Leon Stolarski Fine Wines Languedoc Red Wine (AOC/AOP)

Vintage	2010
Region	Corbieres - Moux, between Carcassonne and Narbonne
Colour/Style	Dry red - medium bodied.
Grapes	40% Carignan, 30% Grenache, 30% Syrah
Alcohol (a.b.v)	13.5%
Food	Red or white meats, pizza, herby/tomatoey pasta dishes
Next day	Good - stays nice and fresh
Drink	Now, or over the next 3 to 5 years
Intense, deep purple colour, with real aromatic complexity - a melange of summer pudding fruits, garrigue herbs, cumin and coriander, with hints of roses, violets and leather. On the palate, it is soft, easy drinking, yet nicely concentrated, with a great mouthful of fresh summer fruit flavours, ample acidity and a just the right level of tannic grip. Stylistically, this isn't too far removed from a rather good Cru Beaujolais - in other words, gloriously fruity, but with a little southern warmth thrown-in for good measure. Lovely wine!

Price: £9.79 (Including: VAT at 20%)

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Prieuré Sainte Marie d'Albas Terre Rouge 2009 Corbières
Prieure Sainte Marie d'Albas Terre Rouge 2009

Vintage	2009
Region	Corbieres - Moux, between Carcassonne and Narbonne
Colour/Style	Dry red - full bodied.
Grapes	50% Grenache, 50% Syrah
Alcohol (a.b.v)	13.5%
Food	Beef, lamb, game, mushroom dishes
Next day	Still good - maybe even better
Drink	Now, or over the next 5 to 8 years
A deep, intense, glossy purple colour. Another complex nose, displaying aromas of ripe red fruits, crushed blackcurrants, with hints of garrigue herbs, crushed pepper, spices, roasted meats and light mineral notes. There's a hint of clotted cream, too, along with a gentle whiff of fine eau de vie. Indeed, it has a similar aromatic profile to a rather good Chateauneuf! The palate is marked by a breadth of generous spiced black cherry and bramble fruit, with hints of meat and savoury herbs. Supple tannins and refreshing soft citrus-tinged acidity combine to add a sweet and sour quality. A long, spicy finish completes the package, in a wine chock full of southern character.

Price: £11.75 (Including: VAT at 20%)

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Minervois & La Liviniere

A.O.C Minervois & Minervois La Liviniere

Of all the more established A.O.C's in the Languedoc (created in 1985) Minervois is arguably the one that has made the greatest progress in establishing a reputation for fine wines. Grenache, Carignan and Cinsault are the traditional varieties, but Syrah is now much more predominant, with Mourvedre also used occasionally. Though the Minervois possesses a variety of different landscapes and "terroirs", with subtle differences in style, the best wines are always elegant and well-balanced, characterised by soft berry fruit flavours, liquorice and violets. The Minervois La Liviniere "cru" is a more recent creation that requires (broadly speaking) lower yields, more selective (usually higher) vineyard sites, greater emphasis on Syrah and longer ageing (often in barrel).
Jancis Robinson wrote in Wine Spectator – November 1996......
"Perhaps the single most exciting wine development I've witnessed this decade has been the transformation of the Languedoc from biggest (boo) to hottest (hooray) wine region in the world… for seriously exciting, terroir-laden, characterful, supple wines (mainly but by no means exclusively red)....."

Domaine La Combe Blanche Calamiac Terroir 2010 Minervois
Combe Blanche Minervois 2010

Vintage	2010
Region	Minervois, north-east of Carcassonne
Colour/Style	Dry red - medium/full bodied
Grapes	Carignan, Cinsault, Grenache, Syrah
Alcohol (a.b.v)	14.0%
Food	Red meats, game, cheese, pizza.
Next day	Better still
Drink	Now or over the next 3 to 5 years
Guy Vanlancker never fails to make delicious wines, even at the "lower" end of the scale, and this is a classic example of his craft. Fairly deep in colour, with a tiny rim, but a surprisingly elegant and enticing nose - bags of plum and bramble fruit, with something richer and darker like toffee or dried figs, but also a hint of balancing orange freshness. A distinct whiff of aromatic garrigue herbs and a touch of black olive tapenade add savoury elements to what - at this price level - is really quite a complex wine. The palate too has plenty of succulent red and black fruit flavours, again with a hint of toffee and fig, balanced by ripe, supple tannins and ample acidity. This really is quite a contemplative wine - the sort that has you sticking your nose in the glass and keeps you coming back for another drop or two. And how many wines at well under a tenner can do that, these days? Textbook Minervois.

