I took a few folk from the Rendez-Vous Francais de Londres to a wine-tasting at my favourite Frenchy hangout in central London, La Trouvaille… This particular wine-club evening was themed on biodynamic wines from the Côtes du Rhône, showcasing specifically a selection from a small domaine by the name of Les Aphillanthes, run by husband and wife duo Daniel and Helène Boulle who got into biodynamic viticulture after discovering that their son suffered strong allergies which this kind of vine growing could prevent.
The one I found most exciting was the one I ended up buying, naturally, a Cotes du Rhone Villages called L’Ancestrale du Puits, a 2004 vintage – complex, richly fruity, a bit meaty – aged in steel-lined vats so without the overbearing oaky notes and will be great kept for another 10-15 years.
