We’ve championed Jean Charles Duran’s superb Un Vent de Folie for a decade. This is his Grand Cru version.
It uses Grenache and Carignan from his 100+ year old Maury Sec vines, and the wine is barrel aged. Powerful yet elegant, balanced and long.
Just across a small country road from Boutenac, where renowned French winemaker Gérard Bertrand makes his £40+ a bottle Corbières, is the village of Fabrezan. It boasts equally impressive, stony vineyards. It's where, in fact, Tony Laithwaite bought his first Corbières in 1971. Today young couple Amelie and Jean Baptiste work tirelessly, in evenings and weekends (after their day jobs as consultant winemakers), tending their ancient vines and making their cru quality Corbières.
The vines were planted by J-B's great grandfather, but until this young couple took over, all the grapes were sold to the local coop. J-B and Amelie took over in 2007, pieced together a tiny shed winery and starting making their own. This fabulous red is the result.
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You’ll find no end of acclaim for the fine reds of Domaine de Mourchon. Master of Wine Jancis Robinson puts their wines “amongst the most interesting 5% of wine made today”. Top US publication, the Wine Advocate, who awarded their 2017 Côtes du Rhône Villages Tradition a glowing 90-92 point score, is even more effusive: “full-bodied, creamy and lush in the mouth, yet it remains lively, energetic and long on the finish," adding "These splendid cuvées are all worth buying by the caseload.”
It’s crafted by expert winemaker Sébastien Magnouac. He uses only the ripest fruit picked from old vines and his best oak barrels for ageing. A sumptuous, velvety red with dark fruit richness to partner with lamb or a hearty, herb-laden casserole.
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