This wine comes from the South of France in the appellation of Minervios. This is a relatively unknown region outside the wine trade, but value for money it is fantastic. What you are paying for is the quality of the fruit and winemaking and not just the name of the region.
Chateau Maris started twenty years ago when Englishman, Robert Eden, immigrated to France and fell in love with the beauty and potential of Minervois and, in particular the little-known village of La Livinière. The surrounding vineyards were the very first in the Languedoc to be granted permission to put the village name on the label, in recognition of the distinct quality that these vineyards are capable of producing.
The wine is labelled as Syrah to differentiate it from the Aussie Shiraz, but it also contains 15% Grenache which adds an extra complexity to the wine.
The grapes come from vineyards planted on limestone and alluvial soils that offer excellent drainage and give the vines a little stress which is so important to control the natural vigour of a vine. You want the vine concentrating on ripening the fruit, not growing foliage.
The wine is matured in a combination of new and old Barrels for 12 months and is a beautiful deep purple colour. Rich and powerful on the palate, with layers of blackberry and dark plum on the nose. A long finish with a soft lingering spicy note.