Rhône Offer April 2014

Transcription

1 Rhône Offer April 2014 INTRODUCTION 2012 was generally a testing year for many French regions but the Rhone is one region that produced fine results. It was a vintage where the elements threw many challenges at the vignerons, and only those that put in the necessary work during a cool, damp spring /early summer, were watchful throughout and picked at the right times produced quality wines. The common elements to both the north and the south are yields that are 10% lower than average, following difficult flowering and fruit set, giving wines that are perfectly ripe with perfect fine grained tannins, and with appreciably lower alcohol than the 3 previous vintages. Chaptalisation was unnecessary and so 2012 is generally a cooler climate vintage, allowing precision in the wines that are very digeste and approachable. Very few northern reds have more than 13% alcohol and down in the south most wines are in the 14 to 14.5% bracket, low for the south where consistently hot summers and wines based around the early ripening Grenache normally give alcohol in the 14.5 to 15%+ range. Such conditions are also ideally suited to producing a better inherent balance in the region s white wines and not surprisingly the wines have terrific balance, with a beautiful purity and much fresher flavours than On the pricing front the region s growers have demonstrated their grounded qualities by sticking to very modest increases over the 2011s, despite a 2013 harvest that has produced yields that are between 20% to 60% lower than This is in stark contrast to the Côte de Beaune growers in Burgundy where exorbitant price increases for wines from similarly small crops as the Rhône, frankly smack of greed. The Rhône continues to offer excellent quality and serious value for money. NORTHERN RHÔNE There was a lot of rain in the northern Rhône between March and June (Cath can testify to this having worked for a week in June in deluge conditions on the slopes of St Joseph for the Gonon brothers, it s well worth a read of her blog under news on our website) and a lot of work was necessary in the vines. Flowering was difficult. However a warm mid and late summer and drought conditions then rescued what looked like being a very damp squib indeed. The harvest ultimately started at the end of September running to early October, and by then the grapes had gradually ripened fully (and there was no rot at all), so much so that acidities had started to drop. Jean Gonon commented that it was a knife-edge vintage where the grapes just ripened but then quickly could have gone the wrong way. The tannins within both the grapeskins and stalks were subtle and perfectly ripe, with a high percentage of whole bunches used in many fermentations (only possible in properly ripe vintages). The wines are perfumed, beautifully supple with excellent balance, more structure than 2011, good mid palate length, lower alcohol, moderate to average acidity and enrobed tannins. The quality is very high with much more substance and depth than It is a very northern vintage, in style reminiscent of perhaps 2007, or the 1980s in the distant past, but with better vineyard management and cellar technique to raise quality. Per Rhône legend John Livingstone-Learmonth it is a fresh, not sun-swept vintage and reverts back to patterns not seen for a generation. He writes, A vintage for a little patience, an absorbing not flashy year, one that will suit lovers of Burgundy rather than those who chase big, obvious wines. Finesse and balance how refreshing it is to be writing these words. There are fine reds in all the appellations of the region and as mentioned before expect to try some especially good white St Peray, St Joseph and Condrieu (where we have added an excellent example from François Merlin). SOUTHERN RHÔNE There was a sustained period of icy weather in Feb 2012 that killed a large number of vines on flatter land. Spring weather was patchy and cool impacting on the flowering and fruit set of all the vines. Summer was then dry and sunny but not too hot, and there was a welcome rain break in early September, which helped to unblock the ripening vines. Overall the year saw similar levels of sunshine hours compared to 1837h in All the varieties ripened at different times, leading to a labour intensive harvest, with numerous passes and strict sorting in the cave. Harvest took place later than normal in late September/early October. The most successful growers have produced delicious wines with much more poise and vibrant fruit than The wines have a good depth of colour, more aromatic fruit with a mineral stamp, better structure, medium to full bodied richness and good acidity, lower alcohol than normal and more profound tannins than Yields are generally 20% lower than 2011 and so the wines don t suffer from dilution. According to JLL there is a greater breeze in the fruit, more cut and grip. There is an approachability to the wines and yet they have all the elements to age well a tip-top vintage according to Laurent Charvin in Châteauneuf. They are much more reflective of their individual terroir, more northern in style in 2012 and southern in 2011 according to Philippe Bravay at Domaine de Ferrand, who has made an outstanding wine in 2012 according to Jancis Robinson (rated 18.5 and 3rd behind only Rayas and Clos des Papes in a 130+ wines tasting). New to the list this year are 2 superb Châteauneuf du Pape from Domaine de la Biscarelle who have 6 hectares of vines to the north of the appellation. Owner and winemaker Jérôme Grieco looks for wines that are very digeste, a welcome contrast to the oenologist led trend of overly sweet, massive wines of the last decade, but much more in line with JLL s comment to me that Châteauneuf should be an appellation that offers finesse.