Price: £8.90 (Including: VAT at 20%)

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Domaine La Combe Blanche La Galine 2008 Minervois La Liviniere
Combe Blanche La Galine 2008

Vintage	2008
Region	Minervois La Liviniere, north-east of Carcassonne
Colour/Style	Dry red - medium/full bodied, 18 months in old oak
Grapes	40% Syrah, plus Grenache, Carignan and Cinsault
Alcohol (a.b.v)	14.5%
Food	Duck, game, steak, lamb, chicken
Next day	Still good
Drink	Now, or over the next 5 to 10 years
Deep purple core with a dark ruby rim. This really is a gloriously perfumed wine, with multi-layered black cherry, bramble and raspberry aromas, accompanied by damp earth, polished wood, leather, fine eau de vie and subtle notes of violet and peony. And whilst slow to come out of its shell, it gets more and more complex after a few hours in the decanter (and positively sings on day 2). The intense summer heat in the vineyards high above La Liviniere means that optimum ripeness is accompanied by relativelly high alcohol, but this is no Parkerised monster. For whilst evidently full-bodied and ripe, it possesses more than a little complexity and real elegance, with a multitude of fresh - rather than baked - red and black fruit flavours, infused with garrigue herbs and again a touch of earthiness. A combination of remarkably fine, supple tannins and juicy, orange-tinged acidity completes the package. The finish is long, spicy, warming, life-affirming - and truly worthy of contemplation. As a winemaker who forever struggles to make ends meet, Guy Vanlancker has not bought any new barrels for over 10 years. But this wine really doesn't need to be dressed up in a cloak of new oak - it is winemaking without a safety net, and with his skills laid bare, Guy has once again fashioned a remarkable wine. And at this price, it really is a steal. You can drink it now, with pleasure, but it should also age nicely for a good few years yet.

Price: £11.50 (Including: VAT at 20%)

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Domaine La Combe Blanche La Chandeliere 2009 Minervois La Liviniere
Combe Blanche La Chandeliere 2009

Vintage	2009
Region	Minervois La Liviniere, north-east of Carcassonne
Colour/Style	Dry red - full bodied. 18 months in old oak barrels
Grapes	75% Syrah, 15% Grenache, 10% Carignan
Alcohol (a.b.v)	15.0%
Food	Fillet steak, roast beef or lamb, game
Next day	Even better - takes a full 2 days to open out
Drink	Very approachable now, will evolve over next 10 years
A deep, blood red colour, with a narrow ruby rim. Bramble, red cherries and figs in abundance, with further notes of truffle, spices, herbs and polished leather - a very complex nose indeed. Whilst the flavours are at first rich and intense, with extremely ripe fruit flavours, this wine never loses its focus. Concentrated it may be (and at 15% abv, at the top end of the alcohol scale) but it is also beautifully balanced, with ripe tannins and ample acidity. On day 1, it is intensely spicy, warm and grippy, but never disjointed. By day 2 (or even day 3) it is an absolute joy and everything really does come together - fresh as a daisy, with a captivating nose and full of tangy, dark, fruit pie flavours, slightly earthy (though not particularly savoury), herby, with a touch of licorice on the long, sweet and sour finish. It is a completely brilliant expression of Languedoc Syrah and Grenache, with little or no oak influence to get in the way of such glorious fruit. If ever there was a red wine which you should decant a couple of days before drinking, then this is it. And if you do that - or if you age it for another 5 to 10 years - you will be richly rewarded.

Price: £13.99 (Including: VAT at 20%)

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Saint-Chinian

A.O.C Saint-Chinian

Situated some way to the north-west of Béziers, on the fringes of the Haut Languedoc mountains, the vineyards of Saint-Chinian produce wines of great elegance and structure. Syrah, Grenache and Carignan are the main varieties used. These beautiful wines are characterised by soft berry fruits, infused with the scents and flavours of the hillside “garrigue” – typically violets, herbs and black olives. Chateau La Dournie is situated on the outskirts of the town of Saint-Chinian, with a large house and courtyard, set amongst the vineyards. The Guide Hachette describes the wines thus; "Continuity is assured with this sixth generation taking the reins at La Dournie, with these magnificent cuvées, by way of confirmation." The wines are distinctly refreshing, yet complex, and seem to conjure up that mysterious word "terroir", with a distinct regional style that could hardly be from anywhere else in the world.

