CHAMPAGNE, FRANCE
TIGHT TEXTURAL CRANBERRIES
LEFT OF CENTRE / ORGANIC / BIODYNAMIC / 750ML

Intentionally flat, this is a unique still red wine made from 95% Pinot Noir & 5% Chardonnay with only 240 bottles made. Vincent Charlot is one of those thrilling producers, proud of the life in his soil, and in his wines. In addition to making Champagne with bubbles, he focuses on a number of wines that are not refermented in bottle. These are dry and elegant wines with tension. They're incredibly interesting wines that shed a unique light on a region that focuses on purity and terrior. There is something curious about the wines and are of course age worthy and have a place on the table with food, like their bubbly siblings. Lets all try to drink more Champagne, bubbly or not, toute la journée - all day every day!

From the distributor: “When I drink wine, I want to taste its terroir – this is what I’m in it for. I want to see the personality of the place where it was born, I want to be moved, to create emotion,” Vincent Charlot explains with so much passion that you suddenly feel the need to get your hands on a bottle of good grower Champagne and drink it, NOW. A passion that’s easy to fall for, especially once you discover the natural richness that he’s the shepherd of: the Charlot estate consists of no less than 39 different plots with extremely diverse soils and expositions. “The heavier clayey soils give wines of exotic, vinous generosity; silex translates into tangy gunpowder notes. And my chalk-borne cuvées, such as the L’Or des Basses Ronces, can transport you to the beach at low tide, so strong is their iodine grip and mineral energy,” Charlot poetically praises the virtues of his variegated vineyards.

His dedication to this mosaic leads him to vinify each parcel separately and release up to 27 (!) different cuvées each year, with quantities ranging from one single barrel (~300 bottles) to 5,000 bottles per wine. In a region where the grandes marques count their nonvintage bottles in millions, Vincent firmly stands on the geeky grower side, releasing only vintage wines. He is the breed of Champenois that reminds you that, although sparkling, Champagne is wine above all–and we love that.

An essential step on this terroir-showcase route is farming: Charlot proudly calls himself “the peasant of terroir” instead of winemaker and all of his plots are cultivated organic and biodynamic. (Only 2% of the Champagne vineyard are farmed biodynamically, btw.) Vincent has grown into this approach gradually, with foundations laid during his apprentice years in Alsace (he was in school with the local natural trailblazer Christian Binner that we also import). There, many vineyards were already organic and covered with grass back then in the early 1990s; when Charlot returned to Champagne and took the domaine (selling grapes to the local co-op back then) over from his parents at the turn of the new millennium, he was looking for ways to harmonize his new finds with the family heritage.

“I have never tilled the soil since then–mixing the layers destroys biodiversity, in my opinion,” he asserts. His trust in a natural balance is so strong that he even avoids seeding the plants himself, save for an occasional lavender or rosemary to “keep the bees happy in summer if there are too few flowers otherwise”. Convinced that the plants are there for a reason, and they allow the grower to read the soil, Charlot prefers to guide his farming by observation and the natural mycorrhiza happening under his vines.

Charlot wasn’t sold on biodynamics right away, though, he admits; he had multiple training sessions with Pierre Masson, one of the French pioneers of the philosophy, but only fully adhered to it when he saw the results live in his own vines. “I just felt great in my vineyards, witnessing the incredible biodiversity,” Vincent recalls what led him to apply for the Demeter and Ecocert certification in 2010. After some initial disputes with his neighbors over their use of helicopter spraying (not allowed in organics, of course), he succeeded in obtaining the seals and has been enjoying the resplendent ecosystem of some 90 different species ever since: “There’s lamb lettuce, wild mint, forest strawberries, mushrooms, pheasants breeding…” he muses and a vivid image mixing Rousseau’s canvas, an all-seasons farmer’s market and David Attenborough’s documentaries arises in our heads; a late spring / early summer view of Vincent’s vineyard fully backs this fantasy.

Given his precious natural material, the cellar work is kept to a minimum in order to showcase it: the grapes are harvested manually at optimum ripeness, and then spontaneously fermented, since Vincent believes that the yeast is like a “little mushroom selected by the terroir to express it”. Very often, the wines decide not to go through malolactic: “I don’t know why, to be honest, my cellar isn’t that cold,” Vincent laughs, “but I leave that to the wine and the results are beautiful, with balanced alcohol and pronounced acidity.” The vins clairs spend usually about 9 months on lees in seasoned barrels from Bordeaux and Burgundy: “I always use 3- or 5-year-old barrels, since I’m not interested in getting tannins from the wood. I already have these, perfectly ripe, from my skins and seeds,” Vincent describes.

