| The stunning
2017 Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays by Californian
master grower Ted Lemon are here. Don’t miss these
delectable beauties. |
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View online |
| Littorai
’17 |
| Collectible
monuments of Californian terroir from one of its
most famous artisans |
 Ted Lemon of Littorai |
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There is no
doubt in my mind Littorai
is one of this country’s crown jewel wineries.
Proprietor Ted Lemon
has the magic touch with both Chardonnay and Pinot
Noir. — Antonio Galloni All of the Littorai offerings, made by Ted Lemon, are nuanced, restrained, elegant efforts that are no doubt the result of his Burgundian winemaking experience at Domaine Roulot. — Robert Parker The Littorai wines are superb, but they’re hard to get hold of (made in small quantities, plus high demand), and they aren’t cheap. So it’s rare to find them outside the USA, but they’re well worth seeking out. — Jamie Goode, The Wine Anorak . . the pinnacle of Burgundian finesse in New World soil, making relatively light-hued wines that still leave a deep impression of the vineyards they came from. — Craig LaBan, Inquirer |
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| Ask anyone today which winery best
represents the true California Pinot Noir and that
name is, more than ever, likely to be Ted Lemon’s Littorai. |
After having studied in Beaune and worked in Burgundy at Domaine Dujac, Roumier, de Villaine and Bruno Clair, Ted decided to return home to California in the early 1990s. With impressive credentials in hand as the first American to helm a Burgundy domaine — Domaine Guy Roulot, no less — he underwent a rigorous search for the most optimal microclimates and sites before founding his own winery. Finally, in 1993, Ted and Heidi Lemon established Littorai Wines, to craft vineyard-designated pinot noirs and chardonnays from the western hills of Sonoma County and Anderson Valley.
Right from the outset, Ted was convinced that western agronomic theory was both unsustainable and inadequate in its concept of plant health and nutrition. Organics seemed sensible and for him soon became de rigueur. He then studied the precepts of biodynamics and was immediately convinced it was the way to go.
Today, he is one of the discipline’s fiercest and most vocal proponents, recognised as one of the thought leaders in viticulture in the community of terroir-centric winegrowers around the world; so much so, that Ted’s philosophy of terroir winegrowing was cited in Burgundy’s application to the United Nations as a World Heritage Site. This man is Legend.
Extending Ted’s holistically pure principles indoors, Littorai’s winery, set on a 12-hectare biodynamic farm, is housed in an innovative strawbale building with “green” architecture. The winery uses natural night air cooling to maintain appropriate temperatures for the cellars and working areas, its system providing both tremendous insulation and thermal inertia. Its layout is designed for wine movement via gravity flow to avoid the use of pumps. All of the water used in wine production is recycled through eco-sensitive constructed wetlands in which plants naturally treat and recycle the water for reuse as irrigation water on the property. Sustainability is paramount in every aspect of Littorai’s operation.
Not unexpectedly, Ted eschews any form of manipulation in the cellar as well. “If one is to claim to make wines which are reflective of a site, then logically the less input in the winery the better,” he says. “Over the years I have become willing to take greater and greater risks in pursuing this passion.”
At Littorai, decisions on whole bunch inclusion tend to be made with pH in mind, and typically Ted uses 0-30%. He uses only naturally-present yeast strains for fermentation, ages the wines in a minor amount of new oak for 14-17 months, and bottles (without filtration) only when he thinks the wine is ready. No shortcuts. No compromises.
 Ted Lemon is the face on
the cover of Jon Bonné’s acclaimed book — The
New California Wine — which chronicles the
revolution in taste in the region’s wines |
Ted Lemon is a person who tends to shy away from the limelight, which explains why there was so little written about Littorai wines for so many years. More than 20 years after his winery's inception, Ted Lemon has become a bona fide California wine hero.
Sorry, make that super hero.
An unapologetic champion of terroir and elegant winemaking, he is the archetype of the ‘New California’. Long before the press gave him much airtime, Littorai had already amassed a fiercely loyal, even religious, following among in-the-know connoisseurs. In fact, it has a wide following in Europe, an unusual feat for an American winery among people for whom finding great Pinot Noir and Chardonnay usually means looking in the direction of Burgundy.
Littorai crafts restrained wines that evolve positively with time, classics in the best sense of the word. They are unmistakably Californian, generously expressive yet elegantly succinct, pared down to their essence. They exist primarily for the dining table and moments of reflection. Every one of Littorai’s wines is pure and authentic in the best possible sense.
2017 marks the twelfth vintage that we have represented Littorai and it is reassuring to observe how each wine still faithfully expresses the voice of its originating vineyard. To this day, Littorai remains an artisanal operation where the imprint of soil and the spirit of the wine grower can be discerned in every single bottling.
| These new Littorai
releases from vintage 2017
continue to be some of the most graceful and
articulate Californian wines ever made that year:
elegant beauties birthed by sensitive viticulture;
indeed, wines of exquisiteness and balance. |
We can’t help but feel a sense of pride to offer these treasures today. There aren’t many of these precious wines, however, so please don’t linger a minute too long.
The offer prices here are valid until 17 January 2020. Orders will be processed subject to remaining availability and final written confirmation. Due to varying availability across cuvées, orders may be subject to allocation. Full payment is required no later than 7 days after confirmation invoice has been sent to confirm the order. No further discount. All terms and conditions apply.
| - OFFER VALID ONLY UNTIL
17 JANUARY 2020 - PRICES ARE QUOTED NETT, no further discount - SUBJECT TO FINAL WRITTEN CONFIRMATIOn |
| Whites |
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The range of
single-vineyard Pinots and Chardonnays are essays
into the great terroirs of the Sonoma Coast and
Anderson Valley. — Antonio Galloni |
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| Reds |
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. . the most
consistent show of pinot noir came from the cellar
of Ted Lemon at Littorai . . Lemon’s radar is firmly
fixed to that of site and terroir and his ability to
tune in close to the signal, whether via chardonnay
or pinot noir, is unmatched. — Nick Stock, JamesSuckling[dot]com |
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TERMS
& CONDITIONS
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ARTISAN CELLARS JANUARY
2020 WINE LIST This list outlines a
compilation of artisanal wines that we carry. We
take pride in the sourcing and provenance of our
wines, from the most affordable to the higher ends.
As importers, most of our wines come direct from the
estates. We are proud to work with the most
respected growers from every wine region, each of
them representing the very best that their
respective appellation is capable of producing. To
augment our list, we occasionally include quality
wines from only impeccable sources. Regardless of
point of origin, we are always committed to shipping
and storing them in ideal cellar conditions. Please
email us at sales@artisan-cellars.com
or call us at +65 6838 0373 to enquire about exact
availability of wines, or to find out anything you
wish to know about our wines. |
390 Orchard Road B1-01 Palais Renaissance Singapore 238871 t +65 6838 0373 f +65 6836 0036 e sales@artisan-cellars.com w www.artisan-cellars.com |
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