Dhall & Nash wine distributor, a joint venture of Puneet Dhall and Brandon Nash established in 2007, now grown to a very impressive portfolio of quality, rare and trendy wines, representing over 70 wineries from all around the world. I recently received four bottles of samples from D&N: Alphonse Mellot Sancerre La Moussiere Blanc 2019, Domaine des Pothiers La Colline Em Flamme Chardonnay 2020, Easthope Family Winegrowers Two Terraces Vineyard Chenin Blanc 2020 and Home Block Syrah 2020.
Alphonse Mellot - The Mellot family history goes way back, as far as XVI century, local records mentioned the Mellot family produced wines of excellent quality. Today, this century-old winemaking tradition is perpetuated by Alphonse Mellot, father and son. Their wines are made from the upper Sancerre vineyard. The Domaine la Moussiere comprises one single vineyard of over thirty hectares. Its ideally exposed location on the south-western tip of Sancerre, its chalk soil and its specific sub-soil are all perfect conditions for the cultivation of the vine. The wine represents finesse, showing delicate fruit and a refined mineral line with a long finish. Mellot is the only estate in Sancerrois to have the prestigious "hors concours" (beyond competition) distinction bestowed upon them, and the La Moussière vineyard is their cornerstone.
Domaine des Pothiers - Located in the village of Villemontais, in the Massif Central, under the Upper Loire appellation Côte Roannaise of the Loire Valley. It's very inland, located in the south part of the river, much closer to Lyon than Nantes; underneath lies mountains of granite, stretching right the way across to the hill of Hermitage in the Rhône Valley, especially favourable to Gamay. The Pothiers family has been in the Loire for centuries, raising cattle and cultivating vines. The recent generation has been practising biodynamic in the 21-hectare vineyard. La Colline En Flamme - "The hill in flame" refers to the superbly sited plot where the Chardonnay vines are planted at Domaine des Pothiers.
Easthope Family Winegrowers - Five silhouette images on their wine labels represent Rod Easthope and his wife Emma and three young sons. Rod and Emma are originally Hawke's Bay locals, and they are no strangers to the wine industry. Emma has worked at Stonyridge Winery and Martinborough Vineyard. Rod, as Head Winemaker at iconic Craggy Range. After the 2012 vintage, they quit their dream jobs and started their family operation, seeking no approval of classically accepted standards, but to tell their unique story from the soil to the bottle is their philosophy. The Chenin Blanc is sourced from the Two Terraces Vineyard in Maraekakaho, owned by innovative growers Ian and Linda Quinn. The Home Block vineyard is located in the Mangatahi sub-region, inland with 150 metres elevation. The use of 100% whole bunch of the Syrah created an immensely fragrant wine, and if there's an Eau De Parfum of Easthope Home Block Syrah, I will be using it everyday!
Read my reviews in the expansions below.