Once the wines are bottled, the secondary fermentation is started with grape must concentrated by evaporation, mixed with 5 neutral organic yeasts, never sugar. The wines then spend several years on lees – some around four, some up to eight, and after disgorgement, they are topped up with the same champagne and dosed with no more than 4 grams per liter, i.e. falling under the Extra Brut category. Some of the wines are released as “Charlot-Tanneux”, a family label that Vincent uses for wines coming from smaller parcels that aren’t officially certified due to their small size (and proximity to conventionally farmed vineyards of his neighbors) but enjoy the same biodynamic care and minimal winemaking as the Vincent Charlot wines.

The resulting wines in both cases are sensual, serious, and sensitive, all at the same time. Terroir notes, fruit, elegance, energy, acidity, body, creaminess… all the elements necessary for an outstanding wine experience are in poised balance here, and the whole is definitely greater than the sum of its parts: opening a bottle of Charlot is a highly recommended ritual to enjoy in a big enough glass, with or without food. And preferably with some like-minded friends who will be equally happy spending the night discovering layer after layer after layer of these incredible terroir bijoux, courtesy of Monsieur Charlot.

http://www.jennyandfrancois.com/wines-2/france/vincent-charlot/

CHAMPAGNE, FRANCE
FOCUSED PURE TYPICITY
CLASSIC / BIODYNAMIC / 750ML

The Parcelles is a stunning representation of Bouzy. Each release is made up of roughly 80% of the vintage written in Roman Numerals on the front label, the rest is a cross-section of previous vintages. The Paillard wines are a focused insight into minerality - chalky textures with crushed apple, chamomile and subtle lees 'cream'. The most exciting Champagne we've been introduced to this year!

From the Distributor: Domaine Pierre Paillard is eleven hectares of vineyard situated on the south side of the Montagne de Reims in the village of Bouzy. The vineyards are grown organically, and they use biodynamic practices to invigorate the vines. Extraordinarily, the entire vineyard of Domaine Paillard has the highest Champagne classification of Grand Cru.

The Paillard family owns 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay grapes, blending Pinot Noir oriented Champagnes. The Paillards only use these ‘noble grape’ varieties and their entire production comes exclusively from their own vineyards.
Over the course of 200 years, the Paillards identified and procured 30 prime plots of vineyard in Bouzy, resulting in outstanding Champagne. Diverse topographical distribution, differently aged vines and this remarkable patch of terrain, produce complexity, richness, power, fruit and minerality.

The village of Bouzy is well known for producing grapes with good maturity, richness and generosity. Bouzy grapes are sought after and used in the top cuvées by the best known brands of Champagne.

For 20 years at Domaine Paillard, the vineyards have been treated without chemicals. The family has worked hard to breed and develop robust vines with natural disease resilience, avoiding chemical intervention. This is a key reason for the Paillard’s consistently high quality of Champagne.

Interestingly, the Paillards have a different timeframe compared to other producers in order to achieve the balance in their Champagne. They employ a patient and prolonged cellar maturation to create their trademark elegance, finesse and complexity.

SICILY. ITALY
PITH PURITY SALINE
LEFT OF CENTRE / NO TREATMENTS / 750ML

Destemmed and lightly crushed Grecanico Dorato and Carricante. Three days on skins and then aged in neutral tanks. The resulting wine is a lively white, pure fruited with a volcanic edge. 

From the Producer: Our first white wine started out as an orange wine, fermented with the skins for an extended period. I liked the tactile feeling and density, but missed the finesse and precision of the classic French white wines from for example the Loire. With the vintage 2015 I changed our technique to search for the purity and flavors of Etna which evolved in maintaining a short period of skin contact and aging our white wines for an extended period in the coldest part of our cellar before bottling. The obtained elegance, purity and density makes this wine very suited to accompany a wide variety of dishes and cuisine, from fish to white meat.

CHAMPAGNE, FRANCE
STILL NUTTY SUR VOILE
LEFT OF CENTRE / ORGANIC / BIODYNAMIC / 750ML

Intentionally flat, this is a unique still Champagne made from 100% Chardonnay and aged sur voile (under flor like in the Jura) with only 300 bottles made. Vincent Charlot is one of those thrilling producers, proud of the life in his soil, and in his wines. In addition to making Champagne with bubbles, he focuses on a number of wines that are not refermented in bottle. These are dry and elegant wines with tension. They're incredibly interesting wines that shed a unique light on a region that focuses on purity and terrior. There is something curious about the wines and are of course age worthy and have a place on the table with food, like their bubbly siblings. Lets all try to drink more Champagne, bubbly or not, toute la journée - all day every day!

