2023 Vitarele Cigales, Languedoc-Roussillon, France

Many Languedoc wines are a bit of a wild card, utilizing all sorts of grapes associated with the Rhone, Bordeaux, and Spain – in this case, Grenache and Merlot. Full of Grenache’s brambly red berries, spice, and garrigue, complemented by Merlot’s plum, gentle cocoa, and soft tannins, meeting in the middle with ripe black cherries. Organic farming, native yeasts, and minimal cellar intervention are employed; this is what happens when you respect the wine by respecting the land.