Élisabeth & Francois Jourdan Carignan Vieilles Vignes 2019 IGP Gard

Pure Carignan from a vineyard planted in 1935 (so 85 years old). A reassuringly bright colour, with classic Carignan aromas and flavours of blackcurrant leaf, mixed red and black berry fruits, rich fruitcake, a touch of spice and a whiff of fine eau de vie. And although it is delicious on opening, it really begins to show its true colours after a couple of hours of air - beautifully balanced and elegant, gently spicy and with a tremendous core of fresh and crystallised red and black fruit flavours, with additional notes of flowers, herbs and soft spices, all of which are wrapped around a core of ripe, tea-like tannins and a rasp of juicy, orange infused acidity. This is a wine that could hardly fail to appeal to the most jaded palate. A truly delicious and elegant expression of my very favourite grape variety. An absolute cracker!