French Red Wine Direct

Red Wine Le Gers

The Le Gers region of France is known for such greats as Madiran. Experts need not tell you that the wine has benefits directly related to living longer but that's a story for another day. Madiran is full bodied crisp red wine subtle and yet vibrant enough to comfortably drink a glass before a meal. More to follow shortly

1945 La Mission Haut Brion

The 1945 La Mission is certainly a great wine with fabulous concentration, but also a leathery, tough, hard texture. It is very powerful, broodingly rich and opaque, but the tannin is extremely elevated and one wonders what is going to fall away first, the fruit or the tannin? This wine still has the potential to last for another 20-25 years, and therein lies much of the mystique of this vintage. (tasted 1994)

Domaine de Bertier 2008 Merlot/Cabernet

Don't be fooled by the price of this red wine, despite it being under £8 the flavours are magnificent. The wine merchants who got in early with this wine are sitting quietly as it matures. This is going to be a sure classic,even though you can drink it very easily right now. Origin France, South of France, Languedoc Vintage 2008 Producer Domaine de Bertier Style Rich Complex Reds Grape Varieties Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot Price Range Less than £8 Alcohol 13.5%

The Bunch – Wine Merchants

The Bunch is a group of Britain’s best independent wine merchants which champions the causes of both the independent wine trade and individual, grower-made wines. It meets regularly and its activities have included the formulation of a Code of Practice, the establishment of the popular Bunch Journalist Tasting…and the sharing of interesting bottles and news at The Bunch Lunch and Dinner. Meetings are structured but informal, with the emphasis on the open and frank exchange of views. Membership is limited to the number that can comfortably gather around a small table, to combine the benefits of full participation and effective decision-making. ...

Domaine Sainte Croix

Since 2008, all our vineyards have been officially registered as being under conversion to organic viticulture, as controlled by Ecocert. This environmental commitment is not a market-led, politically-correct statement, rather it is a formalisation of the way we have been working for several years. During this time, we have seen an improvement both in the health of the vines and in the balance of the wines. As our aim is to express the terroirs of the domaine, we see the cornerstone as being the health of its vineyard ...

Wine tasting in France Tips

Are you visiting French vineyards to experience wine tasting? On arrival, you will be greeted by a collection of farm buildings and at least one, and probably two, bounding dogs. But that’s ok. The car will survive, the dogs will be friendly and the vigneron will shortly emerge to shoo them away if they’re not. More daunting is the fact that you are now in the heart of the world of wine. The ability to distinguish a St Emilion from a Châteauneuf-du-Pape does not make you a better, or more interesting, person. The entire point of the stuff is to fuel conviviality, so you ...