Farthinghoe Fine Wine 2021 Wine Catalogue

FINE W INE LTD EST. 1975

2021 WINE CATALOGUE OUR GUIDE TO CLASSIC WINE REGIONS

SPOTLIGHTING OUR FAVOURITE DOMAINES, CHÂTEAUX AND GROWERS

HOW TO STORE AND SERVE FINE WINE

Contents 2 ENGLAND 6 BORDEAUX LEFT BANK RIGHT BANK

24 BURGUNDY CHABLIS CÔTE DE BEAUNE CÔTE DE NUITS BEAUJOLAIS

62

RHÔNE NORTHERN RHÔNE SOUTHERN RHÔNE

92 ITALY NORTH EASTERN ITALY PIEDMONT TUSCANY

106 SPAIN 116 PORTUGAL 122 GERMANY AHR & BADEN MOSEL

132 NEW WORLD CALIFORNIA SOUTH AMERICA NEW ZEALAND & AUSTRALIA SOUTH AFRICA

74 CHAMPAGNE 80 LOIRE 148 GLASSWARE 86 SOUTHERN FRANCE 150 STORAGE AND CELLARING

WELCOME

Welcome Like many of us I’m sure, I’ve found this year has been one on which to reflect on life a little. I’ve reflected on how any of us can be indiscriminately singled out and have the rug pulled from under us. I’ve been stirred by the call to arms by communities; that ubiquitous phrase ‘keep calm and carry on’ hasn’t been so poignant for many a decade.

One thinks about family, elderly parents in self-imposed exile from society, how having the children at home is actually quite nice, and occasionally opening a bottle of wine at lunchtime on a weekday is a rather good idea!

And it makes me reflect on the power of Nature as she unleashes her infinite powers.

Even the vineyards of La Romanee Conti can be basking in the glorious sunshine in the morning and yet be shredded by hailstones the size of fists that afternoon.

The hallowed vines of Le Montrachet can be pushing up their delicate shoots to create the next vintage, only for Jack Frost to stop them in his tracks and say, ‘sorry messieurs, not this year’. And it makes us reflect that we’re simply being told, ‘you lot have been over-working the soil I gave you, there’s no vintage this year’ – perhaps we should go and stand in the corner and think about what we’ve done!

It’s with this in mind that we count our blessings more than ever. We thank every one of you who buy our wines. In June, we collectively stumbled through an unexpected and chaotic Bordeaux En Primeur campaign, and even with the confusingly alluring prices, we all escaped with our dignities aloft. The Châteaux offered the keys to their cellars and we graciously obliged – the 1904 Entente Cordiale alive once more! As I write this, we are planning how to safely taste 300 wines from 35 Burgundian estates – usually done

in the confines of a small cellar. We’re yet to work out how but work it out we will…. it’s far too important not to!

On the home front, we are delighted to welcome two new members to the Farthinghoe Family. Lucy Riley joins us primarily to help manage our own increasing volumes of stocks and your cellars. We are also thrilled to welcome Charles Newman, whose search for new opportunities as head of Seckford Wines’ private client team brought him to our door. He spent his previous years cutting his teeth and honing his tasting (and selling!) skills with another prestigious merchant in their Asia-based division.

And the brief glimpse of cleaner air and bluer skies has nudged us to do our bit by deciding not to bundle all of us onto cheap Ryanair flights, but to enjoy watching the continental countryside fly by from trains.

And we’ve chosen not to encumber you automatically with 500 grams of printed paper to spread our message, though for those of you who enjoy flicking through a hard copy, we of course have copies available.

So, perhaps like you, our Farthinghoe Family faces these next few months with maybe a sniff of trepidation. However, our spirits are up and we are more enthusiastic than ever to continue to offer you, our clients, the most professional level of service our trade has to offer, the most candid and straightforward advice we can and, of course, as Withnail once said, some of the finest wines known to humanity!

In the meantime, stay sanguine, keep well and drink even better!

Alex Alex Cox, Managing Director

FARTHINGHOEFINEWINE.COM

1

ENGLAND

Wiston is one of the UK’s best producers and their sparklers genuinely give champagne a run for their money (and I write that as a person that criticized the category for many years).

—NEAL MARTIN

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WINE CATALOGUE

ENGLAND

England The English Quality Sparkling Wine category, to give its official title, provides the parameters that the similar AOC or DO provides in France and Spain. There are quite a few producers in the market now, and it is maturing. There has been a notable rise in quality from the wines that were made ten years ago - certainly now the estates are finding their feet. Importantly, they are no longer trying to make champagne in England.

But what is sadly still true is that in general, the wine is expensive when compared to its cousins in Champagne. With start-up costs and an even more marginal climate where whole crops can be lost, such as in 2012, this is almost unavoidable. But the comparisons remain.

Some producers are pushing for specific regional demarcation – like a Sussex PDO. Most however don’t see the benefit in splitting what is a nascent category and dividing their strengths.

As mentioned above the marginal climate means producers may need to fall back on bought grapes from across the South of England in difficult years like 2012 where many producers struggled to make anything.

something that is really going places. However, for every Wiston there are people like me who mused on planting some grapes in a field which would have absorbed funds like a sponge to no end result.

To start as an English producer, you need nerves of steel and sometimes deep pockets at the outset.

Other notable producers include Hambledon, whose wines on the South Downs’ South-western edge, near Winchester, are pretty spectacular.

Nyetimber of course is very well-known and one of the largest quality producers. You also have an array of growers who’s actual wine-making is contracted out to those with the expertise, such as at Wiston or Nyetimber – wine-making equipment is very expensive – as is the know-how.

Domaine Evremond in Kent is another exciting newcomer on Kent’s Green-sand, a joint project between Taittinger and their UK Importers Hatch Mansfield. Their first harvest should be soon.

Wiston first cottoned on to the potential quality they had when a couple of champagne houses came knocking to enquire about the availability of certain slopes, and a passion project spiraled into

CLASSIC GRAPE VARIETALS Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Bacchus

SOIL TYPE

Its’ a very exciting time in a nascent industry. Quality is on the up as are export sales, with Scandinavia a huge market. We’re proud to be close partners of Wiston Estate and encourage you to taste these remarkable creations.

Tom Meade

FAVOURITE PRODUCERS Wiston Estate, Chapel Down, Nyetimber, Hambledon, Domaine Evremond, Gusbourne

Chalk, calcerous clay, green-sand

FARTHINGHOEFINEWINE.COM

AREA UNDER VINE

3,500ha 3

ENGLAND

MEET THE GROWER

Wiston Estate Dermot Sugrue, Wiston’s winemaker cuts quite a roguish figure in both the stories about his professional background (Irish beer and fruit wine brewer, turned Champagne and English winemaker extraordinaire) and the devilish glint of the eye and the wry smile he casts.

I first came across the estate after a chance meeting with a family member of the owner, who scoffed at my regard of Nyetimber. He said if you want serious quality, try Wiston and the work of Sugrue, the winemaker formerly of Nyetimber (at least until he fell in love with the terroir at Findon Park – Wiston’s 7ha amphitheatre vineyard). Interest piqued we promptly got in touch, tasted the wines and duly fell in love. What superb quality they have!

What we love about Wiston Estate is their down to earth character, jaw-dropping quality and wholly reasonable prices (their Estate Cuvee 2015 retails at £36 and is, in our humble opinion, far superior to NV Grand Marque Champagne around the same price).

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We visited the West Sussex estate in August 2020 and were so pleased that our previous quality perception was maintained – even increased - as we tasted across a wider range.

Their 2014 Rose (a great Pinot Noir vintage) left us speechless. The Blanc de Blanc is terrific, too. “One of the finest English sparkling wines that I have encountered.... Now this is how you make a great Blanc de Blancs,” gushed Neal Martin in July 2020. He rated the Blanc de Blancs 95 points and we wholeheartedly agree with him.

Please seek out these wines – we usually have them in stock – they are the real deal.

Their Estate Cuvee 2015, unscored by Neal Martin, is the team favourite, with 66% Pinot Noir and Meunier and 33% Chardonnay.

Another plus is these wines are perfect for food, such is their stuffing and complexity. We will 100% be arranging a dinner for our clients with the roguish Dermot Sugrue at the helm. It will certainly be a fun night!

WINE CATALOGUE

BLANC DE BLANCS WISTON ESTATE

2015

2015

DRINK 2020+

DRINK 2020+

6x75 £148

ENGLAND

CUVÉE WISTON ESTATE

6x75 £182.85

This is a wonderful golden raisin colour in the glass.

The nose is concentrated and complex – with the Pinot noir evident - strawberry, peach, lemon zest and white chocolate along with grilled brioche and honey. It’s quite a dry style but the fruit on the palate is deeply weighted with such concentration and length that you’re pleased there is no more dosage than the 8g / l. Disgorged on 19 November 2019. I drunk this with food and it was more than a match.

Highly impressive – I will be a regular buyer myself!

Wiston’s 2015 Blanc de Blancs is one of the finest English sparkling wines that I have encountered... to date. It was picked from October 22 to November 3 after a warm, dry October, the yield 15hl/ha, 50% fermented in stainless steel and 50% in old Burgundy barrels and aged on the lees for nine months. Dosage is 8g/L. This has a fantastic bouquet of bewitching scents of lime, green apple, honeysuckle and slithers of tinned peach, all beautifully defined. The palate does not disappoint, delivering exquisite balance, wonderful focus and a touch of mineralité toward the harmonious finish. Now this is how you make a great Blanc de Blancs.

—NEAL MARTIN

WA 95 POINTS

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BORDEAUX

Bordeaux There is no doubt 2019 is an outstanding vintage, clearly an important vintage. What stands out [...] is their exceptional balance.

—ANTONIO GALLONI, VINOUS

Bordeaux has been the centre of the wine trade since Eleanor of Aquitane married Henry II in 1152 with Bordeaux served at the royal wedding. This marked the beginning of 200 years of British rule that allowed Bordeaux to spread its reputation the world over. It has the perfect soil for vine cultivation.

Its proximity to the Atlantic coast both influenced the wines and the trade that the shipping links allowed.

through an act of Parliament by the then Minister of Agriculture Jacques Chirac (not a family friend?!).

It is only in the latter part of the 20th century that châteaux started to bottle their wine before that shippers or merchants would send their wines still in the barrel to their warehouses in London before bottling themselves. As the quality and consistency improved, the estates wanted greater control over their wines. En primeur, or wine futures, came Further developments followed in the 17th about in the early 1980s, coinciding with a period of century when Dutch engineers drained the marshes global affluence. The 1982 vintage saw Robert Parker that surrounded Bordeaux. These works shaped become the key influencer of the wine market the geography as we know it today, allowing some with his coverage of the Bordeaux releases. Unlike of the great vineyards of the world to appear from many other regions where merchants import the water. As we come to the modern era, Bordeaux wine directly to their home countries, Bordeaux maintained its position at the head of the table. is distributed ‘on the place’, the marketplace where négociants would meet to trade. The vast In 1855, a classification was drawn up with majority of Bordeaux trade is Chateaux submitting their via négociants, agents that act wines for approval. Thus, as the middleman between the current five-tier system BORDEAUX Châteaux and the global trade. we know today was born.

We merchants, in-turn promote It is still relevant to this day CLASSIC GRAPE their wines to our customers. as a source of pride for the estates involved.

Later in the 20th century, with a global oil crisis of 1973, the Bordelaise had drastic financial issues that led to allowing foreign investment.

It was the same year that Mouton-Rothschild was promoted from 2nd to 1st growth, the only change since the 1855 classification

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VARIETALS

RED Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc; WHITE AND SWEET Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon

SOIL TYPE Left Bank: Gravel Right Bank: Clay/Limestone

WINE CATALOGUE

The Bordeaux vineyards that surround the city and each village or commune have their own textbook style. It is not a surprise to see these individual styles as to drive from the extremes of St. Estèphe to St. Émilion would take over 90 minutes and cover about 100km.

Charles Newman

CHÂTEAU MARJOSSE, GRAND VIN DE BORDEAUX

2016

2019

DRINK 2020-2024

DRINK 2022-2025

12x75 £102.22

6x75 £51

A refined, pretty and balanced red with berries.

Fresh. 80 per cent merlot.

—JAMES SUCKLING

JS 91

BORDEAUX

CHÂTEAU MARJOSSE, GRAND VIN DE BORDEAUX

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2019 Marjosse has a come-hither nose of kirsch, stewed black cherries and warm plums with hints of spice cake, wilted roses, oolong tea and Sichuan pepper. The medium-bodied palate is plushy textured with bags of scrumptious black and red fruits and a lively backbone, finishing fragrant.

POINTS —LISA PERROTTI-BROWN

WA 90-92 POINTS

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BORDEAUX

TRAVEL TIPS

Travel to Bordeaux The beautiful city of Bordeaux, with its classic 18th Century French architecture, epitomised by the Place de la Bourse and Grand Théâtre Opera House, showcases the wealth generated by the dominant business of the region – wine. One forgets quite how large the region is and a drive from St. Estèphe in the Northern Médoc to the beautiful UNESCO World Heritage town of St. Émilion will take you the best part of two hours by car. If visiting for a few days, one can take two approaches - either base oneself in Bordeaux and travel out to the wine regions from there or travel around (as we do) staying a night or two in the famous villages of St. Émilion, St. Julien or Pauillac.

Access is easy, and we tend to fly into Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport, from where one can be sipping a kir royale in the gardens of the Hotel au Logis des Remparts overlooking the medieval rooftops of St. Émilion within an hour. For those happy to treat themselves, the 5* Hostellerie de Plaisance is the place to be seen. For dinner, we prefer the pretty location and ambiance of the Logis de la Cadène a couple of minutes around the corner.

A must visit restaurant in St Emilion is La Terrasse Rouge.

Owned by Ch. La Dominique, the huge red facade is hard to miss with the rooftop restaurant giving commanding views of the surrounding vineyards & Chateaux like Cheval Blanc & La Conseillante.

If staying in Bordeaux itself, the alluring façade of ‘Le Grand’ opposite the Opera House offers a magnificent view over the heart of the city and a myriad of restaurants to explore.

Pessac-Léognan is the closest wine region to the city itself. La Mission, Haut-Brion is extraordinarily nestled in the suburbs. As buildings give way to vines, a night at Les Sources de Caudalie, surrounded by the vineyards of Château Smith-Haut-Lafitte is a very tolerable place to find oneself, especially if dining in the 2* Michelin La Grand’Vigne.

Over in the Medoc, we tend to stay in a rather shambolic Château Meyer’s Le Clos de Meyre just outside Avensan in the heart of the Medoc – even during the En Primeurs tasting week we seem to have the place more or less to ourselves.

Don’t expect 5* service – more like a hands-off rustic charm.

One of the reasons we stay here is its proximity to the

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WINE CATALOGUE

restaurant Le Lion d’Or in Arcins, a perennial favorite at Farthingoe. Busy every night, the food is simple, delicious Bordelaise fare. In the restaurant boxes mounted on the walls contain bottles from all the great Medoc Chateaux.

These are personally stocked by Chateau owners and usually firmly locked! However, just sometimes and if one asks a Chateau owner nicely (or place a large order), you may well find a bottle from their box on your table to greet you!

A few miles north of St. Julien on the edge of Pauillac town is the much smarter Relais & Château Hotel of Château Cordeillan-Bages with their recently appointed 1* Michelin restaurant, and the fun ‘Village de Bages’ adjoining the Lynch-Bages estate, offering a few boutiques to wander through and a bite in the Le Café Lavinal bistro for something more casual.

Of course, the main reason most of us visit the Bordeaux region is to visit so Châteaux and taste some wines!

Through our contacts there, we’ll always be delighted to help make your visit a memorable one and set up a couple of tastings for you with some of our favourite Châteaux.

Alex Cox

BORDEAUX

Bordeaux City LE GRAND HOTEL

2-5 Place de la Comedie, 33000 Bordeaux, France bordeaux.intercontinental.com

St. Émilion HOTEL AU LOGIS DES REMPARTS

18 Rue Guadet, 33330 SaintÉmilion, France

LOGIS DE LA CADÈNE

3 Place du Marché au Bois, 33330 St-Émilion, France www.logisdelacadene.fr

logisdesremparts.com/eng

Pessac-Léognan LES SOURCES DE CAUDALIE

LA GRAND’VIGNE

Smith Haut-Lafitte, 33650 Martillac, France

Smith Haut-Lafitte, 33650 Martillac, France

www.sources-caudalie.com

www.sources-caudalie. com/en/la-grand-vignerestaurant-etoile

The Médoc LE CLOS DE MEYRE

16 Route de Castelnau, 33480 Avensan, France www.chateaumeyre.com

CHÂTEAU CORDEILLAN-BAGES

Route des Châteaux, 33250 Pauillac, France www.cordeillanbages.com

CAFÉ LIVINAL

LE LION D’OR

Passage du Desquet, 33250 Pauillac, France

11 Route de Pauillac, 33460 Arcins, France

www.jmcazes.com/en/

www.leliondor-arcins.fr

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BORDEAUX LEFT BANK

Left Bank

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WINE CATALOGUE

BORDEAUX

CHÂTEAU CLERC MILON, 5ÈME CRU PAUILLAC

LEFT BANK

2019 DRINK 2027- 2038 6x75 £312

Pauillac Pauillac is almost the seat of power in Bordeaux. Home to 3 of the 5 first growths from the 1855 classification. It uses the aromatics of its northern neighbour St Estephe and the textural elegance and charm of its southern neighbours, St. Julien and Margaux.

It balances this perfectly and makes textbook claret. You would expect to find cassis and cigar box flavours in Pauillac wines.

The blend this year is 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, harvested from the 19th of September to the 9th of October. Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2019 Clerc Milon starts out a little closed and broody, offering notes of tar, chargrill, tapenade and Marmite toast over an emerging core of stewed plums, black cherries and kirsch with a touch of garrigue. The medium-bodied palate delivers loads of freshness with crunchy black fruits and a lively line, backed up by grainy tannins, finishing long and savory.

—LISA PERROTTI-BROWN

WA 92-94+ POINTS

PAUILLAC KEY CHÂTEAUX Latour, Lafite-Rothschild, Mouton-Rothschild, Haut-Batailley, Pontet Canet and Lynch-Bages

AREA UNDER VINE

1,200ha

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BORDEAUX

CHÂTEAU MONTROSE, 2ÈME CRU ST. ÈSTEPHE 2017 DRINK 2028 - 2042

LEFT BANK

6x75 £590 Dense and powerful on the nose, rich, but not overly ripe - great balance here. Slightly confected blackcurrant, sweet fruits keeping this complex and lively, mineral bursts adding to the complexity. The palate isn’t as rich as the bouquet suggests it might be. There’s elegance with well-structured tannins and consistent concentration with hints of spice.

The finish is long and balanced - excellent overall concentration.

St. Èstephe The Northernmost commune on the left bank, it is known for savoury, wildly flavoured and structured wines. They are masculine, mineral and need extended ageing.

Perhaps some of the wines most suited to the traditional British palate.

ST. ÈSTEPHE KEY CHÂTEAUX Cos d’Estournel, Montrose, Calon-Ségur

SOIL TYPE Gravel

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AREA UNDER VINE

1,230ha WINE CATALOGUE

WA 98 POINTS

BORDEAUX

CHÂTEAU PHELAN-SEGUR, CRU BOURGEOIS EXCEPTIONNEL ST. ÈSTEPHE 2019

LEFT BANK

DRINK 2025 - 2045 12x75 £373 The 2019 Phélan Ségur has a very composed bouquet with detailed blackberry and briary scents, a touch of melted tar and cracked black pepper coming through with aeration. The palate is very cohesive with fine tannins, gentle grip, quite saline in the mouth with impressive density and harmony towards the finish.

Quintessentially Saint-Estèphe, this is a superb Phélan Ségur that should not be under-estimated.

Tasted twice.

—NEAL MARTIN

VINOUS 93-95 POINTS

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BORDEAUX

CHÂTEAU LALANDE-BORIE, CRU BOURGEOIS

LEFT BANK

ST. JULIEN 2018 DRINK 2023 - 2033 12x75 £229 There’s a ripe plum fruit nose, some coffee, nice weight and sweetness, excellent generous sweet fruit.

Dense and rich. 14.5% alcohol like many of the 2018s, but very fresh despite its size. Fruit driven and chalky but fine tannin at the moment. Good intensity here and pretty long.

St. Julien St Julien is the smallest of the four major left bank communes and perhaps the most consistent & classically styled. At its best, St. Julien is defined as much by texture as its flavour profile with fine, suave tannins.

JS 92-93 POINTS

ST. JULIEN KEY CHÂTEAUX Léoville-Las Cases, LéovilleBarton, Ducru-Beaucaillou, Langoa-Barton and Gruaud-Larose

AREA UNDER VINE

920ha

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WINE CATALOGUE

BORDEAUX

CHÂTEAU LÉOVILLE-POYFERRÉ, 2ÈME CRU ST. JULIEN 2019

LEFT BANK

DRINK 2028 - 2044 6x75 £308 The 2019 Léoville Barton is a different kettle of fish compared to its sibling Langoa. It has a complex bouquet of blackberry, sous-bois, tobacco and minerals, much more introverted yet exceedingly complex. The palate is exquisite in terms of balance, laden with intense black fruit laced with orange zest, that citrus element counterbalancing the tannic grip and structure. There is a sense of completeness to this Léoville-Barton, certainly on par with the best vintages in recent years. A formidable yet charming Saint-Julien in the making.

—NEAL MARTIN

VINOUS 94-96 POINTS

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BORDEAUX

CHÂTEAU BRANE-CANTENAC, 2ÈME CRU

LEFT BANK

MARGAUX 2019 DRINK 2026 - 2041 12x75 £498 This shows exotic aromas of blackberries, wet earth, chocolate and fresh basil leaves. It’s full-bodied with round, creamy tannins and a flavorful finish.

Intriguing and real on the palate.

Margaux

—JAMES SUCKLING

Geographically and stylistically opposed to St. Éstephe, it is the furthest south and the most feminine in style. It is perfumed, elegant, seductive and charming. It is a large commune and the best Chateaux occupy a small gravel plateau, at its best they are wines of purity and refinement.

JS 93-94 POINTS

MARGAUX

KEY CHÂTEAUX Margaux, Rauzan-Ségla, Palmer, Siran and Giscours

AREA UNDER VINE SOIL TYPE Gravel

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1,413ha

WINE CATALOGUE

BORDEAUX

CHÂTEAU HAUT-BAILLY, CRU CLASSÉ PESSAC-LÉOGNAN

LEFT BANK

2019 DRINK 2029 - 2045 6x75 £420

PessacLéognan Starting on the outskirts of the city of Bordeaux with some of the finest vineyards, notably of Haut-Brion, intermingling with the urban sprawl. Some of the finest white wines of Bordeaux come from this region too and overall white Graves is a style that is seriously underrated. The wines are mineral, finely structured and alluring, while the reds have a rich power that is superb.

Composed of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot, the 2019 Haut-Bailly was harvested from the 23rd of September to 11th of October. Deep garnet-purple colored, it leaps from the glass with vivacious notes of blackcurrant cordial, black raspberries and plum preserves with a tantalizing undercurrent of candied violets, dark chocolate, menthol and licorice plus a touch of Chinese five spice. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is achingly elegant, showing off perfumed black fruit layers with a firm frame of very finegrained, silt-like tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with incredible persistence and fragrance.

Just magic.

—LISA PERROTTI-BROWN

PESSAC-LÉOGNAN

WA 97-99 POINTS

KEY CHÂTEAUX Haut Brion, Domaine de Chevalier, Haut Bailly, Smith Haut Lafitte and Pape Clement

AREA UNDER VINE SOIL TYPE Gravel

1,580ha

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BORDEAUX LEFT BANK

[Bordeaux is] the world’s biggest resource of fine wine —HUGH JOHNSON AND JANCIS ROBINSON, THE WORLD ATLAS OF WINE (5TH EDITION)

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WINE CATALOGUE

BORDEAUX

RECIPE

Tourain à la Bordelaise (Grape Harvester’s Soup)

LEFT BANK

The various tourains of southwestern France are also onion soups. The onions are coloured in goose fat, lard, or drippings and the simplest is moistened with water, simmered for from 45 minutes to 1 hour and served over crusts of bread. Garlic is sometimes added, often a spoonful of flour is stirred into the onions after they have been browned and before they are moistened, a handful of French thread-thin vermicelli may be added a few minutes before serving, and terminal egg-yolk bindings are not uncommon. The bread crusts may be rubbed with garlic, and certain households add a bit of vinegar at the last minute. The following is a typical Bordelais tourain and is traditional at the season of the wine-grape harvest. A native may first eat his sopped bread crust, empty out his (red) wine glass into the soup, and drink the rest from the soup plate, a performance known as faire chabrol (or faire chabrot)—to act like a little goat—and which belongs more to the realm of folklore than to that of contemporary habit.

INGREDIENTS

METHOD

• 1½ pounds onions, thinly sliced

1. Using a large, heavy saucepan, cook the onions gently in the oil, stirring regularly with a wooden spoon, until they are uniformly light golden and very soft.

• ¼ cup olive oil • Salt • 4 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped • 3 medium firm, ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped

2. Add the salt, the garlic, the tomatoes, and the sugar and continue to cook gently, stirring from time to time, for another 10 minutes.

3. Add the white wine, turn the flame up, reduce by half, stirring, and add the boiling water. Simmer, covered, for from 45 minutes to 1 hour before serving out the soup over crusts of bread placed in the individual soup plates.

• ½ teaspoon sugar • ½ cup dry white wine • 6 cups boiling water • Slices of stale bread

RICHARD OLNEY, SIMPLE FRENCH FOOD

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BORDEAUX RIGHT BANK

Right Bank Pomerol Pomerol is a tiny commune that more closely resembles a Burgundy village than its left bank counterparts, with small domains taking the place of sprawling estates. For such a small area, it is incredibly diverse in style and soil type. Merlot takes the place of Cabernet Sauvignon as the main grape, with clay replacing gravel as the typical soil type. The wines tend to be approachable and charming in youth, with plum and fleshy texture. Perhaps counterintuitively, the top wines can age for decades alongside their left bank counterparts and take on savoury, meaty elements with age. There is no official classification in Pomerol. Small garagiste style properties are legends of the wine world, such as Pétrus and Le Pin.

POMEROL KEY CHÂTEAUX Pétrus, L’Evangile, Le Pin, Clinet and Vieux Château Certan

AREA UNDER VINE SOIL TYPE Clay

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WINE CATALOGUE

800ha

BLASON DE L’EVANGILE

POMEROL

POMEROL 2016 DRINK 2020 - 2030

12x75 £990

6x75 £295

Lovely, bright, ruby colour in the glass – just as one would expect; elegant, balanced and stylish on the nose with no hint of the 50% new oak barrel use; the palate, equally stylish – very typical VCC – with good concentration, excellent poise and minerality and a decent length. Bon Vin M. Thienpont!

10 mins to breathe yields a wonderful nose of rich plum, violet, dark cherry raspberry touch mocha too – wonderful intensity and energy on the palate gorgeous blackcurrant and raspberry fruit, with a silky texture. There is lovely palate weight lots of freshness to finish and good length - can drink now easily and for next 10 years.

RIGHT BANK

2013 DRINK 2021 - 2030

BORDEAUX

VIEUX CHÂTEAU CERTAN

The wines of Vieux Château Certan have their own character; they have their own story to tell, not ours.

—ALEXANDRE THIENPONT

WA 92

JS 93

POINTS

POINTS

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BORDEAUX RIGHT BANK

St. Émilion It is the largest of the major Bordeaux areas, larger even than the four main left bank communes combined, and the town at the centre the prettiest. It is flanked by limestone cliffs that are home to some of the best producers, such as Ausone. While the commune is large, there is a core group of extremely high-quality producers. It has its classification, first announced in 1955 and re-classified roughly every decade.

Merlot is king in St Emilion, but with Cabernet playing an ever-greater part.

Indeed, some of the greatest Chateaux such as Vieux Chateau Certain & Cheval Blanc champion Cabernet Franc and it undoubtedly adds a violet & peppery quality to the wines.

ST. ÉMILION KEY CHÂTEAUX Cheval Blanc, L’Angelus, Ausone, Canon and Pavie-Macquin

AREA UNDER VINE SOIL TYPE Limestone

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5,400ha WINE CATALOGUE

CHÂTEAU TROPLONG-MONDOT, 1ER GRAND CRU CLASSÉ B

ST. ÉMILION

ST. ÉMILION 2019 DRINK 2027- 2039

12x75 £2,250

6x75 £381

Really bright in the glass, brimming with health, such a classic Canon nose, defined and pure, quite restrained and modest, but so precise. On the palate, amazing freshness, wonderful length and beautiful, smoky, cedar and plum fruit, I like this very much.

RIGHT BANK

2015 DRINK 2024 - 2040

BORDEAUX

CHÂTEAU CANON, 1ER GRAND CRU CLASSÉ B

Opaque purple-black colored, the nose is fantastically floral, bursting from the glass with notes of candied violets, red roses and lavender over a core of plum preserves, wild blueberries and black raspberries with touches of garrigue, tilled soil, wild fungi and crushed rocks plus a waft of powdered cinnamon. The medium-bodied palate is like a tightly coiled spring, featuring beautifully knit layers of black and red fruits, earth and floral notes within a firm, fine-grained frame and bags of freshness, finishing long and mineral laced. This is a far cry from the old-school style of Troplong Mondot from a few years back, and it is incredibly impressive.

