Indigène

2020

AOP Côtes de Provence

This wine of the 2020 vintage has a special meaning for us. The fire raged all around our Domaine in August and we only made one red wine. Exactly 1100 bottles of Indigène from our old Syrah vines.

80% Syrah; 20% Cabernet Sauvignon

A wine to be opened a few hours before tasting and decanted. Serve at 16°-17 ° to appreciate its balance of tannins, freshness and spices. Use beautiful flared glasses at the base and closed at the top to perceive the aromas and the wine's generosity.

Spontaneous fermentation in stainless steel tanks, aged in barriques (Seguin Moreau, Stockinger); Alcohol: 14%; Residual sugar: 0,85 g/L; Acidity: 2,7g/L; SO2 T: 69 mg/L

Our pairing suggestion: an authentic Provençal boar stew

Wine

For the Indigène we use just one out of our 5 hectares of Syrah. Old vines, planted in 1981 and 1983. The yields are small but the wine made of these grapes is our favorite red. Concentrated, intense and spicy, a wine that simply embodies our "terroir": the heat of the summer days, the freshness of the nights, the power of the Mistral and the herbes of Provence. After a manual harvest we first vinified the old Syrah and the old Cabernet Sauvignon seperately in temperature-regulated stainless steel tanks. After blending the wine is aged for about 15 months in new and 2-4 year old barriques as well as 600 litre "Demi Muids".

Tasting notes

The colour is deep cherry with purple nuances.

A delicate nose reveals depth and complexity, with notes of rose and peony, and a peppery, spicy Syrah character that adds aromatic freshness.

The palate is precise and finely balanced. A fine natural acidity adds depth, minerality, and lovely, mellow tannins for a persist, juicy and pleasantly complex finish.

Food Pairing

Tasting it solo, perhaps with a good book, jazz or classical music gives the true perception of the Indigène. At the table Syrahs perfectly matches with game, lamb or white meats with a hint of sweetness like a rabbit or a poulet de Bresse. After 5 years the wine will reveal more complex tertiary aromas that call for elaborate dishes, such as a duck breast or a tender venison. A less classic choice: grilled salmon.

Syrah marries well with mature hard cheeses produced from cow or sheep’s milk. (Parmigiano Reggiano, Sbrinz, Pecorino or Manchego) and with mature and fruity soft cheeses such as Camembert, Münster or Brie de Meaux.

Our favorite partner is dark chocolate, perhaps a dark chili chocolate. The mix of bitter chocolate, chili notes and typical Syrah aromas (black currants, spices...) is simply delicious.

Technical sheet