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A 16th-Century Wine Cave, A Scallop-Rimmed Bottle Coaster, & a Free Wine Tasting

Plus: photos from our recent trip to France, an article exploring whether it’s a waste to cook with wine, and much more.

March 05, 2026

Happy Thursday! We’re writing this newsletter with a glass of Flavio Roddolo’s 2017 Dolcetto d’Alba, picked up at Discovery Wines.

We spent the past couple of weeks in Paris and Champagne, the latter thanks to a snowstorm on the East Coast that rerouted our plans. Certainly no complaints there. Between the two stops, we came away with plenty of story ideas, largely thanks to the friends we met along the way. More on that soon, but for now, here are a few photos from the trip.

In today’s newsletter, we’re sharing photos from a 16th-century cave filled with 35,000 bottles of wine, an article that discusses whether wine appellation’s systems can withstand climate change, and more.

Outside of that, a very exciting announcement! Cerise Zelenetz, the incredibly talented artist we’ve worked with for years and a huge part of shaping SWURL’s visual identity, has her first book coming out soon. It’s a small illustrated $12 book that “encourages readers to reconnect with a sense of childhood joy through whimsical drawings and playful moments of mindfulness.” You can pre-order it here. And she also just had a cartoon published in The New Yorker. Check it out here.

Enjoy, and thanks for reading!

— Nathan Bodenstein

When to use wine in your cooking, how much it matters, and why it’s not always about the price tag.

In Reims, Champagne, Les Caves du Forum houses tens of thousands of bottles underground, just 45 minutes from Paris by train. Spread across three levels of labyrinth-like caves, the shop feels like you’re stepping back in time. Bottles from producers like Legrand Latour, Domaine Méa, Ruppert-Leroy, Guiberteau, Cascina Baricchi, and much more line every square inch of the shop.

Extreme weather is testing long-standing appellation rules on allowed grape varieties, vineyard locations, and more, intensifying the debate over the future relevance of geographical indications

Previously Mentioned Articles & Videos

Tonight, Swiss winemaker Lucas Madonia will be joining us behind the bar, with our friend Drin on the music. In addition to a special by-the-glass and by-the-bottle list, we’ll also have $1 sliders with the purchase of any glass or bottle of wine.

  • When: Thursday, March 5th

  • Timing: 6—11pm

  • Location: Win Son Bakery (Manhattan), 23 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10003

  • Original Instagram Post: See here!

Thirst Wine Merchants is hosting a free tasting with Nicolas Carmarans, on Friday, March 6th from 5:30—7:30pm. Carmarans, known for helping bring the Fer grape back into the spotlight, will be pouring a range of wines including the debut Fer Nouveau alongside favorites like Fer de Sang, Maximus, and Josette. A few magnums and the Duchêne collaboration Maximus de La Pascole will also be open. Stop by to taste, chat, and meet the winemaker behind some of the most beloved bottles from the Aveyron.

  • When: Friday, March 6th 

  • Timing: 5:30—7:30pm

  • Location: Thirst Wine Merchants, 11 Greene Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11238

  • Original Instagram Post: See here!