The discerning drinker: Best Roussillon wines

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Reds can be especially striking, sweet and concentrated yet with thrilling minerality and the Midi's unmistakable herby garrigue flavours. They remind me of Priorat, the closest international comparison — although not all Roussillon reds are grenache-dominated, like those from the Spanish region. It's hot and dry: possibly the sunniest corner of France. Its upland soils are stony but mineral-rich. And there's an unusually high concentration of older vines, delivering bigger, more concentrated wines.

Gérard Bertrand Grand Terroir 2006, Tautavel (Waitrose, £7.99).
Tautavel is now a sub-appellation of the Côtes du Roussillon Villages appellation
(do keep up), generally reckoned to be one of the best areas. This is warm and plummy, with a firm backbone. More affordable than many: Roussillon wines tend to be a bit pricey.

Domaine Le Roc des Anges "Segna de Cor" 2006, Côtes du Roussillon Villages (Green and Blue, 36-38 Lordship Lane, SE22, £14.05).
Made by young wine-maker Marjorie Gallet from 50 per cent grenache, the rest carignan and syrah, all from older vines on particularly thin and rocky soils, this is wonderfully concentrated, savoury, earthy and mineral. Wow!

Domaine Sarda-Mardet Réserve 2004, Cotes du Roussillon (Lea and Sandeman, £14.75).
From grenache, carignan, syrah and mourvèdre, this is sweet yet complex, its fruit balanced with acidity.

Domaine Fontanel le Prieuré 2007, Tautavel (Stone, Vine and Sun, £16.75, mail order only, stonevine.co.uk: you can mix cases, delivery £5.50/first case).
Mostly syrah plus mourvèdre and a little grenache; sweet and rich yet also aromatic and refined. The same merchant also stocks this domaine's very good white Côtes du Roussillon.

Le Soula blanc 2005, Vin de Pays des Côtes Catalanes (Adnams, £17.99, mail order from cellarandkitchen.adnams.co.uk: you can mix cases, delivery free for orders over £50).
Le Soula is a partnership between merchant Richards Walford and Gérard Gauby, the vigneron most responsible for Roussillon's rise. From the mountainous upper Agly valley, this is an odd blend — mainly grenache blanc plus sauvignon blanc — but complex, honeyed, mineral and long.