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En Primeur offers 2009
Our En Primeur up-date contains a plethora of exciting wines; some iconic, some eccentric, but all worthy of your consideration. Not one of these wines would feature if they were anything less than excitingly excellent.
There are several very good reasons to buy your ‘cellaring’ wines en primeur. First of all, it ensures you get what you want before it runs out; secondly that you purchase them at an opening and therefore advantageous price, thirdly you know precisely their provenance, and finally, the funding of en primeur tends to come out of a different, and ‘Very Important’ account which has nothing to do with the house keeping purse…
Rob Chase
Fine Wine Manager
2008 Lafon, Mâcon | 2007 Leflaive | 2007 Rousseau | 2007 Bongran | 2007 Mas de Daumas Gassac | Bordeaux 2008 | Sauternes 2007 | Ridge | Rostaing | Le Faite | Mas Laval | 2007 Port |
2008 Les Héritiers du Comte Lafon, Mâcon
It gives me great pleasure in offering the latest vintage of these exemplary wines from Dominique Lafon. Long since regarded as being one of the great white wine makers in Meursault, Dominique also crafts his metier to great effect in the Mâconnais.
He purchased the original estate in Milly-Lamartine in 1999, and in 2003 added a further 15 acres in the villages of Chardonnay and Uchizy, which included the single vineyard sites of ‘Clos de la Crochette’ and ‘Les Maranches’ respectively.
2008 produced 30% less in terms of quantity, but the knock-on effect of this has been a greater concentration of aromas, underscored by excellent natural acidity. All will benefit from 18 months bottle age, the Clos du Fours a little longer. These are all exciting and delicious wines – of great individuality, and my favourite word – authenticity!
2008 Mâcon Villages
A blend of fruit from the villages of Chardonnay and Uchizy. Attractive grapefruit and mineral tones.
2008 Mâcon-Milly-Lamartine
A little richer and riper, and a touch more assertive.
2008 Mâcon-Uchizy, ‘Les Maranches’
Single vineyard wine; with a judicious use of oak, and perfectly integrated ripe, peachy fruit.
2008 Mâcon-Chardonnay, ‘Clos de la Crochette’
Walled (Clos) six acre vineyard in prime location in Chardonnay. A hint of toasty oak, with lovely structure with tempered, exotic tones.
2008 Mâcon Milly-Lamartine, ‘Clos du Four’
Steep-sided, east facing vineyard. Greater concentration and length, with
honeyed minerality.
These wines are offered En primeur, on a first-come, first-served basis. As ever, quantities are quite small, so please don’t delay! These wines will be shipped in early 2010, when Duty, VAT and delivery will be charged.
2007 Domaine Leflaive, Puligny-Montrachet
By my reckoning, 2007 marks the tenth anniversary of Anne-Claude committing her vineyards to an organic regime. This was obviously a calculated gamble, but it has undoubtedly paid off, both ecologically and in terms of the quality of her wines. I am sure her vines and soils are amongst the healthiest in Puligny, but from a tasting perspective, her wines have grown finer and more elegant, where the balance of fruit and acidity have become ever more harmonious. Domaine Leflaive’s Chardonnays now seem to keep fresher longer, and the anxiety that some top-end white Burgundy may not remain as scintillating as anticipated, in Anne-Claude’s case, is unfounded.
A very brief over-view of 2007 suggests that what started out with precocious spring conditions and a predicted early harvest-date for the end of August, floundered when the anticipated summer heat-wave didn’t materialise, and July and August were both disappointingly cool and dull. Saint Vincent, viticulture’s own patron saint, was evidently on stand-by, because on the 24th August everything changed, and an anticyclone set in, bringing with it sun and warmth, boosting ripeness and sugar levels to a point where harvest, miraculously, started on September 1st. Early tastings were very positive, and more recent ones now confirm this initial optimism. Beautiful wines, for relatively early drinking.
2007 Puligny-Montrachet Villages £345
Code BZ35,12 bottles, drinking 2010 – 2012
I often feel that Villages wines offer the best cross-section of flavours in Puligny – until I try a Premier Cru, then I don’t! This comes from seven parcelles, of mainly 40 + year-old vines. A small percentage (18%) goes into new wood, but as ever, the palate is fresh, clean and structured.
