French Wines

Mas de Daumas Gassac’s quirky blend has earned it many fans over the years. The main component of Cabernet Sauvignon gives it structure and tannic backbone, whilst Merlot fleshes out the mid-palate. Spiced notes from Petit Verdot and a herbaceous lift from Cabernet Franc help add complexity. So far, so Bordelais… But the Mas de Daumas has an extra edge, thanks to the baking southern sun of the Languedoc, and the unusual components of Tannat and Pinot Noir that also play supporting roles. The overall impression is a rich, full-bodied wine, with a dried herb-scented lift, and fine, peppery tannins.

The 2016 La Bonette has electric energy and great depth to the flavour. It’s clean and elegant, with a saline balance to the finish. It’s a touch less overt or hedonistic than previous vintages, but it’s no bad thing.

Les Epenotes was the first site to be awarded premier cru status in Beaune. This parcel of between 65 and 80 years old, was planted by Claudie’s grandfather. Claudie comments that this parcel is the first to be harvested, which they always do themselves before their team arrives! The 2021 is packed full of spicy, red and even black fruit aromas. This wine has fantastic energy, the purity and depth of the fruit leaving a lasting impression on the palate. Very fine.

This monopole vineyard spans over seven hectares of limestone hillside, accounting for almost half the domaine’s production. It has a dark, swirling concentration of blackberries and spice. The tannins in this young wine are firm, and built for the long haul. Rich and powerful, long and tense.

Four hectares, owned entirely by Michel since 2014. East facing, steep slopes with soils that resemble those of Grand Cru Corton. Wild and saline, this punches well above its weight.

As the slope of grand cru Chapelle-Chambertin levels off, it becomes this well placed premier cru. It’s elegant and fresh, stony and driven. There’s impressive freshness, minerality and purity, and the energy in the wine drives it along.

Lovely intensity and power. There's so much depth and concentration here, spanning floral notes to deep dark fruits, bound up with lovely tension and elegance. This is beautiful. The finish is nicely balanced with a cool, saline finish and more spice and flowers. Quite brilliant.

2015 is a superb vintage in Champagne. Cristal, in its distinctive clear glass, is one of the world's most celebrated prestige cuvée Champagnes. The 2015 is a blend of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay, and comes from biodynamically farmed vineyards 100% owned by Louis Roederer. The wine is intense, dynamic, energetic.

2002 is an outstanding vintage in Champagne, and a huge success story at Billecart-Salmon. This cuvée is a blend of Pinot Noir (60%) and Chardonnay (40%), and brings the voluptuous and exhilarating character of the vintage. It's a full-throttle 2002, with volume and energy.

Beautiful fragrance and elegance on this stunning southern white. There’s texture and restraint here, and a finish that just makes you want to have another glass.

Peaches and new apricots, and also a tea character, almost. It’s enticing - peppermint too. Lovely concentration and power, and the bitterness on the finish just lifts. This is so long and so fine.

Another top cuvee, made from vines planted in 1901 in Pignam and La Crau, on sand, it’s named after their father Pierre, not a reference to stone. Amazing lift and energy, so much texture and intensity, silky and lovely tannins, mouthwatering finish. Brilliant.

This Côte-Rôtie cuvée is wonderfully elegant, with violets, gorgeously pure raspberry, herbs and spice. It’s beautifully balanced and fresh, with lacy acidity and great length.

This cuvée first appeared in 2015. It is made from the young(er) vines of the Clos de l’Arlot that had once been labelled ‘Petit Arlot’. It consistently proves its worth as a separate bottling with every new vintage: this is sweet and precise on the nose, with bursting redcurrants, violets, and graphite. The palate shows a wonderfully classical freshness, and some attractive, firm tannins that are expertly married to the red berry volume, making it ready for drinking in just a few years, I expect.

