Touraine
Touraine is famous for the Cabernet Francs of Bourgueil, Chinon and Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, as well as for the dry, sweet and sparkling Chenin Blanc wines of Vouvray and Montlouis. The bulk of the region's wines are produced under the Sauvignon de Touraine appellation, a good-value Loire Sauvignon Blanc produced on sandy, undulating clay flats between the Cher and Indre tributaries.
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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.
Domaine Lame Delisle Boucard,
Drink now,
Philippe Boucard is the doyen when it comes to the crafting of intriguing Cabernet Franc-based wines, and his Bourgeuil manages to be both classic and somehow also quite modern. How he achieves this is a little hard to fathom, especially as his approach to vinification is far from radical, fermenting in vertical wooden vessels known as tronconiques and maturing in old foudres.
For all that, the wine has a dynamism and energy which is hard not to appreciate, its red-fruit core finely balanced by spice and firm, almost chalky tannins. The additional bottle-age on this particular wine has added an extra dimension, in the form of notes of game and sous-bois, both discrete and supportive of the ensemble.
For all that, the wine has a dynamism and energy which is hard not to appreciate, its red-fruit core finely balanced by spice and firm, almost chalky tannins. The additional bottle-age on this particular wine has added an extra dimension, in the form of notes of game and sous-bois, both discrete and supportive of the ensemble.
Vincent Carême,
Drink now,
Spring is the perfect name for this exceptionally fresh, limpid cuvée made from grapes grown by friends of Vincent and Tania – many of them former pupils of Vincent at the viticultural college in Amboise. It’s characterised by green apple and citrus aromas, with a steely mineral character on the palate. Bottled with very little sulphur, it’s a wine to enjoy over the next couple of years as an apéritif or, better still, with an assortment of shellfish. Drink now to 2021.
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (summer 2019)
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (summer 2019)
Vincent Carême,
Drink now,
This is a subtle, hugely seductive cuvée, which Vincent makes (from bought-in grapes) to be drunk relatively young. He works the juice without sulphur, and allows a proportion of the wine to undergo malolactic fermentation, accounting for its juicy, round mouth-feel. There’s plenty of fresh acidity too, and the steely, mineral finish which is a hallmark of the domaine. A rewarding match for salads, poultry or fish dishes. Drink now to 2022.
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (spring 2019)
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (spring 2019)
Vincent Carême,
Ready, but will keep,
Bottles of this product are discounted by 20%. Price shown includes saving.*
This is an outstanding traditional-method sparkler from the wonderful Vincent and Tania Carême, standard-bearers for the appellation of Vouvray. Made from 100% Chenin Blanc (from parcels certified organic), it’s aged for 18 months on its lees prior to disgorgement. Trim and tense in its youth, it gains body and complexity with time in bottle – the complex nose now includes aromas of honey, ripe citrus and freshly baked apple turnovers. A delicious and original apéritif. Drink now to 2021.
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (November 2019)
*This offer is available until 31st December.
This is an outstanding traditional-method sparkler from the wonderful Vincent and Tania Carême, standard-bearers for the appellation of Vouvray. Made from 100% Chenin Blanc (from parcels certified organic), it’s aged for 18 months on its lees prior to disgorgement. Trim and tense in its youth, it gains body and complexity with time in bottle – the complex nose now includes aromas of honey, ripe citrus and freshly baked apple turnovers. A delicious and original apéritif. Drink now to 2021.
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (November 2019)
*This offer is available until 31st December.
Vincent Carême,
Ready, but will keep,
This fabulous, bone-dry Vouvray is from one of the appellation’s brightest stars. On the nose, expect aromas of orchard fruit, lanolin and a seductive hint of peach (indicative of the warm 2018 vintage). The palate is textured and generous, in part thanks to the time this cuvée spent in oak. At the same time, there’s no mistaking the shimmering acidity and mineral core that are hallmarks of Vincent’s wines, and which make this age-worthy, yet hugely enjoyable now with shellfish or as an apéritif. Drink now to 2023.
