Violette

Chisme Tour, Part 1 // Zinacantan 🦇 We rolled in to San Diego de la Mesa Tochimiltzingo (say it five times fast and after three copitas) about four hours late — its Mexico time, after all. The tópes were sharp and the route winding. Diana wastes no time in giving us grief - let the chisme commence! The landscape looks barren at first — scrub and low trees and a general dustiness. You know immediately that water is precious here. Fabiola Torres Monfil grew up here in the shadow of Popo, the volcano looming in the distance. But she hasn’t married or had children, a “strange thing” for a woman in this part of the world. Fabi and cofounder Diana Pinzon make just 1000L of agave spirit per year — the max production their land and water can sustain. Fabi has been monitoring the distillation at the palenque for 37 hours straight that week. Fermentation on an 85/15 Espadilla/Papalometl in cowhide had just finished after 10 days, and it was being distilled at 84 proof in a single pass. The first taste is always hot on the palate, just drink it without thinking too hard 😉 A short hike through scrub on riparian soil in a deciduous microclimate reveals their plantation — a few hectare of espadilla, papalometl (tobala), tepextate, jabalí, pitzometl, and 2 acametl - 20% of the agaves are allowed to flower here. Half of those flowering agaves are allowed to go wild — to “pop” & germinate for pollinators. The other half are used to replenish seed banks. Fabi pours us a copita of her “Té de Abuelita” — a rainy season distillate of espadilla with a pechuga of tecojote (looks like a persimmon, related to a crabapple) and cinnamon, remniscent of the tea her grandmother and those in the village would make during the rains. An 81% punta along with plenty of Victoria and a hearty meal of chicken and rice in plenty of sauce with homemade tortillas — first day in Mexico was surely a success. Want to know more? DM or call yer reps - we out here. We’re also taking name suggestions for the forthcoming @thevioletteconnection x @rocksteadyselections Metallica cover band. DM those too.

BREEEEEE // Here at Violette we love a lady boss 😜 and Bree Stock of @limitedadditionwine is a real one. // Bree and her husband Chad Stock live and work in the Willamette Valley, seeking out plots of “alternative” grape varieties for the purpose of both biodiversity and to extend employment opportunities for those who work the vines. // To hear Bree speak about her ethos is a thrill. She’s in TX this week (March 24-28) to sling her new releases (they absolutely crush), talk viticulture, and drink some baddie bottles with us. Call yer reps ☎️ to taste the rainbow.

Its the year of Picpoul, right?

Legend @ginofinocasino dusting off his bartending skills to make a @cloudforestrum daiquiri at our Houston spirit tasting

Marfa -> San Antonio -> Austin -> Houston February 23-27 Don’t miss, call your rep ☎️

Houston trade! Come taste the Violette wine portfolio next Tuesday February 3, hosted by the good people @montrosegrocer from 11a -3p We’ll have wines from Texas, California, Oregon, Argentina, Italy, Spain, Austria, Germany & France open for your consideration RSVP link@in profile 💋 21+

For the Styria-curious, may we suggest exploring the enigma wines that are Der Rebenhof 🏔️ // Harti Aubell’s grandfather started Der Rebenhof in 1924 in a high elevation pocket of Southern Styria, right along the Slovenian border. Many of Harti’s vines are planted on wildly steep terraces at an astounding altitude of 1690ft. Soils are a mix of sand, silt, and schist, while Styria’s famed Opok, a friable marl that looks a bit like slate, is also heavily featured in his vinyeards // Harti’s first vintage was 2008 (when he sadly lost 80% of his fruit to hail), and much of his work in the early days was converting the farm from conventional to biodynamic. Fruit trees are being planting where he can because Harti believes the symbiotic relationship of vines and trees is the future of grape farming. // Harti’s vision is that of connectedness to the land and a deep curiosity for what can be. He prefers field blends to single-varietal wines, and if he could produce only skin-contact whites, he would. (“These are the wines that best go with Austrian food”, he says.) // In the cellar, Harti loves to experiment and focuses on the feeling and intention behind the wines. Zero sulfur, no filtering, and long aging in most circumstances. // Tiny amounts arrived in Texas last month, taste em while they’re available to experience this absolutely singular producer

