BOURGOGNE

Hilly vineyards clustered around the little town of Chablis at the north end of the Burgundy area, east of Auxerre, experience a continental climate, with cold winters and cooler summers. Chardonnay grapes make a dry white wine - pale, with a greenish tinge, usually light in body, with a good blend of acidity and fruit and a slightly steely impression on the palate. It has a long reputation as the perfect accompaniment to shellfish, especially oysters. There are four grades: Grand Cru, Premier Cru, Chablis and Petit Chablis. In the Côte d'Auxerre region, just to the south, the village of St-Bris-le-Vineux makes some fantastic Sauvignon Blancs.

Domaine Louis Etienne Courgis

The estate of the Adine family covers an area of 20 ha planted with Chardonnay, a traditional Burgundy vineyard. Courgis lies in the south-west sector of Chablis. Christian Adine produces and markets his Chablis wines and Chablis vintage wines himself. Tradition combined with modernism is the image of this family, proud of producing one of the greatest wines in the world.

The different apellations:

Le Petit Chablis - 1 ha

Le Chablis - 13.5 ha

Le Chablis 1er Cru - 5.5 ha - Côte de Cuissy, Montmains, Butteaux

Butteaux is a small vineyard (lieu-dit) within the wider Premier Cru area of Montmains.

Maximum yield is 60 hl/ha A large proportion of the vines are between 30 - 50 years old. Harvest is usually between 25 September and 5 October.

Alcoholic fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled stainless steel "cuves inox". Malolactic fermentation is allowed to proceed to its conclusion, giving his wines their characteristic softer smooth style.

Domaine Sorin-Defrance

To distinguish himself from the many other Sorins in St-Bris-le-Vineux, Henri Sorin adopted his wife's maiden name. With his two sons, he works 28 hectares in St-Bris, Chablis and Burgundy. The sauvignon vines on the estate are over 40 years old and yield intense flavours.

Domaine Thierry Guérin

Thierry Guérin works 8 hectares of vineyards (in two appellations) around the village of Vergisson in Mâconnais. They occupy excellent south-facing positions on the lower slopes of the massive limestone outcrop of Roche du Solutre up to around 300 metres altitude. Soils are clay-chalk and the Chardonnay vines are between 30 and 50 years old. Vinification is traditional.

Domaine Gérard Julien

Very much of the traditional school of Burgundian wine-making, Gérard Julien is a hands-on vigneron who enjoys a fine reputation for his wines of considerable complexity and is very secretive about his processes. His winery is in Comblanchien, at the southernmost tip of the Côtes de Nuits. The soils here are very stony but give rise to lean, earthy, long-lived wines, although they may take a year or two to become approachable.

Echézeaux is situated in Flagey. Aloxe-Corton wines are from the lower slopes of the hill of Corton in the Côtes de Beaune. All the wines are 100% Pinot Noir.

Domaine Benoit Trichard

Benoit Trichard, his wife and their two sons make up the family team based in Odenas. They own 12.5 hectares in all - comprising 6.35 ha of Moulin à Vent (average vine age 65 years), 4 ha of Brouilly and Côte de Brouilly (average vine age 50 years) and 2.25 ha of Beaujolais. All wines are vinified as whole grapes in thermally-regulated cuves. Blends are created before malolactic fermentation because he believes this ultimately creates a better structure in the wine.

Domaine Michel Chignard

Fleurie is one of the ten Beaujolais Cru Villages and Michel Chignard one of the highly-rated producers. His vineyards occupy an elevated position overlooking the village of Fleurie and also the vineyards of Régnié. No more than 50 cm of soil overlies granite. His current policy of not replanting with new vines should reduce the yield but improve the quality. Grapes are fermented whole with a proportion matured in old oak vats to give a subtle hint of oak.

Domaine Gilles et Cécile Roux

Gilles and Cécile Roux own 9 hectares of Régnié, the tenth Cru sanctioned in 1988. Soil here is quite sandy and the Gamay vines are, on average, 40 years old. His Domaine de la Plaigne also includes 2 hectares of Beaujolais-Villages, with clay / granite soil. The soil is worked by machine and the vines by hand. Continuing a long line of vignerons, Gilles took over from his mother as wine-maker in 1991. He has recently been experimenting with oak-aged Régnié.

