Clairette, an unsung hero of the south, is the main grape here, undoubtedly one of many key elements to this singular wine.

Stony and smoky, and full of garrigue and black cherry, it is an epic wine that opens up wonderfully now.

Brambly, rustic, savory, and joyous, this is as perfect a house red from the Rhône as you’ll find.

The flavors are mostly deep and dark—stones, licorice, black olive, and blackberry—but the frame is lithe.

This Gigondas—densely concentrated and deeply opaque—is more refined than meets the eye.

If there were a Hall of Fame for French bistro reds, Poignée would be a first-ballot inductee—vibrant and classy, it’s the southern France counterpart to our favorite Morgons.

Elevation and abundant limestone combine to give taut, high-toned wines with delicate floral aromas and stimulating mineral freshness.

This bears a rich bouquet of wild strawberry, flowers, garrigue, and sweet spices, culminating in a long, stony finale.

This is about as quaffable as the region’s rouges get.

Truly classic Vieux Télégraphe, deep and powerful as usual, yet showing great finesse and class, almost an ethereal quality.