To quote Allen Meadows; ‘the quality of these wines is nothing short of phenomenal compared to the usual quality of the respective appellations’. Claude Marechal makes his wines as naturally as possible, taking his inspiration from his late friend Henri Jayer who he trained with early in his career. In common with Jayer he makes wines above and beyond the expectations of his terroirs. His wines are pure and sleek with vibrant fruit and great potential to age. In the vineyard ripeness is the watchword and the vines are maintained in order to maximise phenolic maturity every vintage whatever the conditions. No chemical fertilisers are used and the harvest is hand picked each vintage, Claude says he is usually the last in each appellation to pick which shows on the ripe fruited nature of his wines. After harvest the bunches are sorted by hand and gently de-stemmed before vinification using natural yeasts. The fermenting must is pumped over twice daily and once alcoholic fermentation is finished the wines are placed into oak barrels where they mature for between 10 and 15 months. From tastings of back vintages at the domaine it is clear these are wines that are built to age well. Claude has not changed his prices for the 2021 vintage.

92/100 "Impressively poised nose with lightly reductive lemons and white peaches, as well as freshly cut herbs. The palate has impressive concentration and quite intense notes of fresh, grassy lemons and stone. Great poise here. A blend of 59% semillon and 41% sauvignon blanc. Drink now." James Suckling

The Lurton family that owns the property has also made it their home and HQ for their brilliant stable of wines now headed by Jacques Lurton. A crystal clear wine with with pure fruit aromas and crisp acidity, this is immediately refreshing. The wine's freshness is infectious

Really tasty. Full colour, but light on it's feet. Lots of staisfaction here. This wine is soft pressed after five hours of skin contact to produce a light pink wine. Fermentation occurs under controlled temperatures in stainless-steel tanks. Five days resting on the lees are followed by two days of cold settling. The vines that produce this wine are grafted from Argentine Malbec, which of course comes originally from Cahors in France. The wine maker is Argentine, and he searched all over the Languedoc for a place that would produce the characteristically bright and intense Malbec of his home country. He found this possibility in partnership with winegrowers from the Coteaux d’Ensérune, who follow a 1,000-year-old viticultural tradition marked by an historically un-French willingness to develop varieties from other horizons. The unique soils on the Montandy plateau outside Béziers are red, chalky and acidic with traces of iron. This combined with the classic Mediterranean climate, make the area an ideal home for Malbec The nose is intense with concentrated red berry aromas mixed with hints of springtime flowers. The expressive palate is bursting with gorgeous, ripe fruit followed by a bright, tangy finish. Pair with Mediterranean cuisine like fish with Provençal sauce and seafood paella or try with grilled chicken and fish. Also delightful as an aperitif.

Exhibiting aromas of minty berries, spices and licorice, the 2021 Beau Site is a medium-bodied, lively and nicely balanced wine. It derives from a gravel "croupe" near Calon-Ségur. "Beau-Site" means beautiful site and lies just behind Grand Cru Château Calon-Segur on one of Medoc's highest points with fantastic views over the river Gironde. It was originally classified as a Cru Bourgeois Superieur in 1932 but in 1966 Beau Site was reclassified as a Cru Grand Bourgeois Exceptionnel. The Castéja family, who also own Château Batailley and Château Trotte Vieille, bought the château in 1955. The château has nearly 100 hectares of vines with an average age of 35 years. Beau-Site's 18th century underground cellar is one of the oldest in the Médoc and presents the perfect maturing conditions for a wine that is vinified with the same care and technique as a Grand Cru Classé. Beau-Site's wine is full of power and temperament, a typical Saint-Estèphe with tannins allowing for keeping this wine for some years.

CWM Ranking First Class Well judged extraction leaves the sense of silky tannins with lovely ripe fruit and a cool fresh palate. Understated and elegant.

100% Sauvignon Blanc from four terroirs: clay, limestone-clay, marl, gravel. 93/100 Jane Anson "Bright Sauvignon Blanc aromatics on the nose, this is good quality. Power, concentration and spliced citrus and slate minerality. Maintains momentum, easy to love. A yield of 31hl/ha, with 10 months ageing on lees with regular stirring in to fatten up the mouthfeel. An impressive La Louvière, stands out from recent vintages at this estate."

Francois Xavier AKA 'FX' worked with Tom Lubbe at Domaine Matassa for five years. He spent a further year with Domaine Danjou-Banessy. After such time this local lad set up in Espira to make his own wholly exciting wines which we are introducing the UK for the first time. This wine is making its debut in 2022 vintage. It’s one hundred percent Malvoisie grown on schiste on a bed of argilo calcaire that sees skin macération for seven days then wild fermentation in cuve and then aged in small sandstone eggs (3hl) for eight months. Just before bottling 2g/hl of sulphites is added. Proper, deep orange wine. One for the ages.

