Domaine Gérard Brisson was established by Gérard's grandfather and is today run by Gérard, his wife and his son. The average age of the vines is 50 years old, so yields are low but the quality is very high. Gérard is considered one of the best winemakers in Beaujolais by his peers but to date little of his wine has made it over the Channel.

Morgon is one of the 10 named Crus in Beaujolais which cover the rolling hills in the north of the region. These Crus produce the finest Beaujolais wines. Each Cru has its own style and the wines of Morgon tend to be relatively rich and full. Les Charmes, the vineyard where this wine comes from, is one of the most prestigious 'liet-dit' in the Morgon appellation.

Gérard's Morgon 2018 has received glowing reviews from the wine press with a 95 point score in Decanter magazine and 93 points from James Suckling.
The wine is juicy, fresh, rich and complex with more oomph than the estate's Beaujolais Villages.

Offered: September 2019.

Alcohol: 12.5% abv.

Vintage report: An excellent vintage in quality and quantity. As a rule turning out structured, concentrated and silky wines with fine tannins.

Drinking window: Drink now through to 2022.

Food matching: Roast chicken, sausage and mash and steak frites to name a few.

The tiny Domaine de l'Amauve is run along organic lines (certification coming later this year) with minimal spraying and a real focus on biodiversity in order to create the healthiest, richest possible environment for the vines.

The vines are old and low yielding, and thanks to the altitude of the vineyards and their western facing aspect, the resulting wines are ripe but with real freshness too.
These natural advantages, combined with Christian's exacting work in the vineyard and experienced hand in the cellar, are fast making the domaine one of the most exciting prospects in the appellation.

This particular cuvée, the Laurances 2017, is unoaked, unfiltered and because bottling conditions are so tightly controlled, low in sulphur. It is a fresh, fruity and aromatic DELIGHT, with excellent balance, medium to full body and silky, fine grained tannins.

Offered: June 2019.

Alcohol: 14.5% abv.

Vintage report: Excellent quality but low quantities due to drought and coulure problems.

Drinking window: Drink now through to 2022.

Food matching: Drink with hard cheeses and barbecued steaks.

Domaine des Poncétys was created at the beginning of the 17th Century and has 15 hectares of immaculately tended, organic vines in the heart of Saint-Véran.

This particular white cuvée comes from a little 'lieu-dit' (a named patch of land) called Les Crêches - the gently sloping parcel of limestone terroir just outside the village of Davayé.

It is exactly the sort of ripe but tense, delicately oaked white Burgundy that I love and has all the bang of a good Meursault, without the hefty price tag.

Offered: March 2019.

Alcohol: 14.5%.

Vintage report: A warm dry vintage in the Maconnais, ideal for those who like their white Burgundy at the richer, riper end of the scale. Where acidity matches concentration, as in this case, the wines are fantastic.

Drinking window: 2018 – 2022.

Food matching: Delicious with roast chicken or soft cheeses such as Brie and Camembert.

A beautifully balanced, highly more-ish Chianti Riserva, from the Chianti Montepertoli DOCG - the smallest of the Chianti sub-zones. Made from 80% Sangiovese, with a little bit of Merlot to round off the edges and some Cabernet Sauvignon for added structure, this is a rich, fresh, cherry fruit scented red with spicy, savoury notes from the oak barrel ageing and an all round soft and easy drinking character.

It is drinking beautifully already, even better after a good few hours breathing.

Offered: November 2018.

Alcohol: 14%.

Drinking window: 2018 – 2022.

Food matching: Will go down particularly well with roast lamb, hard, strong cheeses, or Tuscan-style sausage and bean casseroles.

Domaine de l’Edre operates along the lines of the ‘garagiste’ producers in Bordeaux in that they have a few hectares of old vines with exceptional terroir, and a small cellar in town where they produce tiny quantities of sensationally good wine.

The crucial difference though is that this is Roussillon, not Bordeaux, so the value for money is fantastic.

The Edre 2016 is an unoaked blend of 60% Syrah, 25% Grenache and 15% Carignan. It is inky purple in colour and full bodied with pure raspberry and cassis fruit. 12 months in French oak has added cedary notes and complexity but the use of once used barriques means that the wood influence is in balance with the fruit. The wine is deliciously ripe but is still graceful and light on its feet. All in all, this is seriously impressive stuff, and in terms of fine wines, a great bargain when compared to wines from almost any other part of France at the same price point.

Offered: October 2018.

Alcohol: 15%.

Drinking window: 2018 – 2028.

Food matching: Drink with grilled red meat and game, lamb chops and hard cheeses.

Domaine de l’Edre operates along the lines of the ‘garagiste’ producers in Bordeaux in that they have a few hectares of old vines with exceptional terroir, and a small cellar in town where they produce tiny quantities of sensationally good wine.

The crucial difference though is that this is Roussillon, not Bordeaux, so the value for money is fantastic.

Their Mourvèdre (or ‘Mourv’Edre’ as they call it) is a wonderfully vibrant red with blackberry fruit, a touch of spice on the nose, all round juicy freshness and concerning levels of drinkability. It is unoaked in order to allow the quality of the fruit to shine and is a perfect winter red to go with roast game, hearty beef stews and hard cheeses.

Offered: October 2018.

Alcohol: 13.5%.

Drinking window: 2018 – 2022.

Finding bargains in Bordeaux is a tricky business, but scour the lesser known communes on the right bank and you can unearth the odd gem.

The Château Frédignac is exactly that. An old vine blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc aged in French oak for 12 months, it is rich, ripe, beautifully balanced and a superb example of the 2015 vintage - one of THE great Bordeaux vintages of the millennium.

With a couple of years bottle age under its belt it is perfect for drinking this winter but will mature well over the next few years or so if you want to lay it down.

The Estate.

Château Frédignac was founded in 1919 by Jean-Marie l'Amouller, a young mariner who fell in love with the region and a young Blayaise when he was passing through on the corvette La Favorite (hence the name of the wine). It occupies 20 hectares of excellent clay/limestone land in the heart of the Blaye appellation and is today run by Vincent and Ludivine l'Amouller. A young couple who took over in 2012.

Both come from an environmental science background and they have converted the estate to organic, meaning no synthetic sprays are used in the vineyard, much greater biodiversity and all round better more aromatic wines.

Offered: October 2018

Alcohol: 14%

Drinking window: 2018 – 2022.

Food matching: Delicious with steak, Sunday roasts and hard cheeses.

Vernaccia di San Gimignano is one of Italy’s most ancient white wines and has a long line of illustrious fans stretching all the way back to the Middle Ages. Among them many a Pope, and some hefty literary figures too – Chaucer, Dante and Deschamps to name drop a few.

Tenuta La Vigna specialise in its production and with two enthusiastic young cousins now at the helm, the estate has started to win particular praise for the unoaked, minerally style of Vernaccia that they produce.

The 2017 here is a superlative example: fresh and minerally with a creamy texture, citrus fruit and floral notes that reflect the wild flowers that dot the local landscape, it is delicious in that zesty but restrained and elegant style that you often find in Italian whites, and a very good buy for this price.

Offered: July 2018

Alcohol: 12.5%

Drinking window: 2018 – 2020.

Food matching: Excellent as an aperitif or seafood dishes. Also a winner with a salty Pecorino cheese.