Category — Champagne

Majestic man Johnstone launches new wine site Majestic founder and former Chateau de Sours director Esme Johnstone has joined forces with David Campbell of the Everyman Library to launch a new wine website - From Vineyards Direct.

From Vineyards Direct offers a limited range of high quality and very affordable wines delivered from Europe’s best vineyards to your door. A simple, efficient, low-overhead service with prices significantly lower than other merchants. From Bordeaux and Burgundy to the Rhône, Champagne and Tuscany, we offer a hand-picked selection of exceptional finds.

Fifteen wines are currently listed. The solitary champagne is from Serge Mathieu (£14.75 bottle) described as “a single grower Champagne made from Serge Mathieu’s own grapes, and not bought in from scores of growers as the bigger brands are. The new edition of Hugh Johnson’s Pocket Wine Book lists it as “an outstanding eco-friendly” Champagne to watch in 2007. The price is unbeatable-highly recommended.”

From Burgundy the team have selected a Chablis from Montmain (£11.75), a Meursault Flamoise (£16.75) and a Saint-Veran (£7.95) (wines from Saint Veran are often my pick for the best value Burgundian whites). There is one wine from outside of France, Ananda di Toscana (£17.95) and five Clarets ranging from £6.45 to £19.95 a bottle.

The minimum order quantity of 2 cases is way over the established norm but prices do include delivery.

Minimum total order is 2 cases (24 bottles of 75cl equivalent) for the UK and 5 cases (60 bottles of 75cl equivalent) for Ireland. We also offer a collection service from just outside Calais, France, at a per-bottle saving of £1.50 for wines and £2.00 for Champagne, and a per-case saving of £18 for wine, £24 per 12-case/£12 per 6-case for Champagne.

The range might be small, which is not a bad thing as several other merchants operate the same way, but the minimum order is likely to put off many potential customers.

UPDATE: see article covering From Vineyards Direct in the Scotsman.

In genteel Buckinghamshire, at Bourne End to be precise, there is a “local” off licence which has a pretty ghastly website (see above), but get beyond the colour scheme (or through the shop door) and you’ll discover a truly superb wine list at Bertrand & Nicholas with all sorts of French gems - fine Bordeaux and Burgundy for sure - but also an eclectic selection from South West France, Alsace, Jura and Savoie. Loire, Languedoc…… My selection would include Menetou-Salon AC from Henri Pellé (Loire); Cahors AC Clos Triguedina, Madiran AC Domaine Berthoumieu, Irouleguy AC, Domaine Abotia(South West); Bandol from Chateau du Pibarnon (Provence).
You can order by phone, mail or email - download their list from the website.

BERTRAND & NICHOLAS
14 FURLONG ROAD, BOURNE END, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE SL8 5DG - see map
TEL :01628525202

Down in rural Sussex n the centre of Hurstpierpoint High Street, 10 miles north of Brighton, just off the A23 you’ll discover South Downs Cellars - and behind the modest facade you’ll be greeted with an excellent choice of wines. My own predelictions lean towards the wines of South West France so its always a good start to see some really classy and classic producers such as Chateau de Cedre in Cahors (one of the very best); Madiran and Pacherenc du Vic Bilh from Bouscassé. There are equally good wines from the other French regions.
At the other extreme in style and location, their selection of Californian wines is superb, including Bonny Doon and the extraordinarily intense wines of Ridge - the 2001 Geyserville (a stunning Zinfandel blend) being one of my favourite wines of all time.
Their selection from the Old and New Worlds indicates a judicious selection of some of the best producers sprinkled with interesting lesser-known offerings.

They have a shop, online ordering and a wine club. Their Christmas tasting is on Sat 25 November 2006 - not to be missed I’d say.

For more info see www.southdownscellars.co.uk

(pull)Green & Blue 38 Lordship Lane East Dulwich London SE22 8HJ(/pull)
They have a shop and bar in East Dulwich, have a nicely designed website but I have never heard of Green and Blue before today. Sadly the website doesn’t offer full on-line ordering - you have to download and send in an order form.

There are two prices on the website, one for the shop, the other for the bar. An interesting range indeed which they describe as

We have two very important criteria for inclusion on this list - firstly, the wines have to have been made with due care and attention paid to the growing of the grapes. That means no or very minimal chemical intervention and low yields (not pushing the vines to grow as much bland, boring fruit as possible), giving fruit which needs very little intervention in the winery. Naturally then, most of the wines come from smaller producers, many family owned, who have the sort of respect for their vineyards that we heartily applaud. Those that come from slightly bigger companies all have the same ethos.