2 Northern Rhône SAINT-JOSEPH In our view Saint-Joseph offers the best price quality rapport of all the northern Rhône appellations for red wines, and in addition some of the most stunning, complex, food-friendly whites that France can offer. The standard of wines from growers like Gonon and Gripa is way above all but a handful of growers in the more prestigious appellations of Cornas, Côte-Rôtie and Hermitage. The wines listed come from superb terroirs, tiny terraced vineyards with excellent aspects, clinging on to steep granite based hillsides around the villages of Mauves, Tournon and St Jean de Muzols in the south of the appellation where all the best St Joseph producers are to be found, and in 2012 this sector produced some of the best wines (both red and white) in the northern Rhône. St-Joseph Blanc AC 2012 Les Oliviers Pierre Gonon 80% Marsanne, 20% Roussanne Les Oliviers, just to the north of Mauves, has a soil of ancient Rhône alluvium and some loess on a granitic bedrock. Very precise wine in 2012 with a little less alcohol than usual, ripe apricot and mandarin fruit with a hint of liquorice and fennel, good tension and minerality on the mid palate, with real build and length on the finish, and typical touch of noble bitterness from the Marsanne. Will age very well. 93 pts Robert Parker. (Available now) 258 per case UB St-Joseph Rouge AC 2012 Pierre Gonon Incorporates 1½ hectares of 80 year old vines from Raymond Trollat in St Jean de Muzols (representing 20% of the wine). 20% lower yields in 2012 giving just 32hh. Made from 80% whole bunches, this has more concentrated fruit than 2011, good freshness (12.8% alcohol), excellent structure and balance with very fine grained tannins, then a long, mineral infused finish. 234 per case UB St-Joseph Blanc AC 2012 Bernard Gripa 75% Marsanne, 25% Roussanne Produced from 25 year old vines on hillside terraces between Mauves and Tournon, Fabrice Gripa s Saint-Joseph white is always a little richer than his Saint-Péray (ph of 3.60 versus 3.35 for St-Péray), with an attractive hint of menthol and juniper berry on the nose, fresh and balanced on the palate, with mineral, spice and Marsanne bitterness on the finish was a notable success. The best St Joseph Blanc I have tasted yet at the domaine. (Available May 2014) 198 per case UB St-Joseph Rouge AC 2012 Bernard Gripa Aged in a mix of new to ten years old demi-muids and fûts, the 2012 is thoroughly ripe (13.5%) with a delicious black cherry fruit, liquorice, hint of black olive and real composure with finegrained tannins and an irony relief on the palate. 210 per case UB CROZES-HERMITAGE Luc Tardy has now been at the helm of Domaine du Murinais for almost 15 years. His wines never disappoint and although they are made in a natural, fruit-driven style, they now show much more finesse and freshness. He has extended his elevage to 18 months, with 12 months in barrels then six months in cuve. Ever more patient at all stages the 2012 reflects the advantages of this approach. Martine Vandre has a clutch of well placed vines in two very different terroirs on lime stone based hillsides around Mercurol, and flat alluvial plains in Beaumont-Monteux. Her wines have a little extra structure and staying power than many Crozes-Hermitage. Using organic viticulture, indigenous yeasts and judicious extraction, she produces a most attractive red. Crozes-Hermitage AC 2012 Vieilles Vignes Domaine du Murinais Made from 40 year old vines, the 2012 has a clear, pure blackberry and mulberry fruit with a touch of liquorice and spice then a sapid, saline note on the finish. Very good value and an excellent introduction to northern Rhône Syrah. 123 per case UB Crozes-Hermitage AC 2012 Champ Morel This very good example (much more serious than the 2011, like 1998 according to Martine) comes from 30 year old vines in alluvial soil in Beaumont-Monteux and clay-limestone hillsides in Chanos-Curson. Mid-red, it has a good rich structure and gives flavours of black cherries and mulberries, enhanced by a well-judged elevage in a mix of older oak and cuve. 132 per case UB SAINT-PÉRAY Gripa s Saint-Péray are always marked by more freshness and acidity than his white Saint- Joseph. The reasons are partly due to the relatively high altitude of their vineyards (up to 300 metres) but more especially to the deep and very white limestone clayey soil (overlying a granite base), which growers compare to the chalk of champagne. St-Péray AC 2012 Les Pins Bernard Gripa 80% Marsanne, 20% Roussanne This comes from 40 year old vines in a limestone topsoil with granite base and is 100% oak aged (mainly 6/7 year old demi-muids). Peach and pear fruits with a hint of acacia and a punchy acidity and mineral character, it has a lovely purity and freshness. (Available now) 165 per case UB St-Péray AC 2012 Les Figuiers Bernard Gripa 60% Marsanne, 40% Roussanne Les Figuiers is a notable wine with one of the highest percentages of Roussanne of the northern Rhône s leading whites. Aged 100% in one to five year old barrels and demi-muids, it has an extra dimension of richness than the village Saint-Péray, fine greengage and peach aromas, nutty flavours and retains the appellation s characteristic freshness (ph of 3.30) with a saline note on the finish. (Available May 2014) 216 per case UB Key to symbols white red rosé sweet red

