Tag: France

Balanced Brouilly

Published 12. June 2026 by Vidar Kenneth Johansen

Beaujolais is often associated with easy-drinking wines, but at its best the region can produce reds of remarkable depth and finesse. Château Thivin is one of the historic estates of Côte de Brouilly, situated on the slopes of Mont Brouilly in southern Beaujolais. The vineyard known as La Chapelle takes its name from the small chapel that crowns the hill and overlooks one of the region’s most distinctive terroirs.

The Geoffray family has owned Château Thivin since 1877 and has played a key role in establishing the reputation of Côte de Brouilly. The vineyards are planted on the blue volcanic rock known locally as pierre bleue, a soil that gives the wines both structure and a characteristic mineral freshness. Farming is carried out with a strong emphasis on preserving the health of the vineyards and expressing the individuality of each site.

La Chapelle is made entirely from gamay grown on steep hillside parcels. The grapes are harvested by hand and vinified using traditional semi-carbonic maceration, a hallmark of Beaujolais. Fermentation takes place with indigenous yeasts, followed by maturation in large, neutral oak casks that allow the wine to develop complexity without masking the fruit.

La Chapelle 2024 (Ch. Thivin)

In the glass, the wine shows a bright ruby colour with youthful purple highlights. The nose reveals aromas of red cherry, raspberry, wild strawberry and violet, layered with hints of crushed stone, herbs and spice. On the palate, it is elegant yet concentrated, combining juicy red fruit with lively acidity, fine tannins and a pronounced mineral backbone. The finish is long, precise and refreshing, capturing both the energy of gamay and the distinctive character of Côte de Brouilly.

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Wine of the Week

Beautiful Bandol

Published 5. June 2026 by Vidar Kenneth Johansen

The Mediterranean coast of Provence has become synonymous with rosé, but not all Provençal rosés are created equal. Château La Suffrène is situated in the Bandol appellation, one of the region’s most distinctive wine areas. Sheltered by hills and cooled by sea breezes from the Mediterranean, Bandol is best known for mourvèdre, a grape that brings structure, character and longevity even to rosé wines.

The estate has been in the same family for generations and today farms around 50 hectares of vineyards surrounding the château. The vineyards are cultivated with respect for the local environment, and the focus is firmly on expressing the character of Bandol’s limestone-rich soils and sunny maritime climate.

Domaine La Suffrène Rosé 2024 is made primarily from mourvèdre, supported by grenache and cinsault. The grapes are harvested at night or during the cool hours of the morning to preserve freshness. After gentle pressing, fermentation takes place at controlled temperatures in stainless steel tanks. The wine is then matured on its fine lees for a short period to enhance texture while retaining its bright fruit profile.

Domaine La Suffrène 2024 (Ch. La Suffrène)

In the glass, the wine displays a pale salmon-pink colour with delicate copper highlights. The nose offers aromas of wild strawberry, white peach, pink grapefruit and Mediterranean herbs, accompanied by a subtle saline note. On the palate, it is dry, fresh and beautifully balanced, combining ripe red berry fruit with citrus-driven acidity and a gentle mineral undertone. The finish is long, clean and refreshing, leaving a lingering impression of sea breeze and Provençal sunshine.

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Wine of the Week

Savoury Sancerre

Published 1. May 2026 by Vidar Kenneth Johansen

This wine was served blind as a bonus wine in a Bordeaux tasting.

It comes from the limestone and clay-limestone slopes of the eastern Loire. Sancerre’s cool climate and mineral soils give pinot a brightness and tension that feel distinctly Loire.

Produced by the historic family estate Domaine Paul Prieur et Fils⁠, now run by Luc Prieur, this wine comes from the lower part of the lieu-dit Les Pichons, planted on clay-limestone soils. The Prieur family has been making wine in Sancerre for eleven generations and remains one of the classic names of Verdigny.

The wine is made with around 20–40% whole clusters, fermented with indigenous yeasts and without sulphur before fermentation. The wine is aged for 15 months, mostly in older 228-litre barrels with a portion matured in amphora, and bottled unfiltered. The result is a pinot noir with both purity and texture rather than overt oak influence.

Grains de Pinot 2023 (Dom. Paul Prieur)

Pale ruby colour. Aroma of red cherry, raspberry and cranberry, alongside floral notes, gentle spice and a faint earthy smokiness. On the palate, it is light to medium-bodied, fresh and finely structured, with silky tannins, lively acidity and a mineral edge carrying the finish. Elegant, savoury and quite persistent.

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Sublime Sancerre

Published 20. March 2026 by Vidar Kenneth Johansen

Sébastien Riffault is one of the most singular voices in Sancerre. Working organically and biodynamically, he has long challenged the region’s conventions. His philosophy centres on waiting: later harvesting, full physiological ripeness, and minimal intervention in the cellar. The aim is to allow the site to speak.

Akmèniné, a name drawn from Lithuanian, means something akin to “stony”. It refers to the limestone-rich soils of Sancerre, in the language of Riffault’s wife.
Picked later than is customary in Sancerre, the 2020 reveals a broader, more textural expression of sauvignon blanc.

