An attractive floral note on the nose. There is finesse and elegance in the mouth, but also a savoury and full quality. A wine with fruity hints, will pair in finesse with Provençal cuisine or even a beautiful cheese platter.
Presentation
Location
Spreads out over the south-east side of the Dentelles de Montmirail hills, in Beaumes de Venise in the southern part of the Rhone valley.
Terroir
On a poor sandy, hungry and arid soil consisting of tender limestone and gritty zones of sandy mollasse.
In the vineyard
The vineyards and their terroir are the essence of our wines. This is where everything starts and where we focus our efforts throughout the year. You can’t make great wine without great grapes.
The viticulture is essentially done by hand. Five people work full-time in the vineyards. They are supplemented by seasonal employees who work during bunch thinning and the harvest in order to bring out the very best in our vines. Working by hand and the attention each vine gets are fundamental. Pruning, de-budding, trellising, leaf removal and picking are thus carried out by hand with the utmost care.
We prepare the soil by using good old-fashioned ploughing. Organic compost is made from grape marc (the discarded stalks and skins).
We use and abide by countrywide standards for ‘sustainable agriculture’.
As a way of protecting the plants, we only use phytosanitary products when necessary and within strict guidelines by staggering the treatments appropriately, to minimise the amount of chemicals used. We prefer to use as much as possible manual and organic techniques. Leaving natural grass cover, removing buds and leaves from the vines, preserving biodiversity around the vineyard: olive, almond and cypress trees, wild rosemary and capers.
The viticulture is essentially done by hand. Five people work full-time in the vineyards. They are supplemented by seasonal employees who work during bunch thinning and the harvest in order to bring out the very best in our vines. Working by hand and the attention each vine gets are fundamental. Pruning, de-budding, trellising, leaf removal and picking are thus carried out by hand with the utmost care.
We prepare the soil by using good old-fashioned ploughing. Organic compost is made from grape marc (the discarded stalks and skins).
We use and abide by countrywide standards for ‘sustainable agriculture’.
As a way of protecting the plants, we only use phytosanitary products when necessary and within strict guidelines by staggering the treatments appropriately, to minimise the amount of chemicals used. We prefer to use as much as possible manual and organic techniques. Leaving natural grass cover, removing buds and leaves from the vines, preserving biodiversity around the vineyard: olive, almond and cypress trees, wild rosemary and capers.
Winemaking
We make two red wines at the estate. Terroir wines shaped by the two classic Côtes du Rhône varieties: Grenache and Syrah. We don’t follow any winemaking recipe but are constantly searching for the perfect expression of terroir and each vintage’s particular characteristics. We don’t go for overripe grapes and over-extraction, as we think the wine has to stay refreshing and balanced.
Leaving the wine for 15 days in concrete vats, we try to gently extract the tannins and anthocyanins essential for the wine’s structure and colour. The wine doesn’t come into any contact with wood during ageing. This way the characteristics of our terroir can fully express themselves.
Leaving the wine for 15 days in concrete vats, we try to gently extract the tannins and anthocyanins essential for the wine’s structure and colour. The wine doesn’t come into any contact with wood during ageing. This way the characteristics of our terroir can fully express themselves.
Varietals
Grenache noir : 90%
Syrah : 10%
Syrah : 10%
Specifications
Alcohol content : 14 % vol.
Production volume : 90 hL
Yield : 50 hL/ha
Age of vines : 50 years old
Ne contient ni oeuf ni produits à base d'oeuf. Ne contient ni lait ni produits à base de lait.
Advice
Serving
Best drunk within 6 years at a temperature of 18°C
Tasting
An attractive floral note on the nose. There is finesse and elegance in the mouth, but also a savoury and full quality.
Food pairings
A aromatic wine ideal for drinking throughout a meal. A successful pairing with fried pork, braised lamb, barebecued chicken.
Reviews
"Entre fraise des bois et bergamote, son nez profond traduit une belle maturité. Le vin trouve son équilibre entre une sève généreuse et une colonne vertébrale qui le tient de bout en bout, avec une finale sur la cerise à l'eau-de-vie. Un référent d'année en année. "
"Sans renier sa puissance, la cuvée Les Balmes se montre équilibré et digeste, avec une séduisante aromatique qui associe les baies rouge au nuances de pivoine et de bois de rose. "
