Nick Dobson Wines Vaud

Chablais The Chablais winegrowing district lie between the eastern end of Lake Geneva and the Valais, and is centred on the towns of Aigle, Yvorne, and Ollon. The great majority of wine produced here is white Chasselas, though limited quantities of other varieties are also grown, including some respectable reds from Pinot Noir and Gamay. Aigle wines, together with those of Yvorne, are generally considered to be the best wines of the Chablais, and at their best, the whites are among the very top Swiss wines. The gravelly-clay soils shared by these two villages produce wines of similar style and weight, and good examples are full-bodied, with aromas of nuts, stone fruit, and burnt stone., and fruity spicy flavours with good acid balance. Aigle is home to the striking Château d'Aigle, a mediaeval fortress built on a rocky outcrop, which has also been in its time a prison and is today home to the "Musée de la Vigne et du Vin" , the most complete wine museum in Switzerland, with one of the finest collections of historic wine labels in the world. The town of Ollon and its surrounding villages represent a further important winegrowing area, their wines being remarkably well-structured and chewy, with aromas of damp stone, resin and roses, imparted by morainic soils which contain traces of gypsum. Ollon wines represent extremely good value for money when compared to more expensive neighboring Aigle and Yvorne.

Aigle AOC 2007 Les Murailles Henri Badoux, Aigle
Ref: 4121003

This wine, with its quirky Salamander label, is one of the premier wines of the Chablais, if not the entire Vaud. It is made from Chasselas grapes grown on the steeply terraced vineyards climbing the hills behind the town of Aigle and its fairytale Château. The soil is light gravel/shale, and the vineyards give full exposure to the sun. The warm dry Foehn winds maintain the microclimate which pertains right up until the harvest, ensuring ripening beyond the reach of the dampness and mists of autumn, protecting the grapes from rot. The wine has a pale golden yellow colour, with a rich, spicy pungent nose, with hints of caramel. On the palate it is dry, predominantly mineral, yet with good fruit following. The finish is initially warming, then develops with a dry minerality and a beautiful elegant bitterness that is extremely long. A lovely wine; serve at 8-10°C on its own, or with freshwater fish or white meat dishes.

Price: £22.95 (Including VAT at 17.5%)

Quantity:

Yvorne AOC 2007 'La Maison du Lézard' Henri Badoux, Aigle
Ref: 4121001

From grapes grown halfway up the slope, on gravel/granite soils, at the foot of an alluvial fan of scree from the massive rockfall of 1584. A light golden yellow-green, with fruit, minerals, smoke, and honey on the nose. Palate: slightly lighter body, but more elegant than the Aigle Les Murailles, fresh and with hazlenut flavours, hints of peaches, apricots, and other stone fruit, with a creamy texture, and slight pétillance. Good length, with minerals and a pleasing acid streak at the end. Serve at 8-10 degrees, with or without food (freshwater fish, cheese, pork). Keeps 10 years.

Limited stocks.

Price: £18.65 (Including VAT at 17.5%)

Quantity:

Yvorne AOC Cuvée Prestige 2007 'La Maison du Lézard' Henri Badoux, Aigle
Ref: 4121002

An oak-aged Yvorne Chasselas which spends 9 months in 2nd generation barrels. Made from grapes grown on chalky-clay soils formed by the massive rockfall of 1584. Yields are restricted to 900g/m2. A pale yellow, slightly deeper in colour than Badoux's unoaked Yvorne. Oak and spice on the nose. On the palate it is fruity, but the oak is evident, lending a butteriness. Dry, with a creamy texture, Good length, dry and smoky. Keeps 10 years.

Limited stock.

Price: £23.75 (Including VAT at 17.5%)

Quantity:

Gamay du Chablais Vaudois 2007 Henri Badoux, Aigle
Ref: 4121004

Medium cherry red, with a light nose of spice, earth, and damp undergrowth. On the palate this wine is much fuller-bodied and rich than the nose suggests, with very forward fruit, and a soft truffly spicy earthiness quite typical of good Swiss Gamay, yet also with the richness of cooked red fruits. Good length, gamey and warming. Allow to breathe for at least half an hour. More of a wine for food, drink around 14-15 degrees C with gammon, hams, or meats with rich sauces. Would also work well with grilled meat, some richer pasta dishes, and strong cheeses.

SOLD OUT - new vintage soon.

Price: £16.30 (Including VAT at 17.5%)

Pinot Noir Yvorne AOC 2004 Barrique de Chêne Henri Badoux, Aigle
Ref: 4121014

A pale cherry red, this wine has a classic Pinot nose with plenty of fruit, and also earth and spice. It is medium to full bodied, quite lush and rich, with plenty of ripe fruit, and soft gentle tannins, subtle vanilla from the oak, which is not at all overdone, and good structure. Excellent length, dry, warming, and spicy; try with pasta, lamb, or pork dishes, and even with very lightly spiced food, eg mild Thai or Malaysian.

Price: £20.95 (Including VAT at 17.5%)

Quantity:

Doux Délire 2000 37.5cl Sylvaner Passerillé Association Viticole Ollon
Ref: 4130010

A deep amber colour, with a rich nose with a whiff of botrytis.The palate is complex, with caramel, dark honey, and some citrus flavours. Very long, with a rich warming finish.

Price: £27.95 (Including VAT at 17.5%)

Quantity: