Bright, fruity and very drinkable, this is a Corbières red at its easy-going best.

Inky in colour, appealingly fragrant and brimming with pure blackberry fruit, it’s got easy appeal and is a very welcoming southern French red. It’s made from some of the oldest vines on the Fontareche estate so the flavours are concentrated and rich, but it’s also made to have gently soft tannins to give it an effortless drinkability. Corbierès is one of the Languedoc’s more familiar wines and is made in a number of styles. This one is done in a very up to date and versatile way making it very likeable indeed.

Château Fontareche is a historic Languedoc estate a few kilometres inland from the city of Narbonne. It’s surrounded by 160 hectares of sustainably farmed vineyards which are a composed of free-draining gravel and limestone soils. The climate in this part of the world can be challenging in the heat of the summer, but under the guidance of the current owner, Jacques De Lamy, they consistently produce top quality, physiologically ripe fruit which is the kicking off point underlying the quality of their wines.

When to drink: A real all-rounder, great drinking by itself and perfect with burgers, stews and casseroles.

ABV: 13.5%