A White Burgundy fit for Emperors

Domaine Bonneau du Martray 2011 Corton-Charlemagne, 750ml, $160.78+tax Variety: Chardonnay How would you like to share a bottle of wine with Frankish King and founder of the Holy Roman Empire, Charlemagne? Well, you can’t – he died in the year 814. But you can drink wine from a vineyard that he reputedly owned and that is named in his honour. And I guarantee that it will be one of the greatest white wine experiences of your life. This is Chardonnay of the highest caliber – sumtuous, concentrated, complex and long lived. Domaine Bonneau du Martray has been making wine here for almost two centuries and has some of the largest holdings of any Domaine in Corton-Charlemagne. As a gift, or … (Click for more)

Value in Burgundy? Try Domaine Tollot-Beaut!

Domaine Tollot-Beaut 2013 Chorey-Les-Beaune Village Red, 750ml, $52.08+tax Variety: Pinot Noir 2013 Aloxe-Corton Village Red, 750ml, $69.47+tax Variety: Pinot Noir How can a $50+ bottle of wine be considered good value you ask? Because it’s from Burgundy! As wine lovers know, prices for the wines of Burgundy have soared in recent years, putting many bottles out of reach even for relatively well-to-do folks. So it’s a wonderful thing that Marquis Wine Cellars carries the well priced – and delicious – wines of Domaine Tollot-Beaut. Nathalie Tollot represents the fifth generation of the Tollot family to make wine in the commune of Chorey-Les-Beaune, from family-owned vines in four communes including Chorey. The two villages level wines currently in stock at Marquis … (Click for more)

Forgotten Vines Not Forgotten at Marquis Wine Cellars!

Les Vignes Oubliees 2014 Terrasses du Larzac Rouge, 750ml, $41.65+tax Varieties: 60% Grenache, 20% Carignan, 20% Syrah Appellation: Terrasses du Larzac Les Vignes Oubliees translates as The Forgotten Vines, which was in fact the fate these particular vines were suffering until Jean-Baptiste Granier and Ollivier Julien recognized their potential. Planted on terraces and in valleys near the commune of St. Privat in the Terasses du Larzac appellation of the Languedoc, these vines were unsuitable for the industrial agriculture that dominated local production. Now that the vines are farmed organically and the wine made manually, the true potential of the terroir can shine through. Especially cool is the barrel cellar, a natural subterranean grotto that was used in Roman times for … (Click for more)

Domaine du Pas de l’Escalette

Domaine du Pas de l’Escalette 2015 Les Petits Pas Rouge, 750ml, $32.95+tax Varieties: Syrah, Grenache, Cinsault, Carignan Appellation: Terraces du Larzac 2014 Les Clapas Rouge, 750ml, $39.04+tax Varieties: Carignan, Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah Appellation: Terraces du Larzac 2014 Les Pas de D, 750ml, $46.00+tax Varieties: Syrah, Grenache, Carignan Appellation: Terraces du Larzac 2014 Les Clapas Blanc, 750ml, $52.02+tax Varieties: Carginan Blanc, Terret Bourret, Grenache Blanc Appellation: IGP Herault Terraces du Larzac is arguably the greatest appellation in the Languedoc, producing distinctive, delicious and often ageable wines from blends Southern France’s signature red grape varieties like Syrah, Grenache, Carignan and Cinsault. Domaine du Pas de l’Escalette is one of the areas leading producers, and we at Marquis are thrilled to be bringing … (Click for more)

Provenquiere – Great Value from France

Domaine de la Provenquiere 2012 Sauvignon Blanc, 750ml, $18.17+tax 2013 Merlot, 750ml, $18.17+tax Domaine de la Provenquiere calls its line of varietal wines “Les Fruits Defendus”, the Forbidden Fruit, a moniker that speaks to the pure pleasure derived from drinking these fruit forward, easy going, delicious wines.  You can taste the Languedoc sun in these wines – a Sauvignon Blanc full of tropical aromas and flavours like mango and kiwi, and a Merlot showing dense, ripe plum and liquorice.  These are not wines to think deeply about, just to enjoy with friends while pretending to be lunching amidst the olive groves and fields of jasmine in southern France.

