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La Combe Saint Paul, L'Insoupconne, Languedoc-La Clape, 2020

 85% Syrah with Mourvèdre, given 10 months ageing in a mix of new and 2nd fill barrels - and a very limited production wine, just 2223 bottles in this vintage. Classic aromas of the hot south - black fruit with a hint of menthol.  Very youthful: black fruit flavours with the cut of fresh blackcurrants. Hint of dark chocolate. With great suavity and length, this is quite classic and combines power and finesse. Now-2025

La Clape (a “heap of pebbles” in the old Occitan language of the south), just east of Narbonne was once a rocky island; geologically speaking a klippen, an eroded remnant of a Jurassic up-thrust, cut off from the mainland. Sediments from the river Aude attached it to the mainland in the 14^th Century. La Clape’s potential for viticulture was actually spotted by the Romans, who planted vines and shipped wine from here back to their distant capital. The combination of some altitude (the rock rises over 200m.) sea mists, and plentiful wind (the Tramontane from the plateau to the north is particularly violent) gives a little freshness to the air here, and extends the growing season in one of the sunniest spots in France.

Paul and Line Maury might be amongst our youngest producers but winemaking runs in the genes. Paul’s grandparents and great grandparents were winemakers specialising in single varietal wines, and we also stock the family's great value  examples of Chardonnay, Vermentino and Viognier. In 2008 Paul came across the opportunity to buy vines on La Clape itself. His vineyard near the sea is surrounded by pine and oak trees; here Syrah is planted on typical clay-limestone soils, whereas the Mourvèdre vineyards show more clay and sand.