Akmèniné 2020 (Sébastien Riffault)

Deep straw yellow, towards golden, slightly turbid. Aroma of citrus peel, ripe orchard fruit and a gentle hint of herbs, underpinned by a chalky, mineral edge. On the palate, there is both breadth and tension — a subtle ripeness balanced by freshness, with a saline, finely grained finish.

Price: Medium

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From the heart of Rhône

Published 6. March 2026 by Vidar Kenneth Johansen

The name Mon Coeur – “my heart” – is not chosen lightly. This cuvée is Jean-Louis Chave’s personal tribute to the southern Rhône.

The blend is dominated by grenache with syrah and mourvèdre, sourced from vineyards around Vinsobres, Visan and neighbouring villages. Fermentation is followed by ageing in a combination of concrete and large oak casks.

The wine was enjoyed in Madrid, at La Caníbal of Lavapiés, and fitted perfectly with their take on the Beef Wellington.

Mon Coeur 2023 (Jean-Louis Chave)

Deep ruby with a youthful purple rim. Generous aromas of dark cherries, blackberries and crushed herbs, with a touch of pepper and garrigue. The palate is supple yet structured, with ripe fruit, fresh acidity and finely grained tannins that give the wine both charm and depth.

This is a wine with warmth and a sense of terroir, a southern Rhône seen through the lens of one of the valley’s most thoughtful producers. A bottle that proves how much character can live within the humble designation Côtes du Rhône.

Price: Medium

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Wine of the Week

From the Cahors side

Published 16. January 2026 by Vidar Kenneth Johansen

We are in Cahors, in the French Sud-Oest. Here is a 100% malbec (auxerrois locally) from a single 1.2-hectare parcel beside a cherry orchard. The vines are around 40 years old, planted on red clay over limestone. Certified organic and moving towards biodynamics, with yields kept to 35–40 hl/ha.

At Château Combel la Serre, Julien Ilbert represents a new generation in Cahors. Vines have been in the Ilbert family for generations, though grapes were long sold to the local co-operative. Julien struck out on his own in 1998, and an early collaboration with Mathieu Cosse helped shape his focus on high-quality fruit before he returned fully to producing his own wines in 2005.

Today the estate covers 25 hectares, all planted to malbec across varied terroirs within five kilometres of the cellar. Julien believes it is the only grape suited to his vision for Cahors, deliberately avoiding both traditional blending grapes and fashionable Bordeaux varieties. Organic certification arrived with the 2015 vintage, following a decisive break with chemical farming after the death of his grandfather — a turning point in the family’s approach to agriculture.

The fruit is hand-harvested, mostly destemmed, ferments with indigenous yeasts at cool temperatures in cement, followed by around 20 days of maceration. Aged for 14 months in cement, bottled unfiltered and with minimal sulphur.

The wine was served in our local wine club, at a tasting of malbecs from both sides of the Atlantic. While the Argentinians in general showed more upfront fruit and immediate appeal, the French felt more earthy and grounded, maybe more serious. Both versions were good and often with a good quality for the price.

Au Cerisier 2022 (Combel la Serre)

Deep ruby. Aromas of sour cherry, black plum and violets, with notes of earth and crushed stone. The palate is supple and fresh, fruit-driven, with fine-grained tannins and a cool, savoury finish.

Price: Medium

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Articles

An introduction to Yann Bertrand

Published 2. January 2026 by Vidar Kenneth Johansen

Yann Bertrand is based in Fleurie, in the heart of Beaujolais, where he farms old gamay vines on granitic soils. The family estate is located just outside the village itself, with vineyards spread across Fleurie and a small holding in neighbouring Morgon. Vine age ranges from around 30 to well over 100 years.

Although he grew up in a winemaking family, Bertrand did not initially plan to become a vigneron. After studying commerce and spending several years working in wine bars and shops in the Alps, he returned to Beaujolais and gradually took over the family domaine, founded by his grandfather in the 1950s and developed further by his parents from the 1970s onwards.

The vineyards were converted to organic farming in the early 1990s, and Yann has since pushed the estate further towards biodynamics and low-intervention winemaking. He works exclusively with native yeasts, whole clusters and minimal or no added sulphur. The aim is not to chase power or extraction, but to express Fleurie through finesse, energy and transparency.

Today I have tasted three of his cuvees.

Phénix 2023

This cuvée comes from high-altitude, granitic parcels in Fleurie, where shallow soils and old vines naturally favour finesse and mineral tension. It’s vinified with whole clusters and gentle extraction, and aged in large, neutral oak.

Cherry red with a blue rim. Fruity and floral on the nose, with raspberry and cherry and gentle volatile acidity. Juicy on the palate, with fine tannins, good acidity and a clear mineral line. Light-bodied but precise, with a fresh, persistent finish.

Note: Yann Bertrand works consistently with very low sulphur. In this wine and Alice 6/10, I feel that he is balancing close to mousiness, but he lands on the right side, with fruit, acidity and mineral structure clearly in control.

