France
Despite its complacency and notable challenges from all-comers, France remains the world’s finest wine-producing nation, and its famous regions – Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, Loire, Rhône, Alsace and increasingly Languedoc-Roussillon – read like a who’s who of all you could want from a wine. Full-bodied or light, still or fizzy, dry or sweet, for drinking now or laying down, infinitesimal variety is one of France’s great attributes.
Despite their own complacency, occasional arrogance and impressive challenges from all-comers, France is still far and away the finest wine-producing nation in the world and its famous regions – Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, Loire, Rhône, Alsace and increasingly Languedoc Roussillon – read like a who’s who of all you could want from a wine. Full-bodied, light-bodied, still or fizzy, dry or sweet, simple or intellectual, weird and wonderful, for drinking now or for laying down, France’s infinitesimal variety of wines is one of its great attributes. And that’s without even mentioning Cognac and Armagnac.
France’s grape varieties are grown, and its wines emulated, throughout the world. It also brandishes with relish its trump card, the untranslatable terroir that shapes a wine’s character beyond the range of human knowledge and intervention. It is this terroir - a combination of soil and microclimate - that makes Vosne-Romanée taste different to Nuits-St Georges, Ch. Langoa Barton different to Ch. Léoville Barton.
France is a nation with over 2,000 years of winemaking, where the finest grapes and parcels of land have been selected through centuries of trial and error rather than market research. Its subtleties are never-ending and endlessly fascinating. Vintage variation is as great here as anywhere – rain, hail, frost and, occasionally, burning heat can ruin a vintage. Yet all this creates interest, giving the wines personality, and generating great excitement when everything does come together.
However, this is not to say that French wine is perfect. Its overall quality remains inconsistent and its intricate system of classification and Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) based on geography as opposed to quality is clearly flawed, sometimes serving as a hindrance to experimentation and improvement.
Nevertheless, the future is bright for France: quality is better than ever before – driven by a young, well-travelled and ambitious generation of winemakers – while each year reveals new and exciting wines from this grand old dame.
Prices:
H/Bottle
£5.75
H/Bottle 12 x 37.5cl 564cs
Bottle
£9.95
Bottle 12 x 75cl 1,226cs
Magnum
£20.50
Magnum 6 x 150cl 592cs
Adam Bruntlett - Wine Buyer
H/Bottle
£7.50
H/Bottle 24 x 37.5cl 163cs
Bottle
£12.50
Bottle 12 x 75cl 550cs
Simon Field, MW - Wine Buyer
Bottle
£8.75
Bottle 12 x 75cl 306cs
Simon Field MW - Wine Buyer, June 2017
Bottle
£8.75
Bottle 12 x 75cl 299cs
The steep slopes of Limoux are in plain view of the Pyrenees and their magnificent terroir is especially kind to white varietals, particularly Vermentino (aka Rolle), Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, the last of which dominates this blend and adds creamy complexity to a citric core, courtesy of an element which has been barrel-fermented.
Simon Field MW - Wine Buyer, June 2017
Bottle
£8.75
Bottle 12 x 75cl 214cs
A classic Bordeaux white, this 100 percent Sauvignon Blanc is made just for us. Intensely aromatic on the nose, with ripe gooseberry and greengage fruit, the wine has wonderful lift and zest. Fresh and crisp, it has a surprisingly soft finish. A perfect apéritif, but also delicious with seafood, goats’ cheese and asparagus.
Max Lalondrelle - Wine Buyer
Bottle
£9.25
Bottle 12 x 75cl 336cs
David Berry Green
Bottle
£10.45
Bottle 6 x 75cl 43cs
This is quite different from the hugely popular 2014, but just as impressive. Aromas of black fruit rather than red predominate and the alcohol, though worn lightly, is 1.5 percent higher – this due to a summer heat wave which worried even the most experienced vignerons in Beaujolais. Young Alexandre held his nerve, waiting for light rain to bring respite to the vines and therefore harvesting unwizened, juicy grapes which account for the winning freshness and sheer drinkability of his wine. A great candidate to be your “house wine” but consider it for grander occasions too.
Bottle
£10.95
Bottle 12 x 75cl 27cs
Oliver Barton - Wine Buyer
Bottle
£10.95
Bottle 12 x 75cl 8cs
With its lovely deep salmon colour the wine is immediately attractive, the nose does not disappoint: lots of zest and character and a slight smoky note; reminiscent of wild roses and pata negra. On the palate the wine is fresh and attractive with plenty of depth and body . The spicy end note is the perfect foil to the fruity mid-palate. Chilled well this wine is perfect for summer drinking - as an aperitif or with a summer barbeque!
Bottle
£11.00
Bottle 6 x 75cl 26cs
Wine of the Week
Domaine Felines was bought by the Jourdan family in 1983. It is situated at Mèze, near the “Bassin de Thau” in the Languedoc. There are 40 hectares of vines and the Jourdans immediately began a replanting programme. Picpoul de Pinet was first produced at the domaine in 1992 and is a fascinating wine. Picpoul is an old-fashioned southern grape, which has long been due a comeback. It produces fresh, dry, whites with hints of citrus fruits, pears and fennel, buttressed by a crisp backbone of acidity.