2007 Puligny-Montrachet, 1er Cru Clavoillon £495
Code BZ36,12 bottles, drinking 2010 – 2012
A massive hike in terms of quality, from old vines in this great vineyard. Although the 2007s would benefit from relatively early drinking, and they will be lovely at any point that you chose to open them, this has the vintage freshness and Leflaive hallmark minerality that makes one want to drink them now.
2007 Puligny-Montrachet, 1er Cru Les Pucelles £765
Code BZ37, 6 bottles, drinking 2010 – 2015
From the heart of the 1er Cru vineyards, and adjacent to Bienvenues Bâtard-Montrachet. Has the magic rubbed off onto Les Pucelles? Yes! The great depth of fruit and classic buttery tones are beautifully supported by subtle, biscuity oak (22% for 12 months).
2007 Chevalier-Montrachet, Grand Cru £1025
Code BZ39, 6 bottles, drinking 2014 – 2017
This wine possibly epitomizes best, Domaine Leflaive’s Grand Crus. A decent chunk of vieilles vignes contributes weight to ethereal flavours, and finesse. At no point does this feel like a blockbuster – instead, the layers of honeyed white fruit aromas marry up beautifully with the biscuity tones, and the whole unfurls in a grand and measured fashion. About as good as it can affordably get!
These wines will be shipped in spring 2009, when Duty, VAT and delivery will be charged.
2007 Domaine Armand Rousseau, Gevrey-Chambertin
Since Charles Rousseau retired and his daughter moved south to the Languedoc, this great Côtes de Nuits estate has rather fallen into the hands of his son Eric, who has shouldered most of the vineyard and winemaking duties for several years, but has preferred to keep a low profile.
In 2007, by dint of the vintage, Eric spent an inordinate amount of time crop-thinning and green harvesting, so quantities are small, but we feel the quality is important, as the French would say. We made a conscious decision to hold back a little on our purchases of 2007 Burgundy, because we wanted only to offer the best that we could get. Domaine Rousseau is one of the few, select estates where we felt one hundred percent confident of the quality.
Much has been written about the 2007 vintage, and to encapsulate the growing year, suffice it to say that April was a wonderfully hot month, and so was the latter part of August. In between there was a lot of ‘nothing’ weather, as well as rain! When the good weather returned, after this long and rather dull summer, the grapes had done much of their development, but not much of their ripening. This now happened, and hopes and expectations were raised.
The results of the vintage are becoming more apparent, and the red wines, noticeably from Rousseau, have a lovely, cherry and red-fruit fragrance to them, and are showing early promise. Although one might be tempted to drink them now, they do need a few years in bottle, but should be enjoyed before the 05s and 06s. Tannins are soft, but present – and the acidity is in good balance with the fruit. I think Eric has crafted some seriously competent and delicious wines from an uncompromising year, and lovers of Pinot will not be disappointed.
2007 Gevrey-Chambertin Village £395
Code XD32, 12 bottles, drinking 2011 - 2015
A great example of a Village Pinot Noir. Focused, bright red summer fruits, with soft tannins and attractive structure.
2007 Ruchotte-Chambertin, Clos des Ruchottes £875
Code XD33, 12-bottles, drinking 2012 - 15
Fragrant raspberry/loganberry and wild strawberry aromas, under-pinned with a little oak and just a hint of smoke. Perfect Pinot.
2007 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru, Clos St Jacques £995
Code XD34, 12-bottles, drinking 2012 - 2020
Charm of intense red fruit with a hint of black cherries and wrap-around toasty oak to support the tannins and acidity. A seriously grand effort.
Duty, VAT and delivery will be charged when these wines are shipped later this year.
2007 Domaine de la Bongran, Jean Thévenet, Mâcon
Once again, we are very happy to offer Jean’s remarkable and delicious Chardonnay. Every year we single him out for attention; every year, despite everything, his price remains unchanged – a shame that the exchange rate hasn’t. Late-picked to ensure depth and complexity, this is a unique style, and will please all his fans, and make new friends.
2007 Domaine de la Bongran, Mâcon £130
12-bottles, drinking 2012 - 2015
Duty, VAT and delivery will be charged when these wines are shipped in 2011.
2007 Mas de Daumas Gassac, Vin de Pays de l’Hérault
Vintage No. 30!
