Southern France

A surprising heft of blueberry, blackberry and damson make way for a palate which has sinew and grip yet allows the fruit and spice to weave around it and deliver a lot of wine for such a small p...(read more)

The charming and affable Guy Vanlancker is an outsider originating from Belgium who 30 years ago, followed his dream of becoming a winemaker and fell in love with the beauty of the Languedoc-Roussill...(read more)

Possibly the best vintages we have ever tried of this pretty Pinot from the volcanic soils of the Dôme, in the Auvergne, central France. It could in some vintages be accused of having slightly ru...(read more)

A very consistent performer over the years, this vintage is spectacularly good, shapely and filled with spiced woodland fruits, plums, blackberry and a good whack of garrigue. Svelte and ripe on...(read more)

This comes from a beautiful vineyard right at the top of 'La Serre' in the Faugeres hills, where the gnarly, old bush vines are up to 120 years old. This is 90% Cinsault and 10% Syrah. The silky...(read more)

The 2015 IGP Pays d'Herault La Cinso (100% Cinsault from 50-year-old vines) shines for its complexity and elegance, and shows terrific Cinsault character, which can be hard to find on its own. Me...(read more)

Syrah, Carignan Grenache (it's not 50/50 of two cépages, but 50/50 Anne and Jean-Paul). Good suave fruit, rich with some interesting spice and a purple-juicy, peppery finish.

Spicy black-currant aromas on the nose and intense in juicy black fruit on the dense palate. The rich, generous layers of fruit perfectly balance the tannins that build up to a harmonious whole.

Vineyards are located in Cazelles, just north of Carcassonne and in the shadow of the Montagne Noir, in the hills where temperatures are cooler and terroir varied. The higher elevation—interestingly, the exact...(read more)

This is an absolutely joyous Bilbo. 60% Grenache, 35% Cinsault and 5% Syrah. There’s no oak, just six months in concrete tank to help soften and round-out the bright, crunchy red and black fruit....(read more)

Mostly Syrah, and that defines the profile, nice depth of sappy, juicy fruit. Good seamless fine taninned silkiness and black cherry length. Lovely now, will hold for a few years.