Organic + Biodynamic Wine

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2022

Decanter 100 Points | The 2022 La Tâche was very impressive out of barrel; still, at the time I preferred the Romanée-Conti. I am less certain of this judgement when tasting the wines in bottle. Admittedly it is splitting hairs, but to judge what they show today, the exquisite La Tâche may have edged ahead of even the Romanée-Conti at present. It is a serious wine, substantial and structured; less open than the Richebourg and showing more savoury and spice notes than overt primary fruit, yet it is a wine that is unbelievably dense with flavour and long on the finish. 

The Wine Advocate 98 Points | The 2022 La Tâche Grand Cru is the most complex and compelling wine in the range at this early stage. Wafting from the glass with aromas of sweet red berries and plums mingled with rose petals, orange zest, exotic spices, incense and wintergreen, it's full-bodied, rich and layered, with a deep and pure core of fruit, lively acids and sweet, powdery tannins, concluding with a long, gently oak-inflected finish. It was harvested the fourth through the sixth of September, just after the Grands-Échézeaux, and bottled in March 2024.

The Wine Spectator by Bruce Sanderson 95-98 Points Barrel Sample | La Tâche exudes black cherry and licorice aromas and flavors, an altogether darker, meatier profile with greater concentration. Nonetheless, it is also refined, with a lingering aftertaste suggesting sandalwood.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2022

Vinous 100 Points | The 2022 Romanée St. Vivant Grand Cru is a real head-turner. What a wine! As is so often the case, Romanée St. Vivant is not an obvious wine, rather it is a Burgundy of detail, of understatement, of total class. The aromatics alone are mesmerizing. Silky tannins wrap around a core of red-toned fruit, mint, white pepper, blood orange and exotic spice.

Decanter 97 Points | The Romanée-St-Vivant has developed more complexity since bottling, with a savoury, almost gamey edge to the lush berry fruit aromas and a hint of spice. The grip and freshness of the wine are impressive and seem to carry this wine to a new level of intensity. Although this wine had originally seemed ethereal and silky, the substantial nature of the structure is now evident, aided perhaps by the stricter selection. Bertrand de Villaine confirms that two parcels in this vineyard were pulled up due to issues with the rootstock, leaving them 23,699 bottles in 2022.

The Wine Spectator 97 Points | Shy, suggesting cherry, strawberry and spice flavors. Nonetheless, there is plenty of structure and length.

Winemaker Description 

Located in the village of Épineuil, 20 kilometers northeast of Chablis, Dominique Gruhier has farmed his 10 hectares of vineyard as naturally as possible with respect to nature and obtained organic certification in 2016. These cool climate vineyards are composed of limestone rich Kimmeridgian soil, much the same as neighboring Chablis.

The 2023 Cuvée Juliette is elegant with delicate intensity. 

Generous aromas of strawberry and raspberry dominate the nose and develop in the mouth with expressive layers of minerals, spice and supple tannins. Perfectly balances and drinking superbly.

Expert Review - Vintage 2023

The Wine Enthusiast 90 Points by Elaine Chukan Brown | Juicy, fresh and mouthwatering, this flavorful and friendly red delivers flavors of red plum, mixed berries, fennel, and a touch of sweet vanilla. 

Winemaker Description 

Alta Alella is the closest winery to Barcelona, located 2 kilometres from the Mediterranean between the towns of Alella and Tiana. It is a family-run project that began in 1991 with Josep Maria Pujol-Busquets and his wife Cristina Guillen. Now the estate is headed up by their daughter, Mireia.

Alella is one of the smallest appellations in Spain yet it possesses a fascinating terroirs that the Alta Alella team have harnessed in their journey to being recognised as the premier estate in the region. All the vines are planted on slopes and terraces overlooking the Mediterranean, between 100 and 250m above sea level. One of the key elements is the Sauló soil found throughout the vineyard.

Particular to this region, Sauló is an acidic and sandy soil with a low limestone content, low organic matter and good natural water drainage – ideal for the production of clean wines with a mineral edge.

An organic rosé cava, crafted with the Traditional Method and aged on lees for a minimum of 35 months. A gentle skin maceration gives the wine its delicate color. Bearing the seal of Elaborador Integral (Integral Producer), it is made from vines rooted in ‘sauló’, a sandy granitic soil, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Mataró is the most genuine variety in Alella and it is also the name of the Capital of the Maresme area

“A return to the origins with the first grape variety used for cava” – Pujol-Busquets family

ART LAIETÀ D’ALTA ALELLA
Cava type: Brut Nature / Organic vintage cava
Integral Producer: 100% produced on the winery’s property
Grape varieties: Mataró (mourvèdre)
Zone of Origin: Comtats de Barcelona – Serra de Mar

It's a fantastic sparkling wine that truly highlights the quality and potential of Spanish Cava when made from a specific vineyard (single-estate) and with a focus on organic, natural production.

