This week we continue our series of posts looking at our new discoveries by travelling to the French region of Bugey, midway between Lyon and Geneva.
From his 10 hectare estate in the foothills of the Alps, Yves Duport crafts artisan wines which are steadily putting this lesser known French region on the winemaking map.
Half of Yves’ production consists of Bugey Blanc, including a key focus on the indigenous grape variety of Altesse, known elsewhere in France as Roussette. This cuvée displays subtle mineral and fresh floral aromas, which develop through ageing to notes of honey and bees wax.
Along with Altesse, Yves also cultivates the local grape variety of Mondeuse, which along with Pinot Noir, forms the base of his red wines.
A grape which contributes deep colour and high levels of acidity, Mondeuse is one of the key components in Yves’ spectacularly elegant sparkling wine. A blend which also contains Chardonnay, Aligoté and Pinot Noir, the ‘Origin’L’ Brut is produced using the Traditional Method and displays graceful floral notes, rendering it a perfect aperitif wine. It is simply one of the best French regional sparkling wines that we have encountered in a very long time, underlining the value for money on offer if you are patient enough to trawl meticulously through some of world’s lesser known wine regions.
We are delighted to be able to introduce Yves and his wines to you all. We hope that you enjoy them as much as we do!
Bugey Origin’L Reserve Brut Sparkling 2013 - £15.10
Bugey ‘En Chinvre’ Blanc, Altesse de Montagnieu 2014 - £13.50
Bugey ‘Sous le Chateau’, Terre Brune Mondeuse 2014 - £14.65
Bugey ‘Sous le Chateau’, Terre Rouge Pinot Noir 2014 - £14.65
This week we kick off our series introducing our new exciting selection of producers with Vriesenhof – a range of wines from South Africa that we are delighted to have been able to bring to Scotland.
Winemaker Jan Boland Coetzee is revered in South Africa for his success in two very different careers. He is a rugby legend, having played for the Springboks against the British Lions in 1974 among many other highlights in a sparkling career.
However simultaneously, Jan was building a reputation on the South African wine scene. Having graduated in oenology and viticulture from the University of Stellenbosch, he learned his trade under the tutelage of various winemakers before acquiring the Vriesenhof estate in 1980.
Since that point, his reputation for producing complex, well-structured wines that speak for their unique terroirs has grown exponentially. From his hilltop vineyards that sit above False Bay, Jan cultivates rugged Pinotage bush vines, along with Merlot, Cabernet and Pinot Noir – a varietal which he fell in love with during time spent in Burgundy.
Alongside the strides he has made in the wine world, Jan is also respected for his contribution to the social situation of his vineyard staff. He has developed various projects with his team that now include new housing schemes close to his vineyards along with the construction of local sports facilities.
We are delighted to be working with Jan and we hope you have the opportunity to try his wines soon!
Spring is always an exciting time for us at l’Art du Vin and this year is no exception. Our recent lack of blog activity is due to the fact that we have spent the last few months sourcing a diverse range of new and exciting wines to add to our existing portfolio. This year, we have discovered a number of organic, boutique wines that we are sure you will all enjoy, as well as wines from some of the most dynamic winemakers from across the globe.
While scouring the globe for new wines to bring you all, we have also been investing time in the preparations for the launch of our new-look website. We hope that this fresh, user-friendly site will allow customers to fully explore our wines and learn more about the artisan producers that we work with!
We look forward to bringing you exclusive information about our new wines in the coming weeks!
Santé
The l’Art du Vin team
2016 has started with a bang here at l’Art du Vin.
We use the first few months of the year to compile our portfolio for the year ahead. In recent weeks we have been visiting our key producers all over Europe, all the while keeping an eye out for any hidden gems that we think you may all enjoy.
Last week, Richard attended Les Salons des Vins de Loire, tasting over 400 wines from his local region. Les Salons de Vins de Loire is the only trade fair in Europe that focuses on one particular region – perfect for us as we like focus on each area of our portfolio in as much depth as possible.
