Château Puech-Haut Prestige Rouge 2016

This is a top flight estate in the Coteaux du Languedoc, with vineyards in premium areas Saint Drézéry and Pic Saint Loup. Château Puech-Haut was founded, with no expense spared, in 1981 by Gérard Bru, who employed top consultant Michel Rolland to advise. Today it has renowned Rhône oenologist Philippe Cambie as consultant, who prefers a firmly oaked, Napa style wine, and Marc and Olga Escassut are co-owners with Bru. The Grenache and Syrah grapes for this wine are from Saint Drézéry, where, unusually for the Languedoc, the soil is limestone with the large pebbles you find in Châteauneuf du Pape. This may account for this wine’s voluptuous, rich, ripe fruit style and herbal complexity. Recommended with duck fricassee, lamb or a casserole.