VINTAGE: 2018
APPELLATION: AOP Faugères
TERROIR: Schist hillsides at 200-400m (650-1300ft) altitude
GRAPES: 35% carignan, 35% grenache noir, 30% syrah
ALCOHOL: 13.5%
WINEMAKING: Manual harvest at optimal maturity. Carignan is vinified with whole-cluster carbonic maceration in order to extract intense aromas and flavors.Syrah and grenache are vinified traditionally with destemming and 20-30 days of vatting. The wines are aged in tanks for 12 months. Blending and bottling at the château.
TASTING NOTES: Intense ruby red color. Cassis and raspberry on the nose with hints of pepper and spice. Good structure yet balanced on the palate thanks to the freshness of the schist soil.
ACCOLADES: 90 pts Robert Parker, 17 Jancis Robinson, GOLD Concours International de Lyon (International wine, beer, spirit competition), GOLD Concours Mondial des FEMINALISE (International wine competition)
SERVICE: Drink within 3 years with roasted meats, barbecue or aged cheeses.
Faugères is a small appellation very well-regarded for its red wines. It’s the only Languedoc appellation with a homogenous terroir throughout. Here, schist is king. This very infertile rock drains water, making roots go very deep into the soil to find it, down to fractures in the bedrock. This unique features makes the vines very resistant to drought. Schist also absorbs and stores heat during the day, slowly releasing it back at night, which promotes healthy grape ripening.
HVE3 CERTIFICATION AND CARBON NEUTRAL: Château des Adouzes is certified HVE 3, "Haute Valeur Environnementale level 3", the highest level of France's High Environmental Value Certification. It's a result of the vineyard's efforts towards virtuous agriculture: planting 2000 trees to preserve biodiversity, planting vineyard ground cover, mechanical soil work, pheromone dispensers, and etc. To limit the impact on the planet, the vineyard has reduced our CO2 emissions to a minimum. The vineyard also offset the CO2 emission by financing in ecological initiatives.
Check out the 6-bottle bundle: Save $18.
Check out the 2018 Château des Adouzes le Tigre Magnum bottle.