2013/14 Small domaine French wines

Transcription

Small domaine French wines
2013/14
Introduction to Vine Trail
Vine Trail are specialist importers of French wines made by pioneering, small
domaines, determined to extract the best from their terroirs. We are an eight strong
team – Cath, Andrew, Robert, Lionel, Joe, Simon, Teresa and myself, who research
areas in depth by travelling to France, visiting growers and seeing their work both in
the vineyard and cellar.
Using no agents or brokers, we have developed a very individual selection and you will
find a good number of exclusive wines. These include an excellent range of top growers’
champagnes, including iconic names such as Agrapart and Jérôme Prévost, fine selection
of Rhônes featuring the outstanding Rasteau of Domaine Gourt de Mautens, and gems
from undiscovered areas such as Jura and Savoie. In 2013 you will find other notable
additions from Aurélien Suenen in Champagne, Domaine des Ardoisières in Savoie,
Emmanuel Giboulot in Côte de Beaune and Domaine du Jaugaret in Saint-Julien.
We look for wines that can be enjoyed from the first glass to the last and will satisfy
the most demanding restaurant buyers. Customers include Pollen Street Social,
The Clove Club, The Ledbury, Selfridges, The Square, Bubbledogs, Café Colbert,
Magdalen, Nobu, Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons, Noble Fine Liquor, Marcus Wareing,
L’Enclume and Pont de la Tour.
Finding wines that are natural, well-balanced and have a sense of place is our aim.
Made by growers who by dint of good viticulture, minimal chemical intervention, hard
work and fine judgement, are able to transfer the maximum potential from soil to glass.
Whilst the quality of the wine is paramount, increasingly many of our wines are made
by organic or bio-dynamic viticulture (for full list see www.vinetrail.co.uk).
We hope that you will enjoy the wines and would very much appreciate your feedback.
Nick Brookes
3
Bernard Faurie, Hermitage legend
Vine Trail 2013/14
Growers by region
Southern Rhone
18
Cote de Beaune
30
Gascogne, Jurançon and Madiran
6
Clos Thou
Domaine Labranche-Laffont
Domaine Montesquiou
Domaine San de Guilhem
Cahors, Gaillac, Fronton and Marcillac 7
Domaine de la Bérangeraie
Château la Colombière
Domaine Laurens
Domaine Rotier
Domaine de Babio
Domaine de Cébène
Domaine Coston
Domaine la Grange de Quatre Sous
Domaine Le Conte des Floris
Domaine Massamier La Mignarde
Domaine Rougié
Château de Rieux
Domaine des Terres Falmet
Roussillon9
Domaine des Chênes
Clos du Rouge Gorge, Cyril Fhal
Jean-Philippe Padié
Provence10
12
Domaine des Ardoisières
Franck Peillot
Gilles Berlioz
14
Jacques Puffeney
Julien Labet
Domaine Labet
Northern Rhone
Domaine André Perret
Benjamin & David Duclaux
Bernard Faurie
Bernard Gripa
Champ Morel
Christophe Blanc
Domaine Clusel-Roch
Eric & Joël Durand
Domaine Garon
Guillaume Gilles
Domaine du Murinais
Pierre Gonon
Robert Michel
Cote de Nuits
16
Mâcon and Beaujolais
34
Daniel Bouland
Gilbert Chanudet
Domaine J. Chamonard
Marc Jambon & Fils
Marcel Lapierre
Pascal Pauget
Domaine de Prion
Château des Rontets
Alsace
36
Domaine André Thomas
Domaine Dirler-Cadé
Domaine Frédéric Mochel
Domaine Léon Boesch
Domaine Roland Schmitt
Champagne38
25
Bertrand & Lise Jousset
Claude Branger
Château de Coulaine
Domaine Croix Saint Ursin
François Pinon
Gérard Boulay
Gérard Marula
Domaine Grosbois
Domaine du Gué d’Orger
Domaine Jeannot
Domaine de La Quilla
Domaine Le Petit Saint Vincent
Domaine du Mortier
Pierre Riffault
Domaine des Pothiers
Domaine de Riaux
Domaine Ricard
Richard Leroy
Sébastien Bobinet
Vincent Raimbault
Chablis28
Daniel Dampt
Domaine Oudin
Domaine Pattes Loup
Domaine Pinson
33
Domaine Amiot-Servelle
Domaine Cécile Tremblay
Thierry Mortet
Château de Bellevue
Château Brulesécaille
Château Cassagne Haut-Canon
Château du Champ des Treilles
Clos du Jaugueyron
Château Dauphiné-Rondillon
Château Haut-Goujon
Château Haut-Nouchet
Haut-Renaissance
Château Haut-Segottes
Château La Grave Singalier
Domaine du Jaugaret
Château Jonc Blanc
Château Les Gravières
Château Moulin de Lagnet
Château Moutin
Domaine de Perreau
Château Pont Saint-Martin
Château de Rouquette
Domaine Rousset-Peyraguey
Château Thibeaud-Maillet
Les Trois Petiotes
Loire
Domaine la Suffrène
Château Sainte-Anne
Jura
Caroline Morey
Claude & Catherine Maréchal
Emmanuel Giboulot
Jean Féry
Jean-Philippe Fichet
Marc Colin
Bordeaux21
Languedoc8
Savoie and Bugey
Domaine Charvin
Eric Bouletin
Domaine de Ferrand
Domaine Gallety
Domaine Gourt de Mautens
Domaine du Grapillon d’Or
Martinelle
Domaine de l’Oratoire Saint Martin
Domaine la Péquélette
Domaine Pierre André & Fille
Domaine Raspail-Ay
Roucas Toumba
Domaine du Trapadis
Agrapart
Aurélien Suenen
Benoit Lahaye
Bérèche & Fils
Chartogne-Taillet
Emmanuel Brochet
Georges Laval
Inflorescence, Cédric Bouchard
Jacques Lassaigne
La Closerie, Jérôme Prévost
Larmandier-Bernier
Lilbert & Fils
Roses de Jeanne, Cédric Bouchard
Ulysse Collin
Vouette et Sorbée, Bertrand Gautherot
Additional information
Halves, Magnums and Sweet Wines 44
Map of regions
45
How to order
46
5
Gascogne, Jurançon
and Madiran
Jurançon is one of the most beautiful
viticultural areas of France, set in the lush,
green, rolling foothills of the Pyrénées, just to
the west of Pau. The landscape has evolved
from large rivers that carried clays, sands and
gravels northwards from the Pyrénées over
the last 25 million years. These Miocene
alluvial deposits are made up of ‘poudingues’
(iron-cemented conglomerates), and pebbly
silt, containing quartz, sandstone and
metamorphic rock.
Jurançon has two main centres of viticulture,
La Chapelle de Rousse, where there are many
dramatic amphitheatre shaped vineyards,
and Monein, 20km to the north-west.
As cool winds from the south hit the hills
of La Chapelle de Rousse first, their vines
tend to ripen two weeks later than the more
sheltered vineyards of Monein. This may
be one of the reasons why the sweet, very
late-harvested wines of La Chapelle de Rousse
(Clos Thou’s base) are so good.
Christine Dupuy has become one of the most
acclaimed winemakers in Madiran, (she is one
of only four Madiran domaines starred by the
2013 Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France),and
it really helps that she is the only woman
making wine in this up and coming
appellation. Many of her fellow vignerons,
whilst being a gregarious bunch who enjoy
life to the full and are mad keen on rugby
(at least until a couple of months ago!),
sometimes bring the subtleties of a rugby
scrum to wine-making. Madiran can often
be a bit too big and powerful, with lashings
of new oak. In Christine’s hands it is a much
more precise, balanced wine, whose phenolic
ripeness is relieved by a welcome freshness
and really fine tannins.
Key to symbols
6
white
red
rosé
1
Vin de Pays des Côtes de
Gascogne 2012
Domaine de San de Guilhem
40% Gros Manseng, 30% Ugni Blanc,
15% Colombard, 15% Sauvignon (11.5% alc.)
France’s best value white vin de pays, with vibrant refreshing fruit and the added bonus of low alcohol.
£6.13 exc. VAT
2
Jurançon Sec AC 2011
Cuvade Preciouse
Domaine Montesquiou
60% Gros Manseng, 30% Petit Manseng,
10% Petit Courbu (14% alc.)
This is Montesquiou’s top cuvée from very low yielding 40 year old vines. Sensitively aged in new to five year old barrels, the wine’s intense, exotic fruit is nicely tethered by a characteristic, refreshing acidity.
For drinking now to 2015.
3
£9.96 exc. VAT
Jurançon AC 2011 Clos Thou
Henri Lapouble-Laplace
100% Petit Manseng (13% alc, 84g/l of rs)
This is Clos Thou’s top wine and only 1500 bottles of this exceptional sweet wine are made every year. Produced from minute yields of late-picked grapes that are left to shrivel on the vine (passerillage) until early December, when the snows are falling in the nearby Pyrénées. It is an intense sweet white with a cut of acidity so often lacking in other wines. For drinking now to 2018+.
50cl £11.00 exc. VAT
sweet white / red
4
Madiran AC 2010
£8.83 exc. VAT
5
Madiran AC 2010
Vieilles Vignes
60% Tannat, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon,
20% Cabernet Franc (14% alc.)
Two thirds of Christine Dupuy’s 45 year old
vineyards produce this cuve-aged wine
whose dense ripe black fruit puts me in
mind of good northern spanish reds.
Low yields, optimum maturity for grape
picking and a gentle touch when it comes
to extraction help to give the wine
freshness and balance. For drinking now
to 2016.
100% Tannat (14.5% alc.)
Old vines means an average age of 50 years (with one small parcel of ‘pre-phylloxera’ vines over 130 years old). The vines are pruned hard to ensure a low yield. Light pigeage is applied during the fermentation in cement cuve before one year in oak
barrels (25% new). The wine has a deep blackcurrant colour, offers ripe cassis and liquorice on the nose, intense fruit with a
hint of spice on the palate, and a long sustained finish. For drinking now to 2020+.
£12.08 exc. VAT
Cahors, Gaillac,
Fronton and Marcillac
Bérangeraie is the type of domaine that inspired
me to set up Vine Trail 20 years ago. Run by
the exceptionally hard working Bérenger family,
the domaine is in the hands of Maurin, his wife
Marlène (both oenologists), sister Juline and her
husband Henri. Parents Sylvie and André
originally had the mountainous task of clearing
the hillsides of trees and shrubs to plant 20
hectares of vine in 1970 and still help out with
work in the vines and the office.
Dynamic doesn’t quite go far enough to
describe the Bérengers’ work. In the vineyards
they plough, leaf-thin and debud to produce
low yields. They are also the only domaine in
Cahors where all the vines are hand-harvested.
Hand-harvesting is four times more expensive
than machine harvesting, but it prolongs the
life of the vine, and is the only way to ensure
the quality of every grape that goes into the
fermentation vat.
In 2002 they then set out to build two
houses for their young families from the local
rough-hewn limestone. As if this work was not
enough, Maurin was then voted president of
the grower’s syndicat for three years where,
determined to show all the wines of Cahors
in a better light, he persuaded the growers to
reduce their maximum yield from 60 to 50hh.
Now with houses finished and three years
spell as president behind him,(though after a
two year break he has just been re-elected for
another stint!), Maurin and the Bérenger family
are applying all their efforts to finessing and
improving their wines a touch further. How do
they do this when they are hardly in need of
oenological advice? According to Maurin, by
regular tastings, when five of the top Cahors
winemakers meet and taste each other’s wines
(Pascal Verhaeghe from Château du Cèdre is
one of the five), and also by a recent conversion
to organic viticulture.
If you enjoy wild, mountainous country,
spectacular scenery, rugged red sandstone
buildings and your wines with a real irony ping
on the finish, then head for Marcillac, an hour
and a half east of Cahors. Marcillac is the type
of wine you could drink every day, and indeed,
given its claimed cholesterol-lowering qualities,
should drink every day.
6
Marcillac AC 2011
£7.83 exc. VAT
7
8
9
10 Cahors AC 2008
Domaine Laurens
100% Fer Servadou (12.5% alc.)
Marcillac comes from terraced hillside
vineyards with extraordinary deep red soil, rich in iron oxide. Medical studies have indicated that Marcillac is particularly good for the heart as it lowers cholesterol. It is a very supple, lighter structured wine, with
raspberry, blackberry fruit and iron on the finish. An especially versatile food wine.
Fronton AC 2011 Réserve
Château la Colombière
80% Negrette, 15% Syrah, 5% Cabernet
(12.5% alc.)
The Cauvins have produced a beautifully balanced, delicately extracted wine made by bio-dynamic viticulture. It offers a most attractive, clear mid-cherry colour – the syrah and cabernet help deepen it a touch (and provide a little extra structure). On the palate it offers supple, smaller red fruits, with a hint of liquorice and black pepper, and has good length and freshness.
£9.38 exc. VAT
New
Cahors AC 2007 Cuvée Juline
90% Malbec, 10% Merlot (12.5% alc.)
An elegant approachable wine, the 2007 has a deep raspberry colour, a mix of blueberry, cassis, liquorice and menthol hints on the nose and palate, medium-body and fine silky tannins on the finish.
£9.13 excl. VAT
Cahors AC 2008 Cuvée Maurin
100% Malbec (14% alc.)
Exceptional wine made from 100% pure malbec, this has a much deeper, almost black cherry colour. Given a longer cuvaison than the Cuvée Juline, it has more structure and a different aromatic profile – slightly
tobaccoey, with fruit more redolent of figs/
prunes and a touch of menthol and spice on the finish. For drinking now to 2016.
Les Quatre Chambrées
100% Malbec (13.5% alc.)
This is Bérangeraie’s top unoaked wine and
comes from a due south-facing hillside where the soil is a deeply weathered
limestone imbued with iron deposits.
Yields are 15% lower than the Maurin at 28hh and the temperature of
fermentation is never allowed to exceed a low 25°C (above which point harsher more unstable elements are extracted). It has bigger, riper fruit again than the
Maurin, with notable menthol, liquorice, limestone and iron notes and tremendous depth. For drinking now to 2018.
£12.00 exc. VAT
11 Cahors AC 2009
La Gorgée de Mathis Bacchus
100% Malbec (15.5% alc.)
Berangeraie’s top cuvée, Mathis Bacchus comes from 35 year old vines planted in Jurassic limestones and marls on the hillsides of Floressas. Vinified in cuve, it was then transferred to new oak barrels for malolactic fermentation and bottled after fining but no filtration in April 2011. The oak is very well integrated, and the wine shows intriguing malbec character of mocha, eucalyptus, bay leaves and cloves. For drinking now to 2018+.
12 £16.00 exc. VAT
Gaillac Doux AC 2009 Renaissance
Domaine Rotier
100% Loin de l’oeil (13.5% alc, 165g/l of rs)
This wine is made from tiny yields of grapes concentrated by pourriture noble. It is a rich complex wine with pears and apples coming through very clearly on both the nose and palate. This wine would be the perfect match for foie gras, or go equally well with chocolate based desserts or blue cheese. For drinking now to 2017.
£9.58 exc. VAT (magnums also available)
Château la Colombière is an old Fronton
estate with 600 years of history taken over by
Diane and Philippe Cauvin in 2006, who first
gained organic certification and now work
bio-dynamically. They have 16 hectares of vines,
located half an hour to the north of Toulouse,
and produce stunning, great value wines based
around the unusual négrette grape.
7
Languedoc
Languedoc is at its best as a source of good
value wines. Inland, on the hillsides of the
Montagne Noire, there are some very good
terroirs, based on the underlying schist, granite,
volcanic lava and sandstone. Here the wines can
offer a real change of gear from wines grown
on the more clay-based soils of the gentle,
sun-baked shelf further south. All the wines
in this section have been tasted alongside
Ventoux, Côtes-du-Rhônes from Charvin and
Ferrand, and Cairanne from Oratoire. Only if the
wines offer a point of difference to the excellent
grenache based wines from the Rhône, and
offer real value for money are they listed.
In 2006, well known oenologist Brigitte
Chevalier purchased four hectares of vines
in two geologically distinct locations, one a
terraced hillside in the extreme north of the
Faugères appellation, and the other on mixed
marine and alluvial deposits in Corneilhan,
20km from the Mediterranean. Looking for
freshness and a digestibility in her wines, her
parcels of vines largely face to the north, at a
good altitude (320m) and are well ventilated.
Organic viticulture, old vines, low yields, gentle
extraction combine to produce stunning wines.
Hildegard Horat originates from Switzerland,
and is married to a Cameroonian. She runs her
eight hectare estate located in the Montagne
Noire in the St Chinian appellation, where
she has chosen to work with grape varieties
outside this AOC, notably with the unique and
extremely rare petite arvine white grape,
arguably Switzerland’s finest variety. This year
we have added a red wine ‘Garsinde’,
interestingly made with a good proportion
of malbec. This is a grape that thrives in a hot
climate and if global warming continues might
well be better suited to growing in Languedoc
than Bordeaux varieties.
13 14 8
IGP Côteaux de Peyriac 2011
Domaine Massamier la Mignarde
30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Carignan, 20% Cinsault, 10% Grenache, 10% Syrah (13.5% alc.)
This wine is traditionally vinified (most cheap reds are made by macération
carbonique) by a very good Minervois La Livinière producer. An unforced wine with good fruit and character.
£6.46 exc. VAT
IGP Saint Guilhem Le Désert 2011
Domaine Coston
30% Carignan, 30% Grenache, 20% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot, 10% Cinsault (14% alc.)
This comes from the chalky, clayey slopes of
Puéchabon, 50 kilometres north-west of
Montpellier. It has an attractive ruby colour,
fresh, juicy cherry fruit, spice and pepper on the palate.
£7.25 exc. VAT
15 16 17 Viognier Vin de Pays d’Oc 2011 Domaine Rougié
100% Viognier (13.5% alc.)
Very low yields (30hh) provide the base for this quality oak-aged viognier with a
characteristic apricoty, peachy stamp.
£8.42 exc. VAT
Minervois AC 2011 Rosé
Domaine de Babio
50% Grenache Gris, 50% Aramon (12.5% alc.)
Superb pale pink with salmon reflections. Nose and flavours of small red berries, good freshness and very well balanced.
£7.46 exc. VAT
Minervois AC 2009
Château de Rieux
90% Syrah, 10% Grenache (14% alc.)
This syrah dominant Minervois has lush,
attractive blackberry fruit, liquorice, a touch of oak and silky tannins. For drinking now to 2014.
£10.42 exc. VAT
21 St Chinian AC 2008
L’Ivresse des Cimes
40% Mourvèdre, 30% Syrah,
30% Grenache (13.5% alc.)
From a steep hillside vineyard in the
Montagne Noire, this comes from 40 year old vines, and is minerally, spicy and
tobaccoey. In our view Saint Chinian is one of the finest appellations of Languedoc, and this is a really good example.
22 Côteaux du Languedoc AC 2010 Arès Blanc
Domaine Le Conte des Floris
65% Marsanne, 35% Carignan Blanc (13.5% alc.)
A complex and very original wine, this has a deservedly excellent reputation. It is rich,
dense, and yet very balanced, offering apricot and peach fruit, nuts, honey,
gingerbread and liquorice, with a gently spicy, very long finish. Will appeal to lovers of fine northern Rhône whites. For drinking now to 2014.
18 19 20
£8.83 exc. VAT
£12.67 exc. VAT
Vin de Table 2011 Bu N’Daw
100% Petite Arvine (13% alc.)
An individual, unique wine from a top swiss variety, vinified very slowly in recent 600 litre barrels over 18 months.
An attractive pale gold colour, there is a floral hint on the nose, a well-balanced attack, with ripe citrus fruit and a notable saline kick on the finish. For drinking now to 2015.
£11.46 exc. VAT
IGP Pays d’Oc 2011 Garsinde
60% Malbec, 25% Syrah,
15% Cabernet Franc (14.5% alc.)
Hildegard’s red, produced from the cooler terroirs of Assignan in the St Chinian
appellation, has a succulent, spicy, dark cherry fruit with a hint of garrigue herbs. It’s fresh and easy to drink and is very
moreish. For drinking now to 2014.
£9.25 exc. VAT
New
Carignan Vin de France 2010
100% Carignan (13.5% alc.)
Yves Falmet’s wines have attractive,
unforced fruit with excellent texture and mouthfeel. This low yield, hand-harvested carignan comes from the same north-facing vineyard as his Saint Chinian and has been cuve aged to retain all its spicy, black,
liquoricey fruit. For drinking now to 2014.
£7.71 exc. VAT
23
24
IGP Pays d’Oc 2010 Ex Arena
Domaine de Cébène
90% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre (14% alc.)
So called because the vines are planted in
a deep bed of sandy soil “ex arena”, developed on marine and alluvial deposits in Corneilhan, 20k from the Mediterranean. Yields are very low, 20hh for the grenache and 10hh for the mourvèdre. Vinified and aged in cuve, this wine has a lovely dark plum but translucent colour. Not destalked, which helps to provide an excellent
structure, the spicy, black cherry fruit retains
a most attractive freshness. For drinking now to 2015.
£11.33 exc. VAT
Faugères AC 2010 Les Bancels
Domaine de Cébène
60% Syrah, 20% Mourvèdre,
20% Grenache (14% alc.)
