To celebrate France's triumph in this year's Six Nations, Languedoc winemaker Gérard Bertrand, who turned out for Les Bleus in his day, has made a wine in honour of the team's achievement.

The 2007 Grand Chelem (not Cockney, actually French for 'Grand Slam') Cuvée no 9 celebrates France's ninth unbeaten campaign. Although they didn't earn a Grand Slam in that particular vintage, they still won the Six Nations (just losing to the rosbifs of England). There are only 2,400 bottles of Grand Chelem, with the majority given as gifts to the French players and coaching staff, but Imbibe managed to snaffle a bottle of the Syrah-dominant blend. Grand Chelem has that typical Bertrand accessibility, but without tipping over into fruit-bomb territory.

The nose is rich and perfumed with brambly, mulberry fruit and violets, and there's bags of bright, succulent fruit on the palate, with fine, well-integrated tannins.

As warm and comforting as seeing France crash out of the World Cup at the hands of England (that's enough Gallic bashing – Ed).

Stuart Peskett

News item from Imbibe.com, 30-04-2010