The Boulard family has owned vines in Champagne since 1792 and they now have 10 hectares across seven
villages. Today, Francis Boulard draws on five generations of family experience, using the traditional organic
methods that have been handed down through the family. This variety of smaller plots means that Francis is
able to make a range of wines that reflect the many different styles of Champagne. He controls the whole
process, from the tending and nurturing of the vines, through the pressing and assemblage, to the ageing
and maturation of the wines. He is justifiably proud of his medal-winning wines, and even more proud that
they have been chosen to complement the food in several of the top-rated Michelin restaurants in France and
further afield including Restaurant Gordon Ramsay in London.
Overall volumes produced are small and the Champagne is a blend of 90% Pinot Noir and 10% Chardonnay.
An excellent example of the Pinot Noir grape, rounded with a hint of Chardonnay, this mid-gold wine has a
full nose with hints of honey, a good body and a fruity finish. The strength of character of the Pinot Noir
makes this a good partner for food.
Today’s Muscadet, by and large, is a hidden gem. Small, quality conscious producers, like
Bruno Dubois, have been working away and quietly building a market for their wines. Bruno produces just
3,500 bottles annually of his Muscadet Vieilles Vignes – produced from vines averaging 80 years, with some
vines dating back to 1909. The grapes are hand harvested and the wine is aged in vats for six months ‘sur
lie’ to develop the richness.
Made with the Melon de Bourgogne grape, good Muscadet exudes soft, ripe apple fruit with a strong mineral streak and a real hint of saltiness. It is the perfect dry white partner for seafood and is making a strong revival on wine lists.
The Huet estate was founded in 1928 and covers 35 hectares divided between three properties: Le Haut-Lieu,
Le Mont and Le Clos du Bourg. The real magic behing this world-class estate, though, is a combination of the passionate pursuit of a critical philosophy and some of the most skilful winemaking in Franceor indeed anywhere in the world. Noel Pinguet, the son-in-law of Gaston Huet, took over the reigns in 1976.
The estate
produces the whole gamut of wines, from the an amazing dry Vouvray through to intense and everlasting
grands moelleux of the great vintages. All are produced whilst adhering to bio-dynamic principles the
fundamental aim of which is to restore the vineyard to its ‘natural’ state, eschewing all chemicals and
working closely with the rhythms of nature and its elements.
These Chenin Blanc wines display great intensity during their youth, and then develop and improve over
decades into mature, multi-dimensional and complex wines.
Pascal and Nicholas Reverdy inherited the Domaine when their father retired in 1993. From soon after, they
began to bottle some very impressive wines and the Reverdy's undisguised determination demonstrated that
this was going to become a 'hot' property.
Today, having increased their vineyard holding from 3.5 to 11 hectares, they are considered to be one of the
most exciting producers in the region. The vineyards are located in Maimbray and Sury en Vaux. The terroir
here is argilo-calcaire and the vineyards are very steep. Yields are restricted and all the grapes are handpicked.
Fermentation is carried out parcel by parcel in stainless steel or enamel lined vats at temperatures of
20-22 degrees. The wines remain on their lees until early spring when the final assemblage is made.
The result is a fresh, pure, beautifully extracted and balanced Sancerre, very true to the appellation. Rave
reviews have meant that demand has soared.
Bernard Baudry continues to be one of the leading producers of Chinon wines – and like many other greats in
their professions, he is a shy, retiring character. After studying oenology in Beaune, he started out as a
viticultural advisor in a laboratory in Tours. After five years he decided to set up on his own with 2 hectares.
Since 1982 he has steadily increased this to 8 hectares – a size that allows him to vinify each parcel of
vines separately, with each cuvée corresponding to a distinct terroir.
Matthieu, his son, studied in Macon and Bordeaux. After formative experiences in Tasmania and California he
returned to the family estate in 2000 and now works alongside Bernard. Between them, they pay painstaking
attention to detail.
Each parcel of Cabernet Franc is de-budded to ensure low yields and high quality, with
hand harvesting of all grapes. Yields average 35-40 hl/ha from vines between 40 and 60 years of age. The
wines display an almost Burgundian combination of finesse and structure. They must be some of the most
under-valued (in price terms) wines in the world!
