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Domaine Louis Claude Desvignes,
Drink now,
Our first Beaujolais-Villages has been made by talented brother and sister team Louis-Benoît and Claude-Emmanuelle Desvignes. The fruit comes from a parcel of 60-year-old vines on a south-facing granite slope in the commune of Jullié, which sits at around 400 metres’ altitude. The old vines provide concentrated strawberry fruit, while the high altitude and granite soil give grip and mineral freshness. Made without oak to preserve the pristine fruit character, the floral top notes, sweet red-berry fruit and crunchy finish make this an irresistible wine.
Adam Bruntlett – Wine Buyer
Bottle
£12.95
Case price (12)
£155.40
Bottle 12 x 75cl 238cs
£102.60
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Alexandre Burgaud,
Ready, but will keep,
Alex’s is an exemplary Beaujolais-Villages, made the traditional way, using carbonic maceration and neutral (stainless steel) vessels. Expect lifted aromas of violets and red berries, lashings of juicy fruit on the palate, and a long, mineral finish – a nod to the protrusions of blue granite throughout Alex’s vineyards. In the region, a fresh, fruity Beaujolais-Villages like this might be paired with anything from charcuterie to roast chicken to a friture (akin to fried whitebait, traditionally fished from the Saône river) which illustrates just how versatile it is. It also makes a mouth-watering apéritif.
Will Heslop – Burgundy Buying Assistant, autumn 2018
Will Heslop – Burgundy Buying Assistant, autumn 2018
Bottle
£11.50
Case price (12)
£138.00
Bottle 12 x 75cl 13cs
£88.08
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Alexandre Burgaud,
Ready, but will keep,
This is Beaujolais-Villages at its best from our friend Alex Burgaud. Alex, a volunteer fireman in his spare time, kept his cool in the heatwave of summer 2018; harvesting early to capture as much freshness (acidity) as possible. The resulting wine is bright in colour and ebullient in nature, brimming with floral and red fruit aromas. There’s a touch of granitic grip to the palate, which adds gravitas. Drink it lightly chilled with anything from charcuterie to halloumi burgers. Drink now to 2020.
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (summer 2019)
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (summer 2019)
Bottle
£11.50
Case price (12)
£138.00
Bottle 12 x 75cl 4cs
£88.08
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Domaine de la Rocaillere,
Ready, but will keep,
The 2017 is the best vintage I’ve tasted of Rocaillère’s old-vine Beaujolais. On the nose, expect aromas of summer pudding and violets, while the palate offers something more profound: grippy tannins and a pronounced mineral character, which speaks of the vineyard’s shallow, rocky (granitic) soils. This super wine is at its vivacious best served lightly chilled, as an accompaniment to charcuterie or hard cheeses.
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (winter 2019)
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (winter 2019)
Bottle
£12.25
Case price (12)
£147.00
Bottle 12 x 75cl 22cs
£95.64
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Domaine Bellevue,
Drink now,
Fifth-generation winemaker Raphaël oversees 27 hectares, planted primarily with Sauvignon Blanc. His holdings include a parcel in the littleknown appellation of Touraine Oisly, but Touraine Sauvignon is his bread and butter. The domaine is located in Chémery, some 65 kilometres east of the historic city of Tours.
Raphaël adds no sulphur to this fabulously fruity, aromatic Gamay – a wine that blew us away on a recent visit to the domaine. Its bouquet of red berries and violets is one to savour. The palate is exceptionally supple, pointing to 2018’s warm, dry growing season. It is named after Raphaël’s grandfather, Jean, who was a Gamay devotee. Drink now to 2020.
Raphaël adds no sulphur to this fabulously fruity, aromatic Gamay – a wine that blew us away on a recent visit to the domaine. Its bouquet of red berries and violets is one to savour. The palate is exceptionally supple, pointing to 2018’s warm, dry growing season. It is named after Raphaël’s grandfather, Jean, who was a Gamay devotee. Drink now to 2020.