• Variety: Chardonnay
• Vine Age: Average of 40 years (as of 2023)
• Terroir: From multiple plots, planted on steep slopes (up to a 45% grade), facing southeast, northwest and southwest. Kimmeridgian clay-limestone soils embedded with oyster fossils.
• Viticulture: Organic (certified, 2015). 7,400-9,600 vines/ha, single and double-guyot training.
• Vinification: Settled for 12-24 hours, ambient yeast fermentation and aging for 10 months in stainless steel (70%) and used barrels (30%), blended and aged another 6 months in tanks, SO2 added in small doses throughout vinification and aging, approx. 35-45 ppm total at bottling.

Dominique Gruhier's Bourgogne Tonnerre Blanc is made entirely with Chardonnay grapes, chosen for their quality and ability to reflect the identity of the Tonnerre terroir. Winemaking aims to preserve the purity of the fruit.

Aromas of exotic fruit salad, pineapple sprinkled with citrus with a hint of vanilla.

Sweet notes of cuckoo flowers. Light woody, hint of white chocolate. Rich and delicious on the palate with a saline finish. Supple and creamy without heaviness.

Winemaker Description 

Fragrant aromas of fresh red fruits, herbs and an elegant vegetal character. Crisp acidity balances the richness of the body. The aftertaste is complex and long.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2023

Stuart Pigott JamesSuckling.com writes 93 Points | Very cool, delicate and restrained, this Fleurie is barely medium-bodied but has quite a firm tannic core and plenty of wet-stone minerality. The red berry fruit is still a bit closed, so you need some patience. Very good structure in the long finish. From organically grown grapes. From approximately 40-year-old vines. Matured in large neutral oak foudre barrels and smaller barrels that are at least five years old. Drink from 2027. 

Kenna Wells of The Wine Advocate 91+ Points  | The 2023 Fleurie Clos de la Grand'Cour, sourced from "young" vines up to 50 years old, bursts with juicy red fruits—strawberries and cherries—layered with orange peel, hibiscus and a touch of brown spice. On the palate, enveloping tannins provide structure and guide a long, steady progression. A delicate thread of graphite-like salinity emerges on the mid-palate, harmonizing with the wine's fleshy fruit. Yet it is the vibrant, expressive flavors that take center stage, culminating in a bold, fruit-driven finish. With its refined architecture and impressive depth, this wine promises great aging potential. Drink: 2026-2035. 

Neal Martin of Vinous 91 Points  | The 2023 Fleurie Clos de la Grand Cour comes from vines that encircle the estate that are mostly 40-50-years-old. It has a fresh, marine-tinged bouquet with just a hint of oyster shell in the background. The palate is medium-bodied and very harmonious, with gentle grip, lithe tannins, and touches of orange pith and marmalade toward the finish. Give this a year in bottle. Drink: 2026-2036. 

Winemaker Description 

Nat Cool is the brainchild of Dirk Niepoort. Besides Dirk’s activities as owner of Niepoort Wines and Ports, he also owns a small wine distribution company in Portugal.

He created Nat Cool as a response to a market (both in Portugal and abroad) that wanted fun, easygoing, Naturally-made wines that could be enjoyed every day - at home, by the glass in restaurants, out on a fun picnic, etc. The project started in the appellation of Bairrada, working with the indigenous varietal, Baga. As a rule, this varietal produces, big, dark, tannic reds, but Dirk found a way to produce fresh, easy, glou-glou Baga in One-Liter bottles with 12% alcohol and minimal Sulphur added.

Bingo…he was onto something!

Now Nat Cool includes several wines!

The first extension was a white wine from Vino Verde. But not just any Vino Verde. In essence, it is a “Pet Nat”, but at very low pressure, sort of like a Txakoli. Here, the wines are bottled with a touch of sugar that is left to ferment inside the bottle to create a light fizz. It is a historic method that was practiced in the 19th and early 20th centuries in the region. Since the wine is not disgorged, there are also some lees in the bottle. You can let the sediment settle in the bottom of the bottle, or as Dirk likes to, mix it all up for a yummy, leesy, complex version. Alas, Vino Verde with a fun, adventurous attitude!

The next addition was Primata. This is a red wine from the Douro. Dirk challenged his cellar master Luis Pedro to make a Douro red to fit in the NatCool line. Primata is his baby. The high elevation, largely north-facing vineyards give it freshness and crunch. It is foot trodden in lagares where it continues to ferment and then finished in steel where it naturally stabilizes. This is a Douro red like you have never had!

