Domaine Gassier Nostre Pais Rouge

This focused wine is a blend of 50% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 20% Mourvèdre, 5% Carignan and 5% Cinsault. The palate offers fresh potpourri mixed with fleshy black cherries, blood orange pith, rhubarb mulled with kirsch liqueur, baking spice and rosemary. Balanced and accessible in its youth, this bright blend can be enjoyed immediately with grain salads with a citrus base.

According to Gassier, Nostre Pais is a noble search for "elegance, purity and mineral/terroir expression." Nothing is pushed to the limit but rather perhaps limited to what it is. The site is rolled pebbles and red clay. The blend is 35/25/20/15/5 grenache noir/carignan/mourvèdre/cinsault/syrah all old vines. The wine aged in French oak for six months. The colour is deep, the nose a mix of earth and cherries bits of stony minerality flitting about. There is fine density. A touch of raisin character and wild garrigue notes waft from the mourvèdre while its power and length is built by the carignan. An impressive red wine that will only get better in the bottle. Meats roasted braised or grilled are the pairing ticket.