From the distributor: “When I drink wine, I want to taste its terroir – this is what I’m in it for. I want to see the personality of the place where it was born, I want to be moved, to create emotion,” Vincent Charlot explains with so much passion that you suddenly feel the need to get your hands on a bottle of good grower Champagne and drink it, NOW. A passion that’s easy to fall for, especially once you discover the natural richness that he’s the shepherd of: the Charlot estate consists of no less than 39 different plots with extremely diverse soils and expositions. “The heavier clayey soils give wines of exotic, vinous generosity; silex translates into tangy gunpowder notes. And my chalk-borne cuvées, such as the L’Or des Basses Ronces, can transport you to the beach at low tide, so strong is their iodine grip and mineral energy,” Charlot poetically praises the virtues of his variegated vineyards.

His dedication to this mosaic leads him to vinify each parcel separately and release up to 27 (!) different cuvées each year, with quantities ranging from one single barrel (~300 bottles) to 5,000 bottles per wine. In a region where the grandes marques count their nonvintage bottles in millions, Vincent firmly stands on the geeky grower side, releasing only vintage wines. He is the breed of Champenois that reminds you that, although sparkling, Champagne is wine above all–and we love that.

An essential step on this terroir-showcase route is farming: Charlot proudly calls himself “the peasant of terroir” instead of winemaker and all of his plots are cultivated organic and biodynamic. (Only 2% of the Champagne vineyard are farmed biodynamically, btw.) Vincent has grown into this approach gradually, with foundations laid during his apprentice years in Alsace (he was in school with the local natural trailblazer Christian Binner that we also import). There, many vineyards were already organic and covered with grass back then in the early 1990s; when Charlot returned to Champagne and took the domaine (selling grapes to the local co-op back then) over from his parents at the turn of the new millennium, he was looking for ways to harmonize his new finds with the family heritage.

“I have never tilled the soil since then–mixing the layers destroys biodiversity, in my opinion,” he asserts. His trust in a natural balance is so strong that he even avoids seeding the plants himself, save for an occasional lavender or rosemary to “keep the bees happy in summer if there are too few flowers otherwise”. Convinced that the plants are there for a reason, and they allow the grower to read the soil, Charlot prefers to guide his farming by observation and the natural mycorrhiza happening under his vines.

Charlot wasn’t sold on biodynamics right away, though, he admits; he had multiple training sessions with Pierre Masson, one of the French pioneers of the philosophy, but only fully adhered to it when he saw the results live in his own vines. “I just felt great in my vineyards, witnessing the incredible biodiversity,” Vincent recalls what led him to apply for the Demeter and Ecocert certification in 2010. After some initial disputes with his neighbors over their use of helicopter spraying (not allowed in organics, of course), he succeeded in obtaining the seals and has been enjoying the resplendent ecosystem of some 90 different species ever since: “There’s lamb lettuce, wild mint, forest strawberries, mushrooms, pheasants breeding…” he muses and a vivid image mixing Rousseau’s canvas, an all-seasons farmer’s market and David Attenborough’s documentaries arises in our heads; a late spring / early summer view of Vincent’s vineyard fully backs this fantasy.

Given his precious natural material, the cellar work is kept to a minimum in order to showcase it: the grapes are harvested manually at optimum ripeness, and then spontaneously fermented, since Vincent believes that the yeast is like a “little mushroom selected by the terroir to express it”. Very often, the wines decide not to go through malolactic: “I don’t know why, to be honest, my cellar isn’t that cold,” Vincent laughs, “but I leave that to the wine and the results are beautiful, with balanced alcohol and pronounced acidity.” The vins clairs spend usually about 9 months on lees in seasoned barrels from Bordeaux and Burgundy: “I always use 3- or 5-year-old barrels, since I’m not interested in getting tannins from the wood. I already have these, perfectly ripe, from my skins and seeds,” Vincent describes.

Once the wines are bottled, the secondary fermentation is started with grape must concentrated by evaporation, mixed with 5 neutral organic yeasts, never sugar. The wines then spend several years on lees – some around four, some up to eight, and after disgorgement, they are topped up with the same champagne and dosed with no more than 4 grams per liter, i.e. falling under the Extra Brut category. Some of the wines are released as “Charlot-Tanneux”, a family label that Vincent uses for wines coming from smaller parcels that aren’t officially certified due to their small size (and proximity to conventionally farmed vineyards of his neighbors) but enjoy the same biodynamic care and minimal winemaking as the Vincent Charlot wines.