I enjoyed reading Simon Loftus’ remarks in our 1985 Wine List, regarding one of this Domaine’s earlier offerings: “The 1982 vintage of Mas de Daumas [then £5.98] offers serious competition to very grand claret from this exceptional year; not altogether surprising since it is made by much the same methods and has a hefty proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon, the classic Bordeaux grape variety. It seems rather out of place in this list [French country Wine] (too grand for its neighbours). Incredible stuff!”
In the intervening years, the older vines now produce better quality fruit, whilst winemaking techniques and understanding have advanced. Thirty years ago, owner Aimé Guibert was considered a maverick; today he and his beloved Mas de Daumas Gassac are very much part of the 21st century wine scene, and his vision and ability has given us some of France’s most exciting wines. Maybe a little less of the Bordeaux look-alike than it was once hailed to be, and more of a hybrid ‘super cru’.
Possibly one of the most important lessons learnt since Aimé started out, has been to recognise the grapes’ state of physiological ripeness; the point of maturity when the pips and stalks have both turned brown. This is the time to pick, before the grapes pile on excessive sugars, which increases the potential alcohol - the bane of wine-lovers’ lives everywhere. Mastering this art often alludes today’s winemakers, causing them mental headaches, and us physical ones.
“Essentially, a great vintage means the winemaker sticks close to his land, keeping his eyes open and adapting to nature’s changes and each year’s weather. He needs to be vigilant, to pick the best at the best moment; if he fails he’ll have to fall back on technique. It doesn’t take long to transform an inspirational vintage into a more mundane, technically well-made one! All wine lovers with a penchant for real charm will fall for this beguiling, seductive tune of the 2007, not forgetting its luminous ruby colour, a touch less dark then the previous three vintages… it’s exquisitely fresh, will open up immediately, and has just a hint of coffee.“ Aimé Guibert
The 2008 Mas de Daumas Gassac Blanc has now been picked and vinified. Samuel Guibert is full of enthusiasm for his iconic dry white. Buy now for spring delivery, and earliest possible drinking. One of the most excitingly fresh, yet full and complex wines available anywhere.
These wines will be shipped in 2009, when Duty, VAT and delivery will be charged.
Bordeaux 2008
As our in-boxes fill up with tempting offers from the elite Châteaux of Bordeaux, we are left in no doubt at all that 2008 has produced some very good wines, at very tempting prices. Bordeaux and tempting prices don’t necessarily make good bed-mates, but the château owners have at last seen sense. Yet we find ourselves torn between the devil and the deep blue sea. Léoville and Langoa Barton apart, we cannot see any rhyme or reason for buying '08s now, and offering them en primeur. Admittedly, we don’t know how the pound will be holding out in 2 years’ time, but on the off chance it may have rallied, why pay up front now when the price could be in our favour when the wines are released in 2011. It is also highly unlikely that the wines will sell out, so there really is no mad rush to stake one’s claim now. Against this backdrop, you may well question our sanity, and ask the question why we have bought any at all? The answer is twofold. Firstly, over the past 30 years, we have created a demand for these two consistently excellent Barton wines and secondly, because our hearts rule our heads! We have two great wines, both down in price on the 07s, showing the best elements of the vintage: super tannins, bags of black fruit, a velvet texture and hallmark charm – all due to a perfect, late vintage that allowed the grapes additional ‘hanging time’ to ripen slowly to perfection. Buy!
2008 Château Langoa Barton, St Julien 3ème Cru £265
Code XF44 Drink from 2013 - 2020
2008 Château Léoville Barton, St Julien 2ème Cru £350
Code XF45 Drink from 2017 – 2028
Please call me on 01502 727270 if you would like to buy these two wines.
The Best of Bordeaux 2007 - Stupendous Sauternes
In a year like 2007 when the weather played such a significant role in the eventual anonymity of a red Bordeaux vintage, it is somewhat mystifying to find that the whites have succeeded beyond everyone’s wildest expectations.
Due to the weather conditions – lack of sun and excessive rain, but redeemed by the ensuing Indian summer, the ripening period went on for an additional three weeks, and was one of the longest in recent years. Although the conditions proved less than perfect for the red harvest, they were nigh on perfect for the development of botrytis on the white grapes - just what Sauvignon and Semillon need to make great Sauternes and Barsac.
These great sweet whites will be shipped during 2009, when Duty, VAT and delivery will be charged.
