Maison Ventenac, l'Idiot

This Merlot is called The Idiot.

We love the up front and no nonsense messaging from the Ramé family in Maison Ventenac; their pushing of boundaries to find ways to express their interpretation of the land creates a mass of potential. This Dissidents range is exactly this and this 100% Merlot l'Idiot is a homage to the character Miles from the 2004 film Sideways and the many other wine consuming 'elite' who won't drink Merlot...

This is made in small batches and blended to a very soft, smooth and delicious wine, showing Merlot's low tannins, plum, red cherry and plum-ripe fruit. You'd be an idiot not to like it...

Maison Ventenac is a young and dynamic project based in the vineyards of the Ramé family in Cabardès, north of the city of Carcassonne, at the (fairly wild) west of the Languedoc.

Characterised by the split in place between Atlantic and Mediterranean bodies of water, their vineyards are likewise split between the Atlantic (Cabernets - both Franc and Sauvignon, Merlot and Malbec) and the Mediterranean (Syrah, Grenache, Carignan, Cinsault, and Mourvedre).

Limestone forms the sub-soil in the best parts of the family's vineyards, together with their dense planting of vines and the relatively wet winters in the region, there is a real sense of excitement for the future of the region.

In organic conversion, the rewards for this winery are only beginning to be seen. What we really like about them though is their honesty - they love all that they do, but what they like most is Cabernet Franc - certainly not a Mediterranean grape and the third grape of the Atlantic, this variety seems to really blossom in the hands of the Ramé family.

This sense of discovery, as seen in this finding of Cabernet Franc's place in their vineyards, is present in all they do, from respect to terroir, to the non-use of chemical sprays, to admitting their own prejudices, to celebrating underdog varieties - it's clearly a key part of their success.