CHABLIS

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Chablis is situated 160 km south-east of Paris. It's a small and delightful French provincial town with an aura of remoteness and isolation, surrounded as it is by vineyard slopes. There are four different tiers of Chablis - Petit Chablis, Chablis, Chablis Premier Cru and Chablis Grand Cru. All derive exclusively from the Chardonnay grape. Chablis is one of the most scintillating wines in the world. It is uniquely French - no other wine producing nation can even begin to emulate its exquisite tongue tingling freshness and fruitiness .... ' vins d'une grande richesse alliant fruité et mineralité.' On a clear, crystal glass Spring day, standing on a southern slope and gazing northwards to the town of Chablis and the assorted Premier Cru and Grand Cru vineyards, Chablis is an absolute inspiration. In March the limestone-chalk landscape is almost lunar. One detects an austerity and purity in the terrain which will ultimately translate into a marvellous minerality and sword edged steeliness exquisitely counterbalanced by a dash of Chardonnay honeyed fruit. No other wine region in the world can even aspire to this uniqueness.

BURGUNDY WHITE

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The great white wines of Burgundy emanate from a small area around the medieval town of Beaune. 'The wines produced here are the richest, longest-lived, most complex and stylish white wines in the world.' (Tom Stevenson. Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia 2001). That's why they're expensive, but they're worth it! Derived solely from the Chardonnay grape, celestial names immediately waft through the mind - Corton-Charlemagne, Puligny- Montrachet, Meursault and Bâtard-Montrachet. These wines are full-bodied, intensely rich, with lots of nutty and honeyed flavours.Meursaults and Puligny-Montrachets are most often seen on wine lists and , in general terms there is a difference. Meursaults usually have a more rustic, 'goût de terroir' bouquet and flavour, whilst Pulignys convey a more straight forward smoothness. Personally, I prefer the Meursault route: off the RNs and a delve into 'La France Profonde'. We take pleasure in listing below a few wines from world-renowned white Burgundy creators.

Olivier Léflaive Frères

Domaine Robert Ampeau et Fils à Meursault
This is an astounding domaine. These wines exude artistry - Rembrandt structures and Rubenesque fleshy ripples. Bedazzling golden colours, a fascinating earthiness on the nose, and a sublime and almost decadent opulence on the palate. Please note that all the below wines have superb bottle age.

Domaine Bonneau du Martray (Corton-Charlemagne)
'Lying at the very heart of Pernand-Vergelesses and Aloxe-Corton, and probably the original estate of the Emperor Charlemagne, this is a remarkable domaine with fabulous Corton-Charlemagne.' (The Wines of Burgundy. Serena Sutcliffe.)

BURGUNDY RED

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'Are you a Burgundy man or a Claret man ?' An often asked question. Well, if you prefer Burgundy you'll certainly need a fat wallet! Burgundy, derived solely from the Pinot Noir, produces some of the greatest red wines in the world but its colour, bouquet and flavours are almost oceans away from red Bordeaux and that's why French wines are so fascinating. Claret is darker in colour, oozes blackcurrants rather than strawberries, and conveys aristo rather than farmyard style. In her highly informative 'The Wines of Burgundy', Serena Sutcliffe states that good red burgundies often convey an aroma and flavours of hay, wet fur, wet leaves, hung game and farmyards. I've sometimes been assailed by compost, but perhaps wet leaves covers that! With regard to Robert Ampeau's wines she writes ...' the reds ooze gamey fruit - I like the Blagny and Auxey, and also the Savignys ...', and in connection with Domaine Trapet ..' my greatest Latricières wines have come from this domaine..sheer, lacy delicacy and breed.' So there we have it, and from an expert.If you're a country boy at heart but occasionally like to inhale and savour the lacy frills of the Château on the hill, then you are definitely a Burgundy boy!

Domaine Robert Ampeau et Fils à Meursault

Domaine Trapet Père et Fils

CÔTE CHALONNAISE & MÂCONNAIS

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'The Mâconnais produces three times more white wine than the rest of Burgundy put together and, although it never quite matches the heights of quality achieved in the Côte d'Or, it is easily the best-value pure Chardonnay wine in the world.' (Tom Stevenson. Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia. 2001)