A quick check around the better independent merchants selling French wines in the UK, reveals some good offerings, such as 15% off French wines from Nick Dobson Wines - including Chablis, Burgundy, Macon, and Beaujolais from now until the end of July.
Leon Stolarski has some new Languedoc wines in stock, including some decent Chardonnay and Merlot in 5-litre wine boxes - the same wine that goes is also sold by the bottle - ideal for summer picnics, barbecues etc. I reckon there is scope for more wine boxes to be available - the big brands tend to rip you off with pretty ordinary plonk, whilst most vineyards in France sell quality wines either "en vrac" -. i.e. on draught for your cubitainer or empty Evian bottle - or in vacuum packed "Bag-in-Box" (the french term!) - OK so you will not get the top cuvées which might benefit from bottle age, but as most wines are drunk young that should not be a problem. Sure, the quality will deteriorate if you leave if only 1/3 full for weeks on end, but generally if good wine goes in, good wine come out! Usually I find the problem is that it gets drunk faster than the same quantity in bottle, as it is just too easy to just pour another glass!
Meanwhile Devigne Wines have a range of new wines from Jura and Arbois, including Vin Jaune and Vin de Paille - something you don't often see in the UK.
Pic Wines have a couple of Rosé discovery cases from the Languedoc available, and on the basis of having recently tasted some other wines on their list, these can be recommended without hesitation. I really do reckon Rosé wines are getting better and better - especially if you remember that they are in fact a style of red wine (from the same grapes) and not some compromise for those who cannot choose between red and white wines. And, although they are ideal for summer, don't expect these to be light and inconsequential picnic wines - the best rosés are seriously good drinking with real depth of flavour and nuance.
