Les Coteaux Schisteux, Cotes Du Rhone Villages Seguret, Southern Rhone, France, 2022

Grapes: A blend of 75% Grenache Noir and 25% Syrah, wild ferment, aged 22 months in French oak barrels

Producer Tasting Note:

An impressive, classic Séguret - about as good as Côtes du Rhône Villages gets! The nose is opulent and polished with layers of exotic spices, cigar box, cracked black pepper and streaked with vanilla. The palate is instantly appealing, polished and smooth on entry but steeped in depth and texture as the flavours swirl around, lengthen and delight. The lasting impression is satisfying - a big and opulent Grenache-driven wine with obvious oak quality, great structure, length and finish.

Winemaking: Boutinot prefer high altitude, east-facing vineyards with stony, argillaceous limestone terraces high above the ‘slopes of schist’ above the pretty village of Séguret. In one such plot (planted well over 50 years ago) you'll find that Grenache Noir, intermingled here and there with some Syrah, benefits from the morning sun and even ripening temperatures. Grapes can only be harvested by hand in this unforgiving hillside terroir. In the cellar, vinification is traditional, with a long cuvasion using only naturally occurring wild yeasts, aided by regular remontage (juice pump over) to release all the potential of the grapes and their skins. The wine is then allowed to mature for up 22 months in French oak, an equal combination of previously filled 228L barrels and 600L demi-muids.

Food Match: Match to big hearty casseroles, in winter try a lamb tagine with couscous; in summer a rich ratatouille topped with grilled tofu, or simply serve with a plate of mature hard cheese