Loire
Domaine A Cailbourdin
Vigneron: Alain Caillbourdin. The Cailbourdin estate was created in 1980 and today covers about 16 hectares, producing four different cuvees. The vineyard is made up of four different soil types, that are each vinified seperately to express the distinctive terroir and aromatic expression of what nature has provided. The Domaine has... more >
Domaine Catherine & Pierre Breton
Vigneron: Catherine et Pierre Breton. Catherine and Pierre would probably receive our award for the friendliest, active wine making couple we know. The wines are always a pleasure and a joy to the taste, as well as being great examples of the terroir of the region. They play an active part in organising and hosting tastings for smaller like-minded... more >
Domaine Crochet
Vigneron: Francois Crochet. Francois completed his training in Beaune and grew up on his parents vineyards. In 1998 he fufilled his dream to be a winegrower and a winemaker and took over the helm. His wines are wonderfully traditional and he is at the top of his game.... more >
Domaine des Sablonnettes
Vigneron: Joel Menard. Christine and Joel Menard run this small domaine to very exact standards. Not only do their methods follow the biodynamic system, they also refuse to chaptalise (add extra sweetnes to the grape juice to increase alcohol and concentration), add any artificial yeasts, nor do they filter their wines. As a result the wines are... more >
Domaine la Haute Fevrie
Vigneron: Claude Branger A family-owned domaine since 1915, they produce very terroir-driven, characterful wines. The Excellence is from 50-80 year old vines and shows a very pure, elegant, flinty Muscadet. The Moulin de la Gustais is bigger, with saltier minerality. The Gras Moutons is their top wine and a wine to serve with a meal, it has... more >
Domaine Phillippe Gilbert
Vigneron: Philippe Gilbert. Biodynamic since 2006, Domaine Philippe Gilbert is a family domaine in the heart of the Menetou-Salon appellation. An appellation, which is often overshadowed by its more famous neighbour Sancerre. The wines are a genuine expression of the clay-limestone lands of the region, gleaming with terroir and fresh... more >
Domaine Vincent Ricard
Vigneron: Vincent Ricard. Vincent Ricard is the fifth generation of his family to work the vines in Touraine. His wines are great examples of Sauvignon Blanc, and Malbec. They have very keen prices, modest fun labels and exceed expectation at every level.... more >
JP Robinot
Vigneron: Jean-Pierre Robinot. Where to begin with Jean Pierre and his wines? The Loir is a northerly subsidiary of the Loire where wine production has seriously declined over recent years. However, there is still a band of dedicated, some might say mad few, making wines of a somewhat special nature. Jasnieres is the most well known appellation,... more >
La Grange Aux Belles
Vigneron: Marc Houtin et Julien Brestau. Mark and Julien’s winery is very young and dynamic. There first official vintage was 2008. I love their wines they are simple fresh expressive and lave no room for ego. The ‘Fragile’ is beautifully expressive Chenin, the fruit just keeps coming. They only make a small amount of... more >
Pithon-Paille
Vigneron: Jo Pithon et Joseph Paille Pithon-Paille was created in 2008 by Isabelle and Jo Pithon along with Wendy and Joseph Paille. Combining over 60 years winemaking experience. They are negociants who also have a little land of their own which is certified Organic. Their wines are the most humbling and true expressions of Chenin Blanc I... more >
Sebastien David
Vigneron: Sebastien David Sebastain David is a jovial sort of chap. Cabernet Franc is his thing and he really is very good at it. L'Hurluberlu, is fresh, juicy young Cabernet Franc that can be chilled on a summer’s day without exposing too much tannin. It is wild though and whilst incredible quaffable has a distinct animal side.... more >
Champagne
Union Champagne
These wines are produced by the Union de Champagne which is a co-operative of growers from the Cotes des Blancs. They are the largest collection of Premier and Grand Cru grape producers in the region. Historically a huge percentage of the production from this winery has been sold to the 'big' named Champagne houses, a smaller percentage given back... more >
Alsace
Domaine Gerard Metz
Vigneron: Eric Casimir. The 12 hectares of Domaine Gerard Metz are situated on the slopes of the Vosges mountains. The slope of Fruehmess has the ideal exposure, coupled with the Grand Cru vineyards at Muenchberg with a soil sediments dating back 250 million years ago they have earned a bit of a reputation All Alsatian grape varieties are grown... more >
Burgundy
Alex Gambal
Vigneron: Alex Gambal. Born in Washington D.C., Alex Gambal discovered Burgundy in 1993, along with a passion for its wine. After learning about winemaking and viticulture at the famous wine school in Beaune, he created a négociant-éleveur business in 1997. During the first year, Alex began by purchasing 1996-vintage finished wines... more >
Domaine Chataigneraie - Laborier
Vigneron: Gilles and Joelle Morat. The Domaine is situated in Vergisson a small village about 10KM west of Macon. The village nestles between the rocks of Solutre and the hill from which the village takes its name - Vergisson. The situation is idyllic, well worth a visit just to see the view. It is on these slopes that the vineyards are situated,... more >
Domaine des Malandes
