Chapeau Melon 2024 Region|Nahe

Chapeau Melon 2024 Region|NaheNourishing, everyday Merlot made from a blend of macerated and directly pressed juices, creating something inviting and very easy to drink. A vibrant poppy red in the glass, fruits are herbal, plummy, soft and compote like. There is a pleasing steak of umami running through it all, making things feel super digestible. Great value to be found here and proof that Merlot can show a bit of verve in the right hands. Ideally served lightly chilled. From 32

In recent years one of the big challenges in this part of France has been slow or stuck fermentations

this is fuller and richer than the 2011 and 2013

Crunchy green apple

The bitter herbal notes sit beside punchy stone fruit flavours making this wine a dream combination with aromatic spices

A glass of this with a plate of salumi is one of the finest aperitivo out there

Worked in this way the Syrah gives some gummy red fruits to frame the herbal

Then we discovered grower Champagne - quite simply wine made by producers who work in both vineyard and cellar to see the whole process through themselves

crunchy Bourgueil full of bright cranberry and cherry fruit and plenty of the herbaceous capsicum notes you'd expect from the grape

the juice is decanted into clean qvevri for a further 6 months rest

hearty meals

Pressed directly into steel

One of those rare beasts