WA 98-100 POINTS

—LISA PERROTI-BROWN

In St Emilion and Pomerol conditions are very different, being further inland they suffer a slightly harsher climate…which tends to accentuate the body and structure of wines made here.

—HUGH JOHNSON AND JANCIS ROBINSON, THE WORLD ATLAS OF WINE (5TH EDITION)

WA 96-98 POINTS

FARTHINGHOEFINEWINE.COM

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BURGUNDY

Chablis

CHABLIS

Chablis is officially part of Burgundy but it is very much its own region, much further north than the Côte d’Or vineyards and with its own distinct style. The vineyards are madeup entirely of Chardonnay. Its cooler climate defines the style - mineral, austere, gunflint, chalk, steely. The eponymous village of Chablis is at the centre of a series of hillsides and valleys that are home to the vines. The region is blessed with Kimmeridgian limestone that provides the unique mineral inflections that the wine is famed for. At the village level, the wines can provide great value drinking wine of elegance and refinement that is usually unoaked and meant for short term pleasure. The 1er and Grand Crus can produce spectacular wines for long term ageing. The steep sided valleys are home to 1er Crus. Each has a unique character depending on its position in relation to the sun. All of the Grand Cru sites can be found on one prime, south-westerly facing hillside that has the greatest exposure to the sun and thus produces the ripest and most complex grapes.

Les Clos is the greatest of the Grand Cru sites.

Some of the names to look out for are Moreau, Raveneau, Dauvissat, Fèvre, and Defaix.

Malcolm Willatts

CHABLIS CLASSIC GRAPE VARIETALS Chardonnay

SOIL TYPE

FAVOURITE PRODUCERS Raveneau, Dauvissat, Fèvre and Christian Moreau

6,800ha

Kimmeridgean limestone

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AREA UNDER VINE

WINE CATALOGUE

BURGUNDY CHABLIS

Chablis is one of the real jewels in wine. Unlike the Côte d’Or and Bordeaux, it has largely managed to avoid big outside investment and remains pretty much as it always has been, a small quaint village in France. There is something incredibly genuine about the wines, and the people who make them.

—ANTONIO GALLONI, VINOUS

FARTHINGHOEFINEWINE.COM

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BURGUNDY

CHABLIS, GRAND CRU LES PREUSES

MEET THE GROWER

CHABLIS

Domaine Marcel et Blanche Fèvre The Fèvre family are inextricably linked to Chablis, tracing their lineage to 1745, and this is a Domaine we have worked with for many years. We are always hugely impressed with the quality and value across the range, from top to bottom. Gilles and Nathalie, husband and wife, are the fourth generation at the helm of this estate, cousins of the William Fèvre branch of the family. Gilles and Nathalie met studying in Dijon and since 2004 have made together. Nathalie has previously worked as the winemaker at the Chablis co-operative. Their daughter Julie, an oenologist too, is now front and centre with the winemaking.

DOMAINE MARCEL ET BLANCHE FÈVRE 2017 DRINK 2022+ 6x75 £240

This is wonderfully full with ripe citrus – still lean and poised, really elegant and with great concentration and length.

Their style is terroir driven, pure and precise and drinks beautifully almost immediately from release. They use a small amount of new oak in their top cuvées, dependent upon vintage conditions: often 20% in their 1er Crus, 30% in their Grand Crus. This adds texture and complexity without overpowering the terroir character of their wonderful sites, which include 1er Crus Fourchame, Vaulorent and Mont de Milieu and Les Preuses Grand Cru. Please Note: In the last few years, the estate has started to transition to the name Domaine Gilles and Nathalie Fèvre- the same wine, under a different name. Most critics review the wines under this name, and we will soon follow suit.

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WINE CATALOGUE

BURGUNDY

CHABLIS, 1ER CRU FOURCHAUME DOMAINE MARCEL ET BLANCHE FÈVRE 2018 DRINK 2020+

CHABLIS

12x75 £240 Always the weightiest of their 1er Crus and from a large 10ha parcel. Fourchaume shows beautiful orchard fruit of apple pear and quince with the classic rock pool salinity shining through as well.

This is fuller on the palate than Mont de Milieu and Vaulorent with more weight and texture and will drink earlier, too. Impressive fruit definition here though – wonderful!

VINOUS 93 POINTS

Kudos also to Nathalie and Gilles Fèvre, who produced a couple of wonderful Premier Crus, and likewise, the father-and-son team of Christian and Fabian Moreau at Domaine Christian Moreau & Fils.

—NEAL MARTIN, VINOUS, SEPTEMBER 2020

FARTHINGHOEFINEWINE.COM

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BURGUNDY

MEET THE GROWER

CHABLIS

Domaine Christian Moreau Christian Moreau was born in Chablis, 5th generation of a winemaking family. However, as a 17-year-old he emigrated to Canada and worked as a logger before returning home to learn his vines in 1970. While he was learning, the family leased out their 12 hectares of vineyard in 1975 for 25 years, taking ownership back in 2000.

Christian, and his son Fabien, founded the eponymous winery in 2001. The winery has been on the up ever since!

BH 89-91 POINTS

They have 5.5 hectares of Grands Crus, including lots of Les Clos, the top vineyard in Chablis, and an equal holding of 1er Cru. Les Clos vineyard now hosts 55-year-old vines, and they use 40% of oak barrels for the élévage, though only a tiny proportion of them are new. The point of this is to allow the wine to breathe through the oak during its evolution in barrel rather than impart oaky character.

These are classically made and classically styled Chablis of the highest order.

POINTS

CHABLIS, 1ER CRU VAILLON

CHABLIS, GRAND CRU VALMUR

DOMAINE CHRISTIAN MOREAU

DOMAINE CHRISTIAN MOREAU

2018

2018

DRINK 2023+

DRINK 2024+

6x75 £130

6x75 £240

A pretty and attractively layered nose is comprised by notes of essence of pear, citrus zest, sea breeze and a touch of wood. There is good richness to the bigger and richer medium weight flavors that possess a caressing mouth feel as well as much better depth and persistence.

Once again the wood treatment is generous but it stops short of being intrusive on the nose of mineral reduction, tidal pool and quinine aromas. There is wood on the palate as well as on the concentrated, intense and muscular flavors that deliver fine length on the citrus-tinged and very dry finish. This isn’t refined and the wood isn’t subtle but once again there is good development potential.

—ALLEN MEADOWS

—ALLEN MEADOWS

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BH 90-93

WINE CATALOGUE

BURGUNDY CHABLIS

RECIPE

Jambon Chablisienne INGREDIENTS

METHOD

• 100g Butter

1. Soften shallots with butter, and then add the tomato paste and Chablis and simmer over medium heat until reduced by half.

• 3 Shallots – finely diced • 25g Tomato puree • Half bottle of chablis

2. Add crème fraiche and double cream over medium-high heat for 10 mins.

• 150g Crème Fraiche

3. Use your fingertips to mix softened butter and flour.

• 160ml double cream

4. Cook the tagliatelle pasta until al dente.

TO FINISH SAUCE

5. Bring sauce to a boil. Add flour and butter mix as required thicken the sauce. Strain sauce and reserve.

• 25g Butter and 25g of flour mixed together

6. Add the ham and sauce into the pan of cooked pasta and stir through.

FOR THE DISH

7. Garnish with parsley

• 125g of thick sliced ham • 200g Tagliatelle • Small bunch chopped Parsley

FARTHINGHOEFINEWINE.COM

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BURGUNDY

Côte de Beaune

CÔTE DE BEAUNE

The southern half of the fabled Côte d’Or, this wonderful area of vineyards spans approximately 25 miles from a little north of Beaune - the village of Pernand-Vergelesses - to Santenay in the south. The Côte de Beaune is more about white wines, and produces 70% white to 30% red, including the spectacular Grand Crus of Le Montrachet, BienvenueBâtard-Montrachet, Bâtard-Montrachet, CriotsBâtard Montrachet, Chevalier-Montrachet, Corton-Charlemagne, and the rare Corton Blanc. The red Grand Crus of Corton are fabulous – they tend to have less volume than those from Côte de Nuits, but plenty of minerality.

There are three famous white wine villages south of Beaune – Puligny-Montrachet, Chassagne-Montrachet and Meursault. Puligny (pronounced Puleenee) tends often towards a nuttiness and lovely minerality. The best 1er Cru vineyards in Puligny are Pucelles, Combettes, Perrières and Champ-Canet.

Puligny-Montrachet and home to perhaps the most famous Grand Crus of Le Montrachet, Chevalier, Batard and Bienvenue-Batard Montrachet. Chassagne has lovely florality on the nose and more volume. In Chassagne which is home to no less than 48 Premier Cru Vineyards look out for the amazing La Romanee, En Cailleret, Boudriotte, Chenevottes and En Remilly. The wines of Meursault tend towards a little more volume and a lovely texture with a rich and savoury quality.

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Clearly in all cases it is down to the grower, who will determine how much pleasure us drinkers derive from the various vineyards. The grower is key and can really determine both price and pleasure. Look out for Etienne Sauzet and Domaine Leflaive in Puligny. In Chassagne there are no better than Domaines Moreau and Pillot, and in Meursault the mighty Guy Roulot, Jobard and the wonderful Ballot-Millot. Well worth seeking out are the Bourgogne Blancs from great growers which will demonstrate their excellent winemaking nose, while not causing your bank account too much dismay.

The red vineyards of Pommard, Volnay, Savigny-les-Beaune, Beaune and Chorey-lesBeaune are delicious discoveries. Domaine Tollot-Beaut in Chorey is simply delicious drinking, and sensibly priced. In Volnay and Pommard both, look out for the charming wines of Voillot, and of course the impressive Comte Armand wines the best of which is their Monopole Clos des Épeneaux. Chandon de Briailles make amazing wines in Savigny-lesBeaune, Beaune, Corton, Pernand-Vergelesses and some superb Bourgogne Rouge (which, by the way, is always a good appellation to buy in a decent vintage when made by a good grower).

Julian Chamberlen

WINE CATALOGUE

BURGUNDY

MEET THE GROWER

TA 91

POINTS

CÔTE DE BEAUNE

Domaine LaunayHoriot POMMARD

POMMARD, LES PERRIÈRES DOMAINE LAUNAY-HORIOT 2018 DRINK 2021-2028 12x75 £475 3.5% alcohol and less than 15% new oak. Charming fruit and floral aromas. A dark fruit and structured palate, with a linear finish. Elegant and clean village Pommard.

This small estate of just 3.6 hectares emerged from ten years of family lawsuits, phoenix-like. Fortunately, Xavier Horiot won and was able to make the first estate-bottled wines in 2014. Previous to winemaking he flew Mirage fighter jets (the symbol on the label denotes two jet fighters forming a cross), so was very used to holding his nerve! He took an oenology course at Bordeaux University and is now thoroughly enjoying crafting some really fabulous wines. The estate has extensive plots of Pommard villages because a series of only children has prevented the fracturing of the family holdings. In the vineyard, no herbicides are used, and all work is done by hand. He looks for purity has a very exciting future. To top it off, he is a lovely guy and as approachable as his wines! His Latricières-Chambertin is a thing of great beauty and his Pommard 1er Cru Rugiens en Bas is glorious. We often taste it after his Latricières such is the quality!

CÔTE DE BEAUNE CLASSIC GRAPE VARIETALS Pinot Noir, Chardonnay

SOIL TYPE

FAVOURITE PRODUCERS Ramonet, Sauzet, Leflaive, Paul Pillot, Roche de Bellene, and Chandon de Briailles

Limestone

FARTHINGHOEFINEWINE.COM

AREA UNDER VINE

3,600ha 31

BURGUNDY

PERNAND-VERGELESSES, 1ER CRU ÎLE DE VERGELESSES DOMAINE CHANDON DE BRIAILLES

CÔTE DE BEAUNE

2017 DRINK 2021 - 2030 6x75 £235 3x150 £250 Pretty red fruit – wild raspberries - atop a smoky kirsch nose. The chalky core is present on the palate – tense tannins and concentrated broad fruit. Very nice bit will need lots of time. A long finish, lifted and menthol, vinified with 50% whole bunches in 20% new oak.

Chandon de Brilliant 2017: Outstanding Quality & Value, White & Red Burgundies From a Domaine Reborn … So Much to Recommend Here…

MEET THE GROWER

Domaine Chandon De Brialles

—NEAL MARTIN

SAVIGNY-LES-BEAUNE This elegant, family-run biodynamic estate of 13.7 hectares is 4 kilometres north-west of Beaune. Vineyard holdings extend equally amongst Aloxe-Corton, Pernand-Vergelesses and Savigny-les-Beaune, and they are unique in making the only Corton Grand Cru Blanc in the region. Claude de Nicolay and her brother François run the estate, with their Aussie winemaker Christian Knott very much in tune with their philosophy. Even their corks are organic and treated with beeswax, and horses now plough all their plots. Wine style here is always focused on finesse, with each vineyard vividly expressing its individual character. There are three exceptional Grand Cru Cortons and for me, the Savigny-les-Beaune, 1er Cru Lavières is always a pleasure. We are delighted to offer their wines.

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WINE CATALOGUE

BH 91

POINTS

BURGUNDY CÔTE DE BEAUNE

VINOUS 88-91

BH 93 POINTS

These are among the small handful of wines that realize the true potential of the hill of Corton.

POINTS

—WILLIAM KELLEY, WINE ADVOCATE, 2019

PERNAND-VERGELESSES, 1ER CRU ILE DE VERGELESSES BLANC

CORTON LES BRESSANDES GRAND CRU

DOMAINE CHANDON DE BRIAILLES

DOMAINE CHANDON DE BRIAILLES

2018

2017

DRINK 2022+

DRINK 2020-2030

6x75 £275

6x75 £540 3x150 £580 1x300 £399

33% is matured in 1000 litre Stockinger barrels, 66% in classic French barriques. White peach, citrus, focused and pure elegant aromatics. Very focused, taut, opens nicely on the palate to pear, spice and baked green apple - midweight.

They own 1.5 hectares of Bressandes, which is above Marechaudes in the middle of the slope. This has brooding power; it’s wilder on the nose. Truffle and wild berry. The palate displays darker fruit with cacao and a tense structure. Earthy spice, and then so fresh on the finish.apple - midweight.

FARTHINGHOEFINEWINE.COM

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BURGUNDY

MEET THE GROWER

CÔTE DE BEAUNE

Domaine Comte Armand POMMARD This aristocratic and extremely pretty estate dates to 1826 and is famed for owning in entirety the most famous vineyard in Pommard, the 5.2-hectare Clos des Epeneaux. Along with this holding are some excellent parcels in Auxey Duresses and Volnay. Paul Zinetti took over running the estate in 2014 from Benjamin Leroux, and you could not hope to meet a brighter, more engaging and seriously talented wine- maker, always willing to open older bottles by way of “reference”. It is a most enjoyable education to taste here. New oak is used judiciously, and it is Paul’s intention to allow each vineyard to express itself. This coupled with biodynamic practices, old vines and low yields offer up beautifully weighted wines, with finesse, charm, and great precision.

VINOUS 90-92 POINTS

POINTS

AUXEY-DURESSES, 1ER CRU

POMMARD, 1ER CRU CLOS DES EPENAUX

DOMAINE COMTE ARMAND

DOMAINE COMTE ARMAND

2018

2018

DRINK 2022 - 2032

DRINK 2027 - 2040

6x75 £175

6x75 £595

Lots of limestone on one of the plots – 60% of the volume, with the other 40% on clay.

There’s darker fruit here than the villages, but with a very fine and menthol finish.

These maybe 8 or 9 different terroirs in Clos des Epenaux, so we tasted four barrel samples to give an example of the Monopole’s different components. The large plot along the road was planted by Pascal Marchand in the 1980s and produces tiny volumes. Though the vines are only 35 years old there’s a piquant spice here. Two plots aged 85 and 92 years-old provide such gorgeous sweet fruit with very fine, cassis and cherry - superb and linear. 6 of the 70 barrels is ‘press wine’ which provides subtle backbone to the blend. The final blend is more than the sum of its parts. A very classically styled wine with a long savoury fruit finish.

Clos des Epeneaux, responsible for the deepest, richest, most intensely concentrated and longest lived wines in Pommard!

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VINOUS 93-95

WINE CATALOGUE

BURGUNDY

VOLNAY, 1ER CRU EN CHAMPANS

CÔTE DE BEAUNE

DOMAINE JOSEPH VOILLOT 2018 DRINK 2023 - 2030 6x75 £275 Complex, pure black fruit on the nose. Really very concentrated on the palate. The phrase huge crowd pleaser came to mind when tasting this fantastic wine. There is great balance and tension here between the minerality, structure and fruit profile.

There’s a herbal fresh finish with hints of white pepper.

MEET THE GROWER

Domaine Joseph Voillot VOLNAY Julian has enjoyed a long association with these wines and remembers vividly some years ago drinking a bottle of 1964 Volnay 1er Cru Champans. We are delighted to be working with them at Farthinghoe. Etienne Chaix has taken over winemaking from his uncle Jean-Pierre Charlot, continuing their style of purity and finesse and these wines certainly age well. The Domaine is around 10 hectares, principally in Volnay and Pommard. Vines are old, grapes are partially de-stemmed, ageing is in 30% new barrels for 15 - 18 months, and wines are bottled unfined. A fine, mineral style, so fresh, and yet with quite serious structure that explains the liveliness of the 1964 Volnay. They do gentle punching down and pumping over twice a day, which provides structure to balance the beautiful fruit profiles of these wines. These are a welcome addition to our growing Burgundy portfolio.

FARTHINGHOEFINEWINE.COM

TA 93 POINTS

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BURGUNDY

MEET THE GROWER

Domaine Ballot Millot

CÔTE DE BEAUNE

MEURSAULT Typically, Charles Ballot leads us through his range of excellent Meursaults, which are fine and refined and remind me much more of mineral Pulignys than big, burly Meursaults – a good thing!

Only in his early 40s, 2018 is Charles’ ninteenth vintage and he is the seventeenth generation since 1780 to be making wine at Ballot Millot, so has the unfair genetic advantage of wine-making skills in his blood compared to some of his neighbours, and it shows. His wine-making approach is nonintrerventionalist, with natural fermentation, no introduced yeast, no battonage and not too much oak, allowing the vines and terroir to do the talking. Charles’ cellar is very cold, and he racks either just before or just after harvest, with wonderful results! Fine and mineral wines for longer-term bottle age, which nestle very nicely into our White Burgundy portfolio.

We think these quite profound with the same flinty focused style of of Dom. Roulot. Get involved sooner rather than later!

DOMAINE BALLOT MILLOT

MEURSAULT, 1ER CRU LES BOUCHERES

2018

DOMAINE BALLOT MILLOT

MEURSAULT

2018

DRINK 2021+

DRINK 2022+

6x75 £220 Different soil parcels – Les Corbins, Chaume de Narvaux, and Pelle all vinified separately prior to blending. There’s good tension here, with creamy white chocolate notes, tangy lemon sherbet. A very pure and lean Meursault with excellent ripeness and great mineral character. This really displays the lean and focused Ballot Millot style.

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6x75 £375 The soil in Boucheres is warmer and the grapes ripen earlier. Very good nose – red apple and red berry, sweet citrus, lemon sherbet. Prominent mineral and acid edge maintaining great tension in this riper, more charming style.

WINE CATALOGUE

BURGUNDY

MEET THE GROWER

CÔTE DE BEAUNE

Domaine Patrick Javillier MEURSAULT I tasted with Patrick Javillier back in the early 2000s and, although the quality was very good, apart from the Corton-Charlemagne (which could handle the barrels), they were a little oaky and toasty for my taste – one could say old-school Meursault – and we decided not to take. Roll on ten years and Patrick’s daughter Marion is firmly in control and making equally fine wine yet, to my taste, with better balance. Indeed, I gather the Meursaults Clos de Cromins and Clousots see no oak barrique at all and the purity and minerality of the vineyards is abundently apparent and absolutely delicious. We are delighted to have this new estate in our portfolio and are extremely happy to recommend them to you.

MEURSAULT, CLOS DU CROMIN

MEURSAULT, LES CLOUSOTS

DOMAINE PATRICK JAVILLIER

DOMAINE PATRICK JAVILLIER

2018

2018

DRINK 2023+

DRINK 2023+

6x75 £210

6x75 £245

Distinct orange peel on the nose. There’s great density here, with distinct finesse. Excellent purity - we liked this very much.

A blend of two separate parcels in Les Clousots. There’s a touch of honey and vanilla bean on the nose, with orange peel too. Lovely drive and freshness of the palate. Firm grip.

FARTHINGHOEFINEWINE.COM

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BURGUNDY

CHASSAGNE-MONTRACHET, 1ER CRU CLOS ST. JEAN

MEET THE GROWER

CÔTE DE BEAUNE

Domaine Bernard Moreau et Fils

DOMAINE BERNARD MOREAU 2015 DRINK 2018+ 6x75 £360

CHASSAGNEMONTRACHET I’ve been tasting with Alex Moreau for nearly fifteen years, typically a dozen wines or so every time and I can honestly say, of over 150 barrel or tank samples tasted at the Domaine, I have never been disappointed with what we’ve tasted – an extraordinary track record. He is a non-interventionist, does not rack or stir the lees, is happy to chaptalize if needed and allows each wine to fully express itself. He is looking for purity and precision, as are we. Having lost 70% of his crop on the fateful night of frost on the 26-27 April in 2016, thankfully the cellars had more barrels again in them this year and allocations are back up a bit but given global demand for these wines – not nearly enough! The picking date was pretty typical this year as they started on the 30th August – maybe a day or three before the longer-term average, but so crucial to maintain the freshness of acidity in the grapes to give the wines balance. A truly excellent raft – touching the 2014s in quality and, as always, very thoroughly recommended.

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The 2015 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Clos Saint-Jean had not been fined and will spend another four months in stainless steel tank. The bouquet shoots from the glass with crisp citrus peel, apple blossom, cold stone and hints of wild fennel. This is quite complex and involving. The palate is medium-bodied with a touch of reduction, fine weight in the mouth with well-judged acidity. It does not quite have the persistence of the 2014 Clos Saint-Jean, yet everything is in fine balance. Drink over the next decade.

WINE CATALOGUE

—NEAL MARTIN

WA 89-91 POINTS

BURGUNDY CÔTE DE BEAUNE

VINOUS 88-90

TA 90 POINTS

POINTS

You want the best Chassagne-Montrachet?

This is where you call first.

—NEAL MARTIN, VINOUS, JANUARY 2020

ST. AUBIN, 1ER CRU SUR GAMAY

CHASSAGNE-MONTRACHET ROUGE DOMAINE BERNARD MOREAU ET FILS

DOMAINE BERNARD MOREAU ET FILS

2018 DRINK 2023 - 2031

2018 DRINK 2022+

12x75 £295

6x75 £198 Very bright and elegant with a stony mineral character on the nose. The palate has good volume and peach and floral notes. Weighty in the mouth, very elegant light finish, in contrast to the mouthfeel. Aged in 15-20% new oak.

The 2018 Chassagne-Montrachet Vieilles Vignes Rouge is made from a blend of 50-year-old vines; this sample came from tank. It has quite an intense black currant and bilberry scented bouquet. The crisp palate is well balanced with slightly chewy tannins, the 10% new oak just lending a little midpalate depth, and a little peppery thanks to the 30% whole cluster fruit (a little more than in previous years). Delicious.

—NEAL MARTIN

FARTHINGHOEFINEWINE.COM

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BURGUNDY

MEET THE GROWER

Paul Pillot

CÔTE DE BEAUNE

CHASSAGNE-MONTRACHET We always enjoy tasting with the “Mick Jagger” of Chassagne, and unlike last year’s tasting with at least fifteen others jostling for position, we enjoyed an engaging hour or more with an ecstatic Thierry in his cellar in 2019, which is finally full of barrels after three very lean vintages. Young, passionate, and much like Alex at Moreau, he is very happy to take risks and is always pushing for better and better quality. Lovely freshness and elegance in these wines. He does not lees stir (ie, battonage), as he believes this makes for richer wines and he is after elegance. He has a very full range from quite excellent Bourgogne Chardonnay’s up to Chevalier Montrachet and even a raft of excellent reds.

TA 89 POINTS

TA 92

POINTS

...to my mind, Pillot is one of a handful of exciting producers who win Chassagne-Montrachet the title of Burgundy’s most interesting white wineproducing village today.

—WILLIAM KELLEY

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ST.AUBIN, 1 ER CRU CHARMOIS

BOURGOGNE CHARDONNAY

DOMAINE PAUL PILLOT

DOMAINE PAUL PILLOT

2018

2018

DRINK 2022+

DRINK 2021+

6x75 £198

6x75 £99

The nose is perhaps a little ‘piano’ but there is real purity here. Citrus tones. The palate has a lovely volume - a class act.

Pretty fragrant on the nose; palate offers lots of ripe generosity and a rondeur, yet with a nice mineral streak to uphold the freshness. Good concentration on the finish and a very solid start to the range.

WINE CATALOGUE

BURGUNDY

MEET THE GROWER

Domaine Tessier MEURSAULT

CÔTE DE BEAUNE

Domaine Tessier began bottling their wines in 2005 when Arnaud’s father, Michel, died suddenly and Arnaud and Catherine took the helm. Grapes from their 7.5 hectares went to négoce, such as Maison Verget, and Arnaud’s grandfather regularly sold plots to Coche Dury. They now bottle more than half of their 7.5 hectares as contracts on the grapes have expired. Arnaud is probably found (driving his fun-looking dune buggy) among the vines more than Catherine but their workload (and childcaring!) is split equally in a thoroughly contemporary style. Indeed, their winemaking is in the same vein. They show keen minerality and acidity, yet they also provide sumptuous ripe fruit around this firm core that exudes concentration. They are more approachable, understandable and perhaps – at earlier stages – more enjoyable than the excellent wines of Domaine Ballot-Millot we tasted the day before. This was our second year tasting at Tessier. Their little daughter guards the entrance to their lovely house in Meusault with a humorous “NON!”. The cellars under their house are classic and this small-ish Domaine produces dynamic and glorious wines – and in increasing volume as the contracts expire. We couldn’t take any wines last year as volumes were much reduced in 2017, but our persistence paid off and we visited as a team for a hugely enjoyable tasting. We’re delighted to enlarge the FFW portfolio with this excellent Domaine.

MEURSAULT

MEURSAULT

DOMAINE TESSIER

LES CASSE-TÊTES, DOMAINE TESSIER

2018

2018

DRINK 2021+

DRINK 2023+

6x75 £225 A blend of Corbins and Mireau lieux-dits. This is mineral, very fine and graceful. There’s sweet fruit and almost love-heart aromatics continuing with more stone-fruit on the palate.

6x75 £240 Very precise this. Very mineral. The under-rock breaks through to the top-soil – which is very thin. There is a quarry right next to the vineyard which gives a great indication of the minerality here. Sweet fruit and mineral purity. Lemon mousse, pure with a soft and creamy texture.

FARTHINGHOEFINEWINE.COM

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BURGUNDY

CHASSAGNE-MONTRACHET ROUGE, LA GOUJONNE

MEET THE GROWER

Domaine Hubert Lamy

DOMAINE HUBERT LAMY 2018 DRINK 2022=2028

CÔTE DE BEAUNE

ST. AUBIN Domaine Hubert Lamy has been on our radar for some time for his pure, mineral and tensile wines; our favourite style of white Burgundy. We secured a late allocation of his magnificent wines in 2017, so this is the first time we have offered them with the rest, after years of requests! Family winemakers since 1640, when Olivier joined his father in 1995 quality really leapt forward. His gradual innovations such as early adoption of a gravity-fed cellar, and his super-highdensity planting means he is regarded as one of Burgundy’s finest winemakers, making focused and mineral wines. In the winery he is meticulous in preserving freshness and maintains his cool, laser-focused style. The Wine Advocate’s William Kelley said, “his meticulous and thoughtful viticulture, [is] a source of inspiration for other vignerons up and down the Côte”. Historically the area around St. Aubin failed to ripen as well, but with global warming this is no longer an issue.

Much like his wines Olivier Lamy personally is energetic and intense and speaks at a huge rate of knots - and in French! - providing friendly translations with a hoot of laughter when we looked utterly perplexed! He learnt his craft from a number of vignerons, notably at MeoCamuzet, before joining his father in 1995. In 2018, Olivier picked from the 20th of August(!) until the 12th of September. This long-picking process allowed by the vintage ensured his characteristic attention to detail continued - as does the lean Domaine style.

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6x75 £175 Small berries, fifty-fifty whole bunches. Gorgeous sumptuous fruit, very fine tannin. Fresh acidity and very fine. Cherry fruit, floral and highly drinkable. A very good village bargain to be had!

Breathtaking wines. From top to bottom, this is without question one of the leading domaines in Burgundy right now.

WINE CATALOGUE

—NEAL MARTIN

VINOUS 86-88 POINTS

BURGUNDY CÔTE DE BEAUNE

VINOUS 91-93

TA 92

POINTS

POINTS

ST. AUBIN, 1ER CRU CLOS DE LA CHATENIÈRE

ST. AUBIN, 1ER CRU LES FRIONNES DOMAINE HUBERT LAMY

DOMAINE HUBERT LAMY

2018

2018

DRINK 2023+

DRINK 2021+

6x75 £185

6x75 £245 Lots of limestone here can feel that in the wine – it’s well-structured and zips along. Racy, superfine pure and lip-smacking: orange peel and kiwi, powerful and bold. Delicious.

