2012 Quarts De Chaume, Baumard, Half Bottle

Chenin Blanc

We have a soft spot for the incredible Chenin Blancs from Baumard and gems such as this truly spectacular wine highlight the quality of winemaking at this Domaine.  Baumard eschew traditional trellising methods for this part of the Loire and have also flown in the face of tradition by switching excluisively to screwcaps for their range.  The Quarts de Chaume vineyard enjoys a superb terroir and a unique situation producing wines of rare elegance.  This remarkable wine is wonderfuly textured and manages to comine power and clarity alongside richness and precision. Complex with floral bouquets and notes of citrus and orchard fruit with impeccable acidity, this is a wine to savour.

£32.00

2015 Sancerre Le Pente, Emile Balland, Magnum

Sauvignon Blanc

This tiny 6.5 hectare domaine in the Loire was started by Emile Balland in 1999. The Ballands have been making wines in the Loire since 1650 and his father was instrumental in achieving recognition for the young AOC Coteaux du Giennois in the 1980s.The La Pente is a first class Sancerre and the pinnacle of Emile' production.  It comes from vines are grown on Emile's finest sites in teh limestone soil of Beauregard, and he only uses the first juice from the pressing is used. After a careful fermentation, the wine is matured for large barrels for 18 months to develop complexityWonderful, textured Sancerre showing restrained tropical fruits, fine minerality and a wonderful length on the finish.  We are thrilled to have got our hands on a few magnums of this stunning wine.

£85.00

2021 Pourquoi Faire Sans Blanc?, Domaine Serol, Vin de France

Chenin Blanc

Following a disastrous harvest in France many producers looked for parcels of fruit which they could make wine from in order to have something to sell from the 2021 vintage.  Domaine Serol have a small vineyard of Chenin Blanc grapes on the highest part of their estate, grown on granite soils.  This is a deliciously refreshing white with a core of ripe honeyed, citrus fruit that is just starting to open up.  The finish is super clean with thirst quenching acidity on the long balanced finish.  Drinking beautifully now, especially with food, this will continue to develop for a few years from vintage. 

£24.95

2021 Sancerre La Pente, Emile Balland

Sauvignon Blanc

This tiny 6.5 hectare domaine in the Loire was started by Emile Balland in 1999. The Ballands have been making wines in the Loire since 1650 and his father was instrumental in achieving recognition for the young AOC Coteaux du Giennois in the 1980s.The La Pente is a first class Sancerre and the pinnacle of Emile' production.  It comes from vines are grown on Emile's finest sites in the limestone soil of Beauregard, and he only uses the first juice from the pressing is used. After a careful fermentation, the wine is matured for large barrels for 18 months to develop complexityWonderful, textured Sancerre showing restrained tropical fruits, fine minerality and a wonderful length on the finish.

£42.00

2022 Bourgueil, Domaine Des Mailloches

Cabernet Franc

Lively, ruby-red in colour, this wine has a fruity nose with prevailing aromas of red and black fruits. The palate is supple and rich.  There's enough acidity and freshness to make this a good match to cooked pork dishes and white meats in general as well as roasts and a simple cheeseboard.  Delicious when chilled down a few degrees below room temperature 

£14.95

2022 Carte d’Or, Baumard, AC Coteaux du Layon, Half Bottle

Chenin Blanc

The Carte d'Or Coteaux du Layon from Baumard has a very attractive honeyed nose, with lifted yellow fruits and more golden tropical elements such as mango, guava and pineapple. It has a particularly tropical character and a very fresh feel on the palate, with steely minerality and a zippy background acidity giving invigorating tartness to keep the wine luscious and buoyant. The rounded, approachable finish has good length.

£13.95

2022 Chapeau Melon Blanc, Jeremie Huchet, Vin de France

White Blend

Jeremie Huchet is a fourth generation winemaker in the Loire and considered one of the rising stars in Muscadet.  This cracking blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Melon de Bourgogne is spritely, fresh and fruit driven.  Terrific with seafood and shellfish or for simple quaffing in the garden throughout summer!

£13.95

2022 Pouilly Fume ‘Nanogyra’, Loic Cailbourdin

Sauvignon Blanc

The Nanogyra Pouilly Fume (formerly 'Les Cornets') is a wonderful example of elegant, concentrated Sauvignon Blanc from the fossil rich Limestone vineyards of Pouilly-sur-Loire.  This terrific wine has a lovely weight on the palate with complex, even slightly exotic, elderflower and hedgerow fruit.  This delicious, unoaked white wine shows wonderful purity, is soft and rounded, and has a beautiful balance on the long, mineral-tinged finish.  

£28.95

2022 Vouvray Cuvee Silex, Domaine des Aubuisieres, AC Vouvray

Chenin Blanc

Produced from several vineyards with Silex (flint) soils, this delicious Vouvray is pale yellow with a very reserved nose. The palate is dominated by minerals, with citrus, apple and lemon peel fruit. Floral aromas balance out the minerality with some lovely balanced acidity coming through on the finish. 

£17.95

2022/23 Sauvignon Blanc, Chatelain Desjacques, Vin De France

Sauvignon Blanc

The Chatelain Desjacques Sauvignon Blanc is great value, easy drinking white wine from the western Loire. It offers plenty of varietal character, clean fresh fruit and crisp acidity on the finish. Terrific everyday white for lovers of restrained, easy going Sauvignon.

