DBM Fine Wines

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Remoissenet is one of the grand old names of Burgundy. Significant changes are underfoot since a change of ownership in 2005. Under the enormously engaging and entertaining management of Bernard Repolt, formerly at Jadot, the wines have entered a new stage. Significant Investment in modern winemaking equipment and the introduction of a new winemaker, Claudie Jobard, whose mother Laurence had an extremely successful 20 years at Drouhin, has brought new energy and focus to the business.

Tasting Notes

Very pretty pure Pinot Noir, not a big wine but lovely refreshing flavour, clean and bright – super value.

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Christophe Guillo, proprietor of “the End of the World” studied Oenology at Dijon and purchased his first vineyards in 1998. The Hautes Côtes de Beaune vines lie above Pommard in a vast cul-de-sac, surrounded by cliffs. Christophe has re-planted and works the vineyards by hand. Good value here.

Tasting Notes

AB - Deep still, with a wonderful dark violet spicy, silky nose. The palate has structure and finesse and needs time to come together. Lovely flavour and builds beautifully. Very pure.

Neal Martin 91-93/100; The 2013 Pommard 1er Cru les Rugiens has a gorgeous, floral bouquet that just blossoms in the glass with violet-infused black cherries and raspberry aromas. This is beautiful and very pure. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp, tensile tannins, plenty of spice and white pepper decorating the structured finish that lingers long in the mouth. 'tis a but a hail-defying success! erobertparker.com 2014

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This domaine remains below the radar yet is consistently one of the highlights of our trip to Burgundy. These are wines of intense purity and finesse with no shortage of lush fruit and should be staples in all Burgundy lovers’ cellars, particularly those who like to pull corks within five years of vintage.

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Olivier Lamy’s wines have a crystalline quality that really makes them stand apart. A better expression of the 2011 vintage would be hard to find. The impeccable winemaking and perfect balance of ripe acidity means these wines age very well. The domaine’s particularity is the high density at which they plant, including two plots of 30,000 vines per hectare, three times more than normal.

Tasting Notes

A deeper hue here, fabulous nose, real purity and finesse. The power here needs time to settle and integrate, this will take on flesh over the next three to five years and will fill out beautifully. Spicy fruit with power and structure.

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This domaine remains below the radar yet is consistently one of the highlights of our trip to Burgundy. These are wines of intense purity and finesse with no shortage of lush fruit and should be staples in all Burgundy lovers’ cellars, particularly those who like to pull corks within five years of vintage.

Tasting Notes

Brilliant ruby red with notes of cherries, brandied cherries, dark berries, violets and dried roses which recall nuances of citrus fruits and mint. On the palate noble and silky tannins. Very balanced with a long finish of fresh, delicate spices.

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Aldo Vaira's wines are characterised by pristine flavours and clearly defined perfumes. These characters are attributable to the position of his vineyards at about 400 metres above sea level in the village of Vergne in the commune of Barolo. G.D. Vajra was established in 1972 and named after Aldo's father, Giuseppe Domenico. Aldo has been gradually increasing the area under vine to 60 hectares, of which 10 are Nebbiolo for Barolo, located in such strategic spots as Bricco delle Viole, Fossati, La Volta and Coste di Vergne. A traditionalist, Aldo adheres to old-style winemaking methods, though blends these with new techniques, such as temperature controlled fermentation, to produce such superbly elegant wines.

The 'Bricco delle Viole' vineyard is located at altitudes of 380-470 metres above sea level in the commune of Barolo and covers 4.79 hectares. One part of the vineyard is planted with vines which are now over 60 years old and yield less than 30 hectolitres per hectare. Its high altitude and long ripening season gives the wine an aromatic complexity and richness that is lacking in lower vineyards.

Tasting Notes

“Great colour, Very elegant nose bursting with dark fruits, spice, chocolate, light wood, the intensity of flavour follows onto the graceful mouth-watering palate, with ripe tannins and a long refreshing black fruit finish. This is very classy wine making.”

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Rouillac is very old estate that reflects the family history of its successive owners. The most notable of these is Baron Haussmann, who acquired the domain in 1864. Chateau de Rouillac was his favourite retreat from the enormous work-site that he had turned Paris into. He ordered many improvements to the estate and fashioned the square courtyard with the stables and the orangerie,
In 2009 when Laurent Cisneros first set eyes on the property, he fell under the charm of this sleeping beauty and decided to link the destiny of his family with that of Rouillac that was crying out to be re-energized..

Tasting Notes

Very clean, mineral fruit. A little shy with acidity to the fore initially but then creamy fruit rolling in on the palate. Good length for this quality level. (AB/SM/AI)

16 Points, Jancis Robinson MW: "Assured, creamy nose. Real weight on the palate. Very clean and well balanced. Super correct. Very Côte d'Or. Good Value. 2014-2017."

