Grands Bois Philippine Cotes Du Rhone Villages

Grands Bois Philippine Cotes Du Rhone Villages

Marc Besnardeau is from Paris originally and before he met Mireille Farjon, he was a sommelier at one of the better restaurants in Paris (in the Montmartre section). In marrying her he not only moved, but also made the complete change from the city life to the life of a vigneron. His fine palate as a sommelier, however, put him in good stead for evaluating wine and making his own. He knew, for example, that when he bought wines, to look for those with low yields and concentration and sought out examples that were bottled unfiltered. He now has the opportunity to put these views into practice. The domaine that Marc Besnardeau has taken over is very well situated between St. Cecile and Cairanne. From these vines he produces several cuvées. All of his wines are deeply colored, ripe, robust and while one can think of many flavors to describe them, the word delicious pretty much says it all.

Red wine. Southern Rhône, France. Organic. 60% Grenache, 40% Syrah. The grapes come from 12- to 60-year-old vines in the village of Sainte Cécile. The fermentation and elevage are all done in tank, preserving the minerality and fresh fruit character of the wine. Deep and concentrated fruit, but still balanced, with flavors of black plum, cherry, and boysenberry. There are also subtle notes of strawberry, spice, and roses. A mineral backbone and fresh acidity ward off one-dimensionality.