Jean-Charles and his wife Céline have a small estate in Maury, in the very south of France. Just a few hectares, it’s hot there, very dry and yields are, unsurprisingly, tiny … especially from his even smaller patch of 100-year-old vines in the premium ‘Maury Sec’ area. Jean-Charles used only to grow his grapes, but our winemaker and buyer down there, Mark Hoddy, persuaded him to try making the wines too. These now have a strong following. The cellar is very challenged for space – the garage at the bottom of the house. But Jean-Charles is delighted that, with help from his Vineyard Partners, he’s been able to buy a few bits of kit – a cooler for starters. It’s made a world of difference.

The wine:

100+ is the pinnacle of Jean-Charles’ winemaking. You’ll guess from the name that only grapes from his century-plus vines go into this red – Grenache and Carignan, from the slate- and schist-slithered soils of this top area. Twisted, gnarled-trunk, bush vines produce very little fruit, but what juice from them there is, is terrifically dark and intense. It’s only Jean-Charles in the cellar, labouring away, to produce this wine – that's dense with cherry, damson, liquorice and oak spice and classic hints of the wild herbal garrigue.

Come and see it for yourself

You're very welcome to visit this amazing region, Jean-Charles' ancient vineyard that provides grapes exclusively for 100+ and his tiny shed winery. Neither he nor his wife Céline speak English, but if our buyer-winemaker, Mark Hoddy, is about, he will gladly do the translating.

Best to contact us first, so we can arrange it.