This shows a rich, inviting nose of green apple, nettle and a delicate minerality, topped off with a just a hint of sea breeze. Fresh and generously fruity on the palate, the green apple persists with accompanying notes of pear, grass and citrus. Very clean and fresh, the finish is very moreish and would be the perfect accompaniment to a plate of oysters.
Bottle
£11.45
Bottle 12 x 75cl 229cs
Mark Pardoe MW - Wine Buyer - Apr 2017
Bottle
£11.75
Bottle 12 x 75cl 20cs
Bottle
£12.95
Bottle 12 x 75cl 143cs
A blend of Grenache and Cinsault, direct pressed and fermented at relatively low temperatures, this is an archetypal Provence Rosé, a category which is getting more and more popular and in which the spectrum of quality is ever-widening. Mascaronne is right at the top of the pile, quite literally, its stony, photogenic vineyards carved out of the rocks, its fruit cultivated organically and at low yields.
The 2016 vintage enjoyed a benevolent ripening season, even by Provençal standards, and this harmonious backdrop has been expertly captured by our friends at Mascaronne. Cinsault and Grenache are the majority shareholders here, and are perfectly complementary; the first floral and lifted, the second rounded and generous. The wine is a symphony of red fruit and soft spice, its gentle nacreous colour perfectly antithetical to the expressive and joyful fruit basket of the palate.
Bottle
£12.95
Bottle 6 x 75cl 532cs
Magnum
£29.95
Magnum 3 x 150cl 54cs
A splendid accompaniment to fish pie.
Will Heslop, Buyer. Berry Bros. & Rudd.
Bottle
£12.95
Bottle 6 x 75cl 15cs
Bottle
£13.95
Bottle
£13.95
Bottle 12 x 75cl 16cs
From the excellent 2015 vintage, Native is a blend of concrete-aged Grenache and wood-aged Syrah and Mourvèdre. The Grenache’s silky tannins enrobe a pleasing dark-fruit core, with myrtle and red cherry both in evidence on the palate. Drink now to 2023.
Bottle
£13.95
Bottle 12 x 75cl 58cs
Bottle
£13.95
Bottle 12 x 75cl 88cs
Martyn Rolph, Private Account Sales Manager.
Bottle
£14.00
Bottle 6 x 75cl 29cs
Magnum
£29.00
Magnum 6 x 150cl 1cs
Bottle 6 x 75cl 2cs
Bottle 6 x 75cl 2cs
Bottle 6 x 75cl 2cs
Max Lalondrelle, Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd
H/Bottle
£14.25
H/Bottle 12 x 37.5cl 426cs
Simon Field MW - Wine Buyer
Rémi Pouizin formerly made wine at his father’s property, Domaine la Fourmente, just outside Visan. Now he has branched out on his own with Domaine Dieu-le-Fit and bought a magnificent 19th century château in the heart of the village. He has also secured biodynamic accreditation for his vineyards, though these essentially remain the same. Only the legal structure and the location of the winery have changed substantially. The essence of the excellent Domaine la Fourmente still remains, albeit a little improved, plus a new, divinely inspired name.
Bottle
£14.95
Bottle 12 x 75cl 19cs
Simon Field, MW - Wine Buyer
Bottle
£14.95
Bottle 12 x 75cl 14cs
Simon Field MW, Wine Buyer
Bottle
£14.95
Bottle 12 x 75cl 9cs
Bottle 12 x 75cl 1cs
Bottle
£15.00
Bottle 12 x 75cl 50cs
Ch. Coutet is really pretty in 2013. It is rather light and more floral than many from this vintage and shows lots of engaging acidity. Focused, showing signs of dried apricots and even a little mango, this is very tasty wine indeed.
Case price (H/Bottle 12 x 37.5cl)
H/Bottle 12 x 37.5cl 28cs
Bottle
£35.00
Bottle 6 x 75cl 91cs
Château Labadie, a standard-bearer for the Médoc AOC, was recently shortlisted for the Coupe des Crus Bourgeois du Médoc 2017.
Will Heslop, Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd.
Bottle
£15.50
Bottle 12 x 75cl 16cs
On the nose this displays delicate crunchy red fruit with a soft, leafy note typical of Cabernet Franc. The mid-palate has lovely pure red fruit flavours moving to a good freshness on the finish. A great wine for food matching. Drink now to 2019. Pair with a plate of charcuterie, duck dishes or even red mullet.
Bottle
£15.50
Bottle 12 x 75cl 7cs
Since its first vintage in 2002, “EOC”, as it is known, has become one of our best-selling wines. The fruit for this Claret comes from a beautiful Graves estate belonging to the JM Cazes family, one of the great names in Bordeaux. Merlot dominates the nose, with heady, cherry-laden fruit and sweet, dark chocolate aromas. Cabernet comes through more on the palate, with blackcurrant and cedar wood much more to the fore. There is structure and weight here, but all wrapped in a very drinkable, traditional style. Drink now, with roast lamb, beef and mature hard cheeses.
Bottle
£15.50
Bottle 12 x 75cl 776cs
Bottle
£15.75
Bottle 12 x 75cl 14cs
Max Lalondrelle - Wine Buyer