Stunning Loire Valley Wines
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Stunning Loire Valley Wines Spring / Summer 2018 Stunning Loire Valley Wines We are thrilled to present our full Loire Valley selection with this new offer: a range that we hope will show you why HH&C so loves this region and its wines. Perhaps even-more-so given the tremendous value to be found - there is not a single wine here that breaks the £20 per bottle mark. The Loire Valley is in reality many separate regions, linked by their proximity to the river. The changing landscape and the varied vineyard micro-climates demand many different grape varieties, offering a huge range of styles. Dry whites made from Melon de Bourgogne (Muscadet), Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc alternate between crisp and concentrated, light and powerful, floral and mineral. There are unctuous sweet whites from Chenin Blanc, which flash with lively brilliance. Reds range from bright and fruity, drink-outside-in-the-summer styles to perfumed, rich, age-worthy Cabernet Francs. Beautiful, pale-hued, dry rosés are also a Loire speciality. As we know from elsewhere in France, the appellation name on a label is no guarantee of quality, merely of place. For quality we must look to the grower’s name. As a specialist shipper, it is our job to ensure only the bottles from the finest domaines reach your table. On our most recent buying trip this year, we noticed a trend of impressive, next generation growers, who are confident, well-experienced and bursting with energy – increasingly working organically or biodynamically. These young vignerons are driving Loire Valley wines onwards to greater levels. These wines are offered duty paid, for immediate delivery. Unless otherwise indicated, prices are per case of 12x75cl bottles. Page 2 Classic Dry Whites 6 Light, Crisp Rosés 7 Lively, Elegant Reds 11 Sumptuous yet Refreshing Sweet Whites Key 12b bottles (75cl) 6m magnums (150cl) 24h half bottles (37.5cl) www.hhandc.co.uk 1 Classic Dry Whites Muscadet Sèvre & Maine Sur Lie Domaine de la Chauvinière 2016 £104.50 (£8.71 per bt) This expressive, racy Muscadet from Domaine de la Chauvinière has lovely concentration, depth of flavour and richness - the result of perfectly ripened, healthy grapes. The nose is perfumed and fresh, the palate being light yet intense, recalling citrus fruits and elderflowers, all held precisely in place by a line of fresh minerality. The acidity is in perfect harmony, the finish being lively and clean. Touraine Sauvignon Domaine de la Bergerie 2017 £112.00 (£9.33 per bt) Domaine de la Bergerie is run by siblings Rodolphe and Ludivine, son and daughter of Jacky Marteau, from whom we shipped for many years. The domaine’s holdings include 15 hectares of Sauvignon Blanc, on southern-exposed, flint and pebble plots, overlooking the River Cher. Very pale, lemon- green colour, this 2017 Touraine has a crystalline lime and gooseberry scent. Light and with good intensity of flavour, this is a bright, silkily-textured wine, which dances over and refreshes the palate. 2 Gloucestershire 01451 870 808 | London 020 7584 7927 | Hampshire 01256 830 104 Anjou Blanc Domaine Alexandre Cady 2017 £125.00 (£10.42 per bt) Alexandre is the 4th generation of Cadys to run this family estate, which excels in producing immaculate, precise Chenin Blancs, farmed organically and hand harvested. This light, vivacious, dry Anjou was made in concrete tanks and bottled early, to encase the wine’s lemony-apple aromas and crisp, bouncy, supple palate. This is a wonderful new discovery for our selection: perfect to drink as a palate-cleansing aperitif and over the warmer months ahead. Reuilly La Ferté Matthieu & Renaud Mabillot 2017 £142.80 (£11.90 per bt) Following oenology studies at Bordeaux, then work experience at Château Lynch Bages and in the Napa and Barossa Valleys, Matthieu Mabillot returned home to run this family domaine; he was recently joined by his brother Renaud. They work 8 hectares in the tiny appellation of Reuilly, their forte being Sauvignon Blanc. A new find with this 2017 vintage, ‘La Ferté’ was aged on fine lees in stainless steel tank for 5 months, giving the wine a gorgeous, satin-like texture and enhancing its lively aromatics. Pale lemon-green colour, the nose is citrus-scented and fine, palate being light, focussed and full of finesse. Flavours are beautifully pure, the finish being clean and elegant. www.hhandc.co.uk 3 Quincy Villalin Domaine Jacques Rouzé 2017 £148.75 (£12.40 per bt) The Quincy appellation neighbours Reuilly, this wine coming from the pebbly, Villalin vineyard, on the right bank of the River Cher. This riverside location gives a wine of piercing minerality to complement fruit clarity. With Jacques having retired in December 2017, Beaune graduate Côme continues in his