Belle Roche Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

Chai winemakers Jean-Marc Sauboua and Mark Hoddy reserve their Belle Roche label for a wine made from the best parcel of grapes of the vintage. For the last three vintages this went to a few rows of dazzlingly dark Cabernet, grown in the scrublands of high up Languedoc vineyards. The soils are very poor and there’s a fair blast of wind, so berries are always tiny. No wonder then that this wine is so densely flavoured, its colour almost black – the reason they call it their precious ‘black diamond’ of the vintage. Meticulously crafted at Le Chai, Belle Roche is a bit of a knockout. The team recommends decanting Belle Roche an hour or two before serving, just like Bordeaux. It’s spot on with a juicy steak, rack of lamb and hearty casseroles.