In the beginning, there was Odette and René Bastide. They purchased the grand Chateau Pesquie in the early 1970s, just about when the Ventoux AOC was established for vines growing on the flanks of Mont Ventoux, the “Giant of Provence”. The Bastides believed in the potential quality of the land, with a mixture of limestone clay and gravel soils, the elevation, and the cooling effect of the nearby mountain. Fifty years on, Odette and René’s grandchildren Alexandre and Frederic Chaudière run the winery, producing a wide range of wines that trace the boundary between the Rhone and Provence. This Terrasses cuvee is drawn from every part of the estate to make a well rounded blend of (mostly) Grenache and Syrah. The wine smells of raspberry and strawberry compote, garrigue-scented underbrush with sage and thyme, with a light touch of baker’s chocolate. The palate gives more cooked red fruits, with pepper and underbrush and toasted orange peels. The Syrah grapes provide a stiff tannic backbone, and there’s enough acidity, thanks to cool autumn nights in the vineyard, to keep this full bodied wine from cloying on the finish. Serve with heart lamb stews and everyday beef dishes.