Bin No	Description	Bottle £
	White
	Chablis
FR2779	Chablis Domaine Alain Gautheron 37.5cl	7.80
	Rounded clean soft fruit with a touch of cloves, finishing crisp and long. An unoaked expression of Chardonnay in its purest form.
FR4489	Chablis 1er Cru Vaucoupin, Domaine Cyril Gautheron 75cl	17.90

FR3944	Chablis Vieilles Vignes Domaine Louis Etienne 75cl	12.35
	Rich buttery full-bodied style from vines over 50 years old Malolactic fermentation.
	Côtes de Beaune
FR3604	Auxey-Duresses Raymond Dupont-Fahn 75cl	19.45
	From Raymond, Michel and Leslie's son, from a parcel of land given to him on his 18th birthday. Pure "Dupont-Fahn" with the same buttery richness as his father's style at a snip of a price.
FR3357	Chassagne-Montrachet Jean et Jean-Marc Pillot 75cl	33.70
	This wine is exceptionally well balanced with layers of subtle oak, citrus and mineral flavours and a great long finish
FR4384	Meursault Domaine Michelot 75cl	26.05
	Vinification is traditional, and the wines are quickly moved into casks to complete their alcoholic and malolactic fementations. About one third new oak is used and the wines are bottled about one year after the harvest. The wines benefit from extended contact with the lees and regular battonage, which contributes to their rich, full-throttle character. They are then bottled aged for two to three years in the grand Michelot cellars to await release.
FR3358	Meursault Les Vireuils Domaine Dupont-Fahn 75cl	31.70