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Château Clarke owes its name to an Irish family who bought the estate in the 18th century. Baron Edmond de Rothschild purchased Château Clarke in 1973 and entirely renovated it. The 54 hectares of vines grow on clay limestone rises perfectly suited to the Merlot variety (practically unique among fine Médoc estates). Since September 2001, the grapes have been hand-picked and brought to the cellar in small crates so as not to bruise them. They are then carefully sorted, crushed, and fermented in superb wooden vats. The wine is moved by natural gravity flow from the vat room to the cellar’s lower level, where it ages (essentially in new oak barrels) for 14-18 months. Reflecting its terroir, Château Clarke is concentrated and elegant. It combines power and subtlety, and has great ageing potential.
Baron Benjamin de Rothschild has headed Château Clarke’s dynamic winemaking team since 1997, displaying a passion for excellence in keeping with his father’s vision.
©ugcb

Tasting Notes

Lovely deep youthful colour, not extracted or black but deep and vigorous. The bouquet is immediately inviting, with a touch of sweet oak, lovely fresh Cassis fruit and a zippy herbal touch from the Cabernet Franc. The fruit has super texture and is easy to approach and drink now, whilst the ripe structure has the backbone too keep this going for 3 to 6 years with ease. An all round winner and a great example of the full supple wines that 2015 has delivered. 87% Merlot, 10% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc

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The Estate of Ch Fondarzac, is located on the slopes of Entre Deux Mers around the commune of Naujan and Postiac, in the north near the Dordogne has been in the family for over 400 years. In 1997 brothers Stephane and Alain Barthe took over the reins from their father and utilising Stephane’s winemaking experience in South Africa, have driven the estate forward.

Tasting Notes

Light gold in colour, with a delicate mousse. The nose unveils expressive notes of citrus, florals and white fruits. Well balanced with a delicate complexity, Chardonnay adds a lively, fresh fruitiness on the palate, whilst Pinot Noir gives the wine richness and length.

40% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir, 20% Pinot Meunier

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One of the original twenty-six Grandes Marques Champagne Houses, Champagne Ayala was acquired by the Bollinger family in 2005 and remains the archetype of a great Champagne House. Established in 1860 in Aÿ, and surrounded by the area’s most prestigious vineyards, the core range of cuvées epitomises the dry and elegant House style.

Ayala were pioneers in introducing a drier style of wine during the second half of the 19th century. Cellar master Caroline Latrive carefully ensures the House style is maintained, crafting wines renowned for their precision, delicacy and quality.

The Non-Vintage Brut is always the benchmark of a Champagne House and the origin of the Crus from which the fruit is sourced is a good indication of the quality of the wine. At Ayala, Crus such as Cramant for Chardonnay, Aÿ and Bouzy for Pinot Noir and Venteuil for Pinot Meurier have been used. These villages are some of the highest rated on the Echelle des Crus scale.

The wine spends an average of 3 years on its lees. Its extended ageing in cellar and low dosage makes it suitable for any occasion.

Tasting Notes

Vivid colour, very elegant as always with a touch of smoky fruit. Beautiful pastille fruit nose. Bright red fruit on the nose, very open and exotic, lovely weight of fruit. Juicy – will be approachable early. Very natural and pure.

Vintage Description

Last year, we asked Samuel Guilbert at Moulin de Gassac if he would specially bottle the lovely Guilhem Rosé in Magnums for us. They were magnificent and hugely popular, selling out far quicker than anticipated, hardly surprising, with its fresh, crisp acidity and mineral-toned summer berried fruits, this is a wine which is all too easy to quaff while relaxing in a shady spot in the garden.

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The Guibert family, Vignerons of the Mas de Daumas Gassac produces this affordable Languedoc Rosé using the skills they have developed at their famous property Mas de Daumas Gassac. The vineyards are near the Thau Lagoon, south of Aniene in between Bezier and Montpelier with Jurassic limestone slopes, with clay and flint. The resulting blend comprises 50% Carignan and 50% Grenache.

Vintage Description

The wine is made from Chardonnay 55%, and Pinot Noir 45%, grown in Tasmania’s Tamar Valley with a small percentage from the East Coast.

Tasting Notes

80% Pinot Noir, 20% Chardonnay, this is bright Salmon pink in colour with a liveley but fine mousse. A lovely broad nose with silky fruit on the palate. This is very elegant with a superb clean and fabulously long finish - unmissable!

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The Dethune family own 7ha of vineyards in the Grand Cru village of Ambonnay. The house has a similar relationship with its customers to that of a single Domaine in Burgundy, customers avoid paying the premium of a high profile house but have access to wines of outstanding quality.

The Dethune family have a strong following in export markets and we expect their wines to appear in top UK restaurants in the coming months.

Ambonnay is one of only 17 villages in Champagne with Grand Cru status and has a worldwide reputation for the quality of the Pinot Noir raised in the surrounding vineyards (Champagne Krug own vineyards here - Clos d'Ambonnay - currently their most prestigious cuvee).