While prices for white Burgundy climb as every year passes and allocations seemingly shrink at an alarming rate, it is so life-affirming to find a hugely impressive Chardonnay from a fabulous Domaine, and it is priced so keenly I nearly dropped my glass when I tasted it. I was cruising through a line-up of posh […]

Rosemary George MW shares her thoughts on some of our Languedoc offerings at our recent Pall Mall Winter Tasting. 2020 Racine Picpoul de Pinet, Bruno Lafon & François Chamboissier from Bruno Lafon and François Chamboissier. Classic Picpoul, with quite soft salty fruit on both nose and palate and a dry finish. 2020 Viognier, IGP Pays […]

Sparkling Vouvray is one of the wine world’s undervalued treasures and it can age superbly. Made in old oak, Bernard Fouquet’s blend of Chenin Blanc is mainly 2018 with 15% of 2017. Really appetising baked-apple nose with very fine bubbles and a gorgeous toasty hint of toffee on the finish. Not trying to be champagne. […]

2020 Racine Pinot Noir, IGP Pays d`Oc, Bruno Lafon & François Chamboissier Made with Burgundian savoir-faiure, it has generosity, finesse and a subtle waft of lavender on the nose. 2019 Le Mas, Domaine Clavel, Languedoc A gorgeous, unoaked, smooth red that bursts with flavours of wild strawberries, fresh figs and blackberries, with skeins of dried […]

Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula is a cool-climate hot spot producing some of Australia’s best chardonnay and pinot noir. This exquisitely balanced white burgundy-alike – all clean lines and subtle creaminess – is one for smoked salmon or turkey. on , 14th Nov 2021

Burgundy is just one of many French regions to have upped their sparkling game in the past couple of decades. Fizz in the Loire, too, has arguably never been better, with wines such as Bernard Fouquet’s pristine chenin blanc and its crisp apple, honey and subtle buttered toast. on , 14th Nov 2021

Fiona Beckett describes a perfect match between this Savigny-Lès-Beaune and a delicious chicken & cep pie on her website, Matching food & wine. on , 8th Nov 2021

A beautifully crafted champagne that deserves some serious seafood, such as grilled sole or scallops. on , 22nd Oct 2021

If Britain has a reputation as the centre of fine-wine knowledge, it is in no small part due to the dynamic independent wine merchants who brilliantly serve the ever-adventurous British wine lover. Some of the best-known names belong to an association called “The Bunch.” The group was established in 1993 to champion the independent wine […]

Although it just tips over the £10 mark (it’s £11 a bottle if it’s bought as part of a case of 12 bottles), London merchant Haynes Hanson & Clark’s southern French find is the best-value pinot noir I’ve tried in a long time, and one of the best versions of the variety I’ve ever tried […]

16.5 + Full bottle 1,318 g. This producer used to be called Decelle-Villa but has restyled itself as a domaine. Winemaker for this wine was Jean Lupatelli, taken on for the 2021 harvest by Dom Georges de Vogüé. Certified organic. Transparent garnet. Good grunt on the nose with a light orange hint and very gentle […]

While I have a few rather expensive wines this week, I have two bargains for you, and this is my red pick! Il Colle is a tremendous estate, but it is not a spotlight-seeking producer so you can be forgiven if you have not come across it before. I have yet to taste the Brunello […]

A very well-made sparkling white, this is luminous and crisp with flavours of apple snow and croissant. Victoria Moore in The Telegraph, 27th Sept 2021

A family domaine based in the village of Mauves, which was part of the ‘original’ St Joseph appellation, before the appellation was expanded in 1969. It’s a lovely wine, offering both finesse and fruit, as well as a scent of violets, a beautiful example of dark-fruited Rhône syrah. Victoria Moore in The Telegraph, 16th Sept […]

This is the kind of wine that gets pigeon-holed as a summer wine, usually as an alternative to Beaujolais, but it’s absolutely delicious and deserves to be drunk all year, cool in winter, cooler still in summer. Like Beaujolais, it’s made from Gamay, but in the small Côtes du Forez appellation in the Auvergne to […]