Bistrot Les Tontons : Gérald's Wine of the Week

Bressol 2010 
AOC Côtes du Roussillon Villages 
Domaine Singla 

With Christmas celebrations starting to get underway our attentions turn to food & wine to be enjoyed in the company of friends and family. 

For the 1st week of Christmas Gérald has selected the beautifully balanced Bressol 2010, a red wine (mostly Grenach noir) produced by the talented Laurent de Besombes of Domaine Singla. 

Another firm favourite at Bistrot Les Tontons an interesting selection of Laurent’s wines are available at our wine bar, The Wine Shop & Tasting Room in Brighton, UK. 

Harvested by hand, a maceration of 25 days is followed by an oaking in high quality oak barrels (chéne nadalie, chauffe noisette+), a process of which creates a delicious full bodied red wine with hints of licorice, dark in colour and wonderfully aromatic on the nose. 

Bressol 2010 is suggested served alongside Faisan sauce morilles a l'armagnac. 

Bistrot Les Tontons
Place Saint Pierre
49400 Saumur
t: 02 41 59 59 40
e: bistrotlestonton@gmail.com

Wine Tasting : Domaine Singla, Côtes du Rousillon, France at The Wine Shop & Tasting Room, Brighton

Laurent de Besombes from Domaine Singla and Gérald have been professional and personal friends, dating back to the days when Gérald owned his cave à vin/bar à vin in Paris so it was a natural progression for Gérald to introduce me to the unique and biodynamic wines from Domaine Singla.

In my privileged position of being exposed to a great number of French wines my first tasting of Domaine Singla left me speechless, it is sublime and a ‘must have’ in our personal wine collection. It is tasting unique wines such as this that ignite the desire to learn about wine and the great news is… you can at The Wine Shop & Tasting Room in Brighton!

Wine Tasting - Sunday 27th February at 15h30 with Laurent de Besombes from Domaine Singla, Côtes du Roussillon, France

Located at the foot of the Pyrénees, just north of the Spanish border, Domaine Singla produces unique, biodynamic wines with a blend of vibrancy and acidity unique for wines this much exposed to the sunshine of southern France.

Not interested in appellation rules, from an interview in Decanter, ‘if the taste matches AC regulations, then fine; if not, I don't care', Laurent De Besombes makes wine that suits him, and we agree in every respect - yields are tiny (15-20 hl/ha) and all are selected by hand for maximum ripeness.

The fruit arrives in the cellar by nothing other than the force of gravity, and the grapes are pressed by treading. There is no fining or filtration, and, finally, each year Laurent allows the nature of the vintage to be the primary force in dictating the winemaking methods, not just what has worked previously.

If you are looking for a unique expression of terroir, you would be doing well to find a winemaker more dedicated to the cause.

Booking can be made online; click ‘here’ or by contacting either Sam or Simon at The Wine Shop & Tasting Room on: 01273 567176