French wines to buy in Wallonie

Herebelow are French wines that I recommend and where to buy them in Wallonie. A retailer that is not listed here can sell the wine ; he/she only has to contact the merchant or the importer.

French wine values tasted in 2008

 Vin de pays de l'Ardèche - Le Mazel - Saint-Philippe - (syrah)

2005 - 9 € - red fruit jelly dominates the nose - onctuous, red fruit jelly, the wine is not drying the palate

Belgique, 4950 Sourbrodt, 23 route de Botrange, Le Millésime, tél. +32 (0) 80 44 40 76

French wine values tasted in 2007

 Vin de pays des collines rhodaniennes - Jamet - Syrah

2005 - 7.5 € - I love Syrah with such a varietal character ! - black chocolate, flower, blackcurrant, toasted loafbread - blackcurrant, juicy, much alcohol, balanced - blackcurrant - similar to the Jamet 2004 tasted at the same age

Belgique, 4400 Flemalle, rue des Semailles 23/1, ZA des Cahottes, Thorrout-Ghysens Vins, tél. +32 42 50 77 80

 Pacherenc du vic bilh - Denis Capmartin - Château Barréjat - Moelleux

2005 - 6 € - onctuous from alcohol and residual sugar, dried apricot, lichee, fresh

Belgique, 6040 Jumet, rue Louis Lambert 71A, Duvi Sud-Ouest

French wine values tasted in 2006

 Madiran - Denis Capmartin - Château Barréjat - ("Bag in Box" en poche de 5l)

[2003] - 3 € - not very aromatic - very much fruit, balanced

Belgique, 6040 Jumet, rue Louis Lambert 71A, Duvi Sud-Ouest

 Madiran - Denis Capmartin - Château Barréjat - Tradition - [Tannat 60%, cabernet 40%]

2003 - 5 € - better than the later bottlings - blackberry dominates the nose - the wine tastes fruity (blackberry), its small grains dry the palate and the taste buds, with balance (does not show the roasted quality of the 2000 vintage tasted at the same age)

Belgique, 6040 Jumet, rue Louis Lambert 71A, Duvi Sud-Ouest

 Vin de pays des collines rhodaniennes - Jamet - Syrah

2004 - 7.5 € - varietal: the aromas wonderfully express syrah - red fruit, violet flower - red fruit, violet flower, much less structure that an AOC (Côte-rôtie), juicy, balanced - similar to the 2005 vintage tasted at the same age

Belgique, 4400 Flemalle, rue des Semailles 23/1, ZA des Cahottes, Thorrout-Ghysens Vins, tél. +32 42 50 77 80

 Vin de table - Le Mazel - Pétillant rosé - Carignan

[2004] - 4.5 € - not much showing on the nose - pink grapefruit, few mid-sized bubbles, very sweet, fresh, a note of brewer's yeast (slightly acidic and bitter)

Belgique, 4950 Sourbrodt, 23 route de Botrange, Le Millésime, tél. +32 (0) 80 44 40 76

French wine values tasted in 2005

 Vin de pays de l'Ardèche - Le Mazel - Briand - (grenache)

2001 - 8.5 € - intensity of flavour, red fruit (blackcurrent, blackberry), roastbeef - intensity of flavour, red fruit (blackberry), onctuous from entry to exit, no smoked note, balanced acidity.
Note: some bottles may show a fizzy whisper or an acrid (acetic) hint -- serious airing (with a decanter or by waiting 24 hours) should dissolve these drawbacks.

Belgique, 4950 Sourbrodt, 23 route de Botrange, Le Millésime, tél. +32 (0) 80 44 40 76

 Vouvray - Domaine Huet - [crémant, 'méthode traditionnelle'] - Sec - Brut

1999 - 10 € - toasted loafbread, coconut - foam, middle-sized beads, refreshing

Belgique, 4020 Liège, rue Basse-Wez 339B, La Cave des Oblats

 Vouvray - Domaine Huet - Le Haut Lieu - Demi-Sec

2003 - 15 € - like peeling a fresh almond, nectarine - onctuous, like peeling a fresh almond, nectarine, soft, fresh but less so than other vintages from Huet or Pinon, less structure

Belgique, 4020 Liège, rue Basse-Wez 339B, La Cave des Oblats

Price figures are for 75 cl. They represent rough estimates of tags in France wine shops, at the date of the tasting.

Wines are selected on personal criteria.

There also are excellent wines with no sulfites in Wallonie.

You may also read reviews on recommended wines available in Bruxelles, Flandre, or you may request another location at the bottom of this page.