Mas de Daumas Gassac produces what we think of as the Languedoc's answer to Left Bank Bordeaux. This estate pioneered the idea that southern France could craft serious reds in the 1970s, long before the region found its modern voice. The 2020 Rouge leads with Cabernet Sauvignon but includes judicious amounts of four other Bordeaux varieties, creating something that feels both familiar and distinctly Languedocian.

We find this vintage particularly smooth and elegant, with cassis and black cherry fruit wrapped in subtle herbal notes and the faintest touch of cedar. A wine that proved the Languedoc could play in the premier league.