Thierry Hamelin is a modernist – at least to the extent that he achieves a perfect balance between ripeness
and suppleness of his fruits and the classic minerality associated with Chablis. All his wines display a very
expressive and rich ‘nose’ that then transforms into a racy and structured finish.
Thierry’s cellars are situated a few kilometres from Maligny and over the past few years the number of people
beating a path to his door has steadily increased.
Acclaim from the Guide Hachette and many others has
placed his wines in great demand and we are very excited to be working with him for the last few years.
Jean-Marc Millot’s approach to viticulture and vinification is completely empirical: having learned the basics at viticultural
school he gleaned much from observing his peers and also make a few deductions of his own.
Less than ten years ago he started bottling his own wines, initially to an indifferent reception. Yet he
persisted and with holdings in some of the best 1er Cru and Grand Cru sites he was determined to continue
his quest for quality. The breakthrough was the 2000 vintage, coincidentally when we started working with
him.
Since then every vintage has sold out completely and critics have praised his wines describing him as
the up and coming superstar. Allen Meadows of Burghound is among his admirers.
The wines are rich and carry the ‘punch’ of a Cotes de Nuits red – hints of spice and stewed fruits are
hallmarks. The results are some fine, sculptured Burgundies ranging from a fragrant, fruity Cotes de Nuits-
Villages to the multilayered majesty of Echézeaux. Monsieur Millot has thought long and hard about the way
to treat fine Burgundy at every stage in its development.
The domaine of the late and very highly respected Georges Mugneret in Vosne Romanee is now known as
Mugneret-Gibourg. Today the domaine is run by his elegant and gracious daughters and wife. Since Dr.
Mugneret's death in 1988 they have, if anything, even increased the quality of the wines.We know of no
other Burgundies with truer Burgundy character, or more authentic taste of the soil. They are also incredibly
ageworthy wines.
The Domaine owns a total of about 14 hectares in 5 different communes. The winemaking duties are shared
by the daughters Marie-Andree and Marie-Christine in a very interesting (yet obviously successful) division of
labour: one looks after the vines and the other vinifies the harvested grapes – and they keep their roles quite
separate. These wines have a delicacy of texture and ethereal fruit qualities that are matched by few
producers in the Côte d'Or. As you can imagine, 14 hectares produces a tiny amount of wine – we get
allocations of cases in single figures. The Bourgogne Rouge (from old vines in Vosne-Romanée) is an
exceptional value.
We started working with this domaine only in 2007 when we were searching for that holy grail of wines – good, drinkable Bourgogne at a reasonable price. This one was recommended to us and, having tasted it against its peers, we found it to be a lovely, light-medium bodied Bourgogne with excellent purity of fruit and a silky texture. Textbook burgundy that makes many more expensive wines seem clumsy by comparison.
Didier and Genevieve Darviot are quintessential vignerons: as a husband and wife team they oversee every
phase of the winemaking procedure from pruning and ploughing to racking the casks and bottling on their
own premises. To say that they are fanatical about attention to detail in both the vineyard and cellar would
be an understatement! This is a Domaine where Terrior really shines through.
Didier learnt to make wine from Genevieve’s father, Pierre Perrin, a legendary winemaker in Meursault and
Volnay. In 1989 they bottled their first commercial offering – just a handful of cases. Today they still only
produce minuscule amounts of each wine and are considered one of the finest sources of Domaine bottled red
and white Burgundies. They have acquired some prime Meursault and Chassagne vineyards, including a
section of Blanchots-Dessus in Chassagne – this vineyard is just under Montrachet, and tastes like it!
The average age of the vines is 50 years, and “minimal intervention” is the watchword in the cellar which is
maintained at a very cold temperature. Malolactic fermentations frequently take almost a year to complete,
enhancing the complexity and quality of the wines.
Young Philippe Chavy looks no more than about 18 years old! A pierced ear and a very un-Burgundian dress
sense hide a very serious, driven grower who is determined to make his mark and produce noteworthy
Burgundies.
Previously, the family's grapes were contracted out to other producers and negociants, but he has slowly but
surely convinced his father to return the winemaking duties to him. He now has access to some of the
greatest appellations, with new plots being freed up each year, and has proven he has the winemaking skills
to match them. Centred in Puligny-Montrachet, he has 2 delicious village wines and a significant holding in
the 1er Cru of Meursault-Blagny.