The resulting wines in both cases are sensual, serious, and sensitive, all at the same time. Terroir notes, fruit, elegance, energy, acidity, body, creaminess… all the elements necessary for an outstanding wine experience are in poised balance here, and the whole is definitely greater than the sum of its parts: opening a bottle of Charlot is a highly recommended ritual to enjoy in a big enough glass, with or without food. And preferably with some like-minded friends who will be equally happy spending the night discovering layer after layer after layer of these incredible terroir bijoux, courtesy of Monsieur Charlot.

http://www.jennyandfrancois.com/wines-2/france/vincent-charlot/

CHAMPAGNE, FRANCE
STILL AUTOLYTIC BLANC DE NOIR
LEFT OF CENTRE / ORGANIC / BIODYNAMIC / 750ML

Intentionally flat, this is a unique still Blanc de Noir white wine made from 100% Pinot Meunier sur lies (on lees) with only 280 bottles made. Vincent Charlot is one of those thrilling producers, proud of the life in his soil, and in his wines. In addition to making Champagne with bubbles, he focuses on a number of wines that are not refermented in bottle. These are dry and elegant wines with tension. They're incredibly interesting wines that shed a unique light on a region that focuses on purity and terrior. There is something curious about the wines and are of course age worthy and have a place on the table with food, like their bubbly siblings. Lets all try to drink more Champagne, bubbly or not, toute la journée - all day every day!

From the distributor: “When I drink wine, I want to taste its terroir – this is what I’m in it for. I want to see the personality of the place where it was born, I want to be moved, to create emotion,” Vincent Charlot explains with so much passion that you suddenly feel the need to get your hands on a bottle of good grower Champagne and drink it, NOW. A passion that’s easy to fall for, especially once you discover the natural richness that he’s the shepherd of: the Charlot estate consists of no less than 39 different plots with extremely diverse soils and expositions. “The heavier clayey soils give wines of exotic, vinous generosity; silex translates into tangy gunpowder notes. And my chalk-borne cuvées, such as the L’Or des Basses Ronces, can transport you to the beach at low tide, so strong is their iodine grip and mineral energy,” Charlot poetically praises the virtues of his variegated vineyards.

His dedication to this mosaic leads him to vinify each parcel separately and release up to 27 (!) different cuvées each year, with quantities ranging from one single barrel (~300 bottles) to 5,000 bottles per wine. In a region where the grandes marques count their nonvintage bottles in millions, Vincent firmly stands on the geeky grower side, releasing only vintage wines. He is the breed of Champenois that reminds you that, although sparkling, Champagne is wine above all–and we love that.

An essential step on this terroir-showcase route is farming: Charlot proudly calls himself “the peasant of terroir” instead of winemaker and all of his plots are cultivated organic and biodynamic. (Only 2% of the Champagne vineyard are farmed biodynamically, btw.) Vincent has grown into this approach gradually, with foundations laid during his apprentice years in Alsace (he was in school with the local natural trailblazer Christian Binner that we also import). There, many vineyards were already organic and covered with grass back then in the early 1990s; when Charlot returned to Champagne and took the domaine (selling grapes to the local co-op back then) over from his parents at the turn of the new millennium, he was looking for ways to harmonize his new finds with the family heritage.

“I have never tilled the soil since then–mixing the layers destroys biodiversity, in my opinion,” he asserts. His trust in a natural balance is so strong that he even avoids seeding the plants himself, save for an occasional lavender or rosemary to “keep the bees happy in summer if there are too few flowers otherwise”. Convinced that the plants are there for a reason, and they allow the grower to read the soil, Charlot prefers to guide his farming by observation and the natural mycorrhiza happening under his vines.

Charlot wasn’t sold on biodynamics right away, though, he admits; he had multiple training sessions with Pierre Masson, one of the French pioneers of the philosophy, but only fully adhered to it when he saw the results live in his own vines. “I just felt great in my vineyards, witnessing the incredible biodiversity,” Vincent recalls what led him to apply for the Demeter and Ecocert certification in 2010. After some initial disputes with his neighbors over their use of helicopter spraying (not allowed in organics, of course), he succeeded in obtaining the seals and has been enjoying the resplendent ecosystem of some 90 different species ever since: “There’s lamb lettuce, wild mint, forest strawberries, mushrooms, pheasants breeding…” he muses and a vivid image mixing Rousseau’s canvas, an all-seasons farmer’s market and David Attenborough’s documentaries arises in our heads; a late spring / early summer view of Vincent’s vineyard fully backs this fantasy.

Given his precious natural material, the cellar work is kept to a minimum in order to showcase it: the grapes are harvested manually at optimum ripeness, and then spontaneously fermented, since Vincent believes that the yeast is like a “little mushroom selected by the terroir to express it”. Very often, the wines decide not to go through malolactic: “I don’t know why, to be honest, my cellar isn’t that cold,” Vincent laughs, “but I leave that to the wine and the results are beautiful, with balanced alcohol and pronounced acidity.” The vins clairs spend usually about 9 months on lees in seasoned barrels from Bordeaux and Burgundy: “I always use 3- or 5-year-old barrels, since I’m not interested in getting tannins from the wood. I already have these, perfectly ripe, from my skins and seeds,” Vincent describes.

