La Côte Sauvage, Cairanne AOC
Our flagship Cairanne cuvée marries the intensity and finesse of hilltop cru classified vineyards, slow winemaking and gentle maturation in old French oak.
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Wine Story
In the hills surrounding our Cairanne winery we naturally tend our cru classified plots of southern Rhône varieties: old vine Syrah (for finesse), Mourvèdre (for a touch of spice) and low yielding Carignan Noir (for balancing freshness), to blend with ripe black fruit from Grenache Noir, found on sought-after argilo-calcaire (limestone pebbles over clay).
The appellation of Cairanne was granted cru status in 2016. In recognition of the quality of our vines and preference for slow, gentle cuvasions and patient maturation for nearly two years in French oak (228l barriques and 600l demi-muids) once again we proudly release our prime Cairanne cuvée: La Côte Sauvage.
Fiche Technique
Blend
Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Carignan
Closure
Natural Cork
Vineyard
Our cru classified Cairanne vineyards are strewn with limestone pebbles over clay, the classic vineyard terroir of ‘argilo-calcaire’ combining minerality from the limestone with enriching nourishment from the water-retentive clays. All older vines on hillside slopes over looking the church of Cairanne and are tended as naturally as possible.
Winemaking
Hand-picked over a number of weeks to achieve optimum ripeness. Fermented by naturally present ‘wild yeasts’ over 25-35 days cuvaison with gentle remontage and manual pigeage.
Maturation
Matured for up to 22 months in old French oak, both smaller 228 litre barrels (5th fill) and 600 litre demi-muids (7th fill)