It is hard to believe a month has flown by since we opened our doors at Vinified Wine. We have been absolutely blown away by the excitement and support we've received; it has been beyond our wildest expectations.
We are delighted to have even more exciting news to share with you. This week saw the launch of our new mixed cases; a great way to explore new wines. We are offering four options: whites, reds, a mix of both, as well as a case of our seasonal favourites.
We are also highlighting three outstanding producers who we believe are making some of the best wine in the world:
• Jules Desjourneys – making exceptional wines from the Mâconnais and Beaujolais
• Thierry Germain – a leader in biodynamic wine
• Emidio Pepe – legendary producer in Abruzzo
A huge thank you to those of you who have emailed to tell us which wines you’re enjoying. We love to hear your feedback, so please keep it coming via email or social media – you can find us on Instagram @vinifiedwine.
The launch of our mixed cases
Our mixed cases are for those customers who would like us to do the picking, while they do the drinking! Our cases are perfect for exploring new wines, as well as sharing with friends and family. Each 12-bottle case will consist of six wines – two bottles of each so you have one to drink, and one to share (or not share, we'll leave that up to you). And all our mixed cases include shipping.
Whites – with wines from France, Spain, Portugal, Greece, New Zealand, and South Africa, our white case takes you around the world in six wines
Reds – our red selection showcases a range of wines; from classic regions (Rioja, Rhone, and Beaujolais) to some of the most exciting "new" regions (Etna, Bierzo, and Swartland)
Whites and Reds – a mixed case of both
Autumn Selection – we will offer our seasonal favourites throughout the year
Jules Desjourneys
Fabien Duperray was one of Burgundy’s leading fine wine agents (representing the likes of Jean-François Coche, Arnaud Ente, and Pierre Morey) until he decided to become a vigneron himself. Now his name is synonymous with the production of world-class wines in Beaujolais and Mâconnais.
In 2007, he purchased ancient Gamay vineyards in Fleurie and Moulin-à-Vent, including vines that were more than 140 years old. In 2014, he partnered with Fuissé's Christophe Thibert to buy parcels in a range of Mâconnais appellations.
Jules Desjourneys is certified organic, however Duperray takes it a step further and farms biodynamically. Everything is done by hand, from viticulture to winemaking. He doesn’t own a tractor, so even the soil is tilled by hand. Often the last in the appellation to pick - sometimes by more than a week - Duperray harvests only when the grapes have achieved maximum ripeness. This approach has resulted in a cult following for his wines and they have received much critical acclaim.
We are always on the hunt for exciting new wines and producers, and Jules Desjourneys has been one of our best discoveries this year. The Fleurie is produced in the Burgundian style (no carbonic maceration), resulting in an age-worthy wine that is incredibly concentrated and long. The beautiful Pouilly-Fuissé is equally concentrated, with a lovely mouthfeel and tension, and surpasses many premier crus from the Cote d’Or.
See all wines from Jules Desjourneys
Thierry Germain
Coming from a long line of winemakers, Thierry Germain of Domaine des Roches Neuves is known the world over for being a leader in biodynamic wine production. Originally from Bordeaux, he moved to the Loire Valley in the early 1990s, where he was mentored by Charly Foucault of the world-famous Clos Rougeard. Their friendship resulted in Thierry converting his entire domaine to biodynamic viticulture.
Following outstanding vintages in 2012 and 2013, Thierry was awarded a three-star rating by La Revue de Vins du France, one of only two domaines in the Loire Valley. But then tragedy struck. Thierry suffered a life-threatening lesion on his brain, resulting in a severe case of amnesia in which he could barely recognise his own family. Slowly, he recovered but it was a long road to making wine again.
When he did get back into the vineyard, Thierry began to question all of the theory about winemaking. He started to make wine ‘with emotion’, listening to his vineyards to gain a holistic understanding, from the soil to the fruit and everything in between.
Every one of Thierry’s wines that we have tasted is outstanding. We are excited to offer his Franc de Pied (from ungrafted rootstock), Les Memoires (from 100+ year old vines, and Terre Chaudes (from the famous Les Poyeux vineyard). Thierry is producing stunning Cabernet Franc and these are elegant wines of incredible purity and depth.
“Much of the finest Cabernet Franc from Saumur-Champigny is now being made by Thierry Germain at Domaine des Roches Neuves.” – Jason Wilson, Vinous
Check out the wines from Thierry Germain
Emidio Pepe
A benchmark producer of Montepulciano and Trebbiano d’Abruzzo, Emidio Pepe is a pioneer of Italian biodynamic winemaking, producing some of the country’s most age-worthy, legendary wines. The now 15-hectare estate is perfectly situated in the hills between the Adriatic Sea and Apennine Mountains, meaning the vines receive warm summer sun but also cooling sea breezes.
The Pepe estate has been in the family since the late 1800s, and for much of that time grapes were sold to the local co-operative. In 1964, Emidio decided his grapes were too good to sell and started making his own wines. He decided to follow an artisanal and traditional path, a rare approach in that era of industrialised winemaking. Today, Pepe’s daughters and granddaughters help run the estate, continuing his traditional farming and winemaking methods.
All grapes are grown biodynamically, harvested and destemmed by hand, and fermented with indigenous yeast. The Trebbiano is trodden by foot in wooden tubs and the Montepulciano is crushed by hand.
At least half of the wine produced remains in the cellar – today containing around 350,000 bottles – and is released only when the family feels the vintage is at its best expression. Older reds, more than 10 years old, are decanted by hand into new bottles before being released.
The whites from Emidio Pepe are rich and textural from brief maceration, with bright acidity, while the Montepulciano is supremely age-worthy, complex, and long.
Shop wines from Emidio Pepe