Waitrose, Loved & Found Caladoc, Languedoc-Roussillon, France 2021

Obscure wine alert! Once again Waitrose has come up trumps in its mission to introduce customers to unfamiliar grape varieties, at a value price point. They don't come much more unfamiliar than Caladoc, a crossing of Grenache and Malbec created in 1958 and usually found in blends from the south of France. It's not a shy and retiring wine, more akin to Malbec than Grenache some might say, though unoaked, so without any of the characteristics that you'd associate with Malbec that has gone through barrel ageing. It's fragrant and aromatic, with exuberant and juicy blueberry and red berry fruit - a good choice for a summer barbecue or to pair with a weeknight supper of lamb chops perhaps. You could have a lot of fun buying all the wines in the Loved & Found range, and going through a journey of discovery - bravo Waitrose!

A crossing of Grenache and Malbec, Caladoc combines the former’s juicy appeal and the latter’s inky depth and tannic presence. This approachable iteration is a perfect introduction to this underestimated grape, with its intense bramble and blackberry fruit flowing through a soft, refreshing framework.