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Atelier Prestige De Foncalieu l’Apogée

Fruity, powerful, and well-structured

Country

France
Region

Languedoc
Sub-Region

St. Chinian
Producer

Les Vignobles Foncalieu
Vintage

2013
Composition

85% SYRAH, 15% GRENACHE NOIR
Alcohol

14%
Press

90 points Wine Advocate

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WINEMAKER NOTES

Michel Cazevieille and Sébastien Roubichou have continually nurtured their land in their efforts to go further and do better. At an altitude of 180 metres and with a south-western exposure sheltered from the wind, the vines draw strength from the soil to offer us this wine which is truly at its apogée.

TASTING NOTES

Deep, dense red colour. Bouquet of ripe red and black berries (redcurrant jelly), eucalyptus and garrigue (thyme, rosemary). Fruity, powerful and well-structured on the palate. A long and spicy finish.

PAIRING SUGGESTIONS

To be enjoyed among connoisseurs, primarily with grilled meat. Serve at room temperature 17°C. Cellaring potential: 10 years.

VINEYARD

Soil composed of fossil sandstone and limestone-clay in the Chaînon de Saint-Chinian terroir. Altitude: 180 metres. Mediterranean climate with continental influences, offering a wine which is exceptional in its balance and spicy nature.

VITICULTURE

  • Sustainable growing methods and plot-by-plot selection limiting yield to 15 hl/ha.
  • Cordon de Royat pruning for good bunch distribution.
  • Debudding to limit yield.
  • Leaf thinning to improve grape exposure to the sun.
  • Bunch thinning to enable selection of the highest quality grapes

VINIFICATION

  • Upon receipt of the harvest, an automatic sorting system followed by a second manual grape-bygrape sorting at a conveyor, and a tilting press (grape crushing at the top of the vat just before vatting) to preserve the grapes’ aromatic potential.
  • Pre-fermentation cold maceration lasting 5-6 days to gently extract the pigments and aromas found in the grape skins.
  • Alcoholic fermentation in low-capacity temperature-controlled stainless steel vats (40-100 hl) for plot-by-plot vinification.
  • Maceration lasting 3-4 weeks with daily punching down and pumping over to gently extract the full richness from the grapes.
  • Aging for 12 months in new French oak barrels, with a special selection of the finest grapes to develop the wines’ length and finesse

PRESS

“Showing even better than last year, the 2013 Saint Chinian Apogee has lots of cassis and currant fruit as well as classy notes of smoked herbs, graphite and licorice. The oak it showed last year has integrated nicely, it has medium to full-bodied richness, terrific purity and a ripe, upfront, sexy style that’s ideal for drinking over the coming 5-7 years.” – 90 points, Jeb Dunnuck, Wine Advocate