Rhône & Other French Regions

This cool and elegant Sancerre is made for us by 10th-generation vigneron David Sautereau. The nose is fresh and mineral, with citrus fruits mingling with crushed stone. In the mouth, the attack is precise, crisp and energetic, with pleasing mid-palate weight and a saline finish. This is excellent with fresh seafood or the local crottin de Chavignol goat’s cheese.

Drink 2024 - 2026

Adam Bruntlett, Senior Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd

We are delighted to be working with Château La Mascaronne’s brilliant team to produce this superb, terroir-driven rosé. The nose is full of juicy redcurrants and wild strawberries, with a refreshingly bright lift. The palate has the wonderfully pure, stone-pebble element of the property’s unique limestone-based vineyards. An herbal twist of wild oregano completes the delicious, salivating finish. This is drinking beautifully now, ready to open and share on a warm evening.

Catriona Felstead MW, Senior Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd

As one of the leading lights in Provence, Miraval continues to strive for excellence and the 2022 vintage certainly continues in this manner. Raspberries, candied strawberry, pear and white flowers combine beautifully on the nose and the palate is just as generous, with explosions of ripe white peach, lemon peel and pear all in perfect harmony. Beautifully pale in colour and with wonderful acidity, this really is the perfect drink for summer.

Offering a touch more colour than the 2014, with a sweeter weight of fruit before the spice and tannins at the back. Some elegance too. This will drink well in the near future.Offering a touch more colour than the 2014, with a sweeter weight of fruit before the spice and tannins at the back. Some elegance too. This will drink well in the near future.

Jasper Morris MW, insideburgundy.com (Decemner 2019)

Nady Foucault working here on a consultation basis brings the obvious question, ‘Will this estate be the next Clos Rougeard?’. You get a hint of that ethereal nature in this cuvée, and that’s no surprise given the immense care taken, including four levels of sorting after harvest. 

Bright red cherry, raspberry and violets greet you in the glass and are carried by fine ripe tannins and zippy acidity. A garrigue and spicy nature complements the taut fresh notes and gives you a refreshing and clean finish. This is an instantly enjoyable Cabernet Franc that I’ve no doubt will continue to evolve and add further complexity over the next 10+ years. 

James Belok, Private Client Manager, Berry Bros. & Rudd

The power of the solaire vintage is on show in the 2015 Frederic Emile which sits more in the broad shouldered camp that it’s sometimes slatey, lean style. Small, concentrated berries have yielded around a third less than normal. This is a FE of immense power and concentration I think will have the capacity for even longer ageing than normal but the luscious fruit also makes it highly approachable today  Eas shown by the Trimbach family’s generous donation of the vintage for us to show at our recent 325th Anniversary party. This is a great Freddie Emile!

This Ermitage from the top Rhone producer Guigal is nothing short of astonishing. The nose is reticent and shy to come out but shows fruits of the forest, liquorice, black olive tapenade. The palate is lush, mouthcoating and full, tannins are incredibly well integrated and balanced and yet there is still an underlying power that will keep this beauty into the next two decades.

Stuart Rae, Private Account Manager

The 2013 Saumur Champigny Le Bourg opens delicate like a Burgundy, with floral as well as flinty and toasty aromas but also intense red fruit and dark cherry ones. Pure, fine, and juicy on the palate, this is a silky-elegant Le Bourg with fine tannins and a long, salty and mineral finish. -Wine Advocate

The wines of Olivier Humbrecht MW need little introduction, possessing great depth and exactitude, as well as generosity… much like the man himself. The Humbrecht family’s viticultural roots can be traced back to 1620. Today they own 40 hectares across five villages in the Haut-Rhin, the southern half of the picturesque vineyards overlapping the Vosges foothills, treasured for its idyllic climate and tapestry of terroirs, as much for its half-timbered houses.

This is a delicious white showing structure, firm acidity and subtle hints of exquisite white peach. Combine this with a zesty lemon complexity and several pleasing saline notes. A match for simple preparations of chicken, fish and shellfish. Drink now and over the next five years.

The 2017 has more complexity and depth than the 2018. Selection from 60-to-70-year-old vines, aged 18 months in cement tank. Classic nose of violet, blackberry, black pepper and even a touch of jalapeño. This is very straight and savoury in the mouth, featuring black cherry, black olive, bay leaf and layers of dark minerality. The finish is attractive and long, full of smoke and tobacco leaf.