Once the wines are bottled, the secondary fermentation is started with grape must concentrated by evaporation, mixed with 5 neutral organic yeasts, never sugar. The wines then spend several years on lees – some around four, some up to eight, and after disgorgement, they are topped up with the same champagne and dosed with no more than 4 grams per liter, i.e. falling under the Extra Brut category. Some of the wines are released as “Charlot-Tanneux”, a family label that Vincent uses for wines coming from smaller parcels that aren’t officially certified due to their small size (and proximity to conventionally farmed vineyards of his neighbors) but enjoy the same biodynamic care and minimal winemaking as the Vincent Charlot wines.

The resulting wines in both cases are sensual, serious, and sensitive, all at the same time. Terroir notes, fruit, elegance, energy, acidity, body, creaminess… all the elements necessary for an outstanding wine experience are in poised balance here, and the whole is definitely greater than the sum of its parts: opening a bottle of Charlot is a highly recommended ritual to enjoy in a big enough glass, with or without food. And preferably with some like-minded friends who will be equally happy spending the night discovering layer after layer after layer of these incredible terroir bijoux, courtesy of Monsieur Charlot.

http://www.jennyandfrancois.com/wines-2/france/vincent-charlot/

BURGUNDY, FRANCE
STRUCTURE PRECISION LENGTH
CLASSIC / 750ML

A rare gem, in 2019 the Clerget Family managed to purchase a small amount of fruit from the fabled slopes of Corton. The wine was the last to be picked and 40% remained whole bunch throughout the fermentation period. Only four barrels were produced. The wine has considerable power, with a fine oak and stem tannin. The wine will only improve as it uncoils. 

From the Producer: At the Clergets, going down to the cellar means going back in time. Go on a journey through 7 centuries and discover the secrets of a family that has lived in Burgundy since 1268. The family’s love for the Burgundian terroir is expressed in each of their vintages. A story woven from father to son over 28 generations.

MONTALCINO, ITALY
RICH PLUM STRUTURE
CLASSIC / BIODYNAMIC / 750ML

Sangiovese left on skins for 50 days, before being aged for 42 months in large format Slavonian Oak. The resulting wine is rich and deeply complex. A saline edge is present that folds through the sun-soaked fruit profile. 

From the Producer: Ten long years passed between planting our vineyard and releasing the first bottles of this wine. We think of Brunello as a paean to Montalcino, a synthesis of everything that makes this part of the world so special; its unique combination of soils, sea breezes and woodlands. These elements find their expression in our Brunello; sun-baked saline notes, meaty aromas, heady Mediterranean herbs and fresh minerality. It is a wine that requires time and patience. We have learned to take care of it during its aging period, coaxing youthful characteristics to full maturity and nursing the potential for complexity. In present times, where everything is based on the concept of right here, right now, this is an old-fashioned wine. It is made exclusively from the estate Cru, Vigna del Bosco. Our first vintage of Brunello was 2004.

The vineyards are all located in the Poggio San Polo area in the south-eastern part of Montalcino, along the hills that slope down from Il Greppo towards Castelnuovo dell’Abate. The altitude varies between 420-450 metres above sea level. Some elements characterize this land: the woodlands that surround the vineyards the mighty Monte Amiata behind us, with its dual function as both protective barrier from the weather and thermal regulator the sea breezes that come in from south east and meet winds from north and north east the many hours of sunlight a huge variety of soil (clay, galestro or crumbly marl, lime, quartzite and so on) that defies easy definitions but augments the complexity of the wines abundant water that saves us from the negative effects of drought in dryer vintages.

The vineyards are 4.2 Ha (10.37 acres) divided into two parcels; “Bosco” and “Strada.” The “Strada” vineyard is made up of four smaller areas: Vigna della Strada, Vigna del Lupo, Vigna dell’Alberello and Vigna della Quercia. The only grape varietal planted in all of our Montalcino vineyards is Sangiovese. All vineyard operations are manual, based on the observation of the phases of the moon and the biodynamic calendar. We combat vine diseases using Sulphur and Copper, combined with natural anti-mildew treatments that rely on propolis and herbal infusions from various plants including yarrow, chamomile, equisetum, nettle and willow.

BAROSSA VALLEY, SOUTH AUSTRALIA
BEAST LAYERED DARK
CLASSIC / 750ML

The Relic is sourced from the Hongell Family vineyard planted in 1912. The shiraz heavy blend has a hint of Viognier (7%) to add a bit of lippy to this monolithic wine. The wine is aged in open-top fermenters and then basket pressed to oak where it sits for 30 months. Pure Barossa. Dark fruits, bread pudding and incredible structure.  

EMILIA ROMAGNA, ITALY
ORANGE GRIP FORCE
LEFT OF CENTRE / ORGANIC / 1500ML

South facing organic Malvasia di Candia aged on skins for 90 days before heading to large format oak for 16 months. Hyper aromatic with velcro grip. The quintessential in your face orange wine. 

