Handford Wines

While his family has ben growing grapes for 14 generations, Louis Barruol is the first of the clan to bottle his own wines, rather than sell grapes to local négociants. Indeed, Louis has become a négociant himself, sourcing grapes and wines throughout the Rhône valley and making an outstanding range of wines. The basic Côtes du Rhône puts most producers to shame, while the Gigondas made from his own estate fruit is always one of the top wines of the appellation. Louis makes his wine without fining and his wines are bottled unfiltered to produce exuberant fruit and flavour as well as lots of character. His wines remain one of our star finds and judging by all the great reviews he has received we are lucky to have found them when we did.

The Wine

67 % Grenache; 20% Syrah; 12% Mourvedre; 1% Cinsault. 70% of this is aged in 1 to 4 year old barrels with the rest aged in large concrete or wooden vats. That's the stats, now taste a perfectly formed Gigondas from a man who tends his own vines high up towards the famous Dentelles de Montmirail, and knows them from boyhood. Sure, it's lighter than 2005, but it's more expressive with sugary strawberry fruit, white chocolate and truffles. Although the balance and crispness give 10 years of ageing potential, this is wonderful to drink relatively early and before the 2005. (RP gives 90 -92/100)

Single Bottle: £16.99

In a case of 12: £16.14