2020 M. Chapoutier Pays d’Oc Rouge ‘Marius’

80% Syrah and 20% Grenache grown on clay and calcareous hillsides, destemmed and macerated for ten days in steel. Aged all in concrete tanks. 14.0% alcohol.

This is a juicy, delicious, impeccably made wine that sells for a son- there’s unbelievable QPR (Quality-to-Price-Ratio) going on here. Giving up lots of black cherry and blackberry fruits as well as notes of peppery herbs and earth, this super smooth, medium-bodied, balanced red has a good sense of elegance as well as length on the finish. Drink it over the next year or so.

Maison M. Chapoutier is one of the most recognizable – and sizeable – producers in the Rhône Valley. The family’s history in the Rhône dates back to 1808, but it wasn’t until 1879 that Polydor Chapoutier transitioned the family from growing grapes to making and trading wine. In 1988, Michel Chapoutier took the company reins, and a push toward quality saw the Chapoutier label begin to gain international recognition. 

As Marius, Michel Chapoutier’s great-grandfather, always said ‘A good wine is one that beckons us to take another sip’. These wines carry this message and reflect the warmth of the southern France terroirs in which they are rooted. The pleasure of a man who loves to share. An expert knowledge of the Rhône Valley varietals, the secrets of which Michel Chapoutier seeks to reveal. The notion of pleasure, to put it simply. 

From 1996, all M. Chapoutier labels have included braille in honor of Maurice Monier de la Sizeranne, who created a form of modern abbreviated braille, and was the original owner of the Chapoutier vineyard in Hermitage (indeed, “Monier de la Sizeranne” is the name of Chapoutier’s top Hermitage wine).