2022 Ventenac "L'intrus"

After her father, Alain Maurel, retired in 2010, Stephanie Ramé and her husband Olivier took over the operations of Maison Ventenac, located in the tiny Cabardès wine region of Southern France. Since then, they’ve been modernizing the winery and converting the vineyard to organic farming. “L'intrus” (the intruder) is pure cabernet franc, a native of the Loire Valley, a far cooler climate than the one they enjoy in Cabardès. One might think the variety would suffer in this sun-drenched southern clime, but the classic structure of the variety remains, even if the fruit is a bit stockier. Treat the intruder as a guest and invite them to share a hearty stew or classic onion soup.