Bottle
£12.50
Case price (12)
£150.00
Bottle 12 x 75cl 31cs
£98.16
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Alexandre Burgaud,
Ready, but will keep,
From the 2017 vintage, Alex’s Beaujolais Lantignié is made exclusively from his oldest and best-sited vines, primarily on blue granite, similar to that found on the Côte du Py (where Alex’s cousin Jean-Marc works his magic). It’s vinified in similar fashion to Alex’s Beaujolais Villages but with a slightly longer maceration, producing a more complex, concentrated wine, with an enchanting, lifted nose, reminiscent of a particularly fine Fleurie. Frankly, this puts most Cru Beaujolais in the shade, and fully endorses Lantignié’s fledgling bid for Cru status. Drink now or cellar for up to three years.
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (autumn 2018)
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (autumn 2018)
Bottle
£13.50
Case price (12)
£162.00
Bottle 12 x 75cl 9cs
£108.12
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Alexandre Burgaud,
Ready, but will keep,
Made from the fruit of Alex’s oldest vines on the kind of thin, rocky soils to which Gamay responds best, this is a touch more concentrated and complex than his excellent Beaujolais-Villages. Expect black as well as ripe red berry fruit on the nose, while there’s a refreshing herbaceous character to the palate –a hallmark of the vintage – which demands another sip. Drink now to 2022.
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (summer 2019)
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (summer 2019)
Bottle
£13.50
Case price (12)
£162.00
Bottle 12 x 75cl 45cs
£108.12
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Domaine Metrat,
Ready, but will keep,
A bouquet of ripe red and blue fruit speaks of the vineyard’s southerly aspect, but this cuvée – a perennial favourite of ours – retains the fresh acidity characteristic of Chiroubles. Sadly, production in 2017 was limited by hail so snap it up. Drink now to 2022.
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (spring 2019)
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (spring 2019)
Bottle
£15.75
Case price (12)
£189.00
Bottle 12 x 75cl 5cs
£130.68
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Domaine Louis Claude Desvignes,
Ready, but will keep,
Another success story for the Desvignes siblings, this is a touch fuller than the 2016, owing to a warmer vintage, but with the same bright red fruit character and fresh acidity. Again, its delicate floral aspect points to the location of the vines, in the climat of Douby, adjacent to Fleurie. It’s a versatile food wine, which will enhance – and be enhanced by – any number of styles of cuisine, but I’m plumping for Lincolnshire sausages, fiery mustard and mash.
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (summer 2018)
UK CUSTOMERS ONLY
Bottle
£15.95
Case price (12)
£191.40
UK CUSTOMERS ONLY
Bottle 12 x 75cl 14cs
£132.60
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Domaine Metrat,
Ready, but will keep,
Bernard Métrat remains as modest as ever, but his wines go from strength to strength. The 2018 Roilette has a complex bouquet of violets, red and black berry fruit, cola and a hint of black pepper which, Bernard points out, is characteristic of the eponymous vineyard. The 2018 vintage’s warm, dry summer has imbued this wine with exceptionally supple tannins, but it doesn’t lack for freshness – the 60-year-old vines here have roots deep enough to access water even in a drought. Try it with crispy duck pancakes (but go easy on the plum sauce). Drink now to 2023.
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (summer 2019)
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (summer 2019)
Bottle
£15.95
Bottle 12 x 75cl 28cs
£132.60
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Bottle
£16.50
Case price (12)
£178.20
Saving
£19.80
Bottle 12 x 75cl 24cs
£121.68
Magnum
£38.00
Magnum 6 x 150cl 5cs
£163.20
Bottle 12 x 75cl 2cs
£99.00
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Jean-Marc Burgaud,
Ready, but will improve,
Jean-Marc’s vines at the top of the Côte du Py suffered from hail on May 19th, so his mid-slope south-facing vines – which, he says, are most expressive of the slope’s famous blue granite – had more of a say than usual in the final blend. While this has a hugely attractive bouquet of berry fruit and flowers, it’s the intense mineral character of the palate that makes a real impression. Expect mouth-watering acidity and firm, fine-grained tannins that soften with time in the glass or decanter. There’s plenty of ripe fruit too, courtesy of a relatively warm growing season. A brilliant wine from one of the finest terroirs in Beaujolais, not to mention one of the finest winemakers.
