2020 Domaine d'Aupilhac - Montpeyroux Cocalieres

"...an under-the-radar favorite among KLWM staff but also was named winemaker of the year by multiple French magazines in recent years. So it follows that such a talented vigneron is able to find finesse where many others find power.
     Sylvain Fadat of Domaine d’Aupilhac does so by blending organically grown Grenache, Cinsault, Carignan, Syrah, and a splash of Alicante Bouchet, and aging half the blend in foudre and the other half in stainless steel for six months. He uses a light vinification and these aging vessels to preserve fresh, juicy fruit characteristics without extracting too much tannic structure. The result is simultaneously elegant and full of the aromas and flavors we associate with this slice of France..."

-Importer notes (Kermit Lynch)

The Irouleguy Rouge “Ohitza” cuvée is typically made from 50% Tannat and 50% Cabernet Franc. The parcels are from sandstone soils at mid-elevation. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel with a maceration of around seventeen days. The wine is aged 70% in barrels of 3/4/5 years and 30% in cement tanks. Every three months the wine is racked and assembled and then redivided among the barrels and tanks. After a year, a final assemblage is made which then continues to mature in barrel and tank until bottling in June, eighteen months after harvest. Ohitza is the basque word for tradition.

We’re in the south, so pronounce that final "s." Vignals is the tier above Bastide and like Bastide, this is raised entirely in tank. Deliciously medium-weight, fresh, spicy, long, and infused with garrigue. Yearly production averages 3,500 cases. You should buy some.