"In September 1997 Roy Cloud was asked by the Michel-Schlumberger winery in Dry Creek Valley to become the buyer for a new line of French imports. He accepted, despite the fact that his French was worthless at the time.

Fortunately, his brother spoke the language well, so he came along on the early travels as a clandestine translator. They trooped across France and doors were opened, giving them an abiding appreciation for the pride the better farmers took in their work. Nearly every one of those early growers who signed on via handshake—because then, as now, the moral contract rather than a legal document guided our relationships—remain in the portfolio.

In early 2003 Roy purchased the assets of the Michel-Schlumberger import business and formed Vintage ’59. The name was changed to an iconic vintage in France (by chance, Roy’s birth year). The heart and soul of the company, however, has stayed firmly focused on artisanal domains making excellent regional wine—classic vin de terroir.

As importers, we look for wines with depth of fruit, length and elegance, rather than for obtrusive oak, over-extraction, or excessive alcohol. That said, we don’t tell growers how to make wine because that’s their expertise, not ours. And we don’t work with fatheads, regardless of how good their wine might be, because it’s not worth it. The company focuses on the rich relationships that spring from the community of growers, instead of just the commercial imperative. So we look for people who share sensibilities, and that makes them as important as the wine they produce. The rule is simple: you work with people who make you proud and whose wine you drink at home."

Alain Normand
Charles Bove
Château Coupe Roses
Château Haut Monplaisir
Claude Branger
Domaine de la Chevalerie
Domaine des Hâtes
Domaine de Montahuc
Domaine de Pavillon
Domaine Richou
Henry Natter
J-M Sélèque
Lilbert-Fils
Pavillon de Chavannes
Quinta do Tedo
Saje