Champagne, Cahors, Malbec
Champagne
The chalky soils of Champagne combined with its frigid growing environment create wines that are electric and salivating. But it’s the creation of bubbles that makes these wines stand out.
The bubbles are formed during a secondary fermentation in bottle, known as Méthode Traditionelle. The longer they age, the more nougat and brioche flavours develop and the finer the bead (bubble) becomes.
In terms of who invented Champagne, the English make a strong case as they worked out the formula for purposely making the fizz happen and their stronger coal-fired glass bottles - resulting from the Industrial Revolution - could hold the pressure. Whereas the French were still bottling in wood-fired glass which wasn’t strong enough and they hadn’t cracked the technique of creating bubbles on purpose.
Grapes
White: Chardonnay
Red: Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier
Styles
Nowhere in the world can emulate the fineness and electric detail of these wines. Non-vintage Champagnes should be enjoyed earlier in their lives, while vintage wines have more structure and can age beautifully. House styles differ too. Blanc des Blancs (100% Chardonnay) offer a more elegant and fragile expression while Blanc des Noirs (100% Pinot and or Meunier) are darker fruited with more obvious structure and power.
Favourite Producers
Pierre Peters, Louis Roederer, Vilmart, Andre Clouet, Taittinger, Larmandier, Egly-Ouriet, Jacques Selosse
-
Marcel Malbec 2020More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2020MalbecFrance360$22.00 As low as $19.80 -
Chateau du Cedre Cahors 'Heritage' 2020“The 24-ha estate of Pascal and Jean-Marie Verhaeghe has done as much as any to improve the recent quality of Cahors and provide the challenge it should be giving to the most profound Malbecs of Argentina - and some of the other great wines of France. Not only does the Domaine lead by example, but Pascal Verhaeghe has also been the driving force behind the Cahors ‘Quality Charter.' ANDREW JEFFORD The New France.
Made from 100% Malbec including fruit grown by local producers that Pascal consults to. About 70% is lighter and finer material from the limestone plateau (the causses) and 30% richer and denser fruit from the iron-rich gravelly terraces of the Lot River valley. The vines average 25-30 years and about 85% of the fruit is currently certified organic, with one grower at year 2 in conversion.
Fermented for a total of 20 days, with regular punch-downs for the first 3 or 4 days only. Malo-lactic conversion is carried out in tank, then the wine is matured for 16 months in concrete tanks. 2020 was an excellent vintage, mostly sunny and dry and harvested in ideal conditions.2020MalbecFrance360$33.00 As low as $29.70 -
Cosse Maisonneuve Cahors Solis 2019Matthieu Cosse and Catherine Maisonneuve created Domaine Cosse Maisonneuve in 1999 after taking over the 5-hectare estate in the small region of Prayssac, near Cahors in the south west of France. The property was planted with 40-year-old Malbec (locally known as 'Cot') and they have now moved towards Certified organic and work with some biodynamic principles. Everything is by hand here and the wines are uncommonly elegant and round compared to the more rustic versions we are used to seeing.
No oak in this cuvee and it is so much better for it. That typical mulberry and boysenberry fruit leap out of the glass with a touch of licorice interspersed between wild bracken aroma. Approachable and fruity, with a soft, supple texture and dressed with a fine layer of smooth rich tannin. Vibrant and full of energy but still solidly built without feeling cumbersome or heavy. They really pull this off beautifully.
2019MalbecFrance360$47.00 As low as $42.30 -
Cosse Maisonneuve Cahors Solis 2020Matthieu Cosse and Catherine Maisonneuve created Domaine Cosse Maisonneuve in 1999 after taking over the 5-hectare estate in the small region of Prayssac, near Cahors in the south west of France. The property was planted with 40-year-old Malbec (locally known as 'Cot') and they have now moved towards Certified organic and work with some biodynamic principles. Everything is by hand here and the wines are uncommonly elegant and round compared to the more rustic versions we are used to seeing.
No oak in this cuvee and it is so much better for it. That typical mulberry and boysenberry fruit leap out of the glass with a touch of licorice interspersed between wild bracken aroma. Approachable and fruity, with a soft, supple texture and dressed with a fine layer of smooth rich tannin. Vibrant and full of energy but still solidly built without feeling cumbersome or heavy. They really pull this off beautifully.
2018MalbecFrance360$47.00 As low as $42.30 -
Chateau du Cedre Cahors 'Chateau' 2022More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2022MalbecFrance360$60.00 As low as $54.00