Les Vignes de Paradis, Chardonnay Kheops, 6 Bottle Case

Equivalent Bottle Price £34.89

A sublime biodynamic Chardonnay; intense, vibrant, delicate texture and exceptional minerality-truly great wine. Open and refined, this wine is bursting with juicy citrus fruit and blossom notes, rounded out by lithe acidity. Brilliant.

Aged for 2 years in a unique vessel: a stone pyramid. Designed by Lucas and constructed from local materials – limestone gravel and Chamonix sand – it is a faithful replica of the famous Egyptian pyramid of Pharoh Kheops at 1/100^th the size. According to Lucas, the pyramidal shape promotes the circulation of the wine and energy inside the tank, giving the juice a particular intensity.

The domain is a stone’s throw from Thonon-les-Bains, south of Lac Léman near the Swiss border. The vines are situated in three appellations: Crépy, Marignan and Marin. Dominique Lucas made the decision to downgrade to the ‘IGP’ (Indication géographique protégée) ‘Vin des Allobroges’, a move that has allowed him more freedom as a winemaker. He makes wine out of predominantly Chasselas, a local Swiss grape variety, but has Chardonnay, Savagnin, Chenin and Pinot Gris vines to make his blends. His domain places emphasis on grape quality, soil quality and the local environment. Not content with the Ecocert certification, Lucas employs biodynamic methods in his vineyard. The soil is tilled by horses to avoid compaction and his vines are worked exclusively by hand.  Multiple harvests are carried out to ensure that all grapes reach optimum ripeness. Animals are also at the heart of his approach and sheep graze amongst the vines. He is guided by the lunar calendar throughout the whole process.