6 bottles (162 CHF) Savigny Lès Beaune Louis Jadot 2000 Vintage: 2000 Colour: Red Origin: France - Burgundy - Côte de Beaune - Savigny-Lès-Beaune Alc % by Vol: 13% Jean-Michel Deluc:

Our opinion

With Savigny its all about finesse and delicateness. This wine from Maison Jadot expresses the exact characteristics that we would expect from such an appellation. The 2000 vintage is a fine example of elegance and maturity. A pleasant, generous wine with a very distinct character in the finish.

Description

Maison Louis Jadot was created in 1859 and today is one of the leading houses in Burgundy. As well as owning 105 hectares of prime vineyard, they have also built a fantastic state of the art winery in Savigny les Beaune. Their wines are regularly praised in the specialist press in France, UK and the US and are regularly to be found on the Michelin starred tables on both sides of the Channel. The wines are made by Jacques Lardière and the company has been run by the Gagey family for the last 30 years which has enabled a continuity in philosophy and style.

Tips on service

• Conservation: drinking now
• At its best in: 2006
• To decant: 1 hour
• Serve at 17°

Food and wine matching

Chicken breast in white wine sauce, roasted quails with grapes, organic roast chicken, roast pork with chanterelles, fresh cheeses.

Tasting notes

By Jean Michel Deluc : Master Sommelier

Eye - A pale ruby coloured wine with glints of violet and shades of mauve towards the edge of the glass, signalling the beginnings of maturity. Typical of this vintage, this wine is bright, limpid and displays good concentration.
Nose - The nose displays an enticing background of jammy fruits, woodland strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, redcurrants and morello cherries, followed by smoky notes of light tobacco and pepper. The harmony of this wine reflects its ongoing development and its good potential for ageing. Fine and elegant on the whole, just as a Savigny should be.
Palate - The same impression of finesse and subtlty is present on the palate, accompanied by a round and silky attack of jammy fruits, slighty acidic notes and crunchy tannins in a spicy finish. Great character for a wine that is ready for drinking from today.

12 bottles (187 CHF) Les Faïsses 2003 Vintage: 2003 Colour: Red Origin: France - Languedoc-Roussillon - Hérault - Coteaux du Languedoc Alc % by Vol: 14% Jean-Michel Deluc:

Our opinion

Overall it has great class and breed. It could be compared to “the iron hand in the velvet glove.” In short, exactly what I would expect from one the finest Languedoc wines I've tasted recently. (January 2005)

Description

This is a fantastic Southern beauty produced by the Paul Mas domain, one of the rising stars of the Languedoc. From a tiny estate of 10 hectares of old vines grown at altitude, the wine has been given all the treatment of a Grand Cru : hand harvested at 13 degrees, long maceration in order to extract richness, oak ageing for 12 months. This hand crafted wine only produced 1800 bottles and so is strictly limited.

Tips on service

• Conservation: ready now but will improve
• At its best in: 2012
• To decant: 2 hours
• Serve at 17°

Food and wine matching

Serve with saddle of hare à la royale, roast wild pigeon, wild boar stew, beef rib steak with its marrow, leg of lamb with anchovy sauce, duck breast with morello cherries, refined and strong flavored cheeses.

Tasting notes

Eye - A wine of a dark ruby color ranging in tone from inky-violet to glints of aubergine or peony at the edge of the glass. The concentration of color is evident by the wine's opacity and the wine has fine brightness. It displays appealing concentration of substance. A wine that has retained its youthful color.
Nose - The nose offers an aromatic background of depth and great finesse. It's only after a few moments that the first aromas of ripe fruit become apparent; they include cherries, plums and blackcurrants, as well as floral notes of violets and peonies. With aeration the wine reveals notes of barrel aging with aromas of smoke, caramel, pepper, vanilla, cardamom, and, finally, licorice. An elegant and racy wine despite its underlying power.
Palate - On the palate the attack is supple and velvety, underpinned by the jammy substance. The acidic freshness lends a contrasting note as do the refined, silky tannins. The wine has fine length and remains very aromatic throughout the tasting. A wine with great aging potential. It's extraordinary to have such power and such finesse united in a wine. A wine of perfect balance. The substance is ripe, elegant and luscious. The structure, very much apparent, is refined, silky and refreshing.