As well as hoping to find new wines to share with you all, these events are a chance for us to catch up with our existing producers. In the Loire, Richard spent some time with Vincent Leclair, our key producer in the Touraine appellation.
Vincent is a winemaker who we simply love working with. As well as producing amazing wines at his own estate which he recently purchased from his father, he devotes his time as a member of a group of local winemakers intent on driving up the levels of quality in the Touraine appellation.
To reach this objective, he has taken it upon himself, along with those who share his vision, to create a new appellation – AOC Chenonceaux, which was legally instated in 2011.
Vincent’s Sauvignon de Touraine has been among our best-selling wines since we opened l’Art du Vin, a fact that has come as little surprise to us as we believe it offers exceptional value for money.
And the quality of his wine was evident at the Les Salons event, where we are delighted to report that Vincent was awarded the award for best Sauvignon Blanc from the Touraine appellation.
We hope that over the next few months we are able to source wines made with passion and integrity like those of Vincent for all of you to enjoy!
Click on the links below to learn more about Vincent's wines
Sauvignon Touraine 'Fleur de Printemps' Domaine de la Rochette - £10.05
Gamay/Pinot Noir de Touraine, Domaine de la Rochette - £10.05
Sauvignon Blanc 'Touraine Chenonceaux', Domaine de la Rochette - £14
We have definitely saved the best for last in our series of Christmas blogs, as we cover some of our favourite wines to enjoy with festive puddings!
For those of you yet to purchase any wine for over the festive period please get in touch, depending on your location we would hope to have it with you by Christmas Eve.
Richard: Christmas Pudding
The ideal wines to partner traditional Christmas pudding should be full bodied red wines with lots of sweet spice, such as cinnamon and clove, or a spicy dessert wine. If you prefer something a little richer, opt for an aged Tawny Port.
LBV 2011 Fonseca Port - £20.90
Lewis: Chocolate
Chocolate desserts have the tendency to smother many wines, due to their extreme sweetness and mouth-coating texture. To avoid this, choose a wine that has at least as much sweetness as the pudding, as well as being full of flavour to match the chocolate.
Personally, I think a sweet red wine is the best option, although a sweet white such as a Muscat de Beaumes Venise may also provide a delicious match.
Maury 50cl 2013, Domaine Lafage - £13.75
Muscat de Beaume de Venise 50cl, Chateau Pesquie 2013 - £14.75
Philippe: Fruit based puddings
The majority of fruit-based puddings are less sweet than other popular festive desserts, while many also possess high levels of acidity.
These characteristics can be matched perfectly by a sweet wine from the Loire valley, such as our wonderful Côteaux du Layon from Domaine Vincent Ogereau.
A personal favourite of mine at this time of year is Tarte Tatin. The high acidity of the apples and sweetness of the caramel component are delicious when paired with a glass or two of Sauternes.
Côteaux du Layon St. Lambert Domaine Vincent Ogereau 2013 - £19.10
Château Filhot, 2009 (Half bottle) - £22
In the lead up to Christmas, the l’Art du Vin team would like to spread a little festive cheer. In order to do so, we would like to offer all our customers 10% off your total bill when you buy through our website. To take advantage of this offer, which will run until the 24th of December, you simply need to enter the discount code XMAS2015 when prompted as you complete your purchase.
Also, a further reminder for those of you who would rather browse our range physically, our pop-up Christmas shop is now open in our warehouse in Charlestown, near Dunfermline. Please feel free to pop-in at any stage from 10am until 5pm, Monday to Friday.
If you have any specific food and wine matching requests then please do not hesitate to give our office a call on 01383 873 510 and speak with one of our in-house experts.
This week in our festive themed blog we look at the best wines to try with yuletide main courses.
In the lead up to Christmas, the l’Art du Vin team would like to spread a little festive cheer. In order to do so, we would like to offer all our customers 10% off your total bill when you buy through our website. To take advantage of this offer, which will run until the 24th of December, you simply need to enter the discount code XMAS2015 when prompted as you complete your purchase.
Also, a further reminder for those of you who would rather browse our range physically, our pop-up Christmas shop is now open in our warehouse in Charlestown, near Dunfermline. Please feel free to pop-in at any stage from 10am until 5pm, Monday to Friday.
Announcements done, time to crack on with this week’s blog!
Turkey
Turkey is without question the favoured choice for the Christmas Day main course in the UK. Generally, it is not particularly powerful in flavour and also possesses a low fat content. In order to match its weight, you could select a full-bodied white or a medium-full red wine, but the turkey’s lack of fat means the wine must not be too tannic.
Another factor to consider is that many of the most flavoursome components of this traditional course arrive in the form of the side dishes. Cranberry and redcurrant sauces come with a sweetness that will not react particularly well with an aged red wine, so go for a younger, riper bottle such as something from Beaujolais. If instead, you tend to serve your turkey with bread sauce, opt for a full-bodied white or an aged Rioja.
Our suggestions;
Fleurie Vieilles Vignes 'Le Vivier', Domaine Lardy, Beaujolais, France 2014 - £13.95
Rioja Reserva, Bodegas Altanza, Rioja, Spain 2008 - £16.55
Richard: Venison
“Venison is a real luxury that deserves a top quality wine. Nothing does the trick quite like an earthy wine such as a Southern Rhone or a New World Shiraz. Rich and deep with spice round the edges!”
Madiran L’Origine, Chateau d’Aydie, South West, France 2013 - £10.35
Massif d'Uchaux, Cotes du Rhone Villages, France 2012 - £13.75
Philippe: Roast Beef
“For me, a good Cabernet Sauvignon, or Merlot, with some well-chosen and correctly cooked beef is a joy: a common dish for festive meals around Christmas time.
Organic Legado Cabernet Sauvignon, De Martino, Maipo Valley, Chile 2012 - £13.25
Château Le Grand Verdus Cuvée Generation, Bordeaux, France 2011 - £13.50
Organic Malbec/Merlot "Le Classique", Chateau Tour Des Gendres, Bergerac, France 2013 - £12.35
Lewis: Duck, Goose, Quail & Guinea Fowl
Duck, Goose, Quail and Guinea Fowl are all quite flavoursome and can cope with more powerfully flavoured wines than those chosen to complement chicken. A Pinot Noir/Gamay or a white Burgundy will match the slight “gameyness” of these birds.
Montagny 1er Cru 'Les Coëres' Domaine Feuillat-Juillot, Burgundy, France 2013 - £17.85
Gamay Pinot Noir de Touraine, Domaine de la Rochette, Loire, France 2014 - £10.05
Pinot Noir Soli, Thracian Valley, Bulgaria 2012 - £11.20
If you have any specific food and wine matching requests then please do not hesitate to give our office a call on 01383 873 510 and speak with one of our in-house experts.
Christmas is fast approaching and the festive mood is certainly starting to take effect in l’Art du Vin HQ – although the less said about our logistics assistant Lee’s renditions of Michael Buble’s yuletide classics the better!
As the pre-festive rush begins, over the next few weeks we aim to assist you with one of the trickier Christmas decisions, that of which wines to select as an accompaniment to the numerous Christmas meals we will sit down to over the coming month.
This week we begin by looking at wine options for traditional starters, selected by members of our staff.
Philippe: Smoked Salmon
“To complement a smoked salmon dish, it is best to select a wine that has good acidity. This enables the wine to deal with the oil and fat of the fish, much the same way that many people use a dash of lemon – in order to cleanse the palate.”
“Personally, my top picks would be either Champagne or Chablis. Both are high in acidity and are also medium-bodied, thus ensuring they match the salmon’s weight.”
Brut Tradition NV, Champagne Janisson et Fils, Champagne, France - £30.30
Chablis Domaine de la Meulière, Burgundy, France 2014 - £15.30
Richard: Prawns, Shellfish
“When picking wine to drink with prawns or shellfish, I think it is best to select those that possess depth and breadth of flavours, as often these dishes will be cooked with butter, garlic and a number of other flavours like parsley, basil. Grape varieties such as Viognier or Gavi are perfect for this situation.”