Back from the Southern Rhone – Domaine Constant-Duquesnoy

Domaine Constant-Duquesnoy 2012 Cotes du Rhone “Lou Combaou”, 750ml, $27.74+tax Varieties: 50% Grenache, 50% Syrah 2013 Vinsobres, 750ml, $30.35+tax Varieties: 60% Grenache, 40% Syrah 2013 Vinsobres “Confidence”, 750ml, $42.52+tax 2014 Vinsobres “In Fine”, 750ml, $60.78 Varieties: 50% Grenache, 50% Syrah The little town of Vinsobres lends its name to one of the Rhone Valley’s most recently (2006) declared Crus, a designation that recognizes the special character and quality of the wines made from the Grenache and Syrah grapes grown in the surrounding area.  Marquis is the proud importer of Vinsobres’ Domaine Constant-Duquesnoy, who have been singled out by no less than Robert Parker for the outstanding quality of their wines.  For the first time, we’ll be bringing in their top … (Click for more)

Exciting New Burgundy coming to Marquis – Chateau de la Maltroye

2013 Chassagne Montrachet Villages Rouge, 750ml, $55.48+tax Variety:Pinot Noir   2008 Santenay 1er Cru “La Comme”, 750ml, $60.96+tax Variety: Chardonnay   2013 Chassagne Montrachet Villages, 750ml, $69.19 Variety: Chardonnay   2013 Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru “Clos du Chateau de la Maltroye”, 750ml, $93.83 Variety: Chardonnay   Chateaux are far more common in and characteristic of Bordeaux than they are of Burgundy, where producers often work out of modest facilities despite the high prices their wines fetch.  That said, there are exceptions, and Marquis is proud to be importing several wines from Chateau de la Maltroye, who operate out of a grand 18th Century house in the village of Chassagne-Montrachet, itself built over top of vaulted cellars dating from the 15th … (Click for more)

Coming Soon: Champagne Paul Bara – A Marquis Classic!

Brut Reserve N/V, 375ml, $34.69 Rose Grand Bouzy N/V, 375ml, $37.30 2006 Brut, 375ml, $40.78 Brut Reserve N/V, 750ml, $60.78 Rose Grand Bouzy N/V, 750ml, $66.86 2007 Brut, 750ml, $76.43 2005 Special Club, 750ml, $104.26 2005 Comtesse Marie de France, 750ml, $113.39   The House of Bara was established in the aptly named Champagnois town of Bouzy in 1833, and has remained in family hands ever since.  All their grapes are estate grown in classified Grand Cru vineyards in Bouzy, located on the famed Montagne de Reims, where Champagne’s highest quality Pinot Noir grapes are grown.  Accordingly, Bara’s blends always contain a high percentage of Pinot Noir, lending them a rich, full character.  Every year, Marquis brings in several wines … (Click for more)

Xiloca is coming back to Marquis!

Bodegas Vinae Mureri  2013 Xiloca, 750ml, $20.78+tax Variety: Grenache Appelation: Vino de la Tierra Ribera del Jiloca   Bodegas Vinae Mureri  2010 Oro de  Xiloca, 750ml, $25.13+tax Variety: Grenache Appelation: Vino de la Tierra Ribera del Jiloca   The hot, dry interior of Spain is all about old, gnarly Garnacha bush vines – indeed, there is some evidence that the variety originated in the Aragon region.  Here, around 1000m up on slate slopes, Jose Antonio Martin restored the old, under-appreciated vines on his family’s estate while acquiring more from neighbouring growers.  Vineyard work is done manually, as the slopes are too steep for mechanical equipment, and yields are very low.  Given the age of the vines – an average of … (Click for more)

New wines from Rioja in store now!

Heras Cordon 2012 Rioja Vendimia Seleccionada, 750ml, $34.69+tax Varieties: 90% Tempranillo, 5% Mazuelo, 5% Graciano Appellation: Rioja   Heras Cordon 2010 Rioja Reserva, 750ml, $56.43+tax Varieties: 90% Tempranillo, 5% Mazuelo, 5% Graciano Appellation: Rioja   The Heras Cordon family name has been associated with winemaking in Rioja since the 19th Century, but the modern winery and barrel cellar where their wines are now made date only from the 2001 vintage.  The wines are made from 50 ha of estate vineyards in Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa combined with grapes from independent growers with whom they work closely.  Like all traditional Riojas, they see extended ageing in both barrel and bottle before release – 12 months each for the Vendimia Seleccionada, … (Click for more)