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!
Gilbert & Gaillard – Gold/Or – 92 pts
Guide Hachette des Vins 2024 – 1 étoile/star
A no added sulphite, very limited production 100% Grenache fermented in stainless steel tanks.
Clear ruby with some legs. Strawberry and cherry flavours, full in the mouth but not heavy. Smooth and velvety with gentle natural acidity, very easy drinking.
On first sip this wine is quite subtle but very quickly grows on you!
We have a few cases of the 2020 and a few of the 2022.
£19.99
Gilbert & Gaillard – Gold/Or – 92 pts
Guide Hachette des Vins 2024 – 1 étoile/star
A no added sulphite, very limited production 100% Grenache fermented in stainless steel tanks.
Clear ruby with some legs. Strawberry and cherry flavours, full in the mouth but not heavy. Smooth and velvety with gentle natural acidity, very easy drinking.
On first sip this wine is quite subtle but very quickly grows on you!
We have a few cases of the 2020 and a few of the 2022.
£19.99
A delicious Cotes Du Rhone without sulphites.
This latest vintage is superb, big and juicy with a long finish.
Great value.
£13.00
A delicious Cotes Du Rhone without sulphites.
This latest vintage is superb, big and juicy with a long finish.
Great value.
£13.00
Another sulphite free Rhone blend, this time from the Cairanne AOC. Full flavoured and fruity with medium body.
£14.99
Another sulphite free Rhone blend, this time from the Cairanne AOC. Full flavoured and fruity with medium body.
£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
This organic Cazot Rouge from Boris Kovac and David Serodes is a delicious blend of Grenache (55%), Syrah (35%) and Carignan (10%) fermented in 500 litre French oak casks. The wine is further aged for nearly two years in 2nd and 3rd fill French oak.
£14.99
This organic Cazot Rouge from Boris Kovac and David Serodes is a delicious blend of Grenache (55%), Syrah (35%) and Carignan (10%) fermented in 500 litre French oak casks. The wine is further aged for nearly two years in 2nd and 3rd fill French oak.
£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.
£13.99
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.
£13.99
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
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
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.
£16.00
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.
£16.00
A new wine recently released. It is a beauty!
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.
Awarded Silver at both Milesime Bio 2019 and IWSC 2019
£13.99
A new wine recently released. It is a beauty!
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.
Awarded Silver at both Milesime Bio 2019 and IWSC 2019
£13.99
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
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
Gilbert & Gaillard – Gold/Or – 92 pts
Guide Hachette des Vins 2024 – 1 étoile/star
Jancis Robinson – 17.5/20
Very deep ruby in colour, big legs hinting it’s a big wine.
On the nose there’s intense black fruits which follows through onto the palate. In the mouth it has the typical dry style of the Minervois, soft and round with gentle natural acidity coming though.
This wine really grew on me as I drank it, very well made.
Highly recommended although we have a very limited stock.
£22.00
Gilbert & Gaillard – Gold/Or – 92 pts
Guide Hachette des Vins 2024 – 1 étoile/star
Jancis Robinson – 17.5/20
Very deep ruby in colour, big legs hinting it’s a big wine.
On the nose there’s intense black fruits which follows through onto the palate. In the mouth it has the typical dry style of the Minervois, soft and round with gentle natural acidity coming though.
This wine really grew on me as I drank it, very well made.
Highly recommended although we have a very limited stock.
£22.00
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!
£23.95
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!
£23.95
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.
£18.95
Out of stock
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.
£18.95
Out of stock
A good entry level sulphite free red wine, soft and pure.
£13.49
A good entry level sulphite free red wine, soft and pure.
£13.49
A good entry level sulphite free red wine, soft and pure.
£13.00
A good entry level sulphite free red wine, soft and pure.
£13.00
Chemin des Moutons is the signature red wine from Roger at Domaine D’Anglas.
£24.95
Chemin des Moutons is the signature red wine from Roger at Domaine D’Anglas.
£24.95
A delicious soft red from gently pressed grapes with very low tannin content. Very easy drinking in a “Beaujolais” style.
£13.99
A delicious soft red from gently pressed grapes with very low tannin content. Very easy drinking in a “Beaujolais” style.
£13.99
A fantastic big powerful artisan Grenache from Robin Althof and his wife Imogen (both of Chateau Costes Cirgues) who are making small batch wines from parcels of grapes from their friends vineyards.
