Southern France pack – A trip to 'Joie de Vivre' in Provence and Languedoc

2023 Fontanet 'Les Terrasses' Blanc Languedoc-Roussillon

Top-value white wine from Languedoc, Southern France. A blend of Grenache Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc & Colombard. It shows fresh citrus and white floral aromas. On the palate, clean and fresh with some nice warming mid-palate weight.

2023 Reserve Delsol Picpoul de Pinet 

Pale yellow colour with brilliant green highlights. The nose is delicate and fresh with fruity and florals aromas. The palate gives lemon and florals hints very refreshing. Perfect as an aperitif, with a range of seafood, including scallops, lobster, grilled fish, and cheese. 

2024 Domaine de Cristol Rose Cotes de Provence

Domaine de Cristol is part of the La Vidaubanaise co-oprative which was founded in 1912. Clinging to the slopes of crystalline Maures massif and first limestone ranges of the Pre-Alps, the region has a perfect climate for Mediterranean grape varieties such as Syrah, Grenache, Cinsault and Mourvedre. A delicate salmon coloured rose. It is bursting with bright peachy fruit & a faint strawberry note with a dry crisp finish. Sealed in a beautiful bottle with a glass stopper to retain freshness.

2020 Mas des Bressades Cuvee Tradition Rouge

Bright dark red colour. Fresh and ripe blackcurrant on the nose with lifted notes of garrigues herbs that will develop further as the wine ages, This wine is powerful and displays black fruit aromas on the palate. Beautiful long finish. Mas des Bressades is one of the leading Domaines in Costieres de Nimes, Cyril Mares (the founder’s son) now looks after the property, having first gained valuable work experience in California and Chile. His winegrowing approach is friendly to the environment and his wines are now certified organic.

2020 Usseglio Lirac

"The 2020 Lirac is terrific and makes the difference between 2020 and 2021 clear as day. Ripe black raspberries, licorice, herbes de Provence, and peppery notes define this beauty, and i t's medium to full-bodied, with a round, layered mouthfeel, and a great finish." One of the leading estates in Châteauneuf du Pape is unquestionably Domaine Pierre Usseglio, which is run by Thierry and Jean-Pierre Usseglio, with the next generation of Gregory Usseglio now working full-time with the estate as well. The lineup has shifted slightly over the years, with their Côtes du Rhône being replaced by the L’Unique label, which is released as a Vin de France. They produce a terrific Lirac, both red and white. Looking at the Châteauneuf du Pape releases, the classic red and white are now released under the label Premiere Pierre, and they’ve added the new Clos Pierre Usseglio 18 Cépages, which includes all 18 of the permitted grape varieties, red and white. The Cuvée Mon Aïeul and Reserve des Deux Freres remain unchanged and are two brilliant, yet dramatically different, expressions of Grenache. 91 POINTS | Jeb Dunnuck | Nov 2022

2019 Foncalieu Via Nostrum Saint Chinian

Exceptional value from Languedoc. Aromas of black berries and garrigue. On the palate: very present red fruit. Beautiful blend of syrah and grenache, structure with well-coated tannins and a long, spicy finish with notes of vanilla and toast. Enjoy with characterful dishes such as fillet of beef or duck confit.