Chablis Premier Cru Mont de Milieu Sainte Céline Domaines Brocard 2010 £16.99 100% Chardonnay grown in Fleys near Chablis on limestone and kimmeridgian clay soils covering steep south-facing slopes. The grapes were mechanically harvested in favourable conditions during the third week in September. Alcoholic fermentation with natural yeasts occurs between 18 and 22°C in stainless steel vats to preserve the purity of the fruit. Malolactic fermentation is completed and the wine is left for 14 months on fine lees to add complexity before being fined with Kieselguhr. Residual sugar: <0.5g/l. Winemaker: Odile van der Moere at Domaines Brocard. Available now 110 stores exclusive natural cork 12.5%
A green and interesting nose.  More than just linear Loire sauvignon. The palate also has an extra dimension extra weight and some texture. Good.

Chanson Meursault 2009 £25.99 100% Chardonnay from 4 different vineyards from selected vignerons. Two are located mid-slope for finesse and minerality the other two are situated around the village for more richness and depth. The harvest commenced mid September in perfect conditions. Careful selection of grapes in the vineyard and winery with regular bâtonnage have produced very pure white wines well-balanced with good acidity. The wine is aged in oak for 15 months. Residual sugar: <2g/l. Winemaker: Jean-Pierre Confuron. Available now 65 stores natural cork 13.5%
A rich lemon balm aroma. Only the merest hint of oak on the nose which is refreshing. Quite oaky on the palate though.  I’d like a bit more fruit body.

Domaine Joly Puligny-Montrachet Vieilles Vignes 2010 £29.99 100% Chardonnay from Puligny-Montrachet in the Cote d’Or. Domaine Joly lies just to the south of the historic village. The vineyards cover just under 4 acres on limestone soils and production is strictly limited to grow the best possible fruit. All grapes are vinified on the property and fermentation takes place in a combination of stainless steel tanks and casks. Bâtonnage takes place and the wine is aged in oak barrels for 12 months. No fining agent is used. Residual sugar: 2g/l. Winemaker: Sandra Joly the fourth generation of winemaker in the Joly family. Available now 64 stores exclusive natural cork 13.0%
Ripe fruit aroma. Nice weight rich fruit some oak.  Better balance than the Meursault I think.

Leitz Rheingau Riesling Spätlese 2011 £12.99 100% Riesling from vineyards overlooking the River Rhine in Rüdesheim. The gently sloping south-facing vineyards have soils comprising loess and sandy loam with quartzite. Johannes Leitz Gault Millau Winemaker of the Year 2011 strives to produce individual wines that reflect the terroir of their vineyards. Purity is the maxim that rules each step of his winemaking. The grapes are hand-harvested then a temperature-controlled fermentation takes place in stainless steel. This is followed by a long lees contact of around 6 months. The must is then cold-settled followed by two rackings and one coarse filtration into bottle. Residual sugar: 47g/l. New vintage available now 64 stores screw cap 10.0%
Light and fresh nose.  Not terribly riesling. Sweet and with bracing acidity. A very pleasant mouthful.

Louis Max Côte de Nuits Villages 2009 £15.99 100% Pinot Noir from vineyards of the villages of Fixin Brochon Premeaux-Prissey Comblanchien and Corgoloin where the rolling hills offer the most favourable exposures for vine growth and ripening. The grapes are harvested by hand and batches are fermented both in stainless steel and in second-fill oak barrels in order to permit the ideal blend of characteristics. Winemaker: Douby Perrin. New vintage available now 190 stores natural cork 13.0%
Woody and composty nose. Carried through to the palate which is elegant gentle and lovely.

Louis Max Mercurey 2009 £16.99 100% Pinot Noir from the Vignes du Chapitre and Les Caudroyes vineyards of Louis Max’s Domaine La Marche in the Côte Chalonnaise village of Mercurey. Here the limestone soils of the region form a series of rolling hills with vineyards scattered among the slopes with the best aspects. The grapes are hand-harvested before fermentation in stainless steel tanks and 12 months maturation in new and second fill French oak barrels. Residual sugar: 1.8g/l. Winemaker: Douby Perrin. New vintage available now 190 stores natural cork 13.0%
Amusing label. Not a great deal of aroma. Quite hard tannin and warm alcohol.  Jars a bit.

