£14.50, The Wine Society; £95 for 6, domainejones.com
The key to the quality and character of this richly fruity Fitou is the age of the vines: most are more than a century old. They produce miserly quantities, but the compensation is the flavour of the grapes and, in turn, the complex, concentrated wine with its spicy black fruit, herb, nutmeg and dark chocolate flavours, its smoothness and freshness. The vines are Carignan, Grenache and Syrah – typical of Fitou and the wider Languedoc region – and they belong to Katie Jones, who branched out on her own as a vigneron in 2008 after 16 years in Fitou working for the local wine co-operative. She’s proved to be a brilliant winemaker, as well as a genius at finding and nurturing old parcels of vines, and produces a range of reds and whites (sold at domainejones.com among other places). She now also makes a wine with her husband, a fellow grower who she married last year. It’s called Me & Monsieur Jones – what else? – and is sold by Naked Wines. Her husband’s own wine (also recommended) is Domaine des Rebouls, sold by Yapp Bros. Share Domaine Jones Fitou with red meat, game, goose, duck, including casseroles, slow-roast pork belly or hard cheeses such as Manchego, Parmesan and cheddar.
Domaine Jones Fitou 2014, Fitou, France
£14.50, The Wine Society; £95 for 6 bottles, domainejones.com