Chateau La Dournie Etienne 2008 Saint-Chinian
La Dournie Etienne 2008

Vintage	2008
Region	Saint-Chinian, north-west of Béziers
Colour/Style	Dry red, aged for 10 months in oak barrels
Grapes	50% Syrah, 25% Grenache, 25% Carignan
Alcohol (a.b.v)	13.0%
Food	Roast red meats, vegetable and pasta dishes, game
Next day	Still fresh
Drink	Over the next 5 to 8 years
Medium-deep, semi-transluscent blood red colour with a narrow rim. As is almost to be expected with La Dournie's wines, the nose is a riot of raspberry, black cherry, black olive and garrigue herbs, with floral notes suggesting violets and lilies and a distinctly high-toned minerality. Absolutely classic schiste-grown Saint-Chinian and supremely elegant. The flavours are intense and subtle in equal measures, with a palate crammed full of those wonderful, minerally, fruity and herby Syrah characteristics. The Grenache contributes a touch of softness, whilst the Carignan adds grip and a welcome touch of rusticity, but the Syrah really is the dominant player in this wine. There's a touch of spice and herb, but the fruit takes centre stage, in a wine that simply oozes character and class - an effortless combination of restrained power and elegance. This is drinking beautifully already, but is sure to age gracefully for at least another 5 to 8 years.

Price: £11.99 (Including: VAT at 20%)

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Chateau La Dournie Etienne 2009 Saint-Chinian
La Dournie Etienne 2009

Vintage	2009
Region	Saint-Chinian, north-west of Béziers
Colour/Style	Dry red, aged for 10 months in oak barrels
Grapes	50% Syrah, 25% Grenache, 25% Carignan
Alcohol (a.b.v)	13.0%
Food	Roast red meats, vegetable and pasta dishes, game
Next day	Still fresh
Drink	Over the next 5 to 8 years
New - tasting note to follow.

Price: £11.99 (Including: VAT at 20%)

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Chateau La Dournie Elise 2008 Saint-Chinian
La Dournie Elise 2008

Vintage	2008
Region	Saint-Chinian, north-west of Béziers
Colour/Style	Dry red, partly aged in new oak barrels, the rest in vat
Grapes	80% Syrah, 20% Grenache (50 year old vines)
Alcohol (a.b.v)	14.0%
Food	Venison, roast beef, lamb, pork, cheese
Next day	Lovely
Drink	Over the next 5 to 10 years
A deep, blackberry-coloured core with a tiny carmine rim. As with previous vintages of this wine, the nose is wonderfully fragrant and considerably complex, offering aromas of fresh plums, bramble and black cherry, along with that unmistakable hallmark of Syrah grown on the schiste-based Saint-Chinian terroir - garrigue herbs, lilies, violets, black olives and a strong mineral influence. The palate is subtle and balanced, rather than overtly rich, with spice and herb-infused (though not too sweet) bramble, redcurrant and cherry fruit wrapped in a blanket of fine, silky tannins. And you can really taste the earthy, stony minerality, which - in combination with really juicy acidity - provides a firm backbone for the fruit. Add to that the ultra-fine tannins and you have a wine that, although very approachable now, has the capacity to age and evolve gracefully for another 5 to 10 years. Another gloriously elegant wine from this, one of (if not the) greatest estates in the appellation.

Price: £14.75 (Including: VAT at 20%)

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Chateau La Dournie Elise 2009 Saint-Chinian
La Dournie Elise 2009

Vintage	2009
Region	Saint-Chinian, north-west of Béziers
Colour/Style	Dry red, partly aged in new oak barrels, the rest in vat
Grapes	80% Syrah, 20% Grenache (50 year old vines)
Alcohol (a.b.v)	14.0%
Food	Venison, roast beef, lamb, pork, cheese
Next day	Lovely
Drink	Over the next 5 to 10 years
A deep-ish cherry red core with a narrow rim. Again, a wonderfully fragrant and complex nose, with black cherry, bramble and orange aromas to the fore, and myriad notes of garrigue herbs, lilies, violets and subtle spice. In fact, the floral aromas continue to intensify in the glass and grow in complexity, with faint oak and forest floor/truffle nuances also peeping through. The palate is again subtle, balanced and supremely refined, with fresh bramble, redcurrant and red cherry fruits, earth, a touch of savoury/spice and excellent levels of acidity and fine tannins. When I forst tasted this in February 2012 (just before it was bottled) it seemed very fruit forward and in need of plenty of time to develop that classic Saint-Chinian minerality and perfume. But now, after a few months in bottle, it has really settled down nicely and is almost approachable, though it certainly has the capacity to evolve beautifully over the next 10 years. Another brilliant and gloriously elegant wine.

