Winemaker Notes
Ruby red color with light copper highlights. Nose dominated by aromas of small berries (raspberry, redcurrant) very intense with some toasted notes. Tender, fruity, and finely spicy on the palate. Fine and silky tannins, exceptional structure. Long and fruity finish.
This wine is an ideal match for grilled red meat, roasted poultry, fish in sauce or grilled, and fine cheeses.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The floral-earthy perfumed 2018 IGP Haute Vallée de l'Aude Domaine de l'Aigle Pinot Noir comes from vineyards planted at around 450 meters above sea level. Hints of toasty oak play a supporting role to the cherry and raspberry fruit, while intricate herbal complexities wind in and out. With a soft, ripe mouthfeel and gentle tannins, it delivers early drinkability and true Pinot Noir character at a reasonable price for the quality. Certified organic and biodynamic.
Thin-skinned, finicky and temperamental, Pinot Noir is also one of the most rewarding grapes to grow and remains a labor of love for some of the greatest vignerons in Burgundy. Fairly adaptable but highly reflective of the environment in which it is grown, Pinot Noir prefers a cool climate and requires low yields to achieve high quality. Outside of France, outstanding examples come from in Oregon, California and throughout specific locations in wine-producing world. Somm Secret—André Tchelistcheff, California’s most influential post-Prohibition winemaker decidedly stayed away from the grape, claiming “God made Cabernet. The Devil made Pinot Noir.”
While Limoux also produces both white and red wines, it is ultimately recognized as a sparkling wine zone. Blanquette de Limoux is the region’s original sparkler, which is based on Mauzac with small amounts of Chardonnay and/or Chenin Blanc. The more rustic and traditional version, Blanquette Méthode Ancestrale, is an often cloudy and sweeter sparkling wine made exclusively from Mauzac.
In the 1990s, the region created the more modern, Crémant de Limoux, for international markets.