CLARION WINES LTD

OUR OFFICE MOVED IN JULY 2018

OUR TELEPHONE NUMBER:  001

OUR ADDRESS: ZION HILL HOUSE,
CUFFS LANE, TISBURY, WILTSHIRE SP3 6LG

Clarion Wines has grown out of the combined experience of three very different collaboraters, with between them a little over 60 years in the Wine Trade. We are united by our ambition to work for ourselves in complete independence, running a small and efficient business which can deliver precisely what you are looking for at a fair price, with a strong emphasis on service and without the complications which can sometimes attend dealing with larger firms. This aim applies whether you are a buyer of regular drinking wines, or a collector of the greatest wines that France and Italy have to offer - as our ever-changing list covers an extraordinary breadth of both price and style.

The intention of our website is to show you all of the wines we have in stock along with our list of fine and rare wines, which includes wines owned by Clarion as well as stock to which we have access on a broking basis from various carefully controlled sources. In addition, you can see other special offers, wines offered regionally 'en primeur' and our full range of events and services. Whatever you are looking for please get in touch and we will do our very best to help.

We have tried to provide detailed information on the wines and their producers for those who are interested in finding out more - while keeping the amounts of immediately visible text to manageable levels.

If you feel there is room for improvement in any area, do please let us know - we are always happy to try and make things better in the hopes that you will keep coming back.

CLARION WINES' ALCOHOL WHOLESALER REGISTRATION SCHEME (AWRS) UNIQUE REFERENCE NUMBER: XWAW

CLARION WINES' DATA PROTECTION REGISTRATION REFERENCE: ZA343266

2022 – the most beautiful vintage for 30 years.

After a cold winter , the spring of 2022 was bright and sunny.  A very successful flowering took place, a little earlier than the average, in the third week of May – leading to a good fruit set, and a large potential crop.

The weather in late June was unsettled; in the light of the hot, dry summer which followed, the rain which fell between 21st and 26th June provided just what was needed to prevent the later onset of drought conditions.  The heaviest rain fell in Gevrey (particularly on 22nd June); further south, there was heavy rain on 25th June; and there was some moderate localised hail damage, mostly around Chorey Les Beaune, on 21st and 25th June.

Veraison took place slowly in late July.  The high temperatures and lack of rain in July and August ensured very healthy grapes, free from rot and mildew.  August saw a little rain on just three days (14th, 19th and 30th) – just enough to keep the ripening process going.

The harvest came early, with most growers beginning to pick in August, and many even finishing in August.  Bunches were large, particularly in Chardonnay, but berries were small, and the amount of juice relatively low – giving a high level of concentration.  Remarkably, for such a warm vintage, the wines retain a high level of freshness, and avoided high alcohols.  Growers explained this paradox in a number of different ways.  Broadly however, very high temperatures reduce the vines’ ability to photosynthesize, and therefore limit the production of sugar.  In addition, the very high concentration produced by the small grapes ensures the concentration of acidities and therefore the maintenance of freshness.  A number pointed out the need for a real lightness of touch in the vinifications to avoid the danger of over-extraction.

Most growers commented on the ease of the growing conditions; and Nicolas Groffier described 2022 as the most beautiful vintage for 30 years.