The father-and-son team of Philippe and Pierre Alliet have raised the bar for what’s possible with Loire Cabernet Franc and are now running one of the top domaines in Chinon. Pierre now mostly runs the estate's day-to-day, with 18 hectares of Cabernet Franc and a single hectare of Chenin Blanc. One thing he’s introduced is using more cement tanks and less oak. The south-facing limestone slope of L’Huisserie and the steep site called Côteau de Noire are two of the top single vineyards in all of Chinon.

Drink 2020 - 2032

Jason Wilson, Vinous.com (July 2020)

The new vintages see 50% cement tank and 50% large 500l wood barrels; however, the 2018 was aged in 100% cement vats for 18 months.

This cuvée  comes from a selection of 70-year-old vines, which sit just behind the winery. Lovely dark fruit aromas of cherry and fresh plum predominate, intertwined with black pepper and a stunning wet stone freshness. The palate has lovely notes of sweet spices alongside bright black fruits. Offering good length and balance, this is a lovely entry level Chinon.

Drink 2024 - 2032

Yoan Bernard, Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd

The nose has lovely aromatics of strawberry and cream alongside a striking wet stone freshness. The palate is linear with good tension which balances the 14% alcohol. Fresh strawberries combined with ripe chalky tannins gives this Regnie a lovely balance. 100% destemmed, lovely.

Yoan Bernard, Fine Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd

The grapes here come from two parcels; l'Eveque, which Frederic sold in 2024, and Champs Levrier which will become the main source of grapes for this label going forwards. The nose is perfumed and boasts of violets and fresh cassis. On the palate, the same cassis is precise and full of freshness combined with well-integrated chalky tannins. Good balance and length and lovely integration of wood.

Yoan Bernard, Fine Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd

Les Vergers comes from 67 year old vines and is located right beside Chateau des Vergers from where it holds its name. The nose here is Chambolesque with loads of elegant red and black fruit alongside perfumed floral notes, piercing intensity, complexity and elegance - wow. On the palate we find the same elegance and concentration, great ripe tannins. This is much more delicate and ethereal compared to the Regnie Vernus parcel.

Yoan Bernard, Fine Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd

This parcel is located at the foot of Cote de Py. Very floral on the nose alongside ripe black fruits retaining good freshness. We can also discern animal and leather notes compared to the straight Morgon adding a layer of complexity. Elegant on the palate with lovely bright blue fruit. Still, a more rustic Beaujolais compared to the rest of the range but will age very well. Give this one some time in a Carafe before drinking.

Yoan Bernard, Fine Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd

Frederic only uses a horse to work this vineyard and the grapes are 100% destemmed. The nose exhibits succulent aromas of roses and bright strawberry, some Pinotage here! Great tension on the palate coupled with a lovely salinity and velvety tannic structure. This is utterly delicious.

Yoan Bernard, Fine Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd

Stacks of redcurrant and oolong tea character give this sleek, but substantial Chiroubles plenty of appeal. Crisp and zesty finish with plenty of wet stone character. Only the third vintage from this new producer! Sustainable. Drink or hold.

Stuart Pigott, Senior Editor for JamesSuckling.com (March 2023)

For a 2021 this is brimming with sour cherry fruit, plus herbal and savory complexity. Fascinating interplay of fresh and ripe elements on the concentrated and lively medium-bodied palate. Long crisp finish with wet stone minerality. Only the third vintage from this new producer! Sustainable. Drink or hold.

Stuart Pigott, Senior Editor for JamesSuckling.com (March 2023)

From a single 1.5 hectare monopole vineyard in Bizay. Fermented in 600-litre demi-muids.

Almost sour citrus, like lime pickle? Very structured, with taut acidity. Honey too, but overall the acid and citric sharpness rules. Quite an onslaught, but in a good way. 

Drink 2017 - 2027

Richard Hemming MW, JancisRobinson.com (October 2017)

In contrast to the sullen 2018, Jamet's 2017 Cote Rotie Terrasses is more open at the moment, with attractive notes of strawberry and raspberry compote framed by velvety tannins. It's full-bodied, with enough stuffing to carry it at least another decade, probably longer.

Just a few steps up the hill and a solid stone wall apart from the old family domaine now home to his brother, Jean-Luc Jamet continues to build and expand his brand-new cellars. As it had been some time since my previous visit, we had some catching up to do, and we went through a few short verticals of the domaine's wines, as well as a quick barrel tasting of the lots destined for the 2020 Cote Rotie Terrasses.

