Faugères "Valinière" (Red) 2019

A blend of around 80% Mourvèdre and 20% Syrah, this is an intense, dark and brooding wine with style and finesse. Inky black fruit, olives and spices underneath violet and white pepper. Falling somewhere between a Bandol and Hermitage, this is a unique cuvée that could only come from the garrique-covered terroir of the Languedoc. Dense and powerful with minerality and acidity that guarantee a dramatic evolution over time.

Valinière is named after a small stream near the vineyards.The grapes come from 30 to 60 year-old vines growing in schist-rich soils between the Pyrenees Mountains and a garrique forest. The Syrah used in this cuvée comes from a cooler north-facing parcel, which combines with the heady Mourvèdre to create a powerful, concentrated wine with long ageing potential.

Vinification: Grapes are hand-harvested and gently pressed and undergo fermentation with indigenous yeasts. Mourvèdre is always the last grape to be picked, ensuring ripe, rich flavours. Each variety is vinified separately. Grapes are macerated for 3-4 weeks in cement tanks with regular manual punch-downs. After maceration, the must is lightly pressed with an old wood vertical basket press and then aged for 24 months in cement and stainless steel tanks. It is bottled unfined and unfiltered.

Match it with: Grilled meats - from ribs to rabbit to venison, spicy tagines, intense cheeses.