Lafage Narassa

Narassa is the bottle that quietly explains why Domaine Lafage has become one of the most talked-about names in France’s deep south. Grown in the sun-baked Roussillon, along the Mediterranean’s Côtes Catalanes, it’s built around old-vine Grenache with a measure of Syrah — a blend made for anyone who likes their reds dark, generous and full-bodied.

Expect a glassful of ripe Mediterranean fruit: blackberry, blueberry and black cherry layered with cassis, a lift of violet and a whisper of spice, liquorice and sweet vanilla. It drinks richly concentrated and velvety, the tannins soft and the finish long and almost sweet with sheer ripeness — the kind of wine that tastes considerably more expensive than it is.

Rather than being buried in new oak, Narassa is matured in a mix of concrete tank and barrel, which keeps that bright, pure fruit front and centre while adding just enough texture and grip. Pour it with grilled lamb or steak, a slow-cooked stew, a Sunday roast or a board of hard, salty cheeses — and if you have half an hour, decant it: a little air brings the perfume to life.