Take a minute to read the (literally thousands of) 5-star online reviews for Cabalié. This one is typical: “When my time comes to shuffle off this mortal coil, this is the wine I want in that final glass. It is simply, utterly, indescribably fantastic.” Its secret? It’s crafted by a master winemaker, Hervé Sabardeil, following the centuries-old style beloved of Roman centurions, who first made wine there. Raspberry-rich Grenache, with herby Syrah and Carignan, Cabalié has impressive concentration.

That’s due to the maturity of the vines, most well over 50 years old. The tiny berries they produce give Cabalié extraordinarily rich, ripe flavours. Boasting 8 Golds in as many vintages, this much-loved red is warming solo or with hearty dishes.

Cabalié's popularity is down to a rare combination of imposing richness and easy drinking smoothness. Recreating that in white was no easy task. But Cabalié maestro Hervé Sabardeil has done it – years of searching, blending and hard work come to fruition in this, his ultimate expression of a southern French white. The magical grape mix is old-vine Viognier for intense honeysuckle aroma and soft texture, Muscat for dazzling grapey notes, and Colombard to keep it all zesty. And of course the other key ingredients are bright southern French sunshine, which ripens the grapes to perfection, sea breezes to keep them healthy and night harvesting to ensure maximum freshness. Bursting with tropical fruit, Cabalié is perfect with seafood or chicken.

Over 170 years of experience have gone into the making of this ripe orange-scented toasted brioche Champagne.

It's the work of 5th generation winemaker Julian Fourrier, whose father, Philippe, created this special cuvée in honour of his wife, Brigitte. Her maiden name was Delmotte.

The grapes are a classic blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay taken from vineyards first planted by Philippe and Brigitte.

All the family's 18 hectares of vines lie within Champagne's little known Côte des Bar, described by Wine Folly as "the hottest Champagne region right now".

Made traditionally, this fine fizz was aged four years on its lees to enhance its rich toasty flavour.

This handy half bottle is perfect to share between two - a small celebration!

Our scout and buyer for the Languedoc-Roussillon is Mark Hoddy. He's always searching the region's vineyards, to check out the vintage and the finest parcels of grapes. This is an ace find Mark discovered first in 2019 via an old friend in Corbières. Close by is Domaine La Lirande, a small estate founded in 1912 by the grandfather, François, in the tiny village of Coulobres. Every year, the Syrah from the domaine's 8 hectares of 40-year-old vines stands out for quality. Just taste the richness of this seductive red. Ripe black fruit, velvety, with smoky liquorice and wild herb notes, it's young, so best with hearty dishes like pasta bake or at a barbecue.