More volume on both the nose and palate from this south facing vineyard. Expressive, with honeysuckle, honey, lime notes underpinning a rich ripe palate, but with a lovely fresh crispness to the finish, reflecting the steep and infertile limestone soil in which the vines grow. Excellent.

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BURGUNDY

MEET THE GROWER

CÔTE DE BEAUNE

Maison Roche De Bellene

CLOS DE VOUGEOT GRAND CRU MAISON ROCHE DE BELLENE 2016 DRINK 2024 - 2034

BEAUNE

6x75 £175

Based in a wonderful historic house in Beaune on the road out to Nuits, Maison Roche de Bellene is owned and run by the human dynamo that is Nicolas Potel. Potel is deeply entrenched in the region, having been brought up at Domaine de la Pousse d’Or in Volnay by his father Gerard, the winemaker.

Nicolas has an impeccable address book and it is with this that he is able to access barrels and grapes from the greatest estates, which he blends and bottles. Equally, he has his own vineyards which he bottles under his Domaine label. In 2018 these were the real standout performers and we are offering many from his own vineyards. He is a natural communicator and it is a veritable Burgundy masterclass to sit around the table with him and taste Burgundy, from North to South. His wines are expressive, true to origin and communicate well, both in the glass and indeed on the label, where Nicolas will include a large amount of information relating to the wine. He is extremely sensitive to pricing and really wishes for us drinkers to be able to have access to his wines at a fair price. In terms of style he has reduced his new oak use over the years allowing the wines to sing for themselves, with 99% of his whites made in 600 litre demimuids, and many of his village reds also now in demi-muid. Enjoy this wonderful range!

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Deep berry fruit nose with some smoky notes. Bright and lively despite the 100% new oak ageing. Lovely volume of ripe cassis fruit but can feel the wood too.

Blackberry and coffee, smooth tannins. Good focus and concentration.

WINE CATALOGUE

WA 91-93 POINTS

BURGUNDY CÔTE DE BEAUNE

The vinous capital of Burgundy’’ —JASPER MORRIS MW

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BURGUNDY

Côte de Nuits

CÔTE DE NUITS

The Côte D’Or – or golden slopes – so-called because of the quality of wine produced, and the resultant land value – has produced wine uninterrupted since the 12th century. Cistercian and Benedictine monks made the original plantings with land held by the church until the Revolution. Burgundy was always France’s richest Duchy – in part because of its productive prowess for agriculture and viticulture.

Pinot Noir, the Côte de Nuits’ only permitted red grape, flourishes here despite being the most northerly of the world’s traditional great wine regions. The terroir here is more suited to red than white grapes. The region’s white wines are counterintuitively made further south in the Côte de Beaune and the Mâconnais.

The vineyards are protected from prevailing westerly weather by a 450m ridge – and hilly land to the west where the Hautes-Côtes de Nuits vineyards lie. The marlstone outcrops near the soil surface increases the amount of lime-rich mud and clay in the topsoil via erosion. Another key aspect is the Côte’s eastfacing nature – the morning sun warms the soils, and the vines start photosynthesis sooner with the clearer morning light, while avoiding direct afternoon sun.

only kilometres from its more “powerful” neighbours – the reason again is the soil type and exposure.

The nature of Burgundy’s patchwork vineyard and plot ownership means that many growers make only a barrel of their Grand Cru – 25 cases – while Lafite-Rothschild in Bordeaux make 16,000! Freak weather patterns like frost, hail and drought, frequent in the 2010s can destroy whole vineyard plots which can seriously affect each Domaine – who may have only had that one-barrel potential in the first place!

In a marketing-inspired re-naming, Gevrey’s town council proposed in 1847 adding their most famous vineyard’s name – Chambertin – to the town’s name, a sign of wine’s growing export markets among mercantile and middle classes in Europe’s capitals. The rest followed: Aloxe appended Corton in 1862, Vosne with Romanée in 1866.

Wine had come to define these Côte de Nuits villages, such was its economic importance.

This wasn’t always the case: Nuits derives from Nutium - Latin for walnut. If you are ever lucky enough to taste here in November as we do

The Côte de Nuits runs north from Prémeaux-Prissey which sells its wines under the name of its neighbouring village Nuits St. Georges, through to Marsannay just south of Dijon. The villages north of Gevrey: Brochon, Fixin (‘fee-san’ with a silent ‘N’) and Marsannay were once called the Côte de Dijon. Fixin has five excellent 1er Crus at equally excellent prices. At the end of the 19th Century, the wines were some of the region’s most expensive – perhaps due to Dijon’s proximity. These days however it is Grand Crus from Gevrey and Vosne that produce the region’s most age and investment-worthy wines. Chambolle-Musigny in between Nuits and Gevrey is known for its seductive, alluring and perfumed wines though

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WINE CATALOGUE

BURGUNDY CÔTE DE NUITS

each year, the beady-eyed will notice the walnut harvest in full swing, little carts stacked to the brim. Stephane Magnien, one of our excellent Morey producers, has a walnut tree in front of his chai. An excellent post-tasting palate cleanser on a cold November morning! It is the wine we are always there to taste however.

We like to build long relationships with our growers in some cases we are now working with the second or third generation of the family.

Each year we come across estates we’d like to start working with and recent additions to our offerings include Henri Magnien and Domaine Tessier. In terms of joyful drinking the Côte de Nuits produces early maturing Bourgogne and Village wine, and immensely long-lived 1er and Grand Crus – so there’s something for everyone. Learning about the world’s most complex region whence “terroir” originated is a huge pleasure. Tasting with the likes of Thibault Liger-Belair is superb and you understand his scientific and artistic attention to his craft.

We all continue to learn each year – as do the vignerons with every growing season.

Tom Meade

CÔTE DE NUITS CLASSIC GRAPE VARIETALS Pinot Noir, Chardonnay

SOIL TYPE Limestone

FAVOURITE PRODUCERS Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Dujac, Hudelot-Noëllat, Henri Gouges, Thibault Liger-Belair and Stephane Magnien

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AREA UNDER VINE

1,700ha 47

BURGUNDY

GEVREY-CHAMBERTIN

CÔTE DE NUITS

DOMAINE HENRI MAGNIEN 2018 DRINK 2023-2031

MEET THE GROWER

6x75 £240

Domaine Henri Magnien

From eight plots aged between 40 and 100 years of age, this has a greater density and concentration of fruit on the nose with a touch more complexity than the straight Gevrey. The palate offers a touch more dark fruit, yet with a vivacitywhich keeps everything balanced. Very good Gevrey typicity and excellent concentration. 1er Cru quality.

GEVREY-CHAMBERTIN Last year we said he was a young, striving Gevrey producer to keep your eyes on for the future. Further plaudits have followed with Tim Atkins placing Charles Magnien in the top 25 producers to watch. With two vintages under our belt we can’t wait to get out and visit (Covid dependent) and to secure more wines for our clients. He really is that good.

His is a new name on the scene and judging by the quality of these 2018s, plus two or three 2017s, it is a name to look out for.

Charles’s focus is in the vineyard and in the micro-detail. Get these things right, he says, and when it comes to making the wine the job is mostly done. He is reminiscent of a young Thibault Liger-Belair, with his terroirdriven focus and even his focus on selecting the correct trees for his barrels. He chooses the trees alongside the Cavin tonneliers, identifying trees with the specific grain he requires. He has built his new cellar built next to his house at the top of Gevrey bordering Les Cazetiers 1er Cru – where he holds 1.47 hectares. The grapes almost roll into the winery! This guy is going places and going to be big news.

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WINE CATALOGUE

—NEAL MARTIN

VINOUS 89-91 POINTS

BURGUNDY

CHAMBOLLE-MUSIGNY, 1ER CRU LES SENTIERS

CÔTE DE NUITS

DOMAINE STÉPHANE MAGNIEN 2018 DRINK 2024-2033 6x75 £335 Sentiers is right under Bonnes Mares next to Morey. A little reduced in the nose but the palate, is structured and firm yet very pretty fruit, hints of cola and liquorice darkness. Pure rich and deep, showing spice and serious structure. Precise, lifted and floral despite dark fruit profile. Bags of energy.

Performed superbly against its peers in this tasting and is well worth seeking out.

—NEAL MARTIN

MEET THE GROWER

Domaine Stéphane Magnien MOREY ST. DENIS Stéphane’s wines continued to delight us, as they did when we tasted with him on a cold evening in November 2019. The combined concentration and freshness of the 2018s was in evidence, while Stéphane’s moderate use of new oak - Grand Cru 35%, 1er Cru 25% and Villages 15% - allows wonderful salinity and terror definition.

Four generations old, this 4.5-hectare estate includes some lovely Morey and Chambolle vineyards, as well as Grand Cru parcels in Charmes-Chambertin and Clos St. Denis – which is really superb. His wines are made organically – prudent pruning of leaves on the north side of each row allows a breeze across the grapes to prevent mildew. The wines exhibit lovely density whilst also being so fresh – he is almost always amongst the first to harvest in Morey St. Denis. He leaves them in tank for longer than most to gain weight and uses only 30-35% new oak to age his Grand Crus. They never fine their wines and only very occasionally filter – there’s three instances of gravity-induced sedimentation at different stages of his wine-making. The wines are thoroughly engaging, great value and we hope you enjoy them as much as we do!

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BURGUNDY

CHAMBOLLE-MUSIGNY, VIEILLES VIGNES

MEET THE GROWER

CÔTE DE NUITS

Domaine Thibault Liger-Belair NUITS ST. GEORGES A visit to Thibault’s cellars is always enlightening and thrilling. Few winemakers are as excited by the minutiae as in this cellar.

During our visit we tasted 30 wines, and each one was clearly defined from the last. Tasting this many wines in some places would feel like a slog yet the enthusiasm and quality of the wines on show ensure that you leave with a spring in your step and feeling refreshed.

DOMAINE THIBAULT LIGER-BELAIR 2017 DRINK 2022-2029 6x75 £345 Extremely seductive and alluring, a dark fruited Chambolle showing the old vine complexity. There is an exoticism and savoury bacon fat note that supports that fruit and creates layers of depth. It shows energy and freshness with a fine grained structure to finish.

This is a domaine to watch as the quality seems to only go from strength to strength.

Attention to detail is often cited as a reason for qualities of a particular winemaker, yet Thibault and his team take this to a different level. The range encompasses Aligoté, six Moulin-à-Vent (some from vines of more than 100 years old), through to the very pinnacle of his range, a mere sip of his stunning Richebourg. The commitment to quality begins with ensuring the long-term health of his vines.

Upon arrival at the winery, you are greeted by a huge sun-tracking solar-pannelled metal sunflower that powers his carbon-neutral winery. He uses many techniques to leave as little ecological footprint as possible. It is safe to assume that a winemaker that goes to these intricate lengths also ensures that his wines are the very top of the tree! His style is naturally generous and yet he extracts excellent minerality and definition from his plots.

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WINE CATALOGUE

—BURGHOUND

BURGUNDY

CLOS DE VOUGEOT GRAND CRU DOMAINE THIBAULT LIGER-BELAIR

CÔTE DE NUITS

2015 DRINK 2026-2038 6x75 £780 Yet again reduction and wood overshadow the underlying fruit. This is even more concentrated and muscular with outstanding size, weight and punch to the big-bodied flavors that are shaped by an exceptionally firm tannic spine that makes it unequivocally certain that, unlike the Les St. Georges, this absolutely must be cellared for at least 10 to 12 years first and I wouldn’t be surprised if it required fully 20 years before it reached its complete apogee.

—ALLEN MEADOWS

BH 92-95 POINTS

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BURGUNDY

MAZOYERES-CHAMBERTIN GRAND CRU

MEET THE GROWER

CÔTE DE NUITS

Domaine TaupenotMerme

DOMAINE TAUPENOT-MERME 2018 DRINK 2025 - 2040 6x75 £925

MOREY ST. DENIS Our annual visit to Romain Taupenot is always a favourite. He is a thoughtful man who’s natural charm shines through. His wines reflect his personality always energetic, engaging and elegant, the epitome of his home village of Morey St Denis, where his family have been vignerons for 7 generations. Romain began his working life as a banker before the pull from his home became too much returning home more than 15 years ago; we are very pleased his focus is on his vines.

Romain’s favourite of his vineyard holdings. His plot is directly opposite Chambertin with thin, poor topsoil. The majority of the vines are very old, planted by workers returning from World War II, and the remaining 15% was replanted in 1998. The wine shows the complexity and concentration that comes from very old vines on great sites, it is very pure and inviting. There are sweet, fleshy plums; rose petals scents; sour cherry; dark, intriguing berries; toasty oak and saline minerality. It is quite amazing how open the aromatics are when there is such density and complexity.

There are firm, fine-grained tannins to back up the layered fruit to suggest long term ageing is encouraged before a long, saline finish.

He is gentle with his usage of oak as he believes the quality of his grapes shouldn’t be masked, he uses no more than 20% new oak for Villages, 30% for 1er Cru, and 40% for Grand Cru. He doesn’t use any whole bunch fermentation in his wines feeling strongly that “the complexity comes from the grapes, not the stems.”

The 2018s are a delicious addition to Romain’s catalogue, the purity and finesse in his winemaking complements the vintage perfectly. We’ve built up a strong relationship with Romain and the wines are a constant favourite, both when we taste, and with strong feedback and praise from for our clients.

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VINOUS 95-97 POINTS

WINE CATALOGUE

BURGUNDY

CHAMBOLLE-MUSIGNY, 1ER CRU LA COMBE D’ORVEAU DOMAINE TAUPENOT-MERME 2017

CÔTE DE NUITS

DRINK 2025-2037 6x75 £495 A slightly riper, pure and airy nose offers up pretty red and dark raspberry aromas that are cut with hints of spice, rose petal and wood. The vibrant and wonderfully refined medium-bodied flavors exude an evident minerality on the chiseled, focused and lingering finish. This too needs to develop better depth but it should do so with a few years of cellaring.

—ALLEN MEADOWS

BH 90 POINTS

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BURGUNDY

MEET THE GROWER

CÔTE DE NUITS

Domaine Michel Gros VOSNE-ROMANÉE Last year we mentioned we were anticipating Michel’s son Pierre arriving at the helm. We tasted with him and Michel - who for once wasn’t on a fishing trip!

- and had a great tasting. As usual their Clos des Réas shone with brilliance, and their single-vineyard Hautes Côtes de Nuits ‘Au Vallon’ was compelling and delicious at the other end of the spectrum. Long-term buyers of Michel’s traditional style will be pleased to hear that Pierre has a firm hand guiding him.

The Domaine harvested from 4-10 September which fits with the Domaine’s riper style. As always, this was an excellent range to taste, and it’s very easy to appreciate and enjoy the purity and terroir definition of Michel’s vineyards. As always, Michel’s wines need time and they really start to shine when mature.

BH 90-93 POINTS

BH 90-92 POINTS

Michel is a kind, gentle, soft-spoken vigneron with very good holdings.

—NEAL MARTIN, VINOUS, 2019

NUITS ST. GEORGES, 1ER CRU

VOSNE-ROMANÉE, 1ER CRU CLOS DES RÉAS

DOMAINE MICHEL GROS

DOMAINE MICHEL GROS

2016

2018

DRINK 2022-2029

DRINK 2028-2039

12-x75 £660 From two vineyards - Murgers and Vignes Rondes - on the Vosne-Romanée side of the Côte de Nuits.

A little tranquil on the nose with subtle dark fruits.

On the palate the sweetness of the fruit is surprising, giving it some lift, very ripe cassis blackcurrant, “very gourmand”, nice richness on the palate and good persistence.

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6x75 12x37.5 3x150 1x300

£475 £490 £495 £348

Michel’s 2.12 ha monopole. Smooth mouthfeel, with a good weight, this needs time but is showing great dark fruit, vibrant blackberry yoghurt, fine tannin and balanced structure leading to a pure and saline finish.

WINE CATALOGUE

BURGUNDY

MEET THE GROWER

CÔTE DE NUITS

Domaine Gilbert et Christine Felettig CHAMBOLLE-MUSIGNY BH 87-89

Gilbert Felettig, former rugby player, makes a huge array of fantastic wines that we started buying in 2013. They have earned strong critical acclaim in no time at all, and just as Alex tasted the 2013 vintage the allocation boat was about to set sail - had we not jumped aboard then we might well have missed out. Being extensively profiled as “one of five Burgundian names to watch closely” probably hasn’t done any harm!

POINTS

BH 90-92 POINTS

Currently, they own 12.5 hectares, but are growing and in 2018 we tasted 13 wines, including a new plot of Corton they bought, a Chambolle 1er Cru Gilbert manages and produces for a friend under his label, as well as a Chambolle plot “Les Plantes” from his father where the nègoce contract has expired.

CHAMBOLLE-MUSIGNY

CORTON LES GRANDES LOLIÉRES GRAND CRU

DOMAINE GILBERT ET CHRISTINE FELETTIG

DOMAINE GILBERT ET CHRISTINE FELETTIG

2017

2018

DRINK 2021-2030

DRINK 2027-2038

6x75 £198

6x75 £240

A lovely depth of fruit in the glass; nose is rich and ripe and perfumed – classic Chambolle; very good concentration for a Village with fine ripe tannins, fresh acidity and generous ripe fruit leading to a firm, but long finish. A cracking start to the range.

Firm reduction dominates the nose at present. Otherwise there is good ripeness and richness to the racy, intense and muscular larger-scaled flavors that possess very good volume as well as a velvety texture while despite the presence of a very firm tannic spine shaping the chewy, moderately rustic and equally built-toage finale. Here too at least some patience will be required.

—ALLEN MEADOWS

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BURGUNDY

MEET THE GROWER

CÔTE DE NUITS

Domaine Henri Gouges NUITS ST. GEORGES Another year and another excellent vintage at Domaine Gouges, with plentiful volume and ever more graceful tannins. Gregory grows in stature, nuance and understanding each year.

The gravity-fed winery is excelling in refining the tannin across the cuvées, reducing the extraction process. Gregory has also begun to decrease the age of his used barrels to create a more uniform ageing process across his cuveés prior to blending. Gouges 1er Crus are known for their ageability. I was lucky enought to taste a 1998 not long ago - it was still flying.

It’s excellent to see this Domaine flourish and develop under Gregory’s astute guidance. The Gouges name is well-respected and we are sure it will keep on growing in stature.

BH 90-93 POINTS

1ER CRU LES PRULIERS, NUITS ST. GEORGES

POINTS

NUITS ST. GEORGES DOMAINE HENRI GOUGES

DOMAINE HENRI GOUGES

2017

2017

DRINK 2020-2024

DRINK 2022 - 2029

6x75 £225

6x75 £335

Denser, more structured nose. While it is unusual to use stems in the Gouges wines, they used 50% whole clusters with this special one-off cuvée. Wonderful linear structure and gorgeous generous fruit.

Excellent Village wine. Persistent finish.

The wine is graceful and there’s a prominent attack and freshness. More lift and energy in the wine – altogether more linear – than the Clos des Porrets.

Very elegant and still tannins that are fine grained.

Bright and lifted finish.

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BH 88-90

WINE CATALOGUE

BURGUNDY

TRAVEL TIPS

Welcome to Burgundy

CÔTE DE NUITS

Beaune is a tremendous place to stop off when driving south through France and is around 6 hours drive time from the exit of the Eurotunnel. There are many wonderful places to eat including Ma Cuisine and Boulevard 21. For resting one’s head, Les Jardins des Lois on the peripherique is hugely comfortable, with secure off road parking and a marvellous breakfast. If you have time whilst in Beaune, do go and see my good friend Nicolas Potel, who has a wonderful house and cellar in easy reach of the centre of town and makes a multitude of really excellent wines.

We have also uncovered a marvellous gastronomic B and B near the village of Bruailles (about 90km south of Dijon) called La Ferme de Marie-Eugenie in Chardenoux.

Marie-Eugenie has the considerable fortune of being related by marriage to the excellent Meursault wine-maker Francois Mikulski, so you can drink his wines while eating her truly exceptional food.

Happy tasting, eating and touring.

Julian Chamberlen

Notable places MA CUISINE

BOULEVARD 21

Passage Saint-Hélène, 21200 Beaune, France

21 Boulevard Saint-Jacques, 21200 Beaune, France www.21boulevard.com

LES JARDINS DES LOIS

8 Boulevard Bretonnière, 21200 Beaune, France www.jardinsdelois.com/en

LA FERME DE MARIE-EUGENIE

225 allée de Chardenoux, 71500 Bruailles, France lafermedemarieeugenie.fr

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BURGUNDY SOUTHERN BURGUNDY

Southern Burgundy South of the Côte de Beaune, between Chagny and Beaujolais, there’s a subtle shift in climate. This is marked by a clear change in architecture, noticeable in the Mâconnais, which speaks volumes to the wine styles made as you move south. The steep, Germanic slate rooves of Beaune become shallow-sloped terracotta tiles. The climatic rain and sun differential between northern and southern Burgundy is more understandable when looked through this prism. Mediterranean Cyprus trees begin to pepper the hills, telling you all you need to know about the climate.

The Côte Chalonnais is named after the local port Chalon-sur-Saone, halfway down the Côte east of Givry (not to be confused with Gevrey!). The top third of this linear northsouth region follows similar lines to the Côte D’Or, with a long south-east facing ridge. The main difference is the altitude here – it’s higher and therefore the wines ‘leaner’ than further north in Santenay and Puligny. The village of Bouzeron in the north is a Burgundy oddity as a village specialising in Aligoté. Criminally under-appreciated because of the poor name given it by quantity-driven producers, we love the Aligotés we take from Comte Armand and Felettig each year; as with, Clos Vougeot be choosey about the producer!

From Mercurey onwards further south the limestone outcrops and hills dot the horizon.

Mercurey is the region’s largest producer, 90% of which is red. Here the ‘négoce’ thrive and our friend Nicolas Potel at Maison Roche de Bellene produces wonderful Mercurey. Kept well, these age gracefully but can need time, while Givry to the east is approachable younger slightly younger – it’s further east and its hills are lower – as such the grapes ripen more easily. You’ll

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find good value and great drinking Pinot here.

Onwards South to Montagny, an appellation devoted to Chardonnay. Care is needed with the huge proportion of ‘1er Cru’ labels. In Montagny, any wine over 11.5% alcohol, can be called 1er Cru. In the current climate-changed world this is not difficult to achieve, therefore the appellation’s advocated quality level is somewhat out of date. Sufficient alcohol in the past indicated a level of suitable ripeness, now however finesse is required. Here again some inside knowledge on specific vineyards and producers is important.

The Mâconnais is the classic southern white Burgundy area. The famous limestone outcrops of Vergisson (485m) and Solutré (494m) tower over the Pouilly-Fuissé region west of its lesser known siblings Pouilly-Loché and PouillyVinzelles. The AC St-Véran applies to certain villages north and south of here and provide a high-quality level. Viré-Clessé makes up the region’s 5 ACs. The tier below is occupied by Villages rated high enough in quality to suffix the village name to Macon to create MâconLugny or Mâcon-Uchizy, for example. Another broader classification is wine made from across these villages, labelled Mâcon-Villages.

Dominated by Co-operatives which provide reasonably priced, benchmark wines which tend to the generic.

Just south of Maconnais is Beaujolais: red wine country focussed wholly on Gamay.

WINE CATALOGUE

BURGUNDY

SOUTHERN BURGUNDY

Reds: Pinot Noir and Gamay; Whites: Aligoté and Chardonnay.

FAVOURITE PRODUCERS

SOIL TYPE

Thibault Liger-Belair and Château des Jacques.

SOUTHERN BURGUNDY

CLASSIC GRAPE VARIETALS

AREA UNDER VINE

5,800ha

Granite and limestone

These hardy vines need no support or trellising after 10 years of age. Beaujolais has a simplistic reputation because of the massive volume produced in the region’s south where the wines are uncomplicated and drinkable and most enjoyable immediately after bottling – Beaujolais nouveau. The North, however, is where the quality lies where there are 10 recognised Crus. Each has a different style and really shows Gamay as blank canvass for the terroirs. Sandy topsoil and granite mountainous bedrock allow soil warmth, encouraging Gamay’s delightful expressive characters. The excellent Château de Jacques and one of our favourite Nuits producers, Domaine Thibault Liger-Belair excel here.

Moulin-à-Vent produces serious wines that can require ten years of ageing. Indeed, Thibault often remarks he tasted a 1936 Moulin-à-Vent with an esteemed group of producers and experienced tasters at dinner who all insisted it must be Grand Cru. As such he approaches his Moulin-à-Vent with the same microscopic scientific and artistic detail as usual. For good quality nègociant wines Georges Dubeouf is the one. Though the wines are generic they are a good eye-opener to the Cru’s range of styles.

Fleurie – expressive and aromatic; Morgon – rich and juicy; Julienas – needs 5 years of age but has the highest average quality.

Tom Meade FARTHINGHOEFINEWINE.COM

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BURGUNDY

MOULIN-À-VENT CLOS DE ROCHEGRÈS

MEET THE GROWER

SOUTHERN BURGUNDY

Château des Jacques Château des Jacques is part of the Louis Jadot stable. Those distinctive yellow labels are often avoided by collectors – as a foremost Burgundy négociant they aren’t viewed as glamorous. And yet – they manage their own individual Domaines, whether Domaine Gagey or Château des Jacques, independently and their own vines with generations of skill and know-how. What is certainly true is that if you love drinking great wine and reasonable prices, you will find it across their range.

CHÂTEAU DES JACQUES 2015 DRINK 2017-2030 3x150 £109 1x300 £99 Wonderful minerality, real freshness and a lovely, rich core of red berry, violet and strawberry. This is just gorgeous now and will continue to deliver a glorious taste experience for the next 10 years.

Beaujolas is finding newfound respect these days. We believe everyone should try taste what proper Cru Beaujolais can bring to the table. In the right hands, like Château des Jacques or, say, Thibault Liger-Belair who has been investing massively in Beaujolais since 2008, the wines are top quality, mineral and fruit driven and show real terroir definition at very little cost. The esteemed Beaujolais producer Château des Jacques have had a superb 2019 vintage despite the challenges. At the downright reasonable cost of these wines and sheer quality, we implore everyone to try them. What’s not to love?

Our two favourite Clos, owned by Chateau des Jacques, Grand Carquelin and Rochegrès are almost drinkable now with superb fruit density, supple tannins and great complexity – yet they will age and will reward great drinking, young and old.

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VINOUS 93 POINTS

BURGUNDY SOUTHERN BURGUNDY

2019 was a year of paradoxes, one in which frosts, heat spikes, droughts and humidity threatened our grapes. It is, in short, a vintage of our age – one in which the unexpected was almost bound to happen.

Despite these challenges, the wines are already showing both delicacy of texture and sheer deliciousness, allowing us to predict a glorious future for the 2019 vintage

—CYRIL CHIROUZE, CHATEAU DE JACQUES WINEMAKER AND ESTATE MANAGER

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RHÔNE

Northern Rhône

NORTHERN RHÔNE

Bordeaux and (more recently) Burgundy are highly traded commodities. Only with a handful of producers and vineyards do Northern Rhône market prices get anywhere near to matching these. The Northern Rhône is undoubtedly one of France’s great red wine producing regions capable of producing wines of prodigious ageing ability, purity, minerality, richness and depth. Although said to have originated in Shiraz, Iran, and eventually settling here via Greek and Phoenician trade and Roman planting, the northern Rhône is Syrah’s heartland. Only 5% of the wine made in the Rhône region is made here in the North - virtually all its fine wine. The South, a much broader region – geographically and viticulturally – produces vast amounts of bulk wine for cheap consumption.

Much like in Burgundy, it is important to make choices based on the growers and négociants rather than just via appellations. For example, a white called Granit Blanc made by Vincent Paris in Cornas, is of excellent quality. Cornas does not have a white grape allowed – so although grown alongside Syrah in Cornas, producers are forced to classify it as IGP Ardeche

Also, as in Burgundy the plots and parcels are divided into numerous small family holdings, some contracted to big négociants. When tasting with the regions’ excellent producers you are almost as likely to be in a garage or small cellar. Glitzy tasting rooms are a rarity. All this drives home the downto-earth nature of the region’s wines, and especially the winemakers, from top to bottom, without compromising on quality at the higher end.

The highest quality northern Rhône appellations are Hermitage (top producers include Chave, M. Chapoutier) and Côte-Rôtie (Gilles Barge, Bernard Burgaud, Clusel-Roch, Levet, Jamet, Ogier, Rostaing, Jean-Michel Stéphan and

Vidal-Fleury) with Cornas (Auguste Clape, Alain Voges and Vincent Paris are notable producers) following closely behind. Crozes-Hermitage can be of good and consistent drinking quality in the right hands, see the wines of Domaine de Colombier as a high-quality example of a grower-producer, as well of course of M. Chapoutier and Jaboule Aine.

St. Péray extending south west of Cornas, and the better-known St. Joseph produce enjoyable and approachable wines when good, and some wines that are probably better avoided. Hugh Johnson is his World Atlas of Wine explains, “the temptation to stretch a good name to bursting point has already overtaken St. Joseph”, expanding from six communes (97 hectares) in 1969 to 45 communes (648 hectares). Naturally the original six are where you find the best wine – grown on the granite slopes rather than the valley floor. Vincent Paris’ version is very good value and very high quality.

Although in brief, that’s the reds, but what of the whites? Condrieu is the region’s only all white appellation made from Viognier – again whose heartland is here where it thrives on the decomposing Granite. Reds made in the Condrieu AC area are classed as St. Joseph (St. Joseph’s whites are made from Marsanne-Roussane blends).