3 CONDRIEU I adore Condrieu from 2012, the purity of its fruit, its balance and mineral kick, and alcohol ranging from 12.5% to 14%. For me Condrieu above 14% is too often hot and heavy and it s difficult to finish a bottle between two. It may just be coincidence but André Perret has just produced his two lowest alcohol but ripe vintages since Between 2005 and 2010, most of his top cuvées weighed in around 15%, because he had to pick after the bans de vendanges date set by the late harvest loving president of the appellation. Now that the bans de vendanges have been abolished André can pick when he wants, and has produced a superlative range of wines. New to the list this year are an exciting Condrieu and IGP Viognier from François Merlin who after learning his craft with Rostaing back in 1985 planted 8 hectares of vines by massale selection in He has recently been joined by 24 year old son Laurent, who has helped to push vineyard care to a new level. François is a very thoughtful winemaker, designated STGT (soil to glass transfer) by John Livingstone-Lear month, who produces very authentic Condrieu, with sufficient gras, but always with an intriguing reserve, and relatively low alcohol. Viognier Vin de France 2012 Les Galets Christophe Blanc Christophe produces just 1,250bts of this very good value viognier, with 10% later harvested grapes to give it a touch extra structure, with typical notes of peach, pear skin, mineral touch and vigour on the finish. (Available now) 147 per case UB Condrieu AC 2012 Les Vallins Christophe Blanc As Christophe s vines are relatively young, he seeks to attain a little extra ripeness with 10% of his grapes bringing in the complexity of noble rot, though the finished wine with just 2g/l is almost bone dry. Classic apricot and peach-rich viognier, good mineral edge, with notable freshness. Just 13.2% alcohol - a welcome 1980s blast from the past. (Available now) 258 per case UB Viognier IGP Collines Rhodaniennes 2012 Brocéliande Francois Merlin The most serious IGP Viognier that I have tasted, François made just 2500 bottles, ageing it in cuve on the fine lees for a year. Looks for freshness in this cuvée (just 12.5% alcohol), using ripe but no late harvested grapes. Centered around peach and apricot fruit, it is tightly wound, and ends firmly with good length. (Available late March) 147 per case UB Condrieu AC 2012 Terroirs Francois Merlin Exceptional Condrieu made from four lieu-dits and two hectares of 20 year old massale selected vines. Vinified using natural yeasts (rare in Condrieu) and aged for a year in a mix of new to six year old barrels, demi-muids and Stockinger foudres, it has superb balance, freshness and tension, with a good weight of apricot fruit and hints of lavender and honeysuckle. Will age very well. 4-5 stars JLL Very good very drinkable and stylish. It has gras and balance. (Available late March) 272 per case UB Condrieu AC 2012 André Perret Made from 25 year old vines and aged 50% in cuve and 50% in recent oak barrels. Pale gold colour, very good balance, with no heat (13.5% alcohol). Apricot, oranges, pear skin and spice on the palate, long and sustained on the finish. Limited quantity. 92 pts Robert Parker. (Available April) 264 per case UB Condrieu AC 2012 Chéry André Perret Aged in 2/3 fûts and 1/3 cuve for 15 months. Extraordinary depth of apricot and peach fruit that is very, very intense and yet has perfect balance, with notable ginger and floral notes. And from this fine south facing hillside just 13.5% alcohol. Very limited quantity. 95 pts Robert Parker. (Available April) 339 per case UB CORNAS Cornas has a terroir that is arguably second only to Hermitage in potential quality, but has a larger number of dynamic vignerons competing to push the quality ever higher. Try any of the wines of Clape, Balthazar, Paris, Allemand and Guillaume Gilles and you can t go wrong. We offer a small parcel of Robert Michel s top cuvée La Geynale that comes from 95 year old vines. The 2006 was the last vintage made before his retirement. A must for any Northern Rhône aficionado s cellar. Of course a great winemaker never completely retires and Robert has been working closely with young Guillaume Gilles. Guillaume worked with Jean-Louis Chave in Hermitage for five years before renting two hectares of Chaillot Cornas from Robert Michel. He uses Robert s cave for ageing and Robert is always on hand if any advice is needed. Very unusually for Cornas, Guillaume ploughs the soil, and follows a very natural course in the cave (no destalking, natural yeasts, no fining, and no filtration). His wine has a real local feel, true Cornas character and is of outstanding quality. Cornas AC 2012 Guillaume Gilles Guillaume s vines are 32 years old from the fine lieu-dit of Chaillots (specifically the plots of les Terrasses and les Grands Murs on very, very steep south and south east facing slopes). Following Robert Michel s path, the grapes were not destalked and the wine has been aged in two thirds 400 litres barrels and bottled without fining or filtration. A beautiful, seductive nose, lovely weight of rich red/black fruit and liquorice on the palate. Fantastic imprint of terroir, notably irony and very fine tannins. (Available April 2015) 318 per case UB Cornas AC 2006 La Geynale Robert Michel Robert s final wine, his holdings have now been sold on to various young growers, though a consortium of wine lovers including JLL have acquired a 1.2 ha holding which is now worked by Vincent Paris. He has signed off with an excellent wine both a reflection of the exceptional quality of the terroir (and 95 year old vines) and how skilfully Robert has harnessed all its qualities resonance, power with finesse, minerality, and longevity. (Available now) 330 per case UB