Price: £14.75 (Including: VAT at 20%)

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Domaine de Cébène Les Bancèls 2009 Faugères

Vintage	2009
Region	Faugeres
Colour/Style	Dry red - medium/full bodied
Grapes	Mourvedre, Syrah, Grenache
Alcohol (a.b.v)	14.0%
Food	Red meats, game, mushroom risotto
Next day	Even better - improves for days
Drink	Can be drunk now, but will age nicely for 5 to 8 years
The aromas in this wine fairly leap out of the glass, which is sitting a foot away from me as I write, and I can still smell the glorious perfume of bramble, raspberry and redcurrant steeped in eau de vie, with notes of oregano and cinnamon, leather and polished wood. It is indeed a rare wine that can do that. The palate is truly expressive, with warming spice and savoury/herby flavours mingling with red and black fruits, fine tannins and excellent acidity. The result is a wine of enormous complexity, combining fruit, savoury, sweet and sour in a rich, even powerful, yet deceptively elegant, feminine wine. A fabulous wine, with great potential for development. Tasting note by Tim Atkin - November 2010 "Brigitte Chevalier used to work in Bordeaux for Jean-Luc Thunevin, and she’s made the leap from sales to winemaking look easy. Her wines are all excellent, made from low-yielding vines. This is polished yet appealingly wild, with the 50% Mourvèdre adding a savoury depth. The tannins are supple and very fine, with refreshing acidity lifting the flavours of wild herbs, raspberry and plum. A domaine to watch. 94/100"

Price: £14.75 (Including: VAT at 20%)

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Domaine de Cébène Felgaria 2009 Faugères
Domaine de Cebene Felgaria 2009 table

Vintage	2009
Region	Faugeres
Colour/Style	Dry red - medium/full bodied
Grapes	50% Mourvèdre, 30% Syrah, 20% Grenache
Alcohol (a.b.v)	14.0%
Food	Red meats game, mushroom risotto
Next day	Again, even better after 2 or 3 days
Drink	Can be drunk now, but will age nicely for 10+ years
This is Brigitte Chevalier's top cuvée - and it is a stunner. Deep, dark (almost opaque), brooding and even more serious than Les Bancels. Bramble and blackcurrant aromas mingle with black cherry and seville orange. Once again, this is laden with herbs and exotic spices, meat and and an enticing hint of volatile acidity. There's a strong schiste/mineral streak as well, together with classy cedar/cigar box and an amazing freshness and vitality (again, even after several days) - another astonishingly complex wine. The palate is rich, deeply flavoured and beautifully extracted, without sacrificing its inherent freshness. The flavours are complex and full of fruit, with supple tannins and fresh, almost lemony acidity. The finish is spicy, zesty and very long. This is a glorious bottle of wine. It isn't cheap, but Faugères does not get any better than this - in fact, Languedoc wine doesn't get any better.

Price: £22.25 (Including: VAT at 20%)

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AOC Languedoc

A.O.C Coteaux du Languedoc

The AOC Languedoc appellation was introduced in 2007, as a replacement for Coteaux du Languedoc. Presumably, this was in an attempt to make the rather complicated hierarchy of AOC's in this huge wine region easier for consumers to understand. Admittedly, the old system probably was a little confusing for the uninitiated, though simple enough, once you got your head around it. Frankly, though, I'm not sure an awful lot has changed - and it certainly won't be any easier for people who didn't understand the old system! Basically, AOC Languedoc covers the parts of Languedoc and - even more confusingly - Roussillon that do not have the benefit of their own distinctive local AOC (Saint-Chinian, Faugeres, Minervois, for instance). Within the AOC Languedoc, there are various sub-regional AOC's (namely Grès de Montpellier, Pézénas, Sommières, La Clape, Pic Saint-Loup, Terrasses du Larzac, Picpoul de Pinet, Terrasses de Béziers, Montpeyroux and Saint-Georges d’Orques) whose names can be appended to the Languedoc AOC. The confusion doesn't end there, though. For instance, the Saint Georges d'Orques AOC actually lies within the Grès de Montpellier region, whilst Saint Saturnin (which doesn't seem to get a mention in the new rules) is very definitely a recognised sub-regional AOC falling within the Terrasses du Larzac - a sub-reion of a sub-region, if you like. Confused? I'm not surprised, as I am now a little confused myself!.

Not that we want to get too caught up in the regional hierarchy, or pyramid, but the wines from these sub-regions - or "terroirs", as they used to be called - can (and very often do) offer-up some very distinct regional characteristics. Which certainly gives some credence to the way they are designated - even if the new system only serves to confuse matters even more! And there are many styles of wine being made, depending on the terroir and the choice of grape varieties. The main grapes for the red wines are Syrah, Grenache, Carignan and Cinsault, with Mourvedre also becoming more predominant. And as well as many wonderful independent growers, this is an area blessed with a good number of top-quality co-operatves, notably Les Vignerons de La Carignano in Gabian and the fantastic Coteaux de Neffies. We have tasted wines from Neffies over many years, and the standard is extremely high. We also have some lovely wines from Domaine d'Archimbaud in Saint-Saturnin, one of the most northerly villages in the Languedoc region, producing "cool climate" wines of great complexity and elegance. Whilst very approachable when young, they have the structure to age and improve for several years. Domaine Monplezy, situated just to the north of Pézenas also makes some delicious wines - and they are organic. The most recent additions to our list are some brilliant Pic Saint-Loup wines Mas Foulaquier, a small domaine situated in the north of the appellation, plus a range of equally brilliant wines from Domaine de La Marfée, another top quality small grower, situated just to the west of Montpellier. What is more, both of these growers are biodynamic.

