Roc-Épine — the thorny rock. It is a name that places you immediately in the Southern Rhône: that sun-baked, garrigue-scented landscape of limestone and clay where Grenache and Syrah have been grown for centuries, and where the combination of intense summer heat, the cooling mistral wind, and the ancient, rocky soils produces red wines of a warmth, generosity, and aromatic complexity that are among the most immediately pleasurable in France. Domaine Lafond is one of the Southern Rhône’s most respected and celebrated estates — a producer with deep roots in the region, farming their vineyards organically with a commitment to the land and a respect for the terroir that is evident in every glass. The Roc-Épine Côtes du Rhône is their most accessible and generous expression: a Grenache and Syrah blend of real character and charm, made with the same care and precision that Lafond brings to their more celebrated Lirac and Tavel wines. The 2023 is a beautifully expressive Southern Rhône red: wonderful aromas of ripe cherries and blackcurrants on the nose, with gentle hints of sweet spice that add a lovely warmth and complexity. On the palate these flavours continue with real persistence and elegance — deliciously soft and silky, with a finish that lingers long and satisfyingly. The Southern Rhône at its most generous and complete — and at £18.49, organic Grenache and Syrah from one of the region’s finest estates.