Will Heslop – Burgundy Buying Assistant
Will Heslop – Burgundy Buying Assistant
Bottle
£18.95
Case price (12)
£227.40
Bottle 12 x 75cl 8cs
£162.60
Magnum
£39.95
Case price (6)
£239.70
Magnum 6 x 150cl 3cs
£172.92
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Domaine Louis Claude Desvignes,
Ready, but will improve,
Montpelain hails from the eponymous vineyard, whose distinctive soil – rich in manganese – explains the difference between this wine and the equally excellent Corcelette. Both wines are made the same way, namely semi-carbonic maceration in open-top concrete vats, prior to six months’ ageing also in concrete. Montpelain, however, has a darker fruit profile, with aromas of dried flowers and an engaging herbaceous character to the finish. It’s a sure-fire hit with charcuterie, but also a useful match for meatier fish dishes such as poached halibut. Drink now to 2023.
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (summer 2019)
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (summer 2019)
UK CUSTOMERS ONLY
Bottle
£19.95
Case price (12)
£239.40
UK CUSTOMERS ONLY
Bottle 12 x 75cl 5cs
£172.68
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Domaine Louis Claude Desvignes,
Ready, but will improve,
Having recently taken over from their father, brother and sister team Louis-Benoît and Claude- Emmanuelle Desvignes are making some of the most exciting wines in the village of Morgon, one of the top crus of Beaujolais. They make wines without using any oak, allowing the grapes and soil to express themselves.
Medium ruby in colour with vibrant purple highlights, the nose offers lifted, floral top notes and fresh raspberry fruit, while the palate is juicy, crunchy and energetic. There is a gentle sweetness to the red cherry fruit which marries seamlessly with the fine and chalky tannins. Drink now to 2024.
Medium ruby in colour with vibrant purple highlights, the nose offers lifted, floral top notes and fresh raspberry fruit, while the palate is juicy, crunchy and energetic. There is a gentle sweetness to the red cherry fruit which marries seamlessly with the fine and chalky tannins. Drink now to 2024.
UK CUSTOMERS ONLY
Bottle
£19.95
Case price (12)
£239.40
UK CUSTOMERS ONLY
Bottle 12 x 75cl 8cs
£172.68
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Chateau Thivin,
Ready, but will keep,
This complex, dramatic wine is a blend of fruit from seven separate parcels around the Côte de Brouilly. It is vinified in concrete, then aged for seven months in large oak vats (some over a century old). There are hints of black pepper and liquorice on the nose, while the palate is characterised by grippy tannins, cool red fruit flavours and fresh acidity, all of which speak of the vertiginous slopes; thin, sandy soils and blue granite emblematic of the appellation. Drink now to 2024.
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (summer 2019)
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (summer 2019)
Bottle
£19.95
Bottle 12 x 75cl 49cs
£172.68
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Domaine Julien Sunier,
Ready, but will keep,
The third vintage of Wild Soul is the first to be made exclusively from grapes grown in Lantignié, a commune renowned for its concentrated, age-worthy Beaujolais-Villages. It’s marginally fuller-bodied than its predecessors, but with the same explosive aromatics, fresh acidity and sheer buvabilité. Conceived for early-drinking, Wild Soul has no S02 added, but is bottled with a higher level of CO2 than Julien’s cru wines – this protects the wine (in the absence of SO2) and contributes a very subtle, energising spritz to the attack.This pairs brilliantly with quiche Lorraine. Expect to make short shrift of a bottle. Drink now to 2021.
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (summer 2019)
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (summer 2019)
Bottle
£21.00
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Olivier Merlin,
Ready, but will keep,
Moulin-à-Vent was badly hailed in 2017, so Olivier did not make a bottling of his single-vineyard La Rochelle, instead blending the fruit into this single bottling. Théo looked after the vinification, de-stemming the fruit and using very gentle extraction to produce a gorgeous, pretty wine with rich red and black cherry, white pepper and a concentrated but fresh feel. Drink 2019-2025.
Olivier is taking many steps to counteract the warmer summers and earlier harvests; managing the canopy to protect grapes from sunburn, using late-ripening rootstocks, reducing the amount of new oak he uses to keep the wines feeling fresher, and bringing harvest dates forward to retain acidity. The 2017 crop is around 15 percent down due to the dry summer which stressed the grapes. Picking began on 27th August and Olivier feels the wines are a little richer than 2016, but still with very good balance and well-integrated oak.
