This wine is an invitation to explore the highest terroir in Cairanne, the Montagne de Ventabren. Benefitting from altitude sunshine and a terroir of marl and scree, it is famed for being home to the finest parcels of the Cairanne cru. Each grape variety reveals a different aspect: Syrah draws its freshness and structure from it, and Grenache its intensity and richness.
THE 2019 VINTAGE
The blend is dominantly Syrah because in the incredibly hot summer of 2019 this grape resisted perfectly. It is garnet red with bright violet gleams. The nose speaks of conviviality with its delicious fruitiness. The Syrah offers its wild cherry notes, and the Grenache its aromas of strawberry and raspberry. In the mouth we find an elegant, well-structured wine, with red berry fruit. Ageing in barrel or foudre from a selection of French forests for 12 months structures and enhances the aromatic palette. Elegant and fresh, delicious and warm hearted, this 2019 blend has captured the paradox and the unique balance of the Montagne de Ventabren.
The Montagne de Ventabren is one of the finest terroirs in Cairanne. It covers the highest point of the village at 320 metres altitude. To reach it, one has to cross the village in the direction of Saint-Roman-de-Malegarde, to the north, and embark upon a narrow road that winds its way up into the hillside amongst superb parcels of vines.
The Montagne de Ventabren owes its renown first of all to its situation at altitude and its orientation that benefits from ideal levels of sunshine that enable the grapes to ripen to perfection. And its unique geological composition makes it a terroir that is particularly suited to old vines. Here limestone scree from the Miocene period, scattered with rare flintstone, carved out of the rock by the force of erosion, alternates with lacustrine marl. This deep, well balanced terroir counterbalances the intense heat of the Provencal sun by providing unexpected freshness. The combination of altitude with the marl terroir with large limestone nodules gives the wine its wonderfully complex, powerful, elegant, and fresh aromas.
Parcel numbers
Syrah n°5-6-9-38
Grenache n°24-25-37
Age of vines
Syrah: 15 years
Grenache: 20 years
Altitude
320 m
Yield
30 hl/ha
HARVESTING & VINIFICATION
The grapes are picked in whole bunches, into small 16kg crates. The cool hours of the morning are favoured for picking these exceptional parcels.
On arrival at the cellar, the grapes pass into a vibrating hopper to preserve the integrity of the berries. They are then destemmed and transferred by gravity into small stainless-steel vats to be vinified by parcel and by grape variety. Careful monitoring of temperatures ensures controlled extractions during fermentation. Gentle and regular immersion of the cap ensures optimum extraction of colour and tannins. Skin maceration can last up to three weeks.
The Syrah is then aged for 12 months in 300 litre barrels from different, specifically selected cooperages and in tuns of 10 to 40hl to soften its structure and power and add to the harmony of the blend. The Grenache, much more intense, is aged in stainless steel vats for 12 months.
Harvest date
Syrah : 16-17 septembre
Grenache : 24-26 septembre
Temperature of grapes at reception
25°C
ENJOYING IT AT ITS BEST
La Montagne 2019 can be enjoyed now or can happily be laid down for up to 8 years.
We recommend serving it at 16° as a summer aperitif or with a light meal. It will pair perfectly with chicken liver pate, duck pastrami or pan seared red mullet in a lightly spicy sauce.
TASTING NOTES
16/20 – Jancis Robinson
“Wow – uber-ripe! Despite its clear, insane ripeness, there is some nice structure here, a hint of coconut and lavender with black-olive spice and a semblance of tannins as well as freshness. Super-ripe and will have its admirers. Kind of sums up 2019 as a vintage. Surprisingly hot yet still shows structure when handled with care. This is an extreme example – fascinating!”