As an alternative to country listings, Green and Blue, have gone for grouping wines by style. ‘Crisp - elegant, lighter, dry & subtle’ or ‘Fruity - sometimes slightly aromatic’ are two of the white wine groups while the reds have ‘Spicy - smoky or rustic & earthy’ or ‘Rich - ripe or muscular & powerful’ for example.

The range isn’t huge with Italy appearing well represented although most countries make an appearance. The ‘Different… something unusual’ sections immediately appeal. Here you will find such delights as Château Montus Pacherenc Sec from Madiran £13.50 and Sigalas Santorini, from Greece at £16.75 or Massaya Classic Red, from the Bekaa Valley, Lebanon £9.25 or Domaine Labranche-Laffont Madiran ‘Vielles Vignes, Madiran, France £13.15

The fine wine section has such beauties as Seghesio Old Vine Zinfandel, California, USA £25.85 or maybe a bottle of Frogs Leap Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California, USA is more your thing at £51.25. A smattering of spirits, dessert and fortified wines complete the tightly formed list. Each wine has a little description attached along with details of the grape varieties and a simple food matching suggestion. Overall a nice site but one that could really do with full on-line ordering.

All orders of £75 or more are delivered free of charge to any address within a 2 mile radius of the shop. Orders of less than £75 carry a £5 delivery charge. Elsewhere in London a charge of £10 will be made on orders under £150. Those over this amount are free. Outside of London, the delivery charge for 1 case (12 bottles) or less costs £10, two or more cases £15. Part cases are classed as a complete case.

Green & Blue
38 Lordship Lane
East Dulwich
London SE22 8HJ

Leon Stolarski, one of our favourite independent merchants (especially now he has added both Madiran and Jurancon from SW France to his list) has been asked to assist in a sale of some of the world’s finest wines - indeed, a veritable “Who’s Who” of growers from Australia, Bordeaux, Rhone, Burgundy, Italy and Spain, plus some gems from the Loire Valley, Champagne, southern France, California, Lebanon and many more. The collection has been fostered over the last 16 years by a Nottingham restaurateur.
See www.lsfinewines.co.uk

Stone Vine and Sun receive two hearty recommendations in today’s Wine Style column in the Times. Johanna Simon is on an ‘anything but Chardonnay’ binge quoting several wine buyers who report the continuing decline of Chardonnay sales and the rise of Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio falling into the nations shopping baskets. Her recommendations for non-Chardonnay’s from Stone, Vine and Sun are

Domaine de L’Aumonier, 2005, Touraine Sauvignon
Stone, Vine and Sun £5.95 “Pure refreshment - textbook Sauvignon”

Belles Pierres Les Clauzes de Jo, 2004, Coteaux du Languedoc
Stone, Vine and Sun £8.75 “Full-bodied Mediterranean white; no oak, just pure, apple-scented fruit, wild herbs and a fresh finish”

Stone, Vine and Sun are a fabulous little outfit, with numerous retailing awards under their belt, since their launch in 2002. The company was founded by Simon Taylor and Andrew Shaw, although the latter has just announced he is leaving the company to become a wine buyer for Waitrose. Based in Twyford, near Winchester, delivery is free locally and just £3.50 per case to most UK destinations with orders over £250 delivered free. You can collect wine from their warehouse too.

The regions of France are well represented in the wine list with a particular passion for Burgundy and the Languedoc. The company initially concentrated solely on France but has recently expanded to include a good range from Chile with a smattering of wines from Germany, Argentina, Italy and elsewhere.

I always look forward to the latest list from Yapp Brothers - the epitome of everything a good wine merchant should be - independent, knowledgable, approachable and courageous enough to offer interesting and unfamiliar wines.
The former dentist’s main specialisation is in the Loire and Rhône (North and South) Valleys, but that does not exclude excursions into Languedoc, South West, Savoie and even Australia. So on his list you will discover excellent Bandol (mourvedre-dominated red from Provence) Lirac from the superb Domaine Maby in the southern Rhône, excellent Jurancon Sec from Domaine Bellegarde; Collioure from Roussillon; Thouarsais and Saint Pourcain from the Loire - I could go on and on!
Their Christmas Offers list is available now, and their Christmas Sale takes place at their premises in Mere, Wiltshire on Friday 24th and Saturday 25th November 2006.

For more info see www.yapp.co.uk