From the producer: Our winemaking is based on a complete absence of preservatives, additives, and stabilisation processes of any kind, something that is only possible with high-quality fruit. Extended maceration processes enable us to produce wines that are stable over time without the use of additives. Above all, they extract the very best out of the fruit: the colour, scents, aromas, vitamins, and polyphenols. The technique may seem simple, but actually, our approach requires a combination of various technical, stylistic, and aesthetic factors. We have to identify the best way to express the characteristics of the grape variety. As well as paying great attention to technique in our work, we also try to make the most of our experience and intuition. Awareness, experience, and aesthetic understanding guide how we vary the maceration and winemaking processes depending on the vintage and the characteristics of the grapes to create entirely new products.

CHAMPAGNE, FRANCE
FOCUSED PURE TYPICITY
CLASSIC / BIODYNAMIC / 1500ML

The Parcelles is a stunning representation of Bouzy. Each release is made up of roughly 80% of the vintage written in Roman Numerals on the front label, the rest is a cross-section of previous vintages. The Paillard wines are a focused insight into minerality - chalky textures with crushed apple, chamomile and subtle lees 'cream'. The most exciting Champagne we've been introduced to this year!

From the Distributor: Domaine Pierre Paillard is eleven hectares of vineyard situated on the south side of the Montagne de Reims in the village of Bouzy. The vineyards are grown organically, and they use biodynamic practices to invigorate the vines. Extraordinarily, the entire vineyard of Domaine Paillard has the highest Champagne classification of Grand Cru.

The Paillard family owns 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay grapes, blending Pinot Noir oriented Champagnes. The Paillards only use these ‘noble grape’ varieties and their entire production comes exclusively from their own vineyards.
Over the course of 200 years, the Paillards identified and procured 30 prime plots of vineyard in Bouzy, resulting in outstanding Champagne. Diverse topographical distribution, differently aged vines and this remarkable patch of terrain, produce complexity, richness, power, fruit and minerality.

The village of Bouzy is well known for producing grapes with good maturity, richness and generosity. Bouzy grapes are sought after and used in the top cuvées by the best known brands of Champagne.

For 20 years at Domaine Paillard, the vineyards have been treated without chemicals. The family has worked hard to breed and develop robust vines with natural disease resilience, avoiding chemical intervention. This is a key reason for the Paillard’s consistently high quality of Champagne.

Interestingly, the Paillards have a different timeframe compared to other producers in order to achieve the balance in their Champagne. They employ a patient and prolonged cellar maturation to create their trademark elegance, finesse and complexity.

PIEDMONTE, ITALY
GARNET PURE FINE
CLASSIC / BIODYNAMIC / 750ML

A tiny producer based in the Roero Hills. The producer Renato Vezza sharpened his palette as a globe-trotting Somm before taking over the family farm. His wines are delicate and pure with glossy tannins surrounded by rose water, licorice and a touch of leather.

Sourced from the Republica: In France they call them "vin de garage" because they are produced in tiny cellars and in tiny quantities.They are often oenological masterpieces. As in the case of the Bricco Ernesto Red Wine which are born in the Roero hills, Priocca. The wines don't have a DOC or DOCG certification by choice of Renato Vezza the producer (Ernesto was the grandfather). Vezza was a sommelier in London in Marc Pierre White's restaurant, then in Canada and Australia. Back in Priocca he took over the family business, certified biodynamic, which had been producing grapes for 4 generations. But they had been sold, until Renato started making them. Di Rosso, (a wine that rivals Barolo), is made from 100% Nebbiolo grapes, only 1000 bottles are produced annually.

https://ricerca.repubblica.it/repubblica/archivio/repubblica/2019/05/04/bricco-ernesto-il-rosso-libero-del-roeroTorino19.html

BAROLO, ITALY
VELVET PRIME PETAL
CLASSIC / 75OML

The Cascina Bussia is left on skins for a month before being aged in old Slavonian oak for 4 years. A very delicate Barolo, coming of age. The wine in still bursting with primary petals, but an earthy undertone is definitely edging forward. 2013 was a solid year in Barolo leading to distinct regional typicity.    

Information sourced from Kermit + Lynch Wine Merchants

From Two brothers, Alessandro and Gian Natale Fantino, run this family estate in Monforte d’Alba. Alessandro managed the vineyards and served as the enologist at Cantina Bartolo Mascarello for 20 years, from 1978 to 1997. Since 1998, he has dedicated himself to running his family estate alongside his brother full-time.

