In the village of Estagel in the heart of Roussillon wine country, the Sires family owns Domaine des Schistes, 50 hectares of vines, mostly trained in the iconic, gnarled gobelet method. The domaine was founded in 1906 but spent many years in the lean and chaotic middle of the 20th century selling grapes to the local cooperative. In 1989 Jacques and Nadine Sires left the cooperative to try making their own wine. Today, their wines come in a variety of shapes and styles – each vintage they individually ferment as many as 80 plots destined to stand alone or blend together – but their Illico range is the entry tier, intended to be “fresh and easy-drinking wines, to be drunk with youth and crunch.” This blend consists of the old favorites Cinsault and Carignan, blended with a relative newcomer called Marselan, favored for its ability to thrive in dry climates. The wine offers flavors of black cherry fruit leather, leathery leather, smoky soil, tar,  and lavender. The palate is surprisingly deft, with enough acidity – thanks Marselan! – to support flavors of fresh cherry over a range of savory garrigue notes, sage, rosemary and smoked meat. A gorgeous pair for quiche or oven roasted lamb.