Treated badly and in the wrong sites though, it can be unctuous and flabby without any of the lift such a heavyweight grape requires. Yves Cuilleron, Rene Rostaing and Philippe Faury make notably good Condrieu which we buy each year. Other top estates to look out for are Stephane Ogier and Pierre Gaillard. Viognier isn’t just used in Condrieu but is also blended with Syrah in CôteRôtie to give the wines a mineral and refreshing lift. This is admissible in Hermitage too, though it is rare.

Tom Meade

Expression of the terroir is the most important thing I think, especially in Côte Rôtie. We have a great diversity of lieux-dits here, all very different and unique so the hard work is done in the vines. When it comes to harvest I want to find those characteristics in my wines, not oak. Be as natural as possible.

—RENÉ ROSTAING

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WINE CATALOGUE

CÔTE RÔTIE, CUVÉE RÉSERVE

Stéphane Ogier

DOMAINE STÉPHANE OGIER

RHÔNE

MEET THE GROWER

2016

AMPUIS Relatively new to the world’s winemaking elite, Michel Ogier, Stéphane’s father, started making wine in the 1980s - he’d previously been selling to the region’s top négociants - Chapoutier and Guigal. Stéphane has continued this quality. With so many holdings Stéphane vinifies each plot selection separately, expertly capturing each Côte Rôtie Lieux Dits’ terroir, style and character. His cuvées of famous lieux dits such as Fongeant, Leyat, Côte Boudin, Champon, and Vialliere are all wonderful with diverse characters, some subtle and some markedly different. His wines have an incredible fine-grained tannin character, that surpasses most other growers in their ripeness and silky texture – just what his wines are known for. Stéphane works tirelessly in the vineyards and with scientific precision in the winery, ensuring his hard viticultural work pays. His “La Réserve” will now only be released when “ready” after 8 years or so and not en primeur; an idea we rather like. Although the Brits can’t be blamed for drinking the wines too young, many French restaurants can!

NORTHERN RHÔNE

DRINK 2023-2032 6x75 £280 Tasting with Stéphane provided me with a virtual tour (de force) of Côte Rôtie. The blend of “La Réserve” had yet to happen so we tasted numerous constituent parcels which Stéphane vinifies separately before blending to create La Réserve. The parcel selection of La Réserve changes each year but Stéphane said likely to be included are the following Lieux-Dits which we tasted individually: Leyat - with its purity and heady concentration and menthol finish; Fongeant - with its sweet ripe red fruit charm on the nose; the wonderful Côte Boudin - expressive and fragrant with prominent eucalyptus and red fruits, gamey sweetness on the palate, silky tannins and a hint of spice; Champon - which is aged for two years separately due to its concentration, prominent red and dark fruit and grippier tannin - a cuvée that suits the use of more oak; La Vialliere - extremely fresh and focussed with high fruit definition of raspberries and blackcurrants, a mouthwatering cuvée from the northern end of Côte Rôtie on schist soils. It’s safe to say that whatever the proportion of the blend, La Réserve will be a study in concentration, fresh with menthol and eucalyptus influences, silky tannins and prominent sweet red fruits.

WA 94 POINTS

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RHÔNE

MEET THE GROWER

NORTHERN RHÔNE

Domaine René Rostaing

WA 92-94 POINTS

AMPUIS Rostaing is Rhône royalty and a polymath, yet a more thoughtful and modest man one could not hope to meet. René began winemaking in 1971. His son Pierre began his involvement in the ‘15 vintage - we met in 2017 for a wonderful tasting of the ‘16s and visited again in 2018. Pierre’s maternal grandfather, Albert Dervieux, was one of the northern Rhône’s first independent winemakers.

As if the estate wasn’t already praised highly enough under René’s guidance a recent Wine Advocate review noted “Young Pierre Rostaing has been on a roll making some of the best wines in Côte Rôtie from his family’s choice parcels in La Landonne, La Côte Blonde and Côte Brune. It’s my impression that the quality of the blended Ampodium is also reaching new heights.”

This small Domaine of 7.4 hectares is all about fruit expression and terroir definition, and happily the word “new wood” solicits a severe scowl. Rene always felt he was more a “wine servant” than a “wine-maker”, although we view them both as “Wine Masters”. We adore the Domaine’s purity, freshness and vivacity of these wines and can’t recommend them highly enough.

CÔTE RÔTIE, AMPODIUM DOMAINE RENÉ ROSTAING 2018 DRINK 2023 - 2035 6x75 £245 Mostly blended but still in barrel, the 2018 Cote Rotie Ampodium is a terrific introduction to the Côte Rôties of Rostaing. Mulberries and licorice appear on the nose, followed by savory notes of espresso and black olives on the medium to full-bodied palate.

It’s silky, fine and complex, with a long, softly dusty finish. I also tasted a richer, more structured lot from la Viallière that will be blended in, along with a terrific-looking barrel from Leyat that will add floral, raspberry and mocha notes.

—JOE CZERWINSKI

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WINE CATALOGUE

RHÔNE NORTHERN RHÔNE

WA 96-98 POINTS

Young Pierre Rostaing has been on a roll, making some of the best wines in Côte Rôtie CÔTE RÔTIE, LA LANDONNE DOMAINE RENÉ ROSTAING 2018

—JOE CZERWINSKI, WINE ADVOCATE, DEC 2019

DRINK 2029 - 2044 6x75 £515 For the 2018 Cote Rotie la Landonne, Pierre Rostaing put together a blend from two barrels. Wow. Toast and mocha notes frame raspberries and blueberries in this medium to full-bodied offering.

It’s simultaneously rich, silky and concentrated.

Packed with flavor and depth, it looks as if it will be approachable within a couple of years yet be capable of evolving for a couple of decades.

—JOE CZERWINSKI

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RHÔNE NORTHERN RHÔNE

MEET THE GROWER

Domaine Vincent Paris CORNAS Vincent is a serious and rather shy chap and produces wines that have some of the best quality:price ratios in France. Though as his renown grows the prices are gradually creeping upwards - and deservedly so given the quality on offer. He has built his own house and chai (literally, from what I gather!) and it’s difficult to tell where one ends and the other begins, indicative, I suspect, of Vincent living and breathing his Domaine and wines.

He has a modest holding of 7.5 hectares, five of which are in Cornas, and a holding in La Geynale.

Since 2016 he expanded his output to include some Crozes-Hermitage and Syrah from plots he leases. Most of his inherited vines came from his grandfather, many of which are particularly old. With more than 20 vintages under his belt, Vincent has forged his own way and produces wines of a polished fruit-driven style that balances the robust, structured power of Cornas. I recently enjoyed a Granit 60 from 2001, made in only his 4th vintage and it was flying – a thing of real beauty and something I savoured as one of those wine ‘moments’.

These polished, contemporary (not ‘Modern’) wines see no new oak and really speak to the Cornas terroir of steep decomposing granite slopes. The purity of his Syrah and the stony soil shine through. He purposefully bottles his Granit 30 and Granit 60 (numbers referring to the average slope angle) relatively early, capturing their fruit purity and energy. As such what we find is they drink well in their youth and then go to sleep before metamorphosing into something even more brilliant. Some Granit 30 from 2013 I have is in that sleeping phase, I feel, but it won’t be for long. It’s worth mentioning they have also impressed a number of French Michelin 3* sommeliers enough to make it onto their lists, a feat in its own right!

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WINE CATALOGUE

RHÔNE

POINTS

NORTHERN RHÔNE

WA 92-94

In the context of high-end wines of the region it [La Geynale] is amazing value relative to its’ peers, at least for now.

WA 95-97 POINTS

—JOSH RAYNOLDS, VINOUSZZ

CORNAS, GRANIT 30

CORNAS, LA GEYNALE

DOMAINE VINCENT PARIS

DOMAINE VINCENT PARIS

2017

2017

DRINK 2024 - 2035

DRINK 2025 - 2036

6x75 £160

6x75 £230

Another terrific vintage of this wine, the 2017 Cornas Granit 60 features knockout aromas of crushed stone, blueberry and plum. On the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied, with juicy, mouthwatering fruit complemented by firm tannins. Admirably clean and pure, it should require a couple of years of cellaring, then drink well for the next decade or so.

Vincent Paris’s crowning achievement in 2017 is his 2017 Cornas la Geynale, which comes from 100-year-old vines on a parcel that faces due south.

This is wild and woolly, boasting a wild ride of cracked pepper, blueberries, espresso and floralherbal notes. Full-bodied and creamy-supple in texture on the mid-palate, it firms up on the long, long finish, ending with dusty tannins and plenty of grip.

—JOE CZERWINSKI

—JOE CZERWINSKI

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RHÔNE

ERMITAGE LES GREFFIEUX

MEET THE GROWER

NORTHERN RHÔNE

Michel Chapoutier

MICHEL CHAPOUTIER 2018 DRINK 2028-2042 6x75 £498

TAIN L’HERMITAGE Michel is one of the great Rhone Valley characters, if not all in all of French wine!

This determined and single-minded man took over the family business in the late 1980s and immediately begun biodynamic conversion - quite radical at the time. After 30 years his wines have never been better, and he maintains this.

His main passion is terroir, and more particularly schist stone and soil in his beloved Hermitage, and he takes a non-interventionist approach to wine-making, with a view that the wine should naturally express the character and quality of each and every vintage. To this end, he doesn’t acidify, chaptalise, fine or filter the wines, and through his biodynamic farming, there are no pesticides or artificial “help” in the vineyards. The results can be remarkable.

Chapoutier’s 2018 Ermitage les Greffieux features faint herbal notes and red raspberries on the nose.

The most precocious of the 2018 Ermitage samples, it’s full-bodied yet silky—almost lush and creamy on the palate, with a long, peppery-spicy finish.

—JOE CZERWINSKI

These are among the world’s greatest wines, especially the single vineyard wines, many of which will last 50 or more years.

When we offered his 2019 vintage in Summer 2020 scores had yet to be released but his track record for these top wines has to be the best and most consistent in the wine world. Tasting his 2019s we had no doubt of yet another stellar line up. Michel has achieved FIVE perfect 100 point scores for L’Ermite Rouge since 2010 (with 96+ the lowest score in the difficult 2013 vintage) and, almost unbelievable 15 perfect 100 points in the last 20 vintages for L’Ermite Blanc - old vine Marsanne that can keep for a century! This record certainly speaks for itself and we are thrilled to be a huge supporter.

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WINE CATALOGUE

—ROBERT PARKER

WA 95-97 POINTS

RHÔNE

ERMITAGE LE MÉAL BLANC MICHEL CHAPOUTIER 2013

NORTHERN RHÔNE

DRINK 2018 - 2025 6x75 £875 Easily the finest vintage of this cuvee to date, the 2013 Ermitage le Meal Blanc doesn’t give an inch to the more heralded Cuvee de L’Orée or l’Ermite. Pure perfection in a glass, with awesome caramelized citrus, pineapple, crushed rock, toasted bread and buttered peach, it’s full-bodied, massive and concentrated on the palate, with incredible purity, richness and length. As with the other top whites here, it needs a year or two in the cellar and will have 2-3 decades of longevity —JEB DUNNOCK

WA 100 POINTS

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RHÔNE

Southern Rhône

SOUTHERN RHÔNE

When you arrive in the southern Rhône the reds move away from Syrah, which is found in the north, to the more generous flavours of Grenache, Mouvèdre, Cinsault and a plethora of others, all underpinned by a myriad of wild herbs and sunshine. Whites which are made in smaller quantities feature Marsanne, Rousanne and a few others, and tend towards an oilier texture, a richer style with plenty of beguiling aromatics and are natural food partners.

The main appellation of the south is Châteauneuf-du-Pape, which is in fact France’s oldest AC, designated in 1936. Here there are a broad range of wine styles produced and some iconic estates such as Rayas, Vieux Télégraphe, Beaucastel and a host of others. Many will make “second wines” as well. Vintages have been stunning recently with a fabulous run of 15, 16 and 17 to enjoy.

Equally this is an area where one can find terrific value for money and great ageability.

Aside from CNDP look out for the appellations of Vacqueyras and Gigondas, and enjoy the wines of Clos de Cazaux, under the stewardship of Monsieur Vache, who as well as being a formidable wine maker is quite the expert on tea! Tavel rosé is here too, and this tends towards a deeper colour and flavour than those made further south in Provence, but some good value is to be had.

Lirac is an appellation often overlooked but provides some delicious drinking: the reds of Domaine de la Mordorée are worth seeking out.

And of course, one can’t forget the sweet wine, Muscat de Beaumes de Venise. Appellations Côtes-du-Rhône and Côtes-du-Rhône Villages demonstrate some brilliant value and marvellous drinking.

Look out for Coudoulet de Beaucastel in AOC Côtes-du-Rhône, which is just wonderful, wholly organic, and extremely well made by family Perrin, who own Château Beaucastel. An amazing estate, Beaucastel makes fabulous Châteauneufdu-Pape from no fewer than 15 of the permitted grape varieties. And finally, do seek out the wines of Domaine Soumade in Rasteau, these are wonderful reds, and Eric Romero and family are highly regarded, and rather wonderful to visit.

Julian Chamberlen

CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE CLASSIC GRAPE VARIETALS Red: Syrah and Grenache; White: Marsanne, Rousanne and Viognier

SOIL TYPE

FAVOURITE PRODUCERS Beaucastel, Rayas, Vieux Telegraphe, Clos des Papes and Chapoutier

Galets (pudding stones)

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WINE CATALOGUE

AREA UNDER VINE

3,200ha

RHÔNE

MEET THE GROWER

SOUTHERN RHÔNE

Domaine font de Michelle BÉDARRIDES This family-owned Domaine traces its roots back to 1880 but did not make wine until 1950 when Étienne Gonnet arrived at the helm. He not only made wine but was also Mayor for 10 years and married to a Brunier of Vieux Télégraphe fame. Guillaume Gonnet and his brothers continue the hard work.

Wines are aged using cement, old foudres and demi-muids, with just a hint of new French oak. I think they make some of the most engaging wines in the region and always have a wonderful range across the board.

WA 92-94 POINTS

CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE, CUVÉE TRADITION DOMAINE FONT DE MICHELLE 2016 DRINK 2023 - 2035

Decadent, hedonistic, complex and full wines that are frightfully under-priced and underestimated.

—ROBERT PARKER

12x75 £235 3x150 £138 1x300 £115 A mix of 70% Grenache, 10% Syrah and 20% “field blend”, this cuvée is drawn from south-east-facing plots getting more morning sun than afternoon, helping keep the alcohol at a manageable 14.5% and creating noticeable freshness in the wine. There’s alluring red fruits and spice on the nose and palate.

The limestone soil adds minerality here, which is balanced with the bold tannin. Once these have softened the wine will remain in balance with a fresh and bright elegance.

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RHÔNE

MEET THE GROWER

SOUTHERN RHÔNE

Château de Beaucastel CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE

WA 95-97 POINTS

I’m sure you know the background to the estate - suffice to say, this is benchmark Châteauneuf and although I think the term “legend” is horribly over-used these days, they’re not a million miles off that status! The Perrins have been in the game for five generations and the estate dates from 1549, so there’s a certain amount of “form”, to say the least. Also coming under the Perrin’s umbrella, the Domaine du Clos des Tourelles offers up an excellent example of Gigondas terroir.

CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE

WA 94-96 POINTS

CHÂTEAU DE BEAUCASTEL

ROUSSANE VIEILLES VIGNES BLANC

2016

CHÂTEAU DE BEAUCASTEL

DRINK 2027 - 2040

2018 DRINK 2018 – 2029

12x37.5 £280

3x75 £270 Another in a string of top vintages, Beaucastel’s 2018 Chateauneuf du Pape was produced from Grenache yields of only eight hectoliters per hectare (“normal” is about 28 hectoliters per hectare, according to Marc Perrin). The final blend I was shown is almost candied in its fruity intensity of raspberries and cherries, yet it has a potent underpinning of more savory elements, like tapenade, grilled meat and dried spices. Full-bodied, with fine, silky tannins, this shows tremendous length, reverberating with hints of crushed stone on the finish.

The 2018 Chateauneuf du Pape Roussanne Vieilles Vignes combines luxurious richness—honeyed pineapple lushness—with clean, vibrant zest and brine notes to make for an interesting juxtaposition in its youth that demands time in the cellar to meld together into a harmonious whole. In one of the mysteries of the wine world, it will then stay on that plateau of decadent maturity for a decade or more.

—JOE CZERWINSKI

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—JOE CZERWINSKI

RHÔNE

TRAVEL TIPS

A Guide to Northern Rhône

SOUTHERN RHÔNE

It’s a hugely enjoyable and convenient place to visit, which I recommend whole heartedly.

The region is narrow, hugging the river which brings cool Alpine waters past the steep, terraced granite slopes, slopes so steep they require winches, with the terracing preventing erosion. Walking to the top of La Geynale in Cornas or to the Chapel in Hermitage really brings home this rough steep terrain and the wonderful views. The food is excellent too with Girolles a local speciality.

If you’d like to visit, get to Lyon and after a short drive you’ll arrive in Ampuis, the village that Cote Rotie centres around. I have stayed at the Hotellerie Le Beau Rivage. A very comfortable hotel with easy access to the north-end of the region, from Ampuis to Chavanay. Its restaurant is the best in Condrieu. Good restaurants abound in all the local towns for well-cooked local food.

Further down the river and the best place to make forays to Cornas, Crozes- and Hermitage proper is Tain L’Hermitage below the famous hill. Both Chapoutier and Jaboulet are based here and historically it’s been a busy port for shipping wine. It’s a buzzing town and lunch on the river – even in January – was excellent.

Tom Meade

Notable places HOTELLERIE LE BEAU RIVAGE

2 Rue Beau Rivage, 69420 Condrieu, France www.hotel-beaurivage.com

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CHAMPAGNE

Champagne Champagne makes the blood tingle, ensures the party gets started, and indeed seems wholly appropriate at all hours of the day and night.

I wonder if Boris will adopt his idol Winston Churchill’s practice of an Imperial pint of Pol Roger brought to him on a silver plate at 11 am each morning!

Champagne comes from the eponymous region 70 kilometres east of Paris. Only sparkling wines made using the Méthode Champenoise in this region are entitled to use the name Champagne, and any attempt by others to use the name are fiercely rebuffed. That said the use of Méthode Champenoise (or Méthode Traditionelle, as it is often called) is responsible for the worlds’ finest bubblies. It involves two fermentations, the second of which takes place within a sealed bottle, thus, as the grape sugar is gobbled up by the yeast, carbon dioxide is produced which is re-absorbed into the wine and ensures the finest of bubbles, which persist in the glass. From picking the grapes (Chardonnay and Pinots’ Noir and Meunier are the only grapes permitted) to the release, a bottle occupies around 40 man-hours. It is complex and magical.

If you get the chance to visit the region you must! The Cathedral in Reims is most impressive, and if you find yourself at a loose end late in the evening you can hone your Karaoke skills at Le Bar des Amis in Rue Emile Zola. Many styles of Champagne exist, the principal one being Brut Non-Vintage, accounting for around 85% of production. Blanc de Blancs (100% Chardonnay) is wonderful in the right hands, citrusy and tingling fresh when young, taking on some toasty, brioche flavours with age. Blanc de Noirs is always Pinot, so

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it can feel fuller in flavour. If not specified on the label, then the blend will most likely constitute all three grapes.

Around 17,000 Champagne houses exist within the 33,000-hectare landscape, dominated

by Moët & Chandon, who corner 25% of the market.

Many smaller, family houses remain at the top of the quality spectrum and we particularly recommend Louis Roederer, Taittinger, and Pol Roger. There are equally some tremendous small Growers who produce some delicious fizz, and price competitively as there is no “marketing spend” written in to the cost. Do try our excellent Esterlin Brut, really fresh and fabulous, as well as Gardet, which is a little fuller in flavour, and in one instance was likened to “mini Krug” – praise indeed!

Champagne seems to taste wonderful 24/7 and is always appropriate. As Napoleon said, “I could not live without champagne; in victory I deserve it, in defeat I need it.” I will raise a glass to that!

Julian Chamberlen

WINE CATALOGUE

CHAMPAGNE

MEET THE GROWER

Esterlin JS 91

POINTS

BRUT ECLAT, NV ESTERLIN NON-VINTAGE DRINK 2020+ 6x75 £117.85 I tasted it recently and drained the glass embarrassingly quickly; it is really excellent, exceptionally fine mousse and dangerously drinkable – the blend is 50% Chardonnay, and 50% Pinots Noir and Meunier, it is superbly fresh, with notes of white flower and mineral, the Chardonnay singing. Good looking bottle too!

CLASSIC GRAPE VARIETALS Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier

SOIL TYPE Kimmeridgian limestone

Esterlin is a family champagne house, and we approve very much of “family” so it is a pleasure to have as our “house champagne”, and I hope you will enjoy it as much as we do!

In 1948, three families combined to grow and make champagne themselves, rather than sell the grapes on to winemakers. They began with 23 hectares, have kept investing, and now have 105 hectares. Their Brut Eclat is made from Chardonnay, and equal parts Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. There’s 52 different villages and terroirs covered by Esterlin’s vineyard holdings. Mostly each vineyard has its own press, so the quality of the grapes and juice is assured, as they are pressed immediately after picking. The range of different terroirs across Champagne allows the blender and head wine maker, Laurent Etienne, to make a consistent and quite rich house style in terms of colour and fruit profile. They have a large warehouse holding 3.5 million bottles, each wrapped up to protect it from natural light.

Temperature remains constant at 12 degrees all year. For their non-vintage blend, they can then choose from a large range of wines held over many years to make their house style. The secondary vinification occurs after blending. It undergoes 36-month minimum bottle ageing – high for a NV – and then a further 6 months in bottle after secondary fermentation. This creates a very balanced style with great fruit and slightly nutty profile, simply delicious!

FAVOURITE PRODUCERS Pol Roger, Dom Perignon, Taittinger, Krug and Veuve Clicquot

AREA UNDER VINE

34,300ha

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CHAMPAGNE

BRUT RESERVE, NV TAITTINGER NON-VINTAGE DRINK 2020+ 6x75 £160 Representing a bottling currently circulating in Europe as their self-proclaimed “signature” cuvee, Taittinger’s NV Brut Reserve delivers fresh apple and lime on an exuberantly juicy palate, with notes of zest and apple pit adding invigoration to a lusciously lingering finish. Less complex or subtle – not to mention less strikingly buoyant – than its U.S. “La Francaise” counterpart that I tasted alongside, the sweetness of this Reserve renders it all the more vividly apple-y, though that implies a certain sweetsour tug. Certainly its finish exhibits impressive sheer grip. I imagine that it might become more interesting over the coming year, but I would not hold bottles longer.

MEET THE GROWER

Taittinger Founded in 1734. this quality Champagne house headquartered in Reims is run by Pierre Emmanuel Taittinger and his highly energetic children, Clovis and Vitalie. Never afraid to take risks they invested in some land in Kent on which they will produce Domaine Evremond using the Methode Champenoise.

The first release is anticipated in 2023.

Having recently spent time at Wiston estate in Sussex it is clear that our noble country does have excellent scope to produce world class sparkling wines; the enduring question is how will we find a collective noun to describe our great British Bubbly. In Champagne they are big owners of vineyards, with 288 hectares spread over the landscape. The style of the house is one of elegance, delicacy and finesse, with their Brut Non-Vintage being incredibly consistent. Do try the top cuvées: Comtes de Champagne, which is always a vintage wine both Blanc de Blancs (100% Chardonnay) and Rosé are made, and they are exquisite.

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WINE CATALOGUE

—DAVID SCHILDKNECHT

WA 88 POINTS

CHAMPAGNE

COMTES DE CHAMPAGNE BLANC DE BLANCS TAITTINGER 2007 DRINK 2018 – 2029 3x150 £530 The 2007 Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs is an excellent but tightly wound rendition of this cuvée, offering up pretty aromas of brioche, lemon oil, lily pollen and dried white flowers, with comparatively few of the overtly toasty signatures that will likely emerge with more protracted time on cork. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, pure and incisive, with a refined mousse, tangy acids, a tensile core and a harmonious, integrated profile.

While it is giving pleasure today, to my palate, its plenitude is still five or six years away; it’s certainly more backward than its 2006 predecessor. This was disgorged with nine grams dosage after just over nine years on the lees.

—WILLIAM KELLEY

WA 95 POINTS

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CHAMPAGNE

Come quickly, I am tasting the stars!

—DOM PERIGNON

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WINE CATALOGUE

CHAMPAGNE

RECIPE

Pot-au-feu INGREDIENTS

METHOD

• 1 x 2kg/5lb piece beef brisket

1. Put the beef in a very large pan and cover with cold water. Bring slowly to the boil, removing the foam that will form on the surface of the water, using a slotted spoon.

• selection of vegetables, such as leeks, carrots, celery, onions, parsnips, turnips and butternut squash, cut into pieces • salt and freshly ground black pepper • bouquet garni (made with flatleaf parsley, thyme and bay leaves) • 2 boiling sausages • 1 small chicken • 3 tomatoes • 2 handfuls spaghetti, broken into pieces

2. Add the chopped vegetables to the pan along with the salt and freshly ground black pepper and the bouquet garni. Simmer, covered, for two hours over a low heat.

3. After two hours, add the chicken and sausages to the pan. Simmer for a further two hours until all of the meat is tender and cooked through. Take the pan off the heat.

4. Carefully remove the meat and vegetables from the pan and keep warm.

5. Put the pan back on the heat, and, when simmering, add the spaghetti. Cook for a further 7-10 minutes until the pasta is cooked through.

6. Serve the broth first and then the warmed meat on the side, along with some mustard and gherkins.

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LOIRE

The Loire The Loire is a region that stretches from the Atlantic coast and the wines of Muscadet in the west to Sancerre and the city of Orleans, a medieval stonghold and family seat of the last King of France - Louis Philippe I. The region that has an aristocratic feel. The Loire river, sweeping, calm and majestic, is dotted with Châteaux that were home to France’s great families, before 1789, of course! The Loire river connects the three regions of the Loire Valley, each quite different from the next.

Saumur Muscadet Chinon

The Nantes region starts in the east, almost in view of the port town – St. Nazaire. Melon de Bourgogne is the main grape variety and the crisp, mineral-driven wines of Muscadet make for perfect aperitifs and accompaniments to seafood.

For those looking for a touch more weight, the wines labelled ‘Sur lie’ are a perfect alternative, the extended ageing on the lees gives weight and body.

The Central Region, the heart, or more fittingly Coeur, is home to the valley’s great reds.

Cabernet Franc thrives in Saumur, Chinon & Bourgueil, with all three villages making very different wines. Borgueil has smoky minerality and floral fragrance, while Chinon is fuller, with deeper, richer fruit. Chenin Blanc is king in and around Breze; it thrives on the softer, more chalk driven soil. The upper Loire is the region’s most famous area, hosting Sancerre, Pouilly Fume, & the lesser-known Menetou-Salon. Here the chalk makes way for Kimmeridgian soil, so often associated with Chablis. Sauvignon Blanc thrives and gives the wines a steely edge.

The Loire, with its proximity to Paris, has always produced reds & whites popular with Parisian bistro patrons. On the surface, the story of the Loire stops there. However, scrape through the more commercially driven wines, and there is a band of small family Domaines who have made brilliantly individual fine wines for generations.

Fantastic for cellaring; many a bottle of Chinon & Saumur has been forgotten in my own cellar only

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to be unearthed at over a decade old and produced a sensational bottle – what a wonderful surprise!

Many growers in the Loire were early adopters of bio-dynamic winemaking, and much is, by default, organic. Indeed, the likes of Dominique Lafon & Olivier Zind-Humbrecht MW travelled to the Loire to better understand bio-dynamics from growers in the region. Another charming aspect of the region is the friendliness, a welcome change to Bordeaux’s closed gates. Driving around the region knocking on doors, I am always amazed at what one can unearth.

We are delighted for the first time to be listing the wines of Domaine Filliatreau, a family Domaine in Saumur making terroir-driven Loire wines since 1976. They are devilishly hard to find, and we are so pleased to be working with Frédrik & family for the first time. Elsewhere on the list is a beautiful Muscadet estate of Domaine Bouchaud, run by Pierre-Luc Bouchaud; his family has been making wine since 1850. They produce alongside their simple Muscadet a single vineyard wine called Le Perd Son Pain. It has

WINE CATALOGUE

LOIRE

seven months on the lees and ages wonderfully in the bottle. 2018 is flourishing and almost showing a kerosene style seen in aged Riesling. A beautiful wine.

Over in the upper Loire, we have long worked with André Dezat, one of the region’s most respected Domaines. Simon and Louis Dezat represent the fourth generation making wine at the Domaine, and the quality has never been better.

I feel I must finish this ode to the Loire valley with a note on pricing. Right across the region, there is value to be found for what I firmly believe are very serious fine wines. I urge Farthinghoe customers to dip their toe into the wonders of the region!

Sante!

Charles Newman FAVOURITE PRODUCERS Clos Rougard, Couly Dutheil, Andre Dezat, Domaine Filliatreau

SOIL TYPE

CLASSIC GRAPE VARIETALS Melon de Bourgogne, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Franc, Chenin Blanc

Limestone “tuffeau” with clay, sand, and gravel

AREA UNDER VINE 75,000ha

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LOIRE

MEET THE GROWER

Domaine PierreLuc Bouchaud Pierre-Luc Bouchaud comes from a long ancestral line of growers. He joined his father following university in 1987 and quickly took over the family’s vineyards and wineries, expanding their holdings to 19 hectares. In 2006, Bouchaud was the rare recipient of the Prix d’Excellence from the Concours General Agricole in Paris.