£10.95

2023 Chinon Les Joueurs, Domaine la Chapelle

Cabernet Franc

The Chinon Joueurs is Domaine la Chapelle's was the first wine to be released from this biodynamic Domaine. The grapes are hand harvested from a mixture of different plots, and then fermented in concrete tank with natural yeasts.  The result is a wine that displays immense purity and freshness, giving hints of typical vegetal notes alongside perfumed dark fruits and a lovely vein of acidity.  Balanced, harmonious and a joy to drink.

£23.00

2023 Gamay, Domaine Moulin Camus, IGP Loire

Gamay

This 100% Gamay from Domaine Moulin Camus comes from grapes grown on a slope of pure mica schist which gives the wine juicy, rounded red fruits a bit of tautness and minerality.  A warmer than normal, sulphur free maceration for three days helps bring out some warmth and roundness to the fruit, making it slightly beaujolais'esque but without the bubble gum/commercial edge that one would normally find in this price range.

£12.95

2023 Menetou Salon, Domaine Coquin

Sauvignon Blanc

We are delighted to welcome back this wonderful Menetou Salon from Domaine Coquin.  Planted on south west facing slopes with excellent exposure, the vines are tended with the utmost respect for the environment with ploughing and grass cover limiting the excessive use of chemicals.

£18.95

2023 Muscadet Cuvee Prestige, Domaine de la Bretonniere

Melon de Bourgogne

The Muscadet Cuvee Prestige from Domaine de la Bretonniere is a classic, crisp Muscadet that is typically pale with a greenish hue to it.  The nose is intense and complex leading to a not overtly fruit driven palate which is very crisp, fresh and impeccably balanced.

£12.95

2023 Pouilly Fume, Domaine Lebrun

Sauvignon Blanc

This fabulous Pouilly Fume is at once classic yet remains distinctive when tasted against other Pouilly Fumes at a similair price point.  The nose offers an alluring mix of gunflint, wet stone and citrus fruit.  Crisp and tangy on the palate with a mineral, smoky finish.  Laurent Lebrun was trained as a winemaker at Montpellier, spent his formative years training in Australia and then returned to France to take up the position of General Manager and Head Winemaker at Château Olivier, Grand Cru Classé in Bordeaux. He has recently home and  become the 6th Generation of Lebrun to run the family estate in Pouilly-Fumé.  The estate has a total of 9 hectares on the slopes of St. Andelain and teh vines average 25 years of age.   

£21.00

2023 Sancerre Croq Caillotte, Domaine Emile Balland

Sauvignon Blanc

The Sancerre Croq Caillotte is a classic example of how it pays dividends to seek out the smaller growers, as this is a top notch, characterful Sancerre showing citrus and apple fruit, perfectly poised minerality and mouth-watering acidity.  Classy and offers terrific value for money. 

£26.95

2023 Sancerre Rouge ‘La Louisonne’, Emile Balland

Pinot Noir

This tiny 6.5 hectare domaine in the Loire was started by Emile Balland in 1999. The Ballands have been making wines in the Loire since 1650 and his father was instrumental in achieving recognition for the young AOC Coteaux du Giennois in the 1980s.

£27.95

2023 Tuffeau Blanc de Blancs Brut Nature, Domaine Plou, VDF

Chardonnay

The Tuffeau Blanc de Blancs is beautifully refreshing and crisp.  Gently sparkling with fine and delicate bubbles, this lovely 'all day' wine is packed with zesty green apple and citrus fruit from start to elegant finish. Perfect for whiling away a sunny afternoon or simply popping to cheer yourself up after a dull day!

£16.95

2023/24 Touraine Sauvignon Blanc, Patrick Vauvy

Sauvignon Blanc

Patrick Vauvy harvests his Touraine Sauvignon grapes later than most other producers in the region which helps to give his wines a little more opulance than some.  This lovely Touraine Sauvignon has attractive aromatics showing some richness of fruit. The nose has an abundance of exotic fruits and just a hint of mint. The palate is fresh and tangy with a moreish finish.

£14.95

2024 Cap a l’Ouest Sauvignon, Domaine de la Bretonniere, IGP

Sauvignon Blanc

Domaine de la Bretonniere have been making wine in the Loire for generations.  With an utmost respect for the environment and meticulous attention to detail in the vineyard they are able to produce vibrant, crisp wines with lovely pure fruit and crisp, balanced acidity.  The Cap A l'Ouest Sauvignon is a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Sauvignon Gris and has a bright, pale yellow appearance with golden reflections. The intense bouquet of flowers and lychee follow through to the generous palate that manages to be powerful and fruit-forward whilst retaining freshness and zip with long lasting acidity.

£11.95

NV Cremant de Loire, Domaine du Landreau

Chenin Blanc Blend

Domaine du Landreau are 4th generation growers who produce a range of clean, crisp and expressive wines in the central Loire Valley.  The Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc grapes are hand harvested over several passages through the vineyard, ensuring the grapes are picked at their optimum ripeness.  A slow, cool ferment and 3 years lees ageing help this traditional method sparkling wine develop it's delicate floral, citrus and apple notes with nutty undertones.  Elegant on the finish with a creamy texture courtesy of the ageing make this a stunning value alternative to entry-level Champagnes.

£17.95