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (autumn 2019)
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (autumn 2019)
Vincent Carême,
Ready, but will keep,
Bottles of this product are discounted by 20%. Price shown includes saving.*
This complex, multi-layered wine gains its fizz from the ancestrale, rather than Champagne or traditional method, but Vincent opts to disgorge it after 18 months to remove some of the sediment. The nose is expansive, with aromas including honey and baked apple, while the palate is precise and bone dry. There’s a cooling thread of freshly squeezed lemon from the attack to the end of the long, mineral finish.
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (November 2019)
*This offer is available until 31st December.
This complex, multi-layered wine gains its fizz from the ancestrale, rather than Champagne or traditional method, but Vincent opts to disgorge it after 18 months to remove some of the sediment. The nose is expansive, with aromas including honey and baked apple, while the palate is precise and bone dry. There’s a cooling thread of freshly squeezed lemon from the attack to the end of the long, mineral finish.
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (November 2019)
*This offer is available until 31st December.
Domaine Gaston Huet,
Ready, but will keep,
Gaston Huet and his wife built up a domaine with a formidable reputation over the years following its creation by Victor Huet, his father, in 1928. Gaston, war hero and one-time mayor of Vouvray, managed the family domaine from 1947 until his death in 2002. This wine comes from the original vineyard, Le Haut-Lieu (literally meaning “the high place”) which surrounds the house and extends for some nine hectares. Its wines are opulent and approachable when young but are genuine vins de garde and benefit from long-term ageing.
Burnished gold in colour, the nose is full of spiced orange, cloves, a touch of quince and lemon rind, and hints of anise. This wine is lovely and mouth-filling and yet has surprisingly high acidity and a dryness that gives the wine a beautiful mouth-watering snap.
Burnished gold in colour, the nose is full of spiced orange, cloves, a touch of quince and lemon rind, and hints of anise. This wine is lovely and mouth-filling and yet has surprisingly high acidity and a dryness that gives the wine a beautiful mouth-watering snap.
Domaine Gaston Huet,
Ready, but will keep,
An intriguing nose that draws you in, Caramel, honey, straw and wet wool are all here. Sweet, even luscious on the palate, but with great acidity that stops it being cloying. Full-bodied and rich, notes of toffee and sugar cane honey are balanced by that wonderful acidity, making it clean on the finish. Truly exceptional.
Chris Pollington, Account Manager
First things first – 1989 is a stunning vintage, one of the best in the 20th Century for the Huet wines. Essai relates to a 1ha vineyard parcel of Le Clos du Bourg which the Huet family decided to apply biodynamic principles. There is a distinctly greater level of development and general largesse to the palate here over the ‘usual’ 1989 Moelleux. This is an expansive and mouth filling wine, lusciously sweet and tropical this has decades of age ahead of it but perfectly balanced meaning it can be enjoyed now. .
Gary Owen, Account Manager
Chris Pollington, Account Manager
First things first – 1989 is a stunning vintage, one of the best in the 20th Century for the Huet wines. Essai relates to a 1ha vineyard parcel of Le Clos du Bourg which the Huet family decided to apply biodynamic principles. There is a distinctly greater level of development and general largesse to the palate here over the ‘usual’ 1989 Moelleux. This is an expansive and mouth filling wine, lusciously sweet and tropical this has decades of age ahead of it but perfectly balanced meaning it can be enjoyed now. .
Gary Owen, Account Manager
Domaine Gaston Huet,
Ready, but will keep,
Gaston Huet and his wife built up a domaine with a formidable reputation over the years following its creation by Victor Huet, his father, in 1928. Gaston, war hero and one-time mayor of Vouvray, managed the family domaine from 1947 until his death in 2002. This wine comes from the original vineyard, Le Haut-Lieu (literally meaning “the high place”) which surrounds the house and extends for some nine hectares. Its wines are opulent and approachable when young but are genuine vins de garde and benefit from long-term ageing.
