LVT 2015 r 2015 wh 2015 rosé A family that has gone in and out of making and bottling their own wine. Denis' great-grandfather Étienne made wine until 1956, when Denis's father Gilbert closed the cellar and entered the Cave Co-operative. Denis took over in 1974, and left the Co-operative in 1991. He also grows 10 hectares of cherries such as the Burlat variety. Daughter Claire is effectively in charge after the departure of her mother from the domaine. They also make a liqueur of verbena (verveine), and focus is not a word I would use here. The 2015 Côtes du Rhône Régulus white was ***(*), however. 

LVT 2009 r 2010 wh A right-bank domaine for notable, use of the Mourvèdre and the Viognier. These are very good wines indeed, but are something of an acquired taste due to being rather rigid and strict when young. The reds age extremely well, and need time to loosen their early tannins.

LVT 2011 r Recent move into the Rhône is centred on the low profile Gardois appellation of Saint-Gervais, where Domaine Sainte-Anne is the clear flag bearer, while the Co-operative has trundled along for many years. This will give the appellation a kick in the pants.

128 Co-operateurs founded France’s first Co-operative at Maraussan in 1901, the motto all for each one, each one for all symbolising the needs of those days, which saw large riots 10 years later as growers were squeezed by poor sales. There are now 1,200 members, and this is big wine business at work - as they proclaim - “7,000 hectares of vineyards over an arc of 600 kilometres.” Their base is Languedoc, where Minervois, Saint-Chinian, Corbières are some of their mainstay wines. Big on marketing and management speak at times.