.: FIVE REASONS WINE :. > The Wines > By Region > France

Macon Prisse, Les Clochettes, Cave de Prisse, 2007	9.00
Crisp, fresh, fruity wines, vinified in stainless steel vats in order to retain the maximum aroma. Very accessible pear and apple character. Balanced and harmonious, this is delicious wine for drinking young.

Saint Veran, Les Pierres Blanches, Cave de Prisse, 2007	10.00
Unlike some co-ops (which turn out mediocre wines in great quantity), the Cave de Prisse creates wines which are both stunning and well-priced. This Saint Veran is a perfect example. With good body and weight it is superior to Macon Village and even approaches a good Pouilly Fuisse (which is Saint Veran’s next door neighbour). With wine like this it is hardly surprising that the cave’s winemaker, Peter Vezan, is making quite a name for himself. Let’s hope they can keep him.

Chablis, Billaud Simon, 2006	13.00
Bernard and Samuel Billaud have propelled this domaine to the fore-front of Chablis production. Huge investment in a new winery, strict control of yields and some of the oldest and best-sited parcels of Chablis, are just a few of the quality factors which have led to them being voted by Decanter Magazine as third best value producer in the whole of Burgundy last year (and the best value in Chablis). The 2005 wines show great intensity of flavour, fine balance and marvellous length on the finish.

Savigny les Beaune, JJ Girard, 2005	15.00
Superb purity of fruit displaying concentrated cherry and raspberry aromas. Light-medium bodied, elegant and laid back in style. Very hard to beat at this price for village-level Burgundy.

St Aubin, Champ Tirant, Gerard Thomas, 2006	14.95
Good value can still be found in this Cotes de Beaune appellation; a stones throw from the vineyards of Puligny Montrachet. Gerard Thomas is consistently excellent across his range, demonstrating lovely minerality and a certain floral elegance in this 2006. This 2006 Premier Cru demonstrates lovely minerality and floral elegance, supporting our tasting experience that this vintage (eclispsed somewhat by its highly regarded predecessor) is rather underrated for white wines.

Pernand Vergelesses, Les Combottes, Chateau de Chorey, 2004	15.00
Produced under the name of the ancient and beautiful Chateau de Chorey -les-Beaune and the direction of Benoit Germain, this wine was a real find in a sea of homogenous white Burgundy. Aged in 30% fine-grained Vosges Oak, organic and very small production, everything about this wine sings attention to detail. Apples, honey and ephemeral spices drift from the glass and mingle harmoniously on the palate. Great quality and excellent value.

Auxey Duresses, Roblet - Monnot, 2000	15.00
As a wine motto “Tread Carefully” is never more appropriate than when applied to Burgundy. Value has always been difficult to assess in a region where scarcity and reputation combine to drive up prices. To some extent the appellation of Auxey Duresses has been overshadowed by the neighbouring villages of Volnay and Meursault, and consequently can provide the closest thing to a “Burgundy Bargain”. We believe this is one of them. 2000 was a difficult year for the Cotes de Beaune but this estate has triumphed where others stumbled. It marries youthful black cherry and raspberry flavours with more mature savoury, gamey notes on the finish. Delicious.

Chablis, 1er Cru, Beauroy, Hamelin, 2006	15.95
This family domaine dates back to 1840 when Gustave Hamelin started cultivating 2 ha of vines. These days the brothers Hamelin Thierry, Marc and Bruno have united their separate vineyards to produce excellent Chablis, Petit Chablis and two 1er cru. Their ‘Beauroy’ 1er cru is produced from 25 year old vines clinging to a 3.9ha plot on steep south facing slopes of Kimmeridgian soil. This is real 1er cru of elegance and finesse and tipped by the Revue du Vin de France, Guide Hachette 2007 as ‘a wine to follow’.

Clos St. Philibert, Meo Camuzet, Hautes Cotes de Nuits, 2004	18.50
We fell in love with this superb white Burgundy at recent trade tasting of 2004s. The small vineyard is a monopole owned by the top class Burgundian domaine, Meo Camuzet. A nose of sweet spices, super-ripe pears, anise, and butter explodes from the glass. Medium-bodied and velvety-textured, this wine has excellent richness which envelopes your mouth with its citrus and apple-flavored personality.

Billaud Simon, Chablis 1er Cru Montee de Tonnerre, 2005	18.50
The tank-fermented Chablis Montee de Tonnerre displays wonderful, vibrant fruit intertwined with scents of minerals and apple blossoms. With superb ripeness and purity, this excellent, rich, medium-bodied wine is an example of Chablis at its best.

Chambolle Musigny, Gerard Raphet, 2004	20.00

Auxey Duresses, JP Fichet, 2005	22.50
Jean-Philippe Fichet is a young grower from Meursault who is most known for his lieux-dits there, with just one 1er Cru in Puligny. His wines have excellent definition and his Auxey possesses a certain austerity relative to it’s posher neighbours that is really refreshing and engaging. We think this is superb and better value than many a disappointing Meursault at this price.

Meursault, Girardin, Vielles Vignes, 2005	25.00
Recently voted 3rd best value Burgundy producer in Decanter Magazine, the wines of Vincent Girardin never fail to please with their accessibility and downright competence. Displaying a nose of creamy limestone and savoury notes, the medium-bodied 2005 Meursault is a lush, soft, satin-textured wine that’s really enjoyable.

