Since planting their first vineyards in 1987, Jean and Catherine Montanet have been one of the main forces behind the revitalization of Vezelay as a wine region. Domaine Montanet-Thoden started as a “cave cooperative” but in 1999 Jean broke out of the cooperative and formed Domaine de la Cadette to create the best possible basis for making unvarnished wines that best reflect the terroir of Vezelay.

Today, the family runs three separate companies that produce wines according to the same basic principles (see also Domaine de la Cadette and La Soeur Cadette). Domaine Montanet-Thoden is owned by Catherine Montanet and Tom Thoden, but today the wines are made by his son Valentin, who continues the philosophy that was founded by his parents: organic work in the vineyards, minimal intervention in the cellar, zero fining or filtration and an absolute minimal addition of sulphur when bottling.

This is elegant and affordable Pinot Noir from northern Burgundy with a distinct mineral streak.

Champagne Irroy was founded in 1820 and has been owned by Champagne Taittinger since 1955.

Aromatic, rich and fruity with a deliciously crisp palate. The Extra Brut NV, is an elegant yet characterful Champagne, with a lightness of touch that makes it a perfect aperitif or party tipple. It is a blend of 30% Chardonnay (finesse and elegance), 50% Pinot Noir and 20% Pinot Meunier (structure, richness, fruitiness and a smooth mouthfeel), and is aged for a minimum of two and a half years before release.

Organic Grenache and Cinsault from the IGP Pays d'Hérault. Light and fresh with gentle red fruits combining with mineral hints.

100% Tannat aged in oak tuns and wooden tanks for 12 to 15 months. This wine is a deep, intense red. Elegant on the nose, with aromas of black fruits (blueberry and blackberry) dominating the hint of spice. A remarkable fullness on the palate, with tannic chewiness and unexpected roundness. The long finish has vanilla delicacy. A delightful wine, both powerful and elegant. It can easily be kept for 8 to 10 years. – Chateau Aydie.

Biodynamic. 

100% Cabernet Franc. 

Germain’s calling card is drawn from the domaine’s many parcels in Saumur. These varied sites grow on tuffeau/limestone soils around the communes of Varrains, Chaintres, Dampierre and Saumur. The vines range from 10 to 70 years old (with the average at around 30) and include the domaine’s ‘home’ vineyard, Le Clos, a site ploughed by the family’s Ardennais draft horse. Germain harvests by hand, employs cold soak infusion for some parcels and carries out the wild yeast fermentation and maturation mostly in tank. Aside from a minor 10 ppm SO2 at bottling, the wine sees no additions. Packed with youthful Saumur joie de vivre, this is a pure, elegantly floral red with perfumed dark cherry, anise and graphite notes and a juicy, supple, mouthwatering personality that pairs beautifully with cheese, paté, pork chops and roast chicken. In other words, the perfect bistro wine (that goes with every course)! The colour of the label this year is a kind of bluish slate.

Laurent-Perrier Brut NV is enjoyed for its creamy softness which comes from Chardonnay, the dominant grape in this elegant sparkling wine.

The Laurent-Perrier Champagne house was founded in 1812 and is the main company of the Laurent-Perrier Group, whose other flagship brands include the houses of Salon, De Castellane and Delamotte. Laurent-Perrier Group also acquired Chateau Malakoff in 2004.

Jean Foillard is one of Beaujolais’ most renowned producers and he makes this wine from a single vineyard in the famous Cote du Puy sub-region. Foillard’s wines are extremely complex and deep for an area known for light, juicy reds. 

Hand harvested without destemming, cold carbonic maceration (4 to 7 ºC), alcoholic fermentation with indigenous yeasts for 3-4 weeks, no sulphur added then 6 to 9 months in old oak.

Domaine Denis Race is a small, family run winery in Chablis. This Chardonnay uses no oak, resulting in a focused and linear wine. Steel ageing results in a very pure expression of terroir. The nose is fresh and mineral, with grassy and citrus notes. On the palate there is a textural richness, which is balanced by citrussy acidity and savoury minerality.

The House of Ruinart makes one of the most delicious champagnes we stock here in store; this sensationally full bodied, creamy blanc de blancs. This champagne is made 100% from Chardonnay and is a multi vintage blend with notes of intense white floral and peach aromas intermingled with hints of golden ripe yellow fruit and a complexity of white nutty notes on the finish. Crisp refreshing acidity adds length and tension to every great sip, which finishes with a lingering flavour. 

Most of the grapes in this wine and those in all Ruinart champagnes are grown in the Côte des Blancs and Montagne de Reims terroirs in Champagne.

* The House of Ruinart was first established in the Champagne region in 1729 and was inspired by a monk. 

Pink champagne is one of our favourite things here at Regional Wines and this special bottle comes from Ruinart, one of the oldest champagne houses still in existence today.  This gorgeous expression of pink champagne is made mostly from Pinot Noir, which makes up 55% of the blend, with the balance being 45% Chardonnay. Interestingly, nearly 20% of the Pinot Noir was vinified as red wine and blended into this complex, sensationally savoury style of wine. 

It is a multi vintage blend with between 20 to 25% overall from reserve wines made in the previous two vintages and blended with grapes from the current harvest. Complex flavours develop in these older wines while the retention of freshness is retained both by the high percentage of new wines and also the lees aging in bottle while the champagne is on tirage, following its second fermentation.  It's a complex process, which translates in the flavours of great champagnes, such as this one. 

Most of the grapes in this wine and those in all Ruinart champagnes are grown in the Côte des Blancs and Montagne de Reims terroirs in Champagne.

* The House of Ruinart was first established in the Champagne region in 1729 and was inspired by a monk. 

Juicy red with complex savoury notes following in the wake of lush berry flavours, made 100% from Cabernet Franc from Domaine Moly Saumur. This is a new producer for us in store at Regional and we're thrilled to bring this wine to you from French winemaker Etienne Moly, a respected producer in the Loire Valley, France. 

This elegant red (100% Tannat) comes from 30 year old vines in the Madiran appellation, south-west France. The Chateau Aydie red is fine, elegant and complex on the nose, with a blend of black fruit and coffee aromas. A very rich attack is followed by a quite mature consistency and silky tannins. This is an exceptional Madiran, powerful and complex, with good ageing potential.

100% Chardonnay from a region just to the southwest of Chablis, where there is still a fair bit of the much loved Kimmeridgean limestone, which gives the wines in this area the freshness and energy they are famous for. Lots of lime and lemon with just a touch of the exotic on the finish.