BORBAS02
£15.25
You may be more familiar with Carménère as a Chilean wine, but the variety actually originated in Bordeaux. After phylloxera, its temperamental nature and difficulty in reaching full ripeness meant it wasn’t replanted and, for all intents and purposes, became extinct in France.
Fortunately, some vines had already made their way to Chile, where, during the 1980s and ’90s, cracking wines labelled as “Chilean Merlot” began appearing in the UK. These wines were clearly different from true Merlot — at first this was put down to clonal variation or climate — but later research revealed they were, in fact, Carménère. Since then, the grape has been making a quiet comeback in its homeland.
Michel planted a small vineyard of Carménère around 12 years ago. In particularly hot years, enough grapes ripen fully to produce a single-varietal wine. The previous release was in 2018 (they’re keeping rather quiet about the possibility of a 2025). After four weeks of maceration during fermentation, the wine rests on its lees for 12 months in steel, developing an inky dark colour, loads of forest and dark fruit on the nose, silky tannins, and a touch of liquorice on the palate. It really is excellent — rich and complex, far beyond what its modest 12.5% ABV might suggest.
Size 75cl
ABV 12.5%
Closure Cork
£30.00
The name of this unusual Bourgogne Pinot Noir refers to the latitude of Burgundy, and it is a blend of out best Bourgogne Rouge, Cote de Nuits Village, Marsannay and Vosne-Romanee.
Maison Marchand-Tawse Size 75clABV 14.5%Closure Cork
Allergens Sulphites
£33.50
The name of this unusual Bourgogne Pinot Noir refers to the latitude of Burgundy, and it is a blend of out best Bourgogne Rouge, Cote de Nuits Village, Marsannay and Vosne-Romanee.
Maison Marchand-Tawse Size 75clABV 13%Closure CorkAllergens Sulphites
£16.95
Tradition is hardly sufficient a word to sum up the Perrier family who have lived and worked in the Alps for more than seven generations. Their wine style and dedication to local varieties such as Jacquère has not wavered and like their mountains, they remain resolute. And all the better for it. These are wines are stunning, different and enthralling creating flavour and palates that you would be hard pressed to find anywhere else. Jacquère is a grape variety native to Savoie and is THE wine to have with fondue or raclette.
White gold colour with hints of green. Fresh almond, hawthorn and citrus fruit on the nose. A lively attack on the palate but rounds out with lovely mineral notes and orange zest. Excellent balance between fruit and acidity.
Size 75clABV 12.5%Closure SyntheticAllergens Sulphites
£21.50
A man of conviction but by no means a zealot, Eric Texier likes to push the boundaries. Despite having no experience or contacts in wine, Eric decided to give up his career as a nuclear engineer and study winemaking in 1992, interning with Jean-Marie Guffens at Verget in Mâcon. Lacking the network to buy his own vineyard, Eric did his time with established winemakers then made négoce wines with the fruit of like-minded purists. Although he considers his approach to viticulture to be that of an old-fashioned paysan, don’t be fooled. Eric is more of a pioneer than he would have you believe. His fresh take on an old terroir has been instrumental in reviving appellations of the Northern Rhône that would otherwise have been lost. The estate consists of two very distinct terroirs - Brézème in the Drôme (left bank of the Rhône) and the Ouvèze valley in the Ardèche (right bank). Brézème is a limestone hillside facing south, the last ridge of the Vercors Massif at the mouth of the Drôme river, whilst the Ouvèze valley, on the Ardèche side, marks the geological separation between the Massif Central and the Cévennes, where the vineyards facing south, are granitic with a mixture of schist and gneiss on its surface and islands of limestone.
Size 75clABV 12.5%Closure Cork
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