Cabalie Original

Mouthfilling, velvety black fruit, port-like hints, spice and herbs

Ripe blackberry, cassis, plum, wild herbs and woodsmoke

We all love the richness, the power and lovely velvety feel (what the French call ‘gouleyant’) of Cabalié. Well, the Origine has all that, but is even more gorgeously fruit powered. As with all the Cabalié wines, it’s made by the great Hervé Sabardeil. Recently the two original vineyards of Cabalié came up for sale – the grower was retiring. Hervé jumped at the chance of acquiring the vineyards and all their heritage. The vines are planted on very sparse, steeply terraced slopes in the rugged Agly valley. There’s hardly any soil, just slithers of schist over the blue granite, so little grows there. Only these old vines and wild herbs. Using four of the region’s top red grapes, it’s gorgeous, intense and velvety. Open early and decant.