This is my first exceptional value wine of 2012. It’s what’s known as a GSM blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre. This wine exhibits rich, sensuous textures with supple tannins and layered blackberry and black raspberry fruit. La Clape is a small spit of land that juts into the Mediterranean (eons ago it was once an island unto itself) southeast of Narbonne in the Languedoc-Roussillon region of southern France. It was once a sub-appellation of the Coteaux du Languedoc, but last year was elevated to AOC Grand Cru status, a long overdue and well deserved promotion in vineyard rank. Chateau L’Hospitalet is the centerpiece of proprietor Gerard Bertrand’s impressive wine empire that spans the entire Languedoc-Roussillon region.