By James Robinson, Your Co-op Sommelier

With the arrival of Mary Taylor Wines, the search for clean, affordable, terroir-driven daily drinkers may be over.

Taylor works directly with independent, artisanal grower-producers who farm their land respectfully and whose viticulture practices demonstrate sustainability and minimal intervention. The majority of the wineries in her portfolio are independent, although they also work with two small co-operatives – one in Bordeaux and the other in Saint-Pourçain.

Like many other small-scale farmers, Taylor’s growers often cannot afford an ‘organic’ or ‘biodynamic’ certification, yet they adhere to farming practices that would meet the criteria for certification. At a minimum, most producers in Taylor’s lineup follow the sustainability standards outlined by the Haut Valeur Environmentale (HVE) – an environmental certification for farms adopted by the European Union. These standards include conservative use of water, minimal use of fertilizers (and those made only of natural compost) and mildew treatment, holistic pest management, biodiversity and comparatively low yields.

In terms of winemaking, Taylor’s goal is to offer wines that highlight the diversity of European terroirs. As a result, Taylor’s winemakers employ little to no filtration, limit the amount of sulfur added before bottling, avoid oak and ferment with natural or local yeast strains.

So far so good, right?

When Taylor first fell in love with wine in the early 1990’s, it was the European classics that spoke to her and stole her heart. As a young professional selling French and Italian wine, first in the New York wine auctions and then as a merchant, she quickly learned to appreciate wine in the ‘Old World’ way— not as a luxury good reserved for special occasions, but a living agricultural product that belongs to everyday life.

This awakening eventually led Taylor to move to the storied region of Burgundy. And there, deep in the heart of rural French wine country, her experiences living and drinking among the area’s independent artisan growers cemented her understanding of wine as a form of liquid culture, reflecting the people and places where it has been lovingly crafted for generations.

Focus on terroir

When you pick up a bottle of Mary Taylor Wine, the first thing you’re bound to notice is the lack of a familiar grape printed on the label. Shoppers won’t see ‘Pinot Noir,’ ‘Cabernet Sauvignon,’ ‘Chardonnay,’ or ‘Merlot,’ and that’s because Taylor approaches wine differently than most stateside producers. According to Taylor, the name of the grape only tells part of the story. The missing key – which the great winemakers of Europe have known for centuries – is ‘place.’

A specific French term exists for this romantic notion that, in addition to tasting delicious, wine should tell us something about the area from which it came. Although impossible to translate literally, this concept of ‘terroir’ has sometimes been described as a ‘sense of place,’ or ‘somewhere-ness.’ It’s this concept of terroir that explains why the Pinot Noir from one village in Burgundy tastes noticeably different from the same grape grown in the next town, or even the next vineyard over. It’s also the reason why most European wine regions label their wines not according to the grape variety, but the place name, or ‘appellation’ where it was grown. Whether known in French as ‘appellation d’origine protégée,’ in Spanish as ‘denominación de origen,’ or in Italian as ‘denominazione di origine controllata,’ the basic idea is the same: each designated area imparts its own special identity. No two expressions alike.

After many years working with European wines, Taylor arrived at an important insight. Left in the dark by decades of simplistic marketing efforts that placed grape above geography, Taylor believed that American consumers needed a brand they could trust to decipher the complex notion of terroir in a clear and straightforward manner. Out of this realization, Taylor created her signature ‘White Label’ wines.

In the traditional spirit of the ‘Old World,’ each Mary Taylor ‘White Label’ wine has been selected as an ambassador of its geographical origin, true to local traditions and the vision of the individual farmer who bottled it. The labels depict simple black text on a white background. The text names the producer and the appellation and provides a brief description of the place and its maker.

The Co-op currently offers seven Mary Taylor selections ranging in price from $12 to $19.

Pedro González Mittelbrunn 2019 Castilla y León $12.99

Pedro González Mittelbrunn is a León native and Professor of Viticulture & Enology at the University of León. The vineyards are called ‘El Paramo’ and are found in the northern part of the Duero River basin. Prieto Picudo is a native varietal that Professor Mittelbrunn has been instrumental in reviving. The 2019 is a well balanced vintage with beautiful red color and ripe and fresh red fruit aromas. The wine is fresh yet powerful on the palate with a lingering finish. Easy to drink now.

Felipe Ferreira 2015 Douro $15.99

This blend brings together the aromatic intensity of Touriga Nacional, the sophisticated delicacy of Tinta Roriz (better known in Spain as Tempranillo), and the structure and elegance of Touriga Franca. Fresh red fruits on the nose persist through the palate; announcing a young, energetic wine with well-integrated tannins and a lovely, long finish.

Clara Sala 2018 Sicilia Bianco $15.99

This is 100% Grillo grown on a single hectare in the Gorghi Tondi and Preola Lake Nature Reserve in Western Sicily, slightly south of Marsala in the commune of Mazara del Vallo. The wine is 100 percent organic. Rich and saline with bright citrus notes, this wine is infinitely drinkable. Pair it with all kinds of light healthy Mediterranean foods, especially seafood.

Jean Marc Barthez 2015 Bordeaux Rouge $13.99

Barthez’s Bordeaux rouge is either glitzy nor flashy, but it perfectly embodies the region’s rural soul. A signature blend of 50 percent Merlot with equal parts Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine possesses much of the dark-fruited complexity that made Bordeaux famous in the first place, but rendered in a brighter, more refreshing frame and at a modest price.

Pascal Biotteau 2018 Anjou Rouge $15.99

This extremely conscientious farm in the Coteaux de L’Aubance within the Anjou-Villages is run by a winemaking family, known by Biotteau. This is the fourth generation of Biotteau to make wine here. Today the family is hypersensitive to respecting the land and the winery is HVE level 3 certified.

Delightfully uncomplicated, with a lush roundness and harmonious tannins, it leaves you with dark and lively berry fruit notes.

Sophie Siadou 2019 Valençay $18.99

The flinty soils of the Loire Valley appellation of Valençay are known for giving their wines a finesse, perhaps even a chalkiness. This cuvée is known as “Les Griottes” or ‘the cherries’ and its gentle character delivers notes of cherry and blackcurrant with a hint of spices in the finish. Farmed sustainably and fermented with indigenous yeasts, this one pairs perfectly with one of the area’s famed goat cheeses.

Nathalie Larroque 2918 Gaillac Perlé

Gaillac is the second oldest-known vineyard area in France. Nathalie Larroque and her family live at the farm known as Mas d’Oustry built in 1498. This blanc Perlé is made from 80 percent Mauzac and 20 percent Muscadelle – two grapes typical to the southwest of France. The word “Perlé” indicates a slight bite – tiny bubbles in the wine. Drink as an aperitif to open your senses before dinner.