2013 Southern France

In the valley beneath the eponymous Pic of St Loup, the soils have a little more alluvium and clay. The wines do not lack for charm, however. Nor indeed for complexity, as the following blend will demonstrate; 30% Roussanne, 20% Sauvignon Blanc, 20% Viognier, 10% Sauvignon Gris, 10% Chardonnay, 5% Petit Manseng and 5% Bourboulenc. You are probably wishing that you hadn’t asked! Elevage is reassuringly simple after all that; in stainless steel. The young wine is dominated by fresh nettly Sauvignon aromas but complexity and texture certainly inform the palate, where one detects greengage, verbena, spice and hints of white pepper. An excellent aperitif, when all is said and done.
Simon Field MW, Wine Buyer

This cuvée is made from Carignan, Syrah and Grenache fruit from old vines which are farmed biodynamically and planted high in the foothills of the Pyrenees. The high altitude allows the fruit to retain a lovely freshness which gives this wine finesse and elegance. Made using minimum amounts of sulphur, this red has plenty of ripe blackcurrant and red berry fruit which sit alongside leather, thyme and a subtle “animal note”, which is present enough to give complexity without overwhelming the palate as some natural wines can do. Aged at the domaine, this is ready for drinking, although it will mature very gracefully should one wish to keep it for a while.
Oliver Barton, Wine Buyer

Domaine de Trévallon is located in the medieval town of Les Baux-de-Provence, 30km due south of Avignon, relatively close to the Southern Rhône, but, whereas Châteauneuf-du-Pape glories in heady Grenache and brooding Mourvèdre, Trévallon is an equal partnership of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. Cabernet has found a natural homestead in the relative altitude of the slopes of the Alpilles, its generous black fruit core held in counterpoint by the purity and focus of the Syrah.

An idiosyncratic wine, with mint, dark chocolate, eucalyptus, and ripe blackcurrant and blackcurrant leaf on the nose. The palate is superbly balanced, with reams of ripe cassis fruit, full-bodied, but fresh and lively. It has a precision and elegance one would not expect from a Southern French wine. The tannins are ripe and chalky, which is a nice foil to the ripe fruit palate.