French Red Wines
We don’t place an emphasis on France (unlike many retailers) as we source our wines primarily on their own merits before appellation or region. The best French red wines tend to be expensive as there is plenty of demand from traditional retailers. But there are plenty of good French red wines at reasonable prices, particularly from the former Vin de Pays regions along the South coast.
The majority of our French offerings are natural, sulphite free wines from the Rhone and Languedoc regions.
When it comes to Bordeaux I personally prefer a good Bordeaux blend from warmer more reliable climates outside France. In fact a “Bordeaux blend” is my favourite wine so I’m always keen to find good ones. We have some great examples from Argentina, South Africa and Italy. Give them a go – you would have to spend a lot more money to find anything anywhere near their equivalent from France!
A great organic Pinot Noir from this family owned winery. Deep colour, unfiltered retaining the natural goodness.
Cherry flavours on the palate with medium body and good mouthfeel, smooth and well balanced. Not the light transparent, “raspberry style” some cheaper Pinots can be, far more of an accomplished wine suitable for a whole variety of foods, particularly turkey and white meats.
12.5%abv
£13.99
A great organic Pinot Noir from this family owned winery. Deep colour, unfiltered retaining the natural goodness.
Cherry flavours on the palate with medium body and good mouthfeel, smooth and well balanced. Not the light transparent, “raspberry style” some cheaper Pinots can be, far more of an accomplished wine suitable for a whole variety of foods, particularly turkey and white meats.
12.5%abv
£13.99
Domaine Myrac Diletante Rouge is a complex Syrah with flavours of dark chocolate followed by mint. Very smooth and balanced. Fully organic and very low in sulphur, this is a genuine artisan wine from this excellent organic family owned winery. This wine is lovely.
£18.50
Domaine Myrac Diletante Rouge is a complex Syrah with flavours of dark chocolate followed by mint. Very smooth and balanced. Fully organic and very low in sulphur, this is a genuine artisan wine from this excellent organic family owned winery. This wine is lovely.
£18.50
Gold – Mundus Vini
International Wine Report – 92 Points
A fantastic new organic wine from this excellent co-operative. The renowned Rhone trio of grape varieties “GSM” (Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre).
This wine is superb for the money.
£14.99
Gold – Mundus Vini
International Wine Report – 92 Points
A fantastic new organic wine from this excellent co-operative. The renowned Rhone trio of grape varieties “GSM” (Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre).
This wine is superb for the money.
£14.99
Gold – Mundus Vini
Gold – Bruxelles
Appellation Rasteau Controllee. Concentrated red and black fruits with some well integrated oak. Fairly light in body and silky smooth. This is a delicious wine, ideal with some good cheese.
£16.99
Gold – Mundus Vini
Gold – Bruxelles
Appellation Rasteau Controllee. Concentrated red and black fruits with some well integrated oak. Fairly light in body and silky smooth. This is a delicious wine, ideal with some good cheese.
£16.99
Gold – Orange Wine Awards
Decanter 91 Points
A very pleasant warming red. At first it’s a little tight with earthy aromas. Give it a bit of time to open up and it becomes very moreish in a natural style.
£13.49
Gold – Orange Wine Awards
Decanter 91 Points
A very pleasant warming red. At first it’s a little tight with earthy aromas. Give it a bit of time to open up and it becomes very moreish in a natural style.
£13.49
An excellent organic Rhone blend. Again sweet fruit on entry, good mouthfeel with full body, smooth and round with just a hint of oak.
£14.99
Out of stock
An excellent organic Rhone blend. Again sweet fruit on entry, good mouthfeel with full body, smooth and round with just a hint of oak.
£14.99
Out of stock
Gold Medal – Bruxelles
Yet another excellent organic red, this time a Cotes du Rhone Villages Plan de Dieu.
It’s a big wine, powerful
£15.95
Gold Medal – Bruxelles
Yet another excellent organic red, this time a Cotes du Rhone Villages Plan de Dieu.
It’s a big wine, powerful
£15.95
Gold – Decanter 95 Points
Gigondas had become known as “the poor man’s Chateauneuf du Pape” a decade ago, although I think that is a bit tongue in cheek as the wines can still command a hefty price. The wines can be amazing and although this AC has developed a very strong reputation for high quality, they still tend to be a bit cheaper than equivalents from Chateauneuf.
This wine is superb. Big and powerful as you would expect, with full body. Super smooth with acidity and oak in perfect balance, and a very long lingering finish. Highly recommended. Cave de Cairanne make all their reds in a fruit forward style and minimise the tannins (by de-stemming etc) so the wine is ready to drink young. For this reason we recommend you drink within a couple of days once opened, but it is so delicious you will probably drink it within a couple of hours in reality!
£29.95
Gold – Decanter 95 Points
Gigondas had become known as “the poor man’s Chateauneuf du Pape” a decade ago, although I think that is a bit tongue in cheek as the wines can still command a hefty price. The wines can be amazing and although this AC has developed a very strong reputation for high quality, they still tend to be a bit cheaper than equivalents from Chateauneuf.
