Retains a good deep colour. Attractive Kirsch aromas. Concentrated, old-viney fruit, redolent of red berries and mulberries, lightly spiced. This is an impressive wine (it would put many a Châteauneuf to shame) at a lovely stage; still with plenty of primary fruit but so mellow and warming. Now-2013

Product Code: AMB307

Yves-Jean Houser, with a background as an agronomist, has proved to be a worthy heir to the Achiarys here. Like so many of our vignerons in the south, he has adopted organic viticulture. The Côtes du Rhône Villages is from a small patch of vines towards Sérignan, and is based on about 70% Grenache. We have managed (by astute reserving ahead) to have secured more of their splendid 2007 Cairanne. From arguably the top village in the whole Côtes du Rhône Villages appellation, this old vine cuvée is from about 50% Grenache, 20% each of Syrah and Mourvèdre, and 10% Carignan, largely from vines over 50 years old. About a quarter of this goes into old barrels, just to round it out.

(Note that this small domaine of only 7 hectares is not to be confused with the huge Gigondas-based negoçiant, Pierre Amadieu!).