Along with the better known (or at least better understood) appellations of Languedoc - such as the afore-mentioned Saint-Chinian, Faugeres, Minervois, et al - AOC Languedoc, in all its various guises - is now producing some of the best wines in southern France (and, in our opinion, the world). Try some - you won't be disappointed.

Domaine d'Archimbaud Tradition 2008 Languedoc Saint-Saturnin
Archimbaud Tradition 2008 table

Vintage	2008
Region	Saint-Saturnin, some way north-west of Montpellier
Colour/Style	Dry red - medium to full bodied, aged in cuve
Grapes	50% Syrah, 40% Grenache, 5% Mourvedre, 5% Carignan
Alcohol (a.b.v)	13.0%
Food	Grilled or roasted red meats, game
Next day	Still fine
Drink	Over the next 5 to 8 years
This wine shows a bright, young ruby/blood red colour and a nose heavy with the scents of sweet briary fruits, red cherries, tar and the almost ubiquitous garrigue herbs. It has an intensity and purity which every Languedoc red wine should aspire to - and the palate certainly lives up to the promise of the nose. Whilst rich in fruit, it also possesses a savoury, tangy, sweet and sour quality which coats the mouth and persists for a long time. The rich, robust, warming flavours of the Grenache combine beautifully with the elegance of the Syrah, whilst a small percentage of Mourvedre and Carignan adds even more interest. It is a complex wine for the money. And whilst there is ample tannin and acidity, the fruit wins hands down, because it is just so drinkable now. Having said that, it is without doubt a wine that will keep getting better for a good few years yet - 3 to 5, at the very least, and perhaps even more. Now sold out - a new vintage will arrive April/May 2013.

Price: £10.99 (Including: VAT at 20%)

Domaine d'Archimbaud l'Enfant Terrible 2008 - Languedoc Terrasses du Larzac
Domaine d'Archimbaud l'Enfant Terrible 2008 table

Vintage	2008
Region	Saint-Saturnin, some way north-west of Montpellier
Colour/Style	Dry red - medium to full bodied, aged in cuve
Grapes	60% Mourvedre, 20% Grenache, 20% Carignan
Alcohol (a.b.v)	13.0%
Food	Grilled or roasted red meats, spicy sausages, rich stews
Next day	Better still
Drink	Over the next 5 to 8 years
The colour is a bright, youthful, quite deep ruby red with a wide rim. The nose greets you with a huge waft of tar, woodsmoke and polished leather, with a veritable pot pourri of herbs and spices, almost like incense. It isn't oak-aged, but it smells creamy. It has bags of fruit, too - dark, brambly fruit, plums and black cherries. Like the nose, the palate is spicy, herby and tarry, with ripe tannins and just the right amount of acidity to give it a fruity, sweet and sour tanginess. It is quite rich, persistent and nicely warming. As this is such a young wine, it is even better on day 2, developing more herby and spicy notes, with hints of flowers, earth and red meats. A real cracker of a wine, from one of my favourite growers.

Price: £13.50 (Including: VAT at 20%)

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Domaine d'Archimbaud La Robe du Pourpre 2007 - Languedoc Saint-Saturnin
Archimbaud Robe du Pourpre 2007 table

Vintage	2007
Region	Saint-Saturnin, some way north-west of Montpellier
Colour/Style	Dry red - medium bodied, aged in barrel for 11 months
Grapes	50% Syrah, 30% Grenache, 10% Mourvedre, 10% Carignan
Alcohol (a.b.v)	13.0%
Food	Grilled or roasted red meats, game, charcuterie
Next day	Even better
Drink	Now, or over the next 5 to 10 years
A deep-ish purple core, fading gently to a ruby rim - a very youthful, bright colour. Bramble and red cherry aromas abound, with subtle nuances of orange peel and even a faint (but intriguing) whiff of apple. Notes of garrigue, roasted meat, tobacco and eau de vie complete the package. In the mouth, it is rich and mouth-filling and full of gorgeously fresh red and black fruit flavours that linger on the tongue for some considerable time. A touch of the savoury, combined with velvety tannins and juicy acidity lends the wine a certain sweet and sour quality. The finish is fresh and balanced and the length is very impressive. Saint-Saturnin is a relatively cool and elevated area of Languedoc and the grapes always ripen a week or two later than in most of the low-lying areas, making for fresh, balanced wines with slightly lower alcohol levels. I have tasted (and sold) several vintages of this wine and I think this is the best yet - better even than the superb 2001. And although it is already soft and delicious, it certainly has the structure to age beautifully over the next 5 to 10 years. A brilliant wine, from a very underrated grower and appellation.

