Traverses de Fontanes Cabernet Sauvignon 2023

I first met Cyriaque Rozier in 2000 when he had just started as the winemaker at Château La Roque, one of the elite estates in the Pic St. Loup appellation in the Languedoc region of France. In 2003, he launched his own domaine and focused most of his efforts on growing Cabernet Sauvignon, even though it is not included as a legal variety for Pic St. Loup appellation wines. He is adamant about the potential of this variety despite the regulations, pointing to his parcel of nearly 60-year-old vines. Growing in a sturdy mix of limestone and clay, his Cabernet is a powerhouse, with New World fruit and Old World structure and minerality. It’s a solid buy at $20, but now you can get it for at least 40% less.

The new vintage is consistent with his two decades of efforts, featuring a ripe nose of cooked cherries, dried plums, black currants, dark chocolate, and sea spray. It is firm and dry on the palate, with excellent intensity and finesse that you rarely find for less than $20. Good now, this wine will age nicely for 2-3 more years. Serve it with skirt steaks, meatloaf, or mushroom-stuffed cannelloni.