Lerane is still one of the most important wines that we have ever found. Unofficially, this is our ‘house white wine’, because it appeals to a vast array of palates and whenever we pour it, people go gaga. This is because the aroma is ever so slightly peachy and the palate is floral, bone dry and thirst-quenching. Lerane is perfect for larger parties (where palates vary across a wide spectrum of tastes) and its flavours are complex enough to take on challenging canapés and most Asian-spiced dishes. While you may never have heard of the Terret variety, you will certainly have heard of Viognier and it is this grape that sings loudest in this wine. It also looks dead smart, too – so you can feel as proud of your purchase as we do of its listing.
This young vine cuvee of juicy Cabernet Franc is just what the doctor ordered when you don’t fancy chewing though claret or a red Rhone. Amirault is a top producer and I usually only see his wines when I am on tour in France. It is such a pleasure to offer you this succulent wine and really do hope that you try St-Nic because the crunchiness and brightness of fruit in this wine is positively goose-bump-inducing!
Raousset is unusual in that it owns vineyards in three distinct Beaujolais Cru villages. This may sound odd, but I think that because they are in this privileged position they are able to make the wines as accurate and as honest as they do, expressing the exact typicite of each site. Hence the fact that this Morgon tastes exactly as I want it to – explosive on the nose with red cherry and strawberry notes, but with clean, bright, tannins on the finish which balances this superb wine out into a seamless, unadulterated Gamay cocktail.
Laurent Brusset has always had a presence on our list and I expect that he always will. Don’t worry that it is not one of his grander cuvees – his Cairanne and Gigondas wines are heroic, of course. But we see an awful lot of the hallmarks of his dearer reds in this cheeky, young wine. The black fruit and cracked white pepper is here in spades, but it is all so delightfully fresh and light that even though it smells fairly rich and lusty, it is actually only a nipper in the weight department. If you are after a satisfying lunchtime red Rhone then you will be delighted with Laurent’s delicious wine.
My favourite Saumur-Champigny producer and one which pushes the depth of the Cabernet Franc grape even further than the others in this section. Philippe Vatan is a man of the earth and he makes sure that his vines are low yielding and that they absorb as much character as possible from his vineyard sites. Drinking well, but with fine-grained tannin still evident on the finish, this is a wine with masses of energy and structure and it is another exceptionally well-priced Loire red.
2009 is a stunning vintage in Beaujolais and we are delighted to report that Vissoux’s unbroken reign of excellence continued unabated. This ‘Old Vine’ Beaujolais is an incredible beast, with a fine pedigree. Packed with beautifully appointed red and black plummy fruit, this is a heavenly wine with a refreshing tang of acidity on the finish, which balances the captivating nose and silky palate. M. et Mme. Chermette are the ultimate perfectionists in charge of this cosmic estate.
One of my favourite all-time red wine producers and certainly one of the Cote de Nuits superstars, this BR is a delight. Sensitive, cherry and damson notes form the theme and a core of darker chocolate sits underneath and yet at no time does it feel pushy or commanding on the palate. It just flows over your taste buds with spellbinding results. A simple but immeasurably delightful pleasure.
Don’t expect this Fleurie to be a little heavier a little more aromatic, a little longer or a little more anything than the Beaujolais VV above. You will be shocked at the difference between the two wines because this is a very different beast indeed. With much more weight in the mouth in 2009, this is a proper, old-fashioned Beaujolais with enough oomph to take on red meat and even game dishes, despite its silky smooth, lustrous physique and shimmering chassis. Try it alongside more expensive red Burgundies and then see why we are so proud of this wine. The Gamay grape has never looked so alluring. This is Vissoux’s finest Fleurie ever.