4 CÔTE-RÔTIE Côte-Rôtie is produced from tiny terraced vineyards clinging precariously to the hillsides on the west bank of the Rhône south of Vienne. It is the northernmost syrah producing appellation of the Rhône. Many of its vineyards enjoy a vital southerly aspect, due to the Rhône turning in a north-easterly direction just above Condrieu. This gives Côte-Rôtie a natural ripening advantage over the appellation of Saint-Joseph, where most of the vineyards (with the occasional exception such as the lieu-dit of Saint-Joseph itself just to the south of Tournon) have an easterly aspect. Côte-Rôtie also enjoys three different soil types 60% lies on decomposed schist, (Côte Brune and northern sector), 30% on gneiss (Côte Blonde and part of Tupin) and 10% on granite (southern tip). Domaine Duclaux, run by 36 year old David, president of the growers syndicate and his younger brother Benjamin, has rapidly improved over the last five years. They put an immense work in the vineyards, with six full time employees for 5½ hectares of vines, battling against unrelenting erosion to produce an average of just 19,000 bottles a year. Like the Garons their wines show really well five years from vintage. Domaine Garon is in the hands of two young brothers, so often a recipe for success, and they already produce wines of exceptional quality. The Garons have just under five hectares of vines. Most of their vines are planted in the gneiss-dominant soils of the Côte Blonde, where their cuvée Triotes is typically supple, elegant and open and is very well suited to drinking in its relative youth. They also produce Rochins, a richer, bigger framed wine from a half hectare plot of 30 year old vines in the schist-dominant lieu-dit of the same name. The Garons don t believe that their wines need long ageing and recommend that both their wines can be drunk after four to five years from vintage. The hallmark of their wines is the purity of their fruit, and vinifications are very gentle with the extraction of fruit more like that of infusion. Côte-Rôtie AC 2012 La Germine David & Benjamin Duclaux 95% Syrah, 5% Viognier Yields down a little to 37hh in The stalks were ripe and so they used 20% of whole bunches in the fermentation. The colour is a bright black cherry that extends right out to the rim and the nose offers smoky black fruits, mulberry and cloves. The palate has a greater depth of fruit than 2011, silky and fresh (12.5% alcohol), with a notable mineral print (almost saline), and is very long on the finish. Well-balanced and as ever, a perfectly judged élevage pts Robert Parker finesse and elegance are the buzz words here, and this is classy stuff that will evolve for over a decade. JLL a sleek and notably stylish wine with assured depth. (Available March 2015) 321 per case UB Côte-Rôtie AC 2012 Maison Rouge David & Benjamin Duclaux This is a selection of the six best barrels of 100% Syrah from the steep higher slopes of a vineyard planted in The soil here is gneiss and it conveys notable menthol and liquorice nuances of violet Zan (French sweet!) to this more intense, spicy, black and red-berried wine which has perfect balance, a sustained mid-palate and good grip on the finish. En primeur only pts Robert Parker. (Available March 2015) 219 per 6bts UB Côte-Rôtie AC 2012 Les Triotes Domaine Garon This comes from four lieu-dits and 21 year old vines in the gneiss-oriented terroir blond in the centre of the appellation just south of Ampuis. Aged for 21 months in new to 15 year old barrels and demi-muids. Yields were down to 32hh in 2012, and no chaptalisation was necessary. A gorgeous nose offers black cherry fruit, violets and olives, and the palate is more structured than 2011, sapid and elegant (like a cross between 2010 and 2011 per Kévin Garon), with similar clearly defined flavours and fine grained tannins. (Available March 2015) 321 per case UB Côte-Rôtie AC 2012 Les Rochins Domaine Garon Les Rochins is a very fine vineyard on a due south-facing hillside next to La Landonne. The schist mother rock here is imbued with iron oxide. (the Garons don t like viognier at all) and destalked 70%, this has more power and depth of rich black fruits, black olives, liquorice and spice, perfectly ripe tannins and a little herbal touch on the very long finish. Just 2,000 bottles of this top cuvée produced pts Robert Parker. (Available March 2015) 261 per 6bts UB HERMITAGE Bernard Faurie has just 1.5 hectares of very old petite serine vineyards on prime sites of the Hermitage hillside and is a local legend. He is an eccentric s eccentric, meticulous and fastidious (he rinses his pipette with a jet wash at least four times before drawing wine from any barrel). He has two full time employees working his vineyard. He uses no chemical weed killers, preferring to plough the soil using a horse. His wines have exquisite balance, everything is done with fine touch and the oak regime of new to six year old 600 ltr demi-muids suits the wines perfectly. More than a few top growers in the northern Rhône have commented to me that they believe that in certain vintages Faurie s reds are as good as the Hermitage of Jean-Louis