Valade 2018

We’re quite excited about this tasty little French number.

It’s crafted by Marion Paux-Rosset with an assist from Marion’s father, Jean, and famed consultant Claude Gros (they’re the pair behind famed Château Negly, aka the first estate in the Languedoc to achieve Robert Parker’s coveted 100-point score). So, you could say this trio knows a thing or three about fantastic wine …

Their grapes (in this case, local stars Bourboulenc, Grenache Blanc, and Marsanne) grow in a very special – very beautiful – vineyard in the tucked-away region of La Clape.

This is a remarkable place, make no mistake. Once an island (but joined to the mainland after soils deposited by the Aude River built up), La Clape is a natural wonder. It’s one of France’s sunniest spots, with salt-soaked winds that sweep through the vines and keep grapes from over-ripening. La Clape is an official part of the Regional National Park of Narbonne and is home to a large group of flamingoes, who live here year round. Most vineyards, like the Paux-Rossets’, are planted literally on the edge of a cliff, and appear to plunge straight down into the Mediterranean.

Makes you want to dive headfirst into the wine, in all its thrilling, luscious glory. We’ll join you …