Limoux, Languedoc, France
One of the rising stars of the Languedoc, Jean Louis Denois crafts exciting, world-class wines at the foot of the Pyrenees in the very southwestern corner of France. All of Denois’ wines are made from organically-farmed, low-yielding vines, and vinified with as little interference as possible. The non-vintage Les Garrigues cuvée is a brilliant blend of the four key red Bordeaux varieties – Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Malbec – infused with the wild floral and herbal scents of southern France’s garrigue. The wine reflects a classic, saturated young plum-ruby color followed by Right Bank-inspired aromas of plums, black currants, cedar, leather, and mint. Bright and lifted on the palate, hints of cinnamon, wintergreen, and thyme accent the core of saturated cassis fruit. Fine, lip-smacking tannins emerge to segue the wine to its long and oh-so-delicious finish. It’s amazing that M. Denois can handcraft an organic, artisanal, minimal-intervention wine this delicious and satisfying for such a modest price. We encourage you to make this lovely herb-scented claret your barbecue wine (with a slight chill) this summer and your year ’round red for hearty fare such as braised short ribs, grilled eggplant, roast pork, and mac ‘n’ cheese.
An august 2022 newsletter selection
