Souverain Sablet 2022

Eric Chauvin’s wines share a region and grape varietal with common Côtes du Rhônes, but little else. Chauvin’s tiny Domaine le Souverain has no website, no road sign, and barely a phone number — his cellar is a converted garage. But his wines have more complexity and depth than nearly anything else we taste at their level, and manage to remain a bargain.

Like the Seguret, this wine is entirely vat-raised. It is made from 55% Grenache and 30% Syrah, with the balance from Mourvedre. The Sablet 22 offers the same rich and round mouthfeel, but the Mourvedre adds a dark cherry tone to the fruit. Eric said that the Mourvedre “helps to hold the fruit,” and indeed the added complexity made the wine even more attractive.