Indigène is a blend of 50% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot noir and 5% each of Poulsard and Trousseau. Its name refers to the use of only natural ingredients in its winemaking: primary fermentation with indigenous yeasts, and secondary fermentation initiated by the addition of Stéphane's own liqueur de tirage, made from the domaine’s own, fermenting straw wine. It is creamy and gently sparkling, with a vinous character running through the palate. It is one of the finest examples of its type

Chapoutier is an undisputed master of Syrah in the Northern Rhone, and they have taken their know how to this south-west estate in the Côtes du Roussillon. It's an unusual wine for the region in that it is 100% Syrah (most wines here are a blend of varieties). Structured and deep.

This is Syrah wearing its Pinot cloak. The Kamaka is the wine that needs the most explanation in the Bott cellar. Seyssuel, on the other side of the river to Côte-Rôtie, is an appellation on the march. There are hopes that it will be elevated to full cru status within a matter of years. Here, the schist and gneiss soils glisten in the sunlight; there’s no granite on this side of the river, The Syrah that grows here is floral and pinot-esque, with an elegant texture and a spicy, salty undertow. Kamata is the Maori word for rock or stone, and a nod to Graeme’s Kiwi origins. Much more than a curiosity

Pure is 100% Grenache, all from 100 year old vines on sandy soils, very close to Rayas. The result is very intense, and, as the name suggests, pure. Black fruit wrapped in a rich, chocolaty texture and spicy length. It will need time in bottle to weave together, but already impresses.

This is Clusel Roch’s classic blend. It comes from a range of vineyards across the Côte Brune, including Le Plomb, Montmains, and Bas de Coteau. Spicy and graphite-textured, with floral notes, and some intense black olive and cassis notes beneath. A classic Côte-Rôtie.

From two vineyards, this is the hidden gem of Sorrel’s range. From 60 year old vines, this has a delicate floral character, with plenty of rich fruit and a beautifully long finish. One not to be missed.

This is, as ever, a sensational cuvée. 100% Grenache from 100 year old vines.Wonderful aromas of violets and lavender combine with pure black fruit notes and delicate nuances of rosemary and thyme. Morello cherry, damson and plums wrap around silky soft tannins, layers of mocha and sweet vanilla spice. Complex and precise with a wonderful freshness on the finish, this is a stylish and sophisticated wine that is not to be missed.
(Given 93-96 points in the Wine Advocate, Robert Parker)

Sitting below Les Arvelets, this 0.4 hectare parcel was planted by Claudie’s great-grandfather. The plot has to be farmed by horse as the layer of soil is so thin here. This 2018 has a rich and opulent nose of flora and cerises. The depth and density of the fruit is backed up by fine and chalky tannins, that have just enough grip and bite. Delicious now, but with plenty of potential to improve with further time in bottle.

Beautiful pale straw colour and gold highlights shimmering with flashes of green.
A marvellous floral burst comes right off the glass, with white flower and hints of passion fruit. On the palate, plenty of richness and elegance, with honey and great acidity balancing all the components in this splendid wine.

Attractive notes of white peach and apricot on the nose, with a hint of zesty citrus, giving this an immediate sense of poise. On the palate, this is balanced and appealing. Intense without being cloying, finishing very pure and fresh.

Decanter: High acidity balances high sugar. Intriguing muscadelle floweriness. Marvellous finesse. 19 points.

This single vineyard might not be classified as a grand cru, but it is one of Olivier Humbrecht’s most cherished sites. It sits just above Clos St Hune on triassic limestone. It is a high altitude site, protected by a forest. It’s a comparatively cool site in Alsace, and its one of the domaine's later ripening sites, and produces wines with a signature verve and freshness. Subtle, taut, and elegant. It needs a year or two to unfurl. 4.0g/l residual sugar (dry)

Sommerberg is a 19ha grand cru that rises up behind the village of Niedermorschwihr. This wine always has a driven tension, and in 2018 there is a silky, smooth length. This is a beguiling style of Riesling: dry but with a restrained power and richness. The balance is outstanding. An exceptional grand cru.

