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Green and Blue, winners of Decanter’s Small Independent Wine Merchant of the Year Award 2008 stock two wines which are seldom seen in the UK - Entraygues et du Fel AC and Marcillac AC. These wines are really from deepest Southwest France coming from the upper Lot Valley and the Aveyron
2005 Laurent Mousset Entraygues et du Fel’ (£9.10) Like the wines of Marcillac, the dominant variety here is Fer Servadou although Laurent Mousset chooses to add some Cabernet Franc for a bit of added weight and texture. It is a wine typical of the reds from the southwest corner which we love so dearly. The red fruit is bright and zippy and although there is some rustic grip (these are not slick, glossy wines), they are essentially light and fairly soft. These are wines to refresh body and soul and indeed, they used to be drunk instead of water (which sounds like a recipe for a far more entertaining day than those we spend sipping piously on Evian). Although there is fabulous earth and stone flavours underlying the red cherry and raspberry fruit, this is not a wine to be studied with reverence, rather knocked back with gusto.
2006 Domaine du Cros Marcillac ‘Lo Sang del Pais’ (£8.75) Marcillac is rarely seen outside its own little part of SW France between Rodez and the beginnings of the Auvergne. It’s not because the wines can’t be good, but there’s just so little to go round – only eight independent winemakers exist and the number can’t expand because all the best sites (particularly the incredibly steep south-facing slopes with their dramatic terracotta coloured soil) are already taken. It’s the combination of soil and the mansois grape that gives Marcillac it’s particular taste, a sort of wild, vibrant, leafy, raspberry and bramble fruit that’s fresh and moreish.Philippe Teulier makes two styles of wine, his basic, traditional style (which this is) and a oaked version from older vines. While we love both, the purity of the gamey fruit in this swung it for us on this occasion
South London’s Green & Blue won Independent Wine Merchant of the Year in the Under 12 staff category. The judges praised the tiny two-shop chain run by former Conran sommelier Kate Thal, for its attention to detail, noting the fact that ’staff will even print out a tasting note’ if the wine is for a gift!
Green & Blue Lordship Lane, 38 Lordship Lane, East Dulwich London SE22 8HJ T: 0208 693 9250 F: 0208 693 9260
Green & Blue Clapham, 20 - 26 Bedford Road, Clapham. London SW4 7HJ T: 0207 498 9648 F: 0207 498 9649
Website: http://www.greenandbluewines.com
If you are ever lucky enough to get to the Aveyron, we can recommend some excellent cottages to rent owned by a couple of Californians – see wwww.frenchduck.com
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