The winery, which is a rebirth of Abbotts, has readied seven 2007 and 2010 vintage wines for the market and is now looking for national distribution.

Abbotts & Delaunay is already available in 15 global markets - including Germany, France, Holland, Belgium, Denmark, Canada and Australia – but so far has only one significant listing in the UK.

That company, Averys of Bristol, will stock the new range of wines within two weeks.

It comprises three Réserve AOC wines: Minervois Réserve, Côtes du Roussillon (both 2010/ Syrah, Carignan and Grenache/ £11.99), Corbières (2007/Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre/£11.99 or £11.50 at Swig); and four AOC wines - the Clouds and Winds range: Cumulo Nimbus Minervois (2007 and 2010/Syrah, Carignan/£16.99), Alto Stratus (2007/Carignan/£16.99), and Zephyr Limoux (2010/Chardonnay/ £16.99).

Abbotts & Delaunay winemaker Laurent Delaunay, a Burgundian, told Drinks International that having purchased Abbotts from Australian winemaker Nerida Abbott in 2006 he had set about a slow transformation of the style.

He said: “Since our first vintage in 2007 we have developed the winemaking to our own taste. The consumer now wants elegance, fruit and less oak. It’s been a three to four year process of evolution.”

The brand changed from Abbotts to Abbotts and Delaunay in September 2011.