A d'Aussières Cabernet Sauvignon - Syrah
The vintage
The relatively mild winter in 2020 led to an early bud break and increased the threat of fungal diseases. A warm, relatively wet summer, with a hot, dry late summer period, without scorching high temperatures, allowed the grapes to reach their optimal aromatic potential slowly, while maintaining a sufficient level of acidity. As the growth cycle progressed, the vines lost some of their earliness and the grapes were harvested about ten days earlier than the previous vintage.
Location
The estate is nestled in the rugged hills just behind the Mediterranean coastline of Narbonne, in the South of France.
Terroir
The soil is very shallow and rocky on the slopes, and then becomes deeper and sandy in the flatter areas. Yields are kept intentionally low in order to conserve the vines’ strength and to produce high quality grapes. The grapes come from the property’s flattest, lowest areas, whose deep, well-drained soil under a layer of sandy silt provides optimal growth conditions for Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon, giving a touch of Bordeaux elegance to this blend.
Winemaking
The grapes are picked at optimal ripeness, destemmed and then vinified using traditional maceration methods.
The maceration period varies from 10 to 12 days with gentle extraction and fermentation at fairly low temperatures (around 25°C) in stainless steel vats in order to preserve the wine’s full aromatic potential. Ageing is then carried out in vats so as to keep all of the fruit’s freshness and purity.
Grapes
Tasting
Intense ruby-red colour with dark glints of garnet.
Expressive nose with notes of ripe fruit and spices.
The palate offers a very refined, Mediterranean expression of Cabernet Sauvignon. Good length, with a very harmonious fresh fruit finish, supported by supple, silky tannins.
