Whether you want a refreshing bottle for a warm day or an unusual cuvée to expand your horizons, we’ve got a fixed-price selection for you to savour.
When we think about summer wines, our first instinct is to head for a rosé – dry, refreshing and light, their sometimes poor reputation is undeserved! The Rosé de Provence from Marc Perrin’s Château Miraval is an excellent example of what a good rosé can do. Château d’Esclans’ Whispering Angel cuvée has a faultless minerality that plays on the palate. For something with a more aromatic palette, Château Simone produces wonderful cuvées that can even be aged! And the colour is quite something too.
Further south still is Corsica, where Clos Canarelli’s wines are produced biodynamically on the coast. With two stars from French wine magazine La Revue du Vin de France, the estate confirms its capacity for making frank and limpid cuvées. If you’re after something especially fruity, Yves Leccia has a selection that is sure to fit the bill.
From the Loire, Vincent Pinard crafts one of the region’s most on-trend Pinots Noirs. For a white wine, we recommend Philippe Alliet who is a master of Chinon – his 2017 vintage is synonymous with an extraordinary density and refinement. La Taille aux Loups is a property with a strong reputation for pure and easy-drinking wines that express the character of their grape variety. Changing things up here but nonetheless following the summery theme, the cider and perry from Eric Bordelet are sure to be a hit. What is more, he made sure his cider was just right, experimenting for 15 years no less, before allowing it to grace our taste buds according to an interview he gave to La Revue du Vin de France.
From the Rhône Valley, there are some familiar faces like Guigal, a Côte-Rôtie classic. But how about a Tavel rosé? This type of wine stands out with its deep colour and floral notes. Le Sang des Cailloux is an estate that crafts superb Vacqueyras cuvées; they’ll reveal their full richness in time, if you can manage to wait! And why not refine your palate with a pioneer of the Côte-Rôtie renaissance? Jean-Michel Gerin makes deep, white wines and unique reds.
And as we’re talking about wines to treat yourself, we can’t leave out Champagne. Their freshness can revive anyone on a hot day. Some of our favourites include the Grand Année from Bollinger, Drappier’s Brut Nautre Rosé Les Riceys which is the exception to the house’s rule of producing wine from Urville, and the Abyss from Leclec-Briant. If this name rings a bell, it’s because it the Champagne that the house aged under the sea.
We hope that there’s some free time just around the corner for you, and that you can make the most of it by kicking back with a bottle of something nice!
