Celtis Australis

Over the weekend I opened a bottle that I got as a gift from a friend who is currently staying with us. This wine is from Naked Wines (www.nakedwines.com). Nakes Wines is a company I have heard a lot about (but never bought from) so I was interested to try this wine. From what I understand, Naked Wines work with small producers, helping them to get their businesses off the ground. Working with small producers enables Nakes Wines to provide great wines for their customers; wines that are properly and lovingly made, which are a lifetime away from the mass produced wines that are so readily available. It was a lovely wine and has helped me decide that I will now definately be buying some wine from Naked Wines - if this bottle is anything to go by, they stock some great stuff.

Benjamin Darnault, Celtis Australis, 2009, Saint Chinian, France

This is a lovely blend of Grenache, Syrah, Mouvedre and Carignan grapes. The name apparently comes from the Latin for 'hackberry' - a tree that grows in the region. This wine has beautiful dark cherry and plummy aromas on the nose. The wine remains somewhat understated and lets you come to it, rather than revealling all on the first sniff. The nose also has some beautiful sweet blackcurrant and vanilla notes and the faintest hint of cedar. The palate is silky smooth with soft supple tannins. You get more of the dark cherry with some perfectly integrated oaky complexity. The wine has a lasting comtemplative length. This is a very well made wine and I would be interested to try the rest of Benjamin Darnault's range. I will definately get this again. 4.2/5 (13% abv) Naked Wines £9.49