R S J

R e s t a u r a n t

MUSCADET DE SEVRE ET MAINE SUR LIE 

DOMAINE LUNEAU-PAPIN

		Incl VAT
2006	Domaine Pierre de la Grange	£6.95	WL624
2006	Le Clos des Allees, Vieilles Vignes	£7.70	WL625

Pierre Luneau’s finest cuvee is called ‘L’ d’Or and is vinified with ageing in mind:

1996	Le ‘L’ d’Or de Pierre Luneau	£11.70	WL626
1995	Le ‘L’ d’Or de Pierre Luneau	£12.05	WL627
1993	Le ‘L’ d’Or de Pierre Luneau	£12.95	WL630
1990	Le ‘L’ d’Or de Pierre Luneau	£12.95	WL628

All Pierre and Moniques wines are sur lie , meaning that they stay on the fine lees until bottling, normally in the March or April following the harvest. This gives the wines more weight, a slight yeasty touch and a tiny prickle at the back of the throat as you swallow. Pierre vinifies his wines separately vineyard by vineyard, soil type by soil type.

2006 was a vintage with ripe fruit and enough acidity to give balance & freshness. Recent vintages of Clos des Allees have been praised in the Telegraph and given 3 stars in the renowned “Guide Hachette”.

ANJOU

CHATEAU PIERRE-BISE: CLAUDE PAPIN

		Incl VAT
2004	Savennieres, Clos de Coulaine	£9.95	WL612
2005	Anjou Gamay	£7.95	WL690
2005	Anjou Villages, Clos de Coulaine	£8.55	WL696
2005	Anjou Villages, ‘Sur Spilite’	£9.95	WL700
2005	Coteaux du Layon-Beaulieu, Clos de la Soucherie (50cl)	£13.25	WL903
2005	Coteaux du Layon-Beaulieu, 'Les Rouannieres' (50cl)	£13.50	WL904
2005	Coteaux du Layon-Chaume (50cl)	£14.25	WL939
2003	Quarts de Chaume (50cl)	£20.95	WL932

Claude vinifies his wines according to different soil types. His main property Chateau Pierre-Bise is not far from the Quarts de Chaume and overlooks the Layon Valley. From here comes his powerful Anjou Blanc: “Haut de la Garde” made from 100% Chenin Blanc and his various concentrated cuvees of sweet wine. Several years ago, Claude took over Francois Roussier’s renowned vineyard: Clos de Coulaine in Savennieres. Long an RSJ favourite, the wines remain just as good under Claude’s care. His fine Beaulieu: Clos de la Soucherie is new to the list this year and represents excellent value for such a benchmark example of Coteaux du Layon.

DOMAINE DE BABLUT: CHRISTOPHE DAVIAU

		Incl VAT
2006	Sauvignon Blanc (Vin de Pays)	£7.85	WL605
2003	Coteaux de l'Aubance 'Cuvee Unique’	£16.50	WL906

Christophe is typical of the new generation of vignerons in France. Many of the previous generation thought that foreign wines came from the next village down the road! Christophe studied in Bordeaux before spending some 18 months in Australia. Now he is fully in charge at Bablut and busy making essential changes to the previously rather ramshackle winery, working in an entirely organic way. His Coteaux de l'Aubance Grand Cuvees are vinified and aged in oak. Christophe’s delicious vin de pays: Sauvignon Blanc merits consideration: there is no AC for Sauvignon in the region currently, this however is worthy of that status.

CHATEAU DE LA ROULERIE: PHILIPPE GERMAIN

		Incl VAT
2006	Anjou Blanc Chenin Sec	£8.75	WL616
2006	Anjou Rouge Cabernet Franc	£7.50	WL689

Philippe, the brother of Thierry of Domaine des Roches Neuves fame, has recently acquired this beautiful property. The Chenin is beautifully balanced with lovely ripe fruit and good acidity and the red has a lovely weight and concentration.

DOMAINE OGEREAU: VINCENT OGEREAU

		Incl VAT
2006	Rose de Loire	£7.25	WL680
2006	Anjou Blanc Sec	£7.50	WL602
2005	Anjou Blanc Sec ‘Cuvee Prestige’	£10.15	WL606
2004	Savennieres, Clos du Grand Beaupreau	£12.35	WL618
2006	Anjou Rouge	£7.50	WL688
2005	Anjou-Villages	£9.75	WL704
2005	Anjou Villages ‘Cote de la Houssaye’	£15.95	WL702
2005	Coteaux du Layon-St. Lambert	£10.30	WL901
2003	Coteaux du Layon-St. Lambert 'Cuvee Prestige' (50cl)	£12.75	WL915
2002	Coteaux du Layon-St Lambert ‘Clos des Bonnes Blanches’ (50cl)	£19.25	WL916

Vincent is thoroughly modern in his approach to quality wine-making. His winery is impeccably clean with high quality throughout his Chais. Vincent is a great believer in Chenin Blanc. His Anjou Blanc is always 100% Chenin, never with any added Chardonnay. The Cuvee Prestige Anjou Blanc is aged in oak and can be compared to fine Savennieres. His bright hued, dry Rosé de Loire has an enjoyable red fruit character with zest and style.