Price: £14.80 (Including: VAT at 20%)

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Domaine de La Marfée Les Gamines 2009 Languedoc Saint Georges d'Orques
Domaine de La Marfee Les Gamines 2009

Vintage	2009
Region	Saint Georges d'Orques, west of Montpellier
Colour/Style	Dry red - full bodied, aged 2 years in barrel. Biodynamic.
Grapes	50% Syrah, 40% Mourvedre and 10% Grenache
Alcohol (a.b.v)	13.6%
Food	Grilled red meats, roasted vegetables, mushrooms risotto
Next day	As good, if not better
Drink	Now, or over the next 5 to 8 years
Semi-opaque purple/red colour, fading to a narrow ruby rim. A mélange of black and red fruit aromas, notably blackcurrants and cherries steeped in eau de vie, infused with garrigue herbs, with enticing (old) woody aromas, with background notes of tobacco, cocoa and allspice. Not to mention, of course, the hallmark of pretty much every Marfée wine - aromatic blackcurrant leaf and elderflower. For a wine at this (by no means expensive) price point, it really does show remarkable complexity and allure. And the promise of all those glorious aromas shows through in the mouth, with intense blackcurrant and cherry flavours, grippy but fine-grained tannins and a healthy lick of acidity. The herby and spicy notes, combined with the lush fruit flavours and just a hint of bitter dark chocolate give this wine a sweet and sour quality - savoury, fruity and spicy all at the same time. It certainly gains weight with a few hours of air, but never loses focus, with fruit, acidity and tannin in equal measure. Lovely wine, which is approachable now, but thas the stuffing to age for 5 or even 10 years.

Price: £13.50 (Including: VAT at 20%)

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Domaine de La Marfée Della Francesca 2007 Languedoc Saint Georges d'Orques
Domaine de La Marfee Della Francesca 2007 table

Vintage	2007
Region	Saint Georges d'Orques, west of Montpellier
Colour/Style	Dry red - medium-to-full bodied
Grapes	85% Mourvedre and 15% Syrah
Alcohol (a.b.v)	14.0%
Food	Red meats, stews, game, duck
Next day	Not yet tested
Drink	Now, or over the next 5 to 8 years
Semi-transluscent mid-purple colour with a narrow rim. This again has the trademark Marfée nose of blackcurrant leaf and fruit pastille, with hints of elderflower, polished wood and spice. Subtle hints of mint, violets and eau de vie make for another complex and very lovely wine. The palate is of medium weight with wonderful freshness, with lemony acidity and tangy, sweet-sour fruit flavours. The tannins are grippy, but fine-grained. There are some interesting herby/spicy notes on the finish, which is long and mouth-watering. Although lovely to drink already, this is a wine that promises to get better and better over the next 5 to 8 years.

Price: £18.35 (Including: VAT at 20%)

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Domaine de La Marfée Della Francesca 2009 Languedoc Saint Georges d'Orques
Domaine de La Marfee Della Francesca 2009

Vintage	2009
Region	Saint Georges d'Orques, west of Montpellier
Colour/Style	Dry red - medium-to-full bodied
Grapes	85% Mourvedre and 15% Syrah
Alcohol (a.b.v)	13.8%
Food	Red meats, stews, game, duck
Next day	As good
Drink	Now, or over the next 8 to 10 years
Semi-transluscent deep-ish purple colour with a narrow rim. Yet again, we have that wonderful trademark Marfée nose of blackcurrant leaf and fruit pastille, with hints of elderflower, polished wood, tobacco, spice, mint and a definite savoury/meaty element - not too much, mind, for the emphasis is definitely on the fruit. The palate again shows typical freshness, with citrussy acidity, grippy but fine tannins and tangy, sweet-and-sour flavours, courtesy of some intense plummy and brambly red and black fruit, again with a savoury/spicy/meaty/herby quality. The finish is very long, with those mouth-watering red/black fruits lingering for an age. This is mightily good to drink already, but will cellar well for a decade or more.

