You will have to excuse the size of this week's offering but we recently received a great selection of wines from the Rhône Valley. Some of the wines listed below are returning favourites like Clos du Caillou but we also have some new additions to our portfolio from Domaine le Clos des Cazaux, Domaine la Collière and Domaine Raymond Usseglio.

All the wines listed below are currently in stock and orders can be placed by emailing Jon Ellison at jonellison@marquis-wines.com.

"The only 2011 Vacqueyras I was able to taste, and a tank-aged blend of equal parts Syrah and Grenache, the 2011 Vacqueyras Cuvee des Templier is a classic Vacqueyras with is upfront, beautifully fruited profile. Offering up loads of bright berry fruit, loamy earth, flowers and hints of old leather, it has a voluptuous, soft and easygoing feel that will make it ideal for drinking over the coming 3-5 years."

"Tasted out of barrel, the 2011 Gigondas Tour Sarrazine (same elevage/blend as the 2010) comes from higher elevation, terraced vineyards and is a blend of 75% Grenache and the balance Syrah and Mourvedre, aged 24 months in concrete tank. Medium to full-bodied, beautifully textured, focused and with bright acidity and notable tannin, this classic, age-worthy effort offers notions of underbrush, damp earth, ground pepper and spice as well as a core of vibrant fruit on the nose. Drink it over the coming decade or more."

Domaine le Clos de des Cazaux is a family-run domaine that has been growing grapes and making wine for five generations. Started at the turn of the century by Gabriel Archimbaud, the first man to sell Vacqueyras wine by the bottle with the village and estate name on the label, today the estate is run by Jean-Michel and Frédéric Vache. There are 48 hectares of vines spread out amongst the Vacqueyras, Gigondas and Côtes-du-Rhône AOCs. Annual production is roughly 130,000 bottles with half sold domestically and the rest exported around the world. From 1970 onwards Maurice and Lucette Vache dedicated themselves to cultivating and improving the vines of the Domaine and to develop the bottling and retail side of the business. They were joined by Jean-Michel in 1990 as he took over sales for the business, and then by Frédéric who is a Dijon trained oenologist with winemaker experience in South Africa. Since 2010 the estate has fully been in their hands but they have remained faithful to the family's traditional values and they continue to run the domaine with a care and passion that has earned them an excellent reputation with wine-lovers from around the world. 

"The top cuvee, which comes from the estate's oldest vines, is the 2011 Cotes du Rhone-Villages Rasteau La Fontaine, which is mostly old vine Grenache blended with a small amount of Mourvedre. The latter component is aged in 600-liter demi-muids and the Grenache spends time in tank. Its dense purple color is followed by copious notes of melted chocolate, kirsch, bouquet garni and a hint of smoked game. This "locked and loaded," full-bodied, rich, dense Rasteau is remarkably concentrated for a 2011. It should drink well for a decade."

"A blend of 40% Grenache Blanc, 30% Roussane, 20% Clairette and 10% Bourbolenc sourced from two distinct terroirs. There is surprising acidity to this wine that gives it a bright, focused mouthfeel. On the nose and palate you will detect notes citrus blossom, white flower and melon all underpinned by a saline-like minerality. This medium bodied wine is fresh and lively and will age for to 10 years in the cellar but it is very enjoyable in its youth."

"A field blend of close to 95% Grenache (from 100+-year-old vines) that's aged all in concrete, the 2012 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Imperiale is one of the stars in the vintage. Offering up gorgeous Grenache character, with ripe blackberry, kirsch, licorice, old pepper and earth, it is a full-bodied, rich and voluptuously textured effort that possesses fantastic purity, loads of fruit and grippy tannin. It should be reasonably approachable on release, yet benefit from a handful of years in the cellar. Drink 2016-2027."

Not to be confused with his brother's estate, Domaine Pierre Usseglio, this estate was founded in 1963 by Raymond Usseglio and since 2004 Raymond's son, Stephane, has been at the helm. The 24 hectares of vines are split between the Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Côtes-du-Rhône AOCs and in 2012 the domaine converted to organic farming for all their vineyards. There is a multiplicity of soil types in their vineyards which adds complexity to the different wines; the cobblestones create rich, fat wines, whereas the sandy soils impart elegance, fineness and depth. Thank to Stephane, traditional winemaking practices have been enhanced with new ideas, a little new oak and lots of ambition. Each year the lineup of wines gets better and better. One of the interesting facts about his estate is that from the moment it was created, the estate started bottling and selling their own wine, which was not a common practice in those days. Production is limited and on some wines like their "Cuvée Imperiale" they only make 250 cases in the years when this wine is even produced.