Chateau Cazal Viel Saint-Chinian Cuvee Des Fees 2009 750ml

Winery: Chateau Cazal Viel

Varietal: Syrah

There are few red wine grape varietals in the world quite as versatile as that of the Shiraz/Syrah vine. These powerful darkly colored grapes are responsible for several wildly popular wines, and are used in the production of still, fortified and sparkling wines, all which carry its magnificent strong flavors very well indeed. This grape varietal is a robust one, easily adaptable to several different climates and terroirs, and yet has a strong ability to express the conditions it is grown in when it ferments and is drank. Most typically, Shiraz/Syrah wines are known for spicy flavors with a big fruity punch, and the fact that they can demonstrate the decisions made by the winemakers in their secondary flavors very clearly.

Region: Languedoc Roussillon

Languedoc Roussillon is one of the world's most important wine regions, with an annual output which, amazingly, exceeds that of the United States, and which makes up for over a third of France's overall wine production. Languedoc Roussillon is also a hugely important region for wine history, and is widely regarded as probably the first part of France in which grapevines were cultivated, after many were introduced by the ancient Greeks several thousand years ago. The region is renowned around the world for having a dedication to quality which matches the quantity it produces, and the range of wines produced in Languedoc Roussillon is truly impressive, with red, white, dessert and sparkling wines all being made to high levels of excellence within the region.

Country: France

It is widely understood and accepted that the finest wines in the world come out of France. Whether you are drinking a vintage bottle from one of the famed Grand Cru wineries of Bordeaux - such as Chateau Margaux or Chateau Lafite-Rothschild - or a more simple and affordable bottle from one of the lesser known appellations in Burgundy, the likelihood is that the wine is packed full of intense and interesting flavors, and has a fine, balanced structure typical of almost all French produce. This reputation for excellence is taken extremely serious by the French, with dozens of regularly updated laws and regulations ensuring the quality and accurate labeling of wines. Such dedication and passion for fine wine, representative of the region in which it is produced, means customers can be assured that when they buy a bottle from France, they are buying something almost certain to please and delight.