“My wine is made to be enjoyed” are the words of many a wine producer. It shouldn’t be difficult for us to respect their wishes by fetching some treasures from the cellar and opening them with loved ones. A calm and close-knit tasting suits the mood just right at the moment. Now is the time to try something special…
There’s a chill settling in as the winter descends, giving us the perfect excuse to curl up on the sofa with a glass of wine. Choose something from our latest selection of mature vintages to traverse thirty years of viticultural history from the comfort of your living room. (Re)discover legendary vintages such as 1990 bottles from Château Gruaud-Larose and Haut-Marbuzet, the 2005 Chambolle-Musigny from Comtes Georges de Vogüé, or the 2009 Cornas Billes Noires from Domaine du Coulet.
Not sure when to open an exceptional bottle…and with whom? Don’t overthink it; now is as good a moment as any to savour the finest of our French wine regions. We have Emmanuel Reynaud from the Rhône (2009 Côtes-du-Rhône and Châteauneuf-du-Pape), Overnoy-Houillon from the Jura (2010 Arbois Pupillin Savagnin Elevage Prolongé), Ramonet from Burgundy (1992 Bâtard-Montrachet grand cru), 1989 Château Lafite-Rothschild from Bordeaux, Gangloff from the northern Rhône (2009 Côte-Rôtie La Sereine) and Domaine du Collier from the Loire (2010 La Charpenterie, a white Saumur crafted by the nephew of Charly Foucault from Clos Rougeard).
Are you yearning for a trip abroad? Well, we have the next best thing! Take yourself away with a 2008 Barolo from Bartolo Mascarello, a 1996 Dominus by Christian Moueix (Yountville, US), or a 2009/2010 Reserve Shiraz from the Australian Noon domain.
If you’d like a bottle to open of a peaceful evening, perhaps to pair with a lovely, homecooked meal, there’s plenty in this selection to please! For an aperitif, think about picking a Philipponnat cuvée such as the 1998 Clos des Goisses. To serve with a delicate starter like asparagus, a 1997 Condrieu Les Chaillets by Yves Cuilleron will go down well. Autumnal main courses like pumpkin crumble will pair nicely with a 2006 Grange des Pères. And to finish on the sweetest of notes, a compote of apple, quince, and vanilla will be made only more enjoyable by the likes of Hugel’s 1985 Gewurztraminer VT.
