Winemaker Notes
This wine expresses the unique fruit of Negrette, which combines black cherry and violets. Medium-bodied, with a velvety texture and light to medium-tannins, this wine has become a Southwestern classic.
Professional Ratings
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Wine & Spirits
Spiced red fruit and a graphite funk might recall cabernet franc from Saumur-Champigny, though negrette’s rustic earthiness comes through in the tannins. That funk put off some tasters, but the rose-scented edges gave me the impression of an honest country wine. On its second day open, the funk had blown off and the wine turned toward gravelly-scented rosy florals.
Beyond the usual suspects, there are hundreds of red grape varieties grown throughout the world. Some are indigenous specialties capable of producing excellent single varietal wines, while others are better suited for use as blending grapes. Each has its own distinct viticultural characteristics, as well as aroma and flavor profiles, offering much to be discovered by the curious wine lover. In particular, Portugal and Italy are known for having a multitude of unique varieties but they can really be found in any region.
Offering the perfect balance of quality and value, Southwest, France is a recognized appellation that encompasses all wine regions in France’s southwestern corner (except for Bordeaux and Cognac, which merit their very own). Two of the more famous subregions here are Cahors, known for its Malbec, and Madiran, home of the robust Tannat grape. Bordeaux Blends are also popular red wines of the Southwest; Petit Manseng is the regions’s star autochthonous white variety.