It is fair to say that the team at Yapp Brothers are anticipating the imminent royal nuptials with varying degrees of enthusiasm but all of us are looking forward to yet more time off work to spend with family and friends and we are hoping that the recent sunny spell continues.
Tom will be close to the action heading into the heart of the Westminster maelstrom to appease his Colombian wife who is an avid royal watcher. Fortunately, an old school chum owns a first-class Pimlico pub, The Marquis of Westminster, in Warwick Way, where they will be serving an English Wedding breakfast washed down with Domaine Collin Cremant de Limoux. They then intend to dash round the corner to catch a glimpse of Kate leaving another Yapp account, The Goring (or the ‘boring Goring’ as The Queen allegedly refers to the hotel that hosts her staff Christmas parties!). If the sun is shining, it’s off to the big screen in Hyde Park, otherwise its back to the boozer to watch it on the telly.
Claire will taking her young family to visit a proper ‘old fashioned’ street party in Gillingham where some bubbles should prove uplifting – lemonade for the kids and Vouvray Mousseux Brut for the grown-ups.
Frenchman Michael has promised not to recite the traditional Gallic wedding toast: Buvons un coup, buvons en deux, à la santé des amoreux, à la santé du Roi de France, et medre pour la reine d’Angleterre, qui nous à declare la geurre! Instead he is going to content himself with the last of the seasons’ oysters which he recommends savouring with his favourite Provençale white - Cassis: Clos Sainte Magdeleine.
Charlie and his wife Jodie are bravely taking their one year-old, William, camping in Charmouth Bay where they hoping to sample some Lyme Bay scallops with a nervy young Clare Valley Riesling from Neagles Rock.
Avid cyclist Paul plans to visit some of the hostelries surrounding Mere by bike. The White Lion at Bourton and Spread Eagle at Stourton are two of his favourites where he recommends the Otter Ale and locally brewed Kilmington Best bitter respectively.
Cheese aficionado Michelle has discovered a passion for Godminster Vintage Cheddar, made down the road in Bruton, after they prudently dropped in a sample at Yapp HQ. She is planning a visit to their farm shop to stock up but is still undecided about the best wine accompaniment being torn between a warming glass of Rasteau or a lightly-chilled Chinon.
Patriotic Welshman Meirion will celebrate the new union by heading down to the idyllic Isle of Purbeck and the picturesque village of Worth Matravers. Weather permitting, he intends to walk along the cliff top South West Coastal Path, ending up at Dancing Ledge, where he will partake in a light lunch with a cool, refined glass of Stephane Brocard’s Meursault, to toast the happy couple, and wish them all the best for the future.
Father of two Hamish will be taking his kids to a barbecue organized by the local scouts on Broughton Gifford common. He thinks a ‘chest-thumping, southern red’ is the best foil for burnt bangers and is laying in supplies of Xavier Bruguière’s dark and brooding Pic Saint Loup ‘L’Arbouse’ for the occasion.
Jason, who still has happy memories of spending his commemorative jubilee coin in the school tuck shop in 1977 after the delightful discovery that it was legal tender, will be enjoying an informal lunch with his neighbours in their local community garden. Apparently bunting is encouraged but flags are regarded as de trop by the somewhat precise denizens of Keyford Gardens. What is certain is that lashings of rosé will be required if the weather holds. Jason has a penchant for the Vin de Corse Sartène from Domaine Saparale but he reckons the Coteaux d’Aix from Domaine Oullières might be a better budget option given past form.
Dutch expatriate (not ex-patriot!) Bianca and her family will also be joining friends for an al fresco repast. She has lain in supplies of the white Chinon from Château de Ligré and the juicy young red Côtes de Thongue ‘Tradition’ from Les Filles de Septembre so should be able to please all comers.
Last but not least Londoner Jonathan will not be doing much in regard to celebrating or watching the Royal festivities as he still has flash-backs after donning a full Household Division guards uniform and bearskin hat as a young lad for the Silver Jubilee back in ’77. Instead he will be cooking a fish pie for friends that he will serve with a Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos 2007 to raise a glass to the happy couple as it is assured to kick-start a very convivial après midi!
The final leg of our buying trip begins in Faugères, an up and coming AOC that sits atop an impressive bedrock of schist, north of Beziers. Château des Estanilles is an estate that has recently changed hands and the good news is that the pioneering work of Michel Louison is being augmented by Julien Seydoux, an enthusiastic and independent-thinking young chap whose family have substantial vine-holdings in Costières de Nîmes. Julien is motivated to make the best possible Faugères and has invested blood, sweat, tears and a fait bit of dosh to make this happen. His 2010 vintage which we will ship in May will be certified organic, a rapidly growing phenomenon among ‘Yapp’ producers.
Our next visit of the day entailed a 3 hour drive across the Languedoc to the pretty Provençal village of Lambesc where Sebastien Ambrosio Collomb gave us a tour of Domaine Oullières and we tasted through his very good white and rosé 2010's, along with his ‘house’ red 2009 (a Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Syrah blend) – all three will feature in our forthcoming 2011 wine list. This estate is also ‘en conversion’ to organic and will gain certification in 2012.
Finally, and after a further 3 hours schleping across Provence and negotiating the Nice rush hour, we arrived at our final tasting of the trip. Domaine de la Source in AOC Bellet, the smallest domaine with which we work, is now run by energetic brother and sister team Eric and Carine Dalmasso. They have doubled the size of the area under vine in the past five years to a whopping 5 hectacres! Somehow, from this tiny patch of vines perched between the Cote d’Azur and Southern Alps, they successfully manage to produce a red, white and rose – total production 15,000 bottles. 95% of the wine is consumed by well-heeled Niçois chez eux or in the fashionable restaurants of Vieux Nice, but the remaining pallet finds its way to Mere (we are their sole export customer). We would encourage anyone that hasn’t sampled these fascinating wines to give them a try – preferably sur terrasse with porchetta nicoise, grillade au fenouil or wood-oven roasted rabbit with thyme. Oh, by the way, did we tell you that next year Domaine de la Source will be certified organic?!