The brother's farm eight hectares in the heart of the historic Bussia cru north of Monforte, one of Barolo’s most famous areas for producing wines of great longevity and finesse. The Fantino holdings are concentrated exclusively in the “Dardi” section of Bussia, a hillside with perfect southern and southeastern exposure in the geographic centre of Bussia. This gives them their “Cascina Dardi” brand name on the label of their Barbera and Baroli (for those already familiar with these wines, they were formerly labelled as Vigna dei Dardi, before the brothers registered the Cascina Dardi trademark).

Barolos from Bussia tend to have deep colour and rich fruit and while they don’t lack the classic tannic structure of Nebbiolo from this part of the world, they are not nearly as hard as the Barolos from the southside of Monforte or from Serralunga. This fact does not preclude the Fantino Baroli from aging but makes them delightfully approachable relatively young. The Fantinos are also blessed with some of the oldest vines in the entire Barolo zone, thanks to the fastidious care given to them by Alessandro and Gian Natale. Planted in 1946 and 1947 and pruned in an old style that is very labour intensive, they produce grapes that would be the envy of any Barolista.

The Fantino brothers produce an amazing Barbera d’Alba from these ancient vines in Dardi, and a “Rosso dei Dardi” from younger vine Nebbiolo planted on a west-facing slope. The Barbera is loaded with lush fruit and smooth, silky texture, and a ravishing perfume. The Rosso is playful, fruit-driven, fresh, and aromatic. They are also specialists with several traditional Piemontese wines that are mostly disappearing: Nebbiolo Passito and Barolo Chinato.

https://www.kermitlynch.com/our-wines/a-g-fantino/

JURA, FRANCE
NUTTY SALTY KUMQUATS
LEFT OF CENTRE / ORGANIC / 620ML

This is from a 0.8HA plot of his oldest Chardonnay vines planted on Marl. Fermented and aged in 400L barrels. More showy than the Jurassique - very polished and sexy but still with the underlying Jura twang.

BROUILLY, FRANCE
WILD TARTS GENEROUS
LEFT OF CENTRE / ORGANIC / 1500ML

The Grilles is a 1.5Ha vineyard located next door to the Cotton Cellar in Odenas. A richer style of gamay that is fermented in concrete and then aged in old foudres. A true cru Beaujolais with raw grip and aromatics swaying from light musk to strawberry tarts. Bloody delicious.

Sourced from the Paris Wine company: Pierre Cotton's family has been farming and producing wine at the same cellar in Odenas since 1856. Legend has it that the large chai, with its cavernous cellars, was built in the 18th century to make the wines for the nearby Château de Pierreux, and that over the years, it has housed a rotating group of producers.

Today, Pierre and his partner Marine are the sole producers to make wine here. After working for a short stint as a motorcycle mechanic, Pierre spent two years in the Loire Valley before returning to the domaine. In 2014, he reclaimed 1 hectare of Côte de Brouilly for his first cuvée - 100% Cotton. Over the next few years, he reclaimed another 2 hectares around Brouilly from the family holdings, purchased 1 hectare in Fleurie, 1 hectare of Regnié, and 1 hectare of Beaujolais, as well as planted a small patch of Beaujolais Blanc on a unique vein of limestone near the Domaine.

Inspired by tasting wines with compatriot friends Yann Bertrand, Jules Metras, and Keke Descombes, Pierre’s wines are all farmed organically and made without any sulphur. Vinification is semi-carbonic in large cement tanks, and then the wines are aged for 8-9 months in old foudres that range in size from 14 to 42 hectoliters.

In 2020, Pierre's partner Marine Bonnet officially joined the Domaine. Marine has a background as an agronomist specialized in viticulture, and Pierre and Marine now manage both the vineyards and winemaking together.

 https://pariswinecompany.com/producer/pierre-cotton/

MALLORCA SPAIN
QUINCE POMEGRANATE TEA
CLASSIC / ORGANIC / 750ML

The most distinctive wines in the world are made by passionate growers who work with varieties suited to their patch of land. Callet is one of these varieties, symbiotic with the ferrous rock, picturesque countryside and the salty sea breeze that is the island of Mallorca. 4 Kilos Vinicola is one of these producers making one of our favourite examples of this unique variety. The wine is delicate with a notable savoury salinity. There is muchas textural quince, pomegranate and a black tea grip. It is a wine for food or the fireplace. Seriously delicious.

From the distributor: A kilo is old Spanish slang for a million pesetas (in today's money, about 6000 euros. Project owners Francesc Grimalt and Sergio Caballero, started the business by chipping in 2 kilos each - 4 kilos. Mallorca yields definitively Mediterranean wines - it's warm, but fresh and its climate is surprisingly conducive to good wine, and 4 Kilos is clearly the leader in quality and style. Mallorca is home to two discrete appellations: DO Binissalem Mallorca in the North-West and DO Pla i Llevant in the South-East of the island, and 4 Kilos make wines from both regions. Located in the triangle between Sardinia, Tunisia and Barcelona, Mallorca yields definitively Mediterranean wines. Warm, but fresh, the climate is surprisingly conducive to good wine. There are some unremarkable local white varieties - Prensal blanc and others, and a bit of Chardonnay too, but the Callet and Manto Negro red wines are what count. Of several decent wines made nowadays on Mallorca, 4 Kilos is clearly the leader in quality and style.