FR4492	Meursault, Maison Jean-Luc et Paul Aegerter 75cl	31.70
	Honeyed, creamy toffee apple nose. Perfectly rounded palate with fresh apple fruit that cuts into the palate at just the right time. A lovely toasty quality to this Meursault on the finish
FR4615	Puligny-Montrachet Les Grands Champs Domaine Dupont-Fahn 75cl	37.85
	Fresh, full-bodied nose of citrus and vanilla. Full, rounded, rich and fleshy on the palate
FR3881	Saint-Aubin Blanc 1er Cru Les Frionnes Sylvain Langoureau 75cl	22.40
	Rich, generous and subtly oaked, with well-balanced acidity. From the village in the valley just above Chassagne and Puligny-Montrachet.
	Côtes de Nuits
FR4510	Bourgogne Chardonnay, Maison Jean-Luc et Paul Aegerter 75cl	10.50
	Subtle apple nose with a hint of vanilla. Pleasant classic white Burgundian palate of crisp green fruit, such as apples and pear with a citrus zestyness. Well-balanced acidity, with a medium length finish
	Mâconnais
FR4383	Mâcon Villages Vieilles Vignes, Les Essentielles de Mancey 75cl	12.05
	The Macon Mancey Rouge has long existed. He also had the equivalent Blanc. It is the height thing, as the National Institute of Appellations d'Origine recognized in some areas worthy of bearing that name. They produce wines rich, powerful and bodied. The Macon-Mancey is produced from old vines of Chardonnay emerge from the 2005 harvest in the category of "Essential vintages."
FR2825	Pouilly-Fuisse 'La Roche' Thierry Guerin 75cl	16.70
	Sumptuous buttery spicy nose with a hint of almonds; soft full fruit flavours with buttery nutty depth and good acidity.
FR4614	Pouilly-Fuisse Vielles Vignes Domaines Denis Jeandeau (Biodynamic) 75cl	21.85
	Sumptuous buttery spicy nose with a hint of almonds. And is a glorious mouthful, big and rich but balanced by lovely citrus fruit.
FR2826	Saint-Véran Clos des Pierres Brulées Domaine Thierry Guérin 75cl	11.20
	Rich toasty oaky nose, New World style Chardonnay with oily tropical fruit and well-integrated oak balanced by good acidity.
FR4369	Saint-Véran Domaine Guegnon-Remond 75cl	13.25
	Product of 20 year old vines, this has a range of aromas but shows mainly spring flowers. Very sincere and well ballanced on the palate, it finishes on a pleasant grapey note.
	Red
	Beaujolais
FR4283	Beaujolais Villages Domaine Jean-Marc Lafont 75cl	10.70
	Dark ruby coloured wine with a lot of fruity and spicy flavours.
FR2782	Brouilly Benoit Trichard 37.5cl	5.45
	Deep ruby red with striking black cherry aromas and flavours of ripe plums, crab apples and cherries. Mouth-watering fruit with a good tannic bite. Gamay
FR4562	Côte de Brouilly, Cuvée Zacherie, Château Thivin 75cl	19.20
	Ripe and supple with fine structures, the wines show real individual expression and distinctive fruit, with a mineral, floral and herbal quality that is unique. A step up from just being Beaujolais Village, practically a Burgundy. Lovely elegant savoury nose with cinnamon, redcurrant and cherry fruit. Good smooth tannins, touches of youthful acidity and a sweetly spiced finish. Cracking!
	Côte Chalonnaise
FR4517	Mercurey Rouge, Maison Jean-Luc et Paul Aegerter 75cl	16.30
	Sharp red fruit nose. Confected redcurrants and raspberries perhaps? Young ripe, red fruit flavours with gentle tannins. Still showing a good deal of youth
	Côtes de Beaune
FR4463	Auxey-Duresses Les Vireux Domaine Dupont-Fahn 75cl	17.65
	Unmistakeable Pinot Noir breeding with a distinctive "forward" style from Michel Dupont-Fahn.
FR4491	Beaune 1er Cru les Reversées, Maison Jean-Luc et Paul Aegerter 75cl	27.70
	A very serious expression of Burgundy this. Rich sweet fruit nose. Dry black cherry palate, with a distinctive white pepper and coffee bean aftertaste. Some dark chocolate too on the finish. Perfectly balanced between elegance and complexity.
FR3363	Bourgogne Rouge Jean et Jean-Marc Pillot 75cl	13.85
	Bourgogne Rouge can often seem a bit lowly BUT this is a stunningly convincing genuine red burgundy. There is an immediate registering of strong Pinot origins. The wine is developing a most attractive soft red fruit nose and flavour.
FR4525	Chorey Les Beaune Jean-Luc et Paul Aegerter 75cl	16.20
	Aromatic savoury, ripened fruit nose. Youthful tannins with fresh flavours of black and red cherries. Good acidity and a little wood smoke. A little sweet five-spice on the finish. A lovely introdution to the Aegerter range
FR3366	Pommard Perrières Domaine Jean-Michel Gaunoux 75cl	23.00
	Traditional Bugundian heavyweight with firm tannin underpinning.
	Côtes de Nuits
FR4490	Bourgogne Rouge, Maison Jean-Luc et Paul Aegerter 75cl	10.50
	Young fresh, almost Gamay-like nose. Classic Gamay palate of cherries and strawberries, but the Pinot in this blend adds a serious savouryness to it. Pleasant medium length
FR3978	Chapelle Chambertin Grand Cru 1985 Domaine Trapet 75cl	135.00
	Recently released from the Trapet cellars,
FR2800	Côtes de Nuits-Villages Gérard Julien 75cl	11.95
	Meaty and plummy with a suggestion of muscovado sugar on the nose; strawberries, bitter cherries and cooking apples on the palate. Pinot Noir
FR3980	Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru Clos Prieur 1959 Domaine Trapet 75cl	250.00
	Recently released by Trapet, having been re-corked 10 years ago by the estate, one of "the last classic heavyweight vintages" of C20th in the opinion of Michael Broadbent. . Beautifully presented in straw in wooden boxes - a perfect gift.
FR3979	Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru Petite Chapelle 1976 Domaine Trapet 75cl	100.00
	Recently released by Trapet,
FR4524	Hautes Côte du Nuits, Dame Haguettes Jean-Luc et Paul Aegerter 75cl	15.50
	Striking sharp red fruit nose. Very jammy style, with noticeable tannins and crisp acidity, yet with the red cherry dessert character to back it up. More dried fruit flavours on the finish accompanied by a little pepper
FR4511	Nuits St Georges 1er Cru Les Damodes, Maison Jean-Luc et Paul Aegerter 75cl	42.10
	Particularly aromatic nose. Cinnamon and a little wild mushroom, with a hint of truffles. Beautifully smooth and succulent palate. Rich cherry flavour and dabs of elegant tannins. A great wine, but with excellent promise for development
FR3362	Vougeot 1er Cru Les Petits Vougeot Domaine Christian Clerget 75cl	42.85
	Robust deep ruby red, with elegant tannins and a long finish. Limited availability.
	V = vegetarian VG = suitable for vegans *Back to Top*