Vincent’s reds are some of the best in the appellation. His “straight” Anjou Rouge is nowadays made in a slightly lighter style for earlier drinking, whilst his “Villages” wines are sterner stuff and need a few years cellaring to show their finest attributes.

Two new wines that he has introduced us to are a delicious Savennieres where he has a very small production and the ‘Cote de la Houssaye’, which is a plot made from entirely Cabernet Sauvignon

Vincent also makes very elegant and refined Coteaux du Layons - as an “entry level” - try the 2004 St. Lambert - a lovely wine and a snip at £10.30

DOMAINE DES ROCHELLES: JEAN-YVES AND ANITA LEBRETON

		Incl VAT
2003	Anjou Villages	£9.75	WL691
2006	Anjou Villages 'La Croix de Mission'	£11.75	WL692

Jean-Yves and his father Hubert, now in retirement, have long been known as the best red wine producers in Anjou. They manage to get a generous ripeness and concentration of fruit into their wines matched by few others in Anjou. Red Anjou can be tannic, harsh and acidic. This is certainly not the case with Jean-Yves’s wines. The secret lies in his vineyards, which have a gravel and quartz topsoil lying above blue schist. This makes the soil very warm and means that even Cabernet Sauvignon ripens fully. The ‘straight’ Anjou Village is mainly Cabernet Franc, whilst the Croix de Mission is 90% Cabernet Sauvignon. Both are delightful now and will certainly repay keeping for a time.

SAUMUR 

DOMAINE DES HAUTS DE SANZIERS: DOMINIQUE TESSIER

		Incl VAT
2006	Saumur Blanc	£6.65	WL601
2006	Saumur Rouge	£6.65	WL687

This is a large estate of some 100 hectares run by Dominique and his sister in the southern part of the Saumur appellation. Made to be easy drinking, they can still age surprisingly well. These are a good introduction to the Loire Valley - as they are not at all aggressive or assertive and have good soft fruit.

DOMAINE DE NERLEUX: REGIS NEAU

		Incl VAT
2006	Saumur Blanc	£7.20	WL603
Brut	Cremant de Loire	£8.95	WL790
2005	Saumur Champigny	£8.15	WL707
2005	Saumur Champigny, ‘Chatains’ Vieilles Vignes	£11.30	WL709

The Neaus are a well known and respected family in the Saumur area. Robert Neau, now in his 80s and still wonderfully sprightly, is the grand old man of the appellation. Marcel Neau was Director of the famous Saumur Co-operative for many years. Robert's son, Regis, makes an excellent range of attractive wines at this well-kept property.

The Cuvee: Les Chatains, made from old vines, is best kept for a couple of years and in good vintages will age gracefully for at least ten years. The Cremant de Loire, which is a blend of Chenin Blanc and Chardonnay, is the house sparkler at the RSJ - with good reason..

CHATEAU DE VILLENEUVE: JEAN-PIERRE CHEVALLIER

		Incl VAT
2006	Saumur Blanc	£9.50	WL714
2005	Saumur Champigny	£9.50	WL711
2005	Saumur Champigny, Vieilles Vignes	£11.65	WL714
2005	Saumur Champigny ‘Le Grand Clos’	£16.95	WL713

During this decade Jean-Pierre Chevallier has established himself as one of the most talented producers in the Saumur region. But there is no secret to his wines. Their quality comes from the vineyard. To make great wine you have to have the best possible fruit. Jean-Pierre's vineyards are immaculately kept. The Saumur Blanc: shows what can be done with Chenin Blanc if you keep the yields down and pick when the grapes are ripe, a truly wonderful wine

DOMAINE DES ROCHES NEUVES: THIERRY GERMAIN

		Incl VAT
2006	Saumur Blanc, L’Insolite	£11.95	WL610
2006	Saumur Champigny, Domaine des Roches Neuves	£9.60	WL706
2004	Saumur Champigny, Terres Chaudes	£11.65	WL708
2002/3	Saumur Champigny, Marginale	£17.25	WL715

Thierry is a young producer who took over this famous property from Denis Duveau in 1991. With boundless energy Thierry has quickly become one of the top producers in the region. He makes 3 different cuvees, the Domaine - no wood and bottled early, to preserve the fruit, Terres Chaudes - aged in oak and bottled in September, and Marginale - from old vines, 12 - 18 months in oak. He also makes a small amount of barrel fermented Saumur Blanc from 75 year old vines which he bottles in September: L’Insolite.

