La Grange Saint Martin (half bottle) 2004 £4.09
The Perrin family have been making wine at Chateau de Beaucastel since Pierre Tramier bought the property in 1909 and passed it to his son-in-law Pierre Perrin. Their home is Beaucastel but they make several other wines in the southern Rhone. La Grange comes from the village of Vinsobres where some of the most expensive Villages vineyards lie - the Grenache is rich and spicy and the Syrah shows more finesse and crispness of flavour than in any other village in the region. From old-vines this wine displays the quality of its premium vineyard site but because a portion of the fruit was grown outside the official boundary 'Vinsobres' cannot be mentioned on the label. Deep colour with ripe, dark forest-fruit aromas. A balanced, elegant palate with smooth tannins and a layer of oak make this a classic southern Rhone red to partner red meats with rich sauces.