Château Lynch Moussas Grand Cru Classé Pauillac 2006 £30.99 70% Cabernet Sauvignon 30% Merlot. The Irishman John Lynch acquired the estate together with the vineyards of what is today the neighbouring Château Lynch-Bages and had the Château built in the 18th century. The Casteja family proprietor in Pauillac since the 16th century acquired Château Lynch-Moussas in the beginning of the 20th century. Moussas refers to the small village of the same name next to the vineyards. Today the vineyards of Lynch Moussas amount to almost 60ha with some adjacent to the Batailley and Grand Puy Lacoste vineyards. The vines are predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon accounting for up to 70% of the vineyard and the remainder is Merlot. The vines are grown on Gunzian gravels that are typical of the region. For the 2006 vintage the Merlot harvest began on 18th September and the Cabernet harvest began on 27th September. All harvesting is carried out by hand. The 2006 saw a long vatting period in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats for up to 23 days with frequent but short pumping over. Malolactic fermentation takes place in vat. The wine is transferred to barrels of which 58% are new and 42% are one year old. Residual sugar: <2g/l. Winemaker: Mr P Casteja. Available now 64 stores natural cork 13.0%
Mmmm smells of heaven. Cedar and cooked blackcurrant but also white pepper. Dry French and grown up.  Quite spicy and muscular.

Domaines des Douves Pomerol 2009 £21.99 75% Merlot 25% Cabernet Franc from the right bank of the Dordogne River. The grapes are grown on the south-east border of the famous Catusseau plateau in the vineyard of Château Beauregard. The soil is made up of gravel and clay providing good drainage for the vines. The grapes are entirely hand-harvested and fermented with natural yeasts for a period of 2 weeks in stainless steel tanks at 16-18°C. The wine is then aged in French oak barrels for 12 months before bottling. Residual sugar: <2g/l. Winemaker: Vincent Priou. New available now 65 stores exclusive natural cork 13.5%
A little leather on the nose but not very forward. Savoury structured and not very richly fruity.

Château Labergorce Margaux 2004 £26.99 48% Cabernet Sauvignon 40% Merlot 10% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. The 30yr old vines are planted on deep gravel soil and benefit from an ideal maritime climate. The wine is made traditionally with a cold maceration prior to fermentation lasting around 72 hours. The wine is aged in oak barrels for 15 months (50% new 50% one year old) prior to the final blending and bottling. Residual sugar: 2.1g/l. Winemaker: Philippe de Laguarigue. New available now 65 stores exclusive natural cork 13.0%
Sweet fruit with a hint of jasmine or tropical fruit on the nose. Dry and classic and needs a nice slab of cheese.

Spalletti Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2007 £21.99 100% Sangiovese from the south-western area of Montalcino at about 400m above sea level. The grapes are harvested during October when they are fully ripened. Alcoholic fermentation occurs in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature for 15-18 days. Malolactic fermentation occurs in wooden casks. The wine is aged for 36 months in 30-40hl Slavonian oak casks and then for 1 year in bottle. Residual sugar: 1.5g/l. Winemaker: Franco Bernabei. New available now 170 stores exclusive natural cork 14.5%
This has a very calming nose.  I often find that with Italian reds.  I just want to stop and enjoy them in a big glass. Oaky and leathery taste nice fruit evolvement. Nice.

La Capannuccia Chianti Rufina 2005 £14.99 90% Sangiovese 7% Canaiolo and 3% Colorino grown on clay and Colombino stone soils. A selection of the best grapes takes place in the vineyard and the grapes are then transferred to stainless steel tanks for fermentation. The fermenting wine is pumped over three times a day for an hour at a time. The maceration of the skins lasts for approximately three weeks. The wine is kept in barrels of 28hl for three years and then aged in bottle for at least three months. Residual sugar: <1g/l. Winemaker: Emiliano Falsini at Azienda Agricole F.lli Grati.New vintage available now 190 stores exclusive natural cork 12.5%
Quite a brick red.  That’ll be the bottle age. It needed a little swirl as there was some stink initially.  Lifts to lovely warm compost aromas. Very inviting. The taste is beautiful.  Very animal and savoury with freshness despite the age.  Delicious.  I’d buy this.



Luis Cañas Coleccion Privada Rioja Reserva 2005 £16.99
85% Tempranillo and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from 310 hectares of outstanding parcels in Villabuena. The grapes are hand-picked from a selection of vines with a minimum age of 45yrs before being hand-sorted. Every harvest Luis Cañas now 83 stands at the head of the selection table keenly ensuring only the best grapes are used. Fermentation occurs in oak vats for 7 days and the wine is aged for 12 months in French oak and 12 months in American oak. Residual sugar: 0.3g/l. Winemaker: Fidel Fernández Gómez. New vintage available now 190 stores exclusive natural cork 14.5%
Oh wow! This wine is just stunning.  The nose is ripe vanilla spicy and so so inviting. There’s sweetness oak vanilla and smooth rounded tannin.

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