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This is the estate’s iconic cuvée. Unsurprisingly, it proves to have lovely tannic density evoking ripe black fruit leading to a structured, spicy finish. A complete wine.
Notes :- Bettane + Desseauve 14/20
- Gault & Millau 15,5/20
- Gerbelle et Maurange 14/20
- Hachette citation
- La Revue du Vin de France 14,5/ 20
Wine characteristics
- Vintage : Terre d'Argence
- Year : 2011
- Appellation : Costières de Nîmes
- Colour : Red
- Grape types : Syrah, Grenache
- Soil : pebbly loam
- Harvest : manual on slopes and mechanical on flatland
- Type of viticulture : under conversion to organic
- Alcohol content : 14%
- Contenance : 75cl
Tasting - Cellaring
- Appearance : deep colour
- Nose : exuberant black fruit and incense
- Mouth : dense and fine, with silky tannins
- Serving temperature : 15 - 16 °C
- Cellaring : 3 years
- Drink from : 2015
- Winemaking process : 3-5 weeks’ maceration
- Maturation : in the tank for 9 to 12 months
Food-matching
- Food-matching : furred game, rack of lamb, Provençal daube
Experts reviews :
Bettane + Desseauve
Rated wine : 14/20Gault & Millau
Rated wine : 15,5/20Gerbelle et Maurange
Rated wine : 14/20Hachette
Rated wine : citationLa Revue du Vin de France
Rated wine : 14,5/ 20
Domain :
An authentic pioneer of the qualitative renewal of the appellation, this 65-hectare estate (now bio certified) produces very high standard wines that are not heavy and immediately flavoursome, with very limited time in casks.
Customer survey :
Note and opinion ofJean R Published on 2015-07-08 Très bien sur le fruit
No customer comments for the moment.
Appellation :
See the latest sales in this region
The Rhône Valley takes its name from the river that winds through the winemaking region over almost 200 km and is made up of two distinct parts: the northern Côtes du Rhône and southern Côtes du Rhône. The grape varieties, winemaking methods, and soil types but also the climates are relatively different. The region is the second biggest producer of AOC wine after the Bordeaux wine region.
The southern Rhône vineyards stretch from Montélimar to Avignon over the departments of the Drôme, Ardèche, Vaucluse and the Gard. They are located on both sides of the Rhône from Donzère to the confluence with the Durance, on slopes and plateaux that vary in altitude. They produce a broad range of wines, from the simplest to the most complex, but always generous. There are 15 different AOC areas, including Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Vacqueyras, Gigondas, Lirac, Tavel, Rasteau, Ventoux, Lubéron and of course all the Côtes du Rhône Villages (95 villages).
The climate is of mediterranean type and very dry, marked by the Mistral wind. This climate is however slightly different and wetter for the vineyards near to the mountain chains (Mont Ventoux, Dentelles de Montmirail, etc.).
The soils of the left bank are mainly made up of sands and calcareous sandstone whilst those of the right bank are chiefly comprised of sand and sandstone molasses, alluviums and shingle.
A wide variety of grape varieties are grown with a majority of grenache supplemented by syrah, mourvèdre, cinsault or carignan for red wines and grenache blanc, clairette and bourboulenc for white wines.
The most recent vintages
- 2011: an abundant and heterogeneous harvest of supple wines to be enjoyed at their fruitiest.
- 2012: an excellent vintage with wines that are mature and fleshy but palatable thanks to their fine freshness and moderate alcohol content.
- 2013: this is another vintage with welcome freshness and lesser alcohol content. These wines are not very tannic and should be enjoyed young whilst still delectable.
- 2014: in the North and in the South, a cool summer and a stormy September have created supple and charming red wines and very drinkable whites thanks to a fine acidity. Limited racking potential.