Andrew Guard

2022 Vin de Pays des Côtes Catalanes Rouge 'Cuvee du Patron', Clos du Rouge Gorge

This is a wine last released in 2019 that is a blend of parcels of the Jeunes Vignes (Grenache) and Vieilles Vignes (Carignan) that he feels are stylistically different. I have tasted a bottle from what has arrived already and can attest to the super quality here - vibrancy, tension and glorious fruit characterise this wine in youth. It is quite seductive and silky in the mouth and the bottle we opened at dinner went down all too quickly. In my eyes, the ultimate sign of quality!

The wines of the Clos du Rouge Gorge are elegant, balanced and full of character, alongside those from Maxime Magnon and Bruno Duchêne they represent the finest from the current generation of wine-makers in the Languedoc-Roussillon.

Not surprisingly, they are products of living soils, uniquely beautiful with pure silken fruit, moderate levels of alcohol and crisp acidity - they are serious and ageworthy yet delicious examples of the indigenous grapes of the Roussillon.

In many ways Cyril's commitment to farming is similar to the legendary Thierry Allemand of Cornas and the cornerstone to the quality of his wine. File all these wines under "DO NOT MISS"