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

This is a blend of 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah aged in 100% French oak barrels, of which 50% are new. This is a parcel of old vines within the Chateau Saint Cosme vineyards. They yield a more concentrated and defined style with big tannins plenty of mouth feel. Louis Barruol would dearly love people to resist the immediacy of black fruits and spice in favour of 10 years of ageing. It's really worth it!

Single Bottle: £27.95

In a case of 12: £26.55