The winery is adjacent to his home in St. Fiacre-sur-Maine.

Muscadet is a huge AOC, stretching more than 55 miles, producing more white wine than any French region.

Melon de Bourgogne, the grape variety in Muscadet, can produce neutral and acidic wines, if made poorly. Soil types in Muscadet are important, providing key variation on which PierreLuc capitalises. The two wines we import are from fantastic vineyard sites.

Le Perd Son Pain – literally to ‘lose one’s bread’ – is so-called because of the inability of wheat to grow on the schist bed rock with the thin sandy topsoil. But happily, it is perfect for these grapevines which display the crisp acidity and delicate fruit of this terroir.

The Château Thebaud cru is situated on granite bedrock.

Château Thebaud is only made in exceptional years. Battonage occurs a few times following the winemaking and then undergoes a two-year sur lie ageing process in Bouchaud’s underground winery at cool temperatures. This is where the wine picks up its fantastic depth and rounded flavour. Yet the granite provides an austerity and balance to this delightful wine.

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WINE CATALOGUE

MUSCADET DE SÈVRE ET MAINE SUR LIE, CRU CHÂTEAU THÉBAUD

DOMAINE BOUCHAUD

DOMAINE BOUCHAUD

2018

2014

DRINK 2020+

DRINK 2020+

12x75 £67.22

LOIRE

MUSCADET DE SÈVRE ET MAINE SUR LIE, PERD SON PAIN

6x75 £62.61

So fresh, electrifyingly pure, lovely salinity. Green apple and white peach. On the palate – light, bright and refreshing galia melon.

Their top cuvée spends extended time on the lees, giving a marked roundness to the effortlessly pure and refreshing palate. Honey, lime, and white flower on the nose, a lightness of touch on the palate with a notable honeydew melon note, and a clean persistent finish. Seriously impressive!

Plenty of concentration and length, a wine of serious intent with more to come from further ageing.

—JIM BUDD

DECANTER

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River of difference.

Few regions match the Loire for singularity.

POINTS

—ANDREW JEFFORD

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LOIRE

MEET THE GROWER

Domaine Filliatreau Domaine Filliatreau sits above the city of Saumur in the village of Chaintre. A pioneering Loire domaine, Frédrik Filliatreau is the fourth generation to run the estate. Frederik’s father Paul was revolutionary in that the Domaine started bottling their own wines in the late 1960s, as opposed to 99% of Loire growers who sold their fruit off, either in bulk or to co-operatives.

With this new approach, his wines were an instant hit in smart Parisien bistros. Paul took much inspiration from celebrated Chinon vigneron Charles Joguet in cellar and vineyard, including beginning massale selection for all vines’ replanting. Together, Paul and Frédrik tilted farming gradually in a more natural direction; today, Filliatreau is fully organic & biodynamic.

The Domaine consists of 43 hectares, mainly Cabernet Franc, with a smattering of Chenin Blanc (all centred around Breze). The vines range in age from 25 to 110 years old and are planted on sandy clay soils rich in the soft local limestone tuffeau. The fruit is handharvested and fermented with wholly natural yeasts. Almost all the wines are bottled with the minimum of filtering. Despite the wondrous bright fruit & crunchy acidity that make these just so drinkable in youth, they also age brilliantly at a decade old. The Le Clos from Domaine Fouquet is reminiscent of a mature Cabernet Franc driven claret. Despite the quality & history of the Domaine, prices remain modest and embody the evolution of winegrowing, which this family estate truly helped shape in the Saumur region.

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WINE CATALOGUE

SAUMUR ROUGE, LE CLOS, CHÂTEAU FOUQUET

DOMAINE FILLIATREAU

DOMAINE FILLIATREAU

2014

2017

DRINK 2020 - 2025

DRINK 2020 - 2035

6x75 £60

6x75 £115

Beautifully, bright crunchy red fruit on the nose, spices & violet. Very cabernet Franc. The palate shows pure red fruit, a hint of spice too. It is a pure energetic red. Brilliant luncheon drinking when chilled slightly and served with saucisson!

The Le Clos is a single vineyard of vine, the nose is richer with deep red fruit violet and lightly scented menthol too. The palate is ripe and almost Claret like, akin to the Cab Franc driven wines of the right bank. It again has brilliantly purity, zippy acidity keeps the palate fresh and the length is excellent. This is a very serious step up and any claret lover would enjoy a drop of this!

LOIRE

SAUMUR ROUGE, CHÂTEAU FOUQUET

The 2018 Domaine Filliatreau Ch. Fouquet, a 100 per cent Cabernet Franc from Saumur, is similarly beguiling. It’s more a lunchtime than a dinnertime wine and none the worse for that. Indeed, I knocked back a bottle during lunch only last Sunday.

—JONATHAN RAY, THE SPECTATOR

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SOUTHERN FRANCE

Southern France This is Provence, a region abounding with delicious and delightful pale rosés which have just got better and better over the last dozen years.

We are very delighted to work with both Château Leoube in Bormes-les-Mimosas, an immaculate organic estate set in an amazing landscape producing wines of such silkiness and such appeal that they are impossible to resist! Some rather good red is also made and is well worth a try. Equally irresistible and even paler in colour are the sublime roses made at Domaine de Jale by family Seminel; an estate I have known and worked with now for 12 years, and indeed drink myself in substantial volume!

Beyond Provence and to the West are many small and intriguing appellations including Bandol where there are some fabulous reds including Domaine Tempier and Château Pibarnon, all crafted from Mourvèdre. Some good rosé, too, but a little fuller in flavour than the neighbouring Provençal wines.

The main and largest expanse of vineyard is the Languedoc-Roussillon, which stretches from the southern Rhône across to the Spanish border, and produces close to 30% of all French wines, meaning volumes bigger than all of Australia and 3 times that of Bordeaux! Wines made here are often sold under the “vin de pays d’Oc” appellation, and more often than not will feature the grape variety prominently on the label, and so in many ways are easier to understand. Look

out for Picpoul de Pinet white, some very good Chardonnay and Sauvignon and for red - Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet, Grenache all work really well.

There is one rather wonderful wine, which has often been described as the “Lafite of the Languedoc” called Mas de Daumas Gassac, which we have long bought and is well worth enjoying; equally Domaine de Trevallon near to the beautiful village of St. Rémy de Provence is well worth looking out for.

Julian Chamberlen

SOUTHERN FRANCE

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CLASSIC GRAPE VARIETALS

FAVOURITE PRODUCERS

Syrah, Grenache, Carignan, Mouvedre and Cinsault

Tempier, Mas de Daumas Gassac, Domaine de Jale, Pibarnon and Leoube

WINE CATALOGUE

SOUTHERN FRANCE

GASSAC ROUGE

MEET THE GROWER

Mas de Daumas Gassac

MAS DE DAUMAS 2018 DRINK 2022 - 2038

6x75 £170 12x37.5 £175 3x150 £175

LANGUEDOC-ROUSSILLON Founded in 1974 by the Daumas family, this estate is referred to as the “Lafite of the Languedoc”. It is truly a unique offering, making not only spectacular red wines based on Cabernet Sauvignon, with a great ability to age, but also a tiny amount of white wine, from an eclectic blend of Chardonnay, Viognier, Petit Manseng, Marsanne, Rousanne and Chenin Blanc, which drinks wonderfully when young and then metamorphoses into something extraordinary with age. Wines are all made with total respect to nature and are great fun to include in “blind tastings” as they are sure to excite debate.

1x300 £130 A lovely dense colour, purpley red, the nose is delightfully engaging, fragrant and lifted, really pure. Some red and black fruit intermingled with spice, lavender and thyme. On the palate there are moderate tannins supported by very healthy fruit, strawberry, raspberry and cassis, real freshness and energy, juiciness too. I think this will drink soon but enjoy a long life.

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SOUTHERN FRANCE

MEET THE GROWER

Domaine de Jale

MEET THE GROWER

Château Léoube

Domaine de Jale sits inland on the road to Vidauban and is punctuated by outcrops of granite.

Anne Seminel and her husband Dimitri manage every detail under the watchful eye of François Seminel, although he still finds time to pursue his passion for live music! Wild herbs including fennel, lavender and rosemary are found in the vineyard, and provide a subtle reference to the wines; indeed, the cuvée we ship is titled Les Fenouils, reflecting the fennel found there. A little white Vermentino is blended with the Grenache, Syrah and Mouvèdre. These wines are super pure, and Anne is a major believer in “debourbage,” a process which allows the sediment to settle in the tanks over a couple of hours, prior to fermentation, following which the wine is racked off, and is therefore super clean and pure.

These wines are electrifyingly pure, bright and expressive and modest in alcohol too. We are delighted to be their UK importer.

Château Léoube’s magnificent organic estate sits in the midst of a national park which abuts the Mediterranean in Bormes-les-Mimosas. Wines are meticulously made by Romain Ott, whose family own the neighbouring estate of Domaine Ott. Principally they make exquisite dry roses: Rosé de Léoube, Le Secret de Léoube, and La Londe. The defining character of these wines is the silky texture, and purity of flavour. They are super fine, and really leave one feeling invigorated, such is their purity and authenticity.

Magnums, Double magnums and Imperials are all produced, and for me a double magnum (3 litres) is the perfect vessel to enjoy the wine in!

CÔTES DE PROVENCE ROSÉ, CUVÉE LES FENOUILS

ROSÉ DE LÉOUBE CHÂTEAU LÉOUBE

DOMAINE DE JALE

2019

2019

DRINK 2020 - 2023

DRINK 2020 - 2022

6x75 £71.61

6x75 £55.61 Our classic and superb Provence rosé. Piercingly pale, highly concentrated nose. Ripe lemon pith, fennel seed - as the name suggests, wild strawberry and melon fruit. Citrus, orange peel and blossom with a wonderful, long and fresh finish. Only 12.5% abv and extremely more-ish.

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Very pale, bright and alluring in the glass. The nose instantly offers up delicate orange peel, grapefruit, citrus and chamomile underpinned by subtle red berry notes. The palate is refined and pure with lovely volume of silky fruit; summer berries in a glass. Dry and organic this is excellent.

WINE CATALOGUE

SOUTHERN FRANCE

The Languedoc is a diamond in the rough and continues to be an incredible source of highquality wines, as well as terrific values.

—JEB DUNNUCK

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SOUTHERN FRANCE

RECIPE

Salade Niçoise FOR THE SALAD

METHOD

• 450g/1lb fresh tuna, cut 1in thick

1. To make the dressing or marinade whisk together the red wine vinegar, olive oil, parsley, chives, garlic, salt and pepper.

• 8 new potatoes, cooked and quartered lengthways • 4 plum tomatoes, roughly chopped • 115g extra fine French beans, topped, cooked and drained • 4 little gem lettuce hearts, quartered lengthways • 1 red onion, finely sliced • 4 eggs, cooked for 6 minutes in boiling water from room temperature, halved

2. Place the tuna in a shallow dish and pour over half of the dressing.

Cover and chill for 1-2 hours to allow the fish to marinate. Toss in the marinade from time to time.

3. Heat a ridged griddle pan on the hob or a hot barbecue for 5 minutes. Remove the tuna from the marinade. Cook the tuna steaks for 2-3 minutes on each side, depending on how rare you like your fish.

4. Lay the lettuce leaves onto a large plate and add the lettuce, onion, tomatoes, potato, tuna, beans and anchovies. Drizzle over the remaining dressing then finish by adding the eggs, olives and ripped basil leaves.

• 6 anchovy fillets cut lengthways into thin strips • 16 pitted black olives in brine • 8 basil leaves, ripped

FOR THE DRESSING • 7tbsp extra virgin olive oil • 3 tbsp aged red wine vinegar • 2 tbsp freshly chopped parsley • 2 tbsp freshly snipped chives • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped • 1 tsp salt • 1 tsp ground black pepper

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WINE CATALOGUE

SOUTHERN FRANCE

TRAVEL TIPS

Travel to Southern France The south of France conjures up images of endless beaches lapped by the Mediterranean, and indeed it is one of life’s great pleasures to spend a long lazy lunch at Cap 21 on Pampelonne beach, or west to La Croix Valmer and to a very cool restaurant on the water called Couleurs Jardin. If as can happen there is some Mistral or an overcast day, make your way to Auberge de La Môle, sited in an old petrol station, and indeed with a private landing strip nearby. Here you will enjoy an indulgence of foie gras and local gastronomy, coupled with an excellent wine list.

If you have a boat head over to Porquerolles, visit an impressive collection of Impressionist art in the main square, and choose an ice cream from at least 50 enticing flavours offered. If you are feeling energetic you can hire a bike and explore the island. Back towards Cannes is the small island of St. Marguerite on which is found La Guerite restaurant. Now this is serious party time; get your dancing shoes on, as come 3 pm the DJ will crank up the volume and the whole place becomes a dancing, champagne spraying, glorious scene. Unforgettable!

If you happen to be travelling near Aix-en-Provence, we recommend a stop at the exceptional table of Restaurant Dan B. in Ventabren – amazing food and a spectacular view.

Julian Chamberlen

Notable places CAP 21

RESTAURANT DAN B

42 Boulevard Patch, 83350 Ramatuelle, France

1 Rue Frédéric Mistral, 13122 Ventabren, France

www.cap21beach.com

www.danb.fr/en

AUBERGE DE LA MÔLE

LA GUERITE

Place de l’Église, 83310 La Mole, France

Île Sainte-Marguerite, 06400 Cannes, France www.restaurantlaguerite. com/cannes/en/

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ITALY NORTH EASTERN ITALY

North Eastern Italy This region has a huge array of wine styles, grape varieties and topography. It spans from the Po Valley’s bland and over-produced/industrial Trebbiano that gave Italy’s wine such a bad name in the ‘70s and ‘80s to Alto Adige/Sudtirol’s steep wine terraces in the Dolomites where the viticulture follows the language: 70% German.

In between these two extremes you find the rich red wines east of Lake Garda: Valpolicella and Amarone.

The wines of Veneto are perhaps the most famous, with Italy’s Soave as the country’s most widely recognised white wine. The best are alluring, not overly-complicated wines with a ‘soave’ mouth-feel. It’s all in the name. Garganega is the grape used here sometimes blended with Trebbiano. The best examples come from the volcanic hill soils in or near the Classico region.

Further west on the way to Lake Garda from Venice you reach the Valpolicella region where the Corvina grape is blended among others.

The ‘Ripasso’ style became prominent in the 1980s with various large producers like Masi’s Campofiorin becoming popular. Here Valpolicella is fermented on pressed/used grape skins of the Amarone, creating a mid-way point between Valpolicella and Amarone in style. In a warmer climate alcohol and richness aren’t hard to achieve, and elegant finessed wines appear more popular, these wines are more admired than regularly purchased – but good examples are wonderful.

In amongst these traditional styles are wines marked simply by their IGT status as they use ‘international’ aka ‘originally French’ grape varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc and Carmenere. San Leonardo – a northern, mountainous sibling of Sassicaia – is a Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT. Giacomo Tachis (the expert winemaker behind Sassicaia) consulted there from 1985-1999. The wine gets excellent scores and is an elegant and mountainous Bordeaux blend which releases to great acclaim most years.

The region is well worth a visit. Follow Lake Garda and the Adige River up through Trentino, Alto Adige and into Austria in the summer months for wonderful hiking, food and wine tasting. The Dolomites has it all in terms of mountaineering with Alpine air and food to match.

Tom Meade

Our own I Campi produces a great array of excellence. For late release and highly priced and reviewed Amarone look out for Dal Forno and Quintarelli for the big-ticket wines. Though like all good Amarone, they require cellaring and patience

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WINE CATALOGUE

ITALY

MEET THE GROWER

Tenuta San Leonardo

NORTH EASTERN ITALY

We are extremely pleased to work with Tenuta San Leonardo, which is currently headed by Marchesi Anselmo Guerrieri Gonzaga. Like most great European wines, San Leonardo begins with the church. A Trentino monastery dedicated to San Leonardo, patron saint of prisoners, made wine here under the noble de Gresti family. The family bought the estate from the church in 1724 and it remains with their ancestors today. Marchesi Carlo Guerrieri Gonzaga (Anselmo’s father) and Giacomo Tachis brought the estate into the modern era, utilising classic Bordeaux varieties.

VINOUS 95 POINTS

SAN LEONARDO TENUTA SAN LEONARDO 2015 DRINK 2025 - 2043 6x75 £270 A beautiful ruby colour in the glass. There’s more red than blackfruit here despite the warm vintage.

There’s a real purity of fruit with prominent fresh tobacco leaf. There’s a balanced acidity and long fruit driven finish, the purity can’t be overstated: cherry fruit and wild strawberry. As with all young San Leonardo wines it will put on weight in bottle so expect this to keep developing. Excellent from the great 2015 vintage and a mere 13% abv. Perfect.

Tachis was the winemaking genius behind Sassicaia, Solaia and Tignanello. Carlo found his calling in the modern oenology schools of Switzerland and as a cellarhand at Tenuta San Guido, home of Sassicaia, in the 1960s. Tachis consulted at the estate between 1985 and 1999 before handing over to another famous Tuscan, Carlo Ferrini. The style of the estate has remained constant, the main focus on elegance. The estate has practised organic viticulture for the last seven years. Anselmo takes inspiration from the biodynamic movement though avoids some of the more unusual practices - like planting a horn of animal dung in the soil. Anselmo noted the effect the conversion had made upon the wine quality and vine health, not to mention the vineyard’s biodiversity since the conversion. The blend is always 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Carmenere and 10% Merlot. The wine is aged in 20-25% new French oak barrels and 700 litre tonneau for four years prior to release.

CLASSIC GRAPE VARIETALS Corvina, Glera (Prosecco) and Garganega

FAVOURITE PRODUCERS

SOIL TYPE

Quintarelli, Dal Forno, Masi, i Campi and San Leonardo

Calcerous and volcanic

AREA UNDER VINE

8,100 ha (Valpolicella)

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ITALY PIEDMONT

Piedmont A region surrounded on three sides by mountains, a mere five-hour drive from Burgundy, Piedmont shares a similar template: many small vineyards each offering up subtle differences. As in Burgundy, the grower is key.

Unlike Burgundy, the complete hillside is used to grow grapes so a north-eastern aspect may favour the Dolcetto grape, whilst a south-south-eastern can favour Nebbiolo. Altitude also makes it mark, with Nebbiolo ungrowable above 500m, and wonderful hazelnuts often filling the valley floor.

The area is brimming with exceptional wines, amazing food, and of course “tartufo” - truffles.

Piedmont is a province that has practiced viticulture for millennia. As such there are small biodynamic producers, like the late Stefano Bellotti in Gavi, who led Italy’s organic and biodynamic movement, reviving almost extinct grapes like the obscure, age-worthy Dolcetto Nibio. Dolcetto is usually a variety drunk at lunch time – simple and enjoyable. In Gavi in the south-east one finds the Cortese di Gavi which produces elegant and refined whites suitable for all occasions. Across Piedmont one finds Barbera, which makes ‘big’ wines: acidic, juicy and ripe – a 1998 Barbera d’Asti (Scarpa, ‘La Bogliona’) I drunk in London summer 2019 was mature but in good shape. Not all are designed for such a long life, however, and most are quickly consumed. The better-thought of growing areas for Barbera can label the wines as Barbera d’- Asti or Alba or de Montferrato.

Nebbiolo is the ethereal, intriguing, foremost grape variety in Piedmont, from which the most expensive wines are made. Two areas of Barolo and Barbaresco above all produce the best examples. These two regions are among the world’s greatest, however only a few producers here have their wine regularly traded. Great news for wine-lovers as mature or maturing cases occasionally can be found (if any will part from them!) at not much more than annual release prices. So, a convincing investment market doesn’t

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The 2016 vintage is game-changing. You’ll want to buy some, and you can hardly go wrong.

—WALTER SPELLER

exist yet but given the quality of wine made here and the Burgundy-style small holdings it’s not impossible that along with the Rhône something might take off. Following the superb 2016 vintage the region is gaining traction, but top producers release at high-ish prices removing any huge investment gains.

The top names in Barolo and Barbaresco are numerous – Bartolo Mascarello, Luca Sandrone, Roberto Voerzio, Luigi Pira, Bruno Giacosa, Aldo Conterno, E. Pira, Angelo Gaja, Elio Grasso, Sottimano and Luca Roagna, among many others. They mark the pinnacle of Nebbiolo production.

Northeast of Turin lies the lesser-known regions of Gattinara DOCG and five other DOCs, with Ghemme the next best. The Nebbiolo here is called Spanna, in the local dialect, but while in Barolo one finds over 80 producers, here there are only a handful. Travaglini is the foremost producer here along with Antoniolo and quality is on the rise and there’s certainly excellent and age-worthy value wines. We stock Travaglini and I was lucky enough to find some 2010 Riserva on an Italian skiing holiday just before lockdown: £35 in the hotel restaurant!

Tom Meade

WINE CATALOGUE

ITALY

MEET THE GROWER

Osvaldo Viberti

PIEDMONT

LA MORRA This 10-ha Estate began making wine in 1992 and alongside wine, there is a thriving hazelnut orchard – Ferrero Rocher are buyers! Osvaldo is charming, thoughtful, and modest. His wines are really lovely, expressive, and so enjoyable, offering great value. We’ve bought and sold all of Osvalso’s wonderful 2010 Cannubis - but have no fear - we have refilled our boots with the fantastic 2016 vintages.

We’ve chosen his two remarkably different singlevineyard Baroli – his Serralunga d’Alba from Meriame MGA, and the Serra dei Turchi MGA in La Morra, which ovelooks his house and winery. In 2016 the Serralunga is the earlier drinking of the two from more limestone soil. We love Osvaldo’s quality to price ratio and are sure you will too.

He isn’t widely known outside Italy… yet! We found him through local introduction, and his glorious wines are priced accordingly. “Punching” you might say. If you’d like to enjoy a delicious Barolo, from a little-known producer, at a sensible price, this is what discovering gems is all about!

BAROLO, SERRA DEI TURCHI

BAROLO, SERRALUNGA D’ALBA

OSVALDO VIBERTI

OSVALDO VIBERTI

2016

2015

DRINK 2023 - 2034

DRINK 2021 - 2031

6x75 £155

6x75 £155

1x150 £59

1x150 £59

1x300 £119

1x300 £119

Osvaldo ages this in 15 hl oak casks, for nearly 24 months in great vintages like this. A touch deeper ruby in the glass compared to the Serralunga d’Alba with similar maturity; on the nose, there’s a deeper, denser character – not better, simply different. On the palate, the tannins are firmer, the fruit a touch riper and darker – more licorice and refined chocolates (more Charbonnels than Quality Street!), yet with that lovely rose petal perfume, with a backbone of acidity to bring everything together. One can sense that South-facing aspect and slightly heavier soil – the beauty of terroir.

Bright medium ruby in the glass suggesting it’s close to approaching its early drinking phase; the limestone vineyards have a clear effect on the wine: the perfume on the nose is enchanting – very pretty rose petal and a tiny hint of tar and herbs; the palate is beautifully balanced - good fruit intensity yet in no way heavy, with a freshness of acidity to give energy and a gilding of tannins to complete the circle of balance. Start to drink very soon for another ten years or so….perfect while the Serra dei Turchi matures a little further.

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ITALY

BARBERA D’ALBA, SANTO STEFANO CASTELLO DI NEIVE

PIEDMONT

2015 DRINK 2017 – 2026 6x75 £85

MEET THE GROWER

Castello di Neive BARBARESCO This fabulous estate was bought in 1964

by Italo Stupino and his family. It traces its wine lineage back to 1862 when, as home to the Count of Castelborgo, their red wine won a gold medal in London. We were completely blown away by the attention to detail in the restoration of the castle and cellars which certainly translated in what we found in the wines.

Perhaps the best Barbera we tried on our trip to Italy and most likely because it hails from Italo’s superb Santo Stefano vineyard - renowned as one of Barbaresco’s best and wholly owned by Italo since the 1960s. You wouldn’t know this is 15% alcohol. It is so rounded, has such depth of fruit flavour, poise and power yet at the same time subtle - slowly revealing different fruit and spice flavours. It has a lasting acidity. The end of my tasting note was a speechless “Wow!”, while Julian’s was “very delicious drinking”.

If you want to try Barbera for the first time or as an old favourite – treat yourself to this.

Having prized some older vintages for our own tastings and musings, we find their Barbarescos age incredibly well. Minimal use of sulphur (a plus for the head!), low yields, and excellent vineyards, including their monopole of Santo Stefano, offer up a very compelling range. So much so, in fact, that we found ourselves still sitting in the Castello tasting room at 8.15pm - and late for dinner - but regaled by classical music and munching on their award-winning hazelnuts from their orchard. Santo Stefano is one of the best known bottlings of the late, great Bruno Giacosa who bought selection of Italo’s grapes in a 50-year working partnership: the 1978 and 1982 are particularly sought after. With such pedigree of the vineyard established we are delighted to bring Castello di Neive’s wines to the UK and look forward to sharing them with you.

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WINE CATALOGUE

ITALY

CLASSIC GRAPE VARIETALS FAVOURITE PRODUCERS

SOIL TYPE

Gaja, Bruno Giacosa, E. Pira, Sandrone and Conterno.

Calcareous marl

PIEDMONT

Nebbiolo, Barbera and Dolcetto.

White: Cortese and Moscato.

AREA UNDER VINE

1,700 ha (Barolo) 640 ha (Barbaresco)

BARBARESCO, SANTO STEFANO CASTELLO DI NEIVE 2015 DRINK 2021-2033 6x75 £196 The cherry and red fruits abound and intertwine gracefully with a touch of menthol and balsamic. So fragrant with beautiful fruit expression on the nose and the palate does not disappoint. Culminates in a long, persistent, and quite lovely finish.

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ITALY PIEDMONT

RECIPE

Risotto INGREDIENTS

METHOD

• 2 tbsp olive oil

1. Add the oil to a large pan with the onion and cook on a medium heat for around five minutes, until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the rice and a spoon of butter and stir, toasting the rice for three to four minutes. Add the white wine and continue stirring until it has been absorbed into the rice.

• 1 small onion, finely diced • 350g risotto rice • 170g butter, diced • 200ml white wine • 1-1.5 litres hot vegetable stock • 200g fresh parmesan or vegetarian parmesan-style cheese, grated

2. Add the hot stock a ladle at a time, stirring regularly and allowing the rice to absorb each lot before adding the next ladle. This should take about 12 minutes.

3. Remove from the heat and add the rest of the butter and the cheese, mixing well until it has all come together. Cover with a lid and allow the flavours to meld for a few minutes, and then serve.

4. Buon appetito!

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WINE CATALOGUE

ITALY

TRAVEL TIPS

Welcome to Piedmont

PIEDMONT

If you are in Gattinara – which itself isn’t a particularly glamourous town – or the surrounding area be sure to taste the local speciality: locally grown risotto rice (Vercelli is just down the road) cooked with parmesan, onion, garlic and a whole bottle of Gattinara.

We had this at a charming family trattoria and hotel, Locando Villa Cavalleri.

If you are staying in Barolo, Hotel Reva just outside Monforté D’Alba is a wonderfully relaxing place with excellent food too. We were too busy tasting wine but there is even a golf course!

Repubblica di Perno is an excellent little bistro in Perno, south of Castiglione Falletto and east of Bussia.

If you are nearer Barbaresco or in the Langhe hills east of Alba, then dinner in La Ciau del Tornavento is a must with a wine list so long that it took hours to determine what to drink!

Tom Meade

Notable places LOCANDO VILLA CAVALLERI

di Salvadego Lorenzo, corso Valsesia, 157 Gattinara (VC) 13045 - Italia

HOTEL RÉVA

Località S. Sebastiano, 68, 12065 Monforte D’alba CN, Italy www.revamonforte.it

locandavillacavalleri.it REPUBBLICA DI PERNO

12065 Perno, Province of Cuneo, Italy www.repubblicadiperno.it

LA CIAU DEL TORNAVENTO

Piazza Leopoldo Baracco, 7, 12050 Treiso CN, Italy www.laciaudeltornavento.it

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ITALY TUSCANY

Tuscany Tuscany is one of the key wine regions, but at the highest level it is a relative newcomer, known as much for its holidays and its chianti in the raffia-wrapped flasks, aptly named fiascos, as the high-quality wines of Brunello di Montalcino. Fortunately, over the last 20 years or so the consistent quality of the winemaking has matched the phenomenal potential of the land. The traditional areas of Chianti, Brunello and Montepulciano based their success around the native Sangiovese, while newcomers have supplemented that with French varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot to create well known Super Tuscans.

The key regions are slap bang in the middle of Tuscany. Between Florence and Siena is the Chianti region, offering both bright, juicy cherry-scented wines that are sensational value for midweek drinking, or more serious, ageworthy bottles often seeing longer oak ageing and qualifying to be known as riserva. The region is split into village-based sub regions, centred around the Classico region at the heart.

