France is still considered the most influential wine-producing area in the world and is renowned for excellence in the production of still and sparkling wines, the finest of sparkling wines being Champagne. From Bordeaux region comes red wine known as claret (or just Bordeaux after the region) and dry white wine, except for delicious Sauternes.
The most well-known Bordeaux wines are those of Médoc (red), classified and known by the vineyard names, as Château Lafite-Rothschild, Château Margaux, and Château Latour; Graves (red or white); Sauternes (white), sweet, made from overripe grapes and including the noted Château d’Yquem; and St.-Emilion and Pomerol. Wines from the Burgundy region red and white are lighter bodied than the Bordeaux.
Wine lovers prize the Burgundies of the Côte d’Or, especially the white Montrachet, and red Clos Vougeot and Romanée. The Chablis area produces fine, white Burgundy. Good wines are made all over France including the Loire valley (Vouvray), the Rhône valley (Hermitage and Châteauneuf-du-Pape), Alsace, and the Jura Mountains. Wine produced in the south of France tends to be made into vermouth, distilled into Brandy or used for blending.
The special selection of wines chosen for your enjoyment brings you the best of
France’s fine wines
to you at favourable prices. Enjoy these exceptional wines from the most respected wine producers in the world.
This wine is a very pale straw colour and is clear, light, and clean. It has aromas of vanilla, pear, citrus, lemon, and vinous aromas; light, delicate, clean, and pleasant, barely dry, citrus, grapefruit and mineral flavours. There is a light body, good balance, crispness, and slight astringency
The Irion and the Dopff families have been wine connoisseurs since the 16th century and have been closely involved in the fortunes of the village of Riquewihr throughout the ages. The firm of Dopff & Irion was established when Rene Dopff joined fortunes with the widowed Madame Irion.
The grapes at Dopff & Irion are picked by hand and carefully sorted. Everything possible is done to avoid crushing them before pressing. The grapes are pressed gradually in pneumatic presses, and only the juice from the first pressing will be used for the Domaine wines. Each wine produced at Dopff & Irion is made according to strict tradition.
Located in Riquewihr, The 68-acre vineyard worked by Dopff & Irion is extremely well-situated. With the different types of soil and the varied climate, the estate is able to produce rich, powerful, and complex wines.
ZIND HUMBRECT REISLING
Medium-yellow in colour, its expressive nose is classically Alsatian Riesling with a lot of power. There are mint flavours and spice initially and it feels lively on the palate with dancing flavours of apricot and pineapple with a balanced acidity it is a huge yet balanced wine that dances. A brilliant wine that should age well.
Since 1620, the Humbrecht vineyards in Alsace have been passed down through successive generations of the family. Originally, they worked their plots by horse, made wine, then sold it in cask, but in 1947 new technology and a decrease in bulk wine prices inspired Emile Humbrecht to begin bottling his own production. In 1959, Domaine Zind-Humbrecht was born. Today Domaine Zind-Humbrecht consists of 100 acres. The success of Zind-Humbrecht wines lies in the attention they pay to the vineyards. Today the Domaine Zind-Humbrecht has 40 hectares of vineyards located in five different villages in the Haut- R
BONTERRA MERLOT ORGANIC
Offers a dry, vaguely woody spice flavour accented with touches of green. This wine is 100% organically produced. Bonterrra Vineyard wines are made from top-quality, organically grown grapes and this beautifully crafted Merlot is a great example of their meticulous winemaking. It has a rich, full, plum and spice nose, with silky texture adding to the harmony, complexity, and depth of the lasting finish.
Bonterra’s name literally means “good earth” and the winemakers at Bonterra agree that when the vineyards are healthy and full of life, the grapes are just naturally more flavourful. At Bonterra, they passionately believe that organic grapes make better wine. Bonterra has been producing wine from 100% organically grown grapes since 1993. The grapes are grown using certified organic practices, such as composting, cover crops, and biodiversity. These organic practices give grapes that offer a quality of fruit and vibrancy of taste that create wines that express the purity and intensity of each varietal’s unique character.
DOMAINE DE BERNIER CHARDONNAY
This wine has aromas of flowers and oak on the nose when first poured which fades. Citrusy and crisp with a mineral like accent, it has a wonderful crisp finish. This is an estate-bottled wine from the Couillaud brothers of Château de la Ragotière, from vineyards just outside the appellation of Muscadet. They are separated only by a small road and the soil is almost identical to that of Muscadet, a heavy clay with a little bit of chalk.
Built by the noble Loré de la Ragotiere family in the fourteenth century, Château de la Ragotière was purchased in 1979 by the Couillaud brothers. After acquiring the property, Bernard, François, and Michel discovered an old cellar in the chapel housing vintages dating back to 1947. The Couillaud brothers strive to carry on the tradition of making high quality, long-lasting Muscadets.
To enable their soil to express all its qualities, the Couillaud brothers pay careful attention to cultivation methods: planned cropping, organic and mineral fertilisers, weed control through the sowing of grass, green harvesting techniques, etc. These methods work side by side with progressive ideas: they have just installed a weather station connected to a computer in order to optimise treatments. Similarly, 17 hectares of the chardonnay vineyard are equipped with anti-frost spray booms
ZIND HUMBRECT GEWURZTRAMINER
A wonderful aroma captures the grape variety. The rose petal perfume is heady and loaded with honey, apricot, peach and pear flavours.
This is another great wine from the same stable as Zind Humbrecht REISLING in the Alsace region.
DOMAINE GERARD CHABLIS
This Chablis is straw yellow and sparkling with a clean fresh bouquet with lemon notes, mint and spring rain. It is light on the palate showing delicate flavours of green apple and grapefruit with a nuance of steely minerals.
This vineyard 34 hectares, including about 10 in Premiers Cru and others in Chablis, Petit Chablis and Grand Cru, including a fantastic Valmur, one of the greats in Chablis.
Wine of the Month Clubs:
french red wineLast updated by .
