only 2 left
Over 170 years of experience have gone into the making of this ripe tangerine and toasted brioche Champagne.
It's the work of 5th-generation winemaker Julian Fourrier, whose father, Philippe, created this special cuvée in honour of his wife, Brigitte. Her maiden name was Delmotte.
The grapes are a classic blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay taken from vineyards first planted by Philippe and Brigitte.
All the family's 18 hectares of vines lie within Champagne's little known Côte des Bar, described by Wine Folly as "the hottest Champagne region right now".
Made traditionally, this fine fizz was aged four years on its lees to enhance its rich toasty flavour.
Presented in a handy half bottle - perfect as a celebratory bottle for two!
only 11 left
An exciting, pure and complex dry white that’s reshaping Sauternes’s winemaking history. It's a daring pairing of Grand Cru Classé winemaking skills and the fine terroirs of Sauternes, home to France’s finest sweet wines. Owner, Olivier Bernard, believed that the region’s amazing panoply of soils could also make top quality dry Sémillon. In 2011, he set out to prove it.
He brought in the team from the Graves' Grand Cru Classé Domaine de Chevalier, to help achieve his vision. Using intense, old-vine Sémillon from three terroirs, and a dash of Sauvignon, this cuvée was aged for six months on its fine lees, with 25% in new oak. Together they add layers of complexity and creamy weighty. A masterpiece of luscious fruit, spice and freshness.
only 23 left
Fronsac's fine Château Dalem perches high on a hill, surrounded by its 14 hectares of sloping vineyards. It's an historic estate, with records dating back to 1610, that stayed in the same family until 1955. Michel Rullier then took it over and today it's run with great success by his descendant, Brigitte Rullier-Loussert. Its vineyards are nearly all planted to Merlot, with a small amount of Cabernet Franc, and tended with meticulous care.
As you can see from critics' scores (92 points from James Suckling and 94 from Vertedevin), it is an admired claret and one that ages very well too. Matured in French oak (50% new), it has structure and length, but above all an appealing fruity depth. Perfect with roast meat or wild mushroom risotto.
Le XV is known to thousands as our ‘King of the Big Reds’. It owes its intensity to Grenache from vines, some over 100 years old, that grow on the rocky slopes of the Pyrenean foothills in the Montagne Noire and yield only tiny quantities of grapes. Le XV also benefits from the painstaking care of self-confessed southern French wine aficionado Mark Hoddy, whose draconian selection process sees him earmark in advance every vineyard he intends to harvest and micro-manage every stage of the winemaking. This takes time, but you can taste the result in every delicious glass!
Richly textured, with layers of ripe bramble fruit kept smooth by warming alcohol and soft, ripe tannins, this is a red to enjoy with roast lamb, steak or a hearty stew.
only 9 left
So we were delighted when we finally secured access to some nearby white vineyards with incredible fruit that has allowed us to create the prestigious La Clarière Blanc. This dazzling white Bordeaux combines bright, character-filled Sauvignon Blanc and richer, creamier Sauvignon Gris to create an extraordinarily sensuous wine. It has enjoyed all the same lavish, no-expense-spared treatment in the winery usually accorded to the red, and the result is a citrussy, complex, textured wine that is absolutely irresistible. Oak fermented, lees stirred, and then aged in partnew oak barrels, the richness and complexity is reminiscent of the grand wines of Pessac Léognan. Smooth, rich, long and lavish … it's simply magnificent – a very worthy partner to the red. It's a truly fine dining partner that really shines when served with luxury cuisine.
Our great friend and award-winning winemaker, Hervé Sabardeil, is the master behind this dazzling, lemony-fresh Sauvignon Blanc. It's not from the Loire, its heartland, but select parcels from southern France to create a crisp white.
If you enjoy the freshness of Loire Sauvignon, you must try this great-value rival from the sunny south. It's from Hervé Sabardeil, a very gifted winemaker we've known for many years. His plan was to make the freshest, most aromatic, good-value white he could from whichever vineyards it took. Hence its ‘Vin de France’ classification. For Hervé, wine is an expression of nature's finest – the soil, the sunshine, the grape. La Belle Saison does that very well.
Pure and full of citrus zip, this wine has the freshness you'd expect from a Sauvignon, plus a light tropical fruit note thanks to the warmth of southern France. Delightfully refreshing, this Sauvignon is crisp, fruity and easy, on its own or with light dishes of grilled fish or salads.