Further south, past Siena, the hilltop town of Montalcino is arguably the king of traditional Tuscan winemaking based on the Sangiovese Grosso, a thicker skinned and more intensely flavoured strand of Sangiovese. The grape is known locally as Brunello so Brunello di Montalcino literally translated is Sangiovese from Montalcino. It is perhaps the most beautiful area you can hope to visit, the rolling hills of the north replaced by large and more rugged hills and mountains, reflected in the wines. Sharing a similar flavour profile as Chianti, Brunellos are denser, darker and longer lived, with the best of them being able to age effortlessly for upwards of 25 years. The vines are found outside of the city walls, lower down the slopes. To the south, the wines are darker, riper and more intense, while those to the north, in the shadow of the town, are often brighter, refined and ethereal. To find balance and consistency, most producers own

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various plots of land to enable them to blend from different areas and make a more complete style of wine that is of Brunello rather than of a particular vineyard. Recently though, and Canalcchio di Sopra is a great example of the site selection, we are seeing a real developement in the winemaking based on the nuances of the terroir and specific vineyards.

When it comes to Super Tuscans, it largely means any wine made in Tuscany that doesn’t fit with traditional laws or regions. Many are focused on the Chianti region away from the coast, but perhaps the best known are further west, on the coast of Tuscany as well as the southern extremes of the region near Grosseto. The first was Sassicaia, made by nobleman Marchese Mario Incisa della Rochetta to replicate his favourite Clarets when he realised the soil on his estate was very similar to that found in Bordeaux. He started making the wine for his own use but realised the first commercial vintage in 1968. As the wines didn’t fit existing traditions they had to be classified as the lowest possible appellation - Vina da Tavola. Others followed such as Tignanello, Ornellaia, Masseto, Cepparello and Flaccianello.

They have since been reclassified mostly as IGT, or in some cases, even DOCG. The wines do not have a style that can be easily summarised based on their home village such as Barolo or Brunello di Montalcino, so it is important to get to know your favourites. They may not have the long traditions of the classical regions, but they have certainly got the world’s attention in 50 years. Super Tuscans have proved to be some of the best and most consistent investment wines over the last 10 years.

Malcolm Willatts

WINE CATALOGUE

ITALY

MEET THE GROWER

Sesti WA 94 POINTS

BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO SESTI 2015 DRINK 2022 - 2038 6x75 £260 There is serious concentration here, a powerful wine.

On the nose ripe cassis, grilled olive and herbs. That palate has deep fruit nuance, complexity as is very fine. There’s fine tannins and excellent balance.

CLASSIC GRAPE VARIETALS Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot

SOIL TYPE

TUSCANY

The Sesti family are one of the most charming and hospitable that you can find in the world of wine and happen to make fantastic Brunello to boot! We have known them for many years and have visited their beautiful hilltop hamlet many times too. I have spent many a late-night indulging in Sarah’s exquisite food and Giugi and Elisa’s wonderful wines and Grappa.

Their wines really reflect this generosity of spirit and warmth of hospitality, open, elcoming and utterly charming. Giuseppe and Sarah Sesti discovered a tumbledown hamlet in the south of Montalcino in 1975 ideal for Giugi’s first passion, astrology. The house, chapel, and tower were overgrown with weeds and rapidly in decline. Over many years the family has rebuilt the historic walls to transform it into today’s unbelievably stylish and unique set up.

The best way to see the breadth of 102-hectare estate is with Elisa driving off road up steep inclines and through twisty forest tracks but hold tight! The vineyards occupy just 9 hectares best suited to the Sangiovese Grosso grapes, alongside small parcels of Sauvignon, Cabernet, and Merlot. the rest covered in ancient woodland and olive groves - true Tuscan oasis producing wonderful, intense oil. In line with Giugi’s beliefs the wines are made organically and bio-dynamically with the utmost respect to nature.

The other experience one must have “chez Sesti” is the Grappa. It is so smooth and dangerously easy to digest; one finds oneself transported late into the evening, under the stars, on a wonderful sea of fumes.

FAVOURITE PRODUCERS Fontodi, Sesti, Tenuta San Guido, Il Colle, Antinori, Mastrojanni and Cannalichio di Sopra.

Clay-limestome, sandy clay, gravelly clay, sandy soils.

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AREA UNDER VINE 7,100ha (Chianti Classico) 2,000ha (Brunello di Montalcino)

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ITALY

VINO NOBILE DI MONTEPULCIANO, VIGNA ASINONE

TUSCANY

POLIZIANO 2016 DRINK 2021 - 2034 6x75 £245 3x150 £265 1x300 £190 1x500 £340

MEET THE GROWER

Poliziano Federico Carletti is responsible for this excellent Poliziano range, our favourite being the flagship Vigna Asinone; here he practises high density planting to encourage intensity and complexity. The vines are 50+ years old and are harvested late, thus gaining concentration and texture. Montepulciano is one of the key classic regions of Tuscany alongside Brunello di Montalcino. The importance of the area was recognised by being awarded DOC status before its westerly neighbour Montalcino, both sharing Sangivoese as the major grape variety. While in Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, you must blend in a small percentage of other indigineous grapes, in Montalcino it is solamente Sangiovese.

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This is the best of Poliziano’s selection. Showing deeper and richer fruit on the nosethan the straight “Poliziano” the Asinone vineyard shows its great terroir in this excellent vintage. Old vines grow on silt-clay and stony soils in this 12ha vineyard: 5.5ha planted in 1963, another 5 planted in the 1990s. The palate has noticeable savoury elements, with bright and clear Sangiovese fruit to match: cherries, black plum, and summer fruit. There’s excellent balance and verve here matched by an impressive, lengthy finish.

WINE CATALOGUE

ITALY

TRAVEL TIPS

Getting to Tuscany

The delightful Locanda Demeta is just outside of Montalcino – it is an organic restaurant in an old farmhouse, and the perfect way to spend an evening. Why not stay at the Vecchia Olivera, a small hotel just within the town walls?

Vineria Le Potazzine is a restaurant in the centre of Montalcino owned by the same family that makes the wine of the same name.

Il Leccio in Sant’Angelo in Colle is about 10 minutes from Montalcino, worth it for the hilltop location that gives some of the best views you will find in any restaurant with good local food and a wine list to match. Le Ragnaie winery also has a small, beautiful hotel where

Eat

we once gatecrashed a game dinner hosted by a wineclub in Florence.

TUSCANY

Tuscany is full of delights and a special favourite of Farthinghoe to visit. It is a gastronomic heartland, with almost every trattoria, osteria and taverna being a hidden gem. We can recommend staying in Chianti at Greve, at the Villa Bordoni – a delightful hotel with excellent views of the Tuscan countryside.

It’s nearly impossible to go wrong with food – but we do of course have some favourites to recommend.

Siena is in the heart of the Tuscan winelands, a beautiful walled town the host the Paleo horse race each year. Restaurants such as Particolare di Siena, Osteria le Logge and La Taverna di San Giuseppe are in the town centre offering excellent local cuisine.

We can always recommend a visit to one of our estates - Sesti would be happy to receive you, for a ramble through not only the vines but also their olive orchards. Be sure to pay a visit to the most amazing butcher just south of Sesti – Macelleria Norcineria – for the most delicious copa and sausages.

The Farthinghoe Team

Stay MACELLERIA NORCINERIA

Via Grossetana, 19 • 53024 S.Angelo Scalo (SI)

VILLA BORDONI

Via San Cresci 31/32, Loc. Mezzuola, 50022, Greve villabordoni.com

www.poggiostenti.com LOCANDA DEMETRA

VECCHIA OLIVERA

Podere La Buca, 221, 53024 Montalcino SI, Italy

Porta Cerbaia, 53024 Montalcino SI, Italy

montalcinocookingschool. com

www.vecchiaoliviera.com

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ITALY

GUIDALBERTO

TUSCANY

TENUTA SAN GUIDO 2018 DRINK 2022 - 2030 6x75 £150

MEET THE GROWER

3x150 £160

Tenuta San Guido Tenuta San Guido is an ancient family estate on the West coast of Tuscany, first finding fame for its thouroughbred stud farm and only later being known as a winemaker.

But what a wine it produces! Sassicaia is true royalty of Italian wine - first made when Marchese Mario Incisa della Rocchetta realised his stony soils closely reflected the gravel of the Medoc and planted Cabernet vines for his own cellar. Already hugely popular, it has gone stratospheric since the superlative 2016 vintage was awarded 100 points, following the 2015 being awarded ‘Wine of the Year’ by Wine Spectator. It is known for its tell-tale hallmarks of elegance and finesse matched with the Tuscan sunshine.

This is much fuller on the nose and deeper than the Difese as the merlot component is evident. A deeper colour in the glass too. It’s aromatic and floral with red fruit and hints of plum, cherry and sumac. This is elegant and very well put together. This has a long finish and savoury style which will fill out with further bottle age. Very fine tannin.

Guidalberto, the second wine of the estate, is a very serious wine in its own right. Because it is overshadowed, it remains a superb value.

It is named after the family member who planted the iconic cypress tree avenue which marks the entrance to the Bolgheri estate. Le Difese, made for delicious early drinking, is a Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon blend named after the tusks of the wild boars found roaming the Tuscan woodland covering the estate.

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WINE CATALOGUE

ITALY

SASSICAIA, BOLGHERI SASSICAIA TENUTA SAN GUIDO

6x75 £850 Dusty spiced nose of paprika, dried fruit, sumac - the nose of a hotter vintage. Yet on the palate that 300m altitude shows it’s worth. Impressive acidity. It’s quite taut and savoury as opposed to luscious and fruit driven. Intriguing. Very fine tannin and hugely long finish. There’s such an easy power and concentration here.

Rather than being subject to the whim of changing tastes and trends, these wines have slowly and steadily gained popularity among fine wine collectors.

—LIV-EX

WA 94 POINTS

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TUSCANY

2017 DRINK 2025 - 2040

SPAIN

Spain Spain boasts more vineyard than any other country with over 3 million acres under vine, and therefore offers a huge variety of wines. The best areas are controlled and defined by the DO (Denominación de Origen) system which, much like France’s Appellation d’Origine Contrôllée, ensures quality control is inflicted on every aspect, from vineyard to wine.

Some world-famous wines herald from Rioja (CVNE, La Rioja Alta). Named after the River (Ri) Oja, this diverse region based around the Tempranillo grape yields some very divergent wines. Many producers resort to old-school ways, whilst others adopt a modern approach using new oak barrels of 225 litres. The Crianzas require a year of ageing in wood, Reservas two years, and Gran Reservas, three years, all with additional time in bottle to conform to the DO requirements (equivalent to the French Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée), so there are many different styles of wine produced. We are wild about the wines of La Rioja Alta and their top cuvée, the 904 Gran Reserva, is mind boggling, having succeeded in gaining 96 Parker points in the 2001, 2004, 2005, and 2010 vintages (dipping to ‘only’ 95 points in 2007 and 2009). We are delighted to represent the delicious wines of Bodegas Sajazarra in the Rioja Alta, and look forward to sharing them with you, and indeed if you are visiting the region, I know they would love to show you around. Equally a really fascinating visit can be had at La Rioja Alta, which boasts an excellent shop too, full of brilliant wine paraphernalia. Lots of temptation!

Ribera del Duero neighbours Rioja and shares the same principal grape variety – the mighty Tempranillo. Here the grape often manifests itself in a more structured and serious fashion, and I often find the wines here are less expressive on the nose than in Rioja, but more expressive on the palate. DO was granted in 1982 and ageing

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requirements are the same as in Rioja. Again, different schools of thought exist relating to the use of oak, with certain wine-makers adopting more American oak which tends to produce a creamier texture, more vanilla and plum, while Slovenian and French oaks tend towards more subtle expression in the wines. Very often a combination of all of them are employed, thus ensuring the best of each! Of the wineries here, amongst the most celebrated are Vega-Sicilia, which we are happy to offer, and Pingus.

Some fascinating white wine is made up in Galicia from Albarinho – you must try our La Trucha. And on the east coast can be found the precipitous slopes of Priorat, from where come some extraordinary wines from Alvaro Palacios.

Spain, of course, is a wondrous place to eat and drink - Jamón Ibérico is a thing of beauty, and a wonderful accompaniment to a glass of Rioja. Saffron and olive oil are a huge part of the culinary economy, and tapas late into the evening is a fine way to spend quality time!

And of course, lingering over a glass of sherry is time honoured Spanish tradition. Jerez is Spain’s first DO, created in 1933. This beautiful region in the southern region of Andalusia is famed for both Flamenco and sherry, a rather potent combination. Sherry is the most delicious and versatile of drinks, but one that has suffered image problems over the last decades. This of course means that there is tremendous value to be had, and equally some wonderful drinking all the way through from the Finos and Manzanillas, which are easy quaffing, much like a glass of white, to the more oxidative, darker, nuttier Amontillados and Olorosos. Rarely do Sherries carry vintage years, as they are a blend of different years, aged in the Solera system.

Julian Chamberlen

WINE CATALOGUE

SPAIN

MEET THE GROWER

Alvaro Palacios PRIORAT Alvaro was born in Rioja but wanted to make his way in the hilly region of Priorat, where he founded his eponymous Bodega in 1989, having spent time working at Château Petrus. His aim was (and remains) to make intense, expressive and exciting wines from low-yielding vines. His top wine, L’Ermita, which is 100% Garnacha, has become incredibly sought after, along with the glorious Finca Dofi which is 80% Garnacha, with 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Carinena. He makes wine also in Rioja and Bierzo, where the Mencia grape sings.

WA 96+ POINTS

FINCA DOFI ALVARO PALACIOS 2018

France

DRINK 2022 - 2035 3x75 £135 Portugal

1x150 £102

Prioriat DOC

1x300 £222 Spain

This has a beguiling aroma of a savoury and rich tomato-based stew - this has a dense bouquet. On the palate its tight savoury dark fruit combines with a very bright and lifted character energising this intense wine. The alcohol is not noticeable, excellent balance and a long finish. The vines only produced 14.37 hl / ha! 90% Garnacha, 8% Carinena, 2% Macabeo (white) and Garnacha Blanca.

PRIORAT CLASSIC GRAPE VARIETALS Garnacha, Carinena, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah.

FAVOURITE PRODUCERS

SOIL TYPE

Alvaro Palacios, Clos Mogador, Clos Erasmus and Mas Martinet.

AREA UNDER VINE

1,800ha

llicorella (red-black slate with mica particles)

FARTHINGHOEFINEWINE.COM

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SPAIN

They are, year in and year out, among the best and most reliable wines from Ribera del Duero … Even if the wines are not cheap, they are very good value for the quality they deliver.

—WINE ADVOCATE

MEET THE GROWER

Hacienda Monasterio RIBERA DEL DUERO We have long imported this excellent estate, which is in the hands of legend Peter Sisseck, of cult wine “Pingus” fame. it is so impressive, and indeed can age effortlessly for as long as your patience lasts. It does have a slightly international style, with a splash of Cabernet and French oak but its heart and soul are truly in the Ribera, the majority of its blend being Tinto Fino. The property is wonderfully placed between Vega-Sicilia and Pesquera, with Pingus and Alion close by, and there are 70 hectares planted to vine, producing three separate cuvées: a Crianza, which they have now relabelled simply as Hacienda Monasterio, Reserva and Reserva Especial. It is a superb property with a great track record, and we’re delighted to receive a direct allocation.

HACIENDA MONASTERIO RIBERA DEL DUERO 2017 DRINK 2021 - 2030 12x75 £295

Ribera del Duero

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Wonderful aromatics show energy and zip; violets, blue plum and redcurrant give amazing freshness.

The texture is generous and silky but always light on its feet; there’s a great minerality coming from the estates limestone-rich soils. Good, balanced freshness will see this age gracefully for years. The estate thinks this could be their best ever year, though yields were significantly down due to late April frosts that settled across Europe.

WINE CATALOGUE

SPAIN

One of the most classical expressions of Ribera del Duero. Their 98 hectares of vineyard in the estate are now 100% certified organic.

—WINE ADVOCATE, 2018

WA 93 POINTS

HACIENDA MONASTERIO, RESERVA

HACIENDA MONASTERIO, RESERVA ESPECIAL

RIBERA DEL DUERO

RIBERA DEL DUERO

2015

2014

DRINK 2021 - 2032

DRINK 2023 - 2036

12x75 £420

6x75 £395

Wow! There’s serious quality here. The warm 2015 growing season perfectly complements the cooling limestone soils, providing an elegance rarely found in Ribera del Duero. Layer upon layer of complexity unfurl with time - really pretty rose petal tones, overlaying dark plums and smokey saline minerality.

Peter Sisseck continues to produce fantastic wines, and now the vines are mature they will only get better.

It is easily apparent why this is the flagship, incredible finesse, densely packed layers of fruit and explosive perfume. Dense and brooding, it is only just beginning to show its potential, it will be incredible when it reaches its peak. There’s huge concentration and crunchy tannins with an underlying freshness too to keep it all balanced. The cooler vintage gives effortless elegance alongside the power found naturally in Ribera.

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SPAIN

Unlike in Bordeaux, where there are several candidates for the title of its greatest exponent. In Ribera del Duero there is only one – Vega Sicilia

MEET THE GROWER

Vega-Sicilia

—NEAL MARTIN

RIBERA DEL DUERO Certainly, the most celebrated red in Spain, and often referred to as “Spain’s First Growth,” this estate is owned by the Alvarez family in the heart of Ribera del Duero.

Founded in 1864, with cuttings of Bordeaux vines planted alongside Tempranillo, there are some seriously old vines in the vineyard.

Low yields and obsessive attention to detail in both vineyard and winery, the wines glow with pride. The flagship wine is Unico, along with Reserva Especial which, a bit like the Krug Grande Cuvée, blends vintages. Then there is Valbuena, which I love; Alion, a more modern expression; and from their Toro vineyard comes Pintia.

RIBERA DEL DUERO CLASSIC GRAPE VARIETALS Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Garnacha.

SOIL TYPE

FAVOURITE PRODUCERS Vega-Sicilia, Hacienda Monasterio, Pingus and Pesquera.

Clay and sand.

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WINE CATALOGUE

AREA UNDER VINE

22,500ha

SPAIN

VEGA-SICILIA, ALION RIBERA DEL DUERO

VEGA-SICILIA, VALBUENA NO. 5

2016

RIBERA DEL DUERO

DRINK 2021 - 2038

2015 DRINK 2024 - 2044

6x75 £288 There is an abundance of ripe, black fruit, a hint of bitumen too! Leading to a lovely creamy dark cherry, blackcurrant palate with perfectly weighted acidity and fine length. Very satisfying.

WA 95 POINTS

3x75 £267 The 2015 Valbuena, a red blend of mostly Tempranillo with some 5% Merlot, is released in the fifth year after the harvest. It’s explosive and showy, with a complex nose that shows a mixture of flowers and wild herbs, balsamic touches and great nuance. This wine has gained in complexity since the 2010 vintage, where they implemented some changes that increased the expressivity and precision of this wine. The tannins are fine-grained and there is very good balance, and the warm conditions of the year have been absorbed well by the wine.

Despite the natural conditions of the year, the wine follows the path of freshness of the 2010.

173,673 bottles, 5,625 magnums and some larger formats produced. It was bottled in June 2018.

—LUIS GUTIÉRREZ

WA 96 POINTS

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SPAIN

MEET THE GROWER

Castillo de Sajazarra RIOJA Sajazarra is in the far north-west of Rioja Alta, its vines grow on the southern slopes of the Obarenes mountains (which separates La Rioja from the northern coast), in chalky clay soil, between 500 and 700 metres above sea level and with a north-south orientation. Trained along trellises, with no irrigation, the vines grow without the use of herbicides, chemical fertilisers or systemic pesticides, ensuring the grapes and their skins mature optimally, as well as with the utmost respect for the environment. The altitude of the vineyards is significant here. With rising global temperatures, the diurnal range at 700m is significant enough to ward off the excesses of summer heat. On top of this, the Obarenes mountains have highly calcerous-clay soils so the wines are more mineral and have higher acidity. These two factors create fresh and elegant wines in an increasingly hot region that stands the estate apart from irrigated Rioja wines that are found in Rioja Baja / Oriental. To balance their low intervention farming practices requires a lot of vineyard labour. Canopy management is carried out, such as removing laterals (new buds) and suckering (removing shoots from previous years), as well as removing some leaves and grapes, always striving to achieve maximum exposure to the wind and sun, improve the microclimate at cluster level and adjust production to the required level of quality. The estate specialises in their use of Graciano, a grape with naturally high acidity and late ripening.

Their Crianza contains 9% Graciano and they are one of the few estates to make a 100% Graciano wine, Digma; a rare and powerful beast.

DIGMA, GRACIANO RESERVA RIOJA 2011 DRINK 2018 - 2029 6x75 £162 A rare beast. The colour is deep and dark, the nose beautifully perfumed, very maraschino cherry! Such fine tannins on the palate, lovely strawberry sweetness and real charm.

Extremely long.

RIOJA CLASSIC GRAPE VARIETALS Tempranillo and Garnacha.

SOIL TYPE

FAVOURITE PRODUCERS Lopez de Heredia, Marques de Murrieta, Rioja Alta, CVNE and Sajazarra.

Limestone and clay.

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WINE CATALOGUE

AREA UNDER VINE

63,600ha

SPAIN

MEET THE GROWER

Gonzalez Byass JEREZ We are delighted to work with Gonzalez Byass, which was founded back in 1835 by Manuel Maria Gonzalez Angel in Jerez de la Frontera. They are perhaps best known for their iconic Tio Pepe brand, but they have a huge range of fascinating bottlings, including the delicious Dulce Nombre, a sweet wine from Palomino grapes yielding fig, spice, molasses and so long on the palate. Also of note is that the famous Gustav Eiffel designed and built a Bodega for them in 1862.

DULCE NOMBRE GONZALEZ BYASS 1986 DRINK 2020 - 2040 3x50 £165 Scents explode from the bottle as soon as the cork is pulled, showing this is a very special bottle indeed. Initially showing savoury soy and balsamic notes, slowly moving to burnt honey, molasses, dark treacle. With time it shows dried and fresh figs, Christmas cake, liquorice and sweet raisins with amazing freshness and bright floral notes. There is a remarkable impression is freshness, energy and tension - amazing after 33 years. It develops into fresh fruit - papaya, mango, caramelised pineapple and sweet spice, almost rum and raisin complexity.

It is almost weightless and silky but with incredible coiled power and intensity. It is sweet at 225g/l of sugar but so well balanced.

This is a truly exceptional and rare wine. Stunning now but I feel this could remain in a cellar for many years to come. Seriously, seriously impressive.

JEREZ KEY GRAPES Palomino, Pedro Ximénez and Moscatel

SOIL TYPE Limestone soil known as albariza, known for dazzling whiteness

FAVOURITE PRODUCERS Gonzalez Byass (known for Tio Pepe), Emilio Lustau, Hidalgo

FARTHINGHOEFINEWINE.COM

AREA UNDER VINE

7,000ha 113

SPAIN

RECIPE

Arroz a Banda FOR THE ALLIOLI

METHOD

• 5-6 cloves garlic

1. Make the allioli first. Put the garlic cloves on a chopping board and, using a small pinch of sea salt as an abrasive, crush them to a paste.

• 2 egg yolks • 300ml extra-virgin olive oil (preferably Spanish) • lemon juice, to taste

FOR THE RICE • 500g squid (cleaned weight) • 5 tbsp olive oil • 1 onion, finely chopped • 2 small dried chillies, crumbled

3. If you have small squid, leave them whole and just cut off the fins and tentacles. If bigger, split the body along the side and cut it into strips. Cut the fins and tentacles in half, too.

4. Heat 2 tbsp of the olive oil in a 30cm shallow saucepan, paella pan or sauté pan. Sauté the onion until soft and pale gold. Add the chilli and squid, cook for another two minutes, then add the tomatoes and simmer until the mixture is quite thick.

• ½ x 400g tin cherry tomatoes, in thick juice

5. Bring the fish stock to the boil and add the saffron.

• 1.4 litres well-flavoured fish stock (you might not need it all)

6. Add the rice to the tomatoes. Pour on the wine and about a litre of fish stock then cook on a high heat for 5 minutes. Turn the heat down and leave to cook for another 15 minutes.

• really generous pinch saffron

7. Check and add a little more stock if the rice looks like it needs it.

• 375g paella rice

8. Heat the rest of oil in a large frying pan and cook the hake, seasoning as you go. Thickish fillets need about four minutes each side, initially on a high heat to get a good colour (be careful turning them). Put on a plate and cover to keep warm. Cook the monkfish medallions over a high heat, while seasoning, for a minute.

• 150ml dry white wine • 500g hake fillets (thicker pieces – not from the tail) • 500g monkfish medallions, 2.5cm thick, with the thin membrane removed

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2. Put the egg yolks and garlic in a bowl. With an electric whisk running, slowly add the extra-virgin olive oil, a drop at a time.

As the mixture starts to thicken, you can pour more quickly. Add lemon juice and pepper to taste (this will depend on the oil you use – keep tasting and adjusting until you are happy).

9. Place the fish on top of the rice and serve with the allioli.

WINE CATALOGUE

SPAIN

TRAVEL TIPS

Stunning Spain Try the restaurant La Vieja Bodega near Haro for some brilliant traditional dishes. And a trip to see the amazing winery of Marques de Riscal designed

by Frank Gehry, who designed the Guggenheim is impressive.

Madrid is majestic and some wonderful places to eat and drink late into the evening, including El Viajero for Mohitos. Gin and tonic is served in huge bowl glasses which, when poured into from a height, allow the aromatics of the drink to fully express themselves.

Barcelona for contrast is more bohemian and has a lively beach scene which is a fun way to spend a few hours. Wonderful art and architecture too, including the spectacular Sagrada Familia Church. Picasso, Gaudi, Miro, all can be witnessed with relative ease.

I am very keen to visit San Sebastian on the Bay of Biscay in the north for some fabulous eating and some good beaches. One of my all-time favourite moments was in Ribera del Duero enjoying a butterfly rack of lamb with a glass of rather good Tempranillo. A very good match indeed. Salud!

Julian Chamberlen

Notable places LA VIEJA BODEGA

EL VIAJERO

Av. de La Rioja, 17, 26230 Casalarreina, La Rioja, Spain

Plaza de la Cebada, 11, 28005 Madrid, Spain www.elviajeromadrid.com

www.laviejabodega.es/en

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PORTUGAL

Portugal A feast for wine lovers in its diversity, complexity, and uniqueness. Portugal is home to a massive variety of wine styles because of three main factors: terroir, Portugal’s thriving array of indigenous grapes, and its long wine-making history. In each region, much like in France, numerous grapes are blended to form the wine – making it difficult to get to grips with the numerous varieties. The Portuguese regions bring huge climatic and stylistic differences too.

Portugal is of course known for its Port, which is shipped each year from Oporto and made on the steep terraces of the Douro. The most famous Port ‘Shippers’ have a long Anglo-Portuguese history, including Warre, Graham, Taylor and Dow. In excellent years in the vineyards they manage and own they will declare a ‘vintage’ and bottle a vintage Port. In other years their produce is variously made into ‘Late Bottled Vintage’ and Tawny, both less expensive and complex but highly delicious.

Increasingly Portugal is known for its ‘table’ wines – still and dry. The diversity of grape varieties, and terroir and the recent influx of trained oenologists from wine schools – notably UC Davis and Melbourne – to take advantage of cheaper start-up costs and already-mature vines are responsible for the resurgence. This trend towards the specific – vineyards and grower-winemakers estate bottling their produce – only began in the 1950s when the Port house Ferreira released Barca Velha – a single vineyard wine from the high Douro. Prior to this, merchants would simply make blends from vats of wine! So, a lot has changed.

The northern two-thirds of the country is ideal

for grapes – wet winters keep the water table topped up; the summer is bright but not – usually – too hot though times are of course changing on that front. In the north near Spanish Galicia you find the gorgeous Albarino (Alvarinho) which produces fruity dry whites, suitable for seafood and a great foil for those looking for a fresh change from Sauvignon Blanc.

Vinho Verde is very well known and easily drunk, so-called for its green taste rather than the colour of the white wines made there. Indeed, 2/3s of Minho’s Vinho Verde production is red. Bairrada can make age-worthy wine from the Baga grape, which becomes quite ethereal and Burgundian with age. Between the Atlantic and the Dao hills, Bairrada has cooling influence and clay soils. It’s rarely found as a single varietal though. Alentejo in the south brings deep rich reds as climate warms and dries.

Finally, Madeira – a magical, almost indestructible, wine most commonly drunk as dessert wine. The heat on the island leads to sugary grapes that retain high acidity. 400 miles west of Morocco, Madeira’s history of shipping the wines on west-bound ships to the Americas and then back to Europe, fortified with Brandy, mellowed the Malvasia grape and made it palatable. The wine was useful in combatting scurvy to boot! Bottles from the 1800s are still drinking well and in their prime, with no need for cellaring or cool storage. It is no longer widely consumed but look out for old bottles of Blandy’s and Cossart for top quality.

Notable independent shippers include Henriques & Henriques, Barbeito and H M Borges.

Tom Meade

OPORTO CLASSIC GRAPE VARIETALS Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesca, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca and Tinta Cão

SOIL TYPE

FAVOURITE PRODUCERS Taylor, Graham, Warre, Croft, Cockburn, Dow and Fonseca.

38,000ha

of which 26,000 is authorised for Port

Schist

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AREA UNDER VINE

WINE CATALOGUE

PORTUGAL

MEET THE GROWER

Croft

WA 94 POINTS

One of the original founding port houses, Croft traces its origins to 1588 when the company was established in England by Henry Thomson, a member of the Merchants Company of York. The Croft family, which joined the partnership in 1736 and gave the firm its present name, served the port trade with great distinction. A book published by the firm reveals much new research into the company’s long and fascinating history.

