Some of the Carignan grapes are grown at an estate near Narbonne along the Canal du Midi on vines that are over 50 years old. These are supplemented with grapes grown in the calcareous clay soils of the Minervois for their tannins and aromas of ripe fruit, while grapes from a cooler area in the Corbières mountain range lend freshness and fruitiness. A third of the grapes are handpicked and vinified as whole bunches for freshness and notes of fresh fruit. The rest are vinified traditionally using long macerations that can last up to 3 weeks to lend structure and silky tannins. 80% of the wine is barrel-aged for 6 to 8 months, some of it in new oak.

Laurent Delaunay is a passionate winemaker who has become a recognized specialist in Languedoc wines through his wine-merchant business, Badet Clément & Cie, which he founded in 1995. He represents the fifth generation of a Burgundian family of producers and negociants.

Serve with game, lamb shanks, aged Cantal cheese or a molten chocolate cake.