Domaine Faillenc Sainte Marie Escapade

The Wine... 100% Cinsault! Which is a really rare thing. Cinsault is a common grape in the Rhone and Languedoc, but it is usually blended with other staples of the region: Syrah, Grenache, etc. This wine is ripe and juicy but not heavy, easy on the palate and aromatic. I think it will appeal to both fans of New World Syrah and to Rhone red drinkers, which I realize are not always different people.

The Importer... Newsweek described Neal Rosenthal as one man resisting the globalization, homogenization, and mass production in the wine world today. His small-estate natural wines are a perfect fit for 3CUPS: in terms of wine style, it seems we share his preferences more often than not.

The Domaine... Faillenc Sainte Marie is a small property, eight hectares, whose vines stubbornly cling to the rocky foothills of Mont Alaric. The land is composed of inhospitable, rocky limestone terraces. As a result, yields are naturally low. The grapes are strongly marked by their environment and this powerful character shows through in the wines. Dominique Gilbert and his wife, Marie-Therese, are the winemakers and do just about everything.  Neal Rosenthal says, “their charming, quirky personality, sense of humor, and creativity mark these wines, both in their style, names, and label art.”