French Regional Wine
The term 'French Regional' is used here to refer to the Vin de Pays, or 'country wines', of which there are currently in excess of 90 designations, and usually refer to a region or sub-region. Historically, these wines ranked somewhere between Vin de Table and the technically superior Appellation d'Origine Controleé wines in terms of quality. However, in many instances, this is no longer the case. The perceived overpricing of many AOC wines, caused in part, no doubt, by the excessive regulation with which it is burdened, has created a huge global demand for Vin de Pays and with it the investment needed continually to improve it. One factor, perhaps above all, is the ability of Vins de Pays to describe themselves by grape variety, forbidden to most AOC wines, thus allowing them to compete better against competition from the New World. We believe that there is substantially more variety and value to be found in the French regions than in any other part of the world. Our range below consists mainly of wines from individual, family owned estates, some of which are from lesser known Appellations and thus better suited for inclusion in the 'Regional' section. Others are négociant and coopérative wines where the quality and value were too good to overlook !
Vin de Pays d'Oc
Finesse Merlot Cabernet 2008, Joseph Castan 4.81 57.73 soft, easy drinking & great value wine from around Montpellier
Finesse Syrah Grenache Rose 2008, Joseph Castan 4.81 57.73 dryish, well made wine with good nose and subtle flavours of summer fruits
Finesse Chardonnay Sauvignon 2008, Joseph Castan 4.95 59.34 dry but fruity wine from a reliable negociant and superb value
Rocbere Merlot 2008, Les Caves Rocbere 5.09 61.07 young, fruity Merlot with clean nose and smooth taste, made in a fairly 'New World' style
Rocbere Sauvignon 2008, Les Caves Rocbere 5.18 62.10 fresh & floral Sauvignon from the Corbieres region
Elegance Syrah 2008, Joseph Castan 5.20 62.45 medium weight, typically southern French style with smooth texture and good fruit
Elegance Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, Joseph Castan 5.20 62.45 young, juicy & fruity style with medium body, light tannins and refined cassis flavours
Elegance Chardonnay 2008, Joseph Castan 5.35 64.17 unoaked, typically southern French style of Chardonnay
Elegance Sauvignon 2008, Joseph Castan 5.35 64.17 dry & full flavoured wine with excellent varietal characteristics in a refined style
L'Orangeraie Rouge 2008, de Lorgeril 5.55 66.59 Nicolas de Lorgeril currently runs the family estates at Château de Pennautier where the first stone was laid by his ancestor, Bernard de Lorgeril in 1620. Louis XIII stayed at the Château in 1622 and wines produced on the estate were served at the French court in 1701. Good balance, well rounded, easy style, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Grenache & Carignan
Maison Mayol Merlot 2007, La Ferme du Mont 5.59 67.05 delicious, easy drinking young wine with plenty of juicy blackcurrant fruit and a subtle touch of tannin
L'Orangerie de Pennautier Chardonnay Classique 2007, de Lorgeril 5.84 70.04 very enticing, unoaked Chardonnay with good body & fine, rich flavour
Viognier de Pennautier 2008, de Lorgeril 6.51 78.09 dry, vivid wine with aromas of apricot & peach and lovely floral flavour with hints of honey & citrus
Domaine Jouclary Sauvignon 2007, Gianesini 6.73 80.73 intense style of Sauvignon with aromas of gooseberry and rich, concentrated fruit flavour with long finish
Domaine Jouclary Chardonnay 2007, Gianesini 6.73 80.73 fresh, unoaked Chardonnay from this most traditional of estates in Cabardes with lovely floral flavour and rich, youthful style
Vin de Pays Haute Vallee de L'Orb
Terres d'Orb Rouge 2007, Cave de Roquebrun 5.50 66.01 a well made and extremely good value blend of Grenache, Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Carignan, deep & dark with rich, complex flavours
Minervois
Chateau Artix, Les Terres Brulees, 2007 5.84 70.04 made from Syrah, Grenache & old vine Carignan, this is a medium bodied & full flavoured wine, forward despite its youth, but undoubtedly with the potential to age well over the next few years
Vin de Pays des Cotes de Gascogne
Domaine La Taste Blanc Sec 2008, Vignobles Fontan 5.61 67.28 from Noullens in Gascony, a fresh, zestful, crisp & dry white produced from Ugni Blanc, Colombard & Gros Manseng grapes by Vignobles Fontan, generally recognised as being one of the top producers of the region. With full flavour and plenty of fruit this is a remarkably versatile wine, suiting most tastes
Vin de Pays de la Mediterranee
The 'La Ferme du Mont' label is the latest venture between Stephane Vedeau & Claude Serra, also responsible for our Terre a Verre range of wines. Covering an area from the Rhone Valley down through Languedoc Roussillon, they make very interesting and excellent quality varietal wines as negociants, as well as collaborating with the owners of single estates to take responsibility for the making and bottling of their wines
Les Vignes d'Oc 2008, La Ferme du Mont 4.90 58.77 medium dry rose offering excellent value from a new cooperative in the Rhone region with light, strawberry flavour
Pinot Noir 2007, Villa du Clos, La Ferme du Mont 6.47 77.63 a very good example of this most difficult grape variety with full flavour in a slightly New World style
