The very quaffable Lou Maset from Sylvain Fadat is one of my favorite wines from the Languedoc. Sylvain has devoted a lifetime getting to know his exceptional Montpeyroux terroir and has managed to harness its every quality in this single bottling. Raised in a combination of foudres and stainless steel, the wine displays the crunchy limestone terroir on which it grows, alongside the sun-kissed fruit from which it’s pressed. Few rouges strike this balance of generosity and tension, and Lou Maset is one of them.

I think of Durban as our Dupeuble of the south: two historic KLWM domaines we’ve imported for decades, providing us with value-driven wines that reward beyond expectation. This gulpable weeknight rouge will be a no-brainer restock for the devout many who are hip to its southern charms: rustic yet fresh, aromatically lifted, and plush, velvety tannin—all at a painless price point. The 2022 has appetizing notes of dried thyme and rosemary beneath its many layers of luscious red fruit, making it an epicurean dynamo with everything from veggie pizza to pot roast.

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.