This wine is superb. Big and powerful as you would expect, with full body. Super smooth with acidity and oak in perfect balance, and a very long lingering finish. Highly recommended. Cave de Cairanne make all their reds in a fruit forward style and minimise the tannins (by de-stemming etc) so the wine is ready to drink young. For this reason we recommend you drink within a couple of days once opened, but it is so delicious you will probably drink it within a couple of hours in reality!
£29.95
Decanter 93 Points, Guide Hatchette – “Excellent”
Cave de Cairanne are very proud of this Vacqueyras. As an AOC the reputation of Vacqueyras has grown in recent years as it is catching up to it’s more famous neighbours of Gigondas and Chateauneuf du Pape.
This is an excellent wine. Big and powerful yet well balanced. Good fruit with just the right amount of oak, very smooth and medium bodied with a long finish. This knocks the socks off any generic Chateaneuf du Pape. Highly recommended.
£21.95
Decanter 93 Points, Guide Hatchette – “Excellent”
Cave de Cairanne are very proud of this Vacqueyras. As an AOC the reputation of Vacqueyras has grown in recent years as it is catching up to it’s more famous neighbours of Gigondas and Chateauneuf du Pape.
This is an excellent wine. Big and powerful yet well balanced. Good fruit with just the right amount of oak, very smooth and medium bodied with a long finish. This knocks the socks off any generic Chateaneuf du Pape. Highly recommended.
£21.95
Deep ruby in colour with purple edges. Big initial flavours, soft and velvety on the palate, very smooth with a long finish.
Very good wine and value for money.
£14.99
Deep ruby in colour with purple edges. Big initial flavours, soft and velvety on the palate, very smooth with a long finish.
Very good wine and value for money.
£14.99
Decanter – 92 Points
A delicious Cotes Du Rhone without sulphites.
This latest vintage is superb, big and juicy with a long finish.
Great value.
£13.99
Decanter – 92 Points
A delicious Cotes Du Rhone without sulphites.
This latest vintage is superb, big and juicy with a long finish.
Great value.
£13.99
Another sulphite free Rhone blend, this time from the Cairanne AOC. Full flavoured and fruity with medium body.
£16.00
Out of stock
Another sulphite free Rhone blend, this time from the Cairanne AOC. Full flavoured and fruity with medium body.
£16.00
Out of stock
Full flavoured, soft and velvety with good body and gentle tannins. It is delicious and very easy to drink, suited to any occasion and pretty much any food from pasta to a Sunday roast or BBQ.
Mayrac make some fantastic wines and along with their Diletante Syrah this is right up there with their best. Great value.
£16.00
Full flavoured, soft and velvety with good body and gentle tannins. It is delicious and very easy to drink, suited to any occasion and pretty much any food from pasta to a Sunday roast or BBQ.
Mayrac make some fantastic wines and along with their Diletante Syrah this is right up there with their best. Great value.
£16.00
An easy drinking sulphite free red blend, soft and pure. This latest vintage is a bit more rounded without the dry finish so very enjoyable as an every day quaffing wine!
£13.99
An easy drinking sulphite free red blend, soft and pure. This latest vintage is a bit more rounded without the dry finish so very enjoyable as an every day quaffing wine!
£13.99
Mayrac’s entry level red blend, gets better every year.
Hand picked grapes, fermented in stainless steel. Fruity and soft.
£13.00
Mayrac’s entry level red blend, gets better every year.
Hand picked grapes, fermented in stainless steel. Fruity and soft.
£13.00
Milesime Bio – Silver Medal
A superb single vineyard Syrah aged for 24 months in oak, only produced in exceptional years. Delicious! Big black cherry flavours with vanilla and a hint of white pepper. Perfectly balanced wine with good natural acidity. Superb. We have just received the 2011.
£29.99
Milesime Bio – Silver Medal
A superb single vineyard Syrah aged for 24 months in oak, only produced in exceptional years. Delicious! Big black cherry flavours with vanilla and a hint of white pepper. Perfectly balanced wine with good natural acidity. Superb. We have just received the 2011.
£29.99
A blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Malbec. Soft and smooth with concentrated black fruit flavours and a long finish.
£14.99
A blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Malbec. Soft and smooth with concentrated black fruit flavours and a long finish.
£14.99
This is the signature wine from Costes Cirgues. Syrah and Grenache aged in oak for 15 months. Tiny production of around 4000 bottles annually.
£24.95
This is the signature wine from Costes Cirgues. Syrah and Grenache aged in oak for 15 months. Tiny production of around 4000 bottles annually.
£24.95
Merlot, Mourvedre and Carignan lightly pressed to extract only the free run juice so very low in tannins. This produces a soft and fruity, very easy drinking wine.
£14.99
Merlot, Mourvedre and Carignan lightly pressed to extract only the free run juice so very low in tannins. This produces a soft and fruity, very easy drinking wine.
£14.99
Another great wine from a tiny 2 hectare vineyard consisting of that magic formula Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre.
£19.00
Another great wine from a tiny 2 hectare vineyard consisting of that magic formula Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre.
£19.00
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