Cabalié Cuvée Vieilles Vignes 2019

Parker-rated winemaker Hervé Sabardeil has been making this big, ripe Catalan red, the original Cabalié, for 15 years now. He added the old vine edition in 2012, originally as a one off, but it was so popular we insisted he did it again. And again! Hervé sources the grapes from the same slate soils of Maury in the Roussillon, a town where the winemaking heritage dates back to the 2nd century BC. The vines are 60 to 100 years old, so yields are minute – around half of that for a fancy claret. This really adds to the power and intensity of the wine. Made from Grenache with a large portion of spicy black fruit Carignan, this is a powerful red, weightier than the original. It’s ideal with garlic roasted lamb, rich stews or hard cheeses.