Price: £17.99 (Including: VAT at 20%)

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Domaine de La Marfée Les Champs Murmurés 2007 Languedoc Saint Georges d'Orques
Domaine de La Marfee Les Champs Murmures 2007 table

Vintage	2007
Region	Saint Georges d'Orques, west of Montpellier
Colour/Style	Dry red - medium-to-full bodied
Grapes	Syrah and Mourvedre from very old vines
Alcohol (a.b.v)	14.0%
Food	Rib of beef, rich stews, game
Next day	Not yet tested
Drink	Now, or over the next 5 to 10 years
Deep purple at the core, with a narrow ruby rim. This wine has a truly compelling nose, with dark fruits galore, mixed with herbs and spices, tobacco and polished wood. This is probably the most backward of all the Marfée reds, but may also be the most complex and complete. It is so tightly-knit and "together", with dark fruits, herbs and spices combining beautifully into a fruity, savoury whole. It is perhaps a touch closed, when compared to Les Vignes Qu'On Abat, but oh-so complex. Like the other wines in the Marfée range, it is medium-to-full, rather than being a heavyweight and - even at this early stage in its development - there is a good deal of elegance. This wine is going to age beautifully, over many years. A stunner of a wine.

Price: £24.50 (Including: VAT at 20%)

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Domaine de La Marfée Les Champs Murmurés 2009 Languedoc Saint Georges d'Orques

Vintage	2009
Region	Saint Georges d'Orques, west of Montpellier
Colour/Style	Dry red - medium-to-full bodied
Grapes	Syrah and Mourvedre from very old vines
Alcohol (a.b.v)	13.8%
Food	Rib of beef, rich stews, game
Next day	Not yet tested
Drink	Now, or over the next 10-plus years
New vintage - tasting note to follow.

Price: £24.95 (Including: VAT at 20%)

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Chateau Saint Ferréol 2006 - Coteaux du Languedoc
Chateau Saint Ferreol Red 2006

Vintage	2006
Region	Vin de Pays d'Oc - north of Pézenas
Colour/Style	Dry red - medium/full bodied, aged in oak for 2 years
Grapes	A blend of Syrah and Grenache
Alcohol (a.b.v)	13.0%
Food	Fish, chicken, pork, soft cheese, fruit, or on its own
Next day	Better still
Drink	Good now, but will evolve nicely for another 5+ years
A shiny, bright, blood-red core, fading gently to a ruby rim. The nose offers intense aromas of bramble and blackcurrant, with subtle hints of white fruits and soft citrus. Not to mention a tremendous array of secondary notes including forest floor, iodine, leather and cedar/cigar box, courtesy of 2 years ageing in French and American oak barrels. On the palate, the fruit is both ripe and tangy, with high-toned red cherry and bramble flavours combining with intensely mouth-watering acidity and slightly dusty tannins. I first tasted this wine a year or two ago, at which point I found it a bit disjointed, but it is slowly-but-surely beginning to knit together. The heightened acidity is beginning to soften a little, as are the tannins, whilst there is still an abundance of fruit, with an initial hint of sweetness dissipating with time in the glass, allowing those secondary notes to come to the fore. And with those 2 years spent in barrel the effect is really quite subtle and brilliantly judged. A wine to enjoy now, or to cellar for another 5 years or so.

Price: £10.99 (Including: VAT at 20%)

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Mas Foulaquier Les Tonillieres 2008 Languedoc Pic Saint-Loup
Mas Foulaquier Les Tonillieres 2008 table

Vintage	2008
Region	Pic Saint-Loup, north-east of Montpellier
Colour/Style	Dry red - medium-to-full bodied, aged in vat. Biodynamic.
Grapes	50% old vine Carignan, 50% Syrah.
Alcohol (a.b.v)	13.0%
Food	Red and white meats seasoned with herbs, pasta dishes
Next day	Even better - really benefits from a night in the fridge
Drink	Now, or over the next 3 to 5 years
Semi-transluscent, medium purple red, fading gently to a pink rim. Aromas of cherries and raspberries leap from the glass, with background notes of violets, aromatic herbs and liquorice. After some exposure to the air, it develops subtle notes of peppermint, polished leather and eau de vie. Delve a little further and you might even detect hints of apple and iodine. It really is quite complex stuff! The palate takes a few minutes to open out, before revealing flavours of raspberry and redcurrant, a streak of earthy minerality and firm but fine tannins. There is a distinct herbiness and tanginess to this wine, which makes it a great match for dishes seasoned with herbs and maybe even soft spices. And the fruit has hidden depths, becoming denser and more full-bodied after a few hours. The secret is to give it a vigorous double-decant, a good 2 or 3 hours before drinking, because it really does make all the difference. It is a very pure, elegant wine, and should develop and soften beautifully after another year or two in bottle. Certified biodynamic by AB and Demeter.

