Tasting Notes: Bright orange gold in colour with fresh, delicate aromas of strawberry, quince, papaya and bitter orange. The palate is clean and zesty with soft tannins, ripe exotic fruit, a subtle mineral streak and hints of spice.
Region: Languedoc-Roussillon, France
Varieties: 40% Roussanne, 30% Marsanne, 30% Terret Gris
ABV: 13.5%
Closure: Cork
Vegan. Organic. No Added Sulphites.
Pairing: A seriously food friendly wine that can take on lots of spice and flavour. Try with a Moroccan lamb and apricot tagine.
More Info: In the heart of 160 uninterrupted hectares, the Domaine of Calmel and Joseph sits in a remarkable geographical position on the threshold of the Val de Dagne, at the foot of the Alaric Mountain and the Hautes Corbières.
At altitudes ranging from 240 to 300 metres, the cultivated plots are surrounded by richly diverse woodland and wild Mediterranean scrub.
The estate is a complex mix of geological and climatic influences at the confluence of the terroirs of the Corbières, Limoux, the Malpère, the Cabardès and the Minervois.
They have switched to organic farming for the entire estate. They use no chemical inputs, whether it be pesticides, herbicides or fungicides, but only natural products in extremely low doses such as sulphur or tiny amounts of copper, and principally plant extracts and essences. Their work consists of re-establishing life in the soils to encourage mycorrhizae, worms, bacterial activity, fungi and insects.
Vinification:The Roussanne and the Marsanne grapes were destemmed and vinified together in the same vat. Fermentation followed by maceration lasted around a month. The Terret gris, a later ripening grape, was fermented in whole bunches (with the stems), also for one month before all were blended, cold settled naturally, and finally bottled. It should be noted that no sulphites were added at any stage, from the vineyard to bottling.