2024 Jeff Carrel - Coteaux du Languedoc Les Darons (750ml)

Jeff Carrel, born in Paris in 1969, trained first as a chemist before turning to winemaking, studying oenology in Montpellier and cutting his teeth at estates across the Loire, Alsace, and Languedoc, including a stint advising for Mas Daumas Gassac. He later worked as a consulting winemaker for Mondavi's Languedoc project before launching his own venture in 1998. Now based in the south of France, Carrel has built a reputation as a roving, unconventional winemaker who turns out expressive, value-driven bottlings from the region's old vines.

Les Darons, meaning "the old-timers" in Parisian slang, pays tribute to Grenache and Carignan, the two varieties considered the parent grapes of Languedoc-Roussillon reds. The blend draws on vines over forty years old grown on clay and limestone soils around Minervois, Corbières, and La Clape. Fermentation and aging take place entirely in concrete, with no oak influence, preserving the wine's fresh, direct fruit character.

The 2024 vintage offers a generous nose of black cherry, blueberry, and wild strawberry, layered with cinnamon, white pepper, and a whisper of garrigue scrub. The palate is silky and full, with structured tannins and a peppery finish. It suits grilled red meats, duck breast, or a hearty barbecue spread.