Half Bottle: Brouilly 2019, Chateau du Pavé

Owned by Michel Brac de la Perrière and his children, this is now where Chris Piper is making his ‘Chairman’s Plonk’ , having left Château des Tours after the 2000 vintage. This is a structured Brouilly where there is a dominant raspberry and cassis fruit, soft tannins and an essential, refreshing balancing acidity. From the superlative 2019 vintage.

Originally established in 1631 by Antoine Brac, this three hectares vineyard is perfectly situated at the foot of the Côte de Brouilly. The vines are cultivated using the ’eco-firendly’ methods, yields are kept impressively low and there is minimal intervention in the cuvage (winery), allowing the exceptional terroir to show through.