#ChampagneWishes #Summer #FrancePeachy #KeepingFranceonTop @winesellersltd by #AdamSager and #JordanSager Sancerre 2023 Sager and Verdier Highly Recommended by #WhomYouKnow
It's not who you know, it's WHOM YOU KNOW and it was Kind of Wild and absolutely positively fantastic to see Katie Lee again last fall (we met her prior to the existence of Whom You Know) where we met her business partner Adam Sager too. Kind of Wild was so impressive, they earned a spot in our Best of 2024 list. Winesellers Ltd., also by Adam Sager and his brother Jordan, has some of the best summer wines on the market this season and our discriminating panel was thrilled to consider this spectacular Sancerre from France bien sur mes amis! It's no secret we are Francophiles from Peachy's love of the work of Alain Delon to Jacques Fath and Panouge Group to the opening of Margaux by La Sirene.
Sager & Verdier Sancerre is a collaboration between friends and partners, the Sager family, importers and curators of fine wines from around the world, and the Verdier family, growers and exporters of fine French wines and we highly recommend it. The taro wheel on the front label symbolizes how the element of change may lead to luck, good fortune and destiny and we hope all that is good comes your way too when you open this winner!
"Sager & Verdier Sancerre is a collaboration between an importer and wine producer in the Loire Valley. This Sancerre is pure Sauvignon Blanc delight, with well-balanced acidity, minerality, grace, and elegance."
-Adam Sager
President of Winesellers Limited
Until the 20th century, the Loire was an important trade route, especially for the transport of wine. Overlooking the Loire, the Sancerre peak watches over the ford which made it possible to pass the Loire River before bridges were built and the city of Sancerre was therefore at a strategic crossroads between Berry in the West, Burgundy in the East, Champagne in the North East, Paris in the North and Auvergne in the South. Though boasting a long history of wine production, Sancerre was granted AOC status in 1936 and ever since has been renowned for its classic style of Sauvignon Blanc.
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VINIFICATION
Pneumatic press allowing a soft and regulated extraction. Cold skin maceration. Selected yeasts. Slow fermentation at low temperatures in stainless steel tanks, providing the wine with finer and more intense aromas.
GEOGRAPHY: Sancerre is located in the easternmost part of the Loire Valley, almost 300 miles from the Atlantic coast.
CLIMATE: Due to its inland location, the region is more continental than the rest of the Loire, which tends toward Atlantic influences.
VINEYARDS: South facing slopes, providing proper exposure and aspect for ideal ripening. The average age of the vines is 25 years.
SOILS: Classic calcareous soils, known locally as ‘Terre blanche’, that have been erroded by the Loire River.
True to its terroir, the wine has a very expressive nose with typical aromas of lemon/lime, elderflower, verbena, tropical fruits, PEACH, gooseberry and distinctive minerality; all backed by crisp acidity.
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Founded in 1978 by Yale Sager, Winesellers Limited began as a one-man operation and selling wines primarily in the Midwest. Over the last four decades, Winesellers has evolved into a globally recognized importer and marketer of family-owned wineries and brands produced in both well-known and unique regions from around the world. The Sager family is proud of their enduring relationships with their wholesalers and suppliers, some whom have been a part of Winesellers portfolio from the very beginning.
1978
Dr. Pauly Bergweiler partners with Winesellers. Dr. Pauly-Bergweiler is owned by Dr. Peter Pauly and his wife Helga, both of whom are traditional advocates of noble wines. The vineyards are mainly planted on, difficult-to-cultivate river valley hillsides and are planted predominantly with late maturity Riesling grapes, which place high demands on their location.
1986
Pierre Lafond from Santa Barbara Winery & Lafond Winery Vineyards partners with Winesellers. In 1962, at the age of thirty-two, Pierre Lafond founded the first post-prohibition commercial winery in Santa Barbara County. Two years later, he located a winery facility on Anacapa Street, just two blocks from the Pacific Ocean.
