Domaine Les Eminades, Vieilles Canailles, St-Chinian, 2014

Patricia and Luc Bettoni’s ‘Old Scoundrels’ cuvée is essentially a pure Carignan, planted in 1902, with just a dash of Syrah, both organically grown up on the high-sited limestones of the Causse de Montmajou, and given 18 months in wood followed by a year in tank. It seems to me that the vines have struggled for full ripeness in 2014, with ample sweetly grassy characters in both the aromas and flavour. The attractive textural finesse of the blackcurrant fruits may be a typical limestone trait though, and the wine has a juicy, vivid brightness and deliciousness to it just now.