father’s footsteps. Aromas of this 2017 combine ripe greengage with zesty, flinty freshness. This is a vibrant, strikingly concentrated wine - linear, taut and precise. Sancerre 12b £163.80 (£13.65 per bt) Domaine Etienne Daulny 2016 24h £182.40 (£7.60 per hlv) Our first shipment from Etienne Daulny was the 1983 vintage and we have not missed a year since, such is the domaine’s consistency. Etienne owns 16 hectares of vines split between the limestone-chalk soils of Verdigny and the deeper, clay-limestone of Chaudenay. The two combine to give a broad, creamily-textured, rich-yet-vivacious Sancerre style. Pale lemon-green, this has intense, pure flavours of ripe citrus fruits and spices. The finish is long and fine. 4 Gloucestershire 01451 870 808 | London 020 7584 7927 | Hampshire 01256 830 104 Sancerre Terre de Maimbray Pascal et Nicolas Reverdy 2016 £188.20 (£15.68 per bt) Pascal Reverdy and his sister-in-law Sophie (Nicolas’ widow) produce precise, powerfully concentrated, energetic wines. The same strata of Kimeridgean clay that gives Chablis its classic mineral zip surfaces in the Reverdys’ village of Maimbray, which helps to explain the tension and verve we always find in their white Sancerre. This 2016 is a splendid wine. Aromas are intensely scented, with lively citrus and floral notes. The palate has wonderful depth, full body, a mouth-filling texture and intricate flavour. The clarity of the fruit is stunning, the finish being racy and full of finesse. Pouilly-Fumé 12b £189.85 (£15.82 per bt) Domaine Serge Dagueneau et Filles 2017 6m £198.00 (£33.00 per mag) The Dagueneau domaine is situated in the commune of Les Berthiers, combining complex soils of chalky limestone (containing millions of tiny oyster shells) and flints. It has been in the capable hands of Serge’s daughter, Valérie for many years, where she excels in producing elegant wines of true character. This 2017 has a pale lemon-green colour, the nose being complex and finely woven, with notes of delicately smoky elderflower and citrus fruits. The palate is full bodied and beautifully concentrated. With intense, flinty-grapefruit flavours and a luscious, silky texture, the finish is vivacious and lip-licking. www.hhandc.co.uk 5 Light, Crisp Rosés Chinon la Goutte de Rosé Domaine de la Noblaie 2017 £130.00 (£10.83 per bt) Returning to our list with this delicious 2017 vintage, Domaine de la Noblaie’s pale pink, organic, hand-picked Chinon rosé is sourced from the property’s youngest Cabernet Franc vines. It has a delightful, delicate, red berry- scented aroma, palate being dry, fresh and light. A juicy wine, with a crisp finish. Sancerre Rosé Terre de Maimbray Pascal et Nicolas Reverdy 2017 £175.00 (£14.58 per bt) 100% Pinot Noir, this stylish, silky Sancerre rosé has a gorgeous pale colour, aromas being floral and lifted, recalling spiced strawberries. The dainty appearance is deceptive, however, as this has surprising depth, the Sancerre terroir being very much apparent, flavours combining Pinot Noir, berry fruitiness with a twist of citrusy minerality. Bone dry, lively and light, the finish is vibrant, satisfying and long. With yields down by a third this vintage, thanks to late spring frost, we encourage you to snap up some of this whilst stocks last. 6 Gloucestershire 01451 870 808 | London 020 7584 7927 | Hampshire 01256 830 104 Lively, Elegant Reds Le Partage Gamay Le Retour Aux Sources, Côte Roannaise 2017 £138.00 (£11.50 per bt) The Côte Roannaise is one of the Loire Valley’s southernmost vineyards. Lying west of Lyon and south-west of the Beaujolais, the soils are granite based (as they are in the Beaujolais), and it is the Gamay grape that is particularly successful here, giving reds that are vibrantly fruity and light of step. Mid ruby-purple, aromas are clean and full of red cherry fruitiness. Palate is light bodied and with good concentration of crunchy red berry flavours. An easy drinking, refreshing style, the finish is lifted and bright. Chinon Le Temps des Cerises Domaine de la Noblaie 2016 £144.00 (£12.00 per bt) Jérôme Billard took up the reins at this estate from his father in 2003, having returned from oenology studies in Dijon via stints at Château Pétrus and Dominus Estate in Napa Valley. He is making great strides in Chinon, the wines now being certified organic. His charming Les Temps des Cerises cuvée is from Cabernet Franc grapes sourced from across the domaine, fermented and matured in stainless steel vats. Mid ruby colour, aromas are attractive, with notes of cassis and freshly cut herbs. Palate is medium bodied and lively, with good concentration of fruit, and a fresh, vital finish. www.hhandc.co.uk 7 Gamay sur Volcan, La Madone Côtes du Fôrez, Gilles Bonnefoy 2016 £149.65 (£12.47 per bt) Neighbouring the Côte Roannaise (see page 7), the Côtes du Fôrez is also Gamay country.