Price: £12.79 (Including: VAT at 20%)

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Mas Foulaquier Les Calades 2006 Coteaux du Languedoc Pic Saint-Loup
Mas Foulaquier Les Calades 2006 table

Vintage	2006
Region	Pic Saint-Loup, north-east of Montpellier
Colour/Style	Dry red - full bodied, partly aged in barrel. Biodynamic
Grapes	60% Syrah, 40% Grenache
Alcohol (a.b.v)	14.5%
Food	Red meats, spicy Asian food, Mediterranean dishes
Next day	Even better
Drink	Now, or over the next 5 to 8 years
A young-looking deep purple/red core, leading to a narrow carmine rim. The nose is a heady mix of red and black fruits steeped in eau de vie, with all manner of exotic spice and garrigue herb notes. Despite being aged for 24 months (half in concrete vats, half in barrels and demi-muids of between 3 and 10 years old) the oak hardly gets a look in, with merely a hint of polished wood mingled in with the complex fruit aromas. The palate is awash with bramble and redcurrants and even a hint of seville orange, giving the wine a distinct tanginess. There is plenty of spicy, tannic grip, but the fruit is so lush and the acidity so mouth-watering that you almost don't notice - it really is a wonderfully balanced, complex wine, combining power with considerable elegance. And if ever a wine wore its 14.5% abv so beautifully, this is it - Chateauneuf-du-Pape, eat your heart out! A compelling and utterly brilliant wine. Biodynamic - awaiting AB certification.

Price: £16.30 (Including: VAT at 20%)

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Mas Foulaquier Gran' Tonillieres 2006 Languedoc Pic Saint-Loup
Mas Foulaquier Gran' Tonillieres 2006 table

Vintage	2006
Region	Pic Saint-Loup, north-east of Montpellier
Colour/Style	Dry red - full bodied
Grapes	50% Grenache and 50% Carignan, all over 50 years old
Alcohol (a.b.v)	14.0%
Food	Red meats, game, duck, sweetly spicy dishes
Next day	Still very good
Drink	Now, or over the next 5 to 10 years
Aged for 24 months (half in concrete vats, half in barrels and demi-muids of between 3 and 10 years old). A deep purple/black colour, with a narrow carmine rim. Intense and amazingly pure blackcurrant and bramble aromas mingle with garrigue herbs, clove and cedarwood, along with some quite meaty/savoury notes and an interesting hint of iodine (always a good descriptor in my book, by the way). The palate is packed with red and black fruits, herbs, allspice and dark chocolate, with firm but fine tannins and ample acidity. This is undoubtedly the finest and most complex cuvée in the Foulaquier range. The combination of fruit from 50 year-old vines and ageing in (mostly older) oak barrels all contribute to a wine with a magnificent structure. So, athough it is very approachable now, I would not be surprised to see it age and improve for another decade. An absolutely delicious wine. Biodynamic - awaiting AB certification.

Price: £18.89 (Including: VAT at 20%)

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Mas Foulaquier Gran' Tonillieres 2007 Languedoc Pic Saint-Loup
Mas Foulaquier Gran' Tonillieres 2007 table

Vintage	2007
Region	Pic Saint-Loup, north-east of Montpellier
Colour/Style	Dry red - full bodied
Grapes	50% Grenache and 50% Carignan, all over 50 years old
Alcohol (a.b.v)	14.5%
Food	Red meats, game, duck, sweetly spicy dishes
Next day	Still very good and opening-up
Drink	Now, or over the next 5 to 8 years
Aged for 24 months (half in concrete vats, half in barrels and demi-muids of between 3 and 10 years old). Rich and explosive - a riot of blackcurrant pastille, bramble and tar. As you would expect, this is very similar in style and structure to the 2006 above. At the moment, I marginally prefer the 2006, if only because it has the benefit of an extra year in bottle and is marginally softer and more approachable. But make no mistake, this is also a seriously good and seriously ageworthy wine, which may, in time, outshine the 2006. Biodynamic - awaiting AB certification.

Price: £18.89 (Including: VAT at 20%)

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Minimum order value, delivery charges, times and restrictions

We deliver only to UK and Northern Ireland addresses. The minimum order value is £75 (plus the delivery charge). You may of course choose a mix of any wines in our range. Orders between £75 and £200: delivery charge is £7.50. Orders over £200: delivery is free! (If your order is over £200, please remember to change the delivery charge in checkout to £0.00). Please note: Delivery to non-mainland addresses (Scottish Highlands and Islands, Northern Ireland, Isle of Man, Isle of Wight, etc.) is usually possible, but may not be on a next-working-day basis. It is also more expensive than delivery to mainland addresses, so will be charged at cost (for orders under £200) but with a small discount for orders over £200 - please call us for a quote.

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It is an offence to purchase or attempt to purchase alcohol if you are under the age of 18. (Section 149 Licensing Act 2003).We reserve the right to seek proof of age. Leon Stolarski says "drink less, but drink better!" Please consume alcohol in moderation.