12 bottles (179 CHF) Laougué cuvée Le domaine 2002 Vintage: 2002 Colour: Red Origin: France - South-West France - Madiran Alc % by Vol: 13% Jean-Michel Deluc: Gold medal: Bronze medal:

Our opinion

With this 2003 vintage we are faced with perfection! The maturity of the wine and the balance between barrel ageing and the strong notion of the terroir make this wine an exceptional tasting experience. Already wonderfully complex today, it is easy to imagine how it will develop in the coming years. This Domain has become one of the stars of the appellation. The perfect accompaniment to generous Gascony cuisine.

Description

***** ChateauOnline, Gold Medal. Madiran is one of the oldest vineyards in France. In the past, sales from this vineyard have been curbed due to its use as a medicinal wine. However, it has been enjoying a revival for several years now, thanks to the impetus of several passionate vinegrowers. Madiran is now very fashionable and the prices of the vines are rocketing. This region offers virile wines that are wonderfully fruity in their youth, that become beautifully sensual with age. The Laougué Domain belongs to Pierre Dabadie. It extends over 45 hectares on the Viella commune and has been in operation for several generations. Great care is taken throught all processes, from pest control to the working of the soils, to respect both the vines and the environment. Manual harvests, vinification by grape variety and by parcels, control of temperatures and micro-oxygenation, maturity in barrels followed by cement tanks, are all supervised and highly scrutinised by Stéphane Castro, oenologist at the Domain. The result are wines of outstanding quality that are regularly featured in competitions and specialist press.

Tips on service

• Conservation: ready now but will improve
• At its best in: 2010
• To decant: 2 hours
• Serve at 16°

Food and wine matching

Salmi of wood pigeon, beef in a rich honey sauce with mushrooms and shallots, rack of lamb, young wild boar stew, strong cheeses.

Tasting notes

By Jean Michel Deluc : Master Sommelier

Eye - A wonderfully profound ruby coloured wine, with bluish-black nuances that shade towards purple at the edge of the glass. The wine is bright, rendered opaque due to its density and displays fine concentration.
Nose - The nose is initially very subdued, but reveals very concentrated notes of ripe black fruits such as blackcurrants, blackberries and blueberries, followed by more subtle notes of liquorice and violets after a few moments of aeration. After a few more moments, aromas of incense, prunes, sloe berries, cocoa, coffee, pepper and vanilla begin to appear. This wine displays a whirlwind of different aromas, but no real trace of barrel ageing.
Palate - The attack on the palate is soft and smooth, but is quickly replaced by a sharp, fresh acidity that lasts through until the finish. This is followed by fine tannins which prolong the gustatory sensation of the wine over a good length. The same aromas of fruits and flowers that were found on the nose are found again on the palate. The wine displays great finesse and a superb length.

6 bottles (147 CHF) Château la Croix Martelle Grande réserve 2000 Vintage: 2000 Colour: Red Origin: France - Languedoc-Roussillon - Hérault - Minervois la Livinière Alc % by Vol: 14% Jean-Michel Deluc:

Our opinion

A superb illustration of this exceptional terroir, with a masterful vinification that combines strength and concentration with finesse and elegance. An already complex wine aromatically. Best kept for a few months when it should be decanted and chilled before serving. The perfect choice to complement dishes from the south of France.

Description

From Syrah, Grenache, Cinsault and Mourvèdre that are grown here at Château La Croix Martelle, come two unique and unparalleled wines. Grande Réserve is matured for 18 months in oak barrels. The eye is seduced by this beautiful red wine that displays glints of purplish red. Subtle notes of barrel ageing, black olives, chocolate, coffee, woodland strawberries and raspberries soon begin to develop. This is a meaty wine with elegant, velvety tannins of a rare finesse. The perfect choice to accompany truffles, aubergine gratin or steak with a crushed peppercorn sauce. The perfect wine for hiding away in your cellar until a later date when it can really be appreciated at its best.