Brigitte’s Faugères vines grow near Bédarieux on a terraced, north facing hillside for the syrah and grenache, and a due south facing plot for the mourvèdre. Faugères is renowned for its thin soils developed on underlying schist, here
evident in brittle, thin layers, with lots of iron, which may help to imbue the fruit with a signature stony mineral flavour.
Black cherry and blueberry fruit is abundant and dense, with spicy and wild garrigue herb notes, and this wine opens out really well with a good carafeing. For drinking now to 2016.
£12.58 exc. VAT
Roussillon
Cyril Fhal’s Clos du Rouge Gorge comes
from the village of Latour de France (one of
the very best for Roussillon-Villages). Cyril
bought his six hectares of vineyards in 2002
having worked with Mark Angeli and Charlie
Foucault in the Loire, and then as the chef de
cave of Mas Crémat in Roussillon. He chooses
to work outside the AOC, as he believes the
rules of the Roussillon-Villages AOC (e.g.
minimum 30% syrah and/or mourvèdre)
make for wines that are contrary to the
tradition, soil and climate of Roussillon.
Since he took over, Cyril has searched for a
natural balance in the vineyard to help give
finer and more complex expressions in his
wines. He uses no tractors, just a motorized
hand-held cultivator and a horse to help with
ploughing. He also sows leguminous plants
between the rows of vines, rolling them and
folding them back in the summer so that they
act as a reserve of humidity, helping every
vine to keep enough freshness in its grapes
and to suffer less from the heat. The village
of Latour de France is known to have the
driest, non-irrigated vineyard in the world (an
average of just 250mm of rain a year).
Practising bio-dynamic viticulture for Cyril
most importantly entails observing with a lot
of attention the nature of each of his vines
and reacting according to their needs.
Cyril is a workaholic and held in awe and
respect by his fellow vignerons. All his wines
are exceptional: southern by their flavours
and northern by their tension, acidity,
precision and freshness. It is Vine Trail’s
raison d’être to seek out superstars in
emerging regions, and in Cyril Fhal we are
extremely lucky to have found just that.
I would recommend snapping up a case or
two of these outstanding wines whilst they
still offer superb value for money.
New this year is the Fleur de Cailloux of
Jean-Philippe Padié who has ten hectares of
vines split into 30 parcels around the superb
terroir of Calce, where the soils are derived
from a complex mix of schist, gneiss, marl
and limestone. Calce is especially suited to
the production of white wines – Pithon and
Gauby’s best whites also come from here.
And according to Eric Zwiebel, who as this list
goes out is representing the UK in the
Meilleur Sommelier du Monde competition,
Padié now produces Roussillon’s finest
whites, making wines with very good tension,
low alcohol and a stony mineral element
(it always amazes me that by dint of
exceptionally hard work in the vines, the best
Roussillon whites often have lower alcohols
than the whites in the Côte de Beaune).
25 Muscat de Rivesaltes AC 2010
28 Vin de Pays des Côtes Catalanes Domaine des Chênes
70% Muscat à Petits Grains,
30% Muscat d’Alexandrie (15.5% alc, 118g/l of rs)
Made by Alain Razungles, professor of
oenology at Montpellier University, this is unquestionably one of France’s finest
muscats. It comes from the village of Vingrau, a superb terroir, has a sumptuous
concentration, a floral bouquet (jasmine) and a clean, controlled palate smacking of
lexia raisins.
£11.25 exc. VAT
26 IGP Côtes Catalanes Blanc 2011 Fleur de Cailloux
Jean-Philippe Padié
50% Grenache Blanc, 30% Grenache Gris,
20% Maccabeu (12.5% alc)
Padié produces this wine by organically certified viticulture and 60 year old
complanted vines. Yields are very low at
18hh. Malos are completed, and the wine is
aged in a mix of one quarter stainless steel and three quarters two to nine year old barrels. It has a beautiful mid-gold colour, notable attack, fresh and mineral on the palate with citrus fruit and an attractive hint of bitterness and stony mineral character on
a long finish. For drinking now to 2018.
£13.33 exc. VAT
New
27 Vin de Pays des Côtes Catalanes Blanc 2010
100% Maccabeu (13% alc.)
70 year old macabéo planted on two hillsides of gneiss and orthogneiss (north and east-facing which helps to preserve freshness). The wine is aged with no
batonnage in a new 500 ltr barrel made by
famous Austrian tonnelier Stockinger and several three and four year old
barriques. Delicacy and a terrific freshness characterize this wine, citrus fruits with aromatic herbs, notes of liquorice, white pepper, lemon thyme, anise, lavender, mint, a mineral cut and a salty, slightly smoky character on the long finish. Unfined and unfiltered. For drinking now to 2018.
Rouge 2012 Jeunes Vignes
Cyril’s idea of young vines are 25 years old,
planted in thin soils developed over
upturned schist in a lieu-dit called
Mont-Redon after the famous CNDP estate. Vinified in 500 litre wooden cuve for three months, and then aged in stainless steel for eight months, to capture the fruit and
freshness, Cyril’s approach here is one of extreme delicacy, producing a floral, finely tuned grenache with a notable schisty, mineral print, miles away from the rustic brutes that grenache can often produce. Available November. For drinking now to 2015.
£14.88 exc. VAT
29 Vin de Pays des Côtes Catalanes Rouge 2008
95% Carignan, 5% Grenache (13% alc.)
Very low yields from 70 to 100 year old vines, meticulous grape selection in the vineyard, gentle extraction (more like
infusion), sensitive handling of oak
(10 months in recent 500ltr and older
barriques), and minimal sulphur, combine to produce this extraordinary wine.
Exuding spicy black fruits with liquorice
and a notable mineral freshness, it has an
exceptional texture and suppleness with great balance and length. Unfined and unfiltered. For drinking now to 2016.
£20.79 exc. VAT
£15.21 exc. VAT
9
Provence
When we took a fresh look at Bandol,
Château Ste Anne were the runaway winners
of each of the three flights of wines that we
tasted, and a little like the time when I found
Gérard Boulay in Sancerre, I am at a loss as to
why such lovely wines have never previously
been imported into the UK. They are excellent
wines not just in a Bandol context, but also
when one considers all southern appellations
from Roussillon to Provence. Ste Anne have
14 hectares of vines based in Ste Anne
d’Evenos, just two kilometres from the sea.
The soils here are derived from limestone,
with thin interbeds of pure white sand. In
this arid climate the vineyards are oriented
towards the north, and this, together with
fastidious organic viticulture help to keep
the alcohol levels across the range to 12.5%
(increasingly rare in an appellation where a
good number of the wines weigh in at 14.5%
or more).
30 31 32 10
Bandol Rosé AC 2011
45% Mourvèdre, 30% Cinsault,
Bandol rosés complement Mediterranean cuisine especially well. The mourvèdre grape marks the nose with a mineral quality and a fresh, balanced, long impression on the palate.
£11.25 exc. VAT
Bandol Rouge AC 2009
60% Mourvèdre, 20% Cinsault,
20% Grenache (15.5% alc.)
Unfined and unfiltered, this has a deep healthy colour, good ripe fruit on the nose with hints of leather and spice. Mid-weight on the palate with savoury, tobaccoey
tannins and a good finish. For drinking
now to 2017.
£13.75 exc. VAT (half bottles also available)
Bandol Blanc AC 2011
Château Ste Anne
50% Clairette Verte, 50% Ugni Blanc (12.5% alc.)
This wine comes from 39 year old vines planted on limestone-clay hillsides with siliceous sub-soils. Yields are 26hh
(viticulture is organically certified) and the wine has been aged for six months in cuve. Mid-gold in colour the wine is very pure and precise, with complex fruit hinting at melon, straw, fennel, anise, with notable balance and freshness. On the finish there is a little sea-salt, and an attractive
bitterness. For drinking now to 2018.
£15.63 exc. VAT
33 34 Bandol Rosé AC 2010
Château Ste Anne
40% Mourvèdre, 30% Grenache,
30% Cinsault (12.5% alc.)
40 year old vines, organically tended, here give a yield of just 27hh. This rosé is a very attractive onion skin colour with red fruits, fennel, garrigue herbs and a hint of spice. For drinking now to 2015+.
£13.54 exc. VAT
Bandol Rouge AC 2009
Château Ste Anne
60% Mourvèdre, 20% Grenache,
20% Cinsault (12.5% alc.)
Ste Anne’s red has an exceptional colour a clear mid-raspberry extending right to the edge. On the nose you find black fruits, liquorice, a hint of game and a lightly saline note. The palate is supple and mid-weight, with black fruits, liquorice, truffle and leather. It is very elegant wine, drinking beautifully now though will age very well. For drinking now to 2020.
£16.63 exc. VAT
Savoie and Bugey
The secret is out about Savoie wines – there
is now a thirsty international market for their
best wines and prices have firmed up. We are
big fans of the region, as its top wines from
singular grape varieties aren’t just interesting
curiosities, but offer unique flavours with an
utterly delicious drinkability, real versatility of
food matching, and low alcohol levels thanks
to steep, high altitude vineyards.
Gilles Berlioz has just over three hectares of
vines tended bio-dynamically in Chignin to the
south of Chambéry. His vines produce just
32hh, when the average for the appellation
pushes 70 hectos. A little like Cyril Fhal in
Roussillon and Richard Leroy in Anjou, Gilles
looks after his vines as though they were
flowers in his back garden. He is helped by his
wife Christine who is also a part-time nurse,
and on the ploughing front by a mare called
Paula! His wines are very individual, unforced
and natural - none of them have been aged
in oak.
Brice Omont’s nine hectare Domaine des
Ardoisières is very much the new star.
Originally from Champagne, Brice worked
alongside Michel Grisard for seven years at
Ardoisières before buying Grisard out with
the help of a group of wine enthusiasts.
Bio-dynamic viticulture is heroic here, where
terraced slopes above Albertville can reach
70%. Yields are very low, wines made from
complanted grapes and the results are knock
out and original. Ardoisières has already
jumped to the top of the small number of
quality Savoie domaines, and is the Guide
des Vins de France’s top rated domaine.
The dramatic clump of rock that is
Montagnieu (one of the three crus of Bugey),
where Franck Peillot’s vines are planted, is
one of Savoie’s finest terroirs. Montagnieu
is situated at the southern end of the Jura
mountain chain, but is much closer to the
Savoie than Jura viticultural area. It is no
surprise that such a fine terroir has produced
a Roussette de Bugey which at 94 points
was the highest rated wine in an extensive
recent Savoie tasting by David Schildknecht
for Parker’s Wine Advocate. He wrote no
less than 20 lines of description on the wine,
concluding, ‘You’ll have trouble locating a
more sensational value than this in the world
of wine’. Peillot is a passionate advocate of
the noble quality of this grape which needs
old vines on steep hillsides, limestone derived
soils, low yields and is best vinified dry with
no malos.
35 40 IGP St Pierre de Soucy 2011
Gilles Berlioz
100% Jacquère (11% alc.)
This comes from 30 to 80 year old vines planted in clayey soil on a steep limestone hillside. It is a light, zesty wine, with
surprising length and a chalky lift on the finish. For drinking now to 2015+.
£9.96 exc. VAT
36 37
Chignin AC 2011 Chez l’Odette Gilles Berlioz
100% Jacquère (11% alc.)
This is Gilles’ top micro-cuvée (just 1200 bts produced) from 15 year old vines, planted on an extremely steep, southeast facing hillside. The yield here drops down to 30hh (the wine above is 42hh) and because of the dense juice, Gilles is able to use a little less sulphur too. You know that this is a wine from a fine terroir – the wine
has real class, perfect balance,
is mouthwateringly mineral (saline and
hot stone) and is very, very long on the
finish. For drinking now to 2018+.
£12.75 exc. VAT
New
Roussette de Savoie AC 2010/2011
Gilles Berlioz
100% Altesse (11% alc.)
Bone dry with a touch more body than the basic Chignin, this has an intriguing nose, richness with a hint of spice (altesse is akin to the pinot gris) and lovely white fruits on the palate, with good relief from acidity on the finish. For drinking now to 2015.
£13.92 exc. VAT
38 Chignin Bergeron AC 2011 Les Filles
Gilles Berlioz
100% Bergeron (11.45% alc.)
Bergeron is a synonym for the roussanne grape, and here gives a rich, concentrated wine with apricot/peach fruit but with more natural acidity. Fermented 100% dry and cuve aged only, it has been made from low yields, harvested in various sorties when only the ripest bunches were
selected. For drinking now to 2018+.
£18.96 exc. VAT
39 12
Chignin AC 2010
Mondeuse AC 2011 La Deuse
Gilles Berlioz
85% Mondeuse, 15% Persan (10.4% alc.)
La Deuse is a memory of times past when
many wines’ alcohol levels were between
8-10 degrees – a pre-Parker golden age!
Persan adds a little tannic structure and
intense red fruits to the typical mondeuse
flavour and aromas of violets, black fruits
and pepper. Very sappy, racy fruit, with
fantastic digestibility. For drinking now
to 2019.
£18.75 exc. VAT
Argile Blanc
40% Jacquère, 40% Chardonnay, 20% Mondeuse Blanche (12% alc.)
40 year old vines here, planted at high
altitude(400m) on steep schist based
hillsides. A perfectly balanced weight and
tension, with smoky notes on the nose, very
frank and pure on the palate, with ripe lemony fruit, and intense mineral character (hot stone and saline) that really tugs on the salivary glands. For drinking now to 2018.
£13.00 exc. VAT
New
41 IGP St Pierre de Soucy 2011
Argile Rouge
80% Gamay de Chautagne, 20% Persan(12% alc.)
40 year old vines worked organically on west facing schist based hillsides. Vinified in cuve, the grapes are not destalked, and given a ten day cuvaison before a nine month elevage in five to ten year old barrels. With gentle carafing this wine reveals an exciting aromatic range – violet, pomegranite, spicy red fruits and a very irony, stony, mineral flecked palate.
£15.63 exc. VAT
New
42 IGP Cévins 2011 Améthyste
60% Persan, 40% Mondeuse Noire (12% alc.)
This is the domaine’s top cuvee from a great terroir – a south-facing terraced vineyard on a vertiginous 60˚ slope where the soil is derived from metamorphic
micaschists. Yields are just 20hh, and it’s made from whole bunches, then aged in two to three year old barrels. From an aromatic and taste perspective, it is most similar to a Côte-Rôtie from the north of Ampuis where schist predominates. It has a stony, raspberry fruit, touch of pepper, perfect balance and a lip-smacking salinity on the finish. For drinking now to 2018.
£32.67 exc. VAT
New
43 Roussette du Bugey AC 2012
Montagnieu
Franck Peillot
100% Altesse (12% alc.)
The vines here average 50 years of age, planted on the steep hillside of Montagnieu in soils of marl and limestone rubble,
overlying a limestone base. Vinified
in cuve and bottled in July, it needs a minimum of eight months to begin to open out. You’ll then find quince, honey, acacia blossom, a touch of liquorice, peach and exotic fruits. It has an excellent structure, quite tense, with very precise detailed fruit and a lovely streak of acidity. Available
September. For drinking 2014 to 2020.
£12.38 exc. VAT
New
44 Bugey AC 2012 Montagnieu
Mondeuse
Franck Peillot
100% Mondeuse Noire (12% alc.)
Some vines here were planted pre-1900 and the rest between 1972 to 2003 with 1.20h in total. Tends to thrive where altesse doesn’t and vice versa! Not destalked and macerated in an open cuve for ten days, it was then cuve aged for eight months. Deep dark colour, but judicious extraction of black forest fruits. After six months in bottle it develops a beautiful bouquet, peony, cinnamon, black pepper and
numerous spices, and its youthful, initially angular tannins round out and become velvety and harmonious. Available
September. For drinking now to 2017.
£11.71 exc. VAT
New
45 Bugey AC Montagnieu
Méthode Traditionnelle NV
Franck Peillot
40% Altesse, 30% Chardonnay, 30% Mondeuse Noire (12% alc.)
This sparkling wine has real vinosity and much more quality and character than other sparkling wines like Prosecco. It is actually pure 2011 in this cuvée, vinified in cuve, and aged for 12 months sur lattes with a 6g/l
dosage. Very fine mousse, saline and long on the finish, it is just delicious.
£12.58 exc. VAT
New
13
Jura
We have been very encouraged by the
increase in interest in our Jura range from
Julien Labet and Jacques Puffeney. It’s not
surprising when you know that their wines
are right at the top of the Jura quality
hierarchy, and also make more enjoyable
drinking than many of the whites, made
just 50 miles west in Burgundy. The Labet
wines are made from old vines, low yields, no
chaptalisation, no new oak and they are given
a full 18 month elevage. They are not rushed
to the market, have more interesting flavours
and aromatics than many burgundies, and
you don’t need to wait for several years whilst
new oak integrates.
There has been a changing of the guard in
the Labet family with Alain retiring at the
end of December 2012. The family had
anticipated this moment and from the start
of 2010, son Julien(with the help of his
brother and sister) had taken over charge of
viticulture for the Domaine Labet wines as
well as his own, and from the 2012 vintage
there will be a rationalization of the two
ranges of wines. One thing is for sure, the
viticulture will be at least organic for all the
wines, and Julien talked in November about
the possibility of going bio-dynamic with his
range. Julien’s wines tend to come from tiny
parcels, lower yields, with lower/zero sulphur
use. Domaine Labet have some very good
terroirs, and this year we have listed their
‘Bardette’ chardonnay.
Jacques Puffeney has always been a master
of the region’s oxidized whites, slowly aged
under a veil of yeast. However, this year we
are really excited to have been able to extract
for the first time another of Jacques’
specialities - Trousseau red. This is a fragile
variety that only properly ripens one year in
two - fortunately 2011 is an excellent vintage
where there was no necessity to chaptalise.
It is a rare speciality that is worth putting
away in your cellar for a couple of years.
46 Côtes du Jura AC 2012
Poulsard En Billat
Julien Labet
100% Poulsard (11.9% alc.)
This red wine comes from 70 and 110 year old vines in an excellent lieu dit and the yield was just 25hh. A delicate light pinot in colour, this has a silky texture, vibrant red fruits, touch of pepper and clear-cut minerality. Very long on the finish, it will age effortlessly. Available in September.
For drinking now to 2020+.
£16.96 exc. VAT
New
Pinot Noir Les Varrons
Fleur de Savagnin En Chalasse
Julien Labet
100% Pinot Noir (11.5% alc.)
A quarter hectare of 50 year old vines here planted in a sandy, clay soil overlying lime
stone. Yields are 45hh, the grapes are destalked 100%, and no sulphur is used in the cave at any stage. Delicately extracted, it has a very pretty, pale strawberry colour, with juicy fresh cherry and rosehip flavours, and invigorating, mouthwatering salinity. For drinking now to 2014.
Julien Labet
100% Savagnin (14.5% alc.)
Julien makes this topped up savagnin with 10-15% of botrytised grapes from a parcel of 0.5ha planted in 2003. Very intense nose of hazelnut and warm stone with a hint of lemon. The mouth is lively, with a very good acidity, hint of saffron and a little creaminess on the palate which brings even more volume to the wine. The finish is very long, dry with a salty and stewed lemon character. For drinking now to 2017.
£15.63 exc. VAT
New
48 Côtes du Jura AC 2010 La Bardette
Domaine Labet
100% Chardonnay (13% alc.)
Before you hit limestone, where you find lots of fossils and seashells, there’s only 40 to 60cm of marl here, and this has helped to give a very elegant, beautifully balanced
wine, which has many of the qualities you
would expect in a good Meursault Perrières. A very digestible wine with menthol hints
that make you salivate. For drinking now to 2016+.
49 14
£15.63 exc. VAT
50 Côtes du Jura AC 2010 En Chalasse
Julien Labet
100% Chardonnay (13.9% alc.)
Julien produced just 600bts of this wine from 25 and 60 year old vines with a yield of just 28hh. There is lots going on here – on the nose there are both toasted bread
and iodine notes, it’s quite a dense,
structured wine, typical of those made from deep marl soil. It’s very long and saline on the finish. No sulphur. For drinking now to 2016.
£16.29 exc. VAT
New
Côtes du Jura AC 2010 Les Varrons
Julien Labet
This wine comes from an east facing
plateau with soil that weathers to an ochre coloured decalcified clay. Made from topped up barrels preventing oxidation, this wine has an old viney character and low yield concentration. Densely structured and very long with hazelnut notes and very
saline on the finish. A match in terms of complexity for many fine Côte de Beaune. No sulphur used in the cave. For drinking now to 2016.
£16.67 exc. VAT
52 £15.63 exc. VAT
La Paille Perdue 2007
Julien Labet
60% Savagnin, 35% Chardonnay, 5% Poulsard (11.9% alc, 169g/l of rs)
Julien now adds a little Poulsard to give this wine an extra dimension. La Paille Perdue is a declassified Vin de Paille, the concentration of sugar not allowing the yeasts to reach the necessary 14.5% alcohol. In fact the residual sugar of 169g/l feels totally harmonious. The colour is
reminiscent of toffee, it has sumptuous fruit – hints of passionfruit, walnuts, straw with a refreshing acidity, and a very long finish. For drinking now to 2017+.
