March Wine Club – FromVineyardsDirect

What I most admire about FromVineyardsDirect (apart from the quality and quirkiness of their wines and the ease of ordering) is the brevity of their list. There’s no messing about with any unnecessary padding; no wines bought simply to fill a gap because a particular grape, region or producer is under-represented. Every bottle stands on its merits and although the list does inevitably grow a little every year, it is pretty much cut to the bone.

As FVD’s co-founder Esme Johnstone (who has decent form in the trade, having also set up Majestic) says, ‘Why have 20 different and — in some cases — indifferent Chablis when all you need is one or maybe two first-rate ones?’ Good point, Esme, and on the evidence of the one you’re offering us, I see what you mean. The 2011 Domaine de la Motte Chablis 1er Cru Beauroy (1) is quite the wiggle-hipped charmer. There’s the taut minerality that’s typical of the region but there’s an unexpected and really rather seductive honeyed richness to it too.