Sep
9
Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet 2011
For many the greatest white wine producer in Burgundy and the world, Domaine Leflaive is an icon of biodynamic wine-making and low-impact farming and living. Anne-Claude Leflaive, who sadly died
Aug
25
Vouette & Sorbee ‘Textures’ Champagne
The sad sack wine grape of Champagne is undoubtedly Pinot Blanc. Rarely seeing more than a miniscule percentage in a blend, those wines made from a majority of it are
Aug
23
Domaine Belluard Les Alpes 2014
Wine from the Savoie rarely makes it into the B.C. market. Those that do are generally interesting but not exciting. With Belluard, however, you not only get a very high
Aug
13
Domaine Vacheron Sancerre 2015
In today’s Loire-crazed wine geek set, Sancerre has fallen by the wayside. To be sure, the Sancerre most drinkers encounter is insipid, unbalanced, machine-harvested, chemically grown rubbish. This impression is
Aug
6
Egly-Ouriet Champagne V.P. (2015 disgorgement)
One of the great grower-producers in Champagne, Egly-Ouriet, has no fear of oak. One of his top wines, the Vieillissement Prolonge, sees extended elevage and lees ageing, producing a wine
Jun
30
Domaine de L’Ecu Invictus 2015
Domaine de L’Ecu makes the best Muscadet in France. It has done so since 1972 under the leadership of Guy Bossard. These are iconographic wines that raised the bar for
Jun
18
Philippe Valette ‘Et Pourtant…’ Vin de France
Philippe Valette makes my favourite wines of the Macon. His farming practices are the best in the region: firstly, farming is organic and free of all chemical sprays. Philippe also
Jun
13
Alain Graillot Crozes-Hermitage 2015
I mostly write about wines of exceptional quality and that I think deserve special notice. I am also usually a significant fan of Alain Graillot – his whole cluster old-vine
Apr
30
Spotlight on the Maconnais Wines of Jean and Gauthier Thevenet: Domaine Émilian Gillet Viré-Clessé 2012
What I love about the Thevenets is their commitment to the idiosyncrasy of the land and the climate of their unique sites in Quintaine. They elevated the Macon before anyone
Apr
21
Spotlight on the Maconnais wines of Jean and Gauthier Thevenet: Domaine de Roally Viré-Clessé 2014
In a region of over 9,000 growers, it is a shame that so few focus on terroir differences. In this lies the greatness of the three Thevent cuvees – they