LANGUEDOC, FRANCE
Old vine Carignan Noir (40%), Syrah (27%), Grenache Noir (23%), Mourvèdre (10%)
 
Le Fournas, is named after a Syrah vineyard, hidden in the hills. The name comes from a lime furnace which operated in the 19th century, the ruins of which can be seen in the Garrigue scrub.
Organic wine, certified by ECOCERT
 
Medium-bodied red from Grenache, Carignan, Syrah and Mourvèdre. Blackcurrant and cherry character with a floral background, followed by loganberry and damson. Supple and soft palate with a seductive freshness and cleanness of fruit. Concentrated but approachable.
 
Hidden in the rugged limestone hills of the High Corbières, Domaine Sainte Croix is situated in the village of Fraissé des Corbières in the very South of France, on the border between the Languedoc and the Roussillon, 20 minutes inland from the Mediterranean. Its 13 hectares (32 acres) are made up of many different terroirs, from small blocks of steel-blue limestone to sandy, gravelly clay shot through with quartz crystals, to sheets of purple-green schist. The domaine benefits from a strong mesoclimate where cooler maritime weather meets the heat and dryness of the interior. This gives red, rosé and white wines, which have a particularly strong identity with not only fine concentration but also elegance.
 
Here, there is much in common with the Roussillon, found only a valley away. The local dialect or patois is as much Occitan and Spanish as it is French. This is an area that has been widely reputed for its Grenache-based wines for well over a century and many of these same vines still give grapes of extraordinary depth and concentration. The small vineyard parcels are often bordered by age-old stone walls, fig, almond and wild cherry trees.
 
FOOD PAIRINGS
Grilled meats: Ribeye steak, lamb chops, or pork loinGame and fowl: Roast duck, wild boar, or venisonSausages: Garlic-heavy sausage, merguez, or a classic cassoulet.
Aged cheeses: Mature Cantal, Pecorino, or Ossau-IratyWashed-rind cheeses: Livarot or a sturdy, rustic cheddar