Chave. They are prized wines that offer extraordinary value and sell out quickly. For the last five years he has talked about retiring and moving away to enjoy the mountain air in the Alps (and off piste skiing through the woods, nothing could be more perfect according to Bernard), and during my last visit it was clear that there won t be many more opportunities to buy wines from him. He has made a first step by no longer producing St Joseph. Yields were 10% down to around 32hh in 2012 and the grapes produced wines with 13% natural alcohol (Bernard views the high alcohol 2009 and 2010s as aberrations and vintages like 2011 and 2012 as more typical and true to classic Hermitage). Hermitage AC 2012 Greffieux/Bessard Bernard Faurie Les Greffieux is a lieu-dit where the soils mix alluvial Rhône stones and decomposed granite over a granite base rock. In 2012 the wine comprises 1/3 of Bessard which gives a wine with more structure and weight than Greffieux. The vines average 80 years of age and give a most attractive, elegant wine with clear cut cherry and raspberry fruit, hint of black pepper, marked minerality, fine grained tannins and just 13% alcohol. Best kept for minimum five years from vintage. (Available May 2014) 216 per 6bts UB Hermitage AC 2012 Bessard/Méal Bernard Faurie Bessard and Méal produce a richer wine with denser fruit that will take much longer to unravel than the wine above. You can taste gorgeous rich, black cherry fruit, with spice, graphite and pepper, all the time beautifully focused and balanced. An exquisite wine of the highest quality. (Available May 2014) 252 per 6 bts UB

5 Southern Rhône VENTOUX Corinna Faravel is a vigneronne who looks for long-term solutions in her vineyards to improve the quality of her wines. Whilst she makes wines that accurately reflect their origins, she also looks for elegance and freshness. To this end she has just planted a vineyard from petite serine massale selected clippings from Robert Michel s 95 year old La Geynale vineyard in Cornas. Petite Serine gives lower yields, better quality and less alcohol than the clonally selected syrah that is common in the south. So extra finesse becomes a ten year project when the vines reach maturity - no short cuts!! Ventoux AC 2012 Martinelle 70% Grenache, 22% Syrah, 6% Mourvèdre, 2% Carignan/Cinsault This is a wolf in sheep s clothing, or more accurately a Rhône-Villages from Beaumes de Venise reclassified after the war as a Ventoux. Yields just 32hh in 2012 and incorporates a touch more Mourvèdre than last year. It is a rich, supple, well balanced wine with hints of liquorice, menthol, spice, garrigue herbs nicely cut through by the tempering influence of limestone. (Available April) 93 per case UB CÔTES-DU-RHÔNE These wines come from two outstanding Châteauneuf producers from vines in lower lying land in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. They share many of the same characteristics of illustrious Châteauneuf so are in a different class to most Côtes-du-Rhône and offer great value for money. Côtes-du-Rhône AC 2012 Vieilles Vignes Domaine de Ferrand 90% Grenache, 7% Syrah, 3% Cinsault Destalked 65% in 2012, yields were normal at 37hh and the late September harvest was later than usual. A mid-raspberry colour reflects a judicious vinification. Floral and herbal notes on the nose, with a firm texture on the palate, offering spicy, red fruits (very close to the fresh grapes), dried herbs and fine tannins on the finish. 99 per case UB Côtes-du-Rhône AC 2012 Domaine Charvin 85% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 5% Mourvèdre Charvin was very happy with his 2012 wines when we visited him in December. His CDR is very well balanced, nicely digeste, with floral hints on the nose and a good weight of fresh cherry fruits on the attack, and hints of menthol, liquorice and garrigue herbs on the palate. He has cut back a touch on fining, which has helped to retain a tad more colour. 99 per case UB VINSOBRES Four days tasting at Découvertes last year produced one exciting new gem in Domaine la Péquélette (which means tiny one in Provencal) run by Cédric Guillaume-Corbin who in 2005 took over from his father, who had previously sold all his grapes to the co-op. In southern Rhône terms this is a tiny eight hectare estate, tended bio-dynamically, located high in the hills at a cooler 350m altitude to the east of the appellation. Here it s essential to wait and harvest in October much later than villages like Cairanne or Gigondas 25 km to the south. The vineyards here are planted in a very stony soil on a limestone base. The vines are pruned hard and the yields are just 18hh, then the wine is very gently extracted and given a patient two years élevage in cuve. His wine has already been spotted by the RVF which rated Péquélette as producing the best Rhône-Villages in 2011, and of course JLL, who gives them a glowing write up on Vinsobres AC 2012 Emile Domaine la Péquélette 75% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre, 10% Syrah, 5% Carignan 50 to 90 year old vines tended bio-dynamically give yields of just 18hh. Cuve aged in cement for two years, this wine has a delectable, very pure, black cherry, raspberry, liquorice and cinnamon flecked fruit, old vine framework and fine tannins with a cleansing, saline note on the finish. Very digestible style. (Available March 2015) 114 per case UB CÔTES-DU-VIVARAIS Domaine Gallety s