Château Maris "La Touge" 2019

La Touge is a silky, medium-bodied red blend of Syrah and Grenache from the Minervois La Livinière region of France, known for its rich, full-bodied character with prominent notes of black fruit like blackcurrant, and a smooth texture thanks to well-integrated tannins. Inky purple on the glass, very expressive aromas with some notes of smoke, meat and dark fruit (black currant, blackberry). Easy-drinking raspberry and plum fruit are joined by hints of cracked pepper and garrigue. Beautifully integrated acidity, ripe tannin and no hard edges. It is soft, with juicy tannins and very good length.

Château Maris' biodynamic philosophy follows a natural process with minimal intervention. Vinified in concrete fermenter. Extraction from punching of the cap and light pumping over during a four-week maceration. Aged 16 months in eggs and concrete tanks.

In 1999, La Livinière (meaning “place planted with vines”), located in the heart of the Minervois between Toulouse and Montpellier, became the first vineyard to receive recognition in the Languedoc region. Château Maris covers 45 hectares of land, divided into a multitude of plots on the hillside above La Livinière. The terroir, with a very gentle slope and sun-drenched south-facing orientation, is made up of a mixture of schist, sandstone, quartz, marble and limestone that has been present for more than 50 million years.

Château Maris was named by Wine Spectator as "one of the five most environmentally friendly wineries in the world." It received Ecocert certification in 2002, then Biodyvin in 2004 and Demeter in 2008, and has been a Certified B Corp since 2016. It is run by British winemaker Robert "Bertie" Eden, known as a pioneer and "godfather" of organic and biodynamic farming in the Languedoc.