tardieu-laurent-2007-les-grands-augustinsJus de Vine, Portmarnock

Picked up this badboy in Jus de Vine in Portmarnock, one of Dublin’s best kept secrets. Okay, the secret isn’t that well kept as they seem to pick up quite a few awards here and there, but this was my first time in the place and I was suitably impressed.

The place is huge, full of good value wines as well as rare and expensive old wines from all over the world.

Tardieu Laurent Les Grands Augustins

Anyway, got talking to Tony who recommended this wine from the Pays d’Oc (south of France). It’s made by Tardieu Laurent whose name emblazons other bottles in the shop which retail for up to €100.

Don’t fret, the “Les Grands Augustins” retails for about €11 and is a stonking good bottle of red – full of rich juicy fruit, great balance and a great great length.

And don’t be mistaken, this is not one of those “absence of defect doesn’t indicate presence of virtue” wines.

It’s genuinely fantastic. These guys are négotiants which means they don’t grow their own grapes. Rather, they buy them in from growers in the area.

The grapes that go into Les Grand Augustins are Syrah (Shiraz) so you can get a little bit of warm spice (black pepper, cloves) with some chocolate, but really it’s the dark berries which dominate.