Enjoy Gold-medal International Reds for just $94 a bottle, plus FREE Gifts!
【Early Bird Offer】The 2024 Christmas Wine Advent Calendar is here!
12 bottles of Year of the Snake Cabalié for just $1,388, plus FREE Gifts (Pre-order now)
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Renowned French winemaker Gérard Bertrand makes his £40+ a bottle Corbières in craggy Boutenac. Just across a small country road is the village of Fabrezan and its equally amazing vineyards. It's where, in fact, Tony Laithwaite bought his first Corbières shipment back in 1971. Today young couple Amelie and Jean-Baptiste work tirelessly, in evenings and weekends (after their day jobs as consultant winemakers), tending their ancient vines and making their cru quality Corbières.
The vines were planted by J-B's great grandfather, a cellar built by his son, but more recently the grapes were all sold to the local coop. J-B and Amelie took over in 2007 and decided they could make something much better. This fabulous Grand Cru style is the result.
Jeff Carrel describes himself as an eclectic winemaker. He’s part of a new generation of winemakers, operating without a vineyard or a winery. Instead, he sources small parcels of grapes from growers, rents a corner of a cellar and focuses on making brilliant wines. Currently, Jeff makes around 40 wines this way, including Morillon (the southern French term for Chardonnay).
Following malolactic fermentation in barrel and the addition of grapes with a hint of noble rot, the 2022 vintage has, once again, produced a rich, Burgundy-style white. It delivers on creamy intensity, ripe peach fruit and layers of buttery complexity. Ideally serve this big-statement white with cured ham, guinea fowl and wild mushrooms or creamy fish pie. Serve cool.
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When I came over the high pass south into the Agly Valley in the 70s, I was captivated by the ancient vines on steep, terraced hills, topped by high, ruined castles. It was wild 'unknown' territory. That's where bestselling Cabalié, made by the legendary Hervé Sabardeil, is from. Hervé buys grapes for Cabalié from many vineyards, but the best grapes came from two vineyards of 100-year-old vines on schist/granite soils. They are two of France's oldest vineyards, lying on steep, terraced hillsides. When Hervé learned the farmer was retiring, he bought those two vineyards – and thus we have the 'Grand Cru' Origine … the purest essence of Cabalié … made solely from those two vineyards. It's a nearly all dark, spiced Carignan, with a few rows of silky Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre, which add to the incredibly rich fruit and luscious texture.
A great value alternative to Champagne. It's made by the same methods as Champagne, with a high proportion of Chardonnay in this Réserve edition. The result is superb fruit intensity, depth and freshness. A bubbly of distinction.
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Nicolas and Miren de Lorgeril bought this beautiful property, tucked away in the rocky Languedoc hills, in 2007 and have devoted their lives to upgrading the château and vineyards. Their scented hillsides are strewn with vineyards and ‘garrigue’, the natural olive, pine and wild herb flora that can’t help but lend this wine its own special wildness.
Saint Chinian is renowned for deep, dark, spicy reds based on Syrah and Grenache. Sometimes Mourvèdre, Carignan and Cinsault are added, but there is always a refreshing mineral quality, and you’ll find that in this superb red. Winemaker Bernard Durand uses his New World winemaking experience (in Argentina and New Zealand) to make the fruit sing out. A top choice with coq au vin or lamb dishes.
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Just across a small country road from Boutenac, where renowned French winemaker Gérard Bertrand makes his £40+ a bottle Corbières, is the village of Fabrezan. It boasts equally impressive, stony vineyards. It's where, in fact, Tony Laithwaite bought his first Corbières in 1971. Today young couple Amelie and Jean Baptiste work tirelessly, in evenings and weekends (after their day jobs as consultant winemakers), tending their ancient vines and making their cru quality Corbières.
The vines were planted by J-B's great grandfather, but until this young couple took over, all the grapes were sold to the local coop. J-B and Amelie took over in 2007, pieced together a tiny shed winery and starting making their own. This fabulous red is the result.
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