A big, deep, rich honeyed bouquet leaps from the glass. The palate is, unsurprisingly, youthful, but is also wonderfully luscious. There’s plenty of sweet, mouth-filling fruit and enough acidity to make one involuntarily drool. Drink it now or tuck away for decades.
A big, deep, rich honeyed bouquet leaps from the glass. The palate is, unsurprisingly, youthful, but is also wonderfully luscious. There’s plenty of sweet, mouth-filling fruit and enough acidity to make one involuntarily drool. Drink it now or tuck away for decades.
Domaine Gaston Huet,
Ready, but will keep,
Gaston Huet and his wife built up a domaine with a formidable reputation over the years following its creation by Victor Huet, his father, in 1928. Gaston, war hero and one-time mayor of Vouvray, managed the family domaine from 1947 until his death in 2002. This wine comes from Huet’s most famous vineyard, Le Mont. It is from this site’s green-tinged soils and late-harvesting vines which Gaston produced his longest-lived and arguably most famous wines.
This is a jam-packed glassful with waxy lemons and fresh orange peel on the nose, then a bitter toffee character. The combination of ripe nectarine sweetness with refreshing acidity delivers a perfectly judged and beautifully balanced wine. Quite simply, you can taste the care taken in producing this wine.
This is a jam-packed glassful with waxy lemons and fresh orange peel on the nose, then a bitter toffee character. The combination of ripe nectarine sweetness with refreshing acidity delivers a perfectly judged and beautifully balanced wine. Quite simply, you can taste the care taken in producing this wine.
Domaine Gaston Huet,
Ready, but will keep,
Gaston Huet and his wife built up a domaine with a formidable reputation over the years following its creation by Victor Huet, his father, in 1928. Gaston, war hero and one-time mayor of Vouvray, managed the family domaine from 1947 until his death in 2002. This wine comes from the Clos du Bourg, a vineyard purchased by Gaston in 1953. It is the oldest site in Vouvray, dating back to the eighth century. The allure of this vineyard is not entirely contained within its neat and historic walls, but moreover its reputation for producing formidable sweet wines.
An intense gold colour, there is plenty on offer on the nose: lanolin, caramel and apple crumble to name but a few notes. Gloriously honeyed on the palate, there is a streak of vibrant freshness that stops any cloying sweetness. The finish is incredibly long and persistent. Wonderful!
An intense gold colour, there is plenty on offer on the nose: lanolin, caramel and apple crumble to name but a few notes. Gloriously honeyed on the palate, there is a streak of vibrant freshness that stops any cloying sweetness. The finish is incredibly long and persistent. Wonderful!
Domaine Gaston Huet,
Ready, but will keep,
Sandy, lime-stones and clay soils underpin this scintillating wine, which compared to the weightier Clos du Bourg, seems more perfumed and ethereal. The nose pings with piercing lime flower notes, while the off-dry (9 grams RS) palate whistles through with a puckering lemon zestiness at a near perfect pitch - staggering. What an advert for organic and biodynamics. Best cellared till 2016.
(David Berry Green)
(David Berry Green)
Domaine Gaston Huet,
Ready, but will improve,
1989 Vouvray, Le Clos du Bourg, Moelleux Première Trie, Domaine Huet
1989 Vouvray, Le Haut-Lieu, Moelleux, Domaine Huet
1989 Vouvray, Le Mont Moelleux, Première Trie, Domaine Huet
1989 Vouvray, Le Mont, Moelleux, Fin Pressée, Domaine Huet
1989 Vouvray, Le Clos du Bourg, Moelleux Essai, Domaine Huet
1989 Vouvray, Haut Lieu, Moelleux, Première Trie, Domaine Huet
1989 Vouvray, Le Haut-Lieu, Moelleux, Domaine Huet
1989 Vouvray, Le Mont Moelleux, Première Trie, Domaine Huet
1989 Vouvray, Le Mont, Moelleux, Fin Pressée, Domaine Huet
1989 Vouvray, Le Clos du Bourg, Moelleux Essai, Domaine Huet
1989 Vouvray, Haut Lieu, Moelleux, Première Trie, Domaine Huet
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (autumn 2019)