2019 Marnaveli Kisi-Khikhvi Qvevri (Amber wine) Kakheti

Pronounced Ar-jess, this comes from the lieu-dit of Babio to the northeast of the village (Karst comes from the north-northwest). The name is an homage to the ancient Greeks, who may have been the first to make wine in Gaul; it's their word for clay. The soil here is clay-limestone, but the emphasis is on the clay, and it's the coupe-roses clay once used by Françoise's forefathers to make roof tiles. This heavy topsoil lays 1-2 meters over limestone bedrock, nurturing just over three acres of Roussanne and just over one of Grenache Blanc. Harvest is by hand, the grapes pass over a selection table, fermentation is spontaneous (20% in neutral 500L demi-muids, the rest in steel), blending takes place in early December, and bottling is in the following spring. No fining or filtration, no SO2 or other additions.

Concentrated from Provence, Minuty M wines are selected in the purest Minuty style. A combination of freshness, respect for fruit and intensity of flavor. Everything about the M vintage locks in its balance and vibrancy. Jean-Etienne and Franc¸ois Matton primarily use Grenache for its elegant aromas, Cinsault for its freshness, Syrah for its complexity and a dash of seafront Tibouren for its delicate white fruit aromas. The idea is to lock in all the juices’ bright intensity. Notes of red fruit dominate the nose. The palate is greedy and round, with crunchy fruit. A slight sweetness tempers its liveliness. An introduction to the expression of Provence rosé.

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