Vigneron: Lyne Marchive and Guénolé Breteaudeau. Lyne and Jean-Bernard Marchive run this domaine that has been in Lyne's family (the Treblays) for several generations. Their aim is to produce wines that best show the variations in each of their individual vineyards by allowing nature the freedom to do what it does best. Their house... more >
Domaine Guillemot-Michel
Vigneron: Pierrette et Marc Guillemot-Michel. This is a new addition to the HG List, discovered at a biodynamic wine fair in Angers last spring. These guys have been practising Biodynamics since the 80's and walking through the vineyard you can see the benefits. The soil is happy, positively glowing it is so well oxegenated. Inbetween the vines... more >
Domaine Matrot
Vigneron: Thierry Matrot. The wines from this domaine really need no introduction. Their white wines have reached almost cult status amoung Burgundy drinkers with a reputation for excellent character and depth. It is only the Bougogne that sees new oak and that is only 10-20%,the others are in 1-5year old oak ensuring the wine's flavour is to... more >
Louis Chenu Pere & Filles
Vigneron: Juliette et Caroline Chenu. Louis Chenu Pere & Filles is a family winery in Savigny-les-Beaune, Burgundy. They have been working the vine and producing wine for five generations now. The first parcels of vineyard were bought by Louis Chenu in 1914 and are today worked by his great grandson Louis Chenu with the help of his wife... more >
Vignobles Guillaume
Vigneron: Xavier Guillaume. Vignobles Guilaume are from the Franche Comte region in North Eastern France, an area that used to be part of the Kingdom of Burgundy until it seperated and became 'Franche Comte' or 'Free Count' as the count who had fought against the King for many years was given independance and his duchy was renamed in his... more >
Beaujolais
Domaine Richard Rottiers
Vigneron: Richard Rottiers. Richard created his vineyard in 2007 by taking over the operation of 3.15 hectares of vines aged from 40 to 80 years, and decided to experiment with innovtive methods a... more >
Rhone
Domaine de Deurre
Vigneron: Hubert Valayer. Hubert Valayer is the fourth generation of the family at this domaine. However, he has also spent time making wine in California and has brought this experience to his wine making back home, along with his West Coast rock star image and a mean Harley Davidson. The geology around Vinsobres is near identical to that of... more >
Domaine du Coulet
Vigneron: Matthieu Barret. Matthieu Barret has been the winemaker at Domaine du Coulet since 1998 and has 10ha of planted terraces exposed towards the Levant in the 'Cornas' appellation. He intends to create 100% Grape wines, meaning that his wines will be be 100% natural with no additives. For the time being the only input is sulphur... more >
Domaine les Bruyeres
Vigneron: David Reynaud. David Reynaud took over this domaine in 2000, immediately making sweeping changes by converting firstly to organic production and, more recently biodynamic production. In 2003 he built a new winery that uses gravity rather than mechanical pumps to move the wine through the production process, a method that is far gentler... more >
Eric Texier
Vigneron: Eric Texier. Eric moved into wine making in the late 1990's after working in the leisure and nuclear industries for many years, though never at the same time... He took a methodical approach to his new career path, studying history books, topography, maps and spending countless hours in local cafes trying to find out which vines and... more >
J M Stephan
Vigneron: Jean Michel Stephan. Jean Michel Stephan started running the estate on his own in 1991. He is today considered a rising star of the Côte Rôtie appellation. He owns a 4.5 ha Vineyard, with 10% from the Côte Brune and 90% from the Côte Blonde. La Roncharde is the name of the ‘Lieu-Dit’ where the vines... more >
Provence
Chateau de Roquefort
Vigneron: Raimond de Villeneuve. Raimond Villeneuve is unique as far as winemakers are concerned. Like many others he is deeply concerned about the health of his vineyards and the impact of his work upon the environment, but slightly more unusually, this has always been his way of working rather than an ideal he worked up to by trial and... more >
Chateau Revelette
Vigneron: Peter Fischer. Peter Fischer, a German who moved to Provence after studying in California, always harboured a dream of owning a vineyard in the region. His cellar is his laboratory, where he spends days on end tinkering and experimenting with grape varieties, different sizes and tupes of tanks, barrels of different wood types and even... more >
Domaine de la Realtiere
Vigneron: Pierre Micheland. Pierre Micheland is a young wine maker who trained in New Zealand and he brings a breath of fresh air to the world of the French Vigneron. His wines are simply a joy to drink. He uses biodynamic production methods.... more >
Domaine du Bagnol
Vigneron: Sebastien Genovesi. Cassis is a small, picturesque, traditional fishing port that sits in a natural Amphitheatre below the cap Canaille on the Mediterranean coastline. The existance of wine production here has been recorded as far back as 1199, but today there are only a handful of producers whose main market is the thriving tourist... more >
Domaine les Luquettes