1995
Winesellers partners with Familia Zuccardi (Zuccardi Valle de Uco and Bodega Santa Julia). Since the beginning, this 3rd generation family owned winery Zuccardi Valle de Uco have focused on innovation, quality and sustainable production. Today they believe that the future of Argentine wine is bright and are committed to showing the world the best terroirs that can be found in Argentina.
2002
Besserat de Bellefon from Champagne partners with Winesellers. Born by the water on the countryside around “Aÿ“ in 1843, Besserat de Bellefon leaves its mark on Parisian hotspots, from “Le Louvre“ to “Orsay“ to “Le Palais de l’Elysée“.
2003
Hacienda Araucano partners with Winesellers. Today, François Lurton continues to explore other possibilities, including planting grape vines that require cooler temperatures at higher altitudes, such as Cabernet or Pinot Noir. The goal is to produce distinguished, authentic, original wines.
2004
Master Wines partners with Winesellers. Masterwines was started by Mel and Janie Master in France in 1990 when its main business was sourcing great value wines from the Languedoc region of the south of France.
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2012
Quinta de la Rosa partners with Winesellers. Quinta de la Rosa is a pioneering Single Quinta winery famed for its premium wines and ports. It is also know for its idyllic hotel and restaurant.
2014
Winesellers, a national importer and marketer of international wines, and Vinum Cellars, an innovative California wine producer owned by winemakers Richard Bruno and Chris Condos, have announced a national sales and distribution agreement.
2017
Carlos Serres partners with Winesellers. Carlos Serres the man came from Bordeaux in the late 19th century, after phylloxera had devastated the wine industry in the Médoc. Carlos Serres was a pioneer in Rioja. In 1896 he established one of the first wineries in Haro, the wine capital of Rioja. He was an instrumental figure in promoting the early exports of Rioja wines.
2018
Prosper Maufoux Domaine partners with Winesellers. Founded in 1860, Prosper Maufoux has always aimed to preserve the unique terroir of Burgundy by sourcing grapes from prime climates and appellations in the region. The house is now owned and operated by the Piffaut family, key players in Burgundy wine production since 1898, who are also proprietors of Château de Saint-Aubin in Chassagne-Montrachet.
2021
Award-winning importer Winesellers announces the partnership as the exclusive USA importer for OTU Estate Wines. OTU Estate, which now produces Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Rosé and Pinot Gris with Hawkes Bay Chardonnay complimenting the range, is located directly south of Marlborough, in the Awatere Valley; the coolest and driest of Marlborough’s three sub-regions.
2022
Winesellers, Ltd., a second-generation family-owned importer and marketer of fine wines, announces a new partnership as exclusive U.S. importer of Bodegas Volver, the renowned Spanish grower and producer of fine wines from regions including La Mancha, Alicante, Almansa, and Jumilla.
2023
A new partnership with iconic family-owned Italian producer Piccini 1882 as the exclusive U.S importer of the namesake brand, Piccini. Founded by Angiolo Piccini in 1882 and now managed by fourth-generation family members Mario and Martina Piccini, this 130-year-old family estate exports and distributes wines to more than 90 countries and produced more than 32-million bottles in 2022.
Grok 3 by X tells us:
Winesellers, Ltd. is a second-generation, family-owned company founded in 1978 by Yale Sager, based in Niles, Illinois. It’s a globally recognized importer and marketer of fine wines, distributing brands like Zuccardi Valle de Uco, Santa Julia, Tortoise Creek, La Fiera, and others across all 50 U.S. states. Their portfolio focuses on high-quality wines from family-owned wineries in regions like Argentina, Italy, and Spain, including varietals such as Malbec and Rioja. They’ve been honored as Wine Enthusiast’s 2015 “Importer of the Year” for their growth and modernization. Winesellers does not sell directly to consumers but works through distributors, available at fine wine shops and restaurants.
