France Tasting Case

Product description

Chon Frères - ‘Patriarche’ Muscadet Sèvre et Maine
Patriarche is the very first wine from brothers Antoine and Rodrigue Chon. They carry on a family tradition dating back to 1719 and named the wine after their grandfather Gilbert. For this Muscadet they use only the heart of the pressing, known as the middle press. This makes it more concentrated and purer than you’d expect from a Muscadet: dry and mineral, with tension and depth. Served chilled (8 to 10 °C), it’s superb with fish, white meat or soft cheese.

Domaine du Météore - ‘Lyrides’ Blanc Vin de France
In the middle of Domaine du Météore’s vineyards lies a meteorite crater around 200 metres wide. Around the crater, at 300 metres altitude, grow the Clairette and Rolle for this Lyrides. The vines are rooted in blue schist. The wine ages for 12 months on the lees in Burgundian oak barrels. The result is a fresh, mineral white wine with a lightly creamy texture. On the nose you’ll find pear, quince, vanilla and white pepper, followed by a long finish. It is made organically and biodynamically. Wild thyme and fennel from the garrigue grow right beside the vines. Delicious with an œuf parfait, creamy poultry or an aged Comté.

Maison Safranier - Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc
White Châteauneuf-du-Pape is rare, as the vast majority of the appellation is red. Maison Safranier makes this organic white from 85% Clairette and 15% Clairette Rosé. The grapes are hand-picked and grow on clay-limestone soils strewn with round pebbles. It is fermented in oak barrels and aged on the lees, which are stirred regularly. The result is a full, round wine with citrus, a hint of toast and fine minerality. It’s already delicious young and can age for a few more years. Serve it with grilled or smoked fish, white meat or goat’s cheese.

Chon Frères - ‘Folie Chon’ IGP Val de Loire (red)
The name says it all: with Folie Chon, the Chon brothers show their playful side. This red Loire wine from Merlot and Cabernet Franc is soft, fresh and fruity. It shows red fruit, light tannins and a gently spicy touch. At the estate in Saint-Julien-de-Concelles they work without insecticides. Sheep, chickens and bees are all part of vineyard life. An easy-going, lively wine for anything off the grill, Asian dishes or mild cheeses.

Du Moulié - Madiran ‘Mademoiselle Chiffre’ 2019
The Chiffre family has worked Du Moulié since 1920, in the village of Cannet in the heart of Madiran. Today sisters Michèle and Lucie run the estate: Michèle looks after the land and Lucie makes the wine. Mademoiselle Chiffre is 100% Tannat, the grape of Madiran, grown on clay and gravel soils. The wine is deep in colour, with aromas of cassis, black cherry and roasted herbs. On the palate you’ll taste black fruit, liquorice and spice, with silky tannins. As a 2019, it already has a few years of ageing behind it. Lovely with grilled beef, curry or tagine, or even a chocolate dessert.

Marius Bielle - ‘Brut(es)’ Lalande-de-Pomerol AOC
Damien Bielle, Marius’s grandson, worked at Petrus and Cheval Blanc and took over the family estate in 2020. With Brut(es), he breaks with the conventions of Lalande-de-Pomerol. The wine is 100% Merlot from plots around the village’s centuries-old church. It is made naturally: no sulphites, no cultured yeasts, unfined and unfiltered. It ages for nine months in concrete tanks. Lightly chilled (14 to 16 °C), it’s fresh and taut, and the tannins grow ever more velvety in the glass. A raw, energetic Bordeaux for côte de bœuf, grilled vegetables or a hearty stew.