The appellation rules dictate that the wine must be made from at least 40% Syrah grapes and at least 20% Grenache; Carignan, Cinsaut , and Mourvèdre black grapes can also be used in the blend. The climate and soil in the Gard commune are perfect for the production of red wine with these grapes. The town of Uzès is situated at the source of the river Eure and it is not far from the Pont du Gard Roman aqueduct. The scenery around the area is simply wonderful.
I was going to keep this wine for a couple of years before drinking it but I couldn't resist tasting what is for me a new wine. We drank it with friends. I should have opened the bottle an hour or so before I served it as I could smell the distinct and over powering aroma of lactic acid resulting from the malo-lactic conversion used to soften the wine. The smell of the lactic acid seemed to mask the fruitiness of the wine. The aroma quickly disappeared however, and then the wine smelt and tasted much more fruity, spicy and complex. The wine was also very concentrated and had long length on the palate. After fifteen minutes the wine started to smell and taste faultless.
This wine merits keeping for a few more years and it should become more complex and the tannin will soften; it will improve further.
We bought the wine in Waitrose for £7.49 and it was very good value for money: we drank it with fillet of pork. There were four of us for dinner and we finished the bottle.
I have never seen this appellation in the UK before. We paid a visit to the area in early 2014 and we did not see it then either - not even in its Vin de Pay guise. It is indeed a hidden treasure.
The appellation also produces white and rosé wines but I have not tasted them.
Postscript
Lactic acid is excreted by human beings especially after exercise and its aroma attracts mosquitos.
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