Wine of the week: Château Maris Savoir Vieillir 2017

We at team db want to celebrate the very best bottles from our Global Masters. Each week, we select a wine that picked up either a Gold or Master from our competition series, and tell you why the judges loved it.

(Photo: Château Maris)

From Napa to Navarra, the world of wine is paying more attention to cultivation and how to let fruit shine through without using harmful chemicals. We revealed the results of our 2018 Organic Masters last July, where a just a handful of bottles picked up the top accolade of a Master medal.

This eco-friendly, deep-coloured expression from Occitanie, made without the addition of sulphites by biodynamic specialist of southern France, Château Maris, was awarded the ultimate accolade, a Master, in our 2018 Organic Masters.

The wine impressed with its “bright acidity”, a fresh bouquet of “youthful black fruit” and a “graceful finish,” according to Susan McCraith MW, one of the experts on our judging panel.

Our judges also loved the red’s “ripe” Syrah nose, singing with rich black fruit, vanilla and tapenade.

When it comes to ethical winemaking, Château Maris is an old hand. A biodynamic and organic winery in the Languedoc, the 79-acre estate has been certified by Ecocert since 2002, Biodyvin since 2004, Demeter since 2008 and BCorps since 2016.

The wine: Château Maris Savoir Vieillir 2017

The source: Minervois, France

The grape(s): Syrah (100%)

The style: Medium-bodied red

The price: £15-20

The medal: Master – The Global Organic Masters, 2018