Eastern Europe/Balkan

Refosco is a unique grape indigenous to northeastern Italy and western Slovenia that shows deep earthy granite and minerality. The Štoka estate is located in Kras, which is an extension of Carso in Italy. The two regions combine to make the first cross-bo

Sometimes it takes a wine from Morocco to remind you that Cab Sauv can be awesome. This wine sings with minerality, spice, and a depth of red fruits. Not too overbearing, either. Morocco was a flourishing wine-production country until it gained independen

Pinot Noir works very well on the volcanic soils of northern Hungary. Aromas of cherries and cranberries burst forth. On the palate, deep red forest berries are complemented by complex spice, delicate wafts of smoke and earth. Very gentle tannins and clea

Vranec is a red variety indigenous to the Balkans. Dark ruby in color, with a robust aroma of dark and sour cherries intertwined with floral notes. On the palate, the fruit is juicy and concentrated with soft and pleasant tannins that add wonderful textur

This wine is from 5 separate vineyard plots in northwestern Hungary. The vineyards are all worked by hand with minimal intervention at all stages. Sites are harvested separately according to ripeness and blended later. Perhaps the most elegant Blaufränkis

Loads of juicy goodness yet tethered to a subtle earthy backbone. The Koráb family began cultivating mostly old vines in 2006, transition to organic, and finally biodynamic farming practices. They strive to fuse the traditions of their heritage with moder

Aromatic green herbs open, with a stewed tomato quality on the finish. The body is medium plus, with light red fruits. Alibernet is a hybrid between Cab Sauv and Alicante Bouschet, a red-fleshed grape. The winemakers also keep bees and grow herbs in an ef

Milan Nestarec has rapidly becomes perhaps the leading figure in Czech winemaking… certainly among natural winemakers there. His Pinot Noir is aged in both old oak & acacia barrels. It’s bright and fresh, but with a subtly complex earthiness which sits pl

A lighter red for fans of Trousseau or Freisa. Like those wines, however, there is still some grip thanks to the inclusion of stems in the press. The winery was founded in 1914; after the fall of the Soviet Union, Gaioz re-established the estate with a ph

Keropatis is a term that locals use to describe light, short maceration reds. There’s an excellent mineral backbone to the wine, with black raspberry and plenty of freshness. A true summer red. Dionysis and Maria Papanikolopoulos refer to their winery as