37.5cl £25.50 exc. VAT
53 Arbois AC 2011
Trousseau Cuvée Bérangères
54 Jacques Puffeney
100% Trousseau (13% alc.)
35 year old vines planted in a loose, gravelly soil on a southeast facing slope. Trousseau demands very dry conditions to give its best as with this superb vintage in which there was no necessity to chaptalise. Classic pale colour similar to pinot noir, a touch more weight and depth of fruit than poulsard, with mulberries, raspberries, hint of spice and mineral cut. According to Jacques, you need to exercise a little patience - as the wine ages it picks up weight and length on the palate and is at its very best at five to six years old. For drinking now to 2020.
£18.25 exc. VAT
New
Arbois AC 2009 Savagnin
Jacques Puffeney
100% Savagnin (13% alc.)
This wine comes from blue-grey marls, and has been aged in four to five year old barrels for two years under a veil of yeast. From 40hh yields, it has wonderful
mushroomy, walnutty flavours, nicely
relieved by the savagnin’s characteristic acidity. For drinking now to 2017.
£16.96 exc. VAT
55 Arbois Vin Jaune AC 2005
Jacques Puffeney
100% Savagnin (14% alc.)
Vin Jaune is the Jura region’s real speciality, from late-harvested savagnin – pressed and then aged under a yeast veil in older oak for
six years, then assembled and aged in foudre for a further year. It is bottled
(naturally, without filtration) in a distinctive ‘clavelin’ with a long neck and hunched shoulders – which holds 62cl – the amount of one litre of wine that is said to remain after six years of evaporation. Superb with rich, creamy dishes, it has a flavour not dissimilar to an aged amontillado sherry, with walnut and truffley tones. This is an exceptionally fine vintage that reminds Jacques of his legendary 1990. For drinking now to 2100.
£34.75 exc. VAT
15
Northern Rhône
Many of these beautiful wines are produced
from tiny terraced vineyards that cling
precariously to the hillsides bordering the
Rhône between Saint-Péray and Vienne.
The physical work demanded by these hillside
vineyards is so extreme that it makes working
in other viticultural areas look easy by
comparison. It is physically practically
impossible for a family to work a vineyard
of much more than seven or eight hectares.
The Duclaux family in the southern sector
of Côte-Rôtie, where the thin, sandy, granitic
and gneiss derived soil is very prone to
erosion, spend on average 1000 man hours
a year just repairing the walls lining the
terraces. And at Clusel-Roch I have seen them
hand ploughing the soil between vine rows
on a 60˚ hillside. There has to be a degree
of balancing compensation for all this effort.
And it’s not in terms of a vast income – the
Duclaux family have six full-time employees
for five and a half hectares of vines, from
which they produce 19,000 bottles only a
year. Charging prima facie a relatively high
price per bottle simply enables them to earn
a very modest income. Instead, the
compensation for Gripa, Gonon, Duclaux,
Blanc, Perret, Gilles, Garon and Clusel-Roch
is that they produce some of the finest,
most elegant terroir driven wines emanating
from France today.
The Northern Rhône has enjoyed a run of
excellent recent vintages, starting with the
rich, flamboyantly fruity 2009, the dense,
perfectly balanced 2010s, then the
fruit-forward, delicious 2011s. Given the
arduous nature of the work that they put
into their vineyards, they deserve every
ounce of luck they receive.
56 Crozes-Hermitage Rouge AC 2011 Vieilles Vignes
Domaine du Murinais
100% Syrah (14% alc.)
Luc Tardy took over the reins at this domaine in 1998 and is fashioning better wines every year. His Crozes is very supple and pure with lipsmacking liquorice, black cherries and a touch of spice on the palate, and the oak elevage marries really well with the weight of the wine. For drinking now to 2015.
57 Crozes-Hermitage Blanc AC 2011
Champ Morel
80% Marsanne, 20% Roussanne (13% alc.)
Martine Vandre’s white Crozes is made from classic mix of 25 year old marsanne and roussanne aged in two thirds cuve and one third oak (three to eight year old
barrels). It offers hints of apricot, quince and mango on the nose, which follow through on the palate, where the
controlling influence from limestone
helps retain a freshness and dynamism.
62 St-Joseph Rouge AC 2009/2010
Bernard Gripa
100% Syrah (13.5% alc.)
In 2009 Fabrice left 30% of whole bunches in his open-topped wooden fermenting vats, which has helped to give a wine with slightly denser fruit than normal, with intense black cherry fruit, spice and an irony relief on the palate. For drinking now to 2019.
63 St-Joseph Blanc AC 2010
58 Crozes-Hermitage Rouge AC 2010
Champ Morel
100% Syrah (12.5% alc.)
This excellent wine comes from 30 year old
vines planted both in alluvial soil in Beaumont-Monteux and clay-limestone hillsides in Chanos-Curson. Mid-red, it offers a gorgeous nose of mulberries and black cherries enhanced by a well judged elevage in a mix of old foudres, five year old barrels and cuve. For drinking now to 2015.
£12.71 exc. VAT
59 60 61 St-Péray AC 2010 Les Pins
Bernard Gripa
80% Marsanne, 20% Roussanne (13.5% alc.)
This comes from 40 year old vines in a
limestone soil and is 20% cuve and 80% oak aged. Peachy with a hint of acacia,
it has a lovely purity. For drinking now
to 2017+.
£15.96 exc. VAT
St-Péray AC 2010 Les Figuiers
Bernard Gripa
60% Roussanne, 40% Marsanne (13.5% alc.)
This is Gripa’s top St Péray made from vines averaging 60 years and aged 100% in new to five year old barrels and demi-muids. It has an extra dimension of richness, fine greengage and peach aromas, and retains the appellation’s characteristic freshness. For drinking now to 2019+.
£20.21 exc. VAT
St-Joseph Blanc AC 2010
Bernard Gripa
80% Marsanne, 20% Roussanne (13.5% alc.)
Produced from 25 year old vines on hillside terraces between Mauves and Tournon, Fabrice’s St Joseph white is always a little richer than his St Péray, though he is very adept at ensuring that it remains fresh and balanced. For drinking now to 2017+.
£18.50 exc. VAT
Les Oliviers
Pierre Gonon
80% Marsanne, 20% Roussanne (14% alc.)
Les Oliviers, just to the north of Mauves is an excellent vineyard for the production of rich whites. The soil here is ancient Rhône alluvium and some loess on a
granitic bedrock. It is rich and opulent with apricot and quince fruit cosseted by an irony minerality possibly derived from
granite, and the typical bitterness of
marsanne and roussanne that helps to provide extra focus. For drinking now to 2019+.
16
£12.71 exc. VAT
64 65 £22.46 exc. VAT
St-Joseph Rouge AC 2010
Pierre Gonon
100% Syrah (13% alc.)
60-90 year old vines from
Saint-Jean-de-Muzols provide a real
backbone to this wine. The Gonons destalked 15% in 2010 and trod the grapes down twice a day during the fermentation
in open top wooden vats. They have produced a perfect example of northern Rhône syrah, with black fruits cut through with an irony grip from the granitic soil. 2010 is an especially fine vintage, with a bigger structure and better overall balance than 2009. For drinking now to 2020+.
Cornas AC 2006 Empreintes
Eric & Joel Durand
100% Syrah (13.5% alc.)
Empreintes is the main cuvée from this very promising domaine. It comes from vines from Cornas’ top lieu-dits Chaillot and Reynards, and is aged in new to five year old barrels. On the nose there is a
wonderful blast of black fruits, mint,
liquorice, violets and irony stamp from the granitic soil. Ripe black cherries with a hint of spice and well-integrated oak mark the palate, and the wine is both balanced and elegant. Throws a natural deposit, so carafing advised. For drinking now to 2015.
£20.63 exc. VAT
66 67 68 Cornas AC 2009
Guillaume Gilles
100% Syrah (14% alc.)
Guillaume’s vines are 31 years old from the fine lieu-dit of Chaillot. Following Robert
Michel’s path, the grapes were not destalked and the wine has been aged in two thirds 400 litre barrels and bottled without fining or filtration. A natural, very unforced elegance here with attractive black spicy fruit and good substance.
£26.67 exc. VAT
Cornas AC 2005 La Geynale
Robert Michel
100% Syrah (13% alc.)
Another northern Rhône classic from vines dating back to 1910, on a very sheltered southerly facing hillside of granite. This is Robert’s top cuvée and has the hallmark Cornas backbone, depth of fruit and
staying power – the 1985 was drinking perfectly in February 2005! For drinking now to 2025.
£28.65 exc. VAT
Côte-Rôtie AC 2009 Les Triotes
Domaine Garon
100% Syrah (12.5% alc.)
This comes from four lieu dits and 20 year old vines in the gneissose ‘terroir blond’ in the centre of the appellation just south of Ampuis. Aged for 21 months in new to 15 year old barrels and demi-muids. The nose offers black fruits, violets, olives and pepper, and the palate is then
supple and elegant, with similar flavours and fine grained tannins. For drinking now to 2019.
£27.42 exc. VAT
69 Côte-Rôtie AC 2009 Les Rochins
Domaine Garon
100% Syrah, (12.5% alc.)
The vines here are planted in a superb site just north of Ampuis, on a steep
south-facing hillside. The topsoil (40-80cm deep) is quite rich, overlying blue and red schist imbued with iron oxide. The wine has a bright, dark purple colour, the nose is a little compact and closed for the moment. Upon aeration, floral notes appear, then
blackcurrant and mulberry. The palate is well-structured, rich, with fine density of ripe fruit, with good acidity and perfectly ripe tannins,and a little herbal touch on the long finish. Just 2000 bottles of this top cuvée produced. A five star wine from
John Livingstone-Learmonth. For drinking 2014-2030.
70 Côte-Rôtie AC 2007
David & Benjamin Duclaux
95% Syrah, 5% Viognier (13% alc.)
The Duclaux brothers are pushing this domaine quickly through to the top of the Côte-Rôtie hierarchy. This has a lovely, clear
mid-red colour extending right out to the rim. Nicely stamped by a stony, irony flavour reminiscent of the gneiss, 2007 is a supple, elegant wine with red fruits mingled with prunes and liquorice. For drinking now to 2016.
71 £26.75 exc. VAT (magnums also available)
Côte-Rôtie AC 2006
Domaine Clusel-Roch
96% Syrah, 4% Viognier (12% alc.)
Clusel-Roch’s Côte-Rôtie is primarily from Les Viallières lieu-dit, to the north of the appellation, on thin soils developed from underlying schist. The vines were grafted from their own massale selection of low yielding ‘petite serine’ from their 70
year old vineyard of Les Grandes Places.
The 2006 is most attractive with a
sophisticated purity, clear cut fruit, stony flavours suggestive of the underlying schist and fine grained tannins. For drinking now to 2020.
£28.26 exc. VAT
75
(half bottles and magnums also available)
72 Hermitage AC 2008
Les Greffieux-Bessards
Bernard Faurie
100% Syrah (13.5% alc.)
Les Greffieux is a lieu-dit where the soils mix
alluvial Rhône stones and decomposed granite from a granite base rock. Bessards, where the soil and subsoil are both granitic, provides structure and backbone. The vines average 80 years of age and produced a wine in 2008 with good texture, raspberry and black fruit, iron, hint of black pepper and fine grained tannins. For drinking now to 2020.
74 Condrieu AC 2011 Les Vallins
Christophe Blanc
100% Viognier (12.5% alc.)
Unusually for a Condrieu, this has just 12.5% alcohol – as the winery is just 50 metres from his vines, and he has such a small holding (just 0.33h), Christophe is able to pick the grapes at the precise ‘bon moment’ and retain an acidity which is so often lost in late harvesting. A well handled elevage helps the wine retain freshness and it seems that mica-rich soil gives this apricot and peach-rich viognier
an added complexity. For drinking now to 2015.
76 £23.50 exc. VAT
Condrieu AC 2010 Chéry
Domaine André Perret
100% Viognier (15% alc.)
This is one of the classic wines of the northern Rhône, made by one of viognier’s true masters. From 50 year old wines, on a
steep south-facing terraced hillside of granitic soil rich in quartz and mica, this wine has real power and an opulent
concentration of spicy, apricot and peach fruit. It is bone dry and there is a notable mineral presence on the finish. For drinking now to 2016+.
Condrieu AC 2011 Verchery
Domaine Clusel-Roch
This originates from just a half hectare of vineyard that straddles the two fine
lieu-dits of Côteaux de Vernon and Chéry, where the soil is derived from the
underlying granite. Using indigenous
yeasts, aged and vinified in a mix of one to four year old barrels (2/3) and in cuve (1/3), this is lighter than Perret’s Condrieu, with perfect balance, good acidity and mineral imprint. For drinking now to 2017+.
£31.46 exc. VAT
£28.33 exc. VAT
73 Viognier Vin de France 2011
Les Galets
Christophe Blanc
Christophe produces just 0.23h of viognier from young vines high up on the hillside on granitic soils in St-Michel-sur-Rhône. Very good value viognier, pure and precise, with typical notes of peach, pear skin,
mineral touch and vigour on the finish.
£14.33 exc. VAT
New
£42.92 exc. VAT
17
Southern Rhône
Like the Northern Rhône, most of the wines
in this section come from the excellent trio
of 2009, 2010 and 2011 vintages. 2010
was especially unusual in that superb wine
has been produced by the top growers in
all appellations. Overall, the best wine that I
tried in the south was the 2010 from Gourt
de Mautens in Rasteau (a little patience will
be needed here because the domaine only
price their wines when they are bottled after
32 months!) and the quality of wines in
Cairanne, Gigondas, Ventoux, Vivarais and
Vacqueyras was extremely fine too.
There is certainly evidence of a narrowing of
the gap in winemaking standards between
CNDP and the other appellations. Parker has
latched upon Vacqueyras as the up and
coming star in the southern Rhône.
‘Vacqueyras is not far behind CNDP and the
overall quality of the 70-80 domaines I tasted
was impressive as well as consistent.
Moreover Vacqueyras is around half the price
of CNDP’. We believe that Eric Bouletin’s
Roucas Toumba produces two of Vacqueyras’
finest wines – he has just four hectares of
terraced old vines in the village’s best sites.
Many of the 2010 wines have unusually
deep, very purple colours due to the higher
proportion of skins and pulp to juice.
The stalks were fully ripe, so the growers
were able to use whole bunches to ferment
if they wished. Philippe Bravay was so happy
with the quality of his stalks at Domaine de
Ferrand in CNDP he decided to use 50% of
whole bunches in his fermentation,
40% higher than in 2009. One has the
impression that these dense, powerful,
very well-structured wines will age especially
well, helped along by a notable freshness and
acidity which makes them feel very complete.
The wines have terrific texture and the
tannins are ripe and supple.
78 Vin de Pays de Mediterranée 2011 Pichot Roucas
Eric Bouletin
34% Grenache, 33% Syrah, 33% Carignan (13.5% alc)
A microproduction here from 50 year old grenache/carignan, and young vine syrah planted at the base of the hillside terraces where Eric’s senior Vacqueyras vines are found. Harvested by hand and given a shorter cuvaison than his Vacqueyras, it is a superbly made VDP. It has a dark cherry, spicy fruit with a southern print, is supple and fresh and has that most important quality of being easily drinkable. Unfined and unfiltered. For drinking now to 2014.
£9.58 exc. VAT
Vieilles Vignes
83 Cairanne Blanc CDR-Villages
Domaine de Ferrand
90% Grenache, 7% Syrah, 3% Cinsault (14% alc.)
Côtes-du-Rhône from a good Châteauneuf estate is always a great bargain. Philippe Bravay selects only 25% of his wine for
bottling – from the best sites and 50 year old vines. The 2007 is an excellent vintage – destalked 100%, it is really spicy and gamey on the nose, with beautifully
composed fruit, lots of character and
complexity. For drinking now to 2014.
£9.88 exc. VAT
80 Côtes-du-Rhône AC 2010
Domaine Charvin
85% Grenache, 10% Syrah,
5% Mourvèdre (14% alc.)
This wine is given just the same care as Charvin’s Châteauneuf. There is a 15 day cuvaison with no destemming before 16 months in cuve prior to bottling without filtration. The 2010 is another excellent
example with a rich, elegant fruit and spicy, natural, unforced quality. For drinking now to 2017.
£14.17 exc. VAT
84 Cairanne Côtes-du-Rhône-Villages AC 2007 Réserve des Seigneurs
Domaine de l’Oratoire Saint-Martin
60% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre,
10% Syrah (14% alc.)
The Alary brothers believe that a good
proportion of mourvèdre (30% here from old vines on a south facing hillside) is vital both to temper the power and complement the grenache. From the excellent 2007
vintage it offers attractive dark cherry fruit and spice with good length on the palate. For drinking now to 2014.
81 AC 2010 Haut Coustias
70% Roussanne & Marsanne,
30% Clairette & Grenache Blanc (14% alc.)
Oratoire’s top white, aged in a mix of demi-muids and cuve, reflects the benefits of bio-dynamic viticulture according to the Alary brothers. It now has more freshness
and definite saline note on the finish. It is not at all heavy, showing peach, citrus and floral notes on the palate and a rare acidic tension and freshness. For drinking now to 2016.
£11.33 exc. VAT
Rasteau Vin Doux Naturel AC 2010
Domaine du Trapadis
90% Grenache,
10% Carignan (15.5% alc, 100g/l of rs)
This is a fine VDN with cigar leaf, raisin,
prune and fig flavours typical of the
grenache. Delicious with rich chocolate
desserts. For drinking now to 2016.
85 Cairanne Côtes-du-Rhône-Villages AC 2009 Cuvée Prestige
60% Grenache, 40% Mourvèdre (14.5% alc.)
This is the domaine’s top unoaked cuvée, from vines aged up to 98 years, yielding on
average just 18hh. It offers characterful spicy, red fruit, liquorice and a hint of thyme and freshly milled black pepper.
18
£10.50 exc. VAT
Ventoux AC 2011
Martinelle
70% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 5% Carignan, 5% Cinsault (14.5% alc)
This is a wolf in sheep’s clothing, or more accurately a Rhône-Villages from Beaumes de Venise reclassified after the war as a Ventoux. It is a rich, supple, very well balanced wine with hints of liquorice, spice, garrigue herbs nicely cut through by the tempering influence of limestone.
Vinsobres AC 2010 Emile
Domaine la Péquélette
75% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre, 10% Syrah,
5% Carignan (14.5% alc.)
A very exciting late addition to the list,
this is a tiny eight hectare estate,
run bio-dynamically at a cooler 350m altitude necessitating late harvests. Yields are extremely low at 18hh from 50 to 90 year old vines. Cuve aged for two years,
it has a delectable, very pure black cherrry, raspberry, liquorice and cinnamon flecked fruit, old vine framework, and fine tannins with a cleansing, saline note on the finish.
Very digestible style. For drinking now
to 2016.
79 Côtes-du-Rhône AC 2007 77 £7.92 exc. VAT
82 £14.29 exc. VAT
86 Côtes-du-Vivarais AC 2009
Domaine Gallety
50% Grenache, 50% Syrah (14% alc.)
Gallety are the leading producers in this tiny
appellation at the northern end of the
southern Rhône. The days and nights
here are cooler which helps to capture a little more freshness. There is a good,
iron-rich, limestone-derived soil that may help to convey freshness and acidity. This cuvée comes from 40 years old massale
selection yielding 25hh. Aged in one to four
year old barrels for 15 months, the wine offers ripe blackberry fruit, with black olives, graphite, herbs, spice, tobacco, good
acidity, a mineral vibrancy and fine tannins.
£14.58 exc. VAT
87 Vacqueyras AC 2011 Les Prémices
Roucas Toumba
20% Marsanne, 17% Roussanne, 16% Clairette, 15% Grenache Gris, 14% Viognier, 14% Vermentino, 4% Picpoul/Picardan/Carignan blanc (14% alc.)
Eric has just 0.85h of massale selected white grapes, and whilst the vineyard is relatively young, his yields are just 16hh.
He also harvests at 7am in the morning to preserve freshness. Aged for one year in two to four year old barrels, the wine is complex and dense but has retained an integral freshness and balance, with
intriguing aromas of white fruits and
flowers. For drinking now to 2016.
£15.83 exc. VAT
88 Vacqueyras AC 2011 La Grande Terre
Roucas Toumba
60% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 20% Mourvèdre (14.5% alc.)
This is a single parcel of 55 year old grenache and 30 year old syrah and mourvèdre. Whilst
the old vine Restanques needs a little bottle age, this is a cuve aged Vacqueyras with beautiful fruit accessible in its youth.
A mid-cherry colour, it has smoky and
maraschino cherry notes on the nose and delectable fruit with cherry,liquorice, cinnamon, nutmeg and garrigues herbs.
£13.75 exc. VAT
New
89 Vacqueyras AC 2010
Les Restanques de Cabassole
Roucas Toumba
60% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre,
5% Viognier/Clairette/Grenache Blanc (15% alc.)
Old vine grenache (60-80 years old) two
thirds destalked is the heart of this excellent wine. It has a beautiful deep plum colour,
a fresh black cherry nose intermingled with violets, thyme, ink and smoke. On the palate the wine is rich but freshened by a discreet minerality, with liquorice nuances of violet zan (french sweet!), dark chocolate and menthol supported by old vine tannins.