A wonderfully fresh and juicy Chinon, perfect for summer drinking. Chill it and enjoy in the sun! From the website of UK agents Thorman Hunt: Domaine Grosbois is a 9h Domaine run by two brothers, Nicolas and Sylvain. Their family vineyard is located at a place called “The Pressoir” Panzoult in the Chinon appellation in the heart of the Loire Valley. Nicolas arrived at the family estate in 2008, after spending 10 years as a “flying winemaker” and having spent time in New Zealand, Australia, Chile and Oregon. After his time abroad, Nicolas strongly believes in not vinifying and ageing in wood, choosing concrete instead to preserve the freshness and vitality. No old oak has been used since 2015. Sylvain similarly spent time abroad in Chile, Oregon working for Domaine Drouhin and Australia. The brothers are passionate about organic viticulture and show their wines at The Raw Wine Fair. The Cuisine de ma mère comes from their young vines from clay and sand and is designed for early drinking. The grapes are destemmed and undergo a 5-day skin maceration, fermented in concrete and then aged in concrete.

Proper Crozes-Hermitage style Syrah - nice bright berry fruit, a bit of a dark chocolate bite, nice crisp acidity and tannin, tastes almost cool/minty. A satisfying meat wine.

Natural wine from Simon Coulshaw: no cultured yeast, enzymes, chemical tannins or fining product. 90% 130 yr old-vine Cinsault, 10% Syrah. I was instructed to chill this a bit before tasting. It was in the fridge for about 25 minutes and then left out for 10 minutes before tasting. Fresh red-berried nose. Hurrah! Here is another Languedoc producer who 'gets' Cinsault. Perky, bright, raspberries and with that lovely telltale Cinsault salty-sweet tang that always reminds me of the best prosciutto or jamon. A bit of white pepper and ground cumin tangled into feather-light sinews of tannin. This is absolutely YUM. Tapas/aperitivo wine, without a doubt. I could drink this all summer long. GV (TC) 17/20 Jancisrobinson.com

CWM Rating Firswt Class 65% Cabernet Sauvignon 35% Merlot. 35% new oak. This is the most impressive du Glana I have tasted, a full bodied fruity wine with excellent concentration, sweet creamy black fruits and a well-balanced long finish. There were many very good Saint-Julien wines in 2022 but I think this is the best value of them.

Classic, cool Cabernet Franc. Herbal aromas with blackcurrants, oak, cream and brambly fruit and lively acidity combine in a wine that is ready to drink. An emblematic property of Anjou, the Château de Fesles and its wine estate were built in the 11th century at the top of the 4th highest point in the Loire Valley. Its exceptional geographical position as well as its proximity to the Layon river allow it to produce wines with a distinguished and complex character.

Pineau - a fortified wine, made from either fresh, unfermented grape juice or a blend of lightly fermented grape must, to which a Cognac eau-de-vie is added and then matured.

A blend of Cognac and juice from red grape varieties, aged for five years in oak casks. A fruity, full-flavoured aperitif to be enjoyed well chilled. Château d'Orignac has won accolades in France and throughout the world. It is made from two-thirds grape must (Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot) with one-third Cognac and takes almost 10 years to produce, which results in an intense, complex nose of peaches, apricots, honey, almonds and Cognac and an unforgettably smooth texture on the palate.

Golden colour and clear oxidative nose, with vanilla, nuts. Ripe apple, Butter. Oak. That special Jura white taste, close to sherry. Good acidity and lovely nutty peachy palate. Domaine de Savagny is a respected 45-hectare family-run winery in the Jura region of France, known for producing unique, traditional wines like Vin Jaune (aged under voile, tasting nutty and oxidative) and Vin de Paille (sweet straw wine) from local grapes like Savagnin, Chardonnay, Poulsard, and Trousseau. Situated near Château-Chalon, it embodies Jura's terroir with clay-limestone soils, creating complex wines with distinctive notes of walnut, curry, and dried fruit, often aged in oak barrel

Jane Anson 92/100 "Powerful, concentrated, extremely sexy and confident. Very young and knitted down at this stage, suggest holding off for a good five years at least, but there is a ripple of cassis, liquorice, baked earth, gingerbread and slate that suggests great things ahead. Owned by the Meslin family, aged in 100% new oak."

This Syrah blend with soft black fruits and spice has been shaped by the sunbaked rocky soils of the unmistakable and very definate Faugeres terroir. A herbal, spicy bouquet is followed by youthful red cherries and supple mineral character derived from the schist rich soils. One of our greatest value wines.

Authentic baby wine from Chateauneuf's 1st Parker-100 grower. Unfiltered/unfined, supple, herbal, warming, a cracking value quaffer.