£27.95
A fantastic big powerful artisan Grenache from Robin Althof and his wife Imogen (both of Chateau Costes Cirgues) who are making small batch wines from parcels of grapes from their friends vineyards.
£27.95
A fantastic new wine from Robin Althof and his wife Imogen (both of Chateau Costes Cirgues) who are making small batch wines from parcels of grapes from their friends vineyards. This Syrault is very easy to drink!
£16.99
A fantastic new wine from Robin Althof and his wife Imogen (both of Chateau Costes Cirgues) who are making small batch wines from parcels of grapes from their friends vineyards. This Syrault is very easy to drink!
£16.99
An artisan tiny production old vine Cinsault aged in oak for twelve months from Robin Althof from Costes Cirgues and his wife Imogen.
Please note this does say contains sulphites on the label as it has gone slightly over the 10ppm threshold, but it can be treated as sulphite free.
£23.50
An artisan tiny production old vine Cinsault aged in oak for twelve months from Robin Althof from Costes Cirgues and his wife Imogen.
Please note this does say contains sulphites on the label as it has gone slightly over the 10ppm threshold, but it can be treated as sulphite free.
£23.50
An artisan tiny production blend of Syrah and Grenache aged for 15 months in French oak, without added sulphites.
£21.95
An artisan tiny production blend of Syrah and Grenache aged for 15 months in French oak, without added sulphites.
£21.95
Another great wine from a tiny 2 hectare vineyard consisting of that magic formula Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre.
£17.99
Out of stock
Another great wine from a tiny 2 hectare vineyard consisting of that magic formula Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre.
£17.99
Out of stock
A great organic Pinot Noir from this family owned winery.
£13.00
A great organic Pinot Noir from this family owned winery.
£13.00
Cave de Cairanne Chateauneuf du Pape . Big and powerful of course with noticeable oak, but Cairanne took great care to preserve the fruit and limit the tannins (by destemming the grapes before crushing). Super wine with a very long finish.
£29.99
Out of stock
Cave de Cairanne Chateauneuf du Pape . Big and powerful of course with noticeable oak, but Cairanne took great care to preserve the fruit and limit the tannins (by destemming the grapes before crushing). Super wine with a very long finish.
£29.99
Out of stock
Orange Wine Show – Gold
Cave de Cairanne Chantecotes Rouge is a rebrand of their fantastic Grande Reserve Cru Cairanne.
Fantastic. Big rich flavours with power yet super smooth. The Cave de Cairanne wines just keep improving year on year. This is a cracker.
£14.99
Orange Wine Show – Gold
Cave de Cairanne Chantecotes Rouge is a rebrand of their fantastic Grande Reserve Cru Cairanne.
Fantastic. Big rich flavours with power yet super smooth. The Cave de Cairanne wines just keep improving year on year. This is a cracker.
£14.99
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
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
Orange 2021 – Gold, Guide Hatchette – 1 Star
The Abelia range from Cave de Cairanne is a fantastic value introduction to their delicious wines, all AC Cotes du Rhone.
This is really good, full flavoured and smooth. Great value at this price!
£11.99
Orange 2021 – Gold, Guide Hatchette – 1 Star
The Abelia range from Cave de Cairanne is a fantastic value introduction to their delicious wines, all AC Cotes du Rhone.
This is really good, full flavoured and smooth. Great value at this price!
£11.99
A very good Cotes du Rhone Villages Plan de Dieu made from 100% Grenache, unoaked.
Big and punchy with good fruit, very smooth and delicious. Pair with anything from roast chicken to beef or drink it on it’s own in front of the fire.
£14.99
A very good Cotes du Rhone Villages Plan de Dieu made from 100% Grenache, unoaked.
Big and punchy with good fruit, very smooth and delicious. Pair with anything from roast chicken to beef or drink it on it’s own in front of the fire.
£14.99
60% Syrah and 40% Grenache from a single tiny vinneyard of just 2 hectares.
£16.99
Out of stock
60% Syrah and 40% Grenache from a single tiny vinneyard of just 2 hectares.
£16.99
Out of stock
Decanter 2022 – 92 Points
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.
£13.00
Out of stock
Decanter 2022 – 92 Points
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.
£13.00
Out of stock
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.
£11.99
Out of stock
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.
£11.99
Out of stock
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