Mary Taylor Cabrerisse 2023

If you saw Anne Sarda’s vineyards in Coteaux de Cabrerisse, you might wonder why anyone bothered planting grapes there in the first place. This tiny corner of France’s Languedoc is wild,  dry and so rocky that even cover crops are unable to be planted. Yet, old Carignan vines thrive here as low bush vines, which Anne farms entirely by hand without the use of irrigation, pesticides or herbicides. In the cellar, she keeps things equally traditional, using native yeast and old concrete vessels, some between 60 and 105 years old to ferment. The result is a wine with a real personality of ripe red and dark fruit, supple tannins and a savory side while still maintaining freshness. For under $20, there is an awful lot of history, careful vineyard management and expert winemaking packed into this bottle.