Jobard, Claudie 2021 Rully En Villerange

The Jobard Rully "En Villerange" is from a 2 hectare parcel of 70 year-old vines on a well-exposed slope facng south-south-east with clay/limestone soils. Bright, light gold color. This is aromatically quite complex and pretty with pear, stone fruits, citrus, melon and lime-flower with a hint of oak. Opens up beautifully with aeration.  The palate is racy and elegant with perfect stony acidity under white fruits, citrus, peach and mineral flavors. Very delicious and refreshing now,  or after 3 to 5 years of cellaring. This is a great value in white Burgundy and very versatile at the table! (we can't resist including Claudie's list of suggested pairings: Soufflé au beaufort, Volaille en sauce blanche, Jambon persillé, Blanquette de veau, Viandes blanches, Lapin à la moutarde, Terrine de saumon, Pâtés, terrines, rillettes, Filets de volaille en sauce, Crabe, gambas vapeur, Cuisses de grenouilles, Moules à la crème) And please invite me...

Jobard, Claudie 2021 Rully La Chaume

Claudie Jobard makes this lovely wine from 50 - 60 year-old vines on a south-east facing slope of pebbly clay/limestone soils near the Chateau de Rully in the Côte Chalonnaise between Mercurey and Bouzeron. Organic farming. Bright red/garnet color. The wine shows bright vivid aromas of morello cherry and raspberry, with floral, blood orange, spice and earth notes.  There is nice depth of sapid fruit on the palate - black raspberry and cherry - with earth, minerals and citrus. The fruit lingers on the refreshing and very long mineral finish. This is a lovely Pinot Noir for current drinking that will deepen and soften over the next three to five years. (Serve with any grilled meat, especially lamb or duck, roast chicken and mild cheeses, full flavored fish)  David Lillie

Jobard, Claudie 2021 Pommard Vieilles Vignes

Claudie made a tiny quantity of this wine due to the low yeilds in 2021, from old vines in three parcels -  En Boeuf, La Combotte and Vaumuriens. The wine shows a relatively light red/garnet color with bright aromas of black cherry, raspberry, violet and earth, subtle and very pretty. Darker fruit, spice and earth notes emege on the palate which is dense but not at all heavy, wrapped in firm mineral flavors and well-structured but supple tannins, with terrific length. 13% alcohol. This very elegant Pommard can be enjoyed now but should really sing after five years of cellaring. DL (Serve with duck, farm chicken, rabbit, charcuterie)

Jobard, Claudie 2021 Beaune 1er Cru Les Epenottes

The Claudie Jobard Beaune 1er Cru "Les Epenottes" is a mix of young and old vines in stony iron-rich soil over the limestone next to Pommard "Les Epenots." The wine shows a bright deep red color with aromas of ripe black cherry and earth with game and floral notes. The palate is dense with lush black fruits, earth, mint and stone flavors and a chalky texture. This can be enjoyed now but a few years of cellaring should open this up drmatically as the material is there, enjoy until 2038. 13% alcohol. DL (Serve with roast lamb, pork or beef, gamebirds, farm chicken)

Lapuyade 2022 Jurançon Sec

Clos Marie-Louise/Château Lapuyade is a beautiful biodynamic estate deep in the hills of Jurançon, south of Pau. Their wines are harvested by hand, fermented with wild yeasts and aged in old barrels purchased from Yquem and Haut-Brion. This bottle, based on the two better white grapes of Jurancon, Gros and Petit Manseng, seriously over delivers in terms of complexity for the price. You'll find aromas of pineapple, citrus, peach and caramel apple on the nose, along with a light oakiness that would not work for all white wines, but fits perfectly with this one. The palate is essentially dry... but leaves an enticing sense of sweetness that makes it an excellent choice for cheeses, especially the sheep's milk cheeses of the Pyrenees. Flavors of lemon confit, stone, pineapple and oak are backed by very firm acidity. Note: Those with the patience to keep this bottle around for a few days, re-corked in the fridge, will be rewarded with an awesome display of rich, complex exotic fruit. This wine is absolutely sensational! DL The 22 vintage shows surprising notes of herbs, white rocks and dried flowers whilst underscored by ripe melon , rocky minerality and citrus marmalade on a full bodied frame. GH