Olivier is taking many steps to counteract the warmer summers and earlier harvests; managing the canopy to protect grapes from sunburn, using late-ripening rootstocks, reducing the amount of new oak he uses to keep the wines feeling fresher, and bringing harvest dates forward to retain acidity. The 2017 crop is around 15 percent down due to the dry summer which stressed the grapes. Picking began on 27th August and Olivier feels the wines are a little richer than 2016, but still with very good balance and well-integrated oak.
Bottle
£21.50
Case price (12)
£258.00
Bottle 12 x 75cl 20cs
£188.16
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Ready, but will improve,
Les Rouchaux, in the east of the appellation, has deep soils of blue granite which tend to result in “soft”, approachable wines – albeit with big tannins and, in 2015, relatively high (but balanced) alcohol. Expect aromas of blue and black fruit, savoury spice and cola. There’s an enticing sweetness to the front of the palate, which gives way to a fresh, mineral character. All in all, this is an extraordinary wine, which is likely to improve over the next decade and beyond.
Bottle
£22.50
Case price (6)
£121.50
Saving
£13.50
Bottle 6 x 75cl 1cs
£87.84
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Domaine Naudin-Ferrand,
Ready, but will keep,
This is the second vintage of Claire’s fabulous Gamay, made from grapes grown by her friends in the Allier département (Auvergne). So pleased was Claire with the 2016 – born of necessity when her vines in the Hautes-Côtes were severely frosted – that she repeated the experiment. In our view, the ’17 is even better. It’s slightly hazy in the glass and brick red in colour. The nose is intensely varietal, with red berry and floral aromas to the fore. As for the palate, it’s ever so slightly spritzy, but clean as a whistle. This isn’t a wine for laying down, or one to savour over consecutive nights – no, it’s an exceptionally expressive, energetic wine to drink with great gusto but minimal ceremony. Drink now to 2020.
Adam Bruntlett, Buyer (summer 2019)
Adam Bruntlett, Buyer (summer 2019)
Bottle
£22.50
Case price (12)
£270.00
Bottle 12 x 75cl 7cs
£198.12
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Olivier Merlin,
Ready, but will improve,
WOW! Or should that be WAW (What A Wine!)? 2015 was lauded as a great vintage in Beaujolais, producing wines of tremendous concentration which, in most cases, will benefit from lengthy cellaring. Olivier’s superb La Rochelle is bound to age well – as it always does – but isn’t necessarily typical of the vintage: tasting this wine, finesse is the first descriptor that comes to mind, rather than concentration or power. It’s positively aérien, with red fruit and floral notes to the fore. Olivier has gradually reduced the amount of new oak on this cuvée, and that seems a wise decision.
La Rochelle is an extraordinary vineyard for numerous reasons. Its eighty-year old vines are planted at a density of 12,000 per hectare (10,000 gives one metre between each vine). The granite bedrock lies close enough to the surface to peak through in places. The consequences for us, the lucky drinkers, include a pronounced mineral character to wine. In a warm vintage like 2015, it renders La Rochelle reminiscent of something from the Northern Rhône – let’s not forget, Moulin à Vent is, geographically, much closer to Côte-Rôtie than the Côte d’Or.
In short, this is a cheerful, supremely enjoyable wine, with a rare degree of complexity and serious capacity to develop over the next decade and beyond.
Will Heslop, Buyer. Berry Bros. & Rudd
La Rochelle is an extraordinary vineyard for numerous reasons. Its eighty-year old vines are planted at a density of 12,000 per hectare (10,000 gives one metre between each vine). The granite bedrock lies close enough to the surface to peak through in places. The consequences for us, the lucky drinkers, include a pronounced mineral character to wine. In a warm vintage like 2015, it renders La Rochelle reminiscent of something from the Northern Rhône – let’s not forget, Moulin à Vent is, geographically, much closer to Côte-Rôtie than the Côte d’Or.
In short, this is a cheerful, supremely enjoyable wine, with a rare degree of complexity and serious capacity to develop over the next decade and beyond.