TOURAINE – COMMUNES: 

 CHINON 

PHILIPPE ALLIET

		Incl VAT
2005	Chinon, Tradition	£10.15	WL725
2004/5	Chinon, Vieilles Vignes	£12.65	WL733
2003/4	Chinon, Coteau de Noire	£15.05	WL732

With long ageing in new oak barrels, Philippe Alliet, a cousin of Christophe Baudry, makes a very individual Chinon. Not at all like the easy drinking wine many Chinons are, this is broodingly deep coloured and concentrated. To show its best it ideally needs five years. Philippes Vieilles Vignes is particularly successful and is one of the most sought after reds of the whole valley.

DOMAINE DE LA PERRIERE: JEAN AND CHRISTOPHE BAUDRY

		Incl VAT
2006	Chinon	£8.50	WL720
2005	Chinon, Vieilles Vignes	£9.95	WL724
2002	Chinon, Vieilles Vignes	£10.50	WL727
1996	Chinon, Vieilles Vignes	£13.95	WL728
2006	Chinon Blanc Baudry Dutour	£10.15	WL636

The Baudrys do not like moving: the family bought their present property in 1664!!! They now own 40 hectares of vineyard in Cravant Les Coteaux on the gravel beds just to the north of the River Vienne. This produces attractive mid weight wines, which (especially their straight Chinons) are ready to drink in their youth – 2003 is drinking superbly. The Vieilles Vignes needs a little more time but is less tannic than the wines made from grapes grown on the limestone Coteaux. .

CHATEAU DE COULAINE: ETIENNE BONNAVENTURE

		Incl VAT
2004	Chinon, Bonnaventure	£10.05	WL722
2002	Chinon, Diablesse	£13.25	WL729

A recent addition to our list, Monsieur Bonnaventure’s Chinons have lovely ripe fruit, good length and complexity. The Cuvee ‘Diablesse’ is aged in 50% new oak

 BOURGUEIL 

‘LES GALICHETS’: CATHERINE AND PIERRE BRETON

		Incl VAT
2002	Bourgueil, Nuits d’Ivresse	£11.50	WL775

Pierre is uncompromising when it comes to the attainment of perfection. He dedicates himself to this pursuit with a single-mindedness that borders on the fanaticism. Needless to say, he works entirely organically and is parsimonious with regard to any sort of additive. All Pierre’s wines are entirely hand-harvested throughout his 15 hectare estate and they are never filtered.

 ST. NICOLAS DE BOURGUEIL 

FREDERIC MABILEAU

		Incl VAT
2006	St.Nicolas de Bourgueil Les Rouilleres	£8.75	WL753
2006	St.Nicolas de Bourgueil Les Coutures	£12.15	WL754
2005	St.Nicolas de Bourgueil Cuvee Eclipse	£13.75	WL755
2005	Bourgueil ‘Racines’	£10.95	WL767

Frederic is Jean-Paul’s talented son, who is now making wine from his own vineyards in St. Nicolas. Les Rouilleres comes from the vines on sand and gravel - particularly soft and succulent and so very easy to drink now. The Cuvee Eclipse comes from older vines on clay & flint soil, aged in oak and needs a few years bottle age to show its true colours. Frederic now has some vines in Bourgueil and his ‘Racines’ is delicious

EASTERN TOURAINE

VIGNOBLES DES BOIS VAUDONS: JEAN-FRANCOIS MERIEAU

		Incl VAT
2006	Touraine Sauvignon, L’Arpent des Vaudons	£7.65	WL647
2006	Touraine Gamay, Les Bois Jacou	£7.65	WL785

A recent addition to our list, these wonderfully fruity and well balanced wines are made by the rising star of this region, Jean-Francois Merieau. He has 45 hectares of vines in the Cher region of Touraine, 16 of which are planted with Sauvignon and the rest with Gamay, Cot and Cabernet Franc.

 VOUVRAY 

DOMAINE CHAMPALOU : DIDIER CHAMPALOU

		Incl VAT
2005	Vouvray Sec	£8.95	WL661
2004	Vouvray Le Clos du Portail	£11.50	WL646
2004	Vouvray Cuvee des Fondraux (Demi-Sec)	£9.25	WL643
2001	Vouvray Cuvee Moelleuse	£13.50	WL943
	Vouvray Brut - Methode Traditionelle	£9.95	WL791

Didier & Catherine Champalou are a charming young couple who whilst very serious about their wines have a refreshingly cheerful outlook on life. They have a small estate of around 19 hectares close to Vouvray itself. In recent years their wines have become hugely popular as their reputation for quality has propelled them to the top of the pole in their local hierarchy, making wines with a lovely purity to them. The Clos du Portail is a special, small parcel of vines vinified in new oak

 SANCERRE & POUILLY-FUME 

ROGER CHAMPAULT ET FILS

		Incl VAT
2006	Sancerre Blanc, ‘Les Pierris’	£10.50	WL662
2006	Sancerre Blanc, ‘Les Pierris’ Halves:	£5.65	WL1003
2006	Sancerre Rouge, ‘Les Pierris’	£10.50	WL677
2005	Sancerre Rouge, Cote de Champtin	£15.25	WL678
2006	Menetou Salon, Clos de la Cure	£9.75	WL657