Château d'Aussières
The vintage
In the Languedoc region, after a mild winter and cool spring, temperatures climbed to reach a region-wide heat peak at the end of June, followed by a hot summer. In Aussières, the drought and heatwave were once again tempered by our best friend, the wind, particularly the south-easterly "le marin", which provided the humidity needed for optimal plant development. Finally, rain at the very beginning of September enabled the 2019 vintage to reach the expected levels of ripeness.
Carignan, Mourvèdre and Grenache benefited the most from this surprisingly fresh and intense vintage.
Location
The estate is nestled in the rugged hills just behind the Mediterranean coastline of Narbonne, in the South of France.
Terroir
The grapes for Château d’Aussières are sourced from selected plots on the tops of the hills. The soil is very shallow, consisting of sandstone with very little clay, and water is scarce. As a result, the yields are very low. The blend consists mainly of Syrah and Mourvèdre, with small quantities of Grenache and Carignan. The Mourvèdre vines have been producing grapes of outstanding quality for the past few years, as they reach maturity. Green harvests are carried out and the grapes are strictly selected in order to obtain a wine that combines power and precision.
Vinification
Vinification is performed traditionnally. Alcoholic fermentation takes place in temperature controlled stainless steel and concrete vats. Some of the Carignan undergoes carbonic maceration, which confers the wine its unique balsamic notes. During fermentation, the fermenting wine is regularly pumped over to allow a gentle extraction of the tannins. Once fermentation is completed, the wine is left undisturbed for a couple of days. The total maceration time is 15-20 days. 40% of the wine is aged in oak barrels (33% new oak), partly coming from the Tonnellerie des Domaines in Pauillac.
Tasting
The 2019 vintage is ruby red in colour.
The nose has a complex aromatic bouquet with notes of ripe fruit, red fruit compote and subtle notes of sweet spices, garrigue, pepper and bayleaf.
On the palate, the tannins are elegant and the aromatic freshness is expressed with great purity. The aromas of raspberry and blackberry, blend with notes of caramelised roasted almonds underlined with accents of garrigue. The saline finish lingers with mentholated notes.
Alcohol content
14.5
Grapes
Syrah
: 52 %
Carignan
: 20 %
Mourvèdre
: 19 %
Grenache noir
: 9 %