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2016 Les Traverses de Fontanès
Château FontanèsCabernet Sauvignon is a bit of an intruder on the limestone slopes around Pic Saint-Loup: Syrah and Mourvèdre are at home here, producing deep, elegant, spicy reds with a strong Mediterranean accent. And yet, Cabernet has proven it is just as capable in providing its own interpretation of this dramatic landscape of rocky bluffs and garrigue-infested hills. This humble vin de pays from Cyriaque Rozier of Château Fontanès is teeming with juicy wild fruit, while an herbaceous element hints at both the varietal side of the grape as well as the aromatic herbs typical of the region. Its dusty tannin is yet another lens for that earthy Languedoc terroir to shine through.
Cyriaque ages this red in stainless steel and bottles it young to capture all its youthful vigor. It is not trying to be Bordeaux—on the contrary, it genuinely reflects the down-home, country soulfulness we love about the Languedoc. And on top of that, the winemaking—and the price—encourages unabashed gulping; slight chill optional.
—Anthony Lynch
Wine Type: | red |
Vintage: | 2016 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Cabernet Sauvignon |
Appellation: | Vin de Pays d’Oc |
Country: | France |
Region: | Languedoc-Roussillon |
Producer: | Château Fontanès |
Winemaker: | Cyriaque Rozier |
Vineyard: | Planted in 1970, 1 ha |
Soil: | Clay, Limestone, Marl |
Aging: | Wine is aged for 6 months to one year in stainless steel |
Farming: | Organic (practicing) |
Alcohol: | 13.5% |
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About The Producer
Château Fontanès
About The Region
Languedoc-Roussillon
Ask wine drinkers around the world, and the word “Languedoc” is sure to elicit mixed reactions. On the one hand, the region is still strongly tied to its past as a producer of cheap, insipid bulk wine in the eyes of many consumers. On the other hand, it is the source of countless great values providing affordable everyday pleasure, with an increasing number of higher-end wines capable of rivaling the best from other parts of France.
While there’s no denying the Languedoc’s checkered history, the last two decades have seen a noticeable shift to fine wine, with an emphasis on terroir. Ambitious growers have sought out vineyard sites with poor, well draining soils in hilly zones, curbed back on irrigation and the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, and looked to balance traditional production methods with technological advancements to craft wines with elegance, balance, and a clear sense of place. Today, the overall quality and variety of wines being made in the Languedoc is as high as ever.
Shaped like a crescent hugging the Mediterranean coast, the region boasts an enormous variety of soil types and microclimates depending on elevation, exposition, and relative distance from the coastline and the cooler foothills farther inland. While the warm Mediterranean climate is conducive to the production of reds, there are world-class whites and rosés to be found as well, along with stunning dessert wines revered by connoisseurs for centuries.
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Kermit once said...
Kermit once said...
When buying red Burgundy, I think we should remember:
1. Big wines do not age better than light wine.
2. A so-called great vintage at the outset does not guarantee a great vintage for the duration.
3. A so-called off vintage at the outset does not mean the wines do not have a brilliant future ahead of them.
4. Red Burgundy should not taste like Guigal Côte-Rôtie, even if most wine writers wish it would.
5. Don’t follow leaders; watch yer parking meters.
Inspiring Thirst, page 174