Drink 2022 - 2035

Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate (January 2022)

This wine is built mainly around Mourvèdre, Grenache and Syrah, but the palate reveals it to be a careful construction from all thirteen Châteauneuf-du-Pape varieties. Counoise lends smoky, tannic complexity, while Cinsault adds softness and elegance. All in all it’s a classic Beaucastel, with black fruits, truffles, spice and bitter chocolate notes all present.

Made from equal proportions of Syrah, Grenache, and Mourvèdre and aged in new barrique, this is the closest the Rhône comes to a Pomerol. The velvety texture coats a most generous fruit basket. This will need a decade to really sing; the 2005 is not quite as good and is still very closed!

La Nerthe is one of the few Rhône properties where the property perfectly captures the grandeur of the wines. Our Fine Wine team loves to visit because everything, including the elegance of the wines, makes them think they are in Bordeaux. Christian Voeux is particularly pleased with the 2010 vintage, which, he advises, shares the rigour and precision of the 2005 and the generous fruit character of the 2007. As the 2007 la Nerthe was our best-seller of that particular vintage, these are words that we are happy to hear.

Berry Bros. & Rudd

Of the 13 plots which make up this wine, the key ones are Beaurenard in the north-west, Charbonnière on the central Crau plateau and Gallimardes in the south... in other words, this has a richly diverse provenance. The blend is 80 percent Grenache, 10 percent Mourvèdre, seven percent Syrah and three percent Cinsault. The wine displays classic aromas of thyme, sous-bois and macerated plum and an equally classic palate, which is long and unnervingly complex.  
Simon Field MW - Wine Buyer

The forebears of sisters Sophie and Catherine Armenier have been making superb wines since 1344 it seems, maybe modifying their techniques a little along the way, but not too much. Biodynamic in all but the letter, they are based close to Beaucastel, but their plots, albeit more modest in total surface area, are more widely spaced over the appellation, with the most significant holdings in the areas around Courthézon and on the central Crau plateau. Low yields are key to the exceptional quality of the wines.

Most Exciting Wines of the Vintage: Hermitage Rouge, Domaine Marc Sorrel
A taste of this fabulous elixir confirms what a great site the hill above Tain-Hermitage really is. A seductive red fruit nose with hints of garrigue, leads to a punchy palate with notes of olives and flowers, as well as berry fruit and chocolate. This is beautifully made, proper Hermitage.
(Chris Pollington, BBR Fine Wine)

Marc Sorrel is a phenomenal wine maker and his Hermitage Rouge was a real wine moment for everyone that tasted it. The power that you expect from top Hermitage was there, along with fine detail and huge complexity. This will age gracefully for a long, long time and is among the best produced in this revered appellation.
(Matt Tipping, BBR Fine Wine)

Sourced from three sites (Les Plantiers, Les Bessards and Les Greffieux) all assembled at harvest time, this Hermitage wine has attractive floral aromas redolent of violets, and a creamy rich palate which underwrites the astonishing complexity of what is supposed to be the junior wine.
(Simon Field MW BBR Buyer)

Glistening violet. Smoke- and mineral-accented cherry and black raspberry scents are complemented by tobacco, violet and cracked pepper suggestions. Silky in texture and lively on the palate, offering gently sweet dark berry, cherry compote and floral pastille flavours firmed by a spine of juicy acidity. The spicy note returns an impressively long, penetrating finish with good clarity and subtle, fine-grained tannins.

Drink 2023 - 2031

Josh Raynolds, Vinous.com (September 2019)

This is a delightful and fresh Pinot Noir vibrating with enchanting fruit-driven notes. From Bourgogne's natural wine legend Yann Durieux, it’s a 100% Pinot Noir from selected parcels near the commune of Villers-la-Faye, not far from Les Grands Ponts, on the border between Hautes Côtes de Nuits and Hautes Côtes de Beaune. Natural wild fermentation, and nothing added or taken away, with no hint of added SO2.

The 2018 Val de Loire Grolleau opens with a light reduction on the nose that is clear, fresh and spicy, with fresh raspberry, blackberry and elegant flinty aromas. Silky, fresh and elegant on the palate, this is a fleshy, sweet, silky-textured but generous red with fine tannins and a sleek, crystalline and concentrated tart finish. It needs some time, but this is excellent and generous. Tasted in June 2021.

