Justerini & Brooks holds five key En Primeur campaigns throughout the year

Since the 1997 vintage we have seen a complete revival of Germany’s fortunes as a producer of world-class wine. Led by the aristocratic Riesling variety and a growing band of first class producers, the country finally seems to be enjoying the recognition it truly deserves. It is a fact that, British journalists, sommeliers and trade buyers are some of Riesling’s most loyal and persistent customers, clamouring for wine from the likes of JJ Prum, Fritz Haag, Donnhoff, Keller and Carl von Schubert. An honorable mention must be made for the reds that are now coming out of Deutschland too - the Spatburgunders from producers like Bernhard Huber and August Kesseler continue to go from strength to strength and are ultimatley some of the most rewarding versions of Pinot Noir to be found outside of Burgundy.

France’s wine growing “Rhône Valley” in reality covers two very distinct wine growing regions, separated by a vine-free gap of approximately 30 miles. Up and down the quality scale the Rhône stands out today for offering serious wines made by small quality conscious growers at very reasonable prices. A stellar run of recent vintages (barring the obvious 2002) and a wider pool of quality wine making talent than ever before has see the Rhône in recent years very much regaining its position front of mind for many of the world’s great wine collectors. Whether your interest lies with the reds of the "Roasted Slopes" of Côte Rôtie or with the zippy, zingy Viogniers found in Condrieu, or indeed the world-reknowned Rosés, Rhône is a region where the wines keep on giving.