Cuvée Léo 2022

Located in the Côtes du Forez, a small appellation in central France, this is Gamay with a unique twist. The region spans just 150 hectares (370 acres) and is home to only eleven wineries, most of which focus on natural and sustainable farming practices. Nadia and her partner/winemaker Maxime rent a small plot of 70-year-old Gamay vines from Gilles Bonnefoy, a well-respected biodynamic winemaker in the Eastern Loire. They treat the fruit with the utmost respect, employing minimal intervention to preserve the exceptional quality of these vines. Certified organic and farmed biodynamically since the early 2000s, the estate avoids pesticides and herbicides, using only small amounts of copper and sulphur when needed. Nadia works in harmony with the lunar cycle for vineyard tasks and harvest, continuing to use biodynamic preparations like nettle, homemade herbal teas, and horsetail, though without official certification. The wines reflect the true character of Gamay, but unlike Beaujolais, where soils are varied, the wines here are defined by the rich, iron-rich red clay. The result is a wine with dark, fruit-forward flavours, supple tannins, and subtle liquorice undertones. Winemaking Detail: Manuel pressing in a wooden press. 6 weeks of whole-cluster maceration. Semi-carbonic. Aged in two 500-litre barrels.

Manuel pressing in a wooden press. 6 weeks of whole-cluster maceration. Semi-carbonic. Aged in two 500-litre barrels.

A complex and refined nose of tight red berries; savoury notes of cured meat and pink peppercorn. The palate it finely grained; with heaps of black fruit and crushed raspberry. Juicy yet textured; the finish is long with great balance and poise.

Grillled Courgette, Lamb loin, Pizza

The Loire, France's longest river, is home to many much celebrated and quintessential French grapes. From the once ubiquitous-in-the-UK Melon de Bourgogne by the Atlantic coast, to the home of Sauvignon Blanc in Sancerre, via some of the world's best Chenin and crunchy Cabernet Francs, Gamays and Pinots there is quality all around. Being at the northernly limit for winemaking, the wines are hallmarked by their crisp, fresh, crunchy fruit and high acidity, where reds may sometimes struggle to ripen and whites nearly overdeliver on acidity. The 69 appellations that make up the larger region are grouped into smaller sub-regions with predominantly single variety wines leading the way. As you move east the climate changes markedly from maritime to continental as the soils change from flint and limestone to the hard granite of central France.