That this soulful country red is named “Lou Maset,” a reference in Occitan to the old stone hut standing amid Domaine d’Aupilhac’s vines, is such a fitting nod to its spirit. When Sylvain and Désirée Fadat guide it through the vinification and aging process in the cellar, they are, in part, inspired by the hundreds of vineyard hands and harvesters who, over the decades, have paused in the hut’s shade for a bite of saucisson or baguette and washed it down with a few sips of fresh and vibrant red wine.
     Of course, Sylvain and Désirée are inspired by all kinds of other scenarios that benefit from such a lively southern blend, too. An avid hunter, Sylvain is always in need of a chillable red to accompany the seasonal game, right off the grill. And surely they must know how well suited Lou Maset is to festive gatherings, from potlucks and book club meetings all the way to weddings and holiday feasts! Blending their region’s great red grapes from young vines, they perennially aim to bottle as youthful and exuberant an expression of the Languedoc as possible—and, once more with the 2021 vintage, they’ve nailed it. This is perpetually one of our greatest values, and with 20% off, Domaine d’Aupilhac’s Lou Maset might just be the bargain of the Holiday Sale.

All it takes is a glance at Kermit’s book Adventures on the Wine Route to understand the high esteem in which we hold the Dentelles de Montmirail in the southern Rhône valley and the appellations that surround this small chain of dramatic “teeth”-like peaks. Its western slopes are home to Gigondas, where Kermit and the Brunier family run Domaine Les Pallières. The southern slopes, meanwhile, descend into Beaumes-de-Venise, one of the region’s great crus for reds that show the spice, earthiness, and soul we love in our southern Rhône blends.
      The defining feature of the terroir in Beaumes-de-Venise is the soft, ochre Trias terroir, the foundation of which is a limestone that dates back to the earliest part of the Mesozoic era. Ordinarily, this rock would only be found thousands of feet underground, but as the Dentelles formed, they carried Triassic limestone to the surface, where today it lends freshness and finesse to Beaumes-de-Venise’s reds. Add to this Durban’s prime position, perched high over the Rhône Valley, where the high elevation, cooler microclimate, and pine forests tempering the intensity of the fierce mistral winds all contribute to incredibly healthy and evenly ripened grapes. Evoking black fruit, garrigue, and spice, this rustic rouge is charming and versatile enough for long-simmering stews in the colder months and grilled chicken and sausages on the patio in these warmer months. 

As an early adopter of biodynamic farming, Michèle Aubery-Laurent transformed her remote domaine in Montbrison-sur-Lez into a benchmark producer of Grenache-based reds. With this cuvée, perhaps the most iconic in her lineup, she reimagined what Grenache could be: easy-drinking, weightless, and precise. Today, Poignée de Raisins—which translates enticingly to a “fistful of grapes”—has gone on to influence countless contemporary growers across France who embrace a similar style. But for a taste of the original glou-glou southern Rhône rouge, pull the cork on this bottling.

Tour du Bon can sometimes be overlooked among our more spotlight-stealing Bandol producers such as Tempier. But meeting Agnès Henry at this incredible domaine last spring felt like a revelation. As I swirled and sniffed and jotted my notes in her quaint little tasting room off the sunny courtyard—wafts of garrigue and citrus blossom drifting in through the open door—I found myself battling an internal dilemma: part of me wanted to shout this vinous discovery from the rooftop; the other part wanted to tuck it away like a prized jewel. Consider this page my rooftop. Saint Ferréol is a Mourvèdre masterpiece, produced only in exceptional vintages. Deeply complex with a stony minerality steeped in herbal aromatics, it calls for a luxurious cut of meat or a spot in your wine treasure trove.

In the Hautes-Corbières, where Maxime Magnon toils in his wildly grown, biodynamic vineyards, cool things are afoot. The latest cuvée from this naturalist vigneron blends equal parts Mourvèdre, Grenache, and Carignan from a plot of vines he had been coveting for some time, not too far from the sea. Like Maxime’s other red cuvées, this one is soulful, sunny, and robust. It boasts the same je ne sais quoi and windswept charm we’ve come to expect from his wines: seriously Southern, a touch renegade, and disarmingly playful.

It is only natural—sensible, even—to draw parallels between a wine and its maker, with the best wines possessing a living soul that holds a mirror to endearing qualities like affability or poise. This bold and vibrant Grenache certainly reminds me of vigneronne Dominique Hauvette, whose no-nonsense air and scrupulous approach to winemaking have resulted in her flawless track record for impeccable, natural wines. When she’s not tending her biodynamic vines or in the cellar brewing infallible wines according to lunar cycles, she trains champion race horses—and approaches both passions with indefatigable energy and prowess. A thoroughbred of pure Grenache, this unbridled rouge is fresh and lithe, teeming with juicy dark fruit and ample goût de terroir.