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Castillon's limestone plateau is the "seamless" extension of the fabled Saint-Émilion (Oz Clarke), and these days any vineyard in the area that comes up for sale is snapped up by big Bordeaux names. They've finally latched on to the fact that little Castillon produces wines just as good as its grand neighbour! We were very lucky to get Colombe when we did, and we are excited to share its majestic wines with you. Like La Clarière, it's a silky Merlot-rich blend, and aged only briefly in oak, so it's fruitrich and supple and drinking beautifully now. It's a regular Gold-medal winner (11 Golds in the last five vintages) and is a must for any fine Bordeaux fan.
Château de Birot is an elegant, 17th-century property with vineyards perched on a high plateau looking down on the Garonne river and across to famous Sauternes. Until a few years ago, it belonged to the renowned Castéja family. They sold it and the new owners have been working hard, updating the estate. In the cellar, they discovered a forgotten batch of château wine from 2007.
Despite its 17 years’ age, it’s still tasting delicious, complex and long. It’s Merlot dominated from estate vineyards in the superior Premières Côtes, with a little of both Cabernets. After 17 years of maturing in the cellars, it has developed some sediment in bottle. A good sign. Stand the bottle upright for a few hours and carefully decant just before serving.
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Vines have been planted in this very southerly part of the Rhône since Roman times. They certainly knew a thing or two about making wine, so it’s safe to bet that this terroir is spot on for great wine! Typically, when you think of the Rhône you think of Syrah and Grenache. But award-winning winemaker Thierry Ferlay has shown that, in fact, Bordeaux's Merlot ripens perfectly in his local vineyards, not far from Châteauneuf.
Using old-vine fruit for extra intensity, he has created a silky red with plum and blackberry notes and a hint of pepper and liquorice. Easy going and fruity, it makes a delicious glassful on its own as well as a great stand by for mid-week suppers from sausages to shepherd's pie. A top choice for a barbecue too.
Scattered on the high-altitude slopes of the Cévennes foothills, lie the vineyards of Terrasses de Larzac. The top wine from there fetches £100 a bottle. Nearby are the other Languedoc crus - Montpeyroux, Pézenas and Pic Saint Loup. Tucked away among them and in the shadow of the great Mont Baudile lies a forgotten IGP, named after this towering mountain.
Cave Fonjoya boasts 90% production of this tiny area and the very finest grapes are reserved for this wine. A classic blend of Syrah, Grenache, Carignan and Mourvèdre, it's a sumptuous, smooth red, with polished tannins and deep black fruit with herbal nuances. Pure charm and a great partner to grilled meats, ideal at a barbecue, or with a rich, garlicky, herby casserole, veggie or not!
An exciting, rich, Gold-medal red from the Languedoc and the fourth generation winemaker Laurent Guillot. He blends the peppery, black fruit and spice of Syrah with the bright cherry notes of Négrette to make this supple, silky, easy going red.
It’s a rarely known fact that the Languedoc was the first French region to be introduced to viticultural practices by the Romans. This balmy red wine country took a hit in the 1980s when it became known for high volume wine, which lacked quality. But today, that quality is back thanks to passionate and dedicated Languedoc enthusiasts, such as Laurent Guillot. Born into a fourth generation Burgundian wine family, Laurent decided to head south and create an estate of his own. A north meets south style is evident in this spicy, supple red. With this wine he won Gold, crafting an authentic expression of the wild, sun-blessed terroir. Syrah based, it’s laden with blackberry and peppery spice, with a pep of fresh red fruit from Négrette.
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