Gerard Bertrand Coteaux Du Languedoc La Clape Chateau L'hospitalet 2007 750ml

Winery: Gerard Bertrand

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

If you've ever drank and enjoyed a French wine, there is a high chance that it hailed from Languedoc Roussillon, a hugely important historic wine region which produces over a third of the country's wine each year. Indeed, the output of Languedoc Roussillon even exceeds that of the entire United States, and has hundreds of thousands of acres of land under vine, growing a wide range of red and white grapes. Languedoc Roussillon is one of the oldest and most important wine regions in the world, with a history which stretches back over the millennia to the ancient Greeks, who adored the warm and humid Mediterranean climate which is ideal for viticulture. From still red and white wines, to dessert wines and crémants, Languedoc Roussillon truly has something of quality and character for everyone, and every palate.

Country: France

French winemakers are subjected to several laws and regulations regarding the wines they produce, and how they can be labeled and sold. Such procedures are designed to increase the overall quality of the country's produce, and also to ensure that wines made in each particular region or appellation are of a character and type which is representative of the area. Thankfully for consumers of wine world-wide, the French have a particularly high reputation to uphold, and seem to do so flawlessly. Every year, wineries from all over France produce millions upon millions of bottles of fine wine, making the most of their native grape varieties and the excellent terrain which covers most of the country. From the expensive and exquisite red wines of Bordeaux and Burgundy, to the white wines and cremants of central France, the French are dedicated to providing the world with wines of the highest quality and most distinctive character.