The Saumur Champigny appellation covers red wines made in the 8 communes closest to Saumur. The name Champigny supposedly derives from the Latin campus igni (field of fire), named for the area’s exceptionally warm microclimate. 100% Cabernet Franc, this Saumur Champigny sees no oak giving a light, fresh style with abundant red cherry fruit. This is from the same producer as our superb Crémant.

The always excellent second wine of Ch Grand Puy Lacoste. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 Lacoste-Borie gives up notes of warm cassis, Morello cherries and wild blueberries with hints of pencil shavings and bay leaves. Medium-bodied, the palate has a lively line and well-played, soft tannins with an herbal lift on the finish.

CWM Ranking - High 2:1 The best wine I have tasted from this usually reliable estate, an improvement even on the 2016 vintage. Packed with ripe fruit the extraction is well controlled, allowing the palate to build and remain fruity to the finish.

Deep purple, almost opaque in colour with an expressive nose of black fruits, pepper, cinnamon, spice and violets. A seductive palate of dark hedgerow fruits, very open and welcoming with an explosion of fruit and spice. Mineral undertones.

Fine and very expressive, there are citrus and white flowers, on the nose, with vanilla from some nice oak. On the palate, there is complexity, ripe fruit and a pleasant freshness. It is a very aromatic wine with notes of citrus fruits. The whole wine is well balanced between body, freshness and oak. The Château Bonnet Réserve comes from a selection of a few hectares, among the 120 of the estate's vineyard, producing white wines in sustainable viticulture. The grape varieties selected are Sauvignon and Sémillon.

Expert winemaking from Ambrose Vanlancker produces this fantastic Tempranillo from the the exceptional fresh terroir of his La Liviiniere vineyard in Minervois. Aromatic, medium-bodied, rounded red fruits and subtle savoury nuances.

With a vineyard of 3.67 ha in an exceptional terroir, the Château Vray Croix de Gay is one of the top estates of the renowned Pomerol appellation, whose enormous potential and unique style has become world-renowned. The strength of Château Vray Croix de Gay lies in its vineyard. Located in the heart of the Pomerol gravel plateau, on the Right Bank of the Bordeaux region, the estate’s 9 plots are subdivided into micro plots and spread over 2 vineyards. One of these is located alongside Château La Fleur behind Pétrus, and the other is set just in front of the Château Trotanoy. 93/100 Wine Advocate "Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 Vray Croix de Gay opens with notes of warm blackberries, boysenberries and black raspberries with wafts of stewed tea, fragrant earth and cloves. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is packed with expressive black fruit, framed by ripe, rounded tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing long and spicy."

Old vine Grenache grown on decomposed black schist with a limestone sub soil with some quartz, that produces something amazing. Ethereal, sublime and fresh, this achieves a level of finesse akin to fine red Burgundy. Remarkable, special, very good indeed.

Sheltered from oceanic influence by the Vosges Mountains, the Alsace wine region enjoys practically the lowest rainfall in France (only 400-500mm per year) and is blessed with a semi-continental climate, sunny, hotand dry. These optimal weather conditions, along with a nice and cool fall season, allow the grapes to ripen slowly and to develop an amazing complexity of aromas. Overt Riesling character at once, with baked tertiary fruit. Evolving. A touch musky. Great balance at 90g/l RS. Not cloying, rather Tarte au Citron. Hugely persistent.

This beautiful Margot 2022 (named after FX's little girl, Margot) is utterly divine modern, natural Roussillon Rose. The make up in this organic wine is 50% old vine Grenache Noir (grown on schist) seeing whole bunch and maceration on skins for 7 days and 50% direct press Carignan Noir (grown on clay). The naturally fermented juices are blended after malolactic fermentation. Tank aged for five months. A very low dose of sulphites at bottling. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. Coming in at a delightful 11.5% alcohol. A beautiful label drawn in school by young Margot also!

A wine from an amazing single site with vines older than 90 years. Carignan on black schistous marl. Aged for 20 months in barrels. Possibly Roussillon's most elegant expression of the grape? Outstanding wine.

Francois Xavier AKA 'FX' worked with Tom Lubbe at Domaine Matassa for five years. He spent a further year with Domaine Danjou-Banessy. After such time this local lad set up in Espira to make his own wholly exciting wines which we are introducing the UK for the first time. One hundred percent thirty year old vine Syrah on red clay. Eight days skin macération whole bunch. Fermentation in stainless steel and aged seven months in a single 20 hl foudre. 2g/hl sulphites added just before bottling. This is like a fine, gentle Crozes-hermitage with wild notes and tangy blueberry fruit. Very smart and stylish wine from young FX.

