A real good value for money Claret, with soft tannins and a lot of plum and blackcurrant jam flavours, hint of cinnamon on the finish.
£34.50
84
Château Haut Peyrous, Graves, 2009
Made by the famous Darroze family, this is a blend of five Bordeaux grape varieties. Whilst very much expressing its masculine terroir, this wine really showing well now with well integrated tannins and a complex palate
£49.50
85
Château Fonbel, Grand Cru Saint Emilion, 2008
Made by the owners of Chateau Ausone (the most famous St Emilion producer), this St Emilion delivers all is expected from this appellation: great ripe black fruit with delicious toasty characters and well integrated tannins
£59.00
86
Château Pibran, Pauillac, 2007/2008
Made by the wine making team of PichonLongueville, this wine has all the expected features of a Pauillac, masculine and powerful, yet, elegant. Packed with cassis, blackberry, and sandalwood. The tannins are full but velvety; the mineral finish has hints of mint.
£76.50
87
Château Manoir de Gay, Pomerol, 2005
The second wine of Chateau Le Gay one of the best Pomerol estate, situated next to Petrus. It’s dark, dark ruby in the glass with a bright nose of cherry and earth. The 100% Merlot shows on the palate and finish with a rich texture that lingers for an exceptionally long time
£105.00
88
Château Cantenac Brown, 3ème Grand Cru Classé, Margaux, 2007
For the connoisseurs, this wine needs no introduction, one of the stars of Margaux from one of the best vintages. With a little bit of time in a decanter, this wine will open up and will show all the class, complexity and depth associated with a top Margaux.
£155.00
Loire
89
Pinot Noir Gamay, Fleur de Printemps, Domaine de la Rochette, 2012
Sancerre Rouge « Vincengetorix » Domaine Vincent Gaudry, 2011 (Biodynamic)
Soft approachable Pinot Noir with juicy cherry characters, light dsuty tannins, good structure and long finish
£43.50
Château Haut Peyrous, Graves – Marc Darroze Château Haut Peyrous is located in the Graves appellation of Bordeaux and is owned by Marc Darroze. From a family of restaurateurs, Marc initially ventured into the field to source new Armagnacs for the lists in the Darroze’s various eateries, but in 2007 he decided to devote his time to viniculture, prompting the purchase of this estate.
Similarly to every project a member of the Darroze family has taken on (his father Francis’ restaurant is held in high regard across all of France, while his sister runs a restaurant in London which has been awarded two Michelin stars), Marc cultivates his vines in a search for perfection, aiming to produce wines of the utmost quality that contain personality and represent the region’s wonderful terroir.
Domaine Lardy, Beaujolais – Lucien Lardy Two years ago, on our way to Pierre Troigros’ iconic restaurant, we stopped in the picturesque village of Fleurie, in the Beaujolais region. We met Monsieur Lardy, the proud proprietor of Domaine Lardy who produces a sensational Fleurie “VieillesVignes” made with the indigenous Gamay grape variety. Far from being similar to the commercial and simple Beaujolais Nouveau, this Gamay based wine has a lot of structure, similar to its Pinot Noir neighbours. Yet, we found itvery approachable and soft, so much so that we decided to offer it by the glass.
Red
Bottle
Beaujolais and Burgundy
91
Fleurie Domaine Lardy, 2012
Soft, medium bodied with juicy raspberry and cherry characters, very light dusty tannins.
£34.50
92
ChoreyLes Beaune, Domaine Arnoux, 2011
Juicy cherry and dusty tannins dominate the palate. Good structure and slightly smoky finish.
£43.50
93
Volnay Vieilles Vignes, Domaine Henri Delagrange, 2011
A fantastic Pinot Noir from one of the rising stars in the Côtes de Beaune. Complex, generous, with velvety, morello cherry flavours.
£49.50
94
Chassagne Montrachet Domaine Jean Marc Pillot, 2008
Very unusual wine as ChassagneMontrachet is known for being an outstanding white wine from the Côte de Beaune. Full but mellow showing great cassis characters, well structured tannins and a long spicy finish
£59.50
95
Chambertin Grand Cru, Domaine Trapet, 2001 Biodynamic
Probably the one of most famous Grand Cru from Burgundy, a masterpiece in the Pinot Noir family. Domaine Trapet is one of the leading producers in the Cote de Nuits.
£190.00
South of France
96
Organic Merlot, Domaine Bassac, Languedoc,2011
Being certified Organic means that the grapes used to make this wine will have not received any chemical treatments whatsoever and will have been grown in the most natural way possible. The result is a very healthy wine with loads of plummy and chocolatey flavours, not too dry a finish.
£29.50
97
Crozes Hermitage « La Matiniere » Domaine Ferraton, Rhône, 2010
Dominated by Syrah, this Northern Rhône wine is packed with big but ripe tannins. Full bodied and bursting with juicy cherry and cassis flavours, long spicy finish
£44.50
98
Châteauneuf du Pape, Château La Nerthe, Rhône 2005, Organic
One of the most iconic estates in the appellation, oozes of class, structure and depth. The nose is fresh and fruity. We can find little red fruits and black fruits notes and also touches of black pepper. The palate is frank and elegant. The finish is long with round tannins
Cuvée Charles de Batznamed after d’Artagnan’s pseudonym when hiding from the Cardinal’s men in The Three Musketeers, is a blend of 90% Tannat with 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. The grapes for this wine come from low-yielding, old vines with an age of over 50 years old and are hand-picked. The palate is powerful and smooth with great concentration with flavours of leathery black fruit, black pepper spice and dark chocolate characteristics. Good firm tannic backbone.
£59.00
100
Cahors, Cuvée Prestige, Château du Cèdre, South West, 2009Organic
Cahors is the original home of Malbec and Pascal Verhaege produces one of the finest examples. Big, bold, very masculine but well balanced and structured with moorish damson and dark fruit characters, lovely spice and big structured tannins.