vineyards are in the extreme north of the region, in the village of Saint-Montan, just south-west of Montélimar. The Gallety family produce excellent red wines from 15 hectares of organically tended vineyards on a gentle, due south facing slope. Viticulture and winemaking are meticulous. Their approach to bottling reflects this quality where each bottle is first rinsed with water and then filled with nitrogen to chase away air and avoid any risk of oxidation. Their wines have excellent fruit, good texture, a mineral print, freshness, length on the palate, and age really well. Côtes-du-Vivarais AC 2012 Alain Gallety 50% Grenache, 50% Syrah This cuvée comes from 40 year old massale selection vines yielding 30hh, and aged in one to four year old barrels for 12 to 15 months. It offers very clear, pure, black cherry and raspberry fruits, with hints of black olives, herbs, spice and tobacco. Combines southern flavour with a northern freshness (a little like 2001 and 2007 according to David-Alexandre Gallety). (Available March 2015) 162 per case UB RASTEAU Jérôme Bressy has worked for 15 years with passion, energy and skill with the aim of producing the finest wines in the Southern Rhône. Sadly for Rasteau and for Jérôme, a man who feels very connected to his terroir and heritage, his wines will no longer carry the Rasteau appellation from the 2010 vintage, after an adjustment of the appellation s cahier des charges (rulebook) by a committee of local producers. In the same way that Domaine de Trévallon was ejected from the AOC that it helped to create in the early 1990s, changes in the stipulated varietal planting mean that old, heritage varieties like Picardan and Picpoul Gris, that Jérôme planted years ago because of their suitability for hot climates and bringing freshness to blends, and were previously permitted under the AOC rules, have just been excluded. It smacks of rotten, local politics and jealousies, but in effectively banning their star performer from representing all that can be good about Rasteau, they have paradoxically freed Jérôme and his wines from tired old jibes that his wines are really good for a Rasteau. Rasteau Côtes-du-Rhône Villages AC 2008 Domaine Gourt de Mautens 55% Grenache, 20% Carignan, 25% total of Counoise, Mourvèdre, Vaccarèse, Cinsault, Terret Noir In his quest for absolute quality, in 2008 Jérôme risked everything by deciding not to start the harvest until October10th, a month after the rains that so diluted the wines of the majority that picked in September. He finished the harvest on October 31st. By contrast his 2011 harvest took place between Sep 6th 20th. Not destalked, this definitely helps the texture and structure of the wine, which is aged for 36 months in a mix of older foudre, demi-muids and cuve dependent on which élevage suits which grape best. Very complex indeed on the nose with ripe black fruits (cherry, plum, prune), chocolate, tobacco and spice, on the palate this is multi-layered with a real old viney feel, liquorice, menthol and garrigue herbs, all the time beautifully delineated and fresh. The tannins are extremely fine and the gorgeous aftertaste is still in the mouth half an hour later. (Available now) 168 per 6 bts UB

6 CAIRANNE Domaine de l Oratoire s top cuvées of Cairanne are really exciting wines. Ten generations of the Alary family have worked the same 25 hectare vineyard since 1692 on escarpments in the north east of the appellation, next to Rasteau. Meticulous work in the vineyard includes three sortings of the grapes one by the grape pickers, a second using a sorting table in the vineyard before the grapes are tractored back to the winery, and a third using a sorting table after the grapes have been destalked before they go into the fermentation vats. The Alary brothers believe that a good proportion of Mourvèdre is vital both to temper the power and complement the Grenache. They are completely against the widely planted clonal Syrah the only Syrah that they use (and only in 20% of one wine) is a massale selection from Clusel-Roch s Côte-Rôtie Grandes Places vineyard. Organically certified, they have also been working entirely bio-dynamically for the last three years, which they believe has helped them to produce better balanced wines with an added freshness. Cairanne Blanc Rhône-Villages AC 2012 Réserve des Seigneurs Domaine de l Oratoire Saint-Martin 50% Roussanne, 50% Clairette According to the Alary brothers, Oratoire s white (aged 100% in cuve) reflects the benefits of bio-dynamic viticulture with an extra dynamism and acidity. It shows pear and exotic fruits, with a freshness and rare acidic tension, finishing with a distinct saline note. (Available now) 96 per case UB Cairanne Rouge Rhône-Villages AC 2012 Réserve des Seigneurs Domaine de l Oratoire Saint-Martin 60% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre, 10% Syrah Really well made wine. This offers most attractive succulent dark cherry fruit, black olives, liquorice, touch of garrigue herbs, mineral with a lovely texture. The tannins are fine and ripe, and the wine is attractive and drinking well straight out of the stalls. 