The debut vintage in 'bottle' for Chemin de Moscou 'Reflet'. The previous few years have only been available as a special release magnum. Grenache-led with Syrah following along in a fine style. The wine is deep, smooth and beautifully sweet-fruited, but like its opposite, the classic Chemin de Moscou, the wines shows tremendous focus of line and length. The wine impresses very much now, but due to the controlled focus at its heart, it shall live a long time in the bottle.

White peach, lemon rind, green apple and floral notes come through easily in the nose and on the palate. The finish is fresh, creamy and fruity, with a lemon chiffon finish that carries through to the endnote

Old vine Grenache grown on decomposed black schist with a limestone sub soil with some quartz, that produces something amazing. Ethereal, sublime and fresh, this achieves a level of finesse akin to fine red Burgundy. Remarkable, special, very good indeed.

There are many delightul Northern Rhone whites from 2023 and this is very much one of them. Performing very well in Crozes-Hermitage tastings in both Terres des Vins and La Revue du vin de France, well up amongst the big boys and girls of the appellation. 70% Marsanne, 30% Roussanne - half from loess soils on l'Homme at Larnage, half from loess soils on Les Pinets at Crozes-Hermitage. 90% steel vat, 10% new 600-litre oak cask fermented, raised 9 months, assembled just before bottling, malo completed. "fine yellow robe; the bouquet has a neat aroma of cooked citrus fruit, is graceful, appealing, carries a light nuttiness. The palate links well, is fresh and continuous, bears lightly salted, delicate content of white fruits with jasmin, white flower trembles through it. It’s elegant, well made, a bel ensemble, is precise, accurate, ends with soft gras, a bonny exit. 13°. 70% Mars, 30% Rouss. 2029-30 Oct 2024" **** John Livingstone-Learmonth on Drink Rhone "13% alcohol. 70% Marsanne, 30% Roussanne. Organic. This is textured, lively and vital with a fine lime and spice finish after a big flow of pear, melon and ripe apple fruit. Good concentration of flavour, interleaving subtly saline, mineral notes with ripe fruit to good effect". 94/100 Jamie Goode wineanorak.com

A delightful, stylish blend of Clairette Blanche, Grenache Blanc and Picpoul. This wine has a bright straw yellow colour. On the nose, it reveals subtle aromas of citrus, melon, peach, with delicate notes of infused white flowers. The palate is rich and deep, both smooth and juicy, offering a beautiful balance and a cool, mineral and persistent finish. Lovely stuff.

St Aubin has got to be one of the best value wines in Burgundy. This is a full-bodied, generous and precise wine. Easily accessible, it is the perfect accompaniment for aperitifs or a simple cooked meat (charcuterie), poultry or fish dishes.

Slight copper hue, spicy, ripe fruit, crème brulée, full-flavoured but delicate & charming. Fine persistent mousse. Totally enjoyable and quite typical of the black-grape dominated Montagne de Reims style.

A lovely red Crozes produced with fruit from the Domaine's established 50-year-old plus vineyards in eastern Les Chassis at Mercurol and in the south of Les Chassis at Pont de L'Isere. Both sites are marked with the classic Chassis terroir of red clay limestone with large, rolled pebbles. This cuvee in 2023 has elegance and lift, with suave, deep but charming fruit that has a lovely lush quality mixed with classic, complex iron notes, a nice tension and a lovely freshness. The tannins are beautifully judged here. Drinking now is a lovely experience, but this shall show well for a good few years to come. A gorgeous Crozes-Hermitage. Vendome are an established Domaine but have only started producing their own wines in the last couple of years. The wines have been very warmly received in both the French and international wine press in the debut 2020 vintage and in the following far trickier 2021 vintage. We are very happy to have struck up a relationship with the Domaine at such an early stage. The whole range is impressive across the board. Their classic red Crozes a great place to get acquainted. "Fair red robe; the nose has a smoked, pumice stone air, a leafy intonation, with discreet raspberry on the inside, is a calm opening. The palate carries a note of iodine, salting, that freshens it, is nicely droit, gives perfumed red fruits with a little vegetal tang that isn’t discordant. This fits together agreeably, has some of the crispness of the northern sector, its clarity. It can gain, amplify with another year or so, has commendable detail, some subtlety". **** John Livingstone-Learmonth on Drink Rhone "13% alcohol. Organic. Concentrated, fine and layered with a core of sweet berry and cherry fruits, with some peppery detail and also some subtle iodine and blood notes. Very fine and detailed, combining sweet fruit with some peppery framing and good energetic flow across the palate". 94/100 Jamie Goode wineanorak.com

Ch Coutet is a wonderful dessert wine producer, where the sweetness and acidity are in perfect balance, allowing the wine to age as well as offer instnat pleasure. A very classy wine to complete the perfect dinner.