No drink driving
Syrah , Mourvèdre , Grenache
France
Corbières , Languedoc
750ml
16-18∘C
Beautiful dark colour with glints of black. The nose is still closed, confirming the wine’s youth. Relatively understated attack, quickly developing volume on the palate, with notes of black fruit and spices. The tremendous richness of the Mourvèdre combined with the balance of the Syrah and the finesse of the Grenache gives this wine a very elegant tannic structure. Well-integrated notes from the barrel ageing mingle harmoniously in the long, lingering finish.
The Lafite Rothschild family has been producing wine in Bordeaux since 1868. For six generations, they got to know this beautiful landscape and understand the unique traits of the vines from each appellation.
When Eric de Rothschild visited Aussières in 1999 he was immediately charmed by this place of untamed beauty, with amazing soul and history. The 170 hectares at the centre of the estate had been used to grow grapes for the better part of the last 2000 years. Over the past 20 years, tremendous work and investments have been engaged in both the vineyard and the winery, and Aussières is now recognized as one of the spearheads of Languedoc's renewal.
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 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 (50% new oak), partly coming from the Tonnellerie des Domaines in Pauillac.