Located 24 kilometres west of Saumur in Ambillou-Château in the very east of the Anjou appellation and almost bordering the Saumur AC, the 10-hectare Domaine Clau de Nell, purchased by Anne Claude Leflaive and her husband Christian in 2008 and today managed by winemaker (and shareholder) Sylvain Potin, offers a small but fine range of white and red wines from one block with a homogenous soil of clay, silex and sandstone, the latter gives the wines their characteristic energy and tension.

The organically farmed, south-facing and wind-exposed vineyards are about 100 meters above sea level and are surrounded by forests, grassland, grain fields and a tree farm, which gives a large natural diversity and protection against pollution.

Drink 2023 - 2040

Steep and stark (decomposed) granitic splendour has framed a wine where intervention, be it in the form of racking or de-stemming, or pretty much anything else, has been eschewed in the name of purity of thought and clarity of deed. The result, somewhat paradoxically, is virtually impenetrable; such is its tannic livery. The intensity and quality of fruit will come through over time and the result will be a wonderful match for the richest of Lyonnais fare.
Drink 2018-2026.

Brilliant ruby. Bright and focused on the nose, displaying spice- and mineral-tinged red berry, cherry and floral scents that pick up smoke and cracked pepper nuances as the wine opens up. Juicy and light on its feet, especially given the vintage, offering sweet raspberry, cherry and lavender pastille flavours and a hint of salty olive paste. Fine-grained tannins add grip to a long, lively finish that echoes the olive and cherry notes.

Drink 2022 - 2030

Josh Raynolds, Vinous.com (March 2018)

Domaine des Closiers is the project of Anatole de la Brosse, who fell in love with wine and became friends with Nady Foucault of Clos Rougeard before setting up this domaine. This is a blend of all the estate’s holdings, giving a wonderfully pure and refined expression of Cabernet Franc. The grapes are de-stemmed and undergo a very gentle maceration before ageing for 8-10 months in stainless-steel tank. This is delightfully perfumed with lovely, lifted aromas of flowers, cherry fruit and graphite. The palate has beautifully pure and crunchy red and black fruit and a fine, refreshing finish typical of this producer.

Drink now to 2028

Adam Bruntlett, Senior Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd

Yann Durieux's Aligoté comes from his vineyards near Beaune, where the vines, aged over 45 years, grow in clay and limestone soils. Yann's winemaking ethos prioritises freshness and dynamism, eschewing oak for tank maturation, allowing the wine to evolve gracefully in the bottle before release. The 2018 vintage entices with a refreshing, lively palate with citrus-mineral accents, balanced acidity, and a lingering, salty finish nuanced with hints of iodine. It's undeniably fresh with fruity and mineral notes, perfect for pairing with seafood, white meat, and Asian dishes.

Drink now

Berry Bros. & Rudd

From 45-year-old vines, macerated for 30-35 days ("just infusion, no extraction") and aged in old barrels for 12 months plus six months in tanks, the 2016 Anjou Cabernet Franc is pure and intense on the nose that reveals finely concentrated raspberry, red cherry and tobacco aromas. Pure, intense and fresh on the palate, this is a silky-textured, refined, elegant red with fine tannins and vibrantly mineral acidity. Tart on the finish but full of character. Excellent. Bottled at the end of April 2017.

Drink 2022 - 2036

Stephan Reinhardt, Wine Advocate (October 2021)

The 2021 Riesling Reserve is sourced entirely from estate owned old vines in Ribeauville and Bergheim. Green apple and lychee make way to stone fruits and oyster shell. It is bone dry with mouth-watering acidity, creating a real sense of freshness and energy. This is already drinking remarkably well now but will keep for decades. A cellar staple that offers unrivalled value.

Drink 2023 - 2043

Alex Weller, Account Manager, Berry Bros. & Rudd

More forward and approachable than the 2013, the 2014 Châteauneuf du Pape Hommage A Jacques Perrin is nevertheless a massive wine that has more depth and concentration than just about every other wine in the vintage. A classic blend of 60% Mourvèdre, 20% Grenache, and the rest Counoise and Syrah that was brought up in foudre, this full-bodied, forward, sexy effort has thrilling notes of black and blue fruits, beef blood, liquorice, ground pepper, and bouquet garni. While a relatively accessible, charming vintage (by this cuvees standards anyway), it still needs 4-5 years of bottle age and is going to evolve beautifully on its balance, complexity, and length. It’s an awesome 2014.

Drink 2023 - 2044

Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com (June 2019)