Winemaker Notes
Intense garnet color. Dark fruit aromas with toasty notes. Ample palate, full and soft, ripe tannins, layered palate. Ripe, lingering finish. A rich and fleshy wine with an elegant, claretlike balance.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
A wine of terroir and contrasts, the 2021 Minervois La Livinière La Cantilène is a blend of 55% Syrah, 30% Carignan, and 15% Grenache Noir. Aged mainly in oak barrels and 25% in concrete vats, its sun-kissed character has been beautifully refined and balanced. The aromas are woven around black fruits, balsamic and menthol notes, a hint of caramel, fresh green pepper berries, a touch of cigar, and bay leaf. The enveloping freshness is further enhanced by fine, tight-knit tannins. Balanced, harmonious and age-worthy, the long, dense, and spicy finish is a sign of youth.
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.
Granted its own appellation within Minervois in the Languedoc region of France, Minervois La Livinière takes its name from cella vinaria, Latin for ‘wine cellar.’ In the hilly northern end of Minervois, the altitude and dense, rocky limestone soils of La Liviniere produce quality red Rhône Blends made from Syrah, Mourvedre, Grenache and Carignan.