All the wines are fermented in oak casks and Philippe prefers bottling after 10-12 months to retain maximum
freshness and fruit. In 2002, Philippe added some stunning plots to his range including the 1er Cru Pucelles,
a Rue Rousseau bottling and a quite fantastic 1er Cru parcel of Folatieres.
Philippe’s wines are ripe and supple and approachable at an early age – they are not generally long keepers.
“Lip smacking” is a common note and they offer excellent value for money.
Gilles Guerrin has become one of our favourite Macon producers – Saint-Véran is one of the lesser known
appellations for southern White Burgundy. It is just west of the villages of Pouilly and Fuissé from where
Pouilly Fuissé comes from. While many Pouilly Fuissés are excellent wines, they rarely offer the value of a
good Saint-Véran. Indeed, this could be said for many Burgundian whites versus Saint-Veran!
“Traditional” St. Veran is fermented and aged in stainless steel or neutral oak, and Guerrin makes a
traditional bottling and this Premier Cuvée that is fermented and aged in oak.
The 2005 Burgundian whites are excellent and the vintage has already achieved legendary status – before
many wines have even been released! Some critics believe the whites were even more successful than the
reds, and this is an opportunity to form an early opinion.
It is unusually lush and ripe for a Saint-Véran, yet retains a nice balance between freshness and fruit. Only
240 cases were produced, of which a small amount was allocated to Ireland and has become highly sought
after.
Gerard and Nathalie Cuisset have had a fantastic few years producing wines that rival their nearby Bordelais
in everything but price. Accolades from the influential French Press, a tally of no less than 8 Gold and Silver
Medals in the last five years and numerous Coup de Coeur in the Guide Hachette have firmly established
them as Bergerac’s leading producers.
The l’Inspiration Cuvee is produced from the oldest vines and exhibit magnificent concentration balanced by
softness and approachability. As its fame grows, Gerard and Nathalie have had to allocate their wines for the
first time with the 2001 vintage. The Bergerac Sec and Rose are role models for crisp, fresh wines that leap
out of the glass!
Reasonably priced Bordeaux is a common enough request and this one is a good example of entry-level Bordeaux. A simple, fruity wine, designed for early drinking, this is very pleasant drinking for the money.
This property is based in a good location in the heart of the Medoc, facing the estuary with a temperate microclimate that protects from frost and has good exposure to the sun. As such, we have found it to be a very consistent performer in the mid range Bordeaux level. 40 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 55% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot, this is a very classy Bordeaux for its price, with a nice balance of fruit and oak, fine tannins and good length.
This is an estate owned by Margaux’s Grand Cru Classé Chateau Giscours – with a fascinating background to
the wine!The grapes for this wine come from a vineyard that forms part of the famous vineyard in Margaux, but that lies outside the Margaux boundary. This wine was created in the mid 1990s after media speculation about whether grapes from outside the AOC were being used in Margaux.
The result is an exceptional Haut Medoc –theoretically a lesser appellation, but in this case, a great wine!
The 2004 is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot – black and red dark fruits combined to produce a
wine of exceptional structure. It exhibits moderate tannins, softly blended throughout, and is drinking
perfectly now.
There always seems to be room in the market for well-priced St. Emilions but the key is quality. Located in
the commune of St. Etienne-de-Lisse, Jean-Guy and Anne-Marie Todeschini’s property is on a superb hillside
outcrop of limestone. Their 28-hectare vineyard is planted with vines that average 40 years and are composed
predominantly of Merlot with both Cabernets Sauvignon and Franc to round out the blend.
The wines are vinified by cépage, by parcel and by terroir to ensure only the best of the property is used in
the wines. Typically they are made from 85% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Cabernet Franc. They are barrique aged for 12-18 months and then the final winesassembled by careful blending.
Chateau Mangot is an extraordinary wine at an ordinary price – for once a cliché that rings true!
This year we also offer Chateau La Brande, a wine produced from the same vines and team – the appellation
boundary for St. Emilion and Cotes de Castillon splits the property. This is stunning value.
In 1855, one of the most defining events in the history of Bordeaux took place – the 1855 Classification: a
division of all the greatest ‘Left Bank’ Bordeaux wines into different ‘Growths’ that, bar one exception (Mouton
Rothschild), remains unchanged today. The sweet wines of Barsac and Sauternes were ranked too - the top
of the pile is Chateau Yquem.
