France

Bordeaux

BORDEAUX BLANC

As well as being famous for its red wine, the Bordeaux region produces some interesting white wines. In fact, in the 19th century, the region produced more white wine than red. Most Bordeaux white wine comes from the Pessac-Léognan, Graves and Entre-Deux-Mers districts. Sauvignon blanc dominates the dry whites, with Sémillon and Muscadelle also making an appearance.

BORDEAUX SECOND LABEL

Second label Bordeaux wines are a fantastic way to enjoy wines made by some of the region’s most famous châteaux, for a fraction of the price of their main wines. For example, Le Petit Mouton de Mouton Rothschild is produced by Château Mouton Rothschild, but is a lot more affordable than the Mouton Rothschild first label.

Typically, second label wines are made with younger grapes, or with grapes grown in different vineyards to those of the main wines. However, the wines are usually produced with the same care and house style, often resulting in wines that have some hints and characteristics of the grand vin.

 

SAUTERNES

Sauternes is famous for its sweet white wine, made from Sémillon, Sauvignon blanc, and Muscadelle grapes. The sweetness comes from the Botrytis cinerea fungus, or “noble rot”, that partially turns the grapes into raisins.

Sauternes wines balance sweetness and acidity, with honey and apricot notes. Château d’Yquem is perhaps the most well-known, being the only premier cru supérieur classified wine in the region.

The Barsac commune within Sauternes has its own appellation. These wines are usually drier and less full-bodied than those from the rest of Sauternes.

BORDEAUX LEFT BANK

The Bordeaux Left Bank contains both the Graves and Médoc regions. It includes the Margaux and Pauillac communes, as well as the Pessac-Léognan, Saint-Estèphe and Saint-Julien regions. The Left Bank is home to the famous five First Growth wines: Château Lafite-Rothschild, Château Margaux, Château Latour, Château Haut-Brion, and Château Mouton Rothschild.

The region is dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon, resulting in tannin-rich, long lived wines. You’ll also find Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec and Carménère in the region.

BORDEAUX RIGHT BANK

Thanks to variations in soil, climate and grape varieties, Right Bank wines have a different feel to those of the Left Bank. Often lighter and less tannic, these wines can often be drunk relatively young as far as Bordeaux wines go.

While the Right Bank may not be as famous as its counterpart across the water, it still contains two prestigious appellations: Pomerol and Saint-Émilion. There are also smaller appellations such as Blaye, Blaye-Côtes-de-Bordeaux and Côtes-de-Bourg. Merlot grapes dominate the Right Bank, although Cabernet Franc is also frequently used. There are also some areas planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Petit Verdot.

Champagne

Le Brun de Neuville: 
Since its foundation, Le Brun de Neuville has built itself around a history of men and women: the families of winegrowers, with a common desire to equip themselves with effective tools, so that their knowledge - combined with the rich product of their terroir - enables them to produce Champagnes of the highest quality.

The Le Brun family resides by the village of Bethon, close to the town of Sézanne in the Marne. The memory of Madame Le Brun, who owned the castle in 1845, is still alive today. The house Le Brun de Neuville inherits its name thanks to the action of the noble heiress of the Château de Bethon, Madame de Reviers, one of the founders of the House.

The vineyard Le Brun de Neuville is spread over 150 hectares, of which the majority has been planted for over 30 years on the undulating slopes of the Sézannais. Its vineyard is planted predominantly in Chardonnay, which represents 88% of the total. The Pinot Noir accounts for 11% and the Meunier just 1% of the vines. The supplies of Champagne Brun de Neuville come exclusively from the vines of its members.

Languedoc

Chateuax Viranel:
Is an independent wine estate with one of the most diverse ranges of varieties in Languedoc, growing 14 different grapes: Syrah, Grenache Noir and Blanc, Mourvèdre, Carignan, Cinsault, Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon, Alicante-Bouschet, Roussanne, Vermentino, Bourboulenc, Marselan and Viognier.

The family vineyard consists of 98 acres on which we use a system of sustainable agriculture in order to preserve the lasting quality of its soils.

The property has been in their family for nearly five centuries (since 1551), passed down from generation to generation.

Rhône Valley

François Arnaud:
François Arnaud Dauvergne is a young négociant based in the southern Rhône Valley. His career led him to work in different wineries before settling his own business in 2004. During these years he became convinced that relations with growers would be key to achieving the style and consistent quality of the wines he always dreamt to produce.

To select the best fruits for his wines, François Arnaud constantly seeks out the best terroirs with the help of his friend Jean-François RANVIER. Placing human relationship with the vinegrowers at the heart of their approach, they select the best plots and oversee the whole winemaking process to create modern blends, offering both generous fruit and freshness.

Savoie

Jean Perrier & Fils: 
Is a family estate that has been passed from father to son for seven generations since 1853. The history of this family is linked to the history of wines in Savoie and the French Alps. With a vineyard of 60 hectares, this is the leading family making mountain-style wines, using unique grapes typical to the region such as Jacquère, Altesse, and Mondeuse, under the new appellation Crémant de Savoie.

These wines are appreciated around the world for their great complexity and freshness: very dry and fruity, with a lot of minerality. They represent a quaint and wild way of life and offer a great new experience in the winegrowing French world.

Burgundy

 

Burgundy is a wine region in central-eastern France near to the city of Dijon, built on centuries of winemaking tradition and with close historical links to monasteries; the Clos de Vougeot vineyard being a prime example. Burgundy’s patchwork quilt of vineyards and associated terroirs – or ‘climats‘ – gained UNESCO world heritage status in July 2015.

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