90 91 92 93
Gigondas AC 2010
Domaine du Grapillon d’Or
80% Grenache, 20% Syrah (14.5% alc.)
This comes from the windy, sun drenched hillsides of the Dentelles de Montmirail.
It is a really well controlled Gigondas with hints of thyme/rosemary and game on the
nose, supple black cherry fruit, spice, liquorice and mocha on the palate, with a nice freshness and well-integrated tannins. For drinking now to 2017+.
94 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc AC 2011
Domaine Pierre André & Fille
40% Clairette, 30% Bourboulenc, 20% Roussanne, 10% Grenache Blanc (14% alc.)
Old vines, biodynamic viticulture and a
well-judged vinification produce this
excellent wine. Cuve aged it has good depth, rich fruit and a tangy freshness
possibly conveyed by the underlying
limestone. For drinking now to 2019+.
£21.58 exc. VAT
£14.38 exc. VAT
95 Rasteau Côtes-du-Rhône-Villages Gigondas AC 2010
AC 2007/2008
Domaine Raspail-Ay
80% Grenache, 15% Syrah,
5% Mourvèdre (14% alc.)
Dominique Ay destalks 100% and then gives the wine a long cuvaison before ageing for a couple of years in foudres and demi-muids. This is an exceptional Gigondas with real depth of smoky black forest fruits, very spicy with a hint of liquorice and
promising savoury tannins. For drinking now to 2019+.
70% Grenache, 15% Carignan,
15% total of Counoise, Mourvèdre,
Vaccarèse and Syrah (14% alc.)
Bio-dynamic viticulture has, in Jérôme Bressy’s view, helped to balance the soil and give him the chance to produce grapes that whilst capturing the south’s typical character, also have a rare mineral tension and freshness. The grenache vines here are 50 to 95 years old and Jérôme adores the contribution from his 80 years old
carignan. From 2007 he decided not to destalk, which definitely helps the texture and structure of the wine. He aged the wine for 34 months in a mix of older
foudre, demi-muids and cuve, dependent on which elevage suits which grape best. Very complex indeed on the nose with ripe black fruits (cherry, plum, prune), chocolate,
tobacco, spice. On the palate the wine is multi-layered with a real old viney feel,
menthol and garrigue herbs, all the time beautifully delineated and fresh.
The tannins are extremely fine and the
finish is incredibly long. For drinking now
to 2025+.
Châteauneuf-du-Pape AC 2009
Domaine de Ferrand
95% Grenache, 5% Mourvèdre/Cinsault/Syrah (14.5% alc.)
Since 2004 Philippe Bravay has aged his Châteauneuf in cuve, which has helped retain a little more fruit, freshness and structure, taking Ferrand up a notch on the quality ladder. Yields are tiny (20hh) from 90 year old vines. The 2009 is a superb
effort exuding black fruits, liquorice and spice, with a touch of provencal herbs evocative of these limestone hillsides.
£30.00 exc. VAT
£20.00 exc. VAT
Domaine Charvin
82% Grenache, 5% Vaccarèse, 5% Mourvèdre,
8% Syrah (14.5% alc.)
The over-riding impression with the 2008 is
one of harmony, a natural wine emanating from superb work in the vineyard and the least possible intervention and work on the wine back in the cave. It has spicy, chewy cherry fruit, a hint of thyme and is supple, long, but always fresh with a touch of
minerality on the finish reflecting the
lime-rich soils. For drinking now to 2015.
96 Rasteau Vin Doux Naturel AC 2006
85% Grenache, 10% Carignan,
5% Mourvèdre(16% alc, 100g/l of rs)
Jérôme has only ever made this
unbelievably good VDN twice in his career, from grapes that are left to dry naturally on
the vine and picked late at such levels of natural sweetness that there was very little need to stop the fermentation with grape spirit. Made in a vintage port style, it has a dark plum colour, and on the nose you find menthol, pepper and spice, which is followed on the palate with a smoky black cherry fruit, cloves, liquorice and garrigue herbs. The finish is precise, fresh, and very long. So good you could enjoy with a main
course, not just towards the end of a meal. It would be good with duck,
according to Jérôme. For drinking now (carafed) to 2030+.
£31.04 exc. VAT
£18.50 exc. VAT
19
Bordeaux
Valérie & Denis Godelu purchased three
hectares of organically tended vines in Tauriac
on the low plateau of the Côtes de Bourg.
Yields here are exceptionally low – the vines are
pruned short to give no more than 25hh.
Vinification and extraction are very gentle
and oak elevage perfect for the weight of the
wine. We especially appreciate that their wines
have no less than 40% old vine malbec which
provides both a point of difference taste-wise
and gives wines with a little lower alcohol than
merlot or cabernet. Given global warming, we
have noticed more and more growers planting
a little malbec in recent years with the aim of
helping to reduce alcohol levels a touch.
André Chatenoud’s father farmed in
Switzerland before emigrating in 1971 and
buying Château de Bellevue, on a fine terroir –
a limestone plateau where there is just 30cm of
topsoil. Organically certified since 2002. André
produces a really good wine that puts many
from more famous neighbouring appellations to
shame. His work in the vineyard and cave is of
high quality at every turn. Winemaking is very
gentle, and there is nothing hurried or forced at
any stage of the process. He ages his wine for
a year in new to 5 year old barrels, then racks
and gives the wine another nine months in cuve
before bottling without fining or filtration.
Jean-François Fillastre’s Domaine du Jaugaret
has been in the family for more than 350 years.
He took over the 1.32 hectare estate in Saint
Julien, surrounded by the vines of GruaudLarose and Ducru Beaucaillou in 1983, following
the death of his father who had made the wine
here until the age of 90! And without any
concessions to fashion or the critics he makes
wines exactly as his father. “I make wine to
uphold family tradition, not to make money.
I try to preserve the old ways,” he says. So old
vines, minimal treatments, ploughing, no
sulphur at any stage other than burning a
sulphur stick to clean barrels after racking,
three years elevage, fining with egg white.
And his wines seem to live forever – when we
were there, he was recorking a small number
of 1985. He cracked a bottle and oh what
pleasure! Subsequently I have drunk a divine
bottle of 1996. Just don’t think about opening
a bottle until it is at least nine years old. Giving
his wine three years elevage and using no
sulphur frequently bring him into conflict with
the authorities who grant AOCs, and three of
his last ten vintages have been declassified to
Vin de France. Not a problem for Mon Fillastre
so long as his wines give him and his customers
pleasure. NB there are two very good articles
about Jaugaret by Eric Asimov in the New York
Times in the news section of our website.
GRAVES AREA
97 Bordeaux Supérieur AC 2010
Château la Grave Singalier
75% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc,
10% Cabernet Sauvignon (12.5% alc.)
From vineyards on the banks of the River Garonne, this wine misses out on the Graves appellation by only 200 metres.
Soft and fruity with an attractive cedary fragrance.
98 99
£7.08 exc. VAT
Bordeaux Blanc AC 2011
Château de Rouquette
80% Sauvignon Blanc, 20% Semillon (13% alc.)
Produced by the same winemaker as the Château Moutin, this comes from two hectares of 30 year old vines in the lieu dit of Rouquette. Harvested at 45hh and cuve aged it is precise, focused and clean and offers lovely varietal sauvignon fruit with that little extra backbone of structure from the semillon.
£7.08 exc. VAT
New
Graves Blanc AC 2010
Château Moutin
90% Sauvignon, 10% Semillon (13% alc.)
This stylish wine comes from 30 year old sauvignon and 50 year old semillon vines planted in a gravel-rich sandy soil in Portets. Vinified in barrels it offers clean, mineral and citrus fruit flavours. For drinking now
to 2014.
£10.66 exc. VAT
100 Pessac-Léognan AC 2009
Château Pont Saint-Martin
80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon (13.5% alc.)
Grown on a tiny three and a half hectares property located between the grand cru châteaux of Smith Haut-Lafitte and Larrivet Haut-Brion, organic viticulture, low yields from 25 year old vines and meticulous
winemaking are behind this excellent Pessac-Léognan. It has the weight of fruit and density that only fine wines
possess, yet it is supple, harmonious and not over extracted, with a notable stony, mineral element. For drinking now to 2019.
£16.29 exc. VAT
101 Pessac-Léognan AC 2008
Château Haut-Nouchet
55% Sauvignon, 45% Semillon (12.5% alc.)
This is the château’s top white. Superb,
mid gold colour, on the nose this wine has smoky notes, blackcurrant leaf, and a mineral hint. There is good intensity of juicy fruit, perfect acidity with good length.
£19.58 exc. VAT
102 Loupiac AC 2005 Cuvée d’Or
Château Dauphiné-Rondillon
75% Sémillon, 25% Sauvignon
(13.5% alc, 120g/l of rs)
Loupiac is an appellation on steep gravelly banks of the right bank of the Garonne, opposite Sauternes. This is the château’s top cuvée from 70 year old semillon and 20 year old sauvignon. It has a rich gold colour, intense fruit on the nose and fine concentration on the palate – nuts, honey, marmalade and a touch of vanilla, with excellent relief and balance. For drinking now to 2015+.
37.5cl £9.58 exc. VAT
103 Grand Vin Liquoreux de France 2010 Cuvée Ducasse
60% Sémillon, 40% Sauvignon
(12.5% alc, 110g/l of rs)
For the first time, Alain decided to make a
lighter wine in 2010 from grapes only botrytised to 40%. It has a pale yellow unfiltered colour with greeny glints.
Refreshing rather than cloying, it has delicious fruit (quince and mandarin) and sappy acidity. For drinking now to 2017.
New
104 Sauternes AC 2005 Réserve
90% Sémillon, 5% Sauvignon, 5% Muscadelle (13.8% alc, 210g/l of rs)
Light toffee in colour. Sumptuously rich fruit, hazelnut, ripe orange and citrus
fruits with a little spice on the finish.
Very harmonious wine with a superb play on the palate. For drinking now to 2020.
New
105 Sauternes AC 2005 Crème de Tête
90% Sémillon, 5% Sauvignon, 5% Muscadelle (13.5% alc, 230g/l of rs)
Amber-orange colour. A very intriguing and complex nose where a touch of volatile acidity (Alain looks for a little of this as a
refreshing foil against the sweetness) strengthens notes of orange peel, peach, fig, iodine, saffron, apricot, honey and menthol. Very perfumed on the palate, dense and concentrated, well-balanced and harmonious. The finish is extremely long with a beautiful mentholated freshness and a little salinity. For drinking now to 2020+.
New
21
RIGHT BANK – LIBOURNE AREA
110 Sainte-Foy Bordeaux AC 2011
106 Montravel Sec AC 2011
Domaine de Perreau
60% Sauvignon Gris, 40% Semillon (12% alc.)
Montravel is a tiny area in the hills north of
the Dordogne providing Bergerac’s finest whites. An interesting blend – sauvignon shows on the aroma, but the addition of semillon gives an extra structure with a dash of honey on the palate.
Vin Passion
34% Semillon, 33% Muscadelle,
33% Sauvignon (12.5% alc.)
Corinne is fortunate to have 3 hectares of 60 year old white grape varieties.
The vines are located atop a hill and the
soil is full of flint. Fermentation rumbles on gently over a couple of months
(malolactic fermentation is allowed) in a mix of cuve and cement eggs. A very
attractive, individual wine, with a relatively high proportion of muscadelle really
playing its part, providing gentle, floral
aromas and flavours. As it ages it takes
on delicious apricot, honey and hay notes. For drinking now to 2016.
£6.79 exc. VAT
107 Bergerac AC 2010 Les Sens du Fruit
Château Le Jonc Blanc
50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot,
10% Malbec (13.5% alc.)
This wine is unfiltered and spends two winters in the cellars for natural
stabilization before bottling. Nearly black in
the glass with a dark purple rim. Very fine black and red fruit gradually emerge on the nose that is held firm by the wine’s chalky minerality. Lots of ripe red and black fruit on the palate, backed by delicate tannins. This is quite a rich red, etched
with limestone flavours and vibrant acidity.
The finish is long and the overall impression is one of freshness. For drinking now to 2015.
£8.58 exc. VAT
108 Sainte-Foy Bordeaux AC 2011
Le Petit Champ
50% Merlot, 27% Cabernet Franc, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot (14% alc.)
Corinne captures the essence of the fruit in her first cuvée of red by delicate
extraction (“the only extraction is done on the vine!”) and cuve ageing. The fruit is ripe, natural, with dark cherry, fruits of
the forest and hints of spice and dark
chocolate. It has a lovely play on the
palate with great freshness and has very finely tuned, ripe tannins on the finish.
£10.00 exc. VAT
Grand Vin
60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Petit Verdot (14.5% alc.)
CDT’s top wine comes from 60 year old vines, and has been aged for 16 months in
one year old barrels from Pontet-Canet before bottling without fining or filtration. Very luscious, ripe black fruits here with a touch of liquorice and vanilla, and fine, well integrated tannins. For drinking now
to 2016.
22
£11.50 exc. VAT
New
£16.42 exc. VAT
114
Lussac St Emilion AC 2008
Château de Bellevue
95% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc (13% alc.)
Organic viticulture from 35 year old vines whose roots penetrate deep into the bed
of limestone just 30cm below the surface.
A beautiful mid cherry colour that extends right to the edge, the very pure, clear cut fruit mingles fresh cherries and sappy red fruits. Oak elevage is well handled and there is a savoury backdrop of fine grained tannins. For drinking now to 2017.
£11.79 exc. VAT
New
(half bottles also available)
115
Montagne-Saint-Emilion AC 2010
£11.58 exc. VAT
112 Côtes-de-Bourg AC 2009
Les Trois Petiotes
40% Malbec, 35% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon (13.8% alc.)
A very unique blend in Bordeaux at present, this is a beautiful, hand-crafted wine made from just three hectares of vines. Aged in one to three year old barrels it has been very sensitively vinified, giving on the nose a wine with blackcurrants, violet, menthol and cooked prunes. It is full, dense and very silky on the palate, with perfect acidity, long finish with a lot of freshness.
109 Sainte-Foy Bordeaux AC 2010 £10.00 exc. VAT
111 Côtes-de-Bourg AC 2009
Château Brulesécaille
55% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon,
From a 20 hectare single parcel of land, with some 60 year old vines, grapes are harvested late and the yield is 25% less than the maximum permitted under the
appellation’s rules. This is an excellent wine at this price level, with a lovely rich fruity nose (prune, tobacco, coffee), luscious mouth feel, with good attack and length
on the palate. For drinking now to 2017.
113 Canon-Fronsac AC 2006 La Truffière
Château Cassagne Haut-Canon
60% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon,
This vineyard has a superb terroir – a small steep-sided knoll overlooking the Dordogne – with a rich and varied mosaic of all the underlying geology (Oligocene clays and sands with limestone on the hilltop) of the appellation. Aged in 40% new oak (the balance up to two years old), La Truffière is
the château’s top cuvée. Very rich in its youth, it ages magnificently, gradually
developing finesse and truffley notes on the
nose, balanced by a nice minerality and freshness. For drinking now to 2015.
£14.96 exc. VAT
New
70% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon (13% alc.)
This wine comes from vines in the
northwest corner of Montagne-SaintEmilion lying next to the best vineyards of Lalande-de-Pomerol. Indeed it is difficult to distinguish from a good Lalande. A deep colour (neither fined nor filtered), it has rich stylish fruit with a hint of iron. For drinking now to 2015.
£13.00 exc. VAT
116 Saint-Emilion AC 2010
Château Moulin de Lagnet
Organic viticulture, late-picked grapes and rotation between oak cask and stainless steel vats are some of the secrets behind this wine’s quality. It is medium-bodied, with classic hints of eucalyptus and mint
on the nose and intense red fruit flavours.
£11.46 exc. VAT
117 Saint-Emilion AC 2008
Haut-Renaissance
100% Merlot (12.5% alc.)
This comes from a château with two
hectares of 45 year old vines planted in gravel and sands, and the wine clearly shows the application of good viticulture and respect for soils. It has benefited from subtle, top class barrel ageing, has a lovely, deep plum colour that extends right out to the edge, stylish accessible merlot fruit
with good concentration and length.
£12.92 exc. VAT
118 Saint-Emilion Grand Cru AC 2006
Château Les Gravières
100% Merlot (13% alc.)
The merlot vines here are 50 years old, planted in a mix of sand and gravel with a ferriferous subsoil. The colour is a dense but transluscent plum, the nose then offers black fruits with hints of spice, clove and tobacco, echoed on the palate which has a good backbone and very fine grained tannins. For drinking now to 2016.
£18.13 exc. VAT
119 Saint-Emilion Grand Cru AC 2006
Château Haut-Segottes
60% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Franc,
5% Cabernet Sauvignon (13% alc.)
This comes from superbly situated vineyards on the plateau of Figeac and Cheval Blanc, still tended personally by the devoted Madame André. It’s a wine with a great heart of concentrated healthy fruit and savoury tannins. For drinking now to 2016.
£16.42 exc. VAT
120 Lalande-de-Pomerol AC 2008
This is the château’s top wine from the oldest and best placed parcels of vines, which lie on gravel beds with iron-rich areas in the clay beneath. Aged in 50% new and 50% one year old barrels for 18 months, and fined but not filtered, this is a stylish, elegant wine with hints of truffle on the nose, succulent, spicy red fruits and strong minerality in the background. For drinking now to 2014.
121 Pomerol AC 2006
Château Thibeaud-Maillet
90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc (12.5% alc.)
Thibeaud-Maillet is a real jewel. A tiny 1.5 hectare estate, the 26-48 year old vines are planted in a sandy, gravelly alluvial soil, which overlies Tertiary clay. The wines from this estate have a subtle, teasing, complex fruit with a silky delivery on the palate.
£26.08 exc. VAT
MEDOC
122 Haut-Médoc AC 2007
Clos du Jaugueyron
5% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot (12.5% alc.)
This is a wine of real class from a tiny five hectare domaine where no effort is spared to produce exceptional wine from organic viticulture. Mid-plum in colour, the nose is
understated with hints of cherry and
mocha. The palate offers rich, but very
supple, silky fruit. Oak has been very sensitively handled and the fine tannins are well knitted in. For drinking now to 2015.
123 Margaux AC 2010
Clos du Jaugueyron
Michel Théron makes two cuvées of
Margaux from 2.71 hectares of vines. This top cuvée is a selection from specific parcels and barrels oriented towards cabernet (the soils are more gravelly in the higher part of the vineyard where cabernet is planted and sandier for merlot in the lower). Aged for 12 months in 85% new and 15% one year old barrels, then nine months in cuve to settle the wine.
This has a dark cherry colour, very sensitive extraction, the class and reserve of cabernet, and terrific fine grained tannins on a very long finish. For drinking 2015 to 2030.
£37.92 exc. VAT
New
124 Vin de France 2008 Jaugaret
Domaine du Jaugaret
80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Petit Verdot,
Merlot and Malbec (12.5% alc.)
A jewel of a wine made from a clutch of low yielding 50 year old plus vines in Beychevelle, surrounded by vines from the famed St Julien crus of Ducru-Beaucaillou and Gruaud-Larose. Aged in two to ten year old barrels for three years and racked every four months it is no wonder that in its youth it doesn’t taste anything like wines aged in new oak then rushed into bottle after eighteen months. Whether the
authorities deem his wine St Julien or Vin de France, it’s all the same to owner
Jean-François Fillastre. This is strictly for those with a little patience who can age this wine until at least 2017. Given proper ageing, its purity and finesse make it more than a rival for its grand cru classé
neighbours. For drinking 2017 to 2038.
£30.00 exc. VAT
New
23
Jean Gonon, Saint Joseph
35
Loire
Over the last ten years the Loire wine region
has changed out of all recognition to the
point where it is now producing some of the
most exciting wines in France. This revolution
has largely been led by a band of younger
vignerons, who have applied fastidious
viticulture and much lower yields to show
some of the old established appellations like
Montlouis-sur-Loire in a totally different guise.
As an added bonus many Loire cabernet
franc reds are low in alcohol (between 12 and
13%), and most of the whites, other than
chenin in exceptional sites, are below 13%.
They are very adaptable and versatile food
wines.
Domaine des Pothier’s ten hectares of Côte
Roannaise vines are planted on the beautiful,
granitic hillsides of Villemontais at the eastern
end of the Loire. Here the wines are made
from the Gamay St Romain grape – a strain of
gamay which gives smaller bunches of grapes
than its cousins in Beaujolais. Everything is
hand-harvested, vinification is either
traditional or semi maceration-carbonique,
and the grapes are two thirds destalked.
Organically certified, they also raise a few
fine Limousin cows! This year, we have added
another red, ‘Cuvée no 6’, that comes from
a specific terroir and was vinified from whole
bunches.
Wines of special note are from Bertrand &
Lise Jousset, whose 2011s are in our view
the most impressive we have tasted at this
domaine. Bertrand & Lise are brilliant
winemakers who tend their vines with a rare
passion, but the weather gods seem to have
really had it in for all MSL growers with tough
conditions in 2010 and 2012. It seems so
unfair that storms have affected these two
vintages in MSL, whilst not touching other
appellations just to the west and east. Given
luck with the weather, MSL is a high quality
appellation, and the Jousset’s wines have
a precision, purity and complexity that, by
comparison to much more expensive whites
from Burgundy, offer better value, give more
pleasure in their youth and age more reliably.