Clos des Cazaux's old vine Vacqueryas offers great value, with elegant peachy fruit, white flowers, salinity and charming freshness. There's no oak but the old vine character lends some delicate spice and texture to the wine.

This is a fantastic site on the Côte Brune, shared between just three growers. The vines were replanted in 1980 and 2001, and their youthful vigour produces a juicy wine, with a rounded balance. 30% whole bunch and 30% new oak add silkiness and depth.

This classic, old-school Châteauneuf from Jean-Paul Versino is one of our favourites. It comes from a blend of 27 plots, making for a balanced, complete, and inviting grenache-based Châteauneuf. It is dry and savoury, with the gorgeous combination of red berry fruit, dried herbs, spice and just a hint of licorice. This will drink well from early on, and evolve with style in the cellar.

This, one of their top cuvees, is made from Grenache planted in 1901 and with 60 year old Syrah. The age of the vines makes a vibrant wine, with tapenade, anise and crunchy cherry fruit. Stunning.

The nose is already inviting, showing power and deep cherry fruit. There’s amazing drive and energy on the palate, with black fruits, spice and fine tannins. The power is undeniable, but it’s so elegant and finessed.

After many years, premiers crus were finally recognised in Pouilly-Fuissé from the 2020 vintage. Château de Fuissé are delighted and proud that their superb monopole vineyard that sits just next to the historic château has been recognised with this classification. It is a 2.7 hectare vineyard, home to many old vines, some of which were planted as far back as 1929. The youngest vines you’ll find here are actually from 1984. There is real intensity in this wine, with toasty, candied lemon peel notes and a subtle anise lift on the nose. The palate is powerful in its concentration and textural complexity, packed full of peach, nectarine and a smattering of fresh ginger. The finish is mineral, saline and persistent, this wine is built to last! It is no surprise it has been upgraded.

A gorgeous garnet colour. Delicate aromas of soft summer fruit, strawberry, cherry and a subtle floral note combine. The palate is full of finesse and balance with fine-grained tannins leading to a long, persistent finish.

Tasted from a barrel sample sent to the UK, the 2019 Tertre de la Mouleyre has a beautifully floral, elegant nose. There's a purity here, and depth to the dark fruit. Notes of violets, silky tannins and plenty of crushed rocks on the finish. Beautifully structured and poised, this is classic claret at its zenith. Wonderful.

The 2017 Petite Lune is everything we want from everyday claret, and more. Notes of blueberries and fresh plums on the nose, with loads of finesse to the tannins and a very long and savoury finish. This is far more complex, concentrated, and pure than the price would suggest. Go long: it won’t disappoint.

Le Gréal is a unique wine, and one that has built up a loyal following for its decadent, statuesque style. 2021 is a departure from the norm. Unlike all previous vintages back to 2009 that have been made from 100% whole bunch fruit, this is 90% destemmed. It feels less massive than previous years, more juicy, bright, and balanced, though it has an echo of the wine’s signature spicy notes thanks to the 10% whole bunch Guillaume has kept in the blend. It harks back to a style Guillaume says was last found in the 1990s. It may be unlike the wines we’ve come to love from this domaine, but actually, is a delicious iteration in its own right. In spite of its slighter style, it should age fantastically. One thing that remains constant is the fruit’s origin: 90% is drawn from the lauded Le Méal parcel, at 10% from Les Gréffieux, on the Hermitage hillside, from vines dating back to the 1920s. A small amount of co-planted Marsanne amongst the Syrah adds freshness and mollifies the tannins.

From one of Côte-Rôtie’s most famous lieux-dits, and this lives up to the billing, exuding power and depth. It’s classically-styled, with floral and herbal characters as well as juicy black fruits. There’s tremendous energy and freshness, and the finish is cool and pure.

This is the flagship wine of the domaine. It comes from 90-year-old vines, and shows a charming combination of energy and unforced concentration, with persistence and a light lift of reduction. This is perfectly balanced with silky tannins and delicious salinity in the finish. This is a wine with so much life, and a great example of the Guy Breton style that has earned him such a following.