AC Bergerac
Chateau Laulerie Rose 2008, Vignobles Dubard Frere & Soeur 6.96 83.49 off-dry & sophisticated with good colour, lovely flavour and medium body
AC Cotes de Provence
Domaine Houchart Rose 2007, Jerome Quiot 7.40 88.78 dry, with full colour, flavour and fruit
Vin de Pays de L'Aude
Donjon de la Tour Blanc Sec 4.90 58.77 crisp, dry & clean blend of Ugni and Macabeu
Donjon de la Tour Blanc Demi Sec 4.90 58.77 made using the same grapes as the Sec, but blended to produce a medium dry version
Vin de Pays des Cotes du Tarn
Domaine Vigne Lourac Syrah Cabernet Rose 2007, Alain Gayrel 5.20 62.45 attractive, pale pink coloured wine with elegant nose, fresh, dry flavours of summer fruits and clean aftertaste
Domaine Vigne Lourac Mauzac Sauvignon 2008, Alain Gayrel 5.20 62.45 excellent wine, reasonably dry with plenty of fruit. The Mauzac takes the edge off the Sauvignon, resulting in a wine which is easier to drink on its own
Domaine Vigne Lourac Sauvignon Prestige 2008, Alain Gayrel 5.66 67.97 dry & crisp, with really lovely Sauvignon flavour, this consistent Gold Medal winner can beat wines from the Loire at twice the price for quality & style
AC Coteaux du Languedoc
Col de Lairole 2006, Cave de Roquebrun 6.01 72.11 a rich & warming blend of Syrah, Grenache, Mouvedre & Carignan, from a highly rated cooperative run by Alain Rogier based around St Chinian
AC Costieres de Nimes
Domaine Galus 2006 www.domainegalus.fr 6.38 76.59 Fanette Fessy & Jean Baptiste Paquet from two new producers, both from Burgundian winemaking families, who recently bought this tiny estate in the south : a blend of Syrah, Grenache & Carignan, vinified separately and only the Syrah spending a short time in oak, a rich wine with great depth & complexity
AC Cotes du Roussillon
Chateau Montesquieu 2005, Maison Maurel Vedeau 6.90 82.80 from the foothills of the Pyrenees, 50% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 20% Carignan, partly oaked for 10 months in new oak, a wine with rich red colour, aromas of dark berries and intense flavours with hints of nutmeg, clove & laurel
AC Cabardes
Chateau de Jouclary Cuvee Tradition 2006 7.03 84.41 stunning blend of Merlot, Grenache & Syrah, with deep, dark colour, intense nose & silky smooth, rich, flavours. Made at the estate of Robert & Pascal Gianesini in Conques-sur-Orbiel. Already a superb wine, but will undoubtedly improve with age
Chateau de Jouclary, Cuvee Guilhaume de Jouclary 2005 12.29 131.25 the top cuvee from this excellent estate, made from low-yielding vines, aged in oak, a powerful & intense wine with superb aroma & flavours, for drinking now, but with the potential to age for another five years plus
Vin de Pays des Cotes de Thongue
La Nogarede, Cuvee Charles, 2006, Domaine Jacques Boyer 4.89 58.65 extraordinarily good value for a wine of this quality from a private estate; Syrah, Mouvedre & Cabernet Sauvignon, soft & smooth with really good flavour in a fruity & easy drinking style
Domaine La Croix Belle Merlot 2007, www.croix-belle.com 6.10 73.14 glorious wine, well structured with a deep colour, lovely ripe fruit and soft tannins
Domaine La Croix Belle Le Champ des Lys 2006 www.croix-belle.com 6.57 78.89 a blend of Grenache Blanc & Viognier, with a spot of Sauvignon and Chardonnay thrown in for good measure : a lovely plump wine with full aroma and a long finish a real joy to drink !
Domaine La Croix Belle Le Champ du Coq 2007 www.croix-belle.com 6.57 78.89 a blend of Grenache, Syrah & Merlot, a powerful and complex wine with generous character, fantastic now, yet great potential for development
Domaine La Croix Belle No.7 Rouge 'Les Folies' 2005 11.59 138.92 another top cuvee, a blend of seven grape varieties, an elegant, concentrated & extremely complex wine with flavours of black fruits, chocolate & spice, velvety texture and long finish
Bin Ends
Trigone, Domaine du Soula, 2004, Gerard Gauby, Vin de Table 2.45 29.40 a higher level of acidity than normal prevents this wine from being described as delicious. It is very pleasant with reasonably seasoned food or is ideal for using for mulled wine or for cooking
Syrah Franc de Pied 2005, Andre Perret 4.79 57.48 Vin de Pays des Collines Rhodaniennes lovely wine, as would be expected from a top Northern Rhone grower
Col de L'Orb 2005, St Chinian, Cave de Roquebrun 5.95 71.40 from the northern part of St Chinian, made from 40% Syrah, 30% Grenache and a balance of Mouvedre & Carignan, a delicious wine, soft & warming with delightfully smooth tannins
Prices are all inclusive of VAT
Minimum order is one case (of 12 bottles or equivalent) which may be mixed from any of our wines listed
Delivery is free for all orders within our own delivery area (currently London and most surrounding counties) and for 3+ case orders throughout the remainder of the UK, excluding Highlands & Islands (please enquire for rates). Orders of less than 3 cases sent by third party carrier will be charged at cost or below (around £5 per case excluding VAT)
Please contact us for any further information : wine@rfvintners.co.uk
Tel : 01892 723084 / 724209
Rodney Fletcher Vintners are independent Kent wine merchants & shippers supplying trade & private customers throughout the UK
Rodney Fletcher Vintners
Independent Wine Merchants & Shippers
Tel : 01892 723084 / 724209 Email : wine@rfvintners.co.uk
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