125 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine sur Lie
AC 2011
Domaine de la Quilla
100% Melon de Bourgogne (12% alc.)
Quilla’s wine is a blend of wines from different terroirs in the commune of La Haye-Fouassière. Quintessential Muscadet, it offers clean, ripe fruit, with a gunflinty note on the nose, nice balancing acidity and a long minerally finish.
126 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine sur Lie
AC 2010 Les Gras Moutons
Claude Branger
100% Melon de Bourgogne (12% alc.)
This comes from 40 to 75 year old vines on
the banks of the river Maine. It has denser fruit than the Quilla and is a very focused, intensely mineral wine that is absolutely delicious. Bring on the shellfish!
Le Petiot
Domaine Ricard
Really good sauvignon here thanks to
organic viticulture, very low yields (45hh compared to most Sancerre at 60hh), good flint-rich terroir and fine touch from Vincent Ricard. The wine has lovely texture, citrus and mineral notes with a nice herbal touch of mint and lemon verbena. For drinking now to 2014.
Vieilles Vignes
Domaine de Riaux
100% Chasselas (12% alc.)
This wine comes from 50 year old vines
in Saint-Andelain, grown on flinty soils.
An understated wine with intriguing hints of mint and celery on the nose and a gentle persistence on the palate.
£9.08 exc. VAT
129 Pouilly-Fumé AC 2011
Domaine Jeannot
100% Sauvignon (13% alc.)
Jeannot’s wine comes from the flint-rich soil of Saint-Andelain. There is an evocation of
flinty character on the nose, following
through to the palate which is ripe,
harmonious, with hints of grapefruit
and peach. For drinking now to 2014.
130 Sancerre AC 2011
Pierre Riffault
Riffault is based in Verdigny and has a
ten hectare domaine dispersed over
varying subsoils (limestone-clay marls, limestone fragments and siliceous clay
with flint). Flint, although inert, may help
to give a lipsmacking, gunflinty character that really plays its part here with this pure,
typical, good value wine. For drinking now to 2014.
Domaine Croix Saint Ursin,
Sylvain Bailly
Bailly’s classic Sancerre has a typical
gun-flint nose and steely fruit. The vines are planted on the steep well-exposed slopes of Bué which have a particularly stony base. For drinking now to 2014.
132 Sancerre AC 2011
Gérard Boulay
This comes from 35 year old vines on the hills of Chavignol. Cuve aged, it has a lovely, bright pale colour with greeny glints.
On the nose it offers pure, restrained
sauvignon, with an evident salty character and hint of iodine which follows through
on the palate with a touch of lemon,
ripe grapefruit, fennel and blackcurrant leaf. For drinking now to 2016+.
£13.75 exc. VAT
£8.50 exc. VAT
128 Pouilly-sur-Loire AC 2012
Sancerre AC 2011
£8.25 exc. VAT
127 Touraine Sauvignon AC 2012
131
133 Sancerre AC 2011 Monts Damnés
Gérard Boulay
This outstanding wine comes from 40 year old vines located on the central, finest plot of this famous hillside. Vinified in three to four year old barrels (good Tronçais oak), then aged in cuve, it was bottled in August 2012. Restrained on the nose, it has much more evident weight and exotic fruit, then becomes really quite racy with salty, iodiney notes on the finish. For drinking now to 2019.
134 Sancerre AC 2011 Clos de Beaujeu
Gérard Boulay
This comes from 30 to 60 year old vines that were until recently in the ownership
of Bourges Cathedral for 500 years!
The vineyard is very steep and south-east facing, helping to give the wine a little more backbone, nerve and salinity than the due south facing Monts Damnés.
Vinified in cuve, then aged 100% in three and four year old 300 litre barrels, it will age magnificently. For drinking now to 2021+.
£11.46 exc. VAT
25
135 Sancerre AC 2011 La Côte
Gérard Boulay
One of Boulay’s two top cuvées, this wine comes from a steep south to south-east facing hillside (shared with François Cotat who produces a cuvée called la Grande Côte) between Chavignol and Amigny. The soil here is very white, pure
kimmeridgian limestone and it gives a bigger structured, very dense wine, with luscious peach and grapefruit notes.
Vinified and aged in three and four year
old barrels, it will age very well.
£22.29 exc. VAT
New
139 Côte Roannaise AC 2012
Cuvée Domaine
143 Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil AC 2010 Dionysos
100% Gamay Saint Romain (12% alc.)
Grown organically in a sandy, granitic
topsoil overlying granite, this is one of the domaine’s four red wines, and comes from a selection of old vines up to 80 years old. On the nose you find spicy cherry and
raspberry fruit, then the palate has good structure for a gamay, with the irony, stony mineral quality typical of vines grown on granite, and ripe, old vine tannins on the finish. Takes longer to open out than Cuvée no 6. Available from September.
Domaine du Mortier
This is the top cuvée from the Boisard brothers whose other cuvée has gone down so well. In contrast to ‘Graviers’ the topsoil here comprises clay and limestone and the 50 year old vines are slightly older. Aged in 5-15 year old barrels, this wine has slightly more weight and structure, layered, delicious fruit, fine balance and a long finish. For drinking now to 2016.
136 Sancerre Rosé AC 2011
Gérard Boulay
Is there a better rosé than this anywhere in France? 100% pinot noir from old vines gives this supremely elegant wine with fine fruit, saline minerality and a sustained finish.
£13.00 exc. VAT
140 Saumur-Champigny AC 2010
Domaine Le Petit Saint-Vincent
Dominique Joseph’s wine has a supple, natural quality, a black cherry nose, and is packed with cranberry fruit nicely under
scored by flavours reminiscent of these chalky soils. For drinking now to 2014.
137
£9.50 exc. VAT
Sancerre Rouge AC 2011
Gérard Boulay
50 year old vines, natural yeasts, no fining, no filtration, delicately extracted fruit, sensitive ageing in 20% new oak and 80% cuve, produces an extremely stylish and elegant wine – more than a match for many red burgundies. For drinking now
to 2018.
£15.63 exc. VAT
138 Côte-Roannaise AC 2011
Cuvée No 6
100% Gamay Saint Romain (12% alc.)
Cuvée No. 6 is a wine made as naturally as possible with no destemming, natural yeasts, ten days cuvaison, and no filtration at bottling. It comes from a specific
terroir where the soil is a mix of granite and clay. A healthy mid-cherry in colour it has a sappy, raspberry fruit, peppery character and ripe, fine grained tannins on a long finish. For drinking now to 2014.
£9.08 exc. VAT
£9.08 exc. VAT
New
New
144 Touraine AC 2009 Le Haut Midi
Gérard Marula
50% Cabernet Franc, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Grolleau (13% alc.)
Gérard Marula produces this natural wine with tiny yields from 60 year old vines in sandy, clay soils overlying limestone.
100% destalked and vinified in cuve, the New
grapes are trod by foot for two minutes a day during a three week cuvaison. Aged in cuve with no sulphur, the wine has beautiful fruit, some spice, and fine tannins with an old viney print. For drinking now
to 2014.
141 Saumur-Champigny AC 2008
Amateus Bobi
Sébastien Bobinet
A micro-cuvée from a micro-domaine.
Low yields of 40hh from 20 year old vines. After destalking, the wine is fermented with
a 60 day maceration at just 12° centigrade
to extract a kernel of silky fruit and no
harsh tannins (the winemaker’s version
of slow cooking). The wine is then aged
in four year old barrels for 16 months with
zero sulphur. It has a vibrant raspberry
colour and depth of natural cabernet fruit.
145 Chinon AC 2010 Gabare
Domaine Grosbois
The Grosbois family produce four cuvées
of Chinon, vinified by geographic parcel. This cuvée comes from a due south-facing lower terrace of the Vienne river near Panzoult with a sandy, pebbly, clay soil. Aged in cuve, it has supple, attractive red cherry fruit with a gentle, stony undertone. For drinking now to 2014.
£11.50 exc. VAT
£10.66 exc. VAT
£13.54 exc. VAT
142 Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil AC 2011 Les Graviers
Domaine du Mortier
The Boisard family have nine hectares of organically certified vines. Their wines are all marked by an incredible purity of fruit, low alcohol, silky tannins and are unfined and unfiltered. For drinking now to 2015.
£10.00 exc. VAT
146 Chinon AC 2010 Clos du Noyer
Domaine Grosbois
The Grosbois’ top wine comes from 20 to 40 year old vines with a due south aspect right at the top of a gentle sloping river terrace near Panzoult, where the soil is derived from underlying shell-rich sands known as ‘millarge’. Meticulous viticulture (yields of only 30hh) have given a wine with lush fruit (black/red), supple and mineral on the palate with fine, well inte
grated tannins. For drinking now to 2016+.
26
£11.33 exc. VAT
£13.67 exc. VAT
147 Chinon AC 2009 Clos de Turpenay
Château de Coulaine
This comes from 30 to 50 year old vines planted high on a due south-facing hillside in a soil of sand, limestone and yellow ‘millarge’ (see wine above). Fermented in cuve and then aged in four-five year old 400ltr barrels. Notable red fruit aromas lead to a palate that has similarly intense, red fruits, and a marked saline, mineral
flavour, possibly due to the limestone bedrock, with good structure, ripe tannins and beautiful length. For drinking now
to 2019.
151
152 Montlouis-sur-Loire AC 2010
£16.42 exc. VAT
148aVouvray AC 2011 Sec
148bVouvray AC 2011 Demi-Sec
Vincent Raimbault
100% Chenin (13% alc.)
The 2011 Sec has ripe fruit and a nice
mineral touch on the nose, is very clean
and dry on the palate, with good lift on
the finish. It would make an excellent
accompaniment to fruits de mer or terrine de poissons. The 2011 Demi-Sec again has a pronounced chalky mineral quality on the nose, has more weight on the palate and a long finish. It would go well with
charcuterie starters and also with good goats cheese. For drinking now to 2014+.
£8.92 exc. VAT
This is Loic Mahé’s top cuvée and the extremely low yields (11hh) give a dry wine with sumptuous concentration. On the
palate the wine has excellent balance, and there are hints of quince, ginger and
mountain herbs, then mineral stamp on the
exceptionally long finish. Best served
carafed, at cellar temperature. For drinking now to 2020+.
£16.88 exc. VAT
Premier Rendez-Vous
40 to 70 year old vines here, planted in a soil comprising sandy clay, with flints, less than a metre above a limestone bedrock. Viticulture is meticulous and organic, and yields at only 25hh are very low. The juice is directed by gravity (never pumped), into one to five year old barrels where it carries out its fermentation. 40% of the
malolactics were completed, and the wine retains good freshness and cut, with dry apple-quince fruit and mineral undertones of gunflint. A very versatile food wine or aperitif, the Joussets recommend this should be carafed. For drinking now to 2016.
149 Vouvray AC 2011 Silex Noir
François Pinon
100% Chenin (13% alc, 14g/l of rs)
François produces this ‘sec tendre’ cuvée from 45/50 year old hillside vineyards.
It is made by arresting the alcoholic
fermentation by reducing the temperature down to 1 to 2˚C for two weeks.
This leaves 14g/l of unfermented sugars though the beauty of this wine is that its harmony is such that you don’t notice the sugars at all. Very good weight of fruit on the attack, with the palate showing ripe grapefruit, exotic fruits, and an intense saline mineral flavour, this finishes with the clear, cutting edge so typical of chenin. For drinking now to 2020.
Savennières AC 2007 Équilibre
£14.33 exc. VAT
Trait d’Union
100% Chenin (13% alc, 18g/l of rs)
Very attractive on the nose, with zesty white orchard fruits, honey and wafts of spring meadow, on the palate it is
mid-weight, with excellent fruit, silky,
pure and vibrant. It is very much a ‘sec tendre’ in style, and finishes dry and
mineral. For drinking now to 2020.
£15.63 exc. VAT
Singulier
150 Savennières AC 2009 Fougeraies
100% Chenin (13.5% alc.)
Loic Mahé’s first cuvée comes from a soil rich in sand and schist. Aged in a mix of cuve and three to six year old barrels, this is a Savennières giving immediate pleasure with ripe fruits marked by stewed lemon and marmalade and subtle bitters on the finish. For drinking now to 2015+.
Singulier is the Jousset’s top cuvée from a 1.1 hectare plot of 60 to 80 year old vines
called le Clos Renard. This is possibly
Montlouis’ best lieu-dit where a thin sandy, flinty soil has developed over limestone bedrock. Aged in recent 400 ltr barrels this dry, dense, quincey, perfectly balanced wine has an exceptional mineral vibration. This wine has opened out and shows just how fine wine from this vineyard can be. For drinking now to 2017.
£14.83 exc. VAT
156 Vin de France 2009
Les Noëls de Montbenault
Richard Leroy
The vines here are planted in soils
developed over the eroded base of an
ancient volcano on the plateau of a windy ridge of hills overlooking the river Layon. Harvested from only ripe grapes
(any botryitised grapes were individually cut out) and fermented dry, the wine has a sumptuous concentration on the palate, with a hint of quince and a notable mineral (irony) flavour. Rich but balanced and very long on the finish, this is an exceptional wine. For drinking now to 2020+.
£19.58 exc. VAT
£11.46 exc. VAT
£16.96 exc. VAT
New
155 Vin de France 2009 Rouliers
Richard Leroy
100% Chenin (13.5% alc.)
When ten years of efforts trying to establish a premier cru hierarchy came to nothing, rather than continue to use the Anjou appellation that had few quality
associations, Richard took the nuclear
option of declassifying his sensational wines to Vin de France. There is a finesse and restraint to this wine (from only 0.70 hectares of low-yielding vines) with a mineral flavour possibly emanating from the
underlying schist. Fermented completely dry with the malolactics completed and no
batonnage, it shows chenin in its most elegant style. Very limited quantity from this
vintage. For drinking now to 2017+.
£17.96 exc. VAT
27
Burgundy
CHABLIS
Daniel Dampt is a dynamic, modern
domaine whose wines are stainless steel cuve aged, elegant, squeaky clean, and very minerally, accurately reflecting their terroirs. Dampt offers a fine range of 1er crus,
including the elegant Côte de Léchet,
and the firmer structured Vaillons.
Nathalie and Jean-Claude Oudin’s domaine is one of the hidden gems of Chablis.
Fanatical about good viticulture, they are prepared to take a risk with the quantity
they produce to ensure quality, rather than reaching for easy chemical solutions. They have eight hectares of well sited vines on Jurassic marls and limestones.
Domaine Pinson are blessed with ten
hectares of 1er and grand cru vineyards
(and only two of Chablis village). They hand harvest, restrict the yields and then age their best wines in three to six year old barrels for a brief period. The wines are very stylish, enhanced not marked by oak, with superb flavours suggestive of the underlying oyster-shell rich limestone.
In the midst of oceans of chemically
deweeded vines, it’s a real pleasure to come across Thomas Pico’s five hectares of organically tended vines where you find wild geranium, scarlet pimpernel, groundsel,
poppies, vetch, hyacinth and buttercups cohabiting with the vines. There is only one other fully organically certified vigneron in Chablis in an area where commercial
production methods dominate. Thomas
vinifies at much lower levels (40hh for his 1er crus when 58 is the permitted maximum) looking for full ripeness, so harvesting later than most. His wines retain a vibrant tension and remind me in style of fine Jura
chardonnays.
157 Chablis AC 2011
Daniel Dampt
Daniel Dampt produces quintessential Chablis – all restrained elegance (no oak), with a strong minerally character. It is the classic accompaniment to all shell-fish and smoked salmon. For drinking now to 2014.
158 Chablis 1er Cru Les Vaillons,
Côte de Léchet AC 2010
Daniel Dampt
Chablis 1er cru of this quality offers outstanding value when compared to the village wines of the Côte de Beaune and they have more depth and complexity to 28
the fruit than village Chablis. The Vaillons is a firmer structured wine, the Côte de Léchet more elegant. For drinking now to 2016.
159 Chablis AC 2011
Domaine Oudin
This is the main cuvée of the domaine from seven hectares of vineyards spread over six well placed parcels with an average vine age of 25 years. Nathalie Oudin is not afraid
to allow the wine good exposure to air during the malolactic fermentation. The wine has very precise citrus fruit, good texture and a saline quality suggestive of
the limestone bedrock. It feels very composed and at ease, and is much less sulphur bound than many straight Chablis. For drinking now to 2016.
£11.71 exc. VAT
160 Chablis AC 2010 Les Serres
Domaine Oudin
This comes from a plateau of limestone above the village of Chichée, next to the 1er cru of Vaucoupins. Cuve aged, it is given an extended elevage on fine lees before bottling after 20 months. It displays an extraordinary depth of fruit, intense strong, chalky taste with great length.
161
£12.46 exc. VAT
Chablis 1er Cru Vaucoupins AC 2009
Domaine Oudin
This comes from one of the best sited of the 1er crus - on quite a steep southerly facing vineyard planted in fragmented
Kimmeridgian limestone, there is literally no visible soil in the Oudin’s vineyard. It comes from 50 year old vines, has a gunflint quality on the nose, then ripe citrus fruits with a marked salty, chalky flavour on the palate. For drinking now to 2016+.
£14.79 exc. VAT
162 Chablis 1er Cru Mont de Milieu AC 2010
Domaine Pinson
We were initially drawn to Pinson by their outstanding Mont de Milieu in the difficult 1999 vintage. From 25 year old vines on a southerly slope, the wine is ripe but with a gun-flinty smokiness and lip-smacking minerality. Bone dry and very chalky, it is superb with shellfish. For drinking now to 2016+.
£17.58 exc. VAT
163 Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos AC 2008
Domaine Pinson
Les Clos is considered to be Chablis’ finest grand cru, and this wine from 30 year old vines is the epitome of its style. From a soil developed on Kimmeridgian limestone – rich in oyster shell fossils, it is very
concentrated, with great depth of fruit and a notable reserve. For drinking now to 2018+.
£28.04 exc. VAT
164 Chablis AC 2011 Vent d’Ange
Domaine Pattes Loup
This comes from three parcels (two hectares) around Courgis: la Menarde, les Malantes and Pattes Loup, hence the name of the domaine. The vines are 40 years old, issued from a massale selection, and yields average just 43hh (60 permitted). This wine was aged for 13 months, two thirds in
stainless steel, one third in seven hectos cement eggs. The balance in 2011 is very good indeed with ripe grapefruit, hint of apricot and saline minerality possibly due to the underlying limestone. For drinking now to 2015.
£13.75 exc. VAT
165 Chablis 1er Cru Beauregard AC 2011
Domaine Pattes Loup
Thomas Pico’s first 1er cru comes from 26 year old vines tended organically in Courgis (from one of the highest vineyards in
Chablis). Aged in four to six year old barrels for a year, then cuve for three months, it is more forward in its youth than the
Butteaux offering very attractive red currant fruits on the nose, good weight and
vinosity and a lingering finish. For drinking now to 2016+.
£19.13 exc. VAT
166 Chablis 1er Cru Butteaux AC 2011
Domaine Pattes Loup
This wine comes from 47 year old vines planted by Thomas Pico’s grandfather Gilbert Race in the sector of Montmains that can also be called 1er Cru Butteaux. Organic viticulture, hand harvesting, low yields, picking grapes later than most when they are fully ripe (Thomas tastes the grapes
rather than relying on analysis), and
vinification and elevage in four to six year old barrels are the key facts behind this fine, artisanal wine. It has a firmer backbone than the Beauregard, and has dense,
buttery ripe citrus fruit and mineral
underscore. It will age very well.
£19.13 exc. VAT
Domaine Pattes Loup
CÔTE DE BEAUNE
As a welcome contrast to Burgundy aged in
new oak, this year we have added two
beautiful wines from Emmanuel Giboulot’s
ten hectare estate. Emmanuel has tended his
vines bio-dynamically since 1996 with
holdings concentrated in the tiny appellation
of Côte de Beaune, just above Beaune at
300m altitude. Here the vineyards are perfectly
sheltered and face due east. Yields are much
lower than normal in Burgundy (31hh against
the average of 50hh for whites) and with the
extra density, Emmanuel ages his wines in
four to twelve year old barrels. Emmanuel’s
wines feel very composed, elegant and at ease
with themselves and have a mountain stream
purity and lip-smacking, saline minerality. And
you can enjoy them in their youth whilst your
Burgundies aged in new oak go through the
oak integration phase. As an interesting aside
some of the greatest exponents of chardonnay
in other regions – Pascal Agrapart in
Champagne, Julien Labet in the Jura, and
Pattes Loup in Chablis all eschew new or
recent oak for ageing their wines.
Caroline Morey is another member of the
famous Morey clan which has deep roots in
Chassagne. She has quite a pedigree being the
daughter of recently retired grower Jean-Marc
Morey and wife of one of the village’s leading
growers Pierre-Yves Colin. Caroline has split
her time working in the vineyards and cave of
both her father and husband for the last ten
years. Adopting the same business model, in
addition to her own holdings Caroline also
buys in a few barrels worth of grapes from
other growers in neighbouring villages. She
looks to produce wines with very pure fruit
that can be drunk young but will also keep
well for ten years plus. Her wines are aged in
deep underground cellars in the village and
she prefers to use recent 350 litre barrels for
ageing. Chaptalisation is also frowned upon,
so that the wines feel transparent, crisp, pure
and taut, with a delicious mineral cut.
