Loire

Les Granges is a fruity, agreeable wine that should be drunk young. It is an example of easy-going and round Chinon from sandy gravelly soil.

From sand and gravel soils this pure Cabernet Franc is the main production of the domaine. The cuvée used to be called 'La Coudraye', but the name change reflects the fact that La coudraye is only one of five parcels on the same slope. Crunchy with red berries and peppy red juice bu...(read more)

We actually visited the Amiraults on a busy day during the 2018 harvest. Basket after basket of perfect grapes came in and tasting this you can sense that bountiful, beautiful harvest. Benoit Amirault who oversees the winemaking now, with his father Yannick, has an allergy to Sulphur so th...(read more)

Light purplish red. Warm vintage. Garden aromas of tomato, flower stem and olive. In the mouth, lower acidity and swirling minerality at midpalate. The thrill rises toward a fresh finish full of stoniness. Thirteen months in cement tank.

We could hardly contain ourselves when we first tasted this sumptuous, pretty and delicately perfumed red. The perfect balance between ornate high-toned complexity and delightfully pleasing, soft red-fruit flesh is perfect. At once indulgent and then thought provoking. Wine it is hard to s...(read more)

Les Grézeaux is concentrated, its body is dense yet silky, thanks to the gravels in its soil. It can age 10 years, and a lot longer in good vintages.

Located in Chavignol, this domaine has been handed down from father to son since the 17th century. Today Vincent’s grandson, Mathieu Delaporte, is in charge and he’s taking the wine to another level. 2018 was 'the perfect vintage' here and the family's Pinot Noir is a real winner. Really p...(read more)

The beautiful deep ruby-violet colours of this pinot noir wine give way to aromas of very ripe red fruits (cherry, blackberry and raspberry). The nose is intense and wellintegrated, with odours of cooked red fruits and roasted coffee beans. There are also hints of graphite and cinnamon. Ve...(read more)

Forty-year-old vines, planted in 100 per cent flinty soil, they are cultivated sustainably, following traditional methods, in order to give maximum respect to the environment. These soils retard the maturation of the grapes, which allows for a later harvest and healthier grapes. This soil...(read more)

We were lucky to be visiting the Amiraults the day they were harvesting this impressive Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil. Amongst the vines Benoit was overseeing a brilliant operation get this organic fruit in at exactly the right time - back at the winery Yannick was in charge of getting all th...(read more)

From a 1.5 Hectare vineyard planted 50 years ago and within view of the estates original cellar. Soils are sand and clay over a limestone base, hand harvested and double sorted prior to fermentation in tapered wooden vats. The wine is then aged for between 12-24 months dependent on the vin...(read more)

This Cuvée is fermented and aged in Amphora and it gives the wine a distinctive feel. Pure and lithe, the aromatics are pushed forward, blueberry, cherry and smoked tea, concise and taut. In the mouth that pure feel continues, fresh cool currant and cherry fruitiness, tea and tobacc...(read more)