Château Virgile Red | Costières de Nîmes, Rhône

2008

A rich, spicy Syrah-based wine from the very south of the Rhône, 15km from the Mediterranean. This small, 18th century estate is owned and run by the charming Baret brothers, Serge and Thierry, who have now been producing highly rated yet affordable whites and reds here for some years: Robert Parker describes their wines as offering "mind-boggling value."

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Our tasting notes

Dark ruby in colour, lightly perfumed with notes of sage, cassis and ripe, red fruit. Rich, concentrated, herbaceous palate with more cherry flavours, chocolate and a very long, subtle finish. Hugely over delivers.

Wine data

Grape variety: Syrah with Grenache and a bit of Mourvèdre
AOC: Costières de Nîmes
Alcohol: 13%

 

About Costières de Nîmes

The appellation of Costières de Nîmes used to be considered part of eastern Languedoc but the climate, soil, topography and wine are far closer to those just over the river in the Southern Côtes du Rhône.

It is a region with an ancient and glorious viticultural past dating back to the Greeks, who planted the first vines there. The Romans then developed this into a burgeoning wine trade whilst building the Pont du Gard and the amphitheatres of Nîmes and Arles.

Over the last ten years this region has undergone a transformation that has witnessed the emergence of a younger generation of innovative and modern wine growers who are generally producing smaller yields and far better quality wine.

Costières de Nîmes is now a region very much on the up and is widely recognized as a great source of excellent value wine.

The reds are made from the "Rhône Varietals" and must include at least 25% Grenache and 20% Syrah and Mourvèdre. The latter is a very late-ripening grape from Spain (where it is called Monastrell) that in its youth is dark, high in alcohol and tannins, with a gamey flavor, that can later become well-structured and perfumed with strong blackcurrant notes.

 

Prices are all-inclusive for deliveries to UK mainland and Northern Ireland. Minimum total order is 1 case (12 bottles of 75cl equivalent) for mainland UK and 2 cases (24 bottles of 75cl equivalent) for Northern Ireland and Highlands. We also offer a collection service for our French wines from just outside Calais, France (minimum of 5 cases from the same producer and excluding mixed cases), at a per-bottle saving of £1.50 for wines and £2.00 for Champagne, and a per-case saving of £18 for wine, £24 per 12-case/£12 per 6-case for Champagne. For details, please read our Delivery/Collection Information and Terms & Conditions.