Dom. de la Garreliere Le Rouge
Browse Products
| Previous Dom. de la Chapelle des Bois 2009 Chiroubles: France, Beaujolais, Chiroubles | Next Dom. de la Patience 2009 Merlot Vin de Pays du Gard: France, Languedoc |
Importer:Vintage '59
Rating: 5
Sign in to rate products.
Digg
Furl
stumbleupon
del.icio.us
Facebook
France, Loire Valley
2008
Price: $16.99
The Family... Pascale and François Plouzeau started returning
this land to productive viticulture in the early 1970s. As Francois is the son of an
important Chinon-based negociant, his choice to farm
biodynamically in a considerably less prestigious area of southern
Touraine was a mark of courage and principle. Today he works 50 acres of
vines, and is considered a rising star in the appellation.
The Land... Domaine de la Garrelière is in a region of mixed-use agriculture. Grains and melons are as common as grapes near Richelieu, on the banks of the Vienne in southern Touraine. Plouzeau’s estate has a history of serious grape cultivation: in the 17th Century the famous Cardinal’s court enjoyed fruit from these fields. At that time, Domaine de la Garrelière was considerably larger, nearly 150 acres. The arrival of phylloxera brought about the demise of viticulture at Garrelière for over 70 years.
The Wine... Most of Domaine de la Garrelière’s fruit is grown on south-facing hillsides. His yields are low, 40 to 45 hectoliters per hectare in a region where 60hl/ha is the norm. The wine has mineral character extracted from the land’s rocky clay, limestone, and flint-rich soils. François avoids many of the pitfalls of modern technology-driven winemaking. “My nose is my guide,” he writes. A very sensible approach.
The Land... Domaine de la Garrelière is in a region of mixed-use agriculture. Grains and melons are as common as grapes near Richelieu, on the banks of the Vienne in southern Touraine. Plouzeau’s estate has a history of serious grape cultivation: in the 17th Century the famous Cardinal’s court enjoyed fruit from these fields. At that time, Domaine de la Garrelière was considerably larger, nearly 150 acres. The arrival of phylloxera brought about the demise of viticulture at Garrelière for over 70 years.
The Wine... Most of Domaine de la Garrelière’s fruit is grown on south-facing hillsides. His yields are low, 40 to 45 hectoliters per hectare in a region where 60hl/ha is the norm. The wine has mineral character extracted from the land’s rocky clay, limestone, and flint-rich soils. François avoids many of the pitfalls of modern technology-driven winemaking. “My nose is my guide,” he writes. A very sensible approach.
