Producer profiles/visits:

Black Chalk Wines

Published on January 2, 2020

Black Chalk is a new kid on the Hampshire block. And 2020 will see the label becoming an estate-grown producer, in a shiny new winery to boot. In the short five years since the launch vintage of 2015, things are and will be evolving apace for winemaker and joint owner Jacob Leadley.


Ernst Loosen – barrel-aged, dry riesling

Published on May 5, 2016

Barrel ageing dry riesling sounds like a quirky new thing to try to broaden the appeal of one of the wine industry’s (but not consumers’) best-loved grape varieties. In fact, Ernst Loosen, of Dr. Loosen in Germany’s Mosel valley, has been revitalising riesling in the fashion that was the norm for his grandfather.


When is Cava not Cava?

Published on November 12, 2015

Raventos i Blanc has just released a new sparkling wine – a blanc de noir, or blanc de negres – from the 2011 vintage, called Textures de Pedra.


Domaine Fouassier

Published on November 6, 2015

Typically in Sancerre a producer’s classic blend is likely to be blended from across different soils according to the plots of vineyards owned or managed by the domaine. But Domaine Fouassier was one of the early ones to bottle wines from particular vineyard parcels, having done so for about 30 years.


Exton Park

Published on July 21, 2015

Exton Park vineyards are just half an hour east of Winchester in the Meon Valley, on the opposite side of Old Winchester Hill to Meonhill Vineyard (now owned by Hambledon Vineyard).


Guigal Ex Voto, Hermitage.

Published on January 17, 2015

Guigal is one of the iconic names of the Rhône valley in France. Hermitage is a tiny appellation of just 136 hectares on the slopes of the hill of Hermitage. Thirty producers work this land, and Guigal own two hectares of them. Guigal makes Ex Voto only in the very best years.


Domaine Luneau-Papin

Published on August 21, 2013

The rumours of Muscadet’s death are greatly exaggerated. It may be made from the relatively harmless melon de Bourgogne, but it’s grown across a variety of soils and sub-soils, and in the hands of skilled exponents such as at Domain Luneau-Papin, the wines will politely force anyone who tastes them to reconsider their views on Muscadet wines.


Coates and Seely

Published on July 2, 2013

Ex-city financier Nick Coates and Christian Seely, of AXA Millesimes managing director pedigree, first met over a quarter of a century ago. They got back together in 2008 to create the Coates and Seely English sparkling wine label.


Hattingley Valley

Published on June 7, 2013

New English sparkling wine brand Hattingley Valley will be released onto the market at the end of August.


Château le Grand Vostock

Published on April 23, 2013

Château le Grand Vostock was established in 2003 by a Franco-Russian team. It is in Russia’s Krasnodar region, some 18km, as the crow flies, inland from the Black Sea. Or 45km by roads to the resort of Anapa.

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