Talking to marketing manager of Louis Latour ltd., Tim Veale.
As you might gather from the name, Louis Latour Ltd was initially set up to distribute the wines of the large Burgundy negotiant, Louis Latour in the UK. Over the last 15 years, however, the company has expanded significantly, and now acts as the UK agent for other premium, family-owned wine producers both from France and the New World.
How many wines do you have in your portfolio? We currently have 10 wine producers and around 200 different wines.
Which regions are most exciting for you at the moment? Two of our most recent agency additions, J Vidal Fleury from the Rhône Valley and McHenry Hohnen (David "Cloudy Bay" Hohnen's new venture from the Margaret River). Both have ranges targeted towards gastropubs.
Which producer do you rate most highly and why? We have had great success launching the range from Simonnet-Febvre which includes every level of Chablis, two Crémant de Bourgogne's and a superb Pinot Noir "Irancy".
What do you think is the key to a good wine list? Good pub wine lists usually have a set of staple listings. But through pushing a more creative wine by the glass list you can shift consumer interests to more individual products such as Pouilly-Fumé or Rhône blends from Australia. Selecting wines from several supply bases or from a wholesaler with a wide list will allow you to switch by-the-glass promotions throughout the year.
Which of your wines do you recommend for the Sunday roast?
l Roast Chicken - Grand Ardeche Chardonnay (£5.51+VAT), Louis Latour 2004 Mâcon-Lugny les Genièvres (£4.86 +VAT)
Both have a rich, buttery freshness, and a clean citrus acidity allowing them to cut through the fatty nature of roast meats with ease.
l Roast Beef - Côtes du Rhône 2003, J Vidal Fleury (£4.88 ex VAT). This wine has young, juicy tannins and a blackcurrant and spicy finish making it the ideal partner for roast beef.
Anything that would go with more difficult food like, say, Thai green curry?
Professor Black Sauvignon Blanc 2005, Warwick Estate, South Africa (£6.20 ex VAT). Exuberant pear and peach aromas combine with rich, tropical fruit flavours, zesty green pepper and hints of freshly-picked garden herbs making it the ideal partner for spicy Thai and Asian cuisine.
Pick three wines off your list every restaurant should have.
l Chablis AC 2004, Simonnet-Febvre (£6.45
ex VAT)
l Domaine de Valmoissine Pinot Noir, Louis Latour 2003
l McHenry Hohnen 3 Amigos Shiraz, Grenache, Mataro 2004, Margaret River (£6.75 ex VAT)