South West

I am not usually a merlot fan but this excellent co-operative-made red won me over. It is juicy (think woodland berries), and also has a leafy, savoury, liquorice-root quality. Delicious.

Age of the vines: 40 years Hectares: 5000 Soil type: calcaire, grave et argile 40 000 bottles produced for each cuvee Vinification: Each plot and grape are vinified separately and then assembled in the spr...(read more)

We were so delighted to find this gorgeous Merlot last year. There is a seriousness and a 'chew' to the feel here despite being loaded with rich, nicely-polished, dark fruit - it is the surprisin...(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)