2014 Mas de Daumas Gassac

A refined nose of dark berries, raw cocoa, pencil lead, undergrowth, leather and cloves. It’s medium-bodied with polished tannins. Poised and textural with a harmonious structure here. Restrained and layered with a focused finish. 77% cabernet sauvignon, 7% merlot, 5% cabernet franc, 3% petit verdot, 2% malbec, 2% pinot noir and 4% rare varieties. Drink or hold.

The 2014 Rouge is silky, elegant and nuanced, all of which make it an excellent choice for drinking now and over the next handful of years. Sweet tobacco, cedar, licorice and dried herbs add nuance to the dark cherry fruit in this mid-weight, lithe Languedoc red. Clean, mineral notes infuse the bracing finish with a good deal of freshness.

Almost 80% Cabernet Sauvignon in this vintage. ‘A sunny vintage’, says winemaker Samuel Guibert. A slightly leafy edge to the cassis fruit, pure and dark and fragrant with a hint of graphite. Deep cherry red. Lively with cassis and a touch of red fruits too. Smooth, rounded and surprisingly approachable, though Samuel says the first three years the wines are open and then they close down for the next three. Fresh and leafy on the finish. (JH)