2008 Monte Bello, Ridge Vineyards, Santa Cruz
Futures
The final assemblage hasn’t yet been made for the 2008 Monte Bello, but the word from Ridge is that currently they are looking at 81% Cabernet and19% Merlot. They didn’t have a small enough tank for their Cabernet Franc, which went in with the adjacent Cabernet Sauvignon, and the Petit Verdot will probably find its way in at the final stages. Early tastings in December suggested that they have an exceptional vintage. The 2007 Geyserville was bottled in January of this year. The exceptional quality of Carignan and Petite Sirah (also known as Durif) argued for their full inclusion; percentages are comparable to the superb 1991 vintage. The sensuous structure and opulent fruit makes this a wine with immediate appeal, but don’t be fooled; it will continue for a further decade.
2008 Monte Bello, Ridge Vineyards 6 bottles £399
Code UX16 Drink from 2018 – 2025
We will be shipping this wine in March 2011, when Duty, VAT and delivery will be charged.
2007 Geyserville, Ridge Vineyards 12 bottles £199
Code UX17 Drink 2010 – 2020
We will be shipping this wine in October 2009, when Duty, VAT and delivery will be charged.
This wine will be shipped in 2011 - or when Paul Draper deems it is ready! Duty and VAT will be charged at this time.
Côte-Rôtie, René Rostaing
The picture I have of René Rostaing is that of a debonnaire, ex-mayor, who made his first career as a property developer before inheriting enough great parcels of vines from his father-in-law and uncle to become a full-time vigneron. Thus is my image of an influential man-about-town, who goes about his wine-making in a less than traditional way – and with a purpose. He does a partial, warm maceration, to extract additional colour and tannins, and he uses stainless steel fermentation vessels that rotate, obviating the need to manually plunge the ‘cap’ of skins. Gizmos and genius – which together put him high up in the list of the top ten Côte-Rôtie producers. 2007 was a very successful harvest, producing great Grenache-dominant wines in the southern Rhône, as well as great Syrahs in the north. His dislike of oak-dominant wines, means that a maximum of 15% barrel-aged wines end up in the final assemblage, leaving Syrah to be the dominant player in his wines. 2007 Châteauneuf took many of the vintage plaudits, but the Côte-Rôtarians reckon that their2007s exceed even the quality of their outstanding 06s. Rostaing’s wines have the classic combination of savoury, smokey bacon tones, combining with essential floral and violet highlights – but you will need to be patient; these elements will not meld for at least 8 years hence.
2007 Côte-Rôtie, René Rostaing 12 bottle case £360
Code XF41 Drink from 2015 – 2018
Please call me on 01502 727270 to place your order.
We will be shipping this wine in the Autumn 2009, when Duty, VAT and delivery will be charged.
Les Producteurs Plaimont, Gascony
Famed for the quality of their simple, fresh and quaffable dry whites, this groupement of Gascon growers annually make a special cuvée of Le Faîte Blanc from their rather eclectic local varieties of Gros Manseng (70%), Arrufiac (20%), and Petit Courbu (10%). Some of the the Corbu spends time in new oak, to fill out the middle palate and give an additional dimension. This wine is effectively a re-creation of a style thought to have been made for keeping by the current growers’ forefathers, but with modernity and technology, and an understanding of how the judicious use of oak can enhance rather than wreck a wine, the Le Faîte of the 21st century is a joy to behold – and more importantly, to drink! With the able assistance of Gérard Basset (founder of the Hotel du Vin chain and now proprietor of Hotel Terra Vna in Hampshire), this eighth vintage of Le Faîte was selected for its freshness, balance and weight, with citrus, herbaceous (mint) and peach and exotic fruit tones. An unconditional favourite of mine.
2008 Le Faîte Blanc, Côtes de St Mont 6 bottle case £58
Code XE99 Drink from 2010-15
We will be shipping this wine in January 2010, when Duty, VAT and delivery will be charged.
Mas Laval, Vin de Pays de l’Hérault
Joel and Christine Laval’s cellar is a series of well insulated outhouses and the winery is their garage. The Laval family used to sell their grapes to the village co-operative for them to process, but little by little have taken production back in-house, literally, and rather than borrow money to build a snazzy new winery facility, have adopted their domicile to make their wine. Mas Laval is 55% Syrah, 16% Mourvèdre, 15% Grenache, 7% Grenache Gris with some Cabernet Franc. Aged for 18 months in one year old barriques, the resulting wine is supple yet chunky, with cassis, charred oak and liquorice tones, with a richness and generosity derived from low yields.
