France
Champagne
Only wine made from grapes grown and harvested in the champagne region and produced according to the regulations of the champagne region can be sold as champagne. Champagne has seen the cultivation of grapes for at least 2,000 years, since the time of the Romans. Its unique.
Champagne is centred around Reims and Epernay located in the 3 main regions - Montagne de Reims, Cote des Blancs & Vallee de la Marne. The other 2 lesser regions are Aube & Cote de Sezanne.
It is normally a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes.
Chablis
Chablis is an historic wine-producing town and region in northern central France. It produces light, dry, white wines famed for their flinty minerality and crisp acidity. AOC Chablis wines are produced exclusively from the Chardonnay grape variety.
The vineyards of Chablis are classified into four tiers of quality. Starting from the top, they are: Chablis Grand Cru, Chablis Premier Cru, Chablis and Petit Chablis.
Burgundy
Where terroir finds its ultimate sense and expression.
Burgundy's complex history of winemaking, its extreme land fragmentation, and the unique density of appellations make it one of the most compelling wine regions in the world.
I invite you to come and explore its many secrets which I have been discovering for over 30 years.
Bordeaux
“Without standards, there could be no Bordeaux wine, no style. Standards keep alive all that is pure and timeless.”…. Jacques Chardonne
Bordeaux where cabernet sauvignon finds its perfect expression, made fashionable by the English, needs to be admired for the simplicity of the 1855 classification drawn up more than 150 years back on the orders of Napoleon III. This hierarchy has inspired others to emulate. The list drawn up a century and a half ago surprisingly continues to remain relevant today. As Hugh Johnson writes “A hundred and fifty years later it is not the last word, but it remains the first.”
Bordeaux offers a huge diversity in style from its many famous regions such as St. Estephe, Pauillac, Saint-Julien, Margaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan and Sauternes on the left bank and Pomerol and Saint-Emilion on the right bank to name a few.
Rhône & Provence
Succulent, Bold, Velvety and Big
The Rhone Valley is home to some of the most "user-friendly" wines, and has been a hub of wine culture for centuries. Taste the minerality and the warmth of these enchanting wines. The red wines are made with Syrah also known as Shiraz in other parts of the world.
Provence, situated to the South with its lavender fields is the benchmark for Rose with a pale pink colour!