Country: France
Crystal ball gazing: the world of wine in 2012
by Tim AtkinTwelve Christmas wines under £10
by Tim Atkin2010 Chablis, Terroir de Fyé, Patrick Piuze
( £16.95, 12%, Caviste )I haven’t tasted a generic Chablis as good as this in years, so bérets off to Canadian producer, Patrick Piuze, who rents vineyards in the region to make his hand-crafted wines. This has a little bit of added texture from older oak ageing, but it’s the fruit that sings on the palate: focused,tangy and lemon zesty with a chalky, minerally undertone, a savoury note from wild yeast fermentation, some cream from lees contact and incredible palate length. Imagine a Chablis mixed crossed with a dry Riesling and you have some idea of how good this is.
2010 Domaine de la Bastide "Abondance", IGP Hauterive
( £9.95, 12.5%, Lea & Sandeman )A delicious, unoaked blend of two under-rated Mediterranean varieties, Roussanne (80%) and Vermentino (20%) from a little known area in the Languedoc. It’s fresh and tangy with notes of wet stone, green olive, fresh herbs, stone fruit and lemon peel. Crisp and refreshing but with underlying weight and concentration in reserve.
2008 Domaine des Rochelles Anjou Villages-Brissac La Croix de La Mission
( £16.25, 14%, Haynes, Hanson & Clark )Unusually for the Loire, which generally struggles to ripen the grape, this wine is made predominantly from Cabernet Sauvignon, blended with 10% Cabernet Franc. The result is delicious, with aromas of green pepper and graphite, supple fruit flavours and a creamy, smooth texture. In style, it’s mid-way between a claret and Bierzo red, but with a freshness and elegance which is typical of the Loire.