Tips on service

• Conservation: ready now but will improve
• At its best in: 2008
• To decant: 2 hours
• Serve at 16°

Food and wine matching

Duck with olives, beef casserole, stewed hare, young deer in a spicy sauce, 7 hour lamb, herby cheeses or those that are particularly strong in flavour.

Tasting notes

By Jean Michel Deluc : Master Sommelier

Eye - A ruby coloured wine of good intensity, with violet nuances and tender shades of pink. The wine is just beginning to show signs of maturity and seems to sparkle in the glass. It is bright, limpid and displays good concentration.
Nose - A fine and elegant nose. After a few moments of aeration, the wine opens with a wonderfully complex palette of aromas including rich notes of fruits and spices. Aromas of ripe fruits appear first, cherries, blackcurrants and woodland strawberries, followed by fresher notes of barrel ageing and later followed by notes of cocoa, pepper, wallflower, black olives and smoke. Finally, notes of lilac and violets bring a superb distinction to the finish. Seduction personified!
Palate - The same impression is found on the palate, with a smooth and velvety attack and the impression of a rich, meaty wine full of freshness and finesse. Silky tannins maintain the complex aromatic background over a good length. Fruits and spices combine to offer a veritable symphony of aromas in the finish. A powerful wine that should certainly be decanted before serving.

3 bottles (141 CHF) Amarone Corte Bra Sartori 1999 Vintage: 1999 Colour: Red Origin: Italy - Veneto - Valpolicella Classico DOC Alc % by Vol: 15% Jean-Michel Deluc:

Our opinion

This wine, from one of the most beautiful appellations in Italy, comes as quite a surprise due to it's original method of vinification. And what is even more incredible about this wine is it's price! Rich, powerful, complex and generous, the perfect choice for serving with game, meats in sauce, well-aged cheeses or red fruit desserts.

Description

This exceptional wine comes not only from native grapes, Corvina, Veronese, Rondinella and Molinara, but also from the “Corte Bra” parcels, a sloping vineyard in the north of Verona. The vinification process is quite unusual for a red wine though. The best grapes are collected and put into small crates to be dried for 3 months in a well-ventilated room. Then, a second sorting takes place, resulting in the very best of conditions for making wine. Fermentation takes place for 30 days before the wine is aged in large barrels for 4 years, followed by a further year in smaller wooden barrels. It is easy to see that with this wine we are faced with one of the best Italian appellations.

Tips on service

• Conservation: ready now but will improve
• At its best in: 2008
• To decant: 2 hours
• Serve at 16°

Food and wine matching

Wild duck with cherries, hare royale, mushroom and asparagus risotto, roast kidney in Valpolicella sauce, Romanoff salad, Maroilles, well-aged Parmesan, Mimolette.

Tasting notes

By Jean Michel Deluc : Master Sommelier

Eye - A garnet-red coloured wine of good intensity, with youthful glints of violet and shades of mauve that show the beginnings of maturity. The wine is bright, rendered opaque due to its density and has an oily appearance in the glass.
Nose - The nose is dominated by a luxuriously smooth and velvety aromatic framework that is dominated by jammy aromas of red and black fruits: figs, strawberries, blackcurrants, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries and cherries. With aeration, liquorice notes of cinnamon, pepper, cardamom and wallflower begin to appear. Notes of tobacco, cocoa and leather are found in the finish. A lovely, sophisticated wine that provides plenty of pleasure for our olfactive senses.
Palate - As is usually the case with this appellation, the attack on the palate is smooth and round with an unctuous and fruity background. The structure quickly reminds us that this is a red wine with a mentholated acidity and incredibly fine, silky tannins that bring strength and amplitude to the richness of the palate. You will discover all the same fruity notes that were found on the nose, accompanied by a slightly acidic sensation. An incredibly charming wine, just like a true Italian!