…and to drink?

Some wines you never forget. One such wine was a Domaine de l’Aiguelière Grenat. I plucked it off the shelves when I worked at Oddbins 14 years ago. In that classic French style, the label gave little clue. Wines from the Languedoc were meant to be lumbering and heavy but this danced on the tongue. I still remember the incredible freshness and fragrance. I didn’t know what it was made from. The word Grenat on the label refers to the gemstone garnet and indeed the wine was a beautiful bright red. I later realised it was also a play on Grenache, the grape variety that made up the majority of the wine. Since then, I have looked for a Grenache with these qualities but too often found wines that are too alcoholic and jammy to really sing. That’s the danger with Grenache, it can get a bit plump. These have that old magic.

La Garnacha 2011 Salvaje del Moncayo, £7.99 when you buy two:www.majestic.co.uk
It smells peppery with some red cherries. The palate has a lot of bite with a hint of oranges, and it gets better with each sip.

La Calandria Cientruenos 2011, £9.40:www.vinissimus.com
Lovely freshness with an almost Pinot-like nose and a silky texture.

D’Arenberg The Derelict Vineyard Grenache 2009, £15.99:www.farehamwinecellar.co.uk
Lots of raspberries here and something almost like sour candy with not a trace of jam. On the nose, it’s spicy and smoky.

Occultum Lapidem, Côtes du Roussillon Villages, M Chapoutier 2011, £13.95:www.winedirect.co.uk
A bit of a beasty. It’s dark and concentrated with notes of rosemary and liquorice. One to chew on over meaty winter stews.