Will Heslop, Buyer. Berry Bros. & Rudd
Bottle
£22.95
Case price (6)
£137.70
Bottle 6 x 75cl 1cs
£101.34
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Chateau Thivin,
Ready, but will keep,
Exceptionally steep slopes of granite and schist endow the best wines of the Côte de Brouilly with a complexity and minerality rarely found in those of the flatter vineyards of Brouilly (a separate Cru, which loops around the first). In 2017, this cuvée’s mineral core seems enrobed in rich, ripe dark fruit, suggestive of the vines’ location – a south-facing parcel, mid-slope (where cherries once grew, hence the name). It’s a seductive prospect now but will only improve with time in bottle. Drink now to 2023.
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (winter 2018)
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (winter 2018)
Bottle
£22.95
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Chateau Thivin,
Ready, but will keep,
Even in its infancy, the 2018 Griottes is exceptionally complex, with a gamut of aromas including ripe red and blue berries, cola, black pepper and liquorice. The eponymous vineyard’s southerly aspect results in a relatively ripe, concentrated wine, yet its thin, rocky blue soils – emblematic of the Côte de Brouilly – contribute a cool, mineral character to the palate. The 2018 vintage will drink well right out of the blocks, but don’t hesitate to tuck away a few bottles, to marvel at just how well it ages. Drink now to 2024.
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (summer 2019)
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (summer 2019)
Bottle
£22.95
Bottle 12 x 75cl 29cs
£202.68
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Domaine Julien Sunier,
Ready, but will keep,
Julien’s 2018 Régnié is as expressive, open and downright fun as he is. It is blended from four well-sited parcels of old vines on sandy soils, with pockets of clay (seldom seen in neighbouring Fleurie) and frequent protrusions of pink granite. Julien chose to age 40% of the blend in concrete eggs, which have added a touch more weight and texture compared to previous editions, without detracting from the finesse and energy that are this wine’s hallmark. A versatile food wine, but I can bare happy witness to its compatibility with tomates farcies. Drink now to 2023.
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (summer 2019)
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (summer 2019)
Bottle
£23.50
Bottle 12 x 75cl 29cs
£208.08
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Domaine Louis Claude Desvignes,
Ready, but will improve,
This is a powerful, voluptuous Morgon from clay-rich soils at the foot of the Côte du Py. For all its concentration, the 2018 is approachable now – its supple tannins and ripe fruit profile are characteristic of the warm, dry ’18 vintage. There are subtle hints of black fruit and spice here, but ripe red fruit aromas take centre stage for the time being. But this is categorically a wine that will pinote or Morgonne (come to resemble Pinot rather than Gamay) over time. Have no qualms about cellaring it for eight to 10 years. Drink now to 2028.
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (summer 2019)
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (summer 2019)
Bottle
£26.00
Case price (12)
£312.00
Bottle 12 x 75cl 14cs
£233.16
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Louis Boillot,
Ready, but will improve,
As ever, this is Louis’s richest and most serious wine, displaying a nose of rich, black fruit and savoury spice. There is still wonderful purity, along with an enormous density of black cherry fruit at the core. The structure is equally dense and present, but is balanced by the softness in the mid-palate. Once again, the lingering impression is one of freshness and energy. A wine which needs significant time to realise its potential. Drink 2022-2030.
Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer
The excellence of Cru Beaujolais is something I have held dear for some time, but its ageing potential was first brought to my attention when I was served two Moulin-à-Vent wines from 1961 and 1962 produced by Camille Giroud. The freshness and complexity of these wines was simply astonishing and I have since made it something of a personal mission to return these great wines to their rightful place in the cellars and on the tables of the most discerning wine drinkers. The wines in our offer cover a range of styles; whole-bunch, de-stemmed, oaked, unoaked, elegant and floral, dense and structured. This almost endless variety and versatility is what is most fascinating about Gamay grown on Beaujolais’s volcanic soils. What the wines have in common, however, is that they all offer excellent value for money and great drinking pleasure.
Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer
The excellence of Cru Beaujolais is something I have held dear for some time, but its ageing potential was first brought to my attention when I was served two Moulin-à-Vent wines from 1961 and 1962 produced by Camille Giroud. The freshness and complexity of these wines was simply astonishing and I have since made it something of a personal mission to return these great wines to their rightful place in the cellars and on the tables of the most discerning wine drinkers. The wines in our offer cover a range of styles; whole-bunch, de-stemmed, oaked, unoaked, elegant and floral, dense and structured. This almost endless variety and versatility is what is most fascinating about Gamay grown on Beaujolais’s volcanic soils. What the wines have in common, however, is that they all offer excellent value for money and great drinking pleasure.
Bottle
£27.50
Case price (12)
£330.00
Bottle 12 x 75cl 4cs
£248.16
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Domaine Julien Sunier,
Ready, but will keep,
Julien’s Fleurie is his signature cuvée – and is one of our favourite wines from all Beaujolais. It’s made from grapes grown in two organic-certified parcels on steep slopes in the lieux-dits of La Tonne and Grand Prés. Ageing takes place in oak barrels that are around 10 years old. The resulting wine is intensely aromatic, with an ever-changing bouquet including summer pudding and violets. While the nose becomes more expressive with time in the glass, the palate seems to become more precise: there’s a cool, mineral thread beneath this wine’s voluptuous exterior. Served lightly chilled, it’s a fabulous accompaniment to cold or barbecued meats. Drink now to 2022.
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (summer 2019)
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (summer 2019)
Bottle
£27.50
Bottle 12 x 75cl 19cs
£248.16
Magnum
£60.00
Magnum 6 x 150cl 8cs
£273.18
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Domaine Metrat,
Ready, but will keep,
From the parcel’s oldest vines, this is invariably more concentrated than the standard (non-Vieilles Vignes) Roilette. There’s an attractive savoury note to the nose, as well as the ethereal aromas of flowers and violets synonymous with the best wines of Fleurie. On the palate, expect fresh acidity and fine, chalky tannins. The 2017 is all the more impressive in light of the hail and drought that made for such a challenging vintage.
Will Heslop, Buying Assistant
Will Heslop, Buying Assistant
Magnum
£35.00
Case price (6)
£210.00
Magnum 6 x 150cl 2cs
£148.20
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Ready, but will keep,
Thanks to the hail, this is a blend of three lieux-dits – Bel Air, Cercillon and Joie du Palais – which were harvested at a minuscule 8hl/ha. The fruit was all de-stemmed and raised in 350-litre barrels (because there wasn’t enough to go into a foudre). The result is unsurprisingly concentrated with lots of red fruit, plenty of weight and a finish of granitic tannins. Drink 2020-2025.
Michel Lafarge (b. 1928) and his son Frédéric make use of their combined experience to produce some of the greatest wines in Volnay. There is nothing modern in their winemaking, though the meticulous care of their biodynamically farmed vineyards puts the domaine at the forefront of viticultural practices. When they are working on a patch of vines they are usually accompanied by their hens who eat up any lurking pests. The grapes are de-stemmed, vinified traditionally and very little new oak is used in the cellar. In 2014, they purchased vineyards in the Beaujolais which are farmed using the same biodynamic practices as employed in the Côte de Beaune.
Frédéric was keen to highlight the solidarity shown between vignerons at the end of April, as they mobilised to put in place measures to prevent a repeat of the frosts of 2016. Burning dampened straw bales at strategic locations, they succeeded in creating cloud cover which saved the vast majority of the vineyards. He also stressed the importance of “fractional harvesting” – waiting until each parcel is fully ripe before picking – and feels that the domaine’s biodynamic practices allow the grapes to achieve even ripening and balance, a real boon in early vintages such as 2017. For those with long memories, 90-year-old Michel compares 2017 to 1947 and 1964.
Michel Lafarge (b. 1928) and his son Frédéric make use of their combined experience to produce some of the greatest wines in Volnay. There is nothing modern in their winemaking, though the meticulous care of their biodynamically farmed vineyards puts the domaine at the forefront of viticultural practices. When they are working on a patch of vines they are usually accompanied by their hens who eat up any lurking pests. The grapes are de-stemmed, vinified traditionally and very little new oak is used in the cellar. In 2014, they purchased vineyards in the Beaujolais which are farmed using the same biodynamic practices as employed in the Côte de Beaune.
