Tenet Le Fervent Syrah Costieres de Nimes 2013
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Robert
Parker
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Blend: 91% Syrah, 6% Grenache, 3% Viognier
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Coming from the Costieres de Nimes AOC in the Southern Rhone valley of France, the 2013 Syrah Le Fervent is a delicious, balanced and textured Syrah that gives up lots of blackberry and black cherry fruits, pepper, violets and distinct minerality on the nose and palate. Fermented with one-third whole clusters and aged one-third in older barrels and two-thirds in tank, it's medium-bodied, has solid purity of fruit and nicely integrated acidity, all of which suggest it will drink nicely for 4-5 years.
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2014-
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Tenet Wines is a partnership with the Chateau Ste. Michelle Winemaking team, along with Rhône Valley collaborators, winemaker Michel Gassier and the late enology consultant Philippe Cambie. It is a collection of wines from both the Columbia Valley in Washington state and the Costiéres de Nîmes AOC featuring Rhône-style varietals. At Tenet wines, they convinced that Washington state is an exceptional terror for Syrah and its Rhone Valley brethren. This partnership project establishes a parallel between Syrah’s cradle and most renowned region, the Rhone Valley, and its tremendous potential on Washington’s basaltic slopes.
Marked by an unmistakable deep purple hue and savory aromatics, Syrah makes an intense, powerful and often age-worthy red. Native to the Northern Rhône, Syrah achieves its maximum potential in the steep village of Hermitage and plays an important component in the Red Rhône Blends of the south, adding color and structure to Grenache and Mourvèdre. Syrah is the most widely planted grape of Australia and is important in California and Washington. Sommelier Secret—Such a synergy these three create together, the Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre trio often takes on the shorthand term, “GSM.”
Gently rolling hills covered by large, round stones on south-facing slopes, Costieres de Nimes is a substantial IGP zone that was formerly considered part of the Languedoc. Today it is included as a section of the southern Rhone; its climate, topography and wines put it more in line with that appellation. Grenache is its most important red variety, along with Mourvedre, Syrah and Carignan. Half of the production here is rosé.