Languedoc-Roussillon

Cranberry, raspberry, red cherry and currant appear in a fresh-fruited red made entirely from Merlot. The vines are forty to sixty years old, planted on schist on a south-facing slope without irrigation. Grapes were harvested on October first, destemmed and fermented whole with twice-daily pump-overs. The wine underwent malolactic fermentation in stainless steel and remained in tank until bottling.

Syrah and Carignan form a dry red from Languedoc, bottled as Vin de France. The profile is juicy and earthy, and the wine is made without added sulphur. The two growers joined forces and work vineyards around Montpeyroux. Each retains an individual approach, reflected by keeping their respective wines visually distinct and identified by the responsible grower.

Made entirely from Grenache, this medium-bodied dry red comes from fruit sourced in Roussillon and vinified at the Puzelats’ estate. Whole clusters undergo semi-carbonic maceration, and the wine spends eight months in demi-muids. The wine carries a practising-organic classification, and its fruit was grown without synthetic pesticides, fertilizers or herbicides. Its origin falls within France’s Languedoc-Roussillon region.

Deep ruby colour accompanies garrigue, wild strawberry, cassis, spice and mint. The attack is lively, while the palate is supple and soft. Made entirely from Syrah, the wine comes from clay-limestone and sandy soils with south and southeast exposure. The farming is organic, the style is dry and red, and the wine contains fourteen point five percent alcohol.

Grenache is joined by Syrah, Mourvèdre and Carignan. Grapes are harvested by hand and sorted. Maceration lasts twenty to twenty-five days in temperature-controlled vats, while maturation lasts twelve to sixteen months in two-hundred-and-twenty-five-litre French oak. Deep ruby colour with brick-red highlights accompanies wild thyme, rosemary, ripe black fruit, jam, gingerbread and mineral notes. The palate is lively and balanced. Spice and tannins are present, and the finish is long.

Blackberry leads with liquorice, coffee and a restrained mocha note. The palate is juicy and approachable, carrying dark fruit through a smooth, well-balanced frame. Silky tannins give the wine enough shape for the savoury accents to register without making it feel heavy. The finish remains supple and direct, leaving blackberry, coffee, liquorice and a smooth, balanced close.