AVIZE CHAMPAGNE FRANCE
CHAMOMILE COILED EXCITING
CLASSIC / BIODYNAMIC / 750ML 

Agrapart composes their champagne from 70 vineyards across 7 villages; Avize, Cramant, Oger, Oiry, Avenay Val d’Or, Bergères-les-Vertus and Mardeuil. The ‘7 crus’ is a combination from all 7 villages, it is a blend of 90% Chardonnay and 10% Pinot Noir. The 7 crus, goes through full malolactic fermentation and spends 3 years on lees. A stunning example of a richer grower champagne.  

From the distributor: The Agrapart range begins with a non-vintage Blanc de Blancs called Les 7 Crus, referring to the seven Côte des Blancs villages from which it is sourced; Avize (younger vines, 20-40 years), Cramant, Oger, Oiry, Avenay Val d'Or, Bergères-les-Vertus and Mardeuil. Crafted from estate-owned vineyards, Les 7 Crus is typically blended from two different years, with half of the older vintage raised in neutral 600 oak casks. This release is a blend of 2013 and 2012. 90% Chardonnay 10% Pinot Noir; full malolactic fermentation; aged 3 years on lees; 7g/l dosage."A blend of Chardonnay with a touch of Pinot Noir, is vibrant and lively, with fresh notes of apple and citrus. It's an outstanding non-vintage brut, showing an uncommon complexity and finesse, and it finishes with long aromas and an elegant minerality." Peter Liem, champagneguide.net".The NV Brut Blanc de Blancs Premier Cru 7 Crus is a lovely, introductory-level Champagne from Agrapart. Bright and focused, but also with more than enough mid-palate richness to be accessible upon release, the 7 Crus is super-expressive today. The inclusion of 10% Pinot Noir a few years back has changed the 7 Crus in a meaningful way in making the wine more accessible in its youth. The creamy, spiced finish is hugely appealing, but there is a lot to like here, including the wine's overall balance." 91 points, Antonio Galloni, vinous.com

BURGUNDY, FRANCE
PURE DELICATE BRIGHT
CLASSIC / 750ML

I first tried these wines at a small Restaurant in France called Pot D'Etain. The bottle was to this day the great red Burgundy (Les Malconsorts) I've had in my life. The Clos Vougeot is a delicate example of the vineyard with at least 80% of the fruit being destemmed. It spends roughly two weeks on skins before being pressed to oak (60-100% new oak) for a minimum of 16 months. I still get giddy thinking about that wine.

From the Distributor: The rapid, Lazarus-like rebirth of this Domaine seems to have caught some quarters of the French cognoscenti by complete surprise. In fact it has been the English speaking commentators like Allen Meadows, Jasper Morris, Jancis Robinson and Clive Coates that have been the first to pick up the scent. This is a tale of Domaine François Lamarche, an Estate that has, without doubt, one of the finest collections of vineyards in the entire Côte or, more specifically, Vosne Romanée/Echézeaux. After a long period of underperformance, the Domaine has managed to turn its fortunes around and is today producing wines that honour the lofty expectations of their holdings. To be specific about these holdings, Domaine François Lamarche are sole owners of La Grande Rue - one of the four, legendary Grand Cru monopoles of Vosne-Romanée - as well as holding choice parcels of Echézeaux, Grands Echézeaux, Clos de Vougeot, Suchots, Chaumes and Malconsorts! Terroir was never a problem here!

The upturn in quality has been the result of a gradual series of key changes, most significant of which has been the emergence and ensuing influence of the Domaine's 6th generation, Nicole and Nathalie Lamarche, who now control every aspect of Domaine François Lamarche’s operations. Since 2007 Nicole Lamarche has been solely in charge of the vineyards and winemaking while her cousin, Nathalie Lamarche, has had the role of régisseur, or general manager. Since taking the reins of this jewel of an estate, these ladies have seriously reduced yields, converted the vineyards to organic viticulture (certified from 2010), implemented procedures to handle their grapes more gently and have stopped fining or filtering. The barrel suppliers have also been changed and there is less new wood used. In short they have pulled out all stops to produce the highest possible quality from their remarkable patrimony of vineyards. These changes, combined with a new, gravity-fed cuverie and a much needed upgrade of equipment and new cooling apparatus (that had already occurred in 2010), has resulted in a rapid improvement in quality that continues to improve each year.