Review: Arnaud de Villenueve Côté Nature 2019 from Côtes du Roussillon A.O.C.

 

This review is for the 2019 vintage of Côté Nature from the Arnaud de Villeneuve winery in the Côtes du Roussillon A.O.C.


The Arnaud de Villeneuve winery is made up of 170 winegrowers in Salses le Château, with the cooperative beginnings originating in 1909. 

The cooperative has approximately 1,800 hectares of vines, and the vineyards are in the Roussillon region in the far Southwest of France. The vines are in planted in areas ranging from plains close to the sea to hillsides up to 200 meters above sea level.


The Côtes du Roussillon A.O.C. was created in March, 1977. The regions is characterized by a sunny, dry climate with high average temperatures. Carignan is a cornerstone grape varietal in the region. Grenache Noir and Blanc, Cinsault, Syrah, Mourvèdre and Macabeu are also popular. In addition, Lladoner Pelut (meaning "Hairy Grenache") is nearly exclusive to the region.

This wine is a cuvée of 45% Grenache Noir, 40% Syrah, and 15% Mourvèdre.

The grapes were destemmed after harvest. Traditional vinification followed, with a maceration period of 13 days. The wine was aged exclusively stainless steel vats. Bottling occurred in April, approximately six months after harvest.

The wine is certified organic.

Deep purple in appearance, the wine presents notes of blackberry, boysenberry, rosemary, and thyme on the nose. Additional notes of flint are present on the palate. 

Overall, this is a tasty everyday red. Its soft body is accompanied by smooth tannins and fresh acidity, followed by a medium finish. 

Jammy with subtle herbaceousness, this is a good Summer food pairing alongside soft cheeses, charcuterie, tuna, and salmon. 






Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Review: Les Figues Rouge 2022 from Domaine de la Bastide in the Côtes-du-Rhône A.O.C.

Image
Here, I review the 2022 vintage of the "Les Figues Rouge" from Domaine de la Bastide in the Côtes-du-Rhône A.O.C. The Côtes-du-Rhône A.O.C. is one of the most well-known in France, located in the Southeast of France along the Rhône valley.  This A.O.C. covers approximately 170 villages and was created in November, 1937.  Grenache, syrah and mourvèdre are the most widely known grapes in the region for red wines, but carignan and cinsault are also important, particularly for blending. The northern part of the Rhône valley is cooler than the south, with the northern Rhône have greater influence from the Alps, while the southern Rhône is more strongly influence by the Mediterranean. Domaine de la Bastide is located in Visan in the southern Rhône, and was founded by Bernard and Nicole Boyer in 1989.  The 100 hectare estate is now primarily run by their son Vincent, which has vineyards in Visan, as well as Suze-la-Rousse.  Since 2022, the vineyards are certified in or...
Read more

The Languedoc Wine Region

Image
Following up from the previous post, I wanted to share some information on the Languedoc wine region. The Languedoc is usually mentioned alongside Roussillon making them a natural match. However, there are some differences between the two areas.   The Languedoc region lies in the far South of France, near the Spanish border and between the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. The region encompasses approximately 40,000 hectares of vineyards, making it a large wine producing region comparatively both within France and worldwide. Many wines from the Languedoc carry the "IGP Pays d'Oc" label, heralding to the Occitanie heritage of the region, which covers much of North Catalonia (with "South Catalonia" being in current day Spain). The Languedoc is primarily closer to the cost than Roussillon, and has a more humid, coastal influence. The area is also commonly overlooked by more "prominent" regions in the Rhône Valley and Provence, which have more cultural...
Read more

Welcome to The South of France Wine Review

Image
Hello and welcome to The South of France Wine Review! I am a writer and Certified Sherry Wine Specialist who will use this site to cover reviews of wines from one of may favorite regions, the South of France, as well as information on different regions, vintages, and current developments.  I am always looking to hear feedback from consumers and producers. France is one of the largest global producers of wine, with wonderful history and diversity of offerings in the southern reaches of the country.  I hope this site can serve as a touching point for French wine lovers to stay up to date with the beauty of the country and its wines in the South. Santé!
Read more