I'm talking about Irancy, an insanely picturesque village a few miles southwest of Chablis where Pinot Noir reigns supreme. You can find two different examples of Irancy on our shelves, one championing the traditional style of the appellation and one experimental example from a collaboration of some of the finest winemakers in Burgundy.

A rare and sought-after wine, the 2004 R. López de Heredia Gran Reserva Blanco is a blend of 90% Viura and 10% Malvasia, aged for 20 years before release. This is a once-in-a-lifetime wine, that rarely makes it to retail.

A spontaneous trip to Germany’s Mosel Valley allowed the Ryan to visit five wineries in just over 24 hours.

In this two-part travel diary, Ryan recounts his time spent exploring some of the most famed wines of France and Germany. He starts with the wines of Champagne and Chablis.