La Grange des Combes 2015, Saint Chinian Roquebrun

Serve this for a night when the guest list is tight, and you want to talk about the wine at least twice. With a top-100 finish and winemaker of the year credentials, it earns its seat at the table.

Tasting Notes: A bold and polished blend of Syrah, Grenache, and Mourvèdre, this wine opens with dark, brooding notes of blackberry pie, roasted plum, and black cherry. Layers of iron, cracked pepper, and licorice add savory depth, while full, integrated tannins carry the wine through a long, herb-laced finish. Muscular in structure but refined in execution, this award-winning red balances power with poise, a standout from Saint-Chinian-Roquebrun’s exceptional 2015 vintage.

2015 Red Winemaker of the Year, IWC; #57 of Top 100 Wines of 2016, Wine Spectator; Gold Medal, Gilbert & Gaillard Guide; 91 Points Wine Spectator

Varietals: 50% Syrah, 30% Grenache, 20% Mourvedre

About the Winery: Cave de Roquebrun, created in 1967, is located in the Haut Languedoc Regional Park, between the Montpellier and Toulouse. The village of Roquebrun benefits from an exceptional microclimate allowing the cultivation of citrus trees in the open ground. This mild and relatively arid climate, associated with the acidic soils of schists, allow the different historic grape varieties of the Saint-Chinian appellation, notably Carignan and Grenache, to show a unique expression.