Chateau Laballe 'Les Terres Basses' Rouge 2021

This wine tastes as bright and joyous as the abundant sunshine in rural Gascony from where it grows. Raspberries, blueberries and cassis flavours come charging out of the glass. A whisper of salt and spice on the palate, and some welcome tannin gives serious structure, but really, this wine is all about the fruit and fun. Grilled vegetables, cold meats and blue cheese would all sit nicely on the table alongside this gloriously drinkable red. Enjoy in good company.

Chateau Laballe is a family-owned winery established in 1820 and located in the heartland of gastronomic Gascony, between Bordeaux and the Pyrenees. Jean Dominique Laudet, a former spice merchant in the French Antilles, returned to his homeland and begin producing Armagnac. Production continued until 1970 when Noël Laudet, former steward of Château Beychevelle decided to diversify and begin the production of dry white wines. In 2007, eighth generation Cyril Laudet took over from his grandfather.

Together with his wife Julie they have breathed new life into the winery by expanding its wine production - now in biodynamic conversion - and re-introducing small batch Armagnac production.