Lapuyade 2021 Jurançon Sec Cuvée Dentelle

The Cuvée Dentelle from our biodynamic friends at Chateau Lapuyade in Jurançon is one of the rare dry Jurançon that is made from 100% Petit Manseng, in this case from 45 year-old vines always tended in organic and biodynamic farming, it's a tiny special production in the best vintages - we're fortunate to get 5 cases. The 2021 shows a bright gold color and beautiful aromas of lemon confit, apricot, almond, exotic fruit and brown spice. The palate is dense and round with dried pear, citrus, apricot, hay and mineral flavor. The finish is very long with firm acidity under ripe white fruits, citrus and stone. Lovely wine! Serve with foie gras, fish in sauce, Asian foods, goat chesses and patés. Sensational now and should be very interesting in ten years.  David Lillie The 21 vintage skews  herbaceous and  mineral, with a full body and flavors of ripe melon, citrus marmalade and dried herbs. GH

Lapuyade 2019 Jurançon Moelleux Petit Manseng

Clos Marie-Louise/Château Lapuyade is a beautiful biodynamic estate deep in the hills of Jurançon, south of Pau. Their wines are harvested by hand, fermented with wild yeasts and aged in old barrels purchased from Yquem and Haut-Brion. Their 2019 Petit Manseng is a gorgeous wine and a sensational value. The wine needs a bit of air to open up, then shows deep floral honeyed apricot, candied citrus, stone, spice and caramel aromas with sweet fruit on the palate—lemon oil, exotic fruit and brown spice lifted by very  firm acidity. Terrific length. With a few days open, more exotic fruit, pineapple and lychee emerge and the wine softens into something wonderful. An outstanding Jurançon moelleux that will accompany fois gras, patés, cheeses, fruit desserts and is fabulous on its own. (About 70 gr/liter RS)

Roche Bleue 2022 Coteaux du Loir La Guinguette

Pineau D'Aunis is perfectly light and bright for your turkey dinner! Sébastien Cornille's lovely 2022 "Guinguette" is made principally from Pineau d’Aunis, with Gamay, sourced from 30+year-old vines in biodynamic farming. It undergoes semi-carbonic maceration for 20 days in tank before the Pineau d’Aunis is pressed off to be aged in neutral barrique and the Gamay in tank. The 2022 Guinguette is a superb "vin de soif" offering bright aromas of peppery raspberry, cherry and violets, quite ripe and generous in this warm vintage. The palate shows light but sappy raspberry, plum and red currant fruit with chalky minerals, spice and citrus. The finish is long and refreshing. Serve this lovely wine slightly chilled with charcuterie, of course, grilled pork and lamb, bluefish (?) and mild cow cheeses.  David Lillie  Surprisingly vibrant and bright aciditity for such a warm vintage, showing a fruity nose of berries and cherries with baking spice and a lively body with crunchy cherries and zesty currants. Exactly the kind of wine to drink on a riverside barge whilst dancing to accordion music and nibling on cheese and charcuterie... a French Guinguette! Giselle Hamburg

Roche Bleue 2020 Jasnières Le Clos des Molières

From 25 - 30  year-old Chenin Blanc vines in a mid-slope parcel of thin clay and silex soils on limestone, yields of 25 hl/ha, certified organic with biodynamic methods as well, fermented and aged in 4 to 6 year-old barriques. Sébastien Cornille has quickly become one of the finest producers of Loire Valley Chenin Blanc on his 7 hectare estate in the Coteaux du Loir and Jasnières. The 2020 Jasnières "Clos es Molières" is an astonshing dry Chenin showing a bright pale gold color and subtle aromas of pear, nettle, almond, citrus and white earth. The palate is dense but crystalline and intensly mineral with white fruits, honey,  almond, citrus and stone flavors that continue in the scintillating finish. Serve now with an elegant shellfish or fish preparation or hold for ten to fifiteen years and serve with fish or chicken in sauce. Beautiful wine!

Lapuyade 2019 Jurançon Cuvée Marie-Louise

Régine and Jean-Joseph Aurisset of Chateau Lapuyade/Clos Marie-Louise produce sensational dry, moelleux and dessert wines from Gros Manseng and Petit Manseng on their Biodynamic estate deep in the hills of Jurançon, southeast of Pau. The soils are primarily "poudingue," a conglomeration of calcareous stones and gravel deposited during the formation of the Pyrenees, with sandy clay topsoil. The Aurissets prefer a very full-bodied style of Jurançon - all their wines are aged in used barriques which gives amazing complexity  and phenomenal richness to the  100% Petit Manseng Cuvée Marie-Louise. This is a superb Jurançon Moelleux, harvested in late December, about 90 grams/liter of residual sugar. Wonderfully complex aromas of apricot, candied citrus, flowers and exotic fruit with a hint of vanillin. Lemon confit, apricot, brown spice and chalky acids on the palate. A young wine that is gorgeous now but perhaps best in five to ten years. With more acidity than Sauternes, this is a great match for foie gras, lemon tarts and strong cheeses, and for apple and mince pies on Thanksgiving! Absolutely superb! (The wine drinks beautifully for weeks, re-corked in the fridge.)