Damien Colin and his brother Joseph are now
at the helm of Domaine Marc Colin, with
Damien vinifying the reds and Joseph the
whites. The Colins have holdings of
Saint-Aubin in every 1er cru and also offer
top class village Chassagne and Puligny.
Their wines have a real following amongst top
restaurants – they are very focused, minerally
and not over-oaked.
It was a real pleasure to come across
Domaine Jean Féry from whom we offer two
Savigny-lès-Beaune. Féry have ten hectares of
bio-dynamically tended vines in both the Côte
de Beaune and Côte de Nuits and their
winemaker Pascal Marchand, who was
previously winemaker at Comte Armand and
then Domaine de la Vougeraie, has a fine
reputation.
Claude Maréchal’s wines have also earned a
glowing reputation, because he seems to be
able to coax the maximum fruit out of the
pinot noir, and yet retain an elegance, without
resort to chaptalisation or the use of sulphur
during elevage. His wines are concentrated
and intense – he picks late – and have an
appealing drinkability in their youth.
30
167
Bourgogne Aligoté AC 2010
172 Côte-de-Beaune Rouge AC 2011
100% Aligoté (12% alc.)
Aged in six year old 600 litre demi-muids for one year this is a balanced, zippy wine, with finely tuned fruit and good minerality. For drinking now to 2014.
£10.40 exc. VAT
168 Auxey-Duresses AC 2010
This wine comes from limestone derived
soil on the Saint-Romain side of the
appellation. It always has a zesty,
grapefruity and citrus character, but has a chalky, stony depth at the same time.
£20.83 exc. VAT
169 Meursault AC 2009
This is a superb example of village
Meursault from six well placed lieux-dits (including les Clous and Narvaux) and old vines averaging 50 years old. It offers good weight on the attack, buttery, apricot fruit, with a balancing mineral character and silky finish. For drinking now to 2016.
170
£26.08 exc. VAT
Meursault AC 2007 Gruyaches
Gruyaches is a very well placed lieu-dit, south of the 1er cru Charmes at the foot of
the hill. The vines here are 76 years old – Fichet’s oldest parcel – and the style is always rich and opulent but with a good cut. It embodies the style that many would regard as classic Meursault. For drinking now to 2015.
£32.29 exc. VAT
171 Côte-de-Beaune Blanc AC 2010
Les Pierres Blanches
Domaine Emmanuel Giboulot
Pierres Blanches lies just above the Beaune 1er Cru les Bressandes with an ideal easterly aspect. There’s about 1½ metres of sandy clay overlying limestone mother-rock.
Low yielding, deep rooted bio-dynamically tended vines give a crystalline pure wine, with zesty citrus fruits and hazlenuts and long saline finish. For drinking now to 2018.
£21.50 exc. VAT
New
Les Pierres Blanches
Domaine Emmanuel Giboulot
100% Pinot Noir (12% alc.)
Just two barrels are produced here from one third of a hectare of 16-46 year old vines. Destalked 90% and unchaptalised, there are complex aromas of red berry fruits giving way to a delicate, stylish and mineral infused palate. Very persistent aftertaste. For drinking now to 2018.
£18.17 exc. VAT
New
173 Saint-Aubin AC 2009
Les Ebaupins
Caroline Morey
This comes from 30 year old vines and a south-facing vineyard above St-Aubin.
It is naturally slightly cooler here, and
harvested late. In 2009 (which Caroline compares to 1985 or 1989) the fruit was ripe but balanced by a refreshing acidity and clear cut, limestone mineral flavours. For drinking now to 2014.
£17.58 exc. VAT
174 Saint-Aubin 1er Cru Les Combes
AC 2009
Caroline Morey
Aged in 350 litre barrels (20% new) to reduce the influence of oak, this wine comes from 30 year old vines on an easterly-facing slope opposite En Remilly. The 2009 is very good, with poised, fine fruit, a silky mouthfeel and refreshing saline mineral edge. For drinking now to 2015.
£19.96 exc. VAT
175 Saint-Aubin 1er Cru Les Meurgers des Dents de Chien AC 2009
Caroline Morey
Dents de Chien is arguably the finest of all the St-Aubin 1er crus, located high on the
hillside above En Remilly and running directly into the Puligny 1er cru of Champ Gain. It has a southerly aspect here but the
cooler airflow at this elevation helps to retain snap and verve. The soil here is very shallow – just 45cm above the limestone.
It is very Puligny in style, taut, racy and mineral. For drinking now to 2015.
£22.08 exc. VAT
176 Santenay 1er Cru la Comme
AC 2009
180 Saint-Aubin 1er Cru En Remilly
AC 2009
Caroline Morey
La Comme is a very well placed vineyard at
the eastern edge of the village, and runs directly into the Chassagne 1er cru of Les Embrazées. The 40 year old vines have a south-easterly aspect and give a style of wine that is always flattering in its youth, with gentle elegant fruit. For drinking now to 2015.
Marc Colin
This is one of the finest of the St-Aubin 1er crus, on a steep south-facing slope and effectively the continuation of Le
Montrachet as the hillside swings round to the west. It is very composed, harmonious wine, from vines averaging 35 years old. For drinking now to 2015.
177
Meursault AC 2009 Les Vireuils
Caroline Morey
At 300 metres, Vireuils is one of the highest
vineyards in Meursault, facing north-east on the slope above Chevalières and Tesson. The limestone is visible in many places here, there is so little soil. Caroline produced just two 350 litre barrels from 45 year old vines. The wine has both good punch and finesse with a vibrant mineral character.
£26.63 exc. VAT
178 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru En Morgeot ‘La Fairende’ AC 2009
Caroline Morey
This comes from 60 year old vines in a site located between the 1er crus of Caillerets and Les Grandes Ruchottes. La Fairende has always been renowned for producing the best white 1er crus of Morgeot. It is a superb terroir, with very white clayey soil, that gives a pale, dense, structured mineral wine with excellent acidity that ages
especially well. For drinking now to 2017.
£35.00 exc. VAT
179 Saint-Aubin 1er Cru Sur Gamay
AC 2009
Marc Colin
The vines here are 40 years old, planted up on the hillside (with very little soil)
alongside Dents de Chien, but with more of a south-western aspect. Damien & Joseph Colin have cut back on the
percentage of new oak used for their St-Aubins, now using just 15 to 20%.
This wine has very precise, stony, citrus
fruit flavours. For drinking now to 2014.
£19.96 exc. VAT
£19.79 exc. VAT
£19.96 exc. VAT
181 Puligny-Montrachet AC 2009
Le Trézin
Marc Colin
The Colins’ Trézin vineyards (60 years old) lie above Puligny. It is cooler here and so the wine always retains a good cut of acidity that marries beautifully with its steely, composed fruit. For drinking now
to 2015.
£24.79 exc. VAT
182 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Folatières AC 2009
Marc Colin
Just two barrels from 50 year old vines (recently rented by the Colins) which have always been ploughed, this very stylish wine is from a superbly placed premier cru. Lots of class and race with good grip.
£47.50 exc. VAT
183 Chassagne-Montrachet AC 2009 Encegnières
Marc Colin
Encegnières is a brilliantly sited lieu-dit just below the grand cru Bâtard-Montrachet. From 60 year old vines and aged in 20% new oak barrels, this is rich and yet firm, with good structure and fine depth to the fruit. For drinking now to 2015.
£24.79 exc. VAT
185 Santenay AC 2009 Vieilles Vignes
Marc Colin
This is an excellent red from 109 year old vines in the lieu-dit of Champs Claude which
lies below the Chassagne 1er cru of Morgeot. The soil here is quite rich,
gravelly clay with a little sand that is well suited to pinot noir. The oak is very
sensitively handled (10% new up to six year old barrels). The cool raspberry fruit has been delicately extracted, and there is an old viney framework and structure.
£16.25 exc. VAT
186 Savigny-lès-Beaune AC 2009
Domaine Jean Féry
Winemaker Pascal Marchand has coaxed a succulent, elegant wine with vibrant red fruits from vines averaging 25 years old. Organic viticulture, low yields (around 35hh) and sensitive oak elevage make this a really attractive village Savigny. For drinking now to 2015.
£15.63 exc. VAT
Ez-Connardises
Domaine Jean Féry
Ez-Connardises is a very well placed lieu-dit just to the south of the leading 1er cru of Les Lavières. Here the vines are 80 years old, and have given a deeper, richer wine with intense fruit and fine structure.
£16.54 exc. VAT
Vieilles Vignes
Claude et Catherine Maréchal
Perfect as usual. A gorgeous colour, the fruit has a very natural, scrumptious quality with old viney grip, and really silky tannins. For drinking now to 2014.
£18.92 exc. VAT
184 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Caillerets AC 2009
Marc Colin
Caillerets is arguably the finest of all the Chassagne 1er crus. There is very little soil on this south-east facing slope where Colin’s vines are 20 to 65 years old.
The wine here has incredible finesse, is taut and racy with a notable mineral
character. It is typically a little shy in its youth, but ages extremely well.
189 Pommard AC 2010 La Chanière
Claude et Catherine Maréchal
This comes from 60 year old vines planted in a limestone clay soil with a notable iron influence. Part of the La Chanière vineyard is classed as 1er cru and this rich,
well-structured wine with savoury tannins is an excellent example. For drinking now to 2017.
£25.58 exc. VAT
£36.63 exc. VAT
31
‘Joncs’ for vine tying
CÔTE DE NUITS
We have been working with Thierry Mortet
since the 1993 vintage, and with every
year we have seen an improvement in his
wines, to the point where all of his wines
are now amongst the best. They demand
a little bottle age – four years from vintage
date for the Bourgogne Rouge, five for the
village wines and at least six for the 1er
crus. Thierry’s viticulture is now organically
certified although we had to almost chisel
this information out of him!
Amiot-Servelle are a close family concern
with just six hectares in and around
Chambolle-Musigny. Quality has always been
very good here, but the wines have stepped
up to the highest level after conversion to
organic viticulture back in 2003. Their wines
have a succulent quality, great purity and
right across the range you never notice any
oak. Due to the tiny quantities produced,
they will always be something of a hidden
secret, though they are very highly rated by
wine writers like Allen Meadows. They are
wines that age especially well.
Cécile Tremblay continues to receive
plaudits for her alluring, startlingly pure
wines, (bio-dynamic viticulture, unfined and
unfiltered) which offer both a succulence
and incredible depth of flavour. David
Schildknecht (for Robert Parker) writes,
‘This grand niece of Henri Jayer makes from
fewer than 4 hectares some of the most
exciting new wines in the Côte de Nuits,
pure and full of finesse. So run rather than
walk to get in as close as is still possible to
the ground floor at a domaine that is sure
to become one of Burgundy’s elite, but
sadly, almost as surely, to remain tiny’.
Cécile is well-known amongst other
vignerons for the time, care and energy she
applies in her vineyards – she works with
an incredible dynamism and it is clear that
her efforts have been more than rewarded
with a fabulous range of wines. All Cécile’s
wines have a very pure, sculpted fruit quality
due to very low yields from lovingly tended
vines. She is so fanatically committed to
quality that in poor vintages she prefers to
declassify her top wines to the generic
appellation level. Very few of her Burgundian
colleagues seem inclined to follow suit!
190 Bourgogne Rouge AC 2009
Thierry Mortet
A working man’s Gevrey-Chambertin from vines of the same village, displaying much of the same quality and breed of its
illustrious neighbour. Silky soft and
perfumed, this is what good burgundy is
all about. For drinking now to 2014.
£12.50 exc. VAT
191 Gevrey-Chambertin AC 2008/2009
Thierry Mortet
Thierry has six hectares of vines in some of Gevrey-Chambertin’s prime sites. This is
fine pinot noir – it has a wonderfully pure definition of raspberry/strawberry pinot fruit with that typical hint of game and touch of oak to add to its complexity.
192 Gevrey-Chambertin AC 2007
Vigne Belle
Thierry Mortet
This is a very well placed lieu-dit, alongside
(east) the 1er cru of Petite Chapelle, renowned for providing the most feminine
and elegant of the Gevrey 1er crus. Thierry’s Vigne Belle, from 20 year old vines, is of a similar style, with enchanting pinot aromas, real finesse and silky tannins. For drinking now to 2015.
£27.25 exc. VAT
193 Bourgogne Rouge AC 2010
This comes from one and a half hectares near the RN74 east of Chambolle-Musigny. Using just 10% new oak (with the balance up to four years old), this wine has a nose of earthy, dark berry fruit and a silky quality on the palate. Serious wine at this level.
195 Chambolle-Musigny AC 2008
Les Bas Doix
Les Bas Doix is a very well placed lieu-dit on
the hillside next to Vougeot and the 1er cru of Les Hauts Doix at the south end of the village. The vines here are two thirds 15 years old and one third 40 years old. Slightly riper and with a touch more density of fruit and structure than Amiot’s village Chambolle. For drinking now to 2015+.
£28.58 exc. VAT
196 Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Charmes AC 2009
Clear, mid colour, shows a gentle touch with extraction. The vines here are 30 to 40 years old. The wine has an extra depth and complexity, intense red fruit flavours, and is stylishly fashioned with real allure. For drinking late 2013 to 2019.
£41.25 exc. VAT
197 Morey-Saint-Denis AC 2010
Très Girard
Domaine Cécile Tremblay
This comes from a half hectare of 40-45 year old vines situated just below the 1er Cru of Clos des Sorbets. The vines are sited on an easterly facing 25° slope to the west of the main road (where all the best village sites are found). Cécile doesn’t like rustic MSD, and this wine has superb balance, a well-defined blackberry and cherry fruit, well-integrated fine tannins and mineral note. Very limited quantity. For drinking 2015 to 2018.
£29.50 exc. VAT
£13.29 exc. VAT
194 Chambolle-Musigny AC 2009
This wine comes from eight parcels of vines around the village ranging from 15-70 years old. It offers very clear cut red fruit flavours, a refreshing acidity, a notable mineral influence and finishes ripe with good
tannins. For drinking now to 2016.
£28.58 exc. VAT
33
Mâcon and Beaujolais
Fabio and Claire Gazeau-Montrasi have worked
with great diligence and passion to become
one of the leading estates in Pouilly-Fuissé.
They have just six hectares of old vines located
in the highest spot above Fuissé. Fabio is sure
that the main improvement in their wines is
down to the influence of ploughing their vines
over a 15-year span. Yields are low, yeasts
are natural and only older oak is used for the
elevage.
Domaine de Prion is run by Sylvain Chanudet
and his two brothers. They have 17 hectares
of Fleurie and one of Moulin-à-Vent, and bottle
off just 20% of their production from the
oldest and best located vines. Viticulture is
very good here, they give their wines time and
don’t rush them into bottle. The style of their
wines is dense and layered, with ripe
concentrated old vine fruit that at the same
time has a very sensual, silky mouthfeel.
In Beaujolais we also offer two excellent wines
made by Jean-Claude Chanudet(including his
outstanding 2009 Fleurie), known to everyone
in Morgon as simply ‘le chat’. He has just three
hectares of 60 year old vine Morgon and half
a hectare of 60 year old vines in Fleurie on the
mythical slope of La Madone. Le chat makes
wines of great finesse, that are quite pale in
colour (“Gamay is not a grape suited
to overextraction”), with a wonderful texture
and marked mineral print on the finish.
His wines are aged in a mix of foudres, fûts
and stainless steel, whose proportions are
adjusted every year according to the qualities
of the fruit. Though his approach is organic,
he is vehemently against the worthiness of the
natural wine movement (“the new religion”).
198 Mâcon-Pierreclos AC 2011
Domaine Marc Jambon et Fils
Succulent chardonnay fruit, good balance, and a slightly salty, chalky aftertaste define this excellent value wine. For drinking now to 2014.
£9.21 exc. VAT
199 Mâcon-Chardonnay AC 2011
Pascal Pauget
This comes from 15 year old vines on a stony, east facing limestone slope, located in the village of Chardonnay. It is an
outstanding example of Mâcon. Very pure with a salty waft on the nose, it shows ripe citrus fruits on the attack and finish, nicely relieved by a teasing acidity.
£11.04 exc. VAT
200 Pouilly-Fuissé AC 2010
Clos Varambon
Château des Rontets
This comes from 4½ hectares of vines
averaging 50 years of age. There is just 30cms of pebbly topsoil then a 1.25m bed of broken up stones overlying
Bathonian limestone. Yields are low (just 34hh in 2010) and the wine was vinified then aged for a year in older oak, followed by a further six months in cuve. The balance of this wine is excellent, it has very natural,
ripe but zesty citrus fruit tethered by an
insistent mineral undertow and you don’t
notice oak at all. For drinking now to 2016.
£16.29 exc. VAT
New
201 Fleurie AC 2011 La Madone
Domaine de Prion
100% Gamay (12.5% alc.)
50 to 60 year old vines here on the famous hillside with just 30cms of soil above the granite bedrock. Aged in cement, with just
one bottling after 11 months, this is a slightly bigger framed wine than le chat’s.
The fruit is quite sumptuous and spicy (liquorice, cloves and nutmeg) with a hint of wild rose too. There is a very good silky mouthfeel and it feels very pure and
beautifully made. For drinking now to 2025+.
£13.13 exc. VAT
New
202 Chiroubles AC 2011
Daniel Bouland
100% Gamay (13% alc.)
Daniel Bouland’s Chiroubles comes from a 0.65 hectare vineyard, 30 year old vines and a light yellow sandstone. A bright
mid-cherry colour, it is a real ‘vin de terroir’, with quite an intense stony character and gentle raspberry fruit. For drinking now to 2014.
£11.04 exc. VAT
203 Côte-de-Brouilly AC 2011
Daniel Bouland
100% Gamay (13% alc.)
This comes from 70 year old vines in a schist and granite derived soil on the
southern slope of the extinct volcano of Mont Brouilly. Aged in old oak foudres, with a fine plum colour, it has rich spicy fruit
with a marked stony flavour on the finish. For drinking now to 2019.
£11.04 exc. VAT
204 Morgon AC 2010 Corcelette
Daniel Bouland
100% Gamay (13% alc.)
This comes from 45 year old vines planted in weathered schists on low yielding quality rootstock called Vialla. Using natural yeasts and low yields together with foudre ageing, this has dense red fruits, good structure with an irony, stony rasp reminiscent of the schist on the long finish. 92 points Robert Parker. For drinking now to 2020.
205 Morgon AC 2010 Vieilles Vignes
Daniel Bouland
100% Gamay (13% alc.)
This comes from one hectare of 83 year old vines. Outstanding weight of fruit - almost Cornas level of richness, dark cherry and blackberry fruit and intense mineral character. There is a quietly tannic, old viney grip to the finish that presages an excellent future. For drinking now to 2025.
£12.79 exc. VAT
206 Morgon AC 2011
Marcel Lapierre
100% Gamay (12.5% alc.)
A finely sculpted wine here, with a mid raspberry colour, delicately extracted, and beautifully pure old viney fruit, enhanced by ten months ageing in casks from
Prieuré-Roch in Burgundy. No sulphur was used during the elevage, just a little added at bottling. For drinking now to 2016.
£13.96 exc. VAT
207 Morgon AC 2011
Domaine J. Chamonard
100% Gamay (12.5% alc.)
Jean-Claude Chanudet’s Morgon comes from three hectares of 60 year old vines dispersed across the best slopes of the appellation (all planted on the low yielding Vialla rootstock) on sandy, schistose and granitic soils. The 2011 has succulent, at ease fruit with fine grained tannins and stony minerality which gives the wine a wonderful
finish. For drinking now to 2020+.
£12.38 exc. VAT
208 Fleurie AC 2009 La Madone
Gilbert Chanudet
100% Gamay (13.5% alc.)
La Madone, the most famous plot in
Fleurie, and at 430m the highest of the
appellation, offers a soil of pale pink decomposed granite, on a granite bedrock. Chanudet produces the most elegant expression possible: a gentle colour, violet note on the nose, a wonderfully supple
texture, soft red and black fruits backed by a strong mineral character on the finish. For drinking now to 2020+.
34
£11.33 exc. VAT
£13.29 exc. VAT
Daniel Bouland, Morgon
Alsace
Dirler-Cadé are one of Alsace’s leading
domaines making brilliant, tightly structured
wines. Based in Bergholtz in the southern half
of Alsace south of Colmar, they were early
convertees to biodynamic viticulture back in
1998 (now certified ‘Biodyvin’). They have
a fine cluster of grand crus near Guebwiller:
Saering, Spiegel, Kitterlé and Kessler. Saering
has a complex mix of marl, sandstone and
limestone and is largely south-east facing,
producing very finely cut, delicate, elegant
wines. Spiegel which is due east facing (so
important to retain good acidity) has a
sandstone and clay bedrock. It is specially
suited to producing dense, long-lived rieslings.
Kessler is on a south-east facing hillside above
Spiegel, and is quite a steep terraced vineyard
based on sandstone, where gewürztraminer
and pinot gris thrive.
The 13 hectare Domaine Léon Boesch is run by
Matthieu Boesch, wife Marie and his parents in
Soultzmatt at the southern end of Alsace (4km
north of Dirler-Cadé). The vines have been
tended bio-dynamically since 1999 and
qualified for Demeter status in 2008.
