Wines

Domains

Clos Bagatelle
Veillee d'Automne 2008

AOC Saint Chinian

A blend of Syrah with Grenache and Mourvedre this wine delivers an impressive and complex mouthful of flavour, with red and black berries, ripe plums, damson, pepper and vanilla spice, a touch of dried herbs and lovely tannins, a long length and super balance. It is a wine that demands a little time, not only is it complex and rich, but it has much hiding behind the initial attack.

A full tasting note to follow

Maturity: very drinkable today, but has the potential to age for several years. Will probably reach its peak in 2014 - 16, and remain at the pinnacle for a number of years.

Food: today it has the power to cope with game (boar, venison) or other well flavoured roasted red meats, would be perfect with a dish based on ceps (porcini) mushrooms, particularly if they are cooked with a cream sauce

Varieties: 70% Syrah, 20% Mourvedre, 10% Grenache

Alcohol: 13.5% abv or 10 units per bottle

Vinification

Grapes all picked by hand, rigorously sorted and de-stemmed
about a quarter of the Syrah fermented using semi-carbonic maceration, the rest and the other varieties fermented traditionally with a long maceration
After pressing and the completion of the malaolactic fermentation, the wine was blended
The wine was then aged in barriques, 25% new oak, for 14 months before further aging and bottling in June 2010