Chai winemaker Mark Hoddy reserves the Belle Roche label for a red wine made from the best parcel of grapes of the vintage. In 2022 he found just the ticket in a few rows of dark, thick-skinned Cabernet, grown in high-up Languedoc vineyards close to Carcassonne. There the climate benefits both from Mediterranean and Atlantic influences, hence a wine that echoes both of the warm ripeness of the Med with the structure of Bordeaux.

It's a densely flavoured red, its colour almost black – the reason he calls it his precious ‘black diamond’ of the vintage. Meticulously crafted by Mark at the cellar, Belle Roche is best decanted an hour before serving, just like a claret. It’s ideal with a juicy steak, a rich lasagne or a hearty casserole. Decant.

Chai winemaker Mark Hoddy reserves the Belle Roche label for a red wine made from the best parcel of grapes of the vintage. In 2021 he found just the ticket in a few rows of dark, thick-skinned Cabernet, grown in high-up Languedoc vineyards close to Carcassonne. There the climate benefits both from Mediterranean and Atlantic influences, hence a wine that echoes both of the warm ripeness of the Med with the structure of Bordeaux. It's a densely flavoured red, its colour almost black – the reason he calls it his precious ‘black diamond’ of the vintage. Meticulously crafted by Mark at the cellar, Belle Roche is best decanted an hour before serving, just like a claret. It’s ideal with a juicy steak, a rich lasagne or a hearty casserole. Decant.

If you’re looking for a wine with the richness and complexity of a white Châteauneuf, but at a much more appealing price tag, Blanc Neuf is the perfect choice. Rich, exotic and mouthfilling, it’s a careful blend of Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne courtesy of the Bonfils family, one of the leading names in southern France. With nearly 150 years of local expertise, the family have built a solid reputation for crafting top quality, good value wines. Blanc Neuf is sure proof. Their use of these Rhône varieties produces a rounded, creamy spice and ripe fruit white, reminiscent of a Châteauneuf Blanc. Displaying lively apricot flavours with a hint of hazelnut on the finish, it's richly layered and citrusy. Ideal with creamy chicken or salmon.

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.

Hervé Sabardeil, our winemaker with limitless talent, has been making Cabalié, the big, ripe Catalan red, for over 15 years. He added the old-vine (Vieilles Vignes) edition in 2011, originally as a one off, but it was so popular we insisted he did it again. And again! The magic to this punchy red is really in the vines. At 60 to 100-years-old, yields are minute (about half of a Grand Cru claret). As a rule of thumb, the smaller the yield, the more concentrated the fruit, the more flavoursome the wine!

That’s why we call it Cabalié’s Big Brother. Still made in the same style that was beloved by the Roman centurions and now our customers too, it packs even more flavour than the original. Ideal with garlic-roasted lamb, rich stews or cheese.

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.

The Chapoutier name is synonymous with some of the finest wines of the Rhône. The family founded an estate in the north of the region, in prized Hermitage, in 1808 and it has stayed in the family since. Michel Chapoutier took charge in the 1980s, introducing braille on his labels, single vineyard wines and meticulous biodynamic methods. His adventurous spirit made him look further afield for great estates and in 2000 he bought Bila-Haut in the Roussillon. Terroir is of the utmost importance to him and his wines must taste real!

This is a gloriously expressive red using Syrah, Grenache and Carignan from his rugged Roussillon vineyards. With silky black cherry, bramble fruit and spice, this is a top wine for roast meats or a rich cassoulet.

There are documents showing that wine was made at this beautiful property as early as 1172, when it belonged to Ermengarde, Countess of Narbonne. We don’t know the exact style and quality then, but today it is exemplary – Corbières at its sensuous best! The estate has been in the same family now since 1803 – seven generations of women and now Guillaume Allien, the eighth generation. Despite being in his final year as a medical student, Guillaume gave it all up to restore the family estate and learn winemaking.

He works with consultant Gilles Dejean to make this luscious, dark-fruited red, which speaks clearly of its stony soils, the herbal-scented garrigue and its Corbières provenance. A warming red that’s perfect for a rich casserole.

The Pic Saint-Loup was elevated to AOC status in 2016 in recognition of the region’s consistently outstanding wines. Named after the peak which bears the same name, the waters here are pristine, and the south-facing vineyards embrace the cool breezes of the Mediterranean.

La Closiere is an 80/20 split of the region’s iconic Syrah and Grenache. Small barrels are used for the Syrah (half of them new), while the Grenache is left to its own devices in larger 2,000L foudres. At 15% alcohol level, this is a hefty beast of a red but retains a beautiful elegance thanks to exquisite craftsmanship.

Château Lavabre La Closerie 2018 has been racking up some excellent scores from the world’s top wine critics…

“… a blockbuster bouquet of black fruits, camphor, graphite, ground pepper, and cured meats. With a touch more finesse and focus compared to the appellation release, it's full-bodied and has a beautifully balanced, concentrated, elegant mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and a great finish…”

“Blueberries, blackberries and licorice notes mark the nose, supported by hints of crushed stone and spicy oak. It's full-bodied and ripe but still balanced, with a more streamlined feel than the other Lavabre reds, along with silky tannins and a long, licorice-laden finish.”

“Opulent! Incredibly concentrated… Lots of sweetness but at the same time it isn't sweet. Fig molasses. Coal dust. Graphite. Caraway. Lots of texture on those tannins… Huge power and broad, glossy, muscled shoulders. Nothing understated about this wine."