Crikey, 07, July, Julyin, we’re no longer in June.

This is a slightly unusual post because not only is it about wine, it’s about skincare too. I am compassionate about my skin, just like I am compassionate about wine and funnily enough, my creme de la creme of choice is made from exactly the same grapes that we drink…

Caudalie skin care was founded by a lovely french lady called Mathilde Thomas and her husband Bertrand. Picture the pair in Bordeaux in 1993, scientists are testing the skins that remain from the grapes once they have been pressed to produce wine.

“Do you know that you are throwing away treasures?” – Professor Vercauteran

A scientist called Prof. Joseph Vercauteran worked with Mathilde over the following few years and with his outstanding knowledge on polyphenols and Mathilde’s je ne sais quoi, Caudalie was born.

Caudalie is the french word for a unit measuring the duration of the wine’s flavour on the palate.

“For each second the flavour remains, this is a caudalie. A quality wine will contain many caudalie’s.” – Isn’t that perfect?

While I sit here in my purifying mask, breathing in the comforting smells of lavender and bergamot, I am sipping on Will Lyon’s recommendation from last weeks Sunday Times magazine. This 2015 Gran Passo, is a buy from Waitrose, cost £7.99 and was produced in Portugal.

Gran Passo

Tinto – Red 2015

Casa Santos Lima 14%

This wine is orchestrated from musical notes of Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Castelao and Syrah and according to the label they are harvested later than usual for a deeper flavour.

Personally I love this wine, I have bought it before because I like the label but I’d buy it a second and third time because it’s delicious. It’s smooth and goes down really well with no nasty headaches to deal with afterwards. I would say it is a refreshing red, summery and fruity without the overbearing weight that these deeper reds sometimes carry. As for caudalies…it sort of remains on the palette, I think I need to have a bit more to decide.

It’s a yes from me, you can buy it here if you can’t stand people or don’t have a local Waitrose.