Whisky

G. ROZELIEURES

If God had drawn up a shortlist of beverage matches made in heaven, Whisky from Vosne-Romanée would surely be a candidate! Maybe this is old news, given that the Scots source a great deal of their barley from northern France. In today’s centralised world, very few distilleries can claim ownership of production right through from field to shop floor. It takes a particular mindset, which Rozelieures masters with aplomb.

A gentle spirit that resembles a favourite Speyside pair of slippers, this ex-sherry cask is deep amber in colour, revealing a beguiling nose of popcorn, sweet spice, dried honey, apple, and pear. The barrel time has not dimmed, but rather fine-tuned its zeal, lending a palate of rich orchard fruit, apple blossom, honey and grilled nuts. The finish is long and utterly composed.– mp

40%

Popcorn, sweet spice, dried honey, apple

Orchard fruits, apple blossom, honey, grilled nuts

Full and rapturous

$ 122

SINGLE

A golden-hued elixir of coastal air, light peat smoke, lemon, gingerbread, and rye bread. The palate dances enticingly, as if sprung from some far off island campfire, with smoked fish, raw meat, cinder toffee, and popcorn trading moves in harmonious choreography. Both powerful and graceful, it leads to a long, captivating finish.– mp

Coastal air, light peat smoke, lemon, gingerbread

Smoked fish, raw meat, cinder toffee, popcorn

Finish Long and graceful

An accomplished bourbon-cask expression. The medium-amber nose is full of popcorn, oatmeal, allspice, barley sugar, and rye bread. On the palate the alcohol and oak are kept seamlessly in check by a driving, lingering array of malt, cereal, pear, apple, dried honey and linseed. The complex finish is impressive.– mp

Popcorn, oatmeal, allspice, barely sugar, rye bread

Malt, cereal, pear, apple, dried honey and linseed

Finish Powerful and long

Taste these whiskies blind, and they are a dead ringer for Scotch. There is no question the climates are different – there is nothing maritime about Burgundy – so it is a question of great technical expertise. That said, these expressions are free-flowing and unique, and in any competition they would steal a share of the limelight.

An adventurous, medium-amber expression aged in ex-wine barrels from France’s South West. The nose brings oatmeal, barley, and honey mingled with savoury dill and olive. The spartan palate reveals toasted notes, a whiff of peat smoke, and barley sugar. Medium, savoury notes on the finish.– mp

Oatmeal, honey, dill, olive

Toasted notes, a whiff of peat smoke, barley sugar, malt

Finish Savoury, with subtle peat

Pomerol

If St. Émilion has surprisingly little lineage for its magnitude, Pomerol has less. Although certain estates –Trotanoy, Pétrus – were well-known by the late 19th Century, most of the region remained off radar until the late 1950s. Moreover, and despite its superstar reputation for Merlot, it was only at this point that Cabernet Franc was usurped as the number one grape variety. In the 19th C Pomerol was still an area of white wine production. Less is more in Pomerol. There is no classification system, and few glitzy châteaux. Wines like Le Pin, with its minute quantities, have attracted interest from critics and collectors alike. The best wines, if one is lucky enough to get the opportunity to drink them, combine grace and power in equal measure.

Château Séraphine is the second Bordelais acquisition of Englishman, Martin Krajewski. His daughter, Charlotte, is the winemaker here and at Clos Cantenac. She employs a minimalistic and 'hands off' approach, to both acclaim and effect.