You’d be forgiven for thinking of Domaine de Sulauze as a rosé domaine — after all, it’s in the heartland of French rosé, Provence, and its Pomponette rosé is one of our best-selling pink wines. But this slice of biodynamic paradise churns out stunning red wines, too.

Sulauzes’ “Charbonnières” is a blend of 70% Grenache and 30% Syrah, from young vines, and it is a pure joy to drink. Silky, supple and a little spicy, this is the definition of “glou glou,” though it’s not a simple quaffing wine by any means. You can taste the sunny abundance of Provence in every sip — even though the frame is light and juicy, the flavors are intense, with notes of plum skin, blackberries, strawberry compote, and dried herbs.

You can tell that the fruit was grown somewhere warm, but thanks to the careful farming, perfectly-timed harvest, and a light hand in the cellar, the wine is vibrant and energetic, full of tension. Perhaps this comes from the estate’s limestone soils, a particularly friable variety locally called lauze (the inspiration behind the domaine’s name). It comes from a single vineyard with these lauze soils, and clay — the winning combination for a wine with elegant minerality coupled with depth of flavor.

This is the perfect red to see us through the last warm days of summer and into fall’s crisp nights. We're offering the 2021 vintage today — a refreshingly cool vintage across France. Sulauze's importer is moving onto the ’22s, though, so they’ve given us a very good price on the '21. This is your opportunity to pick up one of the most delightful Provençal wines you’ll taste all year, at a very nice price. 

Domaine de Sulauze, VdF Rouge “Charbonnières”, 2021 $27.99