We hope the Nat Cool spirit will continue to grow! But remember, here are the NAT COOL RULES:

RULE NUMBER ONE…THERE ARE NO RULES!
ALWAYS RESPECT THE FIRST RULE
LESS IS MORE
COOLER = LESS EXTRACTION, LESS MESS
AUTHENTIC, COOL ATTITUDE
ONE LITER BOTTLE
COOL PRICE
THE INCREDIBLE LIGHTNESS OF BEING

Expert Reviews - VintagE 2021

93 Points The Wine Enthusiast by Michael Alberty | Made with certified biodynamic fruit from Johan Vineyard, the wine opens up with a beautiful perfume of dried rose petals, jasmine, lavender and boysenberries. Firm tannins and electric fence acidity corral flavors of tart cherries, blood orange segments and balsa wood. Enjoy now until 2036. 

James Suckling 93 Points | Crisp and bright, this Oregon pinot has stacks of sour cherry fruit with a touch of half-ripe strawberries. That fits well with the restrained, moderately dry tannins and the lively acidity that stays this light on its feet on the medium-bodied palate. Long, positively grainy finish.

94 Points Decanter, Clive Pursehouse: Well done, indeed. From the Demeter-certified biodynamic site in the Willamette Valley, south of McMinnville, Johan Vineyard comes a classically Oregon Pinot Noir. Rich umami-driven aromas of turned earth, smoky violets, and ripe stewed strawberries are lifted by notes of evergreen tips and mint. The palate shows fresh red and black bramble fruits, a touch of grip, savory chicory root, and a finish that shows black tea and wild anise.

Vinous 90 Points | The 2021 Pinot Noir Johan Vineyard is nuanced and delicate in the glass, wafting up with hints of dried black cherries, sage and dusty rose. This is cool-toned and racy within, with sleek textures and ripe red berry fruits that swirl across a stream of lively acidity. It finishes on a savory note, leaving saline minerals and darkening hints of brown spice to linger through the medium-length finale.

Winemaker Notes

Johan Vineyard is an 85-acre, Demeter-certified biodynamic site in the Willamette Valley, south of McMinnville and west of Salem. This site is almost always our last Pinot pick of harvest. Although it's a relatively low-elevation site, due to its proximity to the coast and the winds that howl through the Van Duzer Corridor every summer afternoon, the fruit here tends to ripen later than in our other vineyards. It is primarily marine sediment soils, and the benefit of biodynamic farming is completely apparent when one stands in this healthy and alive place. Our Johan Pinot Noir always displays a lovely, deep red berry core allied to a beguiling spice component that makes for a classic southern Willamette profile. The tannins and acids in this wine are typically strident in their youth, indicating a long and fulfilling life in the cellar. 

• The Van Duzer Corridor 💨: The surprising geological feature that brings Pacific Ocean winds into the vineyard and what that does to the grape flavors.

• Biodynamic Farming 🌱: The core principles of the certified-Biodynamic Johan Vineyard and why Day Wines chooses this method.

• Whole-Cluster Fermentation: 🍇 The specific winemaking technique used here (around 40% whole-cluster) and how it adds savory, "stemmy" complexity to the Pinot Noir.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2023 

Vinous 92 | The 2023 Chablis La Boissonneuse has another generous and well-defined bouquet with Clementine and peach skin, just a hint of candy floss and spice. Quite mercurial in the glass. The palate is taut and fresh with a fine bead of acidity. Sapid in the mouth with plenty of extract and umami sensation on the finish. This should be on your shopping list. Rated 90-92

Allen Meadows Burghound 90 Points |  In contrast to the Les Plantes, here the expressive nose is quite fresh with its notes of just sliced citrus, green apple and enough typicity to be convincing. There is excellent vibrancy to the sleek and well-defined flavors that display good length on the youthfully austere and highly refreshing finish. This isn't however especially complex so a few years of keeping are recommended. Rated: 87-90

Winemaker Description 

Unfined and Unfiltered. A pure old vine expression of Sicilian terroir! The Terre Nere vineyards are located at extremely high altitudes - 2100' to 2900' above sea level. The hot sun, cool breeze and cold nights make Terre Nere wines extroadinarily fine and elegant. A brilliant cohesion of craft, skill and deliciousness.

Expert Review - Vintage 2021 

Vinous 91 Points | A deep golden-yellow color, the 2021 Santa Chiara is zesty with a burst of fermented ginger, cedar shavings, exotic florals and dried apricots. Soothingly round and soft-textured, this opens with a lovely inner sweetness contrasted by a liquid floral concentration that coats the palate. Green apples resonate throughout. It finishes long and lightly tannic, leaving a primary concentration and hints of chamomile. The 2021 spent twenty-eight days fermenting on the skins, which is about five days more than the average vintage, resulting in its wild bouquet.

Expert Review - Vintage 2022

Decanter 94 Points | Ripe, round, and juicy with rich orchard fruit flavours, balanced saline-earthy notes and a slightly oaky character. 

A bold and structured red with hints of ripe cherries and Mediterranean herbs. Organic elegance at a remarkable value.

