Bastille Day in a Glass: A Tour of France Through Our Cellar
Six regions, one national day, and more than a few good reasons to open something French
By Cris Lu | Our Wine Community by Corney & Barrow
July 14th doesn't require much explanation if you love wine. Bastille Day is France's national day, and France is, by any reasonable measure, the country that taught the rest of the world what wine could be. From Champagne to Châteauneuf-du-Pape, from the limestone slopes of Burgundy to the gravel banks of Bordeaux, French wine isn't one thing. It's dozens of things, each shaped by a particular patch of soil and the people who farm it.
We carry wines from six French regions in our Singapore cellar. Here's how to drink your way across the country without leaving your living room.
Start With Bubbles: Champagne
No Bastille Day table should begin without something sparkling. Ours comes from a grower, not a grande marque, which means you're drinking the work of a single family rather than a corporate blend.
Guy de Chassey Grand Cru Brut NV
$62 per bottle
Grand Cru Champagne from a family grower. Clean, precise, with the kind of fine mousse that makes you wonder why anyone pays three times this for a big-house label. Perfect as an aperitif or with oysters if you're going all out.
The Heart of It: Burgundy
Burgundy is the region that made us fall in love with French wine, and it's where our cellar runs deepest. Sixteen bottles to choose from, spanning everything from a $42 Petit Chablis to a $955 Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru. Here are three ways in.
Petit Chablis Christophe et Fils 2022
$42 per bottle
The lightest, brightest entry point. Sébastien Christophe is a rising star in Chablis, and this is pure, mineral-driven Chardonnay with no oak and no fuss. Ideal for a summer lunch.
Bourgogne Côte d'Or Chardonnay Domaine François Carillon 2021
$62 per bottle
A step up in depth and texture. François Carillon is one of Puligny-Montrachet's finest growers, and his Bourgogne-level Chardonnay carries a whisper of the village's mineral precision at a fraction of the price.
Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru Vieilles Vignes Château de la Tour 2016
$368 per bottle
For Bastille Day dinners that call for something unforgettable. Old vines, Grand Cru Burgundy, organic since 1992. This is the kind of wine that earns its place at the centre of the table.
And if you'd rather explore our Burgundy Discovery Set available at $366, comprising of six different wines. A ready-made tasting journey.
The Left Bank and Beyond: Bordeaux
Bordeaux doesn't have to mean expensive. We carry six Bordeaux wines, and three of them are under $50 a pop. That's where we'd start for a relaxed Bastille Day barbecue.
Corney & Barrow Claret Maison Sichel 2020
$29 per bottle
Our house claret. Honest, easy-drinking Bordeaux red at a price that lets you pour generously. This is what the French drink on a Tuesday, and there's no shame in joining them on July 14th.
Corney & Barrow Grand Cru St-Émilion Château Bellevue-Figeac 2021
$46 per bottle
The upgrade. Grand Cru St-Émilion at under $50 is quietly remarkable. Ripe, rounded, with the kind of structure that pairs well with grilled meats.
$102 per bottle
Pomerol. For when you want the table to know you meant it. Rich, velvety, and drinking beautifully right now.
The Loire: France's Best-Kept Secret
The Loire Valley is where French wine gets personal. These are not wines made to impress critics. They're wines made by families who farm biodynamically and care more about the soil than the score.
Chenin Blanc IGP Val de Loire Clau de Nell 2021
$76 per bottle
Biodynamic Chenin Blanc from the Leflaive-Jacques family. Elegant, textured, with a complexity that unfolds slowly over the course of an evening. One of the most interesting whites in our cellar.
Anjou Cabernet Franc Clau de Nell 2016
$52 per bottle
Loire Cabernet Franc with ten years behind it. Savoury, herbal, and unlike anything from Bordeaux. If you've never tried aged Cab Franc from the Loire, this is your moment.
The Rhône: Southern Weight
One wine, but it's a good one.
Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Spéciale Tardieu-Laurent 2021
$95 per bottle
Grenache-based, from one of the Rhône's most respected micro-négociants. Full-bodied, layered, with the warmth of Provence sunshine and the seriousness of a wine that ages gracefully. The Bastille Day bottle for a slow-cooked lamb shoulder.
The Outlier: Jura
If you want to surprise someone at the table, pour this.
Arbois Savagnin Ouillé Domaine du Pélican 2021
$70 per bottle
Savagnin from the Jura, made in the ouillé style (topped up, so no oxidation). This is not the funky, sherry-like Jura wine of legend. It's fresh, precise, and utterly distinctive. A wine for the curious.
Domaine du Pélican was founded by Guillaume d'Angerville of Volnay fame after he was served a Jura Chardonnay blind and refused to believe it wasn't Burgundy. That story alone is worth sharing over dinner.
All wines are available now at owcsg.com. Complimentary delivery with a minimum purchase of $350.
📧 owcsg@corneyandbarrow.com | 📞 +65 6221 8530
Cris Lu is Sales Manager, Private Clients at Corney & Barrow Singapore. For personalised recommendations or to discuss any wines mentioned in this article, reach her at cris.lu@corneyandbarrow.com.