Saint Chinian Roches Brunes

Producer Patrick Lesec Selections (Languedoc-Roussillon) Region Languedoc-Roussillon, France Encepagement 33% Grenache 80 years old 33% Syrah 15 years old 33% Carignan 50 years old 100% slate soil. Manual harvesting. Organic agriculture. 25 hectoliters per hectare. Elevage Whole cluster fermentation. 80% aged in new barrel, 20% in tank. No fining or filtering. Description This phenomenal Saint Chinian comes from a small family vineyard of 8 hectares in the ancient village of Roquebrun in the dry and craggy foothills of the Massif Centrale. In this place where the sun shines 300 days a year and where the foliage is dominated by garrigue, thyme, lavender and stunted oaks, the rocky soil dominated by slate and the venerable old vines combine to produce remarkably concentrated and complex red wines. These vineyards are farmed in a completely organic fashion, with no synthetic pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers. Yields are ridiculously low, and the grapes are harvested by hand. The wines are aged 80% in new barrels and are not fined or filtered. The wine has deep, dark, black-purple color and sweet aromas of raspberry and cherry. In the mouth are layers of dense, ripe red and black fruits and toasty, spicy oak. The finish is long, sweet and complex. With its weight, balance and depth of character, this Côteaux du Languedoc tastes very much like a great Cornas or even Côte Rotie! It can be enjoyed in its youth if decanted, but will develop beautifully with several years in bottle.

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