Forthave Reserve III à la Jeffrey’s — Merry Christmas, ya filthy animals 💋

En estos años aprendimos lo esencial : Nadie viene a Salvarnos !! Nuestro valor se mide en Comunidad , reciprocidad !! Como dijo Lorena Cabnal : “ Somos la paisanada que resiste, la que no baja la mirada “ Que te quede claro que si nos quieres reducir a mercancía , entonces entre tú y nosotras habrá siempre un gran territorio de por medio !!! Somos una fiesta pa compartir !! Somos @zinacantan.murzielaga.mezcal Over these years we’ve learned the essentials: No one is coming to save us! Our value is measured in community and reciprocity! As Lorena Cabnal said: “We are the people ( paisanada ) who resist, those who don’t lower their gaze.” Let it be clear that if you want to reduce us to merchandise, then there will always be a vast distance between you and us! We are a celebration to share! We are @zinacantan.murzielaga.mezcal Photo by our local and amazing Photographer : @fercha_t.c #mezcal #mescallovers #agave #agavespirits #tequila #sotol #raicilla #wine #bourbon #merci #thanks #danke #tak #ありがとう #蒸留 #destillation #distillation #kvindemagt #lepouvoirdesfemmes #vin #paisanada #womenwhoresist #mexicanspirits #womenempowerment #womendistillers

Its that time of year when we fantasize about throwing caution to the wind and running off to a tiny French village to farm biodynamically and make energetic, living wine. Just me? In any event, we are mentally living in Sampigny-lès-Maranges rn via the 2022s from our favorite girl crush Isabelle Vantey of Domaine des Rouges-Queues. She founded her exquisite, tiny estate in Maranges in 1998 with just a 1/2 rented hectare and a vision to farm biodynamically in a place where, to be frank, that wasn’t welcome. It has long been said in the region that your vines were “dirty” if there was grass growing underneath them. Isabelle persisted, and now farms 4 ha between Maranges and Santenay, all micro parcels on varying elevations and exposures, mostly mid-slope and all hecking limestone soils — huge chunks of it litter some parcels. Most of the parcels abut forest or low shrub lines or even the limestone fences and perches Isabelle constructed by hand (“my Covid project”). Her focus on the life-force of each vine keeps us magnetized, and we have five (5!!!) expressions of the 2022s to share this fall :: - Hautes Cotes de Beaune Blanc (Josie will drink all of this if y’all don’t) - Maranges 1er Cru Clos Roussots (from one of the two 1er crus of Maranges) - Maranges Vigne Blanche (those big chunky limestones) - Santenay Rouge (her newest parcel) - Celsius (a Coteaux Bourguignons, Gamay grapes from a friend growing biodynamically further south) 2022 is a riper vintage, more fruit forward and accessible — a classic for the Cotes de Beaune. If you’re not familiar with this singular vigneronne, let us know strait away — these joyful bottles make our heart sing, and we can’t wait to share them with the good people of Texas.

Pinch me — @champagnepiollot lands in Texas this week! We’ve long been fans of Roland Piollot and Dominique Moreau — standing in awe of their commitment to long held family parcels in the Aube, of their conversion to organic then biodynamic farming, and for their belief that single vineyards, single varietals, and single vintages is the best way to show off their corner of Champagne. Roland and Dominique are part of the Aube set, farming on the northeastern spit of Kimmeridgian chalk chain that, in our (very very) modest opinion, gives the wines something striking and ethereal on the nose and palate. A tiny amount of their 2019 Come des Tallants Brut Nature arrives in Texas this week :: Pinot Noir from the 45 year old “Tallants” vineyard. Call yer reps before Josie hoards it all (iykyk)

Think you know ethereal Garnacha? Think again! This is Luis Moya Tortosa, who is quietly and studiously reviving long abandoned parcels in the St Martín de Unx area of Navarra. // Long given up in favor of easy-to-manage grains — this part of Spain has experienced the same young talent drain that much of the country has seen, and most villages are populated only with elderly residents — these hills reminded me instantly of Piemonte. Bumpy and rising towards the towering Pyrenees in the distance, and close enough to the Bay of Biscay to receive cooling Atlantic influence. // Soils are gypsum, all work is done by hand or by horse, without any chemical interventions. Ferments are spontaneous with no temperature control — as Luis says with a grin, “Cold is free!” // We are so excited to support this exciting young producer championing an almost forgotten corner of Basque viticulture!