CROFT 2016 DRINK 2026 - 2060 6x75 £235

The 2016 Vintage Port is a field blend originally seen about a week before bottling. It comes in with 104 grams of residual sugar. Not a lot has changed except that it seems even more approachable and much better balanced now. It also seems drier than its statistics would suggest. Tight and intense on first taste, this comes around relatively well with a couple of hours of air on the first day tasted, but it isn’t expressive until a couple of days later. The initial firmness moderates to some extent, showcasing a relatively approachable young Port. (That doesn’t mean it is ready or close to it.) The concentration seems good enough now, so that the hints of alcohol that I saw in June—and again this time around when this was in its first 90 minutes of aeration—seem under much better control. The balance is just more appealing. It shows beautifully with a couple of days of air. As with all Ports of any quality, this could use some time. This is gripping, but it won’t sear your mouth with tannins. You are going to have to cellar it awhile to allow it to acquire more complexity and more harmony, though. This is showing more promise than ever.

The reputation of Croft as a Vintage Port producer derives to a large extent from its ownership of Quinta da Roêda, one of the finest estates in the Douro Valley, and from such legendary wines as the Croft 1945, recognised as one of the finest of that landmark year. In September 2001, Croft became part of The Fladgate Partnership, the family group which also includes the famous Taylor’s and Fonseca port houses.

—MARK SQUIRES

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PORTUGAL

TAYLOR 2017 DRINK 2035- 2100 6x75 £325 A tad deeper in the glass than the Croft; a nose of similarly rich fruits but with great complexity and more finesse than the Croft and a touch sweeter – more refined; the palate has lovely body and intensity, both elegant and yet powerful with supersmooth tannins and a background seamless balance and acidity. Elegant and persistent, this is incredibly stylish and wow, will drink into the next century.

MEET THE GROWER

Taylor Taylor’s was founded over three centuries ago in 1692 and has been family owned and run throughout its history. Taylor’s is recognised as a benchmark for Vintage Port, its classic vintages attracting the highest scores and auction prices. Known for their elegance, longevity and distinctive scented character, they are blended from the finest wines of the firm’s own ‘quintas’ or estates.

These three famous properties – Vargellas, Terra Feita and Junco – occupy distinct geographic locations and each contributes its own unique character and dimension to the subtle harmony of the blend. These properties represent the best of innovation and tradition, combining the most advanced viticultural practices with traditional foot treading, still unsurpassed as a method for making Vintage Port. With back-to-back ‘declared’ vintages in 2016 (96 points) and 2017 (98-100 points) it’s been a good couple of years for probably the most well-known port ‘shipper’.

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WINE CATALOGUE

VINOUS 98 POINTS

PORTUGAL

VERY OLD SINGLE HARVEST PORT, TAYLOR 1970 DRINK 2020-2040 1x75 £180 Talk about being fifty years young – the colour was a deep ruby with no bricking at all, the fruit was enormous, even from the small sample I had to enjoy and the viscosity and intensity in the mouth was out of this world. I have never tasted a fifty-year-old plus Port which was so youthful, apart from my dear late father’s 1935 (his birth year) which was as pale as a Provençale rosé and almost as vibrant. The 1970 is absolutely a 5* vintage and I could see this drinking for a very easy fifteen years, quite possibly much longer.

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PORTUGAL

BUAL

MEET THE GROWER

Henriques & Henriques

HENRIQUES & HENRIQUES

A Madeiran institution since its establishment in 1850, Henriques & Henriques offers the best of this picturesque Portuguese island. With over 160 years of experience producing the finest Madeiras, H&H embraces recent technical innovation to create and nurture wines of exceptional quality. Being the largest owners of vineyards on Madeira, under the inspiring leadership of ‘Master Blender’ Humberto Jardím, H&H is able to control every aspect of the production process.

Brilliant amber in colour with dark gold nuances.

Intense and developed aroma of dried fruits and honey. Medium rich, a well counterbalanced acidity.

A round wine with a good finish.

1957 DRINK 2020+ 1x75 £242

Jardim is the descendant of Alberto Nascimento Jardim, to whom - along with two other friends - the business was gifted in João Joaquim Henriques’ will in 1938 when he died without heirs. Specific colheita or vintage madeiras are not particularly common - more usual at the top-quality end is a barrel-aged madeira and a designated year of bottling.

However, in a recent offer we secured some colheitas from the 1950s through to the 1970s, and some barrel age bottlings from the 1800s!

These wines are really unique - and as they are already oxidised and undergo huge heat, Henriques & Henriques recommend they are opened a long time prior to drinking. They should breath one day for every ten years since the vintage or year of bottling! Once opened they never really fade so don’t be shy to have a bottle ‘on the go’ over a 5-year period!

MADEIRA CLASSIC GRAPE VARIETALS Sercial, Verdelho, Bual and Malmsey

SOIL TYPE

FAVOURITE PRODUCERS Henriques and Henriques, Blandy and Olivieras.

Volcanic basalt

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WINE CATALOGUE

AREA UNDER VINE

445ha

PORTUGAL

RECIPE

Pastéis De Nata (Custard Tarts) INGREDIENTS

METHOD

• 2 tbsp plain flour

1. Mix the flour and icing sugar, and use this to dust the work surface. Roll the pastry out to make a 45 x 30cm rectangle. Roll up lengthways to create a long sausage shape.

• 2 tbsp icing sugar, plus more to serve • 375g all butter puff pastry • 250 g golden caster sugar • 2 strips lemon zest

2. Cut the pastry into 24 wheels, about 1-2cm thick.

3. Roll each wheel lightly with the rolling pin to fit 2 x 12-hole nonstick fairy cake tins.

4. Press the pastry circles into the tins and mould into the tins to make thin cases. Chill until needed.

• 1 stick of cinnamon • 2 eggs

• 500 ml whole milk

5. Heat the oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Make a sugar syrup by bringing the sugar, 200ml water, lemon zest and cinnamon stick to the boil. Reduce until syrupy, allow to cool, then remove the cinnamon and lemon. Whisk the eggs, egg yolks and cornflour until smooth in another large pan.

• 1 pod of vanilla, split lengthways, seeds scraped out and kept

6. Heat the milk and vanilla pod seeds in a separate pan until just below the boil. Gradually pour the hot milk over the eggs and cornflour, then cook on a low heat, continually whisking.

• ground cinnamon to serve

7. Add the cooled sugar syrup to the custard and whisk until thickened slightly.

• 4 egg yolks • 50 g cornflour

8. Pour the custard through a sieve. Pour into the pastry cases and bake for 15 minutes until the pastry is golden and the custard has darkened.

9. Cool completely in the tins then sift over icing sugar and ground cinnamon to serve.

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AHR & BADEN GERMANY

Ahr & Baden At Farthinghoe, we are really getting into Germany’s iterations of Pinot Noir known as Spätburgunder, particularly from the Ahr and Baden regions.

There are some producers making really serious versions of this wonderful grape. With most of it staying within Germany, it is almost as hard to lay your hands on top Spätburgunder as it is to get blue chip Burgundy. Thankfully, the German wines are a lot easier on the pocket.

In German, Burgunder means coming from Burgundy, so they use this to mean any derivative of the Pinot family. Spät– ‘late’ in English – refers to the later ripening grape that Burgundians refer to as Pinot Noir. There are others: Weiss- and Grau- Burgunder (Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris) and another commonly found red that makes sumptuous fruitier wine called Frühburgunder.

Früh – early – refers to its early ripening character, often in late August.

Southern German can often bask in beautifully warm weather allowing Pinot Noir to ripen. The continental climate of western Germany and its geographical perks – frost-preventing rivers, steep hillsides with perfect southerly aspect, and long dry autumns – means conditions here are now heading into Pinot Noir’s sweet-spot. Allied to the encyclopaedic knowledge of these growers, the rise in quality has been a very sharp upward curve.

Producers trained under some of the greats names of Burgundy are at the helm of their estates, with amazing depth of knowledge of their vines allowing them to get the best out of the most alluring grape.

In the south-west of Germany alongside the Rhine, with Switzerland bordering to the south, is Germany’s warmest wine region – Baden. Baden has long been the home to Germany’s pinot growers, with enough warmth for the region to embrace it commercially in the 19th Century. Wines from Baden were full-bodied, powerful and brooding. In the last 20-30 years, pioneering producers started to make elegant Spatburgunder that is turning heads internationally. Look out for Dr. Heger and Bercher’s wines for supreme elegance and depth.

The Ahr, at 50.5° latitude (the same as Plymouth and Kiev), certainly welcome the warmer weather.

The steep slopes above the river ward off frost in April after bud break, while the cooling effects of the river mitigated the excesses of the hottest summer on record. The tiny region’s microclimate has enabled one of Germany’s top producers to make truly outstanding wine. Meyer-Näkel won the International Trophy for Pinot Noir at the 2008 Decanter World Wine Awards for one of their Spätburgunder Grand Crus, which put it on the map.

Malcolm Willatts

CLASSIC GRAPE VARIETALS Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir).

SOIL TYPE

FAVOURITE PRODUCERS Bercher, Meyr-Näkel, Dr Heger and Jean Stodden

Slate and volcanic

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WINE CATALOGUE

AREA UNDER VINE

560 ha (Ahr) 15,836 ha (Baden)

GERMANY AHR & BADEN

SPÄTBURGUNDER BLAUSCHIEFER MEYER-NÄKEL 2017 DRINK 2020 - 2030

6x75 £165 12x75 £330

MEET THE GROWER

MeyerNäkel, Ahr Paula Meyer and Willibald Näkel named the estate in 1950 and it is still in the hands of their grandchildren, Meike and Dörte Näkel to this day. They pioneered the cultivation of high quality dry red wine, using just 1.5 hectares. At the time, in post war Germany both red and white wines were commonly sweet – both for reasons of fashion and to cover poor winemaking practices, especially lack of ripeness. Werner was the next generation and had huge success in popularising an entirely new style of Ahr Pinot Noir. By the end of the 1980s, Werner was already considered one of the most important vintners in Germany.

The mineral blue slate soils are vital to the philosophy of Meike and Dörte, a key feature in their wines. Slate is more commonly associated with the aromatic Rieslings of the Mosel, but with Pinot Noir it brings pretty, floral aromatics, complexity and finesse much like limestone in Chambolle-Musigny.

The Blauschiefer, or blue slate soil provides the aromatic complexity to this wonderful wine. Slate is more commonly associated with the aromatic Rieslings of the Mosel. It works wonderfully for this engaging pinot. The perfumed Chambolle-esque nose here is complex and aromatic. With precise red summer fruit of strawberry, raspberry and hints of caramel and chocolate. The balance here is excellent on the palate with present but integrated tannins.

There is good persistence and length, due to its fine elegant acidity.

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It would not be exaggerating to say that Meyer-Näkel makes some of the most outstanding Spätburgunder in Germany…certainly one of the very best winemakers in Germany.

—TAMLYN CURRIN, JANCISROBINSON.COM

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AHR & BADEN GERMANY

MEET THE GROWER

Bercher, Baden

JECHTINGER EICHERT SPÄTBURGUNDER ERSTE LAGE BERCHER

The Bercher family have been making wine in Burkheim for 300 years or more. The estate is now in the hands of the 10th generation of the family. Situated between the Rhine River and the Black Forest, the estate is the second largest privately owned estate in southern Germany. It is little surprise that in that time the family have gathered 42 hectares of some of the finest vineyards covering the volcanic slopes of the Kaiserstuhl hills. The focus is on traditionally French varieties, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris, all made with fantastic complexity that is very much suited to food pairing as well as cellar ageing.

2016 DRINK 2019 - 2028

6x75 £147 On the nose polished red fruit: sour cherry, currant, some white pepper and blackthorn. Fine tannin on the palate, clean clear cherry fruit, attractive acidity, medium body. Fine Spätburgunder, which prepares a lot of drinking fun.

—FALSTAFF

FALSTAFF 90

Those people – and there are quite a few – who purport not to like sweet wines or who at first glance find German labels incomprehensible are missing out on one of the joys of wine.

—MICHAEL BROADBENT’S VINTAGE WINE BOOK

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WINE CATALOGUE

GERMANY AHR & BADEN

JECHTINGER ORTSWEIN WEISSBURGUNDER BERCHER 2018 DRINK 2020+ 6x75 £69.61 This Pinot Blanc is fantastic and really demonstrates Bercher’s quality. 2018 was a warmer vintage but as ever Arne Bercher manages his picking schedule with textbook precision. Ensuring great freshness despite the more opulent vintage. The volcanic soils around Jechting are on display here with a crackling minerality and zippy-ness. Fresh apricots on the nose, with light almond tones. The bitter almond continues on the palate, beautiful fruit and an elegant finish. The quality of his village outlines Bercher’s consistency up the range. We implore our clients to try these – excellent value.

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MOSEL GERMANY

Mosel At the turn of the 19th century the wines of the Mosel were prized as greatly as the best of Burgundy but have since fallen out of fashion.

The best news for wine collectors is that you can buy some of the great white wines in the world for a fraction of their Burgundian counterparts.

From driest to sweetest, they are - Trocken, Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, and Trockenbeerenauslese - and in essence, therein lies the differences in style.

The vineyards are on the banks of the Mosel river that gives its name to the region and are amongst some of the steepest in the world, harvested entirely by hardy pickers and often Mosel using small trains or conveyor belts to carry the grapes to the bottom of the hill. Bremmer Calmont is seen as the steepest vineyard in the world. The Riesling grape is extremely susceptible to soil, aspect and weather, so depending upon the vineyard the style can vary dramatically.

Wurzgarten (spice garden) is a red clay vineyard that provides spicy, intense red apple flavoured wines, while Sonnenuhr (sundial) barely a mile away is on blue flint that makes wines of pure, ethereal, floral and green apple flavoured wines.

The wines from the Mosel Valley are produced almost solely from Riesling. They are fine, mineral, light yet complex, intense and age worthy. They suggest flavours variously of citrus, green apple, peach, floral elements, flint and even honey and petrol as they age. Above all, the wines are incredibly elegant. Increasingly popular are the dry wines produced, but even when there is sweetness, it is offset by perfect balance of acidity.

Some of the greatest version of the grape come from the Mosel, names such as Loosen, JJ Prüm, Markus Molitor amongst others are known for ageing and intensity. In 1984, at the tender age of 20, Markus Molitor took over his father’s winery with a clear aim: to produce Mosel Rieslings under the name “Molitor” in the tradition of eight generations and in the same quality that made the region world-famous a hundred years ago – terroir-specific, unmistakeable, and extremely storable. Wines

by Markus Molitor demonstrate the potential of the Mosel terroir – structure and depth of flavour combined with freshness and elegance.

The winery is based at the centre of the Wehlener Klosterberg site and cultivates vineyards in 15 different sites, each of which is unique.

Malcolm Willatts

CLASSIC GRAPE VARIETALS Riesling

SOIL TYPE

FAVOURITE PRODUCERS JJ Prüm, Markus Molitor, Loosen, Haag and Haart

9000ha

Slate

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AREA UNDER VINE

WINE CATALOGUE

GERMANY MOSEL

RECIPE

Buttermilk and Oat Chicken Schnitzel INGREDIENTS

METHOD

• 4 chicken breasts, skinned and boneless (about 450 g in weight)

1. Place the chicken breasts on a chopping board and bash them with a meat mallet or the end of a rolling pin until they are around 5 mm thick. Put the chicken into a shallow dish. Mix the garlic, sweet paprika, marjoram, buttermilk and mustard together in a jug, then pour this mixture over the chicken. Mix everything together with your hands (or turn over with a fork), until evenly coated, then cover with clingfilm and leave to marinate in the fridge for a couple of hours (up to 24).

• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed • 2 teaspoons sweet paprika • 2 teaspoons dried marjoram • 200 ml buttermilk • 3 tablespoons mild sweet mustard • 50 g porridge oats • 50 g ground almonds • ¼ teaspoon baking powder • 50 g plain flour • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt • Sunflower oil, for frying

2. Take the chicken out of the fridge half an hour before you want to eat, to allow it acclimatize. Mix the oats, almonds, baking powder, flour and salt together in a shallow dish.

3. Heat 1 cm of sunflower oil in a large frying pan – this may sound like a lot, but Schnitzel need to be cooked in deep oil. Place each piece of chicken in the flour mixture, turning gently to ensure they are completely coated. Once the oil is hot, put the pieces of chicken into the frying pan and fry for 3 minutes on each side, until golden brown all over. Although they should be done in this time, it is always good to check that the chicken is cooked all the way through.

4. Drain on kitchen paper and serve alongside a green salad.

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MOSEL GERMANY

GRAACHER HIMMELREICH RIESLING KABINETT

MEET THE GROWER

J.J. Prüm

JOHANN JOSEF PRÜM 2019

We are extremely proud to be one of the agents for Joh. Jos. Prüm in the UK. This Mosel producer is one of the very best in the world, regardless of grape variety. J.J. Prüm are renowned for making beautifully mineral, filigreetextured, and incredibly age-worthy Rieslings from their wonderful schist soils. Their vineyards are focused on around the villages of Wehlener, Zeltinger, Graacher and Bernkastel – pilgrimage sites for wine lovers the world over. Perched precariously above the banks of the beautiful, meandering Mosel river largely on slate soils, the grapes maintain wonderful freshness, elegance and understated power. A trip to the region in May is heavenly – much recommended.

DRINK 2021 - 2038 6x75 £98 Bright, apple orchard fruit on the nose. Gorgeous minerality, it is elegant precise with zesty fruit and crisp acidity. It has great balance and direction – bravo!

Manfred Prüm spent 50 years in charge of the estate, building the family reputation, before passing the baton to his daughter, Dr. Katharina Prüm, about 10 years ago. Katharina is the 4th Generation custodian of this lovely 33-hectare estate. Simon Cox MW, founder of Farthinghoe, knew Manfred back in the 1980s. Nearly twenty years ago Alex, Simon’s son and current Managing Director, tasted with Manfred in Prüm’s very traditionally styled living/tasting room, overlooking the steep vineyards just across the Mosel river. It is safe to say Farthinghoe continues its long association with the great estate, and with Katharina.

Katharina’s approach to her wines is simple, all the work happens in the vineyards, yields are kept low, and a focus on the perfect terroir. The wines age effortlessly and gracefully for many decades without losing any freshness and without ever being overbearing, even at the lighter end of the spectrum – quite amazing!

As I’m sure you know, these all have an element of sweetness or ‘fruitiness’ as it’s sometimes referred to locally, with Kabinett being at the driest end of the spectrum and wonderfully light, through Spätlese to Auslese, and then finally the magical Goldkapsel.

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WINE CATALOGUE

GERMANY MOSEL

WEHLENER SONNENUHR RIESLING AUSLESE, GOLDKAPSEL JOHANN JOSEF PRÜM

ZELTINGER SONNENUHR RIESLING SPÄTLESE

2019 DRINK 2023 - 2048

JOHANN JOSEF PRÜM

6x75 £348

2019

This is world-class, striking a pure, precise example of perfect balance. Flinty lemon zest opens proceedings, before leading to baked apple, ripe honeydew melon, baking spice, melted butter, honey all the while keeping everything fresh with honeysuckle, cut grass, and flinty, saline minerality.

There is a charming white pepper twist that gives a multi-dimensional feel. There is an incredible amount of effortless power that floats across your palate. This is an incredible sweet wine with years ahead of it, its ripe fruit a perfect foil to the texture, elegance, and precision.

DRINK 2023 - 2048 6x75 £115 Really edgy minerality here. There’s more zest and bight but perhaps less salinity than in Graach – the village style coming through. It feels effortless in its concentration with real tension and powerful acidity to balance the beautiful acidity.

This estate…scarcely needs much introduction to Riesling lovers, having already become a Mosel icon during the nearly five decades.

—VINOUS

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MOSEL GERMANY

ZELTINGER SONNENUHR RIESLING SPÄTLESE, WHITE CAPSULE

MEET THE GROWER

Markus Molitor

MARKUS MOLITOR 2016

MOSEL

DRINK 2018 - 2027

Eight generations of family Molitor have been crafting wines on these amazingly steep Mosel vineyards, many with inclinations of 80%! Markus is the current custodian, having taken over from his father in 1984 at the age of 20. He has earnt some fabulous Parker points over the years with his dedication to learning from the past and bringing out the terroir of every inch of his holdings.

6x75 £115 The nose is crisp and precise, an apple basket with Granny Smith and Pink Ladies. The body of the wine is ripe and luscious with great structure – can mature if desired - stone fruits and more prominent red apple on the palate. There’s superb concentration and length here. With 95 Parker points and only 11% abv, hands down one of the world’s best white wines.

He makes over 70 different wines on his 22 hectares, so the choice is never an easy one, but we have selected out those that we think offer diverse drinking and most importantly, some extraordinary value for money. All reflect the various different types of slate in which they grow, and which give the wines their identity.

Also of major appeal is that these wines are low in alcohol, making them perfect for drinking at any time.

WA 95 POINTS

I happen to like German wines…

Quality German wines have two advantages for the consumer. First, price. Second, of all major classic wines of Europe these are, in my opinion, the easiest to enjoy.

—MICHAEL BROADBENT’S VINTAGE WINE BOOK

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WINE CATALOGUE

GERMANY MOSEL

ZELTINGER SONNENUHR RIESLING SPÄTLESE GOLDKAPSEL MARKUS MOLITOR 2015 DRINK 2025 – 2050 6x75 £192 The 2015 Riesling Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Spätlese (Golden Capsule) displays the herbal bouquet of the Kabinett but is certainly more deep, concentrated and complex. The wine has great finesse on the palate, and its crystalline acidity and lingering salinity carry the perfectly ripe and lush fruit to a long, vibrating and mouth-watering finish. This Spätlese is highly finessed and complex and—along with the 2015 Scharzhofberger—probably the finest Spätlese I have tasted from the vintage.

—STEPHEN REINHARDT

WA 96-97 POINTS

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NEW WORLD CALIFORNIA

California A long and impressive heritage of winemaking exists in the USA, dating back 300 years to the arrival of the Spanish. Where Spanish colonists went, the duology of olives and grapes followed, establishing a strong tradition of winemaking throughout the West. 90% of wines produced are from California, Oregon and Washington, but wine is in fact made in all 50 states. Since 1978, areas are specified as AVA (American Viticultural Area) and, as in France with Appellation d’Origine Contrôllée, this is a means to ensure quality control and to establish global reputations.

of things was upturned during the blind tasting – as journalist George Taber wrote at the time, “As they swirled, sniffed, sipped and spat, some judges were instantly able to separate an imported upstart from an aristocrat. More often, the panel was confused. “Ah, back to France!” exclaimed [one judge] after sipping a 1972 Chardonnay from the Napa Valley. “That is definitely California. It has no nose,” said another judge—after downing a Batard Montrachet ’73.” The wins led to heavy investment in California winery, and the robust industry we see today.

California remains the pinnacle of American wine growing, with wine regions stretching from south of Santa Barbara up to Mendocino, and vast swaths of vineyards in the Central Valley (largely producing unremarkable table wine, though if you look hard you can find some real gems). The stars remain Sonoma and Napa, with the Santa Cruz Mountains, Sta Rita Hills, and Paso Robles quickly gaining ground.

Sadly for us, much of their top wine remains in California, due to both strong domestic demand and limited supply. However, we are very fortunate to have access to some of them. These include Harlan Estate in Napa - their “Proprietary Red” is legendary and very sought after; and Snowden in Napa, who make Cabernet which is out of this world. Paul Draper’s Ridge wines are an honour to work with. Although famous for his Zinfandels, he also makes a wonderful Bordeauxstyle premium red, Monte Bello, and a fabulous, smoky Chardonnay, along with magnificent Merlot and Petite Sirah.

The famous Judgment of Paris of 1976 put California fine wines on the map for European buyers, as California wine after California wine took top marks during an era when New World wines were routinely ignored. The normal order

Robyn Potts

NAPA VALLEY

CLASSIC GRAPE VARIETALS Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Merlot, Zinfandel.

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FAVOURITE PRODUCERS Ridge, Stag’s Leap, Opus One, Montelena, Dominus, Screaming Eagle and Harlan.

WINE CATALOGUE

AREA UNDER VINE

17,400ha

NEW WORLD

MEET THE GROWER

Ridge Vineyards

CALIFORNIA

Ridge, and specifically Monte Bello, is a true icon of world Fine Wine.

At around £30 per bottle, both the Geyserville and Lytton Springs offer extremely good bang for buck with all the pedigree of this wonderful estate. In the words of William Kelley, Ridge has always been deliberately in the model of “pre-industrial” Bordeaux. He went on to say it is “an American first growth …This is a wine that’s invariably structured around firm, chalky tannins and balanced by bright acids. …That means it starts out life quite tight-knit and taut, but it’s beautifully vibrant and delineated at maturity. And maturity takes time: classic vintages are dependably better at age 20 than at age ten.” Lytton Springs is more Bordeaux-like, while Geyserville can have more Pinot like characteristics, yet both are delicious.

MONTE BELLO RIDGE VINEYARDS 2018 DRINK 2022-2038 6x75 £882 The 2018 Monte Bello is supremely elegant and sublime. I can’t remember a young Monte Bello with this much pure finesse. Perfumed floral and spice notes and silky tannins give the 2018 a feel of total refinement. Today, the 2018 comes across as medium in body, and a wine that will age on its superb balance, rather than size or structure. I can’t wait to taste it in a bit more finished form.

VINOUS 93-96

—ANTONIO GALLONI

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NEW WORLD

One of the most reliably outstanding Cabernet Sauvignon blends in the world.

CALIFORNIA

—WILLIAM KELLEY

VINOUS 94

VINOUS 92+

LYTTON SPRINGS

GEYSERVILLE

RIDGE VINEYARDS

RIDGE VINEYARDS

2017

2017

DRINK 2020 - 2030

DRINK 2020 - 2030

12x75 £360

12x75 £360

Ridge’s 2017 Lytton Springs opens up beautifully, with bright acids that drive a whole range of red/purplish fruit intermingled with floral notes. Creamy and ample in feel, the 2017 boasts superb balance and pedigree. Readers lucky enough to own it should plan on cellaring it for at least a few years.

The 2017 Zinfandel Geyserville exudes energy, but it is also very tight and closed in on itself.

Time in the glass helps the wine open up, but only to a limited extent. Pretty scents of leather, savory herbs, spice and earthiness hint at what is to come. Readers should plan on being patient, but Ridge lovers know that. In most years, Geyserville starts hitting its stride around age ten.

—ANTONIO GALLONI

—ANTONIO GALLONI

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WINE CATALOGUE

NEW WORLD CALIFORNIA

TRAVEL TIPS

Northern California From San Francisco, head north. Feeling outdoorsy? Hike among the redwoods at Muir Woods on your way to Stinson Beach or the Point Reyes seashore. Eager to get straight to the wine? You have so many choices – head straight up 101 to the incredibly charming town of Healdsburg and stay amidst the pristine gardens of the historic Madrona Manor. From Healdsburg, you’re well placed to explore the Sonoma Valley. Pick up a picnic lunch of the very best sandwiches at the Glen Ellen Village Market before going on to your favourite winery.

Vineyards just outside Cupertino - to taste the best of the Santa Cruz Mountains. You might follow that with a night in Carmel by the Sea, then a drive down Highway 1 (classic views and food from Nepenthe Restaurant or the Big Sur Bakery) before crossing back inland to Paso Robles. I can personally vouch for tastings at Halter Ranch in the region’s Adelaide district – don’t miss the tour of the vineyard in the classic Land Rover, for a taste of England in the golden hills of California.

Robyn Potts

Exploring Napa? Start at the Oxbow Public Market (particular favourites are the Hog Island Oyster Bar, the Fatted Calf, and the Model Bakery) before driving north to Stag’s Leap. Or hire a private car, perhaps, and stop it at more! You can’t go wrong eating in this area, from the established giants of the area (Mustards Grill, The French Laundry) to your local taqueria.

Don’t forget to head south of San Francisco as well, to one of our favourite wineries - Ridge

Notable places MADRONA MANOR

OXBOW PUBLIC MARKET

1001 Westside Road, Healdsburg, CA, 95448

610 + 644 First Street, Napa, CA, 94559

www.madronamanor.com

oxbowpublicmarket.com

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NEW WORLD SOUTH AMERICA

South America This continent has been planted with Vitis Vinifera since the conquistadors arrived and needed wine for their missionaries and troops.

Quite gruesome was Cortes’ order that colonists should plant 1,000 vines for every 100 dead indigenous people. ‘Pais,’ or what in Califormia is tellingly called ‘Mission,’ is a grape variety widespread across the continent, still making up a third of its production today. In the modern era though it is French (or ‘international’ as they are often described) varieties that have pushed the boundaries of quality.

The two top producing countries are Argentina and Chile, with producing regions spanning a wide array of latitudes and where the Andes mountain range plays a key role.

On the equivalent latitudes to Beirut in the northern hemisphere, Mendoza, Argentina and Chile’s Central Valley make use of the altitude and the cool nights it brings – highly important in developing aromatic complexity.

Until the 1980s most production was of bulk commercial volume. The Argentinian cultural approach to wine was and is much like that of Spain and Italy. More recently though, quantity has dropped and quality has increased as smaller growers produce artisan wines. In Argentina one of the key ingredients has been the rise of Malbec – a grape allowed in Bordeaux and found more regularly in Cahors. Few have done more for Malbec’s rise than Nicolas Catena.

