An oldie for you all today. This one has been in the shop since we opened. Not a wine to suit every palate but for those that do find it enjoyable it stands out head and shoulders above the crowd.

Bila-Haut "Latour de France" Occultum Lapidem 2013 @ £16.95
This full-bodied and strong wine is packed with lots of black fruits, pepper and liquorice. You can bet it will be a winner for the next 10 years at least. Just slightly spicy with a velvety side in the mouth and a nice persistent freshness. Convincing from the first sip and the rest of the bottle will tell you the same too.

Michel Chapoutier is part of a family that have been working in the Rhône valley since 1808. Michel, now in his forties, manages an exceptional Estate, a land rich in history and tradition. He decided to locate his domain Bila-Haut at Latour de France a village located in the north part of Roussillion under the appellation of Cotes de Roussillion village. The “Vignes de BILA-HAUT” and the “Domaine de Bila-Haut Occultum Lapidem” are the main expressions of this terroir. Long sunlight hours, low rainfall and particulary strong winds can produce concentrated wines. Three varieties of grapes grow on the land covered by Domaine de BILA-HAUT : Grenache grapes from 70 year old vines, grown on a magnificent plot in the heart of the ‘Garrigue’ scrubland. . Then Syrah grapes, ripened slowly on vines grown on clayey limestone soil giving powerful, silky-smooth tannins, And Carignan, for mineral wines with crispy tannic notes. The vineyard is located on Gneiss and schistous soils and limestone. This wine is half matured in vats and the other half is aged in casks according to the vintage.

Come and have a taste and remember that there is always a 15% discount on a case of 12 or more bottles, mixed or all the same.

Cheers!