Domaine la Haute Marone Cotes du Rhone Villages Sablet 'Le Torrent du Trignon', 2018

I’m no stranger to the Sablet having just finished my last bottle of 2016. I can say without exaggeration that the 2018 of this wine is by far the best vintage I have ever tasted! The wine in question is the fantastic Sablet Côtes du Rhône Villages from Domaine La Haute Marone and it is worth noting that I have paid a lot more money for far worse Chateauneuf-du-Pape in the past. For me this is a really smart buy and a must have for the cellar - although it is already drinking well, I know from experience that if you can tuck a case away for a year it will be even better!

The wine is called ‘Le Torrent du Trignon’ , named for the mountain stream that pours down from Les Dentelles du Montmirail, and separates Sablet from its neighbour Gigondas, all of the fruit for this wine comes exclusively from the village of Sablet and the wine is aged perfectly to a significantly high quality. This is an exceptionally pure expression of a Southern Rhône red forged from old vines by experienced hands, and from the perfect terroir. I have no doubt that if you tasted this blind you would think it was closer to the £20 mark – a seriously good buy for the money!

The Barqueros family have been growing vines in Gigondas and Sablet since 1956 and for three generations, selling to the local co-operative until 2002 when the Domaine was created, and they started to vinify their own fruit. They currently grow 30 hectares of vines in both Gigondas and Sablet, and with the elevation of the Côtes du Rhône the Domaine now exclusively make too cuvées only: this one and a Gigondas, both of which are of outstanding quality.

Sablet is famously named for its soil, the sandy mound the village sits upon and from which its vines are grown, and is neighboured by both Gigondas and Séguret, another favourite. Granted its AOC status in 1974, as a Cru it is known for its silky, full-bodied and fruit-forward rich Rhône reds and this is a beautiful maturing example of that. This one is 80% old vine Grenache Noir and 20% Syrah traditionally fermented before a gentle 12-month élévage in French oak barrels between 1 and 3 years old.

As soon as the cork leaves the bottle the wine shows a compelling nose of red flower, fresh plum and ripe red cherry, complimented by a delicate, understated spice note. On the palate the wine becomes a showcase for purity, with strident, intense wild red berry characters that are remarkable for their vibrancy, complimented by a silky mouthfeel and fine tannins. The finish arrives with a burst of oriental spice and more berry fruit. This is a nuanced red Rhône that has both power and a delicacy. Expect it to age for another 4-6 years at least and match with roasted lamb or duck. 14%

Domaine La Haute Marone produces wines of exceptional quality to price ratio, so much so that I would say this beats many a lesser Chateauneuf. I’m pretty sure the last remaining bottles will disappear quickly so I would urge you to order a couple and I can assure you that if you manage to squirrel them away for a year you will be abundantly rewarded!