Côtes-du-Rhône Rouge Aurado Sans Sulfites 2020 6x75cl

• 75cl bottle

The palate is full and concentrated, there is a lovely freshness on entry with gorgeous red fruit accompanied by powerful, melted tannins. The finish is persistent with slightly smoky notes and a hint of liquorice.

Vineyards

Gravelly deposits (calcareous platelets) over a clay matrix. The parcels located on the edge of the garrigue scrubland benefit from an excellent south-facing exposure. These plots will give this blend its power and structure. Loess, a deep well-draining soil providing a constant supply of water, without excess, throughout the vine’s vegetative cycle. The Syrah on this type of soil will lend our blend fruit and suppleness.

Vintage

2020 will undoubtedly stand out as an atypical year. The winter was mild marked, by a water shortage over the period, although reserves from 2019 helped to alleviate this. Budbreak was 10 days earlier than in previous vintages. Although snow fell after budbreak and frost was a real risk, it only affected a few vines in Beaumont Moneux. June brought plentiful heat and sunshine in the Northern Rhône and some welcome rain in the Southern Rhône. Grenache in the Southern Rhône looked beautiful and Syrah in the north perfectly balanced. Harvest was earlier than usual starting in early September and proceeded calmly and without any weather pressures. Marked by exceptional earliness and scorching mid-summer heat, the 2020 vintage offers us wines full of elegance and pedigree. They have all the markers of great ageing potential thanks to preserved acidity and remarkable phenolic maturity. The elegance of the red wines and the expression of minerality supported by a beautiful acidity on the whites are the hallmarks of this particular vintage that is full of surprises.

Winemaking

After de-stemming, the grapes are vinified in concrete tanks for four weeks. At the start of fermentation, we carry out a rack and return operation, followed by staggered pumping over operations each day to gently extract the aromatic substances, anthocyanins and tannins. The temperature of the alcoholic fermentation is checked and regulated. At the very end of the alcoholic fermentation, the temperature is allowed to rise to around 30°C to help the polymerization of the tannins.

Enjoy with:

• Grilled and Roasted Red Meats
• Pizza/Pasta
• Casseroles/Stews

Perfect with barbecue meat and vegetables