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.
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Domaine des Deux Roches,
Ready, but will keep,
Our 2018 White Burgundy has been made in collaboration with our good friends Jean-Luc Terrier and Christian Collovray. This delicious expression of mineral Burgundian Chardonnay has delicate floral aromas, while the palate abounds with ripe citrus and peach fruit, finishing on a subtle, smoky note thanks to well-judged oak. An excellent Apéritif, or an ideal match for salads, seafood and lighter meat dishes.
Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd
Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd
J L Terrier & C Collovray,
Drink now,
This wine exudes notes of white blossom, citrus and generous stone-fruit. It has lively and energetic, almost saline acidity, that one expects from the beautiful hillsides of Limoux. Juicy and silky in texture, the concentration drives on right to the finish
Fiona Hayes, Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd
Fiona Hayes, Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd
Dourthe,
Drink now,
The latest vintage of our best-selling white, “GOW”, is a benchmark Bordeaux Sauvignon Blanc. Fermented at low temperatures to preserve the crystalline purity of this popular variety, the nose displays classic cut-grass and gooseberry aromas. The palate follows up with fresh, crunchy white current and citrus fruit. With its elegant, bone-dry finish, this is perfect on its own or with lighter fish and chicken dishes
Max Lalondrelle, Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd
Max Lalondrelle, Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd
Dourthe,
Drink now,
Artists and filmmakers Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard used the forgotten Victorian art of “multigraphs” to create our latest limited-edition label. This technique conjures a visual illusion. “With a bottle of Good Ordinary Claret at the centre, a sociable setting emerges from a single glass,” the artists explain. Only 8,000 bottles are available.
Click here to find out more about the story behind the label.
“GOC”, as it is known, has long been our best-selling wine, and the current vintage admirably demonstrates why. With notes of cassis and wood-smoke on the nose, it’s a classic Bordeaux blend full of glorious ripe fruit, with a moreish, savoury finish.
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 oral top notes, sweet red-berry fruit and crunchy nish make this an irresistible wine.
Adam Bruntlett -Wine Buyer
Adam Bruntlett -Wine Buyer
Chateau Climens,
Drink now,
This exquisite wine has been carefully vinified for us by one of the finest châteaux in Sauternes, Ch. Climens. The fruit comes from different parcels within the vineyard, producing a wine with classic honey and orange blossom notes on the nose. The palate is intensely sweet yet beautifully balanced by fresh, lively acidity. It will pair brilliantly with a tarte tatin or with blue and goats’ cheeses.
Max Lalondrelle, Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd
Max Lalondrelle, Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd
Drink now,
Château la Mascaronne – the property behind our own-label Provence Rosé – is located in the beautiful rolling hills of the Côtes de Provence. The wine, blended specially for us and made exclusively with organic fruit, displays subtle spice and zesty acidity, with a floral edge and delicate red-fruit perfume. Wild flowers and a saline core make this a deliciously refreshing wine.
Fiona Hayes, Wine Buyer
Fiona Hayes, Wine Buyer
Jean-Michel Cazes,
Drink now,
A 50/50 blend of Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc, this classic example of white Graves is bottled for us by Famille JM Cazes. Gorgeous aromas of citrus oil and white peaches fill the nose, while the palate strikes the perfect balance of caressing soft fruit with a vibrant lick of acidity on the finish. Perfect as a light apéritif but also delicious with asparagus, seafood or goats' cheese tart.
Max Lalondrelle, Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd
Max Lalondrelle, Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd
Ready, but will keep,
Since its first vintage in 2002, “EOC” has come from a single estate in Graves. Surely the finest showing yet, the 2016 is a textbook example of classic, rounded Claret, that can be enjoyed now, or cellared for a year or two. Loaded with rich blackberry fruit, with a warming, woody finish, it will drink as well with a modest midweek meal as it will with the grandest of roasting joints.
Max Lalondrelle, Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd
Max Lalondrelle, Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd
Domaine du Colombier, Chablis,
Ready, but will keep,
The warm and luminous 2018 growing season has lent a touch of generosity to our Chablis. It is a blend of four different vineyard parcels in Chichée, a village renowned for producing fresh, mineral wines. Fermented and aged in stainless steel to preserve the wine’s crisp, citrus fruit and steely freshness, this classically styled Chablis is a perfect match for seafood and fresh cheeses.
Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd
Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd
Drink now,
The talented David Sautereau has once again come up trumps, succeeding in retaining the classic restraint and balance of Sancerre, while giving a subtle nod to the unusually generous summer of 2018. The result is a fresh and mineral take on this warm and sunny vintage, seamlessly combining ripe stone-fruit with crisp citrus and subtle flint. It’s a perfect partner to the famous local Crottin de Chavignol goats’ cheese.
Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd
Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd
Benjamin Leroux,
Ready, but will improve,
Our Bourgogne Côte d’Or Pinot Noir is a new addition to our own-label range, made from 100 percent Côte d’Or fruit to obtain this prestigious new appellation (which only came into existence from the 2017 vintage). The fruit is in fact declassified Chorey-lès-Beaune, from very old vines and sourced with the help of star négociant Benjamin Leroux exclusively for Berry Bros. & Rudd. Unsurprisingly, the wine offers remarkable complexity, with pretty, floral top-notes accompanying the charming red-berry fruit. Elegant and delicate, this is Burgundian Pinot Noir in its most elemental expression.
Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer
Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer
Chateau de Fonbel,
Ready, but will keep,
This comes from a marvellous Grand Cru property managed by Alan Vauthier, co-owner of Ch. Ausone. Predominantly Merlot, it is a benchmark Saint-Emilion; the nose rich with Bramble fruit, mocha and vanilla, while the palate is silky and full-bodied. Drink now or over the next two years. A perfect match for roast lamb or rib of beef.
Max Lalondrelle, Wine Buyer
Max Lalondrelle, Wine Buyer
Chateau de Fonbel,
Ready, but will keep,
This is a predominantly Merlot-based wine from a small Grand Cru property managed by one of the best winemakers on the Right Bank, Alain Vauthier. The nose is classic St Emilion, showing rich bramble fruit with a hint of chocolate and vanilla. The palate is enticingly soft and rounded, with generous fruit and warmth. The superb quality of the 2016 vintage shines through here. A perfect match for roast lamb or beef
Max Lalondrelle, Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd
Max Lalondrelle, Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd
Ready, but will keep,
A traditional Graves Blend of 58 percent Cabernet Sauvignon and 42 percent Merlot, this comes from selected plots of young vines at Ch. Haut-Bailly. It’s a wonderfully vibrant example of both the château’s style and the 2017 vintage. Lithe and elegant, with a terrific core of bright red fruit and great detail on the finish, this would be splendid with roast pork or a shoulder of lamb
Max Lalondrelle, Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd
Max Lalondrelle, Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd
Chateau Feytit-Clinet,
Ready, but will keep,
Ch. Feytit-Clinet has been making our own Pomerol for many years, and they have excelled with this vintage. It’s deeply coloured with a dark, glossy appearance and a terrific nose of ripe, bramble fruit, black cherry and mocha. There is a luxurious depth and richness to the fruit here – decadent Merlot in all its glory. Delicious now (with a shoulder of lamb), this will also cellar well for a year or two.
Max Lalondrelle, Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd
Max Lalondrelle, Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd
Olivier Merlin,
Ready, but will keep,
The fruit for our Pouilly-Fuissé comes from a number of excellent vineyards across the villages of Vergisson and Chaintré. Olivier Merlin’s skilful winemaking draws together the various elements to create a wine which offers generous peach and apricot flavours, underpinned by a crystalline thread of electric acidity, and rounded out by smoky oak and a satisfying, stony finish. An ideal partner for salmon quiche or cheese soufflé.
Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd
Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd
Chateau Leoville Las Cases,
Ready, but will keep,
This is the first vintage of our own-label St Julien to be made by Ch. Léoville-Las Cases, one of the finest properties in Bordeaux. Broodingly deep, dark and glossy in the glass, it has a ripe nose of black cherries, crème de cassis and cedar wood. The full-bodied palate is laden with pure blackcurrant fruit, wood-smoke and has a long, complex finish. A blend of 63 percent Merlot and 37 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, the superb 2016 vintage will repay a year or two in the cellar, but is hard to resist now.
Chateau Lynch-Bages,
Ready, but will keep,
Our own Pauillac has long come from the JM Cazes family, the owners of Ch. Lynch-Bages, and the 2016 vintage is arguably the finest we’ve tasted. From its dark, glossy colour to the gorgeously intense nose of ripe blackcurrant, this shows all the hallmarks of Cabernet-driven Claret. A touch of creamy oak encases a core of rich, cassis fruit, but the key to this vintage is its balance, which shows on the long, elegant finish. Gorgeous now, this will cellar impeccably for a couple of years. It’s a classic match for salt marsh lamb, but cottage pie would do just as nicely.
Max Lalondrelle, Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd
Max Lalondrelle, Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd
Ready, but will keep,
“EOC”, as it is known, comes from a single estate in the Graves owned by the Famille JM Cazes, one of the great names of Bordeaux. A classic Bordeaux blend, it has a rich, Merlot-dominated nose, with ripe cherry aromas bolstered by notes of cocoa, vanilla and wood smoke. The palate combines warm brambly fruit with the more savoury elements of traditional Claret, while the finish is rounded and deliciously moreish. It is just as good with a mid-week bowl of pasta as with a roast leg of lamb for Sunday lunch.
