About this WINE
Chateau Grand Moulin, Corbieres
The vast and sprawling Appellation of Corbières commands, not surprisingly, a huge diversity of styles. One of the most successful is based between the enclaves of Lézignan and Boutenac, their vines dissected by the main road from Carcassonne and Narbonne.
Here the gifted winemaker of Chateau Grand Moulin Corbieres, Jean-Noel Bousquet, exploits the clay sandstone soils, and indulges his passion for Syrah, Mourvèdre and Carignan. The resulting wines sing the personality of the region, but have an elegance and suppleness of texture which is a far cry from the tougher, more rustic wines of the past.
Southern Rhône Blend
The vast majority of wines from the Southern Rhône are blends. There are 5 main black varieties, although others are used and the most famous wine of the region, Châteauneuf du Pape, can be made from as many as 13 different varieties. Grenache is the most important grape in the southern Rhône - it contributes alcohol, warmth and gentle juicy fruit and is an ideal base wine in the blend. Plantings of Syrah in the southern Rhône have risen dramatically in the last decade and it is an increasingly important component in blends. It rarely attains the heights that it does in the North but adds colour, backbone, tannins and soft ripe fruit to the blend.
The much-maligned Carignan has been on the retreat recently but is still included in many blends - the best old vines can add colour, body and spicy fruits. Cinsault is also backtracking but, if yields are restricted, can produce moderately well-coloured wines adding pleasant-light fruit to red and rosé blends. Finally, Mourvèdre, a grape from Bandol on the Mediterranean coast, has recently become an increasingly significant component of Southern Rhône blends - it often struggles to ripen fully but can add acidity, ripe spicy berry fruits and hints of tobacco to blends.
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Description
Although one of the earliest to gain Appellation Contrôlée status, Corbières is a vast and somewhat heterogeneous area, both qualitatively and geographically. The best wines are located in and around the enclaves of Boutenac and Lézignan, between Narbonne and Carcassone; it is here where we find the gifted vigneron Jean-Noël Bousquet.
The meaty, almost rustic, Carignan finds a perfect counterpoint in the ebullient and graceful Syrah, Jean-Noël’s favourite varietal, which adds top notes of violet and blueberry to the richly evocative dark and ripe mid-palate. Notes of garrigue, liquorice and tapenade complete the picture, which is further enhanced by a powerful and finely delineated finish. Drink now to 2018. Partner with couscous, grilled lamb, Mediterranean chicken dishes.
Carignan 40%, Syrah 40% and Grenache 20%
Simon Field MW, Wine Buyer
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