This is one of the finest sites of the Côte Blonde. Its depth of fruit is clear, even in the 2021 vintage that tends towards lighted, more restrained wines. Supporting new oak gives it spice and succulence. Of all the Garon cuvées, this will benefit the most from some time in the cellar, though it should drink well from just 3 to 4 years.

This is made in tiny quantities, from vines well over 100 years old. The soil is pure sand, and the resulting wine is very concentrated, with ripe fruit and layers of complex spice. It's long and precise, with very fine, densely packed tannins.

Made from a 20-hectare plot of Crozes owned by Delas, and blended from 5 different blocks with big galets. Nice nose, creamy cherry and silky tannins. Beautiful elegance and purity. Long and silky.

Tuvilains is a lovely vineyard on the Pommard side of the town. Scented with rhubarb and raspberries, with a lot of structure on the palate. There is 20% whole bunch here, and some support from new oak. In 2021, it is spicy, red fruited and light bodied, with a refreshing crunchiness to the tannins.

Champs Claude comes from 4 different parcels of vines in Santenay, with an average age of 60 years. This is classic Pinot Noir - full of subtle, red fruit on the nose and fresh, balanced with a great energy on the palate. Brilliant value.

This comes from 0.7 hectares of premiers crus across the village: La Riotte, Les Sorbès, and Le Village. The new style of vinification has drawn out the finest qualities of the fruit here: tight red berries, but with a fine silky texture to the tannins, and an elegant thread of acidity.

From high up the slope, this is a cool, refined and elegant Gevrey. The fruit is juicy and precise, with a fine texture. And a good, fresh finish.

This is a creamy, dark, cassis-drenched Syrah with plenty of focus. There is so much black fruit depth here. It feels tight and coiled in youth, with density on the finish, and dark, silky tannins.

Wow. Intense and powerful. So complex. Words just don’t do this brilliant Châteauneuf justice: one of France’s greatest wines.

This is a wonderful site in Beaune, high up on the hill to the south of the town. The 100% whole bunch works extremely well here, making for a salty, charming wine with depth and length, and a hint of sucrosity at the end - not from any residual sugar in the wine, but from the beautiful sweetness of fruit.

This vineyard bordering Pommard did once produce wines with some robust, muscular tannins. But now that they have reached 70 years old, the father and son team note how much the tannins have begun to soften, and become distinctly finer in recent years. It still has a vibrant grippiness in 2020, but the floral aromatics, and the fine-grained nature of the tannins give it elegance.

These are the oldest vines of the domaine, and were planted in 1902. Their concentration and complexity shows on the nose, which is chalky, floral, pretty, and spicy. The wine has so much energy, tightly coiled, and sinewy, with a pomegranate weight and floral power.

Les Frémiets borders Pommard, and this wine has something of the character of both villages. There’s blue fruit here, with a floral lift and plenty of blood orange. Spicy and liquorice tinged, it’s a lovely wine.

The celebrated release from Bollinger of the much admired 2012 vintage. This is truly great Champagne.

This cuvée is always the most powerful in the Clusel Roch stable, and even though the frame of all the 2021s is a little slimmer than recent warmer vintages, this still shows plenty of density and concentration. It comes from vines planted in 1935 by Guillaume Clusel’s great-grandfather. The parcel sits high up, above La Viallière, and makes a complex and structured wine.

This superb wine from Domaine Giraud comes from 50-80 year old vines grown across the various soil types found in the appellation. There is so much freshness and energy in this 2019, bursting with salty red berries. One of the best examples of its type.

Fresh, textured and accessible, this is simply delicious. There’s pure cherry and spice with a touch of smoke, and it’s thoroughly charming.

Marc had half the amount of fruit in 2016 as 2015, and it shows in this wine’s concentration. The texture is superb, with pure red fruits, smoke and spice of lovely depth.

