Les Trois Clefs (The Three Keys) is the emblem of the historic city of Avignon, capital of the Cotes du Rhone wine region. Chateauneuf du Pape is a superior Grenache Syrah that delivers all the juicy red fruits, power and complexity the region is famuos for. Lovely dark forest fruits with a hint of spice, the finish is long and smooth. Enjoy with Cassoulet or Grillades de Boeuf!

Te Mata Gamay Noir has notes of red candy-apple and hints of ripe strawberry. The palate is saturated raspberry; juicy and sustained with silky, round tannins, accompanied by a fine dusting of liquorice and white pepper. Red-ripe fruit, crunchy acidity, and a fresh and intense style. Match with spicy cuisines.

Maison Les Alexandrins is a collaboration between two renowned winegrowers from the Rhone Valley - Nicolas Jaboulet and Alexandre Caso. Their wines are crafted in a signature style that is at once contemporary and timeless, and always from exceptional vineyards unearthed by Alexandre Caso, a specialist in the terroirs of the Northern Rhone. 100% Syrah grown mainly on alluvial soils from the south of the appellation, with some vineyards on terraces containing stones washed up by the Rhône. Beautiful deep-purple colour with shiny reflections. In this sunny vintage, the nose is particularly seductive with delicate floral notes subtly mixed with aromas of small red fruit. A remarkable balance on the palate with a beautiful crispness of fresh and light red fruit supported by very fine tannins, revealing a wine of tremendous elegance.

Brouilly is the largest and furthest south of the Beaujolais crus. It has a good south eastern exposure, at the bottom of the Saône Valley at an altitude of 200 to 300 metres. The subsoil consists of granite debris and blue-tinged schist. This also ranked the full 5 stars in my abbreviated-for-iPad rating system! Immediately exuberant, with a diverse array of floral notes, theres also some white pepper and crushed cherry notes. Gamay varietal by Dominique Piron.

A more serious wine from the Southern Rhone. Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre and Cinsault roots grow in reddish, brown soils through limestone and reach deep, deep down. Vinification is traditional in concrete vats with daily pumping over, followed with ageing for six months in old large foudre, then bottled without fining and no filtration. The resulting wine is a triumph and a jewel in the crown for the Rhone.

This is a vibrantly aromatic and juicy, red fruited wine, with energy and a refreshing, tangy backbone. The long, spicy finish has plenty to keep you engaged.

Chateau Ducluzeau is owned by Bruno Borie, owner of the iconic Second Growth Ducru Beaucaillou in St Julien. The 10ha vineyard in Listrac being planted to 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon (the highest percentage of Merlot in the entire appellation). Classic Bordeaux through and through - with beautiful notes of liquorice, rose, plum and blackberry.

A beautiful Syrah from the Northern Rhone Valley, full of intense black fruits, savoury flavours and elegant tannins. Best paired with cold cuts, local sausages or a cheese plate.

The 2017 is a smoky and juicy dark cherry-and-raspberry-noted wine with sappy freshness and a nice, crunchy finish. "The late Marcel Lapierre once said of Beaujolais, Ça se bois sous la douche. (Its a wine you can drink under the shower). While this captures the simple deliciousness of much Beaujolais, it doesnt do justice to the wines being produced by the finest artisans like Pierre-Marie Chermette. Of the wines of Domaine du Vissoux we would be more likely to say, Il est trop bon pour être bu sous la douche! Its too damn good to be drunk in the shower! Beaujolais can be the most joyful, compelling and life-affirming of wines. Yet in the hands of a master it can also be a wonderfully refined, long-lived Burgundy. Domaine du Vissoux is a producer capable of fashioning such wines. This is why their wines can be found in many of Frances finest restaurants and why Vissoux remains the highest-rated Beaujolais producer in the leading French wine guide, Les Meilleurs Vins de France. Owners Pierre-Marie and Martine Chermette were among the first in Beaujolais to use sustainable agricultural practices, shunning the use of any chemicals in the vineyard and encouraging as much life in the soil as possible. They prune hard to keep yields low, harvest by hand when the grapes are fully ripe and regularly carry out green harvests to further reduce the yields and ensure full ripeness for the harvest. The wines are made with minimal intervention: wild yeasts, minimal sulphur additions and no filtering if possible. Ageing is in traditional up-to-the-ceiling, neutral oak casks."