A trusted old friend. Rich, fat, with just a hint of oak. I put this in the category of White Burgundy look-alikes. Not the lean Chablis style, but the richer Macon end of Burgundy. Grapes with a touch of botrytis (noble rot) make this a soft, satisfying white.

Jeff has won a number of awards for this wine which shows excellent value for its complexity and quality. He says drink and enjoy it now or it will age up to ten years.

As Jeff puts it; ‘Ripe and expressive, notes of pears, peaches and pineapples, with hints of roasted butter. Well-rounded and rich, with a ripe, dense, almost fatty matter, and an acidity which balances and refreshes the whole. Clear, finely astringent, with the ever-present mature fruit, but also toasted bread, a touch of butter and a hint of vanilla.

I was introduced to Jeff by a French winemaker, whose opinion I highly valued, and what a great introduction that turned out to be. In fact, equally as good as the introduction to Clotilde Chauvet made by the same guy! This was my first real visit to Narbonne and Jeff took us to Le Petit Comptoir – a bistro with excellent food and all accompanied by his wines, of course. He also introduced me to the comic series of secret service agent San Antonio. ‘Romans Noirs’, as they say. If I’m asked, which I often am, would I like to have owned my own vineyard, my response is now firmly ‘No’. I would do what Jeff has done (except that I couldn’t) which is to work with different grape growers in different places and indulge his genius over a wide variety of grapes and styles and terroirs. No limits… If the wider Languedoc region of southern France were a country in its own right it would be my favourite wine-growing country. It has successfully managed to combine a growing level of quality regional wines conforming to the structures and confines of Appellation Contrôlée with the freedom to experiment using its vast range of grapes and soils and microclimates to produce ground-breaking new wines freed from those Appellation Contrôlée shackles. The best of both worlds. Jeff Carrel reflects this freedom with his wide range of wines and styles.

Cured ham and balls of melon, foie gras mi-cuit, guinea fowl with mushrooms, matured cheeses, apple tart…’