A vibrant and elegant red from Puglia, Italy, this organic wine showcases the region’s signature Nero di Troia grape. On the nose, it offers aromas of dark cherry, plum, and subtle hints of Mediterranean herbs. The palate is structured yet approachable, with soft tannins, balanced acidity, and flavors of ripe red fruit, cocoa, and a touch of minerality. Perfect with roasted meats, hearty pasta dishes, or aged cheeses, this wine embodies the rich terroir of southern Italy while remaining fresh and expressive.

Expert Reviews - Base 2019

James Suckling 93 Points | A vibrant, textural and precise blanc de blancs with aromas of dried pears, pastry spices and some warm herbs. Medium-bodied with bright acidity. It’s full of verve and focus, with a mineral core mingling with spices and dried pears. A textured and lingering finish.

The Wine Advocate 91 Points | Disgorged in December 2023 without dosage, Doquet’s NV Blanc de Blancs Arpège untites the flesh and texture of the clayey sites in Vertus with the mineral profile of Le Mont-Aimé and Villeneuve. With two-thirds of reserve wines dating back to 2012 and the remaining 33% from the 2019 vintage, it soars from the glass with scents of jasmine, grapefruit, nectarine and plums. On the palate, it's medium-bodied with a compact and taut profile, elegant mousse, incisive acidity and a long, penetrating finish. Vinified in used oak barrels (one-third) and enameled steel. It’s the most chiseled of the three non-vintage blends.

Memo Summary Notes

Doquet was an early adopter of organic farming (certified since 2010) long before it was trendy. His wines are intellectually satisfying but delicious—marked by sharp acidity, chalky textures, and very low dosage (sugar).

• Style: Crystalline, tension-filled, saline, and complex.

• Best For: Enthusiasts of "terroir" wines and acid-forward styles like Pierre Péters or Larmandier-Bernier.

Practicing Organic • 100% Chardonnay (Wente, 15, 76, and 4 clones) • Mae Estate Vineyard (Sta. Rita Hills AVA) • Planted in 2017 • Elder series and Tierra complex sandy loam soils • Hand-harvested • Whole cluster pressed to tank to settle overnight • Native yeast fermentation in barrique and puncheon • No battonage • Fermented and aged 10 months in French barrique and puncheon (20% new) • Additionally aged 8 months in stainless steel before bottling • 398 cases produced • 12.8% abv   

VINOUS 95 The 2023 Chardonnay Mae Estate Vineyard pours a very light, crystalline yellow color, yet its weight and depth belie that translucent hue. Chalky and powdery in texture, it's a wine of excellent harmony and nuance that sings in perfect resonance all the way from start to finish. A fleshy, rich stone fruit profile leads the charge but, highlighted by shades of salty minerality and an almond-oil-like richness that lends a viscosity to the mouthfeel. Another excellent 2023 Chardonnay from Justin Willett. 

WINE ADVOCATE 93 The 2023 Chardonnay Mae Estate opens with a lovely bouquet of citrus curd, fennel and pastry cream, followed by a spongey, pure and succulent palate. The finish is understated and driven by an even-keeled finish that lingers with bright, chiseled acidity. This is a stellar example of the northern corridor of Sta. Rita Hills, and it will be an increasingly formidable presence in the Tyler roster as the vines mature.

Winemaker Description 

Pale golden color. Peach and apricot aromas are dominant and quince traces. There are floral notes of chamomile, jasmine and herbs. Rich flavor with the same dominant aromas. On the palate well-balanced acidity, full-bodied with a fine finish. 

Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA 2025): The Aspros Lagos (the winery's premium, barrel-fermented Vidiano) 2024 vintage was noted as "Broad and welcoming with an ambrosial tropical richness".

Winemaker Description

New World precision meets Old World Soul for a “Right Bank” of Napa claret with unparalleled deliciousness, depth and complexity. The 2018 vintage of POV makes its presence known in an emphatic way.

Summer-fresh tart bing cherry, ripe raspberry and blackberry bramble lend a crispness from first sip to last. Secondary notes of rose petal, fresh oregano, forest floor and mocha nod to the terroir of the Mayacamas foothills in the northern reaches of Los Carneros, rich in red soil and farmed with organic, regenerative practices.

The wine is framed in elegant, understated French oak with a savory core that will continue to open and evolve as the wine ages. 

Winemaker Description 

A richly flavored red with autumnal aromas, plush red/black fruits and peppery spice. Few other Provençal reds can match the power and grace of this bottle (its form a traditional Normandy "Calvados" shape that only Gourgonnier uses).

This is a classic "barbecue wine" but with enough elegance for a formal dinner.

• The Perfect Match: Grilled lamb chops with rosemary and garlic.

• Casual: Wood-fired pizza with olives and sausage or a hearty Ratatouille.

• Vegetarian: Roasted eggplant with miso or lentil stews.