Winemaker Notes
Silica rounds out Château Pesquié’s three single-vineyard offerings by showcasing the elegance of Grenache and Cinsault when grown on pure sand. Situated at an elevation of 300m above sea level, this 65-year-old vineyard demonstrates the lively character of Grenache in a sandy terroir, which is quite tasty on its own, but enlivened by the floral aromatics so typical of Cinsault.
Vegan-friendly
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A luxury cuvée from a single sandy site, the 2022 Ventoux Silica is 90% Grenache and 10% Cinsault, mostly fermented and aged in demi-muids. Explosive aromas of black cherries, stone fruit and dried spices burst forth on the nose, while the palate is full-bodied, broad and expansive but silky and crisp at the same time, with a long finish and a restrained touch of mocha. Exciting stuff.
Barrel Sample: 93-95 -
Jeb Dunnuck
Coming from sandy, loamy soils, the 2022 Ventoux Silica is a gorgeous wine, offering a mix of red and black fruits, spice, and a subtle earthiness. More red-fruited than the Artemia, it has a beautifully polished, elegant profile with silky tannins and impeccable balance. It is a refined, seamless Ventoux that will drink well for a decade or more.
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Wine Enthusiast
This wine offers a beautiful complex nose, layered with ripe, brambly dark fruit, delicate florals, and an alluring earthy musk. The palate, though still evolving, holds great promise—finely textured with deep dark fruit, violets, and a firm dusting of cocoa, clove, with a granitic edge. Elegantly structured, it should drink best after 2028+.
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James Suckling
A round, creamy and fruit-centered Ventoux with aromas of raspberries, cherries, grilled herbs and baking spices. Medium-bodied with fine tannins. It’s well-rounded and caressing on the palate with a kick of spice at the center bringing so much vitality. Focused and textural. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification. Vegan. Drink or hold.
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Wine Spectator
Offers the freshness of the Ventoux, with a pure beam of crunchy cherry and pomegranate unadorned with excessive oak. Iron minerality cruises from start to finish, with a structured feel to the focused tannins. Dusty earth and a hint of alder smoke emerge, showing an inner density that draws the finish way out. Grenache and Cinsault.
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.
Stretching across the slopes of the Ventoux mountain in the southeastern region of the Rhône River Valley, Cotes du Ventoux excels in the production of spicy and characterful red blends based on Grenache, Syrah, and other indigenous varieties. The region also produces rich and aromatic whites and rosés.