Maison Ventenac, Réserve de Georges

Another ancestor, another wine...

That's the Ramé way, it would seem; this time it is Georges who is honoured and in this instance it is a different version of the two provinces that dominate the vineyards of Cabardès: Bordeaux and Languedoc.

Made from 50% Syrah, 30% Merlot and20% Cabernet Sauvignon, this is a gorgeously fresh, approachable and delicious red that would delight any dining experience - the blend really cries out "French Wine", combining the chief protagonists of both the South (Syrah) and Bordeaux (Merlot and Cabernet) while peppering the effect with its own regional style by the way of brightness, freshness and a fairly light alcohol.

This is a seriously tasty wine! Very moreish and brilliantly balanced, with a huge array of flavour.

Maison Ventenac is a young and dynamic project based in the vineyards of the Ramé family in Cabardès, north of the city of Carcassonne, at the (fairly wild) west of the Languedoc. Characterised by the split in place between Atlantic and Mediterranean bodies of water, their vineyards are likewise split between the Atlantic (Cabernets, Merlot and Malbec) and the Mediterranean (Syrah, Grenache, Carignan, Cinsault and Mourvedre).

Limestone forms the sub-soil in the best parts of the family's vineyards, together with their dense planting of vines and the relatively wet winters in the region, there is a real sense of excitement for the future of the region. In organic conversion, the rewards for this winery are only beginning to be seen. What we really like about them though is their honesty - they love all that they do, but what they like most is Cabernet Franc - certainly not a Mediterranean grape and the third grape of the Atlantic, this variety seems to really blossom in the hands of the Ramé family.

This sense of discovery, as seen in this finding of Cabernet Franc's place in their vineyards, is present in all they do, from respect to terroir, to the non-use of chemical sprays, to admitting their own prejudices, to celebrating underdog varieties - it's clearly a key part of their success.