Welcome to the family wineries of Steep Hill. That’s me below left in shadow paying respect to a sleeping vine in the Wagram. In the background you will notice a steep drop off toward an unseen valley below.

Over the years on these visits, I’ve noticed that most decent vineyards are not planted on flat ground. Many are on hills. In cases, the steeper the better. In fact, I like seeing vineyards on hills from the slow perspective of a bike ride. Nature’s details stay with you at that speed. And to think I used to love the blurred images of France’s high-speed TGV.

At Steep Hill, we’re not going to bring you a sample of malbec from Mendoza, a pinot grigio or a pink rose with a social comment in the name. Instead, we want to focus on less obvious trends – a graceful, unoaked Cesanese from Lazio or a Muscadet that aged over four years on its lees.

Of the eight original growers we sell in NYC, all farm sustainably and five farm under 10 hectares. Those average under 3500 cases in production. They make wine from a sense of tradition and family.

I do hope we will have enough wine to sell. That may require more bike rides up steep hills. But if you’ll contact us, we can show you a few of our discoveries.