M. Chapoutier Les Vignes de Bila-Haut Rouge 2021

"Fresh and forward, with a polished edge to the red currant, cherry and damson plum notes. The sleek finish lets a black tea accent linger." —winemaker

"Dark and very intense colour of deep ruby. Ripe aromas of small black fruit dominate (blackcurrant, blackberry), though with good freshness. The palate is fleshy, with a nice touch of tannin. Long, caressing finish. To be watched during ageing, which will seek to bring out the harmony and the balance." —winemaker

Blend: 50% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot

"Deep and dark red. On the nose intensely aromatic, with black fruits and spices. The palate is full, round and sexy. Round and smooth tannins present through the full bodied, ample wine. Overall a complete wine, with a long finish, with elegance and finesse accompanying the abundance of fruit and well-balanced tannins." —winemaker

"A custom cuvée for European Cellars and a joint project between Eric Solomon and Jean-Marc Lafage, Bastide Miraflors is a cuvée created from old vine Grenache grown on the schist and granite soils of Saint-Paul de Fenouillet, a terroir that always ripens late in the year, and Syrah from gravelly soils near the Mediterranean. After a long maceration of six weeks, the wine ages for 12 months in roughly 3/4 concrete vats and 1/4 600L French oak demi-muids." —winemaker

"Robert Parker at one time called Recougne the finest Bordeaux Superieur. It is an estate that has produced wine for over 400 years, and its name is said to have come from King Henri IV in the early 17th century, in 'recognition' of the quality of its wine. The vineyard surrounds the Chateau and the winemaking facilities, and was classified under the Fronsac Appellation, which it straddles, many years ago. Merlot is best suited to the terroir and is the majority planting (75%), complemented by both Cabernet Sauvignon (15%) and Cabernet Franc (10%). Factors that contribute to the quality of the vineyard include: several parcels of very old vines of 50+ years, environmentally friendly viticultural techniques, minimal spraying, low yields through green harvesting, and excellent canopy management." —importer

Blend: 90% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, 2% Carmenere

"The nose is dominated by lots of pure blackberry, crushed herbs, earth and peppery characteristics. The mouth is full bodied, very rich with soft and fine tannins. The finish is fresh with a surprising elegance." —winemaker

"Profoundly anchored in the Ventoux terroir, Grenache and Syrah express themselves here, with brilliance, indulgence and suppleness. A deep ruby color and an intense nose with spicy notes (especially black pepper) and red berries. This very balanced wine offers very round tannins and fresh berries aromas, with some floral and spicy flavors." —winemaker

"Intense dark crimson color. The nose is fruity, elegant with a nice freshness. A frank and clear attack. The wine is greedy and powerful with fine tannins. Cool finish with sustained fruit." —winemaker

"A joint venture between Eric Solomon and Jean-Marc Lafage, Tessellae old vines is assembled from vineyards on schist that Jean-Marc Lafage farms near Maury in the Agly valley. A blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre, it is harvested by hand, fermented for a month after a short pre-fermentation maceration, and aged entirely in concrete tanks." —winemaker

"Fresh and forward, with a polished edge to the red currant, cherry and damson plum notes. The sleek finish lets a black tea accent linger." —winemaker