Jean and Caroline Panis have been firm supporters of Winefantastic and Wine-Boutique for ever and we have visited the estate in Bagnoles (means jalopy in French) a couple of times over the years.

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The Donjon itself is of course a dungeon. But an above-ground one which is these days reassuringly employed as a charming tasting room. The team makes interesting whites and excellent rosé but for me it’s really all about the reds and in particular the Grand Tradition Rouge, a wine that comfortably inhabits that elusive sweet spot of quality, approachability, complexity and price. It really hits the mark for a lot of our customers.

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And it is also the type of wine that will be increasingly hard to buy from the multiples over here. The problem with it is that it naturally contains alcohol - lots of it. 14.5% to be precise. And for the boring box-movers it means that since February 2025 the excise duty is much higher than previously forcing a big price hike. Huge in fact.

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Majestic Wines for one has publicly announced that is reducing its listings of these higher alcohol wines because they have decided (on your behalf) that you the don’t want to pay a higher price which, while undoubtedly true, really isn’t as simple as it sounds; wouldn’t you still like a choice?

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Naturally lighter alcohol wines exist and de-alcoholised, ultra-processed “wines” are also available from many sources, but if lower alcohol is your desire, what’s wrong with a cup of tea?

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But it so far remains the case that if you enjoy a big-boned, complex and flavourful wallop of a wine, alcohol is an essential ingredient.

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I believe that wines like this cannot be made lower alcohol without losing much of what makes them special and while the wines and the customers exist we will continue to ship them.

 

And charge a little bit more.