Chablis, Grand Cru Valmur, Bessin, 2005	25.50
Based in La Chapelle Vaupelteigne, north of the town of Chablis, Jean-Claude Bessin produces classically structured Chablis of real depth. Whilst not a slave to organic viticulture, he aims to achieve a `natural balance' in the vineyard which has led to a 30% reduction in treatments, relying more upon natural predators than chemical intervention. Perfect accompaniment to Dover Sole.

Nuits St Georges, Robert Arnoux, 2003	27.75
Since Pascal Lachaux took over from his father-in-law, Robert Arnoux in 1995, the quality and desirability of this domaine's wines have grown exponentially – or more precisely – biodynamically. Unfiltered, unfined, with beautiful concentration and elegance, his wines are organic and biodynamic (apparently he racks when the moon's descemding, weeds when it's rising). Eccentric but stunningly effective.

Nuits St Georges, Bertrand Ambroise, 2005	28.50
This is thick, chunky wine crammed with super-ripe black fruits, asphalt, and licorice. Oaked to within an inch of its life, this is nuits-not for the faint hearted. The tannins demand 3-5 years in bottle to fully resolve, but it’s very hard not to like this wine…

Gevrey Chambertin, Dujac, 2005	28.50
Expressive and aromatic with a medium bodied, satin textured palate of dark berries, spices, and licorice. This is laid back pinot with a long fruit laden finish.

Chassagne Montrachet, Jean-Marc Pillot, 2006	30.00
This is a great village wine from Pillot, combining all that we expect from Chassagne: weight, complexity, depth of flavour, minerality and a persistent yet clean, fresh finish. Outstanding.

Puligny Montrachet, 1er Cru Les Folatieres, Domaine Alain Chavy, 2005	31.50
Placed among Clive Coates ‘Top Ten Most Improved Domaines in Burgundy’ proving that a little family rivalry can have a dramatic effect on quality. This vineyard was split between two brothers Alain and Jean Louis after they failed to get on as a wine-making team; Jean Louis remaining more traditional in outlook resulting in more restrained and perhaps more elegant cuvess while Alain producing full, upfront and fruity pulignys that are impossible not to enjoy.

Vosne Romanee, Rene Engel, 2003	33.00
The untimely death of Philippe Engel, has made this the last vintage from this outstanding domaine to have had the full elevage completed by the great man. “This waxy dark berry-scented 2003 Vosne-Romanee displays a suave, jammy medium-bodied personality redolent of satin-textured black cherries. A pretty, fruity, lush wine, it should be drunk over the next 5 years”.Robert Parker, 89 Points

Vosne Romanee, Les Hautes Maizieres, Robert Arnoux, 2001	33.50
The quality of this domaine's wines has gone from strength to strength under Pascal Lachaux’s leadership. No fining or filtering and an organic and biodynamic approach. Loads of black cherries and blackberries with a heart of spicy warmth, these are beautifully made and highly sought-after wines.

Volnay, 1er Cru Taillepieds, Courbin, 2004	35.00
Taillepieds is one of Volnay’s finest Premier Cru vineyards and since production at Carre Courbin was taken over by husband and wife team, Phillippe and Maelle in 1995, this Domaine has gone from strength to strength. With production severely limited in 2004 by the hail, this is worth grabbing while you can. Don’t drink it yet though; it needs 2-3 years and will drink for a further 5-6 years beyond (2014/15)

Les Chenevottes, Chassagne Montrachet, 1er Cru, JM Pillot, 2004	35.00
Jean-Marc Pillot has now taken over the running of this 10-hectare Domaine in Chassagne Montrachet from his father Jean. He is a trained oenologist and has propelled the domaine into the top rank of Chassagne producers. Due to its location at the bottom of the slope, Les Chenevottes is expressive even when young and is always well-structured, going on to develop fresh, mineral flavours with age. The bouquet is more floral than fruity and pronounced pierre à fusil (flintstone) shines through on the palate. These wines seem to possess everything - richness and depth of fruit, the classic firmness of a great Chassagne and a long and harmonious finish.

Meursault Rouge, Clos des Mouches, H Germain, 2005	35.00
This a monopole of a tiny half-hectare parcel located between the village of Meursault and the well-known Santenots vineyard, which borders on Volnay. The name probably goes back to around 1550 because of its slopes facing South/South-East made it a favourable place for keeping bees ("Mouches" being the local name for bees). This wine is incredibly round, velvety, and beautifully balanced. Ripe black cherry, spices, earthy and lightly smoked notes; gloriously fruity now, and will age beautifully.

Chapelle Chambertin, Pierre Damoy, 1997	49.50

Clos de la Roche, Lignier Michelot, 2004	50.00

Corton Charlemagne, Bonneau de Martray, 2004	61.50

Grands Echezeaux, Rene Engel, 2003	69.95
“Lively black raspberries, cherries, and licorice make up the exuberant aromatics of the 2003 Grands-Echezeaux. A deep, medium-bodied wine filled with black fruit (in fact it comes across as a mass of blackness), it possesses a long finish that displays a hint of alcoholic warmth as well as firm tannin. Drink it between 2008 and 2016” Robert Parker , 90 Points.