: Jean Vesselle
Year in and year out, Champagne Jean Vesselle comes oft and warmly recommended at Craft and Cru. We focus on Champagne producers who grow...

John Paul Kaminga
Dec 15, 20212 min read
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Rainbows Opposed: Hiyu
I have to imagine that Black Friday sales typically feature items that are available in great, or at least decent, quantity. We don't...

John Paul Kaminga
Nov 26, 20214 min read
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Franc
Here is a dense Cabernet Franc, almost reminiscent of fine Pomerol, but less oaky than those wines. It is way up there (in price) for...

John Paul Kaminga
Nov 22, 20211 min read
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Bird Wine: Idlewild Flora & Fauna
It's not just because there's a handsome fowl on the label. This wine is also a paragon of versatility: juicy, fresh, supple, low in...

John Paul Kaminga
Nov 19, 20211 min read
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