CHAMPAGNE VARNIER FANNIÈRE

NV BRUT GRAND CRU

“Remarkable tension and verve.”

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Varnier Fannière is found in the Grand Cru village of Avize in the Côte de Blancs, where primarily Blanc de Blanc wines are produced. Starting in 1860, the family sold their grapes to Champagne houses such as Moët et Chandon, Pommery, and Roederer. In 1947, Jean Fannière decided to produce his own wine like the many ‘grower producers.’ The family now has holdings also in the Grand Cru villages of Cramant and Oger and farms a total of four ha. Today the winery is run by Valerie Varnier. The Brut Grand Cru is the signature wine of Varnier Fannière and produced from 24-55 year old vines in the villages of Avize, Oger, Cramant and Oiry.

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REGION: Champagne, France.

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VARIETY: Chardonnay.

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WINEMAKING: The fruit is hand-harvested and the whole bunches still go into a small press that was used by Jean Fannière in the 1940’s. Fruit from each plot is fermented separately in small vats for the base wine followed by secondary fermentation in the bottle. The wine is aged on lees for around 3 years before dosing at 10 g/l of sugar (Brut style).

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TASTING NOTE: A beautiful straw-yellow in the glass with persistent and fine bubbles. Remarkable tension and verve backed by yellow apples, richer notes of brioche, pastries, and hazelnuts.

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PAIRING: Crab dip on a crispy wonton, panko crusted halibut or shrimp, and savoury pastries. Drink now, but will keep for 3-5 years.

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ACIOS DE XESTEIRIÑA

2024 XESTEIRIÑA

“A taste of the coast in your glass.” 

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Acios de Xesteiriña is a tiny boutique winery in Val do Salnés, Galicia, in the northwest corner of Spain. Forty years ago, José Manuel Dominguez, the present owner and winemaker, and his father, developed a small vineyard which today makes up only 1.2 ha. This vineyard is planted mostly with Albariño, the signature variety in Galicia which produces a gastronomic wine with incredible texture and minerality. José Manuel is an Agricultural Engineer by training but today focuses his energy on this highly regarded winery, assisted by Adrian Guerra. The vineyard is about 2 km from the Atlantic Ocean on an igneous rocky subsoil called Grandiorite. Treatments in the vineyard are organic, carefully considered and minimized to respect biodiversity. Around 2,500 bottles were produced. 

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REGION: Galicia, Spain.

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VARIETY: Albariño.

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WINEMAKING: The grapes are hand-harvested and the whole grape clusters are pressed in traditional plate presses. Fermentation occurs in used oak vessels and the wine then ages in neutral oak barrels for around 10 months on lees with no stirring. The wine is then transferred to stainless steel tanks for blending and settling. It is bottled without fining or filtering, with a small amount of sulphur added as a protective agent.

 

TASTING NOTE: Bright notes of lemon and yellow apple, mixed with savoury almonds and hay. This complex white has salty and stony mineral notes on the palate, a surprisingly rich weight and texture backed by refreshing acidity.

 

PAIRING: Seafood lemon risotto, citrus crab salad on sourdough toast, calamari, or accompanying olives. Drink now, or keep for another 5-7 years.

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CLOS DU CAILLOU

2024 BOUQUET DES GARRIGUES

“A bouquet of lavender, thyme and rosemary.” 

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We are excited to showcase another brilliant wine from Le Clos du Caillou, a family-owned winery in Courthézon in the heart of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The winery is run by Sylvie Vacheron and her two children, Marilou and Axel, with the winemaking team led by Bruno Gaspard. The vineyards are certified organic, with some farmed biodynamically. The fruit for this wine is sourced from two plots, bordering the appellation of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, on clay soils with the characteristic galet roulés stones.

 

REGION: Rhône Valley, France.

 

VARIETY: 70% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 15% Mourvèdre, Carignan and Counoise.

 

WINEMAKING: The grapes are hand-harvested, with 80% of the grapes destemmed and fermented in concrete tanks for around 4 weeks. The remaining 20% undergo whole bunch fermentation to add a fruity, fresher dimension. The wine is then aged in used oak foudres before bottling with light filtration.

 

TASTING NOTE: A beautiful ruby hue in the glass with aromas of cranberries and raspberries, with floral notes of roses, violets, and lavender, and dried herbs (garrigue). Medium chalky tannins compliment the deeper peppery and fennel flavours on the palate.

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PAIRING: BBQ ribs, burgers with roasted mushrooms and bacon chutney, or beef cheek with red wine jus. Drink now, or keep for another 5-7 years.​​​