Vigneron: Elisabeth Luquettes. The first bottles of Domaine les Luquettes were released in 1997, but the Domaine has a history of wine making stretching back as far as 1852. In fact the old vertical press built in 1892 has been preserved and is still used every year. The rest of the cellar has been recently modified to bring the wine making up to... more >
Languedoc
Chateau de Lascaux
Vigneron: Jean-Benoit Cavalier. Jean-Benoit has been president of the syndicat of Coteaux du Languedoc for 4 years. Chateau de Lascaux is a 45 hectare family owned vineyard located in the Pic St Loup area of the Languedoc region. Current wine maker-owner Jean-Benoit Cavalier can trace his families involvement in wine on the site back to... more >
Domaine Barroubio
The plateau of Barroubio can be found in the department of Hérault within the commune of Saint Jean de Minervois. It declines regularly to the south from 300 down to 200 metres high. It is the most rare of the French muscats... The Muscat of Saint Jean de Minervois guaranteed vintage-growing area is an approximately 180-hectare site in... more >
Domaine de la Colombette
Vigneron: Francois et Vincent Pugibet. Founded at the end of the 19th Century by Louis Pugibet, the Domaine has been passed on through the family from generation to generation. The vineyards look out towards the Mediterranean in terraced rows, making the most of the natural elements that are part responsible for the character of the wines. The... more >
Domaine de la Triballe
Vigneron: Oliver Durand. Sabine and Olivier Durand took over this domaine in 1990. It has been run as an organic estate ever since its creation four generations ago. The vineyards look out over the twin peaks of Pic St Loup and l’Hortus and are covered in small limestone rocks. They are great fun and Olivier is a more than capable hunter too... more >
Domaine Pierre Cros
Vigneron: Pierre Cros. Regarded by many as the leading light of the Minervois. Pierre's years of hard work and total determination to do what he wants, shines through in his wines. A wonderfully generous man, making excellent wines that are sometimes considered old school even for the Appellation who would love him to grub up his lovely old vines... more >
Mas d'Auzieres
Vigneron: Irene Tolleret. Irene Tolleret moved from marketing for the giant Val d'Orbieu to wine making only three years ago and her first vintages have been quite spectacular. The mas is already depveloping an international cult following because of the quality of the end results. On our last visit we tasted the raw ingredients of the 2008... more >
Mas de Janiny
Vigneron: Julien et Pascale Freres. At the end of the 1980's Thierry Julien decided to settle down and take over the family farm and soon his brother Pascal, a teacher in a business school came to join him and the transition to organic wine production was immediately launched. The vines are situated in the middle of the garrigue in clay-limestone... more >
Roussillon
Domaine Boudau
Vigneron: Pierre Boudau. The domaine was created in the 1920's with just a few plots of vines by Hippolyte Boudau. Today it is nearly 119 acres (48 hectares) in size and has been run by Veronique and Pierre Boudau since 1993. It is split into two distinctive sites: Le Clos - situated at the entrance to the Agly valley on steep South-East facing... more >
Domaine du Clos des Fees
Vigneron Herve Bizeul. Herve Bizeul had been a successful sommelier, restaurant owner, wine and food critic in Paris before taking the plunge and becoming a winemaker himself. He battles the extreme terrain and climate on his estate near Vingrau producing a range of intense, deep, rich and modern styled wines.... more >
Domaine Matassa
Vigneron: Tom Lubbe. We've been watching the wines from this domaine since its creation in 2002. Our visits have always been raucous and good humoured, an indication of the character of vigneron Tom Lubbe. For a long time we could only watch as his wines quite rightly collected accolade after accolade, but were unable to get involved as we already... more >
Domaine Olivier Pithon
Vigneron: Olivier Pithon. Olivier Pithon has been involved with the vine and wine making from a very early age. His Grandfather was a vine grower in Anjou, Loire and when Olivier was four, his big brother, Jo Pithon, settled on the hillsides of Layon, Loire, to this day producing wines that hold great respect. "My goal is to make the wine as... more >
South West
Chateau de Jurque
Vigneron: Marion Latrille-Henry. Chateau de Jurque is neighbour to the far more renowned and much larger estate of Chateau Jolys. Marion Latrille-Henry manages to run them both and make very different styles of wine at each. Jurancon is still a relatively ignored wine region where the local varieties of Gros and Petite Manseng have yet to feature... more >
Chateau la Colombiere
Vigneron: Diane et Phillipe Cauvin. Fronton can be found north east of Toulouse and has been associated with the Negrette grape as far back as the 12th century. At this domaine much of the vineyard was re-worked back in the 1980's by Baron Francois de Driesen but is now run by his daughter Diane and her husband Phillipe Cauvin. They work... more >
Bordeaux
St. JOHN Wines
The St. JOHN wines are the result of close work with a number of our favourite producers from all over France. The necessity to find a wine that we are happy to recommend as our 'house wine' has had us travelling the length and breadth, sampling many many cuvees and styles. It is far harder to find wines of quality and character at... more >