Back in the early 1850’s the estate of Raymond Lafon was a newcomer. Sited adjacent to the famous
d’Yquem, they submitted their wines for inclusion into the classification – only to be told that they were of
outstanding quality, but that since they were relative newcomers, they should re-submit them the following
year when the Classification would be revised. It never was, and the rest is history………..
The 1921 Raymond-Lafon was considered even better than Yquem's wine in that great vintage. However, the
estate fell into neglect, and it was not until 1972 that Pierre Meslier, the then manager of Yquem, purchased
the vineyard and began to rebuild this wine's once fabulous reputation and most now equate Raymond Lafon
with Yquem’s greatness. With a tiny yield of 9 hectolitres per hectare, (even less than Yquem's - less than a
single glass per whole vine) and with the same grape blend and winemaking techniques employed as Yquem,
the same ruthless selection procedure (normally 20% - 100% of a harvest is declassified), this is a truly
great wine.
Domaine Saladin, in Côtes du Rhône, has been a family run company since the 15th Century. Today, the
daughters of Louis and Annick Saladin are responsible for some of the best wines from the region that we
have tasted - Marie-Laurence, 28 years old, graduated from an agriculture college and Elisabeth, 26,
graduated from a Business school. Both have worked with several winemakers : Marcel Guigal and Marcel in
France, Randall Grahm in California, Michel Rolland in Argentina, Philippe Debrus in Chile…
The vineyards, harvested by hand, have been cultivated for 20 generations by the Saladin family without
weeding, pesticides or insecticides and the entire production is soon to be officially certified organic. The
vinification is done by "micro-cuvées", terroir by terroir and the wines are natural. Only the minimal amount
of sulphur is used and the winery has been built underground to benefit from gravity.
These are not ‘big’ blockbuster wines. Rather they have an amazing elegance and style combined with a
silkiness of fruit - aided by the addition of 10% white grapes to the red cuvées to give them an extra ‘lift’.
Overall production is small and therefore our own allocation is even smaller!
The Barruol family have owned Chateau de Saint Cosme since 1490 and have been vignerons there for 14
generations. It seems a slight understatement therefore to point out that the current incumbent, Louis, is not
only very adept at crafting some very fine wines, but also has an air of self-assuredness that only comes with
being in perfect harmony with what he does.
Chateau de Saint Cosme is the home of their renowned Gigondas, produced entirely from vines that encircle
the Chateau. It is slightly atypical as it combines a richness and concentration of fruit consistent with
Grenache, yet retains a wonderful finesse. The little James’ Basket Press (named after Louis’ son) is the
second press and offers an immediately drinkable, savoury, fruit-driven experience.
In 1997 Louis – ever the ambitious producer – created a negociant subsidiary called simply Saint Cosme. It
would be best described as a “Negociant-Vigneron” as he selects specific vineyards that they work with year
after year. Viticulture is as it is back at the “Chateau” and at harvest time all decisions are taken by the same
team. Vinification is also completed back at Chateau Saint Cosme and none of the red wines receive any
artificial yeast, fining or filtering.
Christian Mocci is the picture of contentment. Having worked his way around the wine-world in such
illustrious places as Chateau Lynch Bages, he settled in St. Bauzille de Montmel outside Montpellier in 1991.
After working hard with the vines, but selling the results to other producers, he vinified his first vintage at
Mas de Martin in 1998. Since then he has had the world beating a path to his door – including the American
importer who bought his entire 2000 vintage bottlings. Following that, he decided that a little bit of
everything distributed amongst a select group was a better way of coping with demand.
The wines are shining examples of richness, complexity and elegance. The estate is totally biodynamic, and
the overall production minuscule. The whole approach just seems to work effortlessly. We’ve never visited
another Domaine where everything seems to be in such harmony – from the workers who live on the estate
(and cook bread every morning!) to the fascinating microclimates and terroir differences that are dotted
around the vineyards. This really is an estate to follow.
Due to his continued success, Christian’s wines are now on allocation to us.
Les Caves d’Alignan is a group name for a co-operative that represents a number of growers in the
Languedoc. Yet “co-operative” can often infer mediocrity. Not so here.
The Sauvignon Blanc is almost a dead-ringer for something from the Loire – crisp, fresh and with good fruit.
Not a hint of flabbiness. The Merlot is also elegant and structured.
Perfect for House Wines.
