Côtes du Roussillon Villages: Domaine Boudau Patrimoine

Roussillon, though administratively merged with the Languedoc and Midi-Pyrénées into Occitanie since 2016, remains a distinct wine region with a strong Catalan identity, occupying the Pyrénées-Orientales in the far south of mainland France. Enjoying one of the sunniest, driest climates in the country and a varied terroir of schist, granite, limestone, and clay, it is best known for powerful, full-bodied reds built on Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, and Carignan, alongside rich whites. Above all, it is the historic home of France's vins doux naturels - fortified sweet wines such as Banyuls, Maury, and Rivesaltes. Today, a dynamic community of small, often old-vine growers is earning the region growing international recognition for its dry wines.

Reserved for red wines from the finest villages of the Roussillon, whose extremely warm climate ripens the grapes to their full potential, giving the wines a rich, deep purple colour and real presence. Built chiefly on Grenache, Syrah, and Carignan, they are full-bodied and concentrated, with notes of cherry and blackberry jam on the palate. These characterful reds pair beautifully with red meats and cheeses and reward a few years' ageing. Having built an increasingly strong reputation over the past 15 years, it is certainly a region to look out for.