A wonderful freshness with an intense finish and caramelized notes
Les Illustres
| Country | France |
|---|---|
| Region | Languedoc |
| Sub-Region | Coteaux d'Ensérune |
| Producer | Les Vignobles Foncalieu |
| Vintage | 2012 |
| Composition | 60% SYRAH, 30% CABERNET SAUVIGNON, 10% MALBEC |
| Press | 92 points Wine Advocate |
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WINEMAKER NOTES
In this sunny land in the south of France, they constantly cherish their land to stir and inspire us: artisanal work to enhance the fruit and create concentrated wines with remarkable balance and freshness. Les Illustres is the story of 8 winegrowers who have pooled their expertise in order to craft an outstanding wine. This is a unique cuvée that draws its energy through the ancient silos dug by the Romans out of the soft rock of molasses at the Oppidum d’Ensérune, the famous archaeological site listed as a ‘Monument National de France’ where the remains of an ancient village still stand. 19 500 bottles produced.
TASTING NOTES
Dark red appearance with hints of purple. Complex bouquet of cardamom, alcohol-soaked fruit and tobacco leaf. Liquorice notes and a wonderful freshness on the palate. Intense finish supported by caramelised notes.
PAIRING SUGGESTIONS
Excellent with rabbit and olives, red mullet pie or a veal and prune tagine. Serve at room temperature 17° C. Cellaring potential: 8 years.
VINEYARD
Soil consisting of molasses and oyster limestone, in the Soubergues des Coteaux d’Ensérune terroir. Altitude: 50 metres. Hot and dry Mediterranean climate brining out the power and complexity of this exceptional wine.
VITICULTURE
Sustainable growing methods and plot-by-plot selection limiting yield to 25 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
The grapes are vatted at the coolest time of the day and then cooled to 4°C for cold maceration. The body and aromas are extracted in the aqueous phase, without crushing the grapes. Seeded with selected yeast and fermented at 24°C with pneumatic (pulsair) Burgundy-style crushing to finalise the extraction of tannins. Pressing, malolactic fermentation. Matured on fine lees for 3 months.
PRESS
“The 2012 Coteaux D’Enserune IGP Les Illustres is a smoking blend of 60% Syrah, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Malbec that comes from vineyards around Beziers. Inky purple in color, it offers fantastic notes of smoky black fruits, tobacco leaf, ripe herbs and dark chocolate that flow to a full-bodied, seamless and thrillingly textured wine that has building tannin, solid mid-palate depth and a great finish. Enjoy it over the coming 5-6 years.” – 92 points, Jeb Dunnuck, Wine Advocate