Les Pampres, is Mas Laval’s junior offering and is made from the younger vines on their 9 hectare, family-run estate in the Aniane Valley – home, of course, to Mas de Daumas Gassac and Grange des Pères. Syrah 45%, Mourvèdre 28%, old-vine Carignan 12% and Grenache 15%. The wine spends 6 months en barrique that have seen two and three vintages, so there is no noticeable oak influence on the palate - just the resulting velvety, smooth length.
2008 Les Pampres, Mas Laval, Vin de Pays de l’Hérault
Code Drink from 2011 – 2015 12 bottle case £65
2008 Mas Laval, Vin de Pays de l’Hérault
Code Drink from 2013 – 18 6 bottle case £65
We will be shipping these wines in the Autumn 2009, when Duty, VAT and delivery will be charged.
2007 Port Declaration, An Opening Offer
As we approach summer, we want you to think about vintage Port! Not for immediate gratification, but for your pleasure in a decade or more hence.
The 2007 vintage in the Douro was an exceptional year where the wines produced were universally expressive for their purity of fruit flavours of a standard not seen since the 1955 vintage. This is not to say that 2007 is the very best vintage since 1955, but it is a vintage that stands out for its approachable elegance on one hand and handsome structure on the other. Following a comprehensive tasting of the wines from all the big Port houses, our selection concentrates on those from the Symington family group whose winemaking style has, to our mind, brought out the best in this year. We are also offering the 2007 Quinta do Crasto, a Port that delivers all those wonderfully ripe, fig-like qualities, and is perfect for medium-term keeping. It is immensely popular with our customers who don’t have the patience to wait for twenty years or more for the wine to approach maturity.
2007 is a vintage for medium term keeping (10 / 20 years), but the grander wines will repay those extra years of storage. The weather deceived many and a long cool summer had many growers concerned that this presaged a late harvest with all the risks that this entails. The result was a long and temperate growing season that made for friendly tannins. August remained mild and dry but September brought the sunshine and subsequent heat back to the valley. Grapes, as if perfectly poised in the starting gates, raced to ripen, allowing the harvest to start at the end of the month. Most estates had harvested by the time heavy rains came in late October. Any harvesting after this was a forlorn hope as regards quality.
Talking to the experts, it seems that these rather protracted, cooler summers produce a quality of fruit greatly superior to the really hot years, and just as long as the sun comes out for the final weeks to add the sugars, vintages like 2007 will be infinitely more harmonious and balanced than the blockbuster declarations.
Tasting newly declared vintage Port has two drawbacks. The first is that I invariably want to drink them, and secondly it is hard to build a memory bank of these wines when young, because one only ever tastes them twice or thrice every decade. We were unanimous in our appraisal of the ‘07 crop and believe the following wines are of exceptional quality and worthy of cellar-space.
2007 Quinta do Crasto
Floral black fruit, with dried figs and a vibrant sweetness.
Drink from 2017.
2007 Smith Woodhouse
Wonderful purity of flavour, sweetness and length. Some intense red fruit tones in amongst plum and fig compote. A gutsy wine with tannin to spare, all elegantly wrapped in velvet! Drink from 2022.
2007 Warre’s
Enthralling peppery aromas, with bags of crushed blackberry fruit, damsons and figs. Velvety smooth, grand length and great charm. Drink from 2025.
2007 Dow’s
Intense blackberry aromas; big, rounded warm fruit with an elegant sweetness,
and a good grip; big tannins and delicious fruit. Excellent ageing potential. Drink from 2022.
2007 Quinta do Vesuvio
Beautifully sweet berried fruit, with eucalyptus and black fruit tones. Black, dense and silky. Fine mouth-feel and yet another great achievement. Drink from 2025.
2007 Graham’s
Dense black fruit on the nose, very rich and sweet. Beautiful, fruit-driven style, and an outstanding wine. They just keep getting it right at Graham’s. Drink from 2025.
All prices are quoted per 6 bottle case ‘In Bond’ exclusive of Duty, VAT
and carriage. Delivery is expected in January/February 2010.