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Importer Spotlight: Louis/Dressner

Joe Dressner and his wife Denyse Louis are pioneers in the natural wine movement. Together they started Louis/Dressner Selections in 1988 with a vision of bringing un-manipulated, honestly crafted, Old World wines to the American Market. They focus on finding growers and winemakers who are passionate, employ traditional techniques, and have respect for the land. All of the wines they import are fermented with wild yeast, made from hand-harvested fruit, grown organically, biodynamically, or sustainably, and made in a non-interventionist style. The wines they import tend to be lower alcohol, food friendly, terroir driven, and balanced. Here are some excellent Louis/Dressner imported wines we are currently carrying.

Tami Frappato

Arianna Occhipinti is a young Sicilian winemaker who has quickly risen to superstar status in the wine world. She makes delicious, lively wines from Sicily’s native grapes. She learned her craft from her uncle, Giusto, who showed her how organic farming, hand harvesting , and native yeast fermenting can result in wines that are expressive and delicious. Her Tami Frappato is a great introduction to her wine-making style; it features bright notes of strawberries, raspberries, spice, and roses, with a distinctive note of volcanic soil.

Domaine de la Pépière Muscadet

Marc Ollivier makes some of the finest wines in the Muscadet appellation of France’s Loire Valley. To make his wine he organically farms and hand-harvests old Melon de Bourgogne vines, and then ages the wine sur lies to add additional texture and depth. The wine is fermented with native yeast and minimal CO2 is added. The finished wine is crisp and briny, with citrus and yeasty flavors supported by zippy acidity.

Château d’Oupia Les Hérétiques

Wines from the Languedoc region in Southern France have seen a dramatic increase in quality in the past several years. Château d’Oupia is among the best producers in the region, making wonderful wines from the hillside vineyards in Minervois. Their Les Hérétiques is 100% Carignan coming from vines with an average age of over 40 years. Half of the wine is fermented in oak and the other half is made by carbonic maceration. The result is a wine that is juicy, yet structured, with notes of red and black fruits and a peppery finish.

Louis/Dressner Selections not only imports fantastic wines, but their philosophy aligns with ours.  Stop by our wine department and pick up a delicious bottle of natural wine.