New season wine discoveries / John Wilson The Irish Times Saturday 2nd April

"Domaine de Sainte Rose Les Derniers Cépages 2009,14%, Charles and Ruth Simpson, who are based in the Languedoc, aim to produce clean-cut modern wines using New World methods, and succeed admirably. All of the wines are vin de pays (now called IGP, or Indication Géographique Protégée, just to confuse us further), from the Côtes de Thongue. The wines are all good, some of them excellent.

Charles and Ruth Simpson, Domaine Sainte Rose

The Le Pinnacle Syrah 2008 is beautifully restrained yet structured, but in need of a little more time. For drinking now, I would plump for the Les Derniers Cépages, a very unusual blend of Petit Verdot and Mourvèdre that works perfectly. Concentrated dark cherry and liquorice fruits, impeccably balanced and long in the mouth, this appealing wine is very keenly priced. Stockists: JN Wine jnwine.com. A generous case discount is available when bought in case quantities."
Read full article in The Irish Times