A traditional Côte-Rôtie that sees Yves coferment 10% Viognier with his Syrah, there’s nice balance here between floral lift and meaty richness. With its energy and texture, it’s complex but easy to drink. This is very fine indeed.

This is drawn from a couple of parcels on the south side of the commune towards Fixin and Gevrey-Chambertin. In 2021, it has a ripe fruit profile, with red plum and wild strawberry, and some spicy, supple tannins giving it an elegant and fine edge. It has body and impact and is deliciously long with a saline finish.

This plot of just over half a hectare is planted with 60+ year old vines. There is a floral character, and so much energy and silky tannins behind it. Good balance and drive, and nice density to the flavour.

Black and redcurrants to the fore with a fruit sweetness on the palate, balanced with fine grippy tannin alongside density and precision, this is seamless in its presentation. A very good vineyard, old vines and the detailed excellence of Manou and Frédéric have created a benchmark Gevrey.

Deep and brooding, very mineral and fine, striking tannic structure and there's a depth to the fruit. Power, balance and intensity. Really impressively put together with energy and length.

This comes from old vines planted in the historic vineyard of Rocoules. It is powerful and deep, and will certainly benefit from a few years in the cellar.

This is a steep site with very high limestone soils. It always produces a nervous, tight wine that can do with a year or two in bottle before the floral notes can blossom.

This was a stand-out among a strong line up of premiers crus in David’s cellar. It comes from a parcel which has some very hard limestone bedrock, though the wine is marked by its surprising suppleness. Elegant and alluring with spiciness and minerality entwined with small flowers and lovely weight, this has beautiful depth and an enchanting, beguiling, mineral, pure, long finish. This is delicious now but has the depth and concentration to improve even further in years to come.

This single vineyard is located on the north side of Nuits, near Vosne-Romanée. It has a hint of that silkiness, but in its youth, the Nuits structure and stature dominate. This is a great example of the bold and muscular Nuits: fully bodied and full flavoured, with 2019’s brilliant freshness.

Second wine of Chateau Pavie, from limestone soils on the plateau, a 50:50 blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot.

La Pointe is under the radar in Pomerol but always impresses in tastings. It's full of fresh black and red berry fruit, tobacco, spice, incense and floral notes. Some light truffle notes are starting to emerge now it's had a short time in bottle, and this will carry on ageing beautifully. It's soft in texture but has a brightness and vibrant acidity to balance.

Pieuchaud is a flinty-soiled lieu-dit in the commune of Thauvenay in the south-east of the Sancerre appellation. Luc decided to isolate this vineyard after noting it always produced fruit with great maturity whilst maintaining high acidity - the secret to single vineyard wines in his opinion. In 2020 this is restrained, yet agile. It would do well for a few years in the cellar, and its saline, savoury structure will make it an excellent food wine in the years to come.

This is the domaine’s ‘newest’ parcel, bought in 1976. Located near the cellar, in the south of the Chinon appellation, this is like a mini Clos de la Dioterie, on deep clay-limestone soils with colluvial topsoil. It typically shows great balance between tannins and acidity, so smooth and composed in 2020. It glides to an effortlessly elegant and long finish.

This cuvée was first bottled separately in 2019, but is actually the first vineyard that Sylvain rented when he struck out on his own in 2007. So it holds a special place in his heart. The vines are 50-60 years old on south-facing terraces. It has a salty grip, and a deep, rich dark fruit weight on the palate.

This has got to be one of the bargains of the wine world. It is made by the Perrin family, of Château de Beaucastel fame. It is rich and spicy, with lovely juicy, peppery red fruit. Silky and delicious, it belies its price point.

This is a blend of two parcels and is the hidden gem of Sorrel’s range. 20% comes from Bessards, and 80% from Les Plantiers, just below Le Méal. These vines produce fruit with real power, and this wine has a great presence. But the floral tones and salty fruit make it more accessible than the Gréal, and mean it should start to open up a little earlier.