120 per case UB Cairanne Côtes-du-Rhône Villages AC 2012 Les Douyes Domaine de l Oratoire Saint-Martin 60% Grenache, 40% Mourvèdre Previously named Cuvée Prestige, this is one of the domaine s two top red cuvées, from vines up to 100 years old, yielding on average just over 20 hectos per hectare. Foudre and cuve aged, the 2012 is a darker colour than the first cuvée, thanks to ripe Mourvèdre. The older vines and higher proportion of Mourvèdre also give the wine a slightly bigger structure. This wine has a firmer structure with more depth of flavour, displaying notable flavours of liquorice, violets and garrigues herbs behind black cherry fruit. 153 per case UB Cairanne Rouge Côtes-du-Rhône Villages AC 2012 Haut Coustias Domaine de l Oratoire Saint-Martin 60% Mourvèdre, 20% Syrah, 20% Grenache Aged in foudre and demi-muids, Oratoire s top red has an almost black colour, and terrific, densely structured fruit. On the nose and palate you notice black olives, bay leaf, dried flowers and black fruits. There is a good purity to the fruit, fine tannins and this will age very well. En primeur only. 168 per case UB VACQUEYRAS Eric Bouletin s Roucas Toumba (which means the fallen rock in Old Provencal dialect) is one of the top domaines in this up and coming appellation. Eric left the local co-operative to start vinifying himself in 2007 and has just four hectares of superbly located old vines. A gentle giant of a man (he is six feet four inches tall) he spends more time than most in his vineyards, which he works organically, channeling all his energies to producing perfect grapes and relaxing for just one day at the week-end to tend his olive trees and vegetable garden with his son. He has parcels of very old vine Grenache and Carignan and includes a small proportion of white grapes in his top cuvée Restanques de Cabassole, which helps to preserve a little freshness. All of his wines taste very close to the grapes, and reflect their local terroir with a very natural, honest style. Vacqueyras AC 2012 Les Prémices Roucas Toumba 20% Marsanne, 17% Roussanne, 16% Clairette, 15% Grenache Gris, 14% Viognier, 14% Vermentino, 4% Picpoul/Picardan/Carignan blanc Eric has just 0.85h of massale selected white grapes, and whilst the vineyard is relatively young, his yields are just 16hh. He also harvests at 7am in the morning to preserve freshness. Aged for one year in two to four year old barrels, the wine is complex and dense but has retained an integral freshness and balance, with intriguing aromas of white fruits and flowers. (Available now) 168 per case UB Vacqueyras AC 2012 Les Restanques de Cabassole Roucas Toumba 60% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre, 5% Viognier/Clairette/Grenache Blanc Old vine Grenache (60-80 years old) two thirds destalked is at the heart of this excellent wine. A beautiful plum colour, it is a complex wine with a fresh black cherry nose intermingled with violets, thyme, ink and smoke. On the palate the wine is rich but balanced by a discreet minerality, with liquorice nuances, dark chocolate and menthol supported by old vine tannins. 204 per case UB GIGONDAS In Gigondas we work with two top quality domaines. Their wines are made in a similar fashion, though Grapillon d Or prefer to harvest a little later. Over at Domaine Raspail-Ay, Monsieur Ay (now joined by son Christophe) destalks 100% and then gives the wine a three-week cuvaison. Both age their wines for nine months in cement then a year in foudre. This helps to open the wines up, and gives them an accessibility in their youth. Top Gigondas are excellent wines for drinking by lovers of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, whilst waiting for those firmer structured wines to slowly mature in bottle. Gigondas AC 2012 Domaine du Grapillon d Or 80% Grenache, 20% Syrah Produced from yields of 32hh in 2012 and destalked 100%, this wine has excellent balance and offers the classic Gigondas flavours of black cherry, spice, thyme/rosemary, tapenade, liquorice with a hint of mocha, nicely relieved by the refreshing influence of limestone pts Robert Parker concentrated and yet classically styled wine that should be approachable on release, yet evolve gracefully for upward of a decade. 147 per case UB Gigondas AC 2012 Domaine Raspail-Ay 80% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 5% Mourvèdre Yields of 30hh in 2012, a touch less than normal. Dominique Ay has been ploughing for five years now and has produced a cherry-hued, stylish wine showing black cherries and red fruits, very spicy with floral and mineral notes, a supple texture, gentle, spicy tannins, and good freshness pts Stephen Tanzer. 159 per case UB

7 CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE New to the list this year are the Châteauneuf-du-Pape of Jérôme Grieco of Domaine de la Biscarelle. Jérôme has just over 5.5 hectares of CNDP from the Quartier du Grès in the northern sector towards Orange, from which he makes 2 cuvées. He also makes some delicious CDR of which we ll be featuring a 100% Cinsault next year. His overall philosophy is to make accessible, digestible wines, which goes against the trend in CNDP. In JLL s words, The wines are blessed by clarity with none of the souped up sweetness so prevalent these days. He works organically, ploughing the soils, uses natural yeasts, cement cuves for ageing, and no racking or fining. Yields at Domaine de Ferrand were practically normal in 2012 and Philippe Bravay destalked 60% compared to 50% in He believes that his wines offer a much more northern Rhône expression in 2012, with more refreshing, precise fruit than For the first time (or at least the first time that he has mentioned it to me) he also added a