Wine of the Month, August 2023
Château Tour des Gendres 'Cantalouette', Bergerac Rouge 2021
Dordogne, France
£15.00 + 100 bonus loyalty points
This bright and fruity crowdpleaser from Bergerac works superbly well as a delicious summertime red.
While this part of France so beloved of the British is not best known for its wines there are a number of producers down here making some cracking stuff at very pocket-friendly prices and which really deserve more attention than they often tend to get. With the neighbouring region being the vinous behemoth that is Bordeaux it's always been tough going to get much notice, but the flip side for us is that there's good value to be had.
If you're inclined towards claret you'll likely feel at home round here as well. The grape varieties grown, the terroir, and the winemaking practices bear many similarities albeit the vignerons from these parts are able to exhibit a bit more freedom of expression.
Château Tour des Gendres has been a fully organic operation for nearly twenty years now. They're currently headed up by Luc de Conti, the third generation of an Italian family who settled in the area back in the 1920s. He began trialing organic farming in the 90s which proved successful to the extent that he converted completely over the following few years. In tandem, they're also firmly in the low-intervention camp when it comes to winemaking so use of sulphites is kept to a minimum.
Cantalouette Rouge is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec. Aged in stainless steel, it doesn't see any oak in order to retain the essential bright and fruity Luc is aiming for and to keep the tannins soft and balanced making it very versatile drinking.
For a brighter and fresher take on the claret style this is certainly one to go for. You'll be able to taste the affinity it has with Bordeaux reds and you'll be able to appreciate that it works equally well if you drink it just by itself or pair it with grilled meats off the barbie. Being Wine of the Month each bottle purchased earns a bonus 100 loyalty points - just a small incentive to encourage you to try its joys!
Starting on Friday 28th July and throughout August it's available at £15.00 per bottle singly, or as part of a Mixed Six and for every bottle purchased you'll earn a bonus 100 loyalty points as well (that's worth £1.00 on redemption)
Check out the details here