Stéphane Ogier’s reputation is built on his Côte-Rôties. This cuvée is a blend of ten plots, mostly from the northern part of the appellation. It was first created in 2010, with Stéphane wanting to create a blended Côte-Rôtie that has all the signature style and spice of the hillside, but is accessible a little earlier than some of his single vineyard wines that are released later. It comes mostly from his younger vines, between 10 and 30 years old. It is bursting with Syrah black pepper and red currants, with a floral note lifting the palate. Salty tannins carry through onto the finish.

This comes from four neighbouring lieux dits on the Côte Blonde: Lancement, La Triote, Le Combard and Le Mollard. They share a high proportion of white schist in their soils, making for an intense, savoury, and long expression. The fruit concentration is impressive here, and the tannins are so well formed: punchy but well executed.

Baron Louis, their flagship red, is a testament to Rodolphe’s efforts to preserve local traditions and old rare varieties. The base is a classic 50% Grenache. But the other half is made up of floral Cinsault, powerful Mourvèdre, fresh Counoise, and fruity Carignan. The good value for money here cannot be overemphasized. Juicy, floral, fresh and poised.

This is a rare wine produced in tiny volumes from vines of well over 100 years grown on a cool, north-facing terrace that Jean-Paul and his son Antoine tend. Undeniably ample and powerful, it demands time in the cellar.

The 2016 Hommage is a tour de force. Intense and powerful, this Mourvèdre led wine balances notes of pot pourri and fresh flowers with tapenade and burnt rocks. Long and remarkably complex, it lifts Châteauneuf to a new level.

Les Poireaux, Les Crais, and En Sevrey are the three plots in this. This is savoury and pure, with wild berries and loads of texture. Very savoury and restrained, a nice vintage for Morey.

“Bousselots” means “little bumps”, but this premier cru’s clay-rich soils make for a rounded and approachable Nuits-Saint-Georges. The 2017 is juicy and saline, with silky tannins, and really fine acidity on the finish.

Château Palmer created this blend as a homage to the days when Bordeaux proprietors would often blend in Syrah to add heft to their Cabernet. Syrah lends the wine a smooth, broad texture, precise tannins, velvety mouthfeel and notes of black truffle. This 10th vintage is characterized by an unprecedented high proportion of Petit Verdot (44%) in the blend and no Merlot.

Always a good value Pomerol, the 2020 Moulinet-Lasserre, from the middle of the appellation, has loads of juicy fruit but also excellent acidity. For lovers of Pomerol, who don't want the pricetag, this is a smart buy.

Nice density and texture here - just restrained claret. Mouth watering, grippy tannins and also plenty of cassis fruit. Just a hint of leafiness and mint on the finish, and also a perfume element. Nicely done.

Château Quintus has been owned by Clarence Dillon since 2011: it takes its name from the Franco-Roman tradition of always calling a fifth son Quintus. The top wine, gets better every year, and is showing more and more of the breeding that makes the owners’ Pessac wines so highly prized.

The 2019 Ségla has all the classic hallmarks of Margaux, with aromatic, floral notes and delicious brambly blackberry flavours. This is fresh and energetic, with elegance and persistence that belies its price point.

An impressive nose, with complex and pure whole berry fruit. There's impressive structure and finely judged tannins - they're ripe and coat the mouth. The finish goes on with suppleness and subtlety for minutes.

A great vintage of Chateau Latour with potential to age for decades. Approachable now with some dense fruit cake flavours and a hint of savoury tobacco just starting to emerge. Plenty of structure for age with robust and fine grained tannins, but restrained use of new oak means the fruit really shines through.

Density and concentration combine with a lifted and pure expression of fruit. Subtle complexities and mineral nuances give depth of character with a prolonged finish. Finely-tuned, with much in reserve this, like its Grand Vin sibling, has much to reveal with age.

Made from a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon and 13% Merlot. Restrained with notes of very powerful black fruits. This is the key to 2010 - power, finesse, concentration, yet balance. A beautiful wine which will need many years of cellaring to sing, but which undoubtedly will be a classic.