Based on the 2011 vintage with 30% reserve wine, this 65/30/5 Pinot Noir/Chardonnay/Pinot Meunier blend is sourced mostly from Premier and Grand Cru vineyards. Elegant and refined, with light biscuit, lemon pith and cracked-stone savouriness. The focused palate carries green apple, an undercurrent of subtle red fruits, yellow plum, gentle dried apricot and fine salt through to a lengthy, lingering, honeyed finish. Refined, stately and elegant — befitting its “royale” name. Drink now or hold for 5+ years.
The Demets family has been growing vines in Gyé-sur-Seine in the heart of the Côte des Bar since the 1950s. In the early 1970s they started to think of releasing their own wines, which was a dream realized in 1987, their first vintage. Entirely Pinot Noir, this spent 2 years on the lees and has 9 g/l dosage. Floral red currant and cherry fills this expansive and generous fizz, based on a lightly toasty palate, and seasoned with wild blackberry and hawthorne. The texture is a tad rustic, calling out for pairing with lighter pork or duck dishes.
A blend of Sangiovese, Canaiolo and the lesser-known local variety Ciliegiolo, this interesting wine shows pronounced dark cherry, metallic mineral, graphite and a whiff of clove on the nose. Appetizingly bitter black cherry kicks in on the palate with saliva-inducing acidity and dry tannic grip. Good depth of flavour and solid structure makes it a useful pairing with robust Italian red meat dishes.
Bright ruby. Clean nose of red berries, touches of oak and spice. Crunchy fruit on the palate with notes of fruit stones. Half-bodied, well-balanced with soft drying tannins. Ready to drink.
Robert Mondavi is one of those icon names in the wine world. Even though he is no longer with us, his brand is probably the most recognizable in the world. And the quality remains. The wine is deep ruby in colour with a bouquet of cedar, blackcurrant, toasty oak and a floral top note. Medium-bodied, sweet fruit with plum and currant flavours, it’s soft on the palate with a tannic lift on the finish.
A lovely nose of currants, blackberry, cassis and raspberry on this classic Chianti Classico, with touches of spice and oak. It’s nicely concentrated on the palate with rich fruit flavours and soft tannins. Always a consistent wine.
Pale golden yellow. Great nose, typical Chablis with citrus, fresh butter and a mineral undertone. Flavourful, bone-dry with great acidity balanced by a fatty mid-palate and an intense finish. Drink or hold.