Chateau Pineraie Cahors 2022

Chateau Pineraie Cahors, France, 2022

Grape: A blend of 85% Malbec & 15% Merlot, 30 year old vines, 'Terra Vitis' sustainable farming (in conversion to organic), hand harvested, 40hl/ha yield, aged 12 months in barrels (20% new)

Producer Tasting Note:

Intense cherry fruit, blackcurrant and lots of spicy oak. Characterful and complex with a moreish balance of attractive chalky tannins and acidity.

Chateau Pineraie is made of 85% Côt (Malbec) and 15% Merlot with the grapes being hand sorted according to very strict specifications. Fermentation is controlled to 30 degrees with maceration on the skins from 2 - 3 weeks, including frequent pumping over and aeration. The wine is then aged for one year in oak barrels, 20% of which are new. It's only lightly filtered before bottling to preserve fruit quality and character.

The Estate: Comprising 37 hectares which contain the various soil types that make up the Cahors. On the terraces of the Lot, the vineyard is made of subsoil composed of old alluvium and limestone plateau with clay and marl. The vine stocks of Pineraie are on the 2nd and 3rd terraces and on the limestone plateau. A dozen hectares are located on the commune of Lacapelle Cabannac. The lower parts of the vineyard are clay while the higher parts are clay, limestone and hard flint. Quality control is a major factor to production, with low yielding limits applied to each patch to help produce ripe, healthy grapes whilst maintaining a good balance with the land. Pesticides are only applied according to a weekly statistical parasite count and weather forecast. The vines, including some very old Malbec, are planted in clay-limestone soil which helps to keep yields naturally low.

Food Match: Drink with red meats or pork in wine, cream or even peppercorn sauces and game. Mature hard cheeses work nicely, too!