little counoise and Bourboulenc (0.2h) into the blend. Philippe is making one of the finest examples of essentially old vine Grenache wines in the world today, and despite all the plaudits (Jancis Robinson rating his CNDP behind only Rayas and Clos des Papes), sticks to an incredibly reasonable pricing policy. Domaine Charvin s wines have always displayed a purity of fruit and finesse that are extremely rare in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, though, because Laurent does not destalk at all, his wines take a little longer to reveal their qualities than those of Domaine de Ferrand. Indeed, Robert Parker believes that here the wines most closely resemble the finesse of Château Rayas when it was made by the late Jacques Reynaud. Laurent Charvin s wines are never blockbusters, and as they age they develop a texture more akin to really good red Burgundy with a distinct freshness imparted by limestone. Laurent is very happy with his 2012s, with a yield only fractionally down from 2011, the wines have a delectable fruit, excellent balance, with lower alcohol helping to make them more approachable than ever. We also offer a white Châteauneuf-du-Pape from Jacqueline André (Domaine Pierre André et Fille). This domaine was in the vanguard of the organic movement in France, practising organic methods in the mid 1960 s and since 1992 going one step further by conversion to biodynamic viticulture. Made from a mix of 4 grape varieties (some of her Clairette vines are 130 years old!) her white is cuve aged, and typically drinks very well in its first three years, then after closing down, takes on extra complexities after seven years or so. Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc AC 2012 Domaine Pierre André et Fille 40% Clairette, 30% Bourboulenc, 20% Roussanne, 10% Grenache Blanc Old vines (130 year old Clairette), biodynamic viticulture and a well-judged vinification produce this excellent wine. Aged in a stainless steel cuve it has a discreet aromatic profile, and on the palate is slightly floral, with dried fruits and apricot with a racy freshness conveyed by limestone. Carafed it will drink well in its youth. Limited Quantity. (Available now) 270 per case UB Châteauneuf-du-Pape AC 2012 Domaine de la Biscarelle 80% Grenache, 20% total of Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsault, Terret Noir, Counoise, Carignan This comes from 4.5 hectares of 55 to 100 year old vines planted in a mix of soils comprising the famous galets roulés and deep limestone, red clay and sandy soils. Cuve aged and not destalked, this is a sapid, very well balanced wine, with most attractive aromatics, smoky red and blackberry/cherry fruits, following through on the palate with good grip, spicy notes, touch of menthol, and ripe, savoury tannins. (Available March 2015) 201 per case UB Châteauneuf-du-Pape AC 2012 Les Anglaises Domaine de la Biscarelle 100% Grenache This is made from 1.35 hectares of north-west facing vines planted in Dark coloured in its youth extending right to the edge, it is a denser, richer wine, with tightly packed black fruits on the nose, and much more matter on the palate. It offers mulberry and blackberry fruits, cloves, garrigue herbs, liquorice, and has a prolonged, spicy generosity. Will age very well. Just 4000 bottles made. (Available March 2015) 240 per case UB Châteauneuf-du-Pape AC 2012 Domaine de Ferrand 95% Grenache, 5% Mourvèdre/Cinsault/Syrah, Counoise, Bourboulenc Made from 90 year old vines planted on old rootstock that help to reduce vigour and limited yields ( 29hh in 2012), this is a dense, rich wine with real breadth of aromas and flavours, offering layers of raspberry and black cherry fruit, spice, liquorice, menthol and garrigue herbs, perfect tannins and a very long finish. Though it can be enjoyed in its youth it will benefit from at least four years ageing from vintage date points Stephen Tanzer extremely seductive stuff. Jancis Robinson 18.5, 3rd of 130 CNDPs tasted. (Available March 2015) 252 per case UB Châteauneuf-du-Pape AC 2012 Domaine Charvin 82% Grenache, 5% Vaccarèse, 5% Mourvèdre, 8% Syrah Another excellent wine from Laurent Charvin, whose goal every year is more purity and more finesse, it s just a question of little details, like a little less fining, a touch less sulphur and the benefits of ploughing for 15 years. A remarkably clear-cut quality of fruit, black cherry, liquorice, nutmeg, hint of cinnamon, thyme, with a real mouth-filling quality and ripe savoury tannins on the finish pts Robert Parker. (Available March 2015) 294 per case UB

8 Vine Trail Limited The Poland Building, Aardman Animations, Gas Ferry Road, Bristol BS1 6UN Telephone Facsimile TERMS & CONDITIONS All wines are offered UNDER BOND (i.e. all shipping and bottling charges are included). On arrival your wines can either be delivered directly to you or stored Under Bond by our warehouse in your own private reserve account, at the current cost of 7.50 per case exc VAT per annum (excluding insurance). Unless explicitly instructed otherwise Vine Trail will store wines at the customer s cost until an order is complete. If you decide to take delivery, Duty and VAT will be payable. These charges are at the time of going to print per case for still wine and 20% respectively. Onward Under Bond delivery will be charged at cost. Payment is due 30 days after date of invoice. This offer cancels all previous quotations.