Much has been written about the tip-top quality of the 2015 clarets, the en primeur campaign of which is in full swing, and there are indeed some absolute belters to be had, but at a price. And while a fine vintage in one region rarely guarantees a fine vintage in another, 2015 was a glorious exception with spectacular wines made across France not only in Bordeaux but also in Burgundy, the Rhône, Alsace, the Languedoc and beyond, in red, white and rosé.
This selection from Yapp Bros offers an excellent opportunity to discover just how good 2015 was throughout France. Indeed, so chuffed with the wines is Jason Yapp, and so keen that readers try them, that he has generously snipped a quid off every bottle. And because he loves us so much and it makes the maths easy, he’s discounted the mixed case even further to bring it in at exactly £120. Cheers Jas!
First, the 2015 Domaine de l’Idylle, Cuvée l’Orangerie (1), a deliciously light, dry, delicately scented white from Savoie in the foothills of the Alps. Made solely from the local Jacquère grape (originally introduced to the region by the monks at Chartreuse), it’s a first-rate quaffing wine and, as Jason declares, a veritable breath of mountain air, clean and fresh as a snowflake. £9.95 down from £10.95.
The 2015 Domaine Dominique Guyot, ‘Les Loges’ Pouilly Fumé (2) is Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc at its best — crisp and clean but full-flavoured too, with all the classic gooseberry and cut-grass aromas and, yes — no sniggering at the back please — cat’s pee too. Les Loges is at the very heart of the Pouilly Fumé appellation and this is a perfect example of just how classy the wines made here are. £14.25 down from £15.25.
I absolutely loved the 2015 Domaine St Gayan ‘Léa & Léa’ Côtes du Rhône Rosé (3). The palest of salmon pinks, it’s a tongue-tinglingly tasty blend of hand-picked Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah and Carignan made from vineyards in Gigondas owned and farmed by the Meffre family since 1709. Although dry on the finish, it’s full of luscious summer fruits and is about as ideal a picnic wine as I’ve had in ages. £9.50 down from £10.50.
The 2015 Domaine Les Filles de Septembre (4) from the Côtes de Thongue is a charming curiosity, a blend of Merlot, Grenache and Carignan and rather how I imagine the offspring of a union between Bordeaux and Languedoc to be. It’s soft (Merlot), spicy (Grenache) and earthy (Carignan) and utterly moreish. There’s plenty of ripe fruit here with an added touch of savouriness on the finish. I found it a bit closed at first but it opened up and spread its wings dramatically having been quickly sloshed round a carafe. Excellent value at £8.95 down from £9.95.
Readers loved the previous vintage of the 2015 Domaine du Roquemale ‘Meli Melo’ (5) when we offered it in the autumn and I’m delighted to say that this incarnation is even tastier. An organic Vin de Pays d’Herault, it’s made from old vine Alicante Bouschet, a red-fleshed grape that’s a cross between Grenache and Petit Bouschet and is now one of the most widely planted grapes in the Languedoc and Provence. It’s deeply coloured, wonderfully succulent and — at just 12 per cent alcohol by volume — a true vin de soif. £10.25 down from £11.25.
Finally, the pitch-perfect 2015 Gamay de l’Ardèche (6), a disarmingly approachable gulper-down from the Cave St-Desirat co-operative in the northern Rhône. Top-quality ripe fruit and resolutely modern winemaking (stainless steel, carbonic maceration, cool filtration and so forth) have resulted in an extremely amiable wine full of fresh red berries and the lightest touch of spice. I enjoyed it ever so slightly chilled and am not surprised in the least to discover that it’s been a decades-long stalwart of the Yapp list. £7.95 down from £8.95.
The mixed case has two bottles of each wine and delivery, as ever, is free.
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