New wines from Raphaël Monnier & Marie Bourdon

New wines have arrived from Raphaël Monnier and Marie Bourdon, better known as the duo behind Ratapoil and Avis de Tempête!

We managed to pay a visit to Raphaël’s home and cellar in Arc-et-Senans, just north of Arbois, late last summer during a break in the restrictions, which was just about our only trip abroad in the past 18 months. We sat down in the balmy heat to taste through all the 2019 wines, some just bottled and others from tank, and even then the wines were looking superb. Now after almost another year resting they are some the most accomplished we’ve tasted from the domaine.

Raphaël farms a plethora of small parcels in Jura, with a special old-vine plot of indigenous Jurrasien varieties up in the neighbouring Doubs départment. In a good year he is able to produce a range of about 8 domaine cuvées, often only in small quantities. In 2019 however, he lost over half his yield to frost and so was forced, like in 2017, to amalgamate many of his parcels into single cuvées. Fortunately while quantities were low the quality was high. Adept at picking at the right moment to ensure his light-skinned red varieties keep their verve, Raphaël has made some incredibly bright and perfumed wines from this challenging vintage.

To supplement the poor yield, Marie and Raphaël created the Avis de Tempête side label in 2017 and this is now going from strength to strength, with a trip to Alsace in 2019 providing the grapes for a macerated Riesling.

Their wines are available now via our online shop. For trade enquiries please get in touch at sales@beattieandroberts.com