Chinon, Clos de la Cure, Charles Jouget ‘05
Grapes:Cabernet FrancEach: £12.50
The elegance of Bordeaux with the voluptuous suppleness of Burgundy.
Whenever I think of the Loire Valley, I see it as the lintel in the doorway that is French wine. On the right is a pillar of voluptuous suppleness from the Rhone Valley, with power, through Burgundy, evasive delicacy, to Champagne, bling but bling with class. On the left is the erect elegance of the institutions that are Claret, Cognac and that racy new interloper Armagnac. Spanning the top and linking the two is the Loire. Sancerre and Pouilly give the Bordelais Sauvignon Blanc a Burgundian excitement. The Melon de Bourgogne of Muscadet could not be better suited to the restrained seafood of the Atlantic and Bordeaux. And with Cremant and the Coteaux de Layon, Champagne and Sauternes are better than imitated.
If there is to be a criticism of the Loire it might be that it is too far north. Not really a problem easily addressed and not necessarily a problem. What can be is a tendency to lean, mean,austere styles.
The delicate aromatic style of Cabernet Franc tends to get overwhelmed south in Bordeaux where it plays very much a second fiddle to cousin Sauvignon. An earlier ripener Franc tends to be most useful in cooler vintages when Sauvignon struggles to ripen – never a year that will be heralded as “the best of the century”. In the Loire the season suits better. If a banker in Bordeaux grown to ensure a crop at all in the Loire it hits its straps thriving on the more delicate climate and conditions.
Few nurture this tricky grape as do the crew at Jouget. Here they regularly achieve bright, vibrant, complex aromatics and mouth filling ripeness on the palate.Back to the List
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Mercurey, Vieilles Vignes, Francois Raquillet ‘04
Grape: Pinot NoirEach: £15.00
One of the most exciting producers in the whole of Burgundy. The first time I tasted Francois Raquillet’s wines was nothing short of a revelation and every vintage since seems to get better.
A massively inquisitive nature means tinkering. Each vintage Raquillet seems to adapt his technique trying to go one better than his latest and greatest effort. For mere mortals surely a recipe for disaster but where others would surely fail Raquillet seems to have cut some deal that has, to date, guaranteed success. Don’t ask to see the picture in his attic!
Raquillet makes various cuvees, all different but all exploring the same theme. His wines are always rich and full of fruit flavour with varying degrees of structure but always in perfect balance. Never do they share any of the lean meaness that is all to common in Burgundy nor do they share the shyness of many only revealing their true delights briefly and after far to much waiting in anticipation. Raquillet’s wines always seem ready to play. The old vines of the Vieilles Vignes add an extra layer complexity and concentration.
Raquillet makes various cuvees, all different but all exploring the same theme. His wines are always rich and full of fruit flavour with varying degrees of structure but always in perfect balance. Never do they share any of the lean meaness that is all to common in Burgundy nor do they share the shyness of many only revealing their true delights briefly and after far to much waiting in anticipation. Raquillet’s wines always seem ready to play. The old vines of the Vieilles Vignes add an extra layer complexity and concentration.
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List Lean
Where to look for what
Fizzzzz - soon to be expanded
Quaffers - Everyday prices, exceptional wines!
Whites
Aromatic Whites - at least vaguely, anything but Chardonnay
Chardonnay - or empathetically structured
Pink - New for the weather!
Reds
Red Italians - everything old is new again!
Shirazzy - from warmer Mediterranean hugging climes or just Oz
Bordeaux - new and old
Pinot Noir - ahh the stroppy Beast of Burgundy, you've got to love it
The Larder - Mother Hubbard eat your heart out.
Pinks - our rose selection
**An introductory mixed dozen for £90**
2 of each Rose plus an extra two bottles from the selection - you chose which two.
Email Think Pink Offer or call 01243 383733
One of the upsides of a spot of global warming- perfect for some relaxed al fresco, impromptu or not, and nothing goes better than a drop of pink. That said I was always stunned by the continuing year round demand in the Harvey Nichols restaurants and bars, so do ask if you fancy some "out of season".
2 of each Rose plus an extra two bottles from the selection - you chose which two.
Email Think Pink Offer or call 01243 383733
One of the upsides of a spot of global warming- perfect for some relaxed al fresco, impromptu or not, and nothing goes better than a drop of pink. That said I was always stunned by the continuing year round demand in the Harvey Nichols restaurants and bars, so do ask if you fancy some "out of season".
Reds - our red selection
Shirazzzzy
Whites - our white selection
Aromatics
Sparklers - our fizzy selection
Champagne
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