Max Lalondrelle, Wine Buyer
Max Lalondrelle, Wine Buyer
Benjamin Leroux,
Ready, but will keep,
The fruit for our 2017 Nuits-St Georges comes from 50-year-old vines in three different vineyards. Les Fleurières, to the south of the village, provides spice and dark cherry fruit, while Aux Herbues and Aux St Jacques, both near the border with Vosne-Romanée, provide juicy red fruit and floral perfume. The result is a delicious and charming expression of this famous village; the delicately floral nose offers hints of fragrant spice and subtle wafts of kirsch, while the palate is expressive with generous cranberry fruit, sweet vanilla oak and a crunchy, salivating finish. Drink now to 2024.
Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd
Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd
Domaine Rossignol-Trapet,
Ready, but will keep,
Made by Rossignol-Trapet, our 2016 Gevrey-Chambertin is made with fruit from 10 organically farmed, old-vine plots. The old vines provide both concentration and balance, while the varied locations of the parcels give a true expression of the village. A bouquet of vibrant redcurrant and flowers seduces, while the palate is packed with sweet cherry fruit and subtle spice, finishing on a precise and mineral finish. Try it with roast lamb or mushroom Wellington.
Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd
Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd
Domaine Patrick Javillier,
Ready, but will improve,
Our 2017 Meursault comes from a selection of vineyards from across the village, including the well-regarded Murgers de Monthélie and Les Clous. Raised completely in oak barrels to give smoky aromas and the hallmark buttered toast notes of classic Meursault, this wine has broad shoulders and rich stone-fruit flavours which are complemented by a racy, saline finish.
Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer
Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer
Drink now,
Our best-selling wine for many decades, GOC, as it's known, brilliantly highlights the drinkability of modern red Bordeaux. Bright, medium ruby in colour it has a siren-like nose of black cherries, bramble fruit and wood smoke. The palate follows through with a long, velvety finish.
Max Lalondrelle, Wine Buyer
Max Lalondrelle, Wine Buyer
Drink now,
In collaboration with Luke Edward Hall, a rising star of British design, we present our second limited-edition label for Good Ordinary Claret. Just 4,000 bottles featuring Hall’s Bacchanalian-inspired artwork have been produced.
Our best-selling wine for many decades, GOC, as it is known, brilliantly highlights the sheer drinkability of modern red Bordeaux. Bright, medium ruby in colour, with a siren-like nose of black cherries, bramble fruit and wood smoke, it is instantly appealing. The palate follows through with delicious, juicy, black fruit and a long, velvety finish. Equally at home with a weekday supper or a grand Sunday roast, it is the perfect wine for all occasions.
Our best-selling wine for many decades, GOC, as it is known, brilliantly highlights the sheer drinkability of modern red Bordeaux. Bright, medium ruby in colour, with a siren-like nose of black cherries, bramble fruit and wood smoke, it is instantly appealing. The palate follows through with delicious, juicy, black fruit and a long, velvety finish. Equally at home with a weekday supper or a grand Sunday roast, it is the perfect wine for all occasions.
Drink now,
Our best-selling wine for many decades, GOC, as it is known, brilliantly highlights the sheer drinkability of modern red Bordeaux. Bright, medium ruby in colour, with a siren-like nose of black cherries, bramble fruit and wood smoke, it is instantly appealing. The palate follows through with delicious black fruit and a long, velvety finish.
Max Lalondrelle, Wine Buyer
Max Lalondrelle, Wine Buyer
Ready, but will keep,
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.
Domaine la Haute Fevrie, Muscadet,
Drink now,
This exemplary Muscadet is blended from several parcels, all of which are organically certified and harvested by hand. It combines aromas of citrus and white flowers, with just-perceptible spritz and a long, distinctly saline finish, redolent of the nearby Atlantic. A great accompaniment to oysters and mussels, it also works well with hard cheeses such as Comté. Drink now to 2021.
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (spring 2019)
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (spring 2019)
Our new limited-edition label 2017 Good Ordinary Claret is available now. Click here to find out more.
“GOC”, as it is known, has long been our best-selling wine, and the current vintage admirably demonstrates why. With notes of cassis and wood-smoke on the nose, this expands on the palate with glorious ripe fruit, finely judged structure and a moreish savoury finish. A classic Bordeaux blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, it is a medium-bodied, gently rounded style of wine, designed to suit most food and all occasions.
Max Lalondrelle, Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd