The Wine.

An unoaked blend of 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah made from the family vines around the village of Suzette. Clean and cool with strawberry and cherry aromatics, a silky smooth texture and a long finish.

The Estate.

Château Redortier was established in 1956 by Etienne and Chantal de Menthon, grandparents of Isabelle and Sabine who run the estate today. It sits in the shadow of the Dentelles de Montmirail with Mont Ventoux not far to the east. They have 1 hectare of Ventoux A.O.C. vines at an altitude of 500m. These are hand harvested and the juice is fermented using wild yeasts.

The Appellation.

Ventoux is an up-and-coming appellation in the southeast Rhône. It offers much of the quality of the more established appellations of the area (Gigondas, Châteauneuf-du-Pape et al), but at much more manageable prices. Its key attribute is altitude. The high vineyards mean plentiful sun during the day but also cool nights. This range in temperature results in ripe fruit with good acidity - the latter bringing a crucial vibrancy to the wines.

Offered: April 2026.

Alcohol: 14%.

Drinking window: 2026 - 2028.

Food matching: An excellent match for hard sheep's cheeses, roast chicken and barbecued steaks.

The Wine

Exceptional value and beautifully balanced. Soft, silky, fruity, floral Pinot Noir which hits all the right notes. Absolutely good to go now. Drink through to 2030.

The Domaine

A family estate of 15 hectares based in the village of Auxey-Duresses. The estate was taken over by cousins Alexis and Simon from their respective fathers in 2018. This marked a notable change in terms of cultivation and winemaking styles and has made them a producer to watch in this up-and-coming appellation. The estate produces 75% red and 25% white.

The Appellation

The Hautes-Côtes de Beaune vineyards cover the south facing slopes above the Côte de Beaune proper. The aspect and extra 100 - 200m of altitude means a later harvest and gives the wines a freshness as as well as plenty of fruit. This AOC is a an excellent source of fine red and white Burgundy at good prices.

Offered: March 2026

Alcohol: 13.5%

Drinking window: Drink now through to 2030.

Food matching: Roast game, truffle dishes, a young Comté.

The Wine

The domaine's top red from the Premier Cru 'Les Duresses' vineyard. One for the cellar ideally although it is remarkably fine already. Plums, cassis, cherries. Vibrant, delicately perfumed. Silky tannins but a robust core. Drink 2028-2035.

The Domaine

A family estate of 15 hectares based in the village of Auxey-Duresses. The estate was taken over by cousins Alexis and Simon from their respective fathers in 2018. This marked a notable change in terms of cultivation and winemaking styles and has made them a producer to watch in this up-and-coming appellation. The estate produces 75% red and 25% white.

The Appellation

A small appellation on the Côte de Beaune with illustrious neighbours - Meursault to the east, Monthélie and, just beyond, Volnay to the north. Historically a cooler spot, climate change is bringing investment and increasingly making it an AOC to watch.

Offered: March 2026

Alcohol: 13.5%

Drinking window: Drink 2028 - 2035.

Food matching: Roast duck, mushroom risotto, hard nutty cheeses such as an old Comté.

The Wine

The domaine's top white from the Premier Cru 'Climat du Val' vineyard. Delicious now but will peak around 2030. Elegant, mouth-watering. Peaches, pears, lemons, notes of jasmine. Subtle toasty oak. Rich but with wonderful tension. Very fine white Burgundy on a par with Meursaults at twice the price.

The Domaine

A family estate of 15 hectares based in the village of Auxey-Duresses. The estate was taken over by cousins Alexis and Simon from their respective fathers in 2018. This marked a notable change in terms of cultivation and winemaking styles and has made them a producer to watch in this up-and-coming appellation. The estate produces 75% red and 25% white.

The Appellation

A small appellation on the Côte de Beaune with illustrious neighbours - Meursault to the east, Monthélie and, just beyond, Volnay to the north. Historically a cooler spot, climate change is bringing investment and increasingly making it an AOC to watch.

Offered: March 2026

Alcohol: 13%

Drinking window: Drink now through to 2030.

Food matching: A great match for soft creamy cheeses such as Brillat-Savarin, roast chicken or seafood pasta.

The Wine

Serious white Burgundy for the price and drinking now. Lemons, oranges, white flowers. Carefully oaked, zesty but with richness and complexity.

The Domaine

A family estate of 15 hectares based in the village of Auxey-Duresses. The estate was taken over by cousins Alexis and Simon from their respective fathers in 2018. This marked a notable change in terms of cultivation and winemaking styles and has made them a producer to watch in this up-and-coming appellation. The estate produces 75% red and 25% white.

The Appellation

The Hautes-Côtes de Beaune vineyards cover the south facing slopes above the Côte de Beaune proper. The aspect and extra 100 - 200m of altitude means a later harvest and gives the wines a freshness as as well as plenty of fruit. This AOC is a an excellent source of fine red and white Burgundy at good prices.

Offered: March 2026

Alcohol: 13%

Drinking window: Drink now through to 2029.

Food matching: A great match for soft creamy cheeses such as Brillat-Savarin, roast chicken or seafood pasta.

'Grower' Champagnes offer some of the highest quality and best value drinking in the region, but are still something of a well kept secret in the UK.

Made from grapes grown by the producers themselves (not bulk bought like the big brand equivalents), these are hand-crafted, single estate wines that would sell for a lot more if they could match the marketing power of the big Champagne houses.

The Fresne Ducret 'Les Nouveaux Explorateurs' Premier Cru NV is an outstandingly good example, with that perfect balance of ripe fruit, rich, brioche-like yeastiness and crisp (but not too crisp!) acidity.

The Fresne family have been growing grapes in Champagne for 7 generations. Their vines are in the 1er Cru village of Villedommange, near Reims, and today it is Pierre Fresne who oversees the whole operation - from vineyard management through to the dosage, riddling and final corking.

The resulting Champagnes are a testament to the family's meticulous production methods and the quality of the domaine's Premier Cru terroir.

Offered: November 2025.

Alcohol: 12%.

Drinking window: 2025 – 2032.

Food matching: Excellent as an aperitif but even better with smoked salmon or potted shrimp.

First-rate Grower Champagne from Domaine Fresne Dcuret.

The Wine.

100% old vine Garnacha from vineyards up at around the 900m mark. Aged for 6 months in old oak this fruity but fresh red shows bags of ripe raspberry fruit with delicate floral and herbal notes. It is silky smooth, beautifully balanced and just so good for the price. 

The Vineyard.

The wine comes from Castejon de Alarba, a remote village with just 80 or so inhabitants at the foot of the Sierra de Pardos mountains. Here Mark Schiettekat and his team tend 80 year old vines which, though low yielding, produce wonderfully characterful reds.

The Appellation.

Calatayud is an up-and-coming D.O. in Northern Spain, just to the south of Rioja. Essentially a high altitude valley ringed by mountains, it has a fantastically harsh climate with very hot summers and very cold winters. The native Garnacha Tinta grape though is well suited to the conditions and it is here that it produces some of its finest expressions. Especially so in recent years as ambitious winemakers have set up shop, attracted to the region by its exceptional terroir and winemaking history.

Offered: November 2025.

Alcohol: 14.5%.

Drinking window: Drinking perfectly now but can age through to 2032.

Food matching: A great match for roast meats.