Winemaker Notes
#86 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2023
The vineyard is right in the middle of the Corbières region, on the way between Carcassonne and Narbonne. The Grenache Noir, the Carignan, the Syrah and the Mourvèdre are blended to produce a full-bodied wine with aromas of raspberry and savory flavors of herbs and black olives.
This wine is a great match with mushrooms sauteed in garlic or beef steak.
Professional Ratings
-
Wine Spectator
There's a refreshing herbaceous lift in this delicious red, which nicely offsets the dense, ripe fruit profile. Cherry, plum and red currant fill out the palate, flecked with smoked meat, violet, forest floor and mineral details. Pencil shavings line the finish, marked by black pepper and smoke. Shows great character and balance. Carignan, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre.
With bold fruit flavors and accents of sweet spice, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre form the base of the classic Rhône Red Blend, while Carignan, Cinsault and Counoise often come in to play. Though they originated from France’s southern Rhône Valley, with some creative interpretation, Rhône blends have also become popular in other countries. Somm Secret—Putting their own local spin on the Rhône Red Blend, those from Priorat often include Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. In California, it is not uncommon to see Petite Sirah make an appearance.
The Corbières AOC, established in 1985, is the largest in the Languedoc, and represents the South of France in transition. Though viticulture here dates back to the Romans, only within the last twenty years have Corbières wines begun to reclaim their reputation. Approved for reds, rosés, and whites, the region's vineyards cover a wide variety of elevations, soil types, and exposures. Hilly terrain and the Atlantic Cers wind moderate the Mediterranean heat, giving the wines balance and complexity; the best will go ten years or more in the cellar.
Reds represent 88% of the AOC’s production and are an assemblage of the sun-loving grapes of southern France. Carignan’s briars, Grenache’s berries, Syrah’s cherries and Mourvèdre’s plums allow for a wide range of styles, which are often influenced by the wild herbs of the garrigue. Corbières rosés, though only 9% of production, are serious wines and the small production of Rhône-variety whites are fresh and sea-influenced.
With eleven sub-appellations, Corbières is an AOC in the process of refinement. Corbières-Boutenac attained Cru status in 2005, one of only five in the Languedoc to achieve this highest ranking.