Hey you lovely lot,

Fionn on a Tuesday and currently stuck in traffic on the commute. I thought I’d cheer up on the overcrowded top deck with a quick mailer about what’s fresh. Let’s see how far I get…

Over the weekend, we had some Labet drop (still a few reds hanging around), but what might have gotten lost in the sauce is a little restock on some less hyped producers. The new Gahier bottles are seriously limited, but luckily for both you and I, they’re priced pretty keenly given the quality. This guy’s been quietly producing top-tier wine for years and the hype is finally catching up if the quantities received are anything to go by. We’ve got a few different Trousseau to get stuck into, whilst the whites are serious and cellar-worthy. Yellow wine just ‘cos.

We also got some Crinquand back in. The CV reads like a dream. Bornard + St Pierre to name but a few. The red is lithe and lifted whilst the new Savagnin is textured and saline.

Oh, and don’t sleep on La Grappa’a. Despite only a few vintages under their belt, these wines are impressively polished. I’m guessing it’s all that gorgeous fruit they've been growing for years. Thankfully, their contracts have expired so the local co-op can’t blend it away anymore. The whites are accomplished and the Ploussard flows like only good Ploussard can. The whole range is chef’s kiss.

What else? Upon entering the warehouse I was delighted to find a great big stack of Pataille. New stuff, restocks, and plenty of deliciousness to be had. Pataille doin’ the Pataille thing with some more single-site Aligoté. This is from 72-year-old vines facing nicely southwest, still very fresh with lots of those minerals. Then there’s this from 100-year-old vines. A bit broader, I would forgive you for thinkin’ we’re in Chardy land if you got served this blind. Both are pristine examples of how good the grape can be. If you need to be acquainted with the house style and why Sylvain is rightly considered the master of the grape see here.

Another laughably good ‘village level’ wine is the Marsannay Blanc. I’m going all in on this now as it’s entering the sweet spot where freshness meets full fruit. This is what I’m saving up for though, the most sought-after and accomplished of the Chardonnay offering. The pick of the bunch from a cellar quite literally overflowing with class.

Finally, this weekend we’ll be throwing Lawrence Barrow into the Ken's hot house for a scintillating weekend of his concept, Hearth & Tine. Lawrence draws on worldly experience, with stints in Tuscany, Melbourne and NZ complimenting his spells heading up the kitchens at 12:51 and Elodie in London. Hearth & Tine aims to champion Irish produce and ingredients. Showcasing these ingredients in an interesting way with a focus on open-fire cooking, fermentation and foraging. I'm hungry. I had the pleasure of dining at Ken’s last week and lets just say the cellar is STACKED. It’s very much full of hard to get and allocated things at very fair prices atm. Reservations are now live albeit in scarce supply for Saturday the 22nd and Sunday the 23rd. Do your thing.
That’s all folks,

LYSM

Fionn

xoxo