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Through painstaking research and across many vintages he identified which Malbec clones were best suited for the varied microclimates of Mendoza. In the Andes’ rain-shadow, Mendoza relies on irrigation from snowmelt to provide enough water for the grapes. We are keen followers of the joint venture between Catena and Baron de Rothschilds (Lafite), Bodegas Caro.

Just a 50-minute flight across the Andes to Santiago and Chile’s Central Valley one finds a much wetter climate. Pinned between cold mountains (the Andes) and a cold Pacific current (the Humboldt) there is a huge array of microclimates here with varying degrees of temperature and rainfall to accommodate a large variety of wine-styles.

The viticultural zone here is bordered by the Atacama Desert in the north, and the wetter southern area of Bio Bio. Further south rainfall is deemed too high and sunlight too low. Grapes grown in Chile are mostly French. Vina Errazuriz produce high quality wines for everyday drinking and some excellent wines at the premium end. Its owner is Eduardo Chadwick (Decanters’ Man of the Year 2018) who also oversees Chile’s ‘icon’ wines – Vinedo Chadwick and Sena – both of which command high global release prices as investment wines.

Almaviva, a Rothschild (Mouton) and Concha y Toro joint venture is another key quality producer.

Tom Meade

CLASSIC GRAPE VARIETALS

FAVOURITE PRODUCERS

Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon

Amancaya, Catena, Sena, Trapiche and Cheval des Andes

WINE CATALOGUE

NEW WORLD

CARO BODEGAS CARO, MENDOZA 2016

SOUTH AMERICA

DRINK 2020-2034 6x75 £175 A modest 13.5%. Rich dark damson plum, raspberry, fig and dark chocolate undertones. Palate has silky smooth tannins but lovely volume of dark berry fruit, with a cassis underscore; good fruit intensity and a clean pure finish.

This very stylish but laidback wine needs at least a few more years in bottle to unwind …. This joint project of Lafite-Rothschild and Nicolas Catena is distinctly claret-like in 2016.

—VINOUS

MEET THE GROWER

Bodegas Caro MENDOZA Caro is a joint venture between two great wine families: Catena and Rothschild (hence the name). The blend here is usually 80% Cabernet and 20% Malbec. The wine is aged in 60% new French oak for 18 months, which are coopered at Château Lafite. I have bought this since its first release in 2000 and am a huge fan. Instantly appealing as soon as the cork is pulled. Dense, dark, lush and mouth-filling, this is seductive and full of pleasure. Very much reflects its breeding, heritage and place.

Its sister wine, Amancaya, is also well worth trying - being earlier drinking and usually 80% Malbec and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon.

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NEW WORLD

FOSIL CHARDONNAY ZUCCARDI 2016 DRINK 2020- 2029

SOUTH AMERICA

6x75 £205 A Chardonnay from San Pablo, Uco Valley, made with direct pressing and fermented with native yeasts in concrete eggs and 500 liters French barrels with no must. A yellowy-green in the glass, the nose contains aromas of country herbs, resin, apple, pears, peas and a hint of cardamom. Complex and intriguing, the 2019 Fósil Zuccardi has a powerful texture in the mouth and sustained flavor with heightened but contained freshness that comes in with a kick at the end. This white, Sebastian Zuccardi’s best, is influenced by the wines of Burgundy.

MEET THE GROWER

Zuccardi MENDOZA

—JOAQUIN HIDALGO

Sebastian Zuccardi is overseeing a revolution at his family winery in Mendoza, Argentina. A revolution in quality. They completed their fantastic new winery a few years ago, made from concrete and materials from their Piedra Infinita site. The latest proof of Zuccardi’s soaring quality – if more was needed after some recent 100-point efforts for his fanatstic Malbec’s – is the stunningly poised flagship Chardonnay, Fosil 2019, released in 2020 with a 95 point score.

The Estate’s wines are now some of the finest being made in Argentina today, in no small part thanks to Sebastian Zuccardi’s drive and terroir-led vision. They own sites in the Uco Valley with two of the highest and best vineyards: Gualtallary and San Pablo. For their winemaking in pursuit of terroir led results, they ferment in concrete and eggs and age in used foudres and concrete. The results are obvious for all to see.

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WINE CATALOGUE

VINOUS 95 POINTS

NEW WORLD SOUTH AMERICA

The Zuccardi wines I tasted in April were consistently superb and the etsate’s top wines are among the finest being made in Argentina today.

—STEPHEN TANZER

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NEW WORLD NEW ZEALAND AND AUSTRALIA

New Zealand and Australia We at Farthinghoe are only just beginning our wine relationship with Australia.

A hugely important player in the world of wine, and a place I was lucky enough to live in for almost 3 years in the early 90s. Huge players like Penfolds, part of Treasury wine estates, Yalumba, and McGuigan ensure a ready volume of great drinking wine for the world, and equally, of course there are a multitude of small estates turning out some exceptional juice.

I visited the Yarra valley north of Melbourne in February 2018, and if you are heading to Melbourne, I recommend wholeheartedly heading there yourselves. It takes about an hour to get there. I tasted at five wineries, the best of which was the impressive Giant Steps. Owned and run by Phil Sexton, who founded Devils Lair over in Margaret River, this boutique operation produces some amazing mineral Chardonnays, so far removed from the oily, rich Ozzie chardonnays of old, and pure, expressive Pinot Noir. I assure you, you will enjoy their easy engaging style and effortless drinkability. These wines are really very good indeed. For a very comprehensive commentary on the Australian wine scene, have a look at Matthew Jukes’ 100 Best Australian Wines.

New Zealand is home to bountiful wines, and we are buyers of many of them, including Cloudy Bay, Felton Road, and the mighty and ever increasingly respected Akitu in Central

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Otago - a winery we have been working with since it was founded in 2002. These constitute a large part of my own cellar. Situated in the South Island of New Zealand, Central Otago’s dramatic vineyard-scape is the world’s most southern, and the country’s highest. Climate is semi-continental with frosts often occurring, high sunshine hours averaging 1,973 per annum, tempered by cool nights, making for a harsh environment for vines, so site selection is critical. Pinot Noir is king here, occupying 1,484 hectares, followed by Pinot Gris at 226 hectares, Riesling at 86 hectares and Chardonnay with 52 hectares. Sauvignon makes a cameo appearance with 45 hectares, in stark contrast to Marlborough in the north of the South Island where it rules. “Central,” as it is known, is responsible for only 2.4% of total New Zealand wine production, but WOW – the Pinot is good!

Akitu, whose first vintage came in 2012, has been a complete pleasure to work with, and I am so thrilled with how well it has gone down. The 2016 vintage saw it become the first NZ red to win 3 trophies at the International Wine Challenge 2018, sweeping the board for “Best New Zealand Red”, “Best Central Otago and Wanaka Pinot Noir” and “Vest New Zealand Pinot Noir”. Do enjoy its outrageous drinkability, and I will look forward to hearing your comments.v

Julian Chamberlen

WINE CATALOGUE

NEW WORLD

MEET THE GROWER

Akitu CENTRAL OTAGO

NEW ZEALAND AND AUSTRALIA

Akitu is a wine we know very well, having worked with it since its inaugural vintage in 2012. With each year that passes it seems to ascend new heights, and I urge you to experience it! It is owned by a good mate of mine, whose commitment to the cause and love of wine is second to none. The meaning of Akitu in Maori is “summit,” and I think this is a very apposite reference to what is clearly one of the greatest wines to come out of this island.

Uniquely the A1 Pinot 2016 won all three red wine medals awarded in New Zealand, yet owner Andrew Donaldson remains very modest, and with PJ his winemaker, is simply determined to keep on pushing for even greater heights. This year sees the release of a truly seductive and rare Pinot Noir Blanc.

Extraordinary texture and charm. The A1 Pinot is aged 10 months in 24% new French oak, giving a gorgeous texture, and in the glass it positively brims with health and vitality. The nose is complex and engaging, yielding black cherry, raspberry, spice, and a tiny hint of vanilla pod. I have to say, the first tasting I had of it I was sure I was in Chambolle-Musigny!

It is incredibly more-ish and the fresh acidity that underpins the perfectly ripe fruit means it is a natural with food and equally pretty damn easy to drink without - you don’t even have to remember your corkscrew as it is under Stelvin! It’s an honour to offer these extraordinary wines.

WA 93 POINTS

PINOT NOIR BLANC AKITU, CENTRAL OTAGO 2019 DRINK 2020 - 2025 6x75 £149.61 Refined aromatics showing light berry sorbet lift and subtle dried herb notes. A mineral and slatey, floral perfume adding aromatic perfume and complexity.

Abundant entry with texture and depth of flavour flowing to a refined and focused finish. Lacy acidity providing structure and persistence.

—PJ CHARTERIS

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NEW WORLD

A1 PINOT NOIR AKITU, CENTRAL OTAGO 2017

Giant Steps

DRINK 2020 - 2030

YARRA VALLEY

NEW ZEALAND AND AUSTRALIA

6x75 £165.61 Vivid raspberry red colour. A dark cherry, strawberry spice, and raspberry nose - mid weight on the palate with a lovely fresh-ness, hint of clove and ripe healthy fruit, supple tannins leading to a clean and long finish. There is good acidity here too. To me it resembles 2015 but with a little more structure.

Akitu - three entries, three gold, eight trophies.

—IWC

WA 93 POINTS

MEET THE GROWER

I visited this impressive estate in the Yarra valley north of Melbourne in February 2018 and was struck by how superb the wines were. Phil Sexton of Devil’s Lair founded the estate in 1997 after looking for just this climate of cool nights and sufficient rainfall to produce Chardonnay and Pinot Noir of precision and finesse, and since then has been absolutely nailing it. The wines are fabulous, and from the estate Pinot Noir upwards you will be thrilled with them. Steve Flamstead is the winemaker and is well deserving of over 100 gold medals he has won in the last 17 years. Production is very small, with many cuvées numbering only a few hundred cases.

The Yarra Pinot displays perfumed cherry alongside spicy, bitter orange notes and warming mocha and cocoa. It has vibrant red and blue fruits and a lovely underlying earthiness, with white mushrooms, truffles, savoury spice, and forest floor characters. An elegant wine with breadth, structure, and a long, luscious finish. Screw top too for easy access!

KEY FACTS

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KEY GRAPES

KEY PRODUCERS

Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Riesling and Pinot Noir

Penfold’s, Leeuwin, Rolf Binder, Giant Steps, Akitu, Kumeu River and Felton Road

WINE CATALOGUE

PINOT NOIR

PINOT NOIR, APPLEJACK VINEYARD

2018

GIANT STEPS, YARRA VALLEY 2017 DRINK 2020 - 2030

6x75 £112 Deliciously juicy dark cherry fruit on the nose. A lovely healthy colour, some violet and spice too. The palate is medium weight, raspberry, earthy, super smooth and with a lovely acidity in support of the fruit. Lip-smacking and quite delicious.

6x75 £181.61 Medium to light red/purple hue, the aroma fusty, earthy, forest floor, a note of oak and a touch of humus. Very rich and ripe, almost opulent flavour with charming fruit sweetness and a succulent core. A delicious wine.

—HUON HOOKE

WA 89 POINTS

HH 95 POINTS

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NEW ZEALAND AND AUSTRALIA

DRINK 2020 - 2026

NEW WORLD

GIANT STEPS, YARRA VALLEY

NEW WORLD SOUTH AFRICA

South Africa South Africa has a very long history of winemaking, dating back to 1659, so it follows that they know a thing or two about the mighty vine. Approximately 110,000 hectares are under vine, which equates to around 2% of the world’s vineyards. Most of the best wine is made in and around the Cape, with quality regions being Stellenbosch, Constantia and Paarl.

Stellenbosch is perhaps the most famous region outside of South Africa, with a focus on red wines, primarily Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux blends. You can find Farthinghoe favourite, Glenelly, tucked into the hills here. The French influence descends from the Huguenot colonists arrival in the 1690s, and Stellenbosch is now home to 1/5th of South Africa’s grape vines.

In Constantia, you have the excellent Klein Constantia, who produce a divine sweet wine, Vin de Constance, which is lovingly referred to as the “Yquem of the New World.” Klein Constantia as an estate has been about since the 17th century and has been making dessert wines since its purchase

by Hendrik Cloete in 1778 – not a bad pedigree!

The main focus in the region is on Bordeaux blends and Sauvignon Blanc, alongside the sweet wines based on Muscat Blanc.

To the east, the marginally cooler area of Walker Bay produces some good Burgundian influence Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc. The maritime influence tempers the heat, and allows for a different style than seen in the rest of the Cape. For a wonderful Walker Bay Pinot, we like Hamilton Russell.

Julian Chamberlen

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WINE CATALOGUE

Stellenbosch within South Africa

NEW WORLD

RECIPE

SOUTH AFRICA

Grilled Farmer Sausage with Pepper Relish FOR THE SAUSAGES

METHOD

• 8 boerewors or another spiced beef or pork grilling sausage (about 2 1/4 lb.)

1. Prepare the sausages: On a large plate, rub the sausages with the oil. Let rest to dry out the casings slightly (this allows for a snappier texture once cooked), 30 minutes.

• 1 tbsp. olive oil • 8 hot dog buns, toasted if desired

FOR THE CHAKALAKA • 3 tbsp. olive oil • 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped (2 cups) • Salt • 1 each green, red, and yellow bell pepper, finely chopped (4 1/2 cups total) • 2 tbsp. mild curry powder • 2 green bird’s-eye chiles, minced (1 Tbsp.)

• 2 large garlic cloves, minced • One 2-inch piece ginger, peeled and grated (2 Tbsp.)

2. Meanwhile, make the chakalaka: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and season with salt; cook, stirring, until translucent, 10 minutes. Stir in the bell peppers, curry powder, chiles, garlic, and half of the ginger; cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add the carrots, season with salt, and stir. Add the tomatoes and their juices, 1 cup water, and the tomato paste, stirring to combine. Lower the heat to medium and simmer until the vegetables have softened and the mixture has thickened slightly, about 15 minutes. Remove and stir in the thyme, the remaining ginger, and salt and pepper to taste.

• 5 large carrots, scrubbed and coarsely grated (4 cups)

3. Preheat the grill to medium heat. Add the sausages and cook, turning occasionally, until browned and no longer pink in the centers, 12–15 minutes (check sausages in one place to avoid juices escaping).

• 1 3⁄4 cups canned diced tomatoes and their juices (14 oz.)

4. Place each sausage in a bun. Top with chakalaka and serve.

• 2 tbsp. tomato paste • Leaves from 2 thyme sprigs • Freshly ground black pepper

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NEW WORLD SOUTH AFRICA

MEET THE GROWER

Glenelly STELLENBOSCH We are really very pleased to work with Glenelly Estate, which was founded in 2003 on the lower slopes of the Simonsberg mountain

by May de Lencquesaing, having sold her beloved Pichon Lalande. She saw in the land an opportunity to bring her expertise and passion to this blessed soil and the results are really excellent. The flagship red, Lady May, is a homage to her previous life, and alongside this are made a superb range of French varietals beginning with the Glass Collection and moving up to the Reserve wines. The reserve Chardonnay is a wonderful place to start with those. We have hosted a couple of Glenelly dinners, and another one ahead in October.

Fun is assured!

SOUTH AFRICA

FAVOURITE PRODUCERS Glenelly, Klein Constantia

CLASSIC GRAPE VARIETALS Chenin Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Pinotage (indigenous), Merlot

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WINE CATALOGUE

AREA UNDER VINE

92,000ha

NEW WORLD SOUTH AFRICA

As someone privileged with more than his fair share of rare and expensive Grand Cru Burgundy and First Growths, I can unhesitatingly state that the best of South Africa punches at the same weight.

—NEAL MARTIN

GLENELLY LADY MAY CABERNET SAUVIGNON

GLENELLY ESTATE RESERVE CHARDONNAY

GLENELLY

GLENELLY

2012

2019

DRINK 2019 - 2032

DRINK 2020 - 2026

6x75 £145.61

6x75 £75.61

This flagship wine from May de Lanquesaing, previously of Pichon Lalande, is exceptional. Smooth and sculpted blackcurrant fruit with superfine tannins achieved by 24 months of gentle ageing in French oak barrels. It is delightfully more-ish and demonstrates a deep understanding of this majestic grape.

The reserve Chardonnay has a wonderful smoky buttery texture, with a fine mineral lift in support. if you like your white Burgundies, give this a whirl at a very modest price too.

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GLASSWARE

The Finest Stemware Thinking about it logically, one can commit a lot of money, time and passion buying great wine, storing it perfectly, decanting it and, in the final hour of its long life, losing 50% of the aromatic beauty and taste sensation by using mediocre glasses – a disappointing end to such a promising and invested enterprise!

decanting a wine ensures that the sediment stays in the bottle and you get a beautifully bright wine in the decanter, and subsequently in your glass. Just as one loses the angel’s share with whisky, one should always sacrifice that final half glass of dirty wine at the bottom of the bottle.

STEMWARE… To help one avoid this terrible error, Farthinghoe has teamed up with Zalto, whose tag word ‘Glasperfektion’, sums it up for us. It’s so easy to overlook the importance of good glasses but it makes such a huge difference.

They accentuate all the wine’s characteristics, creating greater intrigue on the nose and pleasure in the mouth. Zalto glasses are incredibly thin, elegant and light and just beautiful to handle – the stems actually flex as you swirl!

Despite their elegance, they are 100% dishwasher proof and being leadfree, remain absolutely clear and bright, despite almost daily use.

A more everyday reason to decant is to aerate the wine and I feel most wines benefit from being decanted, and it looks so much more stylish of course! Many young wines can be tight or closed on the nose or palate. As the wine is slowly poured from the bottle to the decanter it takes in oxygen, helping to open up and release those aromas and flavours. Highly tannic and full-bodied wines benefit most from this. If you don’t normally decant your wine, please do try it, you’ll be amazed at the difference.

As obliged as one may feel to use the wedding-gifted crystal-cut glasses sitting in the side-board, we would thoroughly recommend a small investment in some beautiful Zalto glasses. Designed and handcrafted to make your wines look, smell and taste at their very best, just begs the question….why wouldn’t you?

DECANTING….

Many of us associate decanting with older vintage Ports or aged Bordeaux – wines that throw off a lot of sediment as they age. Decanting separates the bright wine from the cloudy sediment, allowing it to look beautiful in the glass – one of the pleasures – but also separating the astringent characteristics of the tannins. Slowly and carefully

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WINE CATALOGUE

GLASSWARE

SWEET WINE/CHAMPAGNE £215 PER 6 GLASSES

For mature, vintage, complex, Domaine/Grower sparkling wines and dessert wines, tawny ports, and more.

Total volume

Height

Bowl

320ml

230mm

85mm

UNIVERSAL £220 PER 6 GLASSES

The best all-rounder for wine, especially complex white and when only one shape is required.

Total volume

Height

Bowl

Aperture

530ml

235mm

91mm

65mm

BORDEAUX £230 PER 6 GLASSES

Suitable for all red wine, often supported by tannin and extract as well as fullbodied white wine with gentle new oak influence.

Total volume

Height

Bowl

765ml

230mm

109mm

BURGUNDY £230 PER 6 GLASSES

For perfumed, elegant, generous red and white wines with depth and persistence.

Total volume

Height

Bowl

960ml

230mm

125mm

DECANTER MYSTIQUE £99 PER SINGLE DECANTER

For perfect aeration of wine, a modern take on a ships decanter. Easy to drain.

Total volume

Height

Width

1900ml

185mm

213mm

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STORAGE

Fine Wine Storage THE IMPORTANT BITS The challenges of 2020 have thrown into light some important aspects about the fine wine storage market and whether you, as a client, actually own your wine? If your wine merchant found themselves in trouble, is your wine ring-fenced and secure? At Farthinghoe, we have had a rigid structure in place with Octavian for nearly thirty years to ensure your wines are exactly that – ringfenced and securely in your name.

So if you choose not to store your wines exclusively with us at Octavian, you may well like to check our five-point check list below, which anyone with In Bond stock in the UK should be asking themselves. If one can’t tick all five answers to one’s total satisfaction, then perhaps Question #6 becomes pertinent.

The cellars at Octavian, Corsham

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WINE CATALOGUE

STORAGE

If not, your wines could be at risk. At Farthinghoe, we are one of the very few merchants in Octavian with a MultiOwner Account structure ensuring YOUR name and account number is on YOUR case of wine. The unique rotation number generated by Octavian is listed on YOUR stock holding report with Farthinghoe.

Do you hold legal title of all your wines held In Bond? How are your cases labelled in the Bond?

Insurance Premium costs usually reflect the level of cover you receive! At Octavian, if a case is lost or damaged, it’s either replaced or paid out at full market price, not your cost price — simple as that. Should that situation arise, we’ll make the arrangements for you...all part of the service.

Is your wine insured and how comprehensive is your cover?

Neither Farthinghoe Fine Wine Ltd, nor Octavian Bond PLC carry any debt at all. Very few wine merchants and their cellarage partners can claim that level of financial security, particularly during these tricky conditions.

How much debt does your merchant and their Bond carry?

In addition to immediate allocations on arrival of your stocks, very few merchants meticulously carry out constant and ongoing stock reconciliations of clients’ stock holdings with their Bonded facility. With client’s ongoing receipts, deliveries, shipments and sales, this is a further safety net to ensure stock management excellence.

How suitable is your warehouse for the long term storage of fine wines?

How often is your stock reconciled between your account with your merchant’s account and your Merchant’s Bond?

Many merchants in the UK offer excellent storage conditions for fine wine, which is why, ironically this is the fifth not first question on the list! If the temperature and humidity point is not a horizontal line at c. 13 degrees and 80% respectively, you may want to enquire why not?

Yes. Please get in touch with us about consolidating your stock with Farthinghoe at Octavian, Corsham cellars.

If you’re unsure about any of the questions above, should you be consolidating your stock with Farthinghoe at Octavian, Corsham cellars?

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For many of our clients these are prerequisites to ensure their investment and safekeeping of their cellar is assured for very many years to come. If any of these crucial questions can’t be answered to your absolute satisfaction though, you may just want to consider consolidating all your stock under one roof (or 130 feet underground…more to the point!) with us at Octavian Bond, Corsham.

Many clients from around the world have enjoyed a bespoke tour of the cellars with one of their hugely dedicated cellar managers (and you’ll see what we mean if you come and met one of them), with a chance to inspect your own stocks to ensure everything is absolutely as we’d expect. Coupled with a spot of lunch nearby, it’s a surprisingly rewarding and eye-opening experience, we can assure you.

As with most UK merchants, and in addition to all these Storage ‘Must-Haves’ above, the following services are part of your account holding with us at Farthinghoe. Again, if you’re not receiving these services, you may want to consider why not!

WORLDWIDE SHIPPING

DRINK DATE ADVICE

With our scheduled shipments to Hong Kong, Singapore and Sydney, and bespoke shipping services elsewhere, we can ensure your wine can get to you when you need it – be it in Europe, the U.S or elsewhere. If it’s possible to ship, we’ll do it!

We endeavour to produce a suggested drinking date for every case of wine on your stock report and send you a reminder when your wines need drinking up…nothing worse than seeing them go past their best.

STOCK MANAGEMENT AND RECONSOLIDATION

WINE TRADING AND ‘STOCK-SWAPS’

If you have stock coming in from another merchant, we can help liaise with that process, ensure it is received onto your account correctly and load it onto your stock holding report with us at Farthinghoe.

Through the Liv-Ex pricing and trading platform, we frequently analyse stock and make suggestion for trades or stock-swaps.

These are often wines we’ve identified to have performed to a certain criteria, seem intrinsically overpriced, and are worth trading out of, with a view to rotating proceeds into better wines for less money.

Unsurprisingly, these are extremely popular!

As much as we’d love to think we might be your only wine merchant, we’re realistic that you might just do a bit of shopping with some of the other fine wine merchants in the UK – indeed, they might be your preferred merchant and you do a little shopping with us from time to time!

Typically, we pass on the Octavian costs of receiving stock into your account and having it loaded onto your Farthinghoe stock holding report, the cost of which is £7.50 + VAT per case. If this all makes sense and you feel you’d like to consolidate all your stock held elsewhere on your Farthinghoe Account at Octavian please get in touch and we can start to get the ball rolling. It’s terribly straight forward and, as we’ve done many times before for others, we can look after virtually all of the process for you.

You may of course be part way through a rental period elsewhere, in which case we can make a diary note to contact you nearer the time.

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CELLARING

Cellaring and Serving Unfortunately for most, the idea of a traditional vaulted wine cellar is but a dream, a place beneath their kitchen or dining room to allow them to descend the stairs and oversee their carefully curated collection or pick a long-aged bottle ready to share with friends and family over a leisurely dinner.

For those that do not have ideal storage at home, the best way for long term storage is in our client reserves in Octavian, stored in perfect temperature, humidity, and semi darkness. If you want some of your wine close to hand, it is best to try to replicate those conditions as best you can place a rack in a cool dark room away from:

Frequent movement

Direct light

Avoid temperature fluctuations

Ideal storage temperature is around 10-14 °C or as close to this as possible

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Under-stairs cupboards can be useful options but beware of hot water pipes or other unexpected sources of heat. Kitchens have multiple sources of heat, such as dishwashers, ovens and hobs so can be a terrible place to store wines.

Otherwise, companies such as EuroCave (www.eurocave.co.uk) or Spiral Cellars (www.spiralcellars.co.uk) can help with home storage options.

For ideal serving, older wines should be stood up around 48 before serving to allow any sediment to settle and make pouring easier. Often fine white wines are poured too cold, and reds too. For example, a good white Burgundy is ideal with an hour in a fridge to cool it without chilling too much and muting the delicate nuanced flavours. If a red wine is too warm it can taste jammy and the alcohol more prominent, 15 minutes in a fridge can often help bring out the pretty and fresher aromatics.

With fine wines, often opening and tasting an hour before serving can allow them to breathe, if the flavours are still a touch closed, or tannins prominent, time in a decanter can help. Older or more delicate wines such as Burgundies can suffer if they are decanted too early. If there is heavy sediment, decanting 10 minutes before serving is often enough. After all, quite often a lot of the pleasure of a bottle of wine is enjoying as they develop and change in your glass while the bottle is gradually emptied.

WINE CATALOGUE

CELLARING

Build yourself and ample, spacious cellar, well-aired and enlivened by a goodly number of bottles, some standing up, others laying down, so you can cast a friendly eye on them…smirking to yourself at the thought of all those without songs, music.. and wine who, so they say, will live ten years longer than you.

—ITALIAN WINE LABEL

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CONTACTS

Meet the Farthinghoe Team Directors Alex Cox

Julian Chamberlen

Managing Director

Director

alex@farthinghoe.com +44 (0) 1295 81 66 36

julian@farthinghoe.com +44 (0) 1295 81 66 31

Client Sales Tom Meade

Malcolm Willatts

Sales

Sales

tom@farthinghoe.com +44 (0) 1295 81 66 41

malcolm@farthinghoe.com +44 (0) 1295 81 11 88

Charles Newman Sales charles@farthinghoe.com +44 (0) 1295 81 11 88

Sales Support Rebecca Adams

Amy Hazlewood

Client Trading and Broking

Sales Invoicing

rebecca@farthinghoe.com +44 (0) 1295 81 66 34

amy@farthinghoe.com +44 (0) 1295 81 66 32

Robyn Potts

Nicola Woodcock

Stock Control

PA

robyn@farthinghoe.com +44 (0) 1295 81 66 33

nicola@farthinghoe.com +44 (0) 1295 81 66 36

Andrew Pike

Lucy Riley

Logistics Coordinator

Administrator

andrew@farthinghoe.com +44 (0) 1295 81 66 38

amy@farthinghoe.com +44 (0) 1295 81 66 42

Accounts

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Bev Sharples

Hayley Finch

Client Accounts

Company Accountant

bev@farthinghoe.com +44 (0) 1295 81 66 35

hayley@farthinghoe.com +44 (0) 1295 81 66 37

WINE CATALOGUE

Pricing Our prices are all listed in bond.

Please see our Terms and Conditions of Sale at: www.farthinghoefinewine.com Wines Bought In Bond for Storage Invoices will not include duty and VAT and will be stored under Farthinghoe’s administrative account at Octavian Bond. We charge for storage at two rates based on case volume, up to, or over 4.5 litre, charged per annum with discounts available based on total volume stored. If you later decide to take delivery of your wines from Octavian Bond, duty and VAT at the prevailing government rates will be payable and delivery will be charged at Octavian’s delivery rates.

N.B. If you already use another bond, we can arrange to deliver there to your instructions. The charge for this service is £5 per case.

IB Wines Purchased for Delivery Should you wish to take delivery in mainland UK the following additional delivery costs will apply, including duty at the prevailing rate.

For orders over £300 duty paid ex vat delivery is free (excluding Highlands and Islands). Standard delivery cost to mainland UK (Mon-Fri during normal working hours) is £20, ex vat per delivery – for remote areas please request a quote. Should you wish for delivery or shipment elsewhere in the world, we would be delighted to offer you a quote.

FINE W INE LTD EST. 1975

CALL US ON

(+44) 01295 811 188

FARTHINGHOE FINE WINE LTD 21 Whittall Street, King’s Sutton, Banbury, Oxfordshire, OX17 3RD TEL (+44) 01295 811 188 FAX (+44) 01295 816 639 WEB www.farthinghoefinewine.com COMPANY NUMBER 01123744 VAT 121834494