Tasting Notes – South of France 03.06.2024

presented by Andrew from 17th Street

DA ASTRUC MALRAS VIOGNIER

Domaine Astruc is located on the foothill of the Pyrenees. The vineyards are planted on the Limoux appellation in a unique terroir in Languedoc, where diverse climatic influences converge, the Mediterranean and the Oceanic being the most important ones.

Grapes: Viognier 100%, ABV 13% vol.

Tasting notes: Astruc Viognier has a light golden yellow color with fresh aromas in the nose of fresh and dried fruit: apricots, white peaches, pear, and honey. On the palate, the wine is rich, and aromatic as belongs to a Viognier with a beautiful structure and surprisingly long finish.

Pairings:  Astruc is delicious as a standalone glass and of course an excellent companion for fish, seafood, white meat and desserts with fruit.

Cellier des Princes

The winegrowers of the Cellier des Princes continue to defend and illustrate the values of rigor and faithfulness which were those of the Princes of Orange. Inherited from generation to generation, the vineyard is a precious gift for our winegrowers. In love with their vines and passionate, they cultivate their vineyards with maximum attention, to deliver exceptional fruits. This dedicated work contributes to the quality of each wine of the Cellier des Princes. Our own team of agronomists works with our 120 winegrowers throughout the year. Thanks to our very strict selection process, we only use the best crops to guarantee quality from entry to top level products.

Most of our growers own vineyards in Châteauneuf du Pape and vineyards of Côtes du Rhône. For that reason, most of the grapes used in our Côtes du Rhône have been hand harvested since they can use the same team of harvesters. This way we can offer superior quality. The grapes come from 40 to 50 years old vineyards, which brings personality and concentration to our Côtes du Rhône.

CÔTES DU RHÔNE – SCEAU DU PRINCE ROUGE- 2022

Grapes: Grenache 80%, Syrah 15%, Mourvèdre 5%
Aging: 6 months in concrete tanks; no oak – to get a true expression of the fruit. May be kept up to 2-3 years.

Tasting notes: This ruby red colored wine with purple glints develops red fruits aromas and spicy overtones. In the mouth, this wine is smooth, and its supple structure emphasizes aromas. Fruit forward and easy drinking wine showing light spices and silky tannins.

Pairings: This can be enjoyed now with steak frites, any Mediterranean dishes, pizzas, grilled chicken, and cheese.

CÔTES DU RHÔNE VILLAGES – “Tradition” – 2021
Grapes: Grenache 70%, Syrah 15%, Mourvèdre 15%
Aging: 10 months in concrete to soften and round the tannins. No oak to show the expression of the fruit and terroir.

Tasting notes: This ruby red wine with purple glints develops red fruits aromas such as blue berries, black currants, and strawberry with spicy overtones. In the mouth, this wine is smooth, and its supple structure enhances its fruit forward profile.

Pairings: This can be enjoyed now with any Mediterranean dishes, grilled meat, stew, and cheese.

CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE ROUGE Reserve – 2022

Grapes: Grenache 90%, Mourvèdre 5%, Syrah 5%
Aging: 8-12 months in concrete tank. No oak to show the purest expression of the Grenache and terroir.
Tasting notes: This ruby red wine is very complex and elegant with aromas of red currant, red cherries, black berries with spicy overtones such as lavender, thyme and rosemary. Excellent balance in the mouth, tannins are elegant and silky. Due to the combination of the sandy subsoil and the Grenache, the wine shows finesse and elegance.

Pairings: It will be appreciated with roasted meat, stew, game and will be perfect with cheese.