Moselle ‘Les Hautes-Bassières' Pinot Noir, Château de Vaux 2020

The site of the Château de Vaux is amidst an almost forgotten vineyard that overlooks the Moselle near Metz in north-east France. Read any account of the battles that were fought around Metz during the Franco-Prussian war and most will tell of fighting in the vineyards of Lorraine, and it was not so many generations ago this entire region was covered in vines. Phylloxera and war put an end to all of that, leaving only place names and a few isolated vines.

This property was bought in 1999 by a very enterprising couple, Norbert and Mary-Geneviève Molozay – she a trained oenologist born locally and he from Beaujolais, though he has made wine all over the world. They set about replanting and even increasing the vineyard and farming organically and the vineyards are now fully certified.

In a short space of time they have put this little vineyard firmly back on the map and now have an impressive new cellar, plus a tasting room,where visitors can enjoy local specialities as well as a fine range of wines.