Le XV is known to thousands as our ‘King of the Big Reds’. It owes its intensity to Grenache from vines, some over 100 years old, that grow on the rocky slopes of the Pyrenean foothills in the Montagne Noire and yield only tiny quantities of grapes. Le XV also benefits from the painstaking care of self-confessed southern French wine aficionado Mark Hoddy, whose draconian selection process sees him earmark in advance every vineyard he intends to harvest and micro-manage every stage of the winemaking. This takes time, but you can taste the result in every delicious glass!

Richly textured, with layers of ripe bramble fruit kept smooth by warming alcohol and soft, ripe tannins, this is a red to enjoy with roast lamb, steak or a hearty stew.

For over 30 years, Le XV has delighted fans with its velvety smoothness, decadent richness and sheer generosity of flavour. Originally made by a rugby-mad bunch of winemakers in deepest southern France, its beating heart has always been luscious old-vine Grenache, packed with dark fruits, jammy ripeness and lashings of spice. To celebrate decades of 5-star fandom, Mark Hoddy joined forces with Vincent Gourdon, the visionary behind the original XV, to source extra special parcels of grapes.

Vincent is so well respected in the Roussillon region he’s fondly nicknamed Obi Wine Kenobi! In this deluxe edition, Mark added wild-herb, black-fruit Syrah to the century-old vine Grenache grapes. Dense and warming, it's best paired with hearty dishes.

Our old pal at Flagstone, Bruce Jack, called Gerhard Swart "the best winemaker I have ever met" – high praise indeed from someone with a lot of talent himself.

With the 2010 General Smuts Trophy under Gerhard's young belt, Winemaker of the Year in 2017, 5 Stars from John Platter and many other impressive awards, it's perhaps of no surprise. Gerhard's thirst for knowledge means he's always looking for ways to improve and produce something new and exciting. Crush magazine wrote "What makes him truly exceptional is understanding the language of grapes from vineyard to cellar." You can taste that in this fresh, fruity white. A zesty blend of Chardonnay, aromatic Viognier and Chenin, it’s spot on with shellfish, and best of all with lobster.