I’m currently on holiday in Provence, but as I’m totally selfless, I brought some homework with me in order to ensure that I had plenty of material to allow me to post a wine of the week. (OK, I lie, we brought a shedload of wine with us so that I could guarantee quality drinking over dinner. I know; coals, Newcastle, etc…)

Anyway, I decided to include a bottle of Bernard Gripa‘s Les Figuiers, a wine that had impressed me so much in the 2010 vintage that I’d bought a six-bottle case of the 2012 when the wine was released. I opened my first bottle last year and, frankly, was a bit disappointed. The wine lacked the richness and weight I’d been hoping for.

And then I remembered that blends of Marsanne and Roussanne (about 50:50 in this case) can go through a youthful phase in which they look pretty neutral. Wait a while, though, and their character shines through. Bearing that in mind, I thought it was worth including a bottle in our holiday case, and we opened it on the second night we spent in our little stone hut high up in the Provence hills.

Patience truly has its rewards. The Figuiers is emerging from its sulky phase. The first thing you notice is its texture – there’s something voluptuous and pillowy about it. And then there’s an emergent richness of flavour: stone fruits and pineapples are enhanced by hints of nuttiness and honeysuckle. There’s oak there, but it doesn’t overwhelm. If you’re looking for a wine with fresh acidity, this isn’t your boy; instead it has an easygoing charm that seems to achieve poise without effort.

 
Its richness of texture and fruit made this wine a sublime partner for a full-flavoured poulet noir,  bought from a local butcher, roasted and served with a Provencal twist on a salsa verde (local anchovy spread, heavy with garlic, parsley, basil and mint), tiny new potatoes and sauteed courgettes. (I think it would also fare well with langoustines or prawns cooked on the barbecue – or a barbecued lobster, if I was feeling exceptionally profligate.)

My rating: , but be prepared to wait at least 2-3 years for the wine to hit its stride. (What does this mean? See here for a guide to my rating system.)