Coup de Foudre 2023

Coup de Foudre is drawn from selected Fleurie parcels that give slightly more structure and mid-palate presence. While the approach remains low-intervention and whole-cluster based, this cuvée is shaped to show more depth and grip than Phénix.

Light cherry red. Raspberry and cherry aromas with a herbal edge. Very smooth on the palate, with good natural acidity and an understated mineral backbone. Harmonious and easy to drink, yet firmly rooted in its terroir.

Alice 6/10 2022

This is a personal cuvée, named after Bertrand’s partner Alice and referencing the six out of ten recent vintages affected by hail. It combines semi-carbonic fermentation with a proportion of direct press, followed by élevage in old barrels only, resulting in a wine of greater complexity and a touch of seriousness.

Light cherry red. Raspberry and cherry on the nose, with herbal nuances, and a slight touch of volatile. Fine tannins and good acidity frame a distinct mineral core, leading to a finish of good length. Balanced and composed, with both immediate charm and the structure to evolve further in bottle.

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Wine of the Week

Elegant Pommard

Published 12. December 2025 by Vidar Kenneth Johansen

Pommard is traditionally known for its powerful, structured wines grown on heavy clay soils, often dark-fruited and firmly built. Les Bertins, however, lies in the southern part of the appellation, close to Volnay, where the soils become lighter and more limestone-rich. This shift in geology brings a different expression of Pommard, one that favours lift, elegance and aromatic nuance.

The wine is made by Huber-Verdereau, a family estate based in Meursault and led today by Thiébault Huber. Since taking over, he has steered the domaine firmly towards organic and biodynamic farming, with careful work in the vineyards and a restrained, non-interventionist approach in the cellar. Fermentations are gentle, extraction is measured, and élevage is carried out with a judicious use of oak to support, not shape, the wine.

Pommard Premier Cru Les Bertins 2020 (Huber-Verdereau)

Deep ruby colour with a bright rim, signalling both concentration and freshness. Aroma of ripe red cherry, wild strawberry and raspberry, notes of dried herbs, crushed stone and a subtle hint of spice and undergrowth. On the palate it is poised and finely structured, with a core of juicy red fruit framed by chalky, well-integrated tannins. The finish is persistent. It’s a wine with both tension and clarity, combining Pommard’s natural authority with a Volnay-like elegance.

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Wine of the Week

A nouveau classic

Published 21. November 2025 by Vidar Kenneth Johansen

Beaujolais Nouveau Day was yesterday — the annual Thursday in November when the first wines of the new vintage are released. Once a marketing spectacle, it now serves more quietly as a seasonal marker of early fruit and immediacy.

One estate that approaches the style with clarity and intent is Château Cambon, founded in 1995 by Marcel and Marie Lapierre together with Jean-Claude Chanudet. Their aim was to bring the Lapierre philosophy — organic farming, old vines, delicate extraction and minimal intervention — into a separate project focused on purity rather than prestige. Today the estate continues in the same spirit, producing wines that are understated, bright and free of ornament.

The label illustration is signed Siné — Maurice Sinet — the influential French caricaturist known for his sharply satirical line and long association with Charlie Hebdo. His irreverent, uncluttered style fits the wine surprisingly well: playful, direct and never weighed down.

Beaujolais Nouveau 2025 (Château Cambon)

Medium red with a hint of purple. Aromas of raspberry and freshly cut grass. Juicy and quenching on the palate, with fresh acidity and fine-grained tannins giving just enough shape without adding weight.

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Wine of the Week

Carignan at Angelita

Published 27. June 2025 by Vidar Kenneth Johansen

I was at Angelita Madrid tonight — that temple of thoughtful wine and serious cooking — and was served a glass of La Mariole 2022 with a beautifully succulent dish of Iberian pork neck. The pairing was spot-on: the wine’s lifted fruit and fresh acidity cut through the richness of the meat like a blade, while its earthy undertones echoed the depth of flavour in the dish.

La Mariole is a wine from Domaine LaDogar, located in the Minervois region of Languedoc in southern France. This is rugged land: Mediterranean scrub, garrigue, old stones and sun-drenched vineyards. Historically known for powerful, sometimes rustic reds, the best producers today are offering something much more nuanced — and this bottle is a great example of that shift.

Domaine LaDogar is a relatively small, low-intervention project that works primarily with native grape varieties and aims for purity and drinkability. La Mariole 2022 is made from carignan, sourced from old vines planted on limestone soils. The grapes are fermented with native yeasts and see a short maceration, followed by élevage in concrete tanks. The aim is clearly to preserve the brightness and vitality of the fruit, rather than to impose any heavy-handed structure.

La Mariole 2022 (Dom. LaDogar)

Medium dark. Aroma of wild cherries, redcurrants, a touch of violet and a characteristic herbal lift. On the palate, it’s light-bodied but tense, with juicy acidity, fine tannins and a stony, mineral backbone. No oak, no pretence — just pure, energetic fruit with a salty edge.

Price: Low

Food: With the pork, it sang. The slight gaminess of the meat brought out the savoury side of the wine, while the fat was kept in check by the wine’s cleansing freshness. Can work with a variety of light meat and green dishes.

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