Yeasts are indigenous and the malolactic
fermentations are allowed to occur
spontaneously rather than being blocked with
sulphur post fermentation. Matthieu believes
there is a better exchange between the fine
lees and wine without the interraction of
sulphur. The wines are very clean with terrific
fruit, texture, tension, minerality and length.
Frédéric and Guillaume Mochel have ten
hectares of vines near Traenheim in the
Bas-Rhin, 50 km to the north of Thomas’
vineyards in Ammerschwihr. The Mochels vinify
dry as they consider this style of wine goes
much better with food, and the slightly cooler
northern climate helps in this respect. Their
best wines are from the grand cru hillside of
Altenberg de Bergbieten with soils over marls,
limestones and dolomites which are considered
to add extra complexity to the wines.
François Thomas’ wines are ripe with good
fruit and terroir definition, a nice fresh
balancing acidity, with neither too much
alcohol or residual sugar. His work in the
vineyard is meticulous – all his wines are
certified organic and he even uses a horse to
plough between the vine rows on the steep
hillside of Kaefferkopf.
The Schmitt family have ten hectares of vines
in Bergbieten, and follow organically certified
viticulture. Their wines have a most attractive,
clear cut fruit and are much more accessible in
their youth than many wines from the region.
One of the factors that explains this is that
they work with low, though perfectly safe
levels of sulphur, which all too often can act
as a barrier against enjoyment of young wines
from Alsace.
36
209 Pinot Blanc AC 2011 La Cabane
50% Pinot Blanc, 50% Pinot Auxerrois
(13% alc, 5g/l of rs)
Bio-dynamic viticulture here for east-facing vines on sandstone and clay. It has clear cut, zesty, peachy fruit. For drinking now
to 2014.
214 Pinot Gris AC 2010
100% Pinot Gris (12.5% alc, 16g/l of rs)
30 year old vines sited to the north and east of Bergbieten produce this textbook pinot gris – which is clean and very spicy with a touch of limestone minerality. For drinking now to 2014.
£9.33 exc. VAT
210 Muscat Saering Grand Cru AC 2008
90% Muscat Ottonel, 10% Muscat d’Alsace
(12% alc, 3g/l of rs)
The 34 year old vines here give a very finely sculpted wine. Exquisitely balanced with citrus fruits, hints of verveine and mint and a characteristic sapid, saline note on the finish. For drinking now to 2020+.
£14.13 exc. VAT
211 Muscat Altenberg de Bergbieten Grand Cru AC 2010
100% Muscat Ottonel (13% alc, 7.7g/l of rs)
This comes from 30 year old vines and is a dense structured wine in 2010. It is a
long keeper – the 1988 was outstanding in
late 2005! Once the wine gets beyond six years it takes an altogether different guise, revealing layers of complexity that make it one of France’s finest, most
surprising and under-rated grape varieties. For drinking now to 2020+.
212
213
£17.83 exc. VAT
Pinot Noir AC 2010 Les Jardins
30 year old vines here (and 50 hh) produce this delicious pinot noir which is well
balanced with crunchy red fruits, well
integrated oak and fine tannins.
£11.25 exc. VAT
Pinot Gris AC 2011
100% Pinot Gris (13.5% alc, 12.6g/l of rs)
Aromas fairly leap out of the glass. It’s a rich yet restrained wine with pear, apples and exotic fruit flavours with a hint of spice. For drinking now to 2015.
£12.00 exc. VAT
£12.21 exc. VAT
215 Pinot Gris Kessler Grand Cru
AC 2011
100% Pinot Gris (13.7% alc, 20g/l of rs)
Despite a vigneron’s best efforts, pinot gris sugars tend to spike up quickly just before harvest and most grand crus have around 40-50g/l of rs. It is therefore unusual but a
real pleasure to discover such a balanced pinot gris grand cru with only 20g/l of rs,
which helps to make it both a more
harmonious and digestible wine.
The sandstone base of Kessler also seems to provide the wine with a notable mineral print, and the smoky fruit, which has hints of ginger and praline make this a superb wine for gastronomy. For drinking now
to 2019.
£18.25 exc. VAT
New
216 Riesling AC 2011
Les Grandes Lignes
100% Riesling (13.4% alc, 4.9g/l of rs)
25 year old bio-dynamic vines planted in a
limestone soil give this delicious wine,
whose ripe citrus fruits (hints of mandarin
and apricot) are cosseted by a delicate
acidity with a saline hint on the long finish.
£9.96 exc. VAT
217 Riesling AC 2011 Glintzberg
100% Riesling (13% alc, 3.5g/l of rs)
25 year old vines here in Glintzberg which touch the grand cru of Altenberg de Bergbieten. The soil is a clay-marl mix and like the grand cru, gypsum fragments in the subsoil are considered to bring a delicious freshness to the wine. The nose is floral and mineral, and on the palate the wine is most attractive with a clear cut fresh fruit, with well integrated sappy acidity and distinct saline notes on the sustained finish. For drinking now to 2015.
£10.13 exc. VAT
218
Riesling AC 2011 Thalberg
An excellent wine from 30-40 year old vines lower down the hillside of Altenberg de Bergbieten and facing west. Fragments of gypsum can be clearly seen here
weathered out on the surface. The wine has the same pitch and flavours as the Glintzberg but the older vines give a juice that is just a little denser with a touch more structure. For drinking now to 2017.
£11.79 exc. VAT
New
219 Riesling Altenberg de Bergbieten Grand Cru AC 2008 Cuvée Henriette
Mochel’s top cuvée of riesling is a brilliant example, always amongst the region’s
finest. It comes from 50 year old vines planted right at the top of the hillside nearest the limestone mother rock.
Pale gold in colour with greeny glints, it has smoky, taut, transparent fruit, great texture and depth of fruit and a long finish like a gently breaking wave. For drinking now
to 2023.
£17.33 exc. VAT
220 Riesling Saering Grand Cru AC 2007
100% Riesling (13% alc, 3g/l of rs)
The 20 year old bio-dynamically tended vines are planted to the west of Saering near Kitterlé with a south-east aspect in a sandy marl with limestone deep below.
The wine has a beautiful colour with greeny glints, and the nose is restrained and mineral. The palate is mouthwateringly pure and sapid with lemon and lime-zest,
a hint of ginger and spice, and a saline note on a finish that keeps on going.
£16.79 exc. VAT
221 Riesling Spiegel Grand Cru AC 2007
100% Riesling (13% alc, 2g/l of rs)
Spiegel gives a denser more tightly wound riesling than Saering, that gradually reveals its incredible qualities. There is more clay in the vineyard here, and an easterly
exposure, which according to Jean help to make this such a long-lived riesling.
Anyone looking for a world class dry riesling, with a good cellar and a little patience would be amply rewarded by this wine. For drinking now to 2027+.
222 Gewurztraminer AC 2011 Les Fous
100% Gewurztraminer (14.5% alc, 18g/l of rs)
Boesch’s gewurztraminer shows the brilliant side of this grape when it is restrained by enough acidity. It beguiles with its rose, blackcurrant and red fruit aromas, has good weight with freshness on the palate, and a
gently spicy finish. For drinking now to 2015.
£11.83 exc. VAT
223 Gewurztraminer AC 2010
The aromas and tastes of this exceptional
wine combine ripe mangoes, jasmine tea, lychees, flowers and rosewater. Exotic with a capital E! Limited quantity. For drinking now to 2014.
£11.92 exc. VAT
224 Gewurztraminer Kessler Grand Cru AC 2008
100% Gewurztraminer (14% alc, 32g/l of rs)
Kessler has produced a very well balanced and classy wine in 2008. The bouquet offers a complex mix of exotic fruit, mango and spice. There is very good depth to the fruit with a well integrated acidity and
a fantastic freshness. For drinking now
to 2017.
£19.04 exc. VAT
New
225 Gewurztraminer Zinnkoepflé Grand Cru AC 2010
Half of the vines were planted in 1920,
and the other half average 50 years old. Zinnkoepflé is a steep due-south facing hill
side of limestone and sandstone that is especially suited to growing exceptional gewurztraminer. Here we have a powerful, rich structured wine, offering at the same time good tension, freshness and
exceptional fruit: pineapple, blood orange with a notable dash of nutmeg.
226 Gewurztraminer Mambourg Grand Cru AC 2010
Mambourg grand cru is an early ripening, south-facing hillside with a limestone
derived topsoil. Thomas’ vines are 30 years old and give aromas of rose, exotic fruits and spices. On the palate it has a
sumptuous concentration but the fruit is cosseted and restrained by a complex
minerality. A wine of meditation!
Also perfect with foie gras.
£16.50 exc. VAT
227 Gewurztraminer Vendanges
Tardives AC 2007
100% Gewurztraminer (14% alc, 60g/l of rs)
This excellent Vendanges Tardives comes from the lieu-dit of Altenbourg in
Kientzheim where 50 year old vines are planted in a soil based on a clayey
limestone. The silky yet intense fruit has notes of lexia raisins, honey, ripe mango. The natural sugars are perfectly integrated and it is drinking very well now. For drinking
now to 2017+.
£25.79 exc. VAT
228 Crémant d’Alsace AC Brut
40% Pinot Gris, 40% Pinot Auxerrois,
An excellent dry (dosage of 5g/l) sparkling wine from the 2009 vintage made by the méthode champenoise. Zesty and sapid with a delicate fruit, this makes for excellent party fizz and real value alternative to
champagne.
£12.83 exc. VAT
£17.46 exc. VAT
£18.29 exc. VAT
37
Champagne
CÔTE DES BLANCS
The Agrapart family have been renowned for
the quality of their blanc de blancs for many
generations. They have 9.75 hectares of
vineyards, and 50% of the vines are planted in
the grand cru of Avize, where Selosse also has
most of his vineyards. Pascal Agrapart works
according to the natural rhythms in the
vineyard. ‘The best treatments are sunshine,
air and ploughing the vines. 75% of a wine’s
quality come from the roots. We have
ploughed here for five generations and the
vines are very deep rooted. In hot vintages our
wines always do well because the vines can
find water and nutrients deep below. When I
see earth turned over after ploughing, gently
steaming in the cool early morning air, I find
that beautiful.’ The champagnes are enhanced
by an extremely well judged elevage – three
of the five wines are aged in a mix of cuve
and 5-10 year old 600 ltr demi-muids, Avizoise
and Venus are aged solely in demi-muids.
Stylistically the champagnes are of a naturally
expressive and vinous character – there is no
mistaking their inimitable class and style.
They are mid-weight, in between
Larmandier-Bernier’s rigour, tension and
finesse, and Selosse’s concentration, power
and complexity.
Scouting for new talent, this year we had a
look at champagnes from 41 growers and
finished by working with just one, Aurélien
Suenen, thanks to a tip from Pascal Agrapart.
Aurélien is based in Cramant, and has a clutch
of parcels there and in the grand cru villages
of Chouilly and Oiry, together with a 0.80h
plot near Montigny sur Vesle on the Massif de
Saint Thierry west of Reims. In total he has
just over 3 hectares. He took over the estate
upon his father’s death in 2007, and although
his first commercial releases were in autumn
2012, already he has gained an appreciative
worldwide clientele and sales are by allocation
only. His wines have a most attractive vinosity
and purity and we predict a very big future.
Run by Olivier Collin, Ulysse Collin produce
stylish blanc de blancs in Vert la Gravelle near
Vértus. Olivier was inspired to become a
vigneron after a stage with Anselme Selosse
in 2001. His first wine was produced in 2004
from a single parcel of 1.2h of chardonnay.
The style of champagne here is not surprisingly
given the Selosse influence, at the richer end
of the spectrum, deeply vinous with a firmly
pronounced chalkiness.
Larmandier-Bernier have 15 hectares of old
vines (average 35 years old) primarily in Vertus.
They have developed a fine reputation for
producing stylish, elegant champagnes with
a crystalline purity and depths of salty, chalky
minerality. They were certified organic back in
1999 but have turned to bio-dynamic
viticulture since then.
38
229
Champagne AC NV Brut Les 7 Crus
Agrapart & Fils
90% Chardonnay, 10% Pinot Noir (12% alc.)
This comes from vines in seven villages, including the grand crus of Avize and
Cramant. Blended from the 2008 and 2009 vintages and given over two years sur lattes, the dosage of 7g/l is well judged, helping to emphasize its driving fruitiness and minerality. It is a perfect example of how a good non-vintage balances character and authenticity with sheer, delicious drink
ability. For drinking now to 2015.
£26.33 exc. VAT
230 Champagne Grand Cru AC NV Extra-Brut Terroirs
Agrapart & Fils
100% Chardonnay BdeB (12% alc.)
A blend of the 2008 and 2009 vintages, made exclusively from 25-40 year old vines in the grand crus of Avize (50%), Cramant, Oger and Oiry. Fabulous colour with more depth than Les 7 Crus. It is a much finer, more structured champagne aged for 33 months sur lattes. There are buttery and brioche notes on the palate with hints of menthol and liquorice too. It has a 5g/l
dosage. For drinking now to 2016.
£30.96 exc. VAT
231 Champagne Grand Cru AC 2005 Extra-Brut Minéral
Agrapart & Fils
Made from two different parcels,
Le Champ Bouton in Avize and Les Bionnes in Cramant, where the vines are very close to the chalky subsoil, Minéral has a
beautiful pale gold colour and is taut and reticent on the nose with a pronounced chalky minerality cosseting the fruit. On the
palate it is slightly salty with a hint of iodine (and becomes truffley with ageing), racy and stylish with a poise and fruit reminiscent of grand cru Chablis. It has a 4g/l dosage. 94 points Robert Parker.
£40.00 exc. VAT
232 Champagne Grand Cru AC 2006 Extra-Brut Avizoise
Agrapart & Fils
This outstanding champagne comes from 50 year old vines in the lieux-dits of Les
Robarts and La Voie d’Epernay on the Avize
hillside, where there is a thin layer of clay over the chalk. The fermentation in bottle is carried out under cork rather than capsule, with a minimum of five years on the lees. There is a notable step up in quality with Avizoise which has a dense, rich style and complex flavours. On the nose you can smell mangoes and exotic fruits, which follow through on the palate, where ripe peaches show, with toasty, grilled notes (typical of a champagne aged under cork) and hint of truffle and mushroom too.
Dosage of 4g/l. 94 points Robert Parker. Very limited quantity. For drinking now to 2016+.
£55.00 exc. VAT
233 Champagne Grand Cru AC 2006 Brut Nature Vénus
Agrapart & Fils
The vines used for Vénus are planted on a lower slope in Avize called la Fosse. The soil
here is light and airy, not compacted at all (no machines are used in this vineyard, just work by foot and by a horse for
ploughing), close to the chalk for the upper two thirds and then clay over chalk at the bottom. Like the Avizoise, this has been aged under cork for five years.
By comparison, it is a tauter, purer style, with a crystalline precision. On the nose there are brioche and truffle notes, tethered by a chalky, iodine mineral quality. It is finely
hued and harmonious on the palate with a silky texture and long finish. 95 points Robert Parker. Very limited quantity.
£77.50 exc. VAT
234 Champagne AC NV Brut Réserve
Aurélien Suenen
45% Pinot Noir, 44% Pinot Meunier,
25 year old vines here split into four parcels, on sandy topsoil with chalk beneath
(Aurélien is having his soils analysed by Claude & Lydia Bourguignon). The base wine here is 2009, with 20% reserve wines from 2007/8. Vinified and aged in cuve,
it was given 2½ years sur lattes before
being disgorged with 5g/l dosage. The fruit here is very harmonious, there is a delicate bead to the mousse, it has good vinosity and is defined by an attractive mineral
finish. For drinking now to 2016.
£24.67 exc. VAT
New
236 Champagne Cramant Grand Cru AC 2005 Brut
Lilbert - Fils
Based on the domaine’s oldest vines (80 years old) in the vineyard of Les Buissons, it is blended with 25% of juice from Moyens to give it more structure and acidity. Surrounded by complex aromas of pear, lemon peel and
verbena, pinned down by an insistent note of
chalk, this is a refined, elegant champagne with a stony personality that will age
especially well. For drinking now to 2015.
Aurélien Suenen
Aurélien’s blanc de blancs comes from vines
averaging 37 years old planted in very chalky soil in the grand cru villages of Cramant, Chouilly and Oiry. He ploughs all his vines and adopts an organic, carefully considered approach. Vinified and aged in 88% cuve and 12% three to five year old barrels (with malos completed) this comes from 2009 and 20% 2008 reserve wine, with 2½ years sur lattes under cap. It has the purity and delicacy you would expect of
fine blanc de blancs, good expression of fruit and terroir, and notable length. 4g/l dosage. For drinking now to 2016.
£28.13 exc. VAT
Larmandier-Bernier
100% Chardonnay BdeB (12.5% alc.)
High quality bio-dynamic champagne from the 1er cru village of Vertus (66%) and the grand crus of Avize, Cramant, Chouilly and Oger (34%). Aged 60% in cuve (2009 vintage) and recent oak foudres/tanks for the reserve wines (2004, 5, 6, 7 and 8). All elegance, it has a gorgeous nose, with a
hint of brioche, and dances over the palate with a silky, light touch, leaving a long, mouthwatering, mineral aftertaste.
4g/l dosage. For drinking now to 2015.
£26.92 exc. VAT
(magnums also available)
239 Champagne 1er Cru AC Non Dosé Extra Brut
VALLÉE DE LA MARNE
Extra-Brut Longitude
New
235 Champagne Grand Cru AC NV
238 Champagne 1er Cru AC NV
Terre de Vertus
Larmandier-Bernier
Mid-slope, older vines on the best hillside of
Vertus, are the source of this champagne.
Made from the 2007 vintage, after a
seven month elevage (50% in recent
foudres, barrels and cuve), it was bottled in
July 2008 and disgorged in February 2012,
with no dosage. Floral and racy, with
notable energy, it is a superb expression of
Vertus’ terroir. 93 points Robert Parker.
£32.46 exc. VAT
Georges Laval (run by Vincent Laval) has just
two and a half hectares of 30-70 year old
organically certified vines on the due south
hillside of the exceptional 1er cru Cumières,
just west of Epernay. Yields are low here and
grapes ripen early. You get the impression of
being very close to the grapes when tasting
Vincent’s champagnes – they are dense,
layered champages with a lovely purity and
mineral tension.
242 Champagne Cumières 1er Cru AC Brut Nature
Georges Laval
50% Chardonnay, 25% Pinot Noir,
25% Pinot Meunier (12.5% alc.)
Brilliantly located south facing hillsides (Cumières produces better quality
champagne than most of the so called grand cru villages), organically certified vines, hard work and good touch are behind this excellent champagne. It is made entirely from the 2005 vintage (no reserve wine) and was initially aged for ten months in a mix of new to eight year 220 litre and 350 litre barrels. Disgorged without dosage after three years sur lattes, it has notable weight and vinosity, is rich and yet at the same time fresh and mineral. For drinking now to 2015+.
£32.92 exc. VAT
240 Champagne Grand Cru AC 2006 Extra-Brut Vieille Vigne de Cramant
Larmandier-Bernier
Pierre’s top champagne comes from very old vines (48 to 75 years) with a
south-eastern aspect in the beautiful hilltop village of Cramant (where the 50cm of
topsoil is richer than Vertus). Aged 50% in
cuve and 50% in two to five year old
barrels, it naturally has a touch more weight and depth of fruit. It is an exquisite
champagne with a rarely matched balance and finesse (just 2g/l of dosage), chalky depth of flavour and great length.
Limited quantity. For drinking now to 2015.
£44.96 exc. VAT
£34.87 exc. VAT
241 Champagne Rosé 1er Cru AC
237 Champagne AC NV Extra Brut
Ulysse Collin
This comes 65% from the 2007 vintage and
35% 2006, and was disgorged with a 1.7g/l dosage in Sep 2011. It was aged in
five year old barrels during its initial 12 months elevage, and so has more weight than Larmandier, and is rich and stylish, with a salty mineral undertone to the very precise fruit. 94 points Robert Parker. For drinking now to 2015.
£32.92 exc. VAT
Extra-Brut Rosé de Saignée
Larmandier-Bernier
This rosé is made from macerating old vine pinot noir on their skins for two days - over 90% of rosé champagne are made by blending white wine with red wine.
The rosé de saignée method demands that the grapes are ripe – never any problems with Larmandier-Bernier vines – and then gives a rosé which is more akin to a
mid-weight red burgundy with real pinot character and only 3g/l of dosage.
£36.92 exc. VAT
39
REIMS AND ENVIRONS
Chartogne-Taillet, now in the hands of 29
year-old Alexandre Chartogne, are well
renowned growers, just west of Reims.
Already highly rated by the likes of Parker and
Bettane, Alexandre did a stage with iconic
grower Anselme Selosse. Renowned soil
analyst Claude Bourguignon was then
appointed and ploughing the soil, no
herbicides or pesticides, lower yields, natural
yeasts are now the norm. Very elegant, poised
champagnes here.
Emmanuel Brochet has just 2.5 hectares of
immaculate, organically tended vines in the
village of Villers aux Noeuds, just to the
south-west of Reims. He gained organic
certification in 2008 and explained, “The way
I came to organic farming was not through
any sort of militant philosophy, but through
the pleasure of wine. If you take pleasure in
what you do, and if your environment gives
you pleasure, your work will be better. It is a
question of harmony”.