Frédéric was keen to highlight the solidarity shown between vignerons at the end of April, as they mobilised to put in place measures to prevent a repeat of the frosts of 2016. Burning dampened straw bales at strategic locations, they succeeded in creating cloud cover which saved the vast majority of the vineyards. He also stressed the importance of “fractional harvesting” – waiting until each parcel is fully ripe before picking – and feels that the domaine’s biodynamic practices allow the grapes to achieve even ripening and balance, a real boon in early vintages such as 2017. For those with long memories, 90-year-old Michel compares 2017 to 1947 and 1964.
Bottle
£37.50
Case price (6)
£225.00
Bottle 6 x 75cl 9cs
£174.06
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Ready, but will improve,
From a parcel totalling 0.66 hectares, these 55-yearold vines are planted on blue granite soil on the Mont de Brouilly. A quarter was whole-bunch fermented. The nose has rich, almost black fruit and a touch of garrigue spice, while the palate is stony with meaty black cherry and a firm, mineral texture. Drink 2021-2028.
Michel Lafarge (b. 1928) and his son Frédéric make use of their combined experience to produce some of the greatest wines in Volnay. There is nothing modern in their winemaking, though the meticulous care of their biodynamically farmed vineyards puts the domaine at the forefront of viticultural practices. When they are working on a patch of vines they are usually accompanied by their hens who eat up any lurking pests. The grapes are de-stemmed, vinified traditionally and very little new oak is used in the cellar. In 2014, they purchased vineyards in the Beaujolais which are farmed using the same biodynamic practices as employed in the Côte de Beaune.
Frédéric was keen to highlight the solidarity shown between vignerons at the end of April, as they mobilised to put in place measures to prevent a repeat of the frosts of 2016. Burning dampened straw bales at strategic locations, they succeeded in creating cloud cover which saved the vast majority of the vineyards. He also stressed the importance of “fractional harvesting” – waiting until each parcel is fully ripe before picking – and feels that the domaine’s biodynamic practices allow the grapes to achieve even ripening and balance, a real boon in early vintages such as 2017. For those with long memories, 90-year-old Michel compares 2017 to 1947 and 1964
Michel Lafarge (b. 1928) and his son Frédéric make use of their combined experience to produce some of the greatest wines in Volnay. There is nothing modern in their winemaking, though the meticulous care of their biodynamically farmed vineyards puts the domaine at the forefront of viticultural practices. When they are working on a patch of vines they are usually accompanied by their hens who eat up any lurking pests. The grapes are de-stemmed, vinified traditionally and very little new oak is used in the cellar. In 2014, they purchased vineyards in the Beaujolais which are farmed using the same biodynamic practices as employed in the Côte de Beaune.
Frédéric was keen to highlight the solidarity shown between vignerons at the end of April, as they mobilised to put in place measures to prevent a repeat of the frosts of 2016. Burning dampened straw bales at strategic locations, they succeeded in creating cloud cover which saved the vast majority of the vineyards. He also stressed the importance of “fractional harvesting” – waiting until each parcel is fully ripe before picking – and feels that the domaine’s biodynamic practices allow the grapes to achieve even ripening and balance, a real boon in early vintages such as 2017. For those with long memories, 90-year-old Michel compares 2017 to 1947 and 1964
Bottle
£40.00
Case price (6)
£240.00
Bottle 6 x 75cl 42cs
£186.54
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A French variety planted predominately in Beaujolais where it is the grape behind everything from light and often acidic Beaujolais Nouveau through to the more serious and well-structured wines from the 10 cru villages. It takes its name from a hamlet just outside Chassagne-Montrachet and was at one stage widely planted on the Côte d`Or. However it was gradually phased out due to its poor yield and supposed poor quality of its wines.
The majority of Gamay wines in Beaujolais are labelled as Beaujolais or Beaujolais-Villages and are deliciously juicy, easy drinking, gulpable wines. Of more interest are the Cru wines from the 10 villages in the north of the region where the soil is predominantly granitic schist and where the vines are planted on gently undulating slopes. These can be well-structured, intensely perfumed wines, redolent of ripe black fruits and, while delicious young, will reward medium term cellaring.
Gamay is also grown in the Touraine region of the Loire where it produces soft, well-balanced, gluggable wines for drinking young.