Château Lynch-Moussas
Pierre-Marie Chermette Beaujolais Origine Vieilles Vignes
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."
Coeur Clementine Cotes de Provence Rosé
A crunchy, flawlessly balanced rosé, laden with preserved citrus rind, redcurrant, and rose petal perfume and flavours. There's a pulpy, generous texture with racy, peppery, herby freshness from whoa to go. It finishes dry and super refreshing.
Les Trois Clefs Chateauneuf du Pape
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!
Dominique Piron Beaujolais Brouilly
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.
Domaine la Remejeanne Un Air de Remejeanne Cotes du Rhone Cote Rouge
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.
Piper Heidsieck Brut Non-Vintage
The arrival of the late great Daniel Thibault transformed Piper-Heidsieck beyond recognition. The style is now fuller and rounder with elegance and charm. The cepage is an equal blend of all 3 varieties and shows good balance and length. The wine is a fresh aperitif style which is much finer than is often given credit for. Marilyn Monroe famously declared that she went to bed every night with Chanel No5 behind her ears and woke up every morning with a glass of Piper-Heidsieck.
Chateau Marsau
Mouton Cadet Select France
Mouton Cadet Select, is the result of the selection from the best parcels of highest terroirs across the Bordeaux region. Created in 1930, by Baron Philippe de Rothschild, Mouton Cadet has become a standard-setter for Bordeaux wines in France and rapidly overseas. The nose initially reveals black cherry, very ripe red fruit notes, hints of mocha and spice. From a supple and voluptuous attack on attractive fruit, the mid-palate displays powerful flavours with forward red fruit, leading into a long and spicy finish.
Georges Duboeuf Chiroubles
It is the freshest of the Beaujolais Crus and the Parisian's favourite. Fresh and fruity, light and supple, it has a pleasant aroma of violets. The true wine-lovers drink it young when the Gamay still possesses its entire aroma.