Jérôme Prévost is another protégé of Anselme
Selosse and makes brilliant, rich, complex
champagnes from a tiny 2.2 hectare vineyard
(with 48 year old vines) near Gueux.
Viticulture is meticulous and bio-dynamic
and his beautiful wines are made in an
unmanipulated, natural style with indigenous
yeasts, vinification and elevage in a mix of new
to 13 year old barrels, no filtration or dosage.
His champagnes are the ultimate expression
of champagne as fine wine, and age especially
well for anyone who can resist temptation and
cellar a few bottles.
243 Champagne AC NV Brut
Chartogne-Taillet
This is a lovely, delicate style of champagne, showing very pure citrus fruits, with a hint of quince, brioche and a touch of salty
mineral flavour. It comes from 35-year-old vines and is made 72% from the 2009 vintage, and 28% from 2007/8. Disgorged in November 2012 with a 4g/l dosage
244 Champagne AC 2006 Brut
Chartogne-Taillet
60% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay (12% alc.)
A model of equilibrium between richness and finesse. The pinot noir here seems very much in the foreground with mouthfilling depth of red berry flavours expanding on the palate with a fine texture and long
finish. Dosage 6g/l. For drinking now
to 2015.
£28.13 exc. VAT
245 Champagne Rosé AC NV Brut
Chartogne-Taillet
A delicate colour, pale onion skin with pink glints, this wine comes from the 2008
vintage. 15% pinot noir was assembled to give the colour. It is a very elegant rosé, with nuanced, layered red cherry and
redcurrant fruit, underlined by subtle
notes from the soil. The dosage of 5g/l
suits perfectly.
£25.42 exc. VAT
246 Champagne AC (2007) Extra Brut
Les Barres
Chartogne-Taillet
100% Pinot Meunier (12% alc.)
2006 was the first ‘vintage’ of this pure meunier champagne, a tiny parcel of 60 year old vines that were never touched by phylloxera. Here the soil is very sandy, much less chalky than Alexandre’s other parcels. Aged in three to nine year old barrels and given a dosage of 4.5g/l, Peter Liem (in champagneguide.net) rates this as one of the great single-vineyard wines of
champagne, ‘infused by a savoury, briny minerality, its sense of dimension and
verticality on the palate is profound’.
Just 1900 bottles produced. For drinking now to 2017.
40
£38.75 exc. VAT
New
247 Champagne AC Non Dosé
Le Mont Benoit
Emmanuel Brochet
50% Pinot Meunier, 25% Pinot Noir,
This comes from 37 year old vines on a south-east facing hillside in Villers aux Noeuds. It is made from a base of 2007 with 15% reserve wine from 2006. Aged in new to 12 year old barrels for 11 months, it was then given two and a half years sur lattes before disgorging with no dosage. The malolactic fermentations have been blocked. It feels vivid and vibrant in its
energy, and is intensely expressive of its terroir, not only in its briny, oyster-shell minerality but also in its rich body.
£27.42 exc. VAT
248 Champagne AC Extra-Brut
Les Béguines
La Closerie, Jérôme Prévost
90% Pinot Meunier, 10% Pinot Noir,
Pinot Gris & Chardonnay (12.5% alc.)
The initial still wine from the 2009 vintage was oak aged in new to 13 year old barrels for ten months, before being bottled and then disgorged 17 months later in
December 2011, at which point no dosage was added. Rich, vinous, dense, complex and extremely long on the palate. 94 points Robert Parker. For drinking now to 2017.
£36.88 exc. VAT
MONTAGNE DE REIMS
Bérèche have 9.50 hectares around Ludes on
the Montagne de Reims. The family are very
conscious of preserving the lands for future
generations, so no herbicides and ploughing
are the norm here. They also converted one
hectare of vineyard to bio-dynamic methods in
2007. There is a four-strong team at the helm,
with sons Raphael and Vincent, both in their
twenties joining forces with their parents. They
produce an excellent range of champagnes
that have deservedly attracted lots of press
attention.
Benoît Lahaye has improved the quality of his
champagnes markedly over the last five years.
Organically certified, he took the next step by
following bio-dynamic viticulture since 2003.
This helped his champagnes to gain more
depth, precision of flavour (helped by
allowing most of his wines to undergo
malolactic fermentation) and mineral essence,
and he is now one of the leading growers in
the Montagne de Reims.
249 Champagne AC NV Brut Réserve
Bérèche & Fils
35% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot Meunier,
30% Pinot Noir, (12% alc.)
Based on the 2010 vintage (with 30%
reserve wine from the previous two vintages) with a dosage of 8g/l, this has superb balance, ripe, clear-cut fruit, good texture and vinosity, with a touch of saline minerality. A style that Jancis Robinson finds ‘as perfumed as Riesling, no higher praise.’
Réserve
Bérèche & Fils
35% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot Meunier,
This is made from the same blend as the Réserve wine but is bottled and kept sur
lattes under cap for an additional 18 months (so is based on 2008) and then disgorged with a dosage of 2g/l. 2008 is a
fine base year giving richer and bigger structured wine than previous years.
The dosage feels perfectly in balance,
the juice is savoury, dense and intensely mineral with additional hints of brioche.
251 Champagne AC Extra Brut
Vallée de la Marne
254 Champagne Rosé AC Extra Brut Rosé de Macération
Bérèche & Fils
Only 1800 bottles of this single vineyard,
40 year old vine meunier champagne
are made. It already shows a subtle
complexity, with soil driven depths of aroma and citrusy acidity, buttressing the rich flavours of orchard and stone fruit.
Dosage 3g/l. 93 points Robert Parker.
Benoît Lahaye
Made from 34 year old vines from the
vineyard of Les Juliennes in Bouzy (whole bunches macerated for 18 hours), with intensely fragrant red fruits on the nose, this is a seriously vinous (only 3g/l dosage), terroir-driven rosé.
£25.79 exc. VAT
£32.46 exc. VAT
255 Champagne Grand Cru AC 2007 252 Champagne AC NV Brut
Reflet d’Antan
Bérèche & Fils
33% Chardonnay, 34% Pinot Noir,
This is a very specialist champagne
designed to show how complex reserve wines can become with age. Fermented in
cuve and fûts, in May 2009 the 2008 wine was introduced to a solera system (500 and 600ltr barrels) that was started in 1985. A year later two thirds was bottled off (then aged under cork for 2½ yrs)
leaving the balance to blend with the
next wines into the solera. There is a
crossover with wine from Jura here,
the champagne offers incredible
complexity, dried fruits, almonds, honey, minerality. Disgorged in November 2012 with a 6g/l dosage. Very limited quantity. 95 points Robert Parker. For drinking now to 2017.
£50.83 exc. VAT
253 Champagne Grand Cru AC NV Brut Essentiel
Benoît Lahaye
This comes from grand cru rated 30 year old vines in Bouzy and Ambonnay.
Made 50% from 2009 and reserve wines from five older vintages it was initially aged
55% in cuve and 45% in two to five
year-old barrels. It was then given two and a half years on the lees before it was
disgorged in October 2012 and has a 6g/l dosage. Very expressive on the nose it offers a superb depth of spicy red fruits and mineral cut.
Extra-Brut
Benoît Lahaye
The 45 year old vines here are 100% from the grand cru of Bouzy. Fermented in five year old 225 litre barrels, malolactics were blocked and the champagne was bottled off without filtration in July 2008.
It was disgorged in June 2012 with a 4g/l dosage. It shows a tense, vinous depth of
red fruits, and the texture is silky and
refined, with an excellent, fine beaded mousse. For drinking now to 2016.
£32.46 exc. VAT
256 Bouzy Rouge Côteaux Champenois AC 2009
Benoît Lahaye
Grown in three of Lahaye’s oldest parcels on the mid-slope, or ‘coeur du terroir’ in Bouzy, this floral and mineral grand cru pinot noir is (as per Peter Liem) not only one of the best examples of Bouzy Rouge but also one of the best still red wines in all Champagne. For drinking now to 2017.
£22.08 exc. VAT
£28.29 exc. VAT
41
Pascal Agrapart at Quality Chop House
42
AUBE
We came across the champagne of Jacques
Lassaigne at the brilliant Noma restaurant in
Copenhagen. Lassaigne has just five hectares
of chardonnay, in the isolated village of
Montgueux to the west of Troyes. Here there
is older strata of chalk than in the Côte des
Blancs, and with south east facing vineyards,
Lassaigne has no problem in attaining over
11% alcohol naturally for the first
fermentation.
Bertrand Gautherot crafts exceptionally fine
mid-weight champagne from five hectares
near Bar-sur-Seine, nearer to Chablis than
Reims. He has practiced bio-dynamic viticulture
here since 1998, and with a couple of lovingly
tended cows producing the essential for his
compost, Bertrand lives in harmony with his
terroirs. Viticulture is meticulous, yields are tiny
(around 17hh for one cuvée in 2008), grapes
are pressed by an old traditional wooden
Coquard press, the wine isn’t pumped or fined
and filtered, and all the wines are aged in new
to eight year old barrels.
Cédric Bouchard has 2.50 hectares of
35-year-old vines in Celles-sur-Ource in the
Aube. He determined to work along the
Burgundy principle of one parcel, one cépage,
one vintage and low yields, using natural
yeasts, cuve ageing and zero dosage.
Since setting up in 2000 Cédric has created
a terrific reputation for his micro-production
and was named Champagne vigneron of the
year in the 2008 Gault & Millau guide.
Les Vignes de Montgueux
Jacques Lassaigne
The south-facing vines here give a delicious, vibrantly fruity (hints of grapefruit/mango) mineral champagne. Viticulture is organically oriented (another vigneron ‘sans papiers’) and natural yeasts only are used. It is made 76% from 2009, 24% 2008 (of which 13% was oak aged for one year), and was
disgorged with 2g/l of dosage in June 2012.
£27.00 exc. VAT
258 Champagne AC NV Extra-Brut
Le Cotet
Jacques Lassaigne
This lieu-dit cuvée comes from 0.6 hectares of 45 year old vines. It’s a blend of 2008 (95%, of which 7% was aged in oak) and bottles of 2006, 2004 and 2002 Le Cotet kept fresh under capsule. It has a very
pure, bracing fruit mixed with hints of
honeysuckle, straw, hazelnut from the older wines and just 2g/l of dosage. Very limited quantity. For drinking now to 2014.
£40.17 exc. VAT
259 Champagne AC 2005 Brut Nature
Jacques Lassaigne
This is a blend of old vines in Lassaigne’s three top vineyards of Les Paluets (50%), le Cotet (25%) and la Grande Côte (25%). It is always vinified 100% in stainless steel which Emmanuel feels captures the purest expression of the terroirs. Excellent balance with peach, stewed lemon and mango fragrantly ample and inviting, with an intense, detailed chalkiness (from le Cotet). As a brut nature its sense of balance is impeccable. For drinking now to 2015.
£46.00 exc. VAT
New
262 Champagne Rosé AC Extra-Brut Saignée de Sorbée
This champagne comes entirely from the 2008 vintage – uncrushed whole grapes were macerated for six days in an open wooden cuve before pressing. Aged for ten
months in new to eight year old 400 litre barrels it was disgorged without dosage in January 2011. Crushed red fruits, tense and pure, nicely cut through by a refreshing chalky flavour mark this exceptional rosé. 93 points Robert Parker. Very limited
quantity. For drinking now to 2015.
£41.63 exc. VAT
260 Champagne AC Extra-Brut
Blanc d’Argile
This comes from a tiny yield of chardonnay
produced from a massale selection of cuttings from Anselme Selosse’s Avize vineyard and a famous Chablis grand cru.
In fact the soils and terroir here are very similar to the limestone vineyards of the Chablis Grand Cru Valmur. Made from the 2008 vintage, oak aged and disgorged without dosage in Nov 2010, it is richer and more complex than many blanc de blancs but at the same time has a tightly wound acidity, like a really good Chablis with bubbles. Very limited quantity. 95 points Robert Parker. For drinking now to 2014.
261 Champagne AC Extra-Brut Fidèle
The vines for this brilliant champagne are planted in the lieu-dit of Vouette, on a Kimmeridgian limestone slope facing due south. It offers a rich gold colour, typical of low yielding pinot noir and on the palate is vinous with a zesty, mineral vitality. Given a little time in the glass, and served ideally at 12°C, it evolves constantly, revealing layer after layer of flavour. Zero dosage. Very limited quantity. 94 points Robert Parker. For drinking now to 2015.
£30.50 exc. VAT
263 Champagne AC NV Brut Val Vilaine
A champagne with excellent weight and balance exuding delicate fragrances of
flowers and beguiling red berry fruits with a mineral imprint from the calcareous-clay soil. Made from just 1.45 hectares of 35 year old vines, it comes from the 2008 vintage, was cuve aged, and disgorged without dosage in April 2010. For drinking now to 2014.
£29.58 exc. VAT
264 Champagne AC NV Brut Les Ursules
Roses de Jeanne, Cédric Bouchard
A touch deeper colour than the Inflorescence,
with a beautiful pinot nose. Made 100% from 2008 juice, Les Ursules (single grape, single terroir, single vintage), spends 28 months on its lees before disgorging with no dosage. It has striking clarity, dense fruit, fine mousse and an extremely long finish. Only 3600 bts produced. 94 points Robert Parker.
£36.67 exc. VAT
265 Champagne AC NV Brut La Parcelle
We’ve Cédric’s Japanese importers to thank for this wine. In their desire to taste the very essence of Inflorescence they financed the seven year ageing of this wine. Like the Val Vilaine this wine comes from 35 year old vines on south-west facing slopes on the Cote de Bechalin, a lieu-dit in Bouchard’s hometown of Celles-sur-Ource. There is a great complexity to the wine, it’s incredibly
fresh, with lovely minty notes, beautifully textured and long. We still have a few cases left of the 2004 base wine disgorged in April 2012. 95 points Robert Parker, ‘a wine of incomparable class and elegance’.
£43.54 exc. VAT
New
43
Halves, Magnums
and Sweet Wines
Halves
Whites
Muscadet Sèvre et Maine sur Lie AC
10/11
Domaine de la Quilla (125) £3.92
Pouilly-Fumé AC 11
Domaine Jeannot (129) £6.38
Sancerre AC 11
Sylvain Bailly (131) £6.50
Chablis AC 11
Daniel Dampt (157) £6.08
Reds
Bandol AC 09
Domaine la Suffrène (31) £7.83
Crozes-Hermitage AC 11 ‘Vieilles Vignes’
Domaine du Murinais (56) £6.42
St Joseph AC 09
Domaine Bernard Gripa (62) £10.60
St Joseph AC 09
Pierre Gonon (64) £10.70
Côte-Rôtie AC 09
Magnums
Sweet
Cahors AC 07 ‘Maurin’
Jurançon AC 11 Clos Thou (3)
Domaine de la Berangeraie (9) £18.95
50cl £11.00
75cl £14.96
Côte-Rôtie AC 04
Domaine Duclaux (70) £50.00
Gaillac Doux AC 09
Côte-Rôtie AC 05
Domaine Rotier (12)
50cl £13.92
Domaine Clusel-Roch (71) £52.50
Haut-Médoc AC 06
Muscat de Rivesaltes AC 10
Clos du Jaugeyron (122) £29.38
Domaine des Chênes (25)
75cl £11.25
Sancerre AC 11 Monts Damnes
La Paille Perdue 07
Gerard Boulay (133) £39.13
Julien Labet (52)
37.5cl £25.50
Sancerre AC 11 Clos de Beaujeu
Gerard Boulay (134) £39.13
Larmandier-Bernier Blanc de Blancs NV
Extra Brut
(238) £57.92
Vouette et Sorbée, Blanc d’Argile
Extra Brut
(260) £68.00
Rasteau VDN AC 10
Domaine du Trapadis (81)
50cl £12.83
Rasteau VDN AC 06
Domaine Gourt de Mautens (96)
75cl £31.04
Loupiac AC 05 ‘Cuvée d’Or’
Château Dauphiné-Rondillon (102)
37.5cl £9.58
75cl £15.92
Domaine Clusel-Roch (71) £15.90
Grand Vin Liquoreux de France 10
‘Cuvee Ducasse’
Cotes du Rhone AC 10
Domaine Rousset-Peyraguey (103)
75cl £16.63
Domaine Charvin (80) £6.50
Gigondas AC 10
Sauternes AC 05 ‘Reserve’
Domaine Raspail-Ay (90) £8.00
75cl £23.33
Sauternes AC 05 ‘Crème de Tête’
Domaine Charvin (93) £13.60
Lussac St Emilion AC 08
Chateau de Bellevue (114) £6.50
Lalande de Pomerol AC 10
Chateau Haut-Goujon (120) £8.46
Gevrey-Chambertin AC 09
Domaine Thierry Mortet (191) £13.00
Champagne
Chartogne-Taillet ‘Ste Anne’ NV Brut
(243) £12.29
Bérèche NV Brut Réserve
(249) £12.83
Benoît-Lahaye NV Brut Essentiel
(253) £13.63
44
50cl £20.13
Gewurztraminer Vendanges Tardives
AC 07
Domaine André Thomas (227)
75cl £25.79
Rouen
Champagne
Reims
Paris
Alsace
Strasbourg
Colmar
Rennes
Chablis
Orléans
Vannes
Loire
Angers
Nantes
Sancerre
Tours
Saumur
Dijon
Chinon
Arbois
Beaune
Burgundy
Beaujolais
and Mâcon
La Rochelle
Limoges
Jura
Mâcon
Geneva
Clermont-Ferrand
Cognac
Lyon
Cognac
Savoie
Vienne
Bordeaux
Northern
Rhône
Bordeaux
Bergerac
Cahors
Marcillac
Valence
Southern Rhône
Cahors
Gascogne
Gaillac
Fronton
Pau
Madiran
Grenoble
Toulouse
Avignon
Languedoc
Arles
Provence
Marseille
Jurançon
Roussillon
Perpignan
45
How to order
The minimum order is 12 bottles, which
may be mixed. You can telephone, fax, e-mail
or write to us:
Vine Trail Limited
The Poland Building
Aardman Animations
Gas Ferry Road, Bristol
BS1 6UN
Telephone 0117 921 1770
Facsimile 0117 921 1772
[email protected]
www.vinetrail.co.uk
Payment
In order to keep prices down for everyone we
don’t accept credit cards. You can pay by cash,
bank transfer or cheque made payable to
Vine Trail Limited.
Delivery
Within Bristol a free delivery service is available.
Other areas in England and Wales:
1 case – £10.00 excl. VAT
2-4 cases – £15.00 excl. VAT per consignment
5 cases or more – free of charge.
Orders will be dispatched promptly by carrier and
will normally be delivered the next working day
from receipt of order. Please ask for all rates to
Scotland and Isles.
Accounts
Trade accounts are welcomed (with approved
references).
Cellarage
You can store wines purchased from us for only
£7.50 excl. VAT per case, per year, excluding
insurance, at our temperature controlled bonded
warehouse.
Terms and Conditions
All wine is sold subject to Vine Trail’s conditions of
sale. These can be viewed in full on our website or
a hard copy can be sent on request.
Prices quoted exclude VAT and are subject to
market and currency fluctuations, changes in duty
and availability of stock. This list cancels all
previous quotations.
Minimum order is twelve bottles, which may be
mixed.
If payment is made by cheque, which is not cleared
upon presentation, Vine Trail shall be at liberty to
make a reasonable charge to cover bank charges
(this is currently £10 per represented cheque).
If payment is not made when due, then Vine Trail
may without prejudice to its other rights, charge
interest at an annual rate of 2% above the current
base rate of National Westminster Bank PLC to be
calculated on a day to day basis on the balance
outstanding until payment is made in full.
Title to the goods
1 Vine Trail (VT) shall retain title to and ownership
of the Products supplied to the Buyer. If payments
received from the Buyer are not stated to refer to a
particular invoice, VT may appropriate such
payments to any outstanding invoice.
2 Until payment of the purchase price the Buyer
shall be bailee of the Products for VT and the
Products shall be stored separately from any
Products which belong to the Buyer or any third
party, and shall be clearly marked and identifiable
as being VT’s property. VT hereby licenses the
Buyer to sell, as VT’s agent and bailee products
which belong to VT.
Availability of stock/substitutions
Every effort will be made to ensure that all wines
(other than those marked limited quantity) remain
available until publication of the next list. However
in the event of your order including a wine that
is not available, we will, unless instructed to the
contrary, select a replacement as near as possible
in style, quality and price.
Claims
All goods should be examined at the time of
delivery before signing the driver’s sheet. If there
are any damaged or missing bottles the sheet
should be marked accordingly and we must then
be notified within 24 hours – claims cannot be
accepted after this. Goods requested to be left
unsigned for are left at customer’s own risk.
Photography: Ilka Kramer (cover), Cath Brookes, Neil Porter,
www.drinkrhone.com
Design: www.meetbob.co.uk
46
Vine Trail Limited
The Poland Building
Aardman Animations
Gas Ferry Road
Bristol BS1 6UN
Telephone 0117 921 1770
Facsimile 0117 921 1772
[email protected]
www.vinetrail.co.uk

2013/14 Small domaine French wines

Transcription

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