“If you are eating seafood that is grilled, then you have to contend with the added complexity of the smoky, chargrilled flavours. With grilled scallops, for example, I would opt for a richer, fuller white, something like our Albariño from Bodegas Terras Gauda.”
Gavi de Gavi Monserito, Tenuta Carretta, Piemonte, Italy 2014 - £14
Bodegas Terras Gauda, Albariño Abadia de San Campio, Rias Baixas, Spain 2014 - £15.20
Lewis: Pâté
“Due to the fact that most patés are relatively fatty, it is best to select wines that come with some acidity: an Alsace Pinot Gris or Riesling would be perfect. Gewurztraminer also provides an interesting match, the spicy dimension of this grape variety helping to bring to life the terrine and match flavours of pickles or chutneys.”
“If you fancy being more adventurous, try a light red containing plenty of berry fruit flavours. When served slightly chilled, these flavours will complement the paté excellently. My tip would be a Beaujolais!”
“If you are having a heavier paté such as Foie Gras, the wine will require increased richness and acidity. In this instance, a sweet wine such as a Sauternes is the perfect, and classic, accompaniment.”
Gewurztraminer Tradition, Domaine Albert Mann, Alsace, France 2013 - £20
Riesling Mehrlein Edelmann Trocken, Rheingau, Germany 2013 - £12.90
Château Filhot (Half bottle), Sauternes, France 2009 - £22
Yesterday saw the launch of this year’s Beaujolais Nouveau, an important date for many in the wine calendar. Produced from Gamay grapes, the wine is fermented for only a matter of weeks before it is released for sale on the third Thursday of November each year.
Originally, Beaujolais Nouveau was made to be enjoyed as a celebratory drink for workers at the end of the annual harvest. However, in the 1950s, a group of local producers spotted the potential for this young, drinkable wine to be marketed properly. This sparked the concept of a race to Paris with the new vintage, as restaurants and bars clamoured to be the first to list the wines each year. By the 1970s, this race had become international, with restaurants all over the world attempting to secure the wines as early as possible. Nowadays, it is shipped all over the world ahead of the release date, then displayed in local markets from the third Thursday in November.
Beaujolais Nouveau is light and youthful, bottled only 6-8 weeks following the harvest. Traditionally served slightly chilled, it displays very little tannins and is dominated by fruity flavours such as banana, grape, strawberry and fig. Due to the winemaking processes involved in the production of these wines, they show clearly defined variations between vintages. Therefore, the annual release of Beaujolais Nouveau is considered to be an early indicator of the quality of the harvest.
However, not all Beaujolais has to be enjoyed within months of bottling. Appellations such as Fleurie produce wines of great quality that can be aged for a couple of years before drinking. Likewise, the area of Moulin-à-Vent, a small 2-mile-square area of land on granite soils, has the potential to produce wines that, when fully mature, resemble more a fine Burgundy or even a Rhône, than Beaujolais.
We at l’Art du Vin think that Moulin-à-Vent is one of the regions worldwide which best vindicates the principle of ‘terroir’. Fleurie, which is the neighbouring appellation, produces velvety, perfumed wines which are extremely approachable. On the other hand, wines which are meatier, more intense and possessing heavier tannins are produced just a couple of miles along the road in Moulin-à-Vent, despite the fact that both styles are made using the same grape - 100% Gamay.
We are fortunate at l’Art du Vin to work with Yohan Lardy, an undoubted rising star of the French wine world. Having worked with his father, Lucien Lardy, for a number of years, we were aware of Yohan’s potential from a young age. He studied at viticultural college then travelled the world in order to gain as much winemaking experience as possible, most notably in the production of Pinot Noir in Oregon.
He then returned to work at his father’s estate in Beaujolais, before acquiring his own small plot of land, comprising only 2 hectares, in Moulin-à-Vent. He ferments his grapes using wild yeasts, then ages the wine for 8 months in 2-3 year old barriques. The result is stunning; a wine that we believe would not be out of place in a Côte de Beaune tasting.
Moulin-à-Vent ‘Les Michelons’, Domaine Lardy, Beaujolais 2013 - £17.65
