2022 Chemin de Moscou

Chemin de Moscou 2022 - 93/100 The Wine Advocate
“The 2022 IGP Pays d'Oc Chemin de Moscou opens with a vibrant, perfumed bouquet of iris, lilac, violet and dark wild berries mingled with notes of strawberries. Medium to full-bodied, suave and sappy, enveloping and ample, it has an energetic and ethereal structure, good depth at the core and chiseled tannins, concluding with a long, elegant and very floral finish. Matured for 21 months in various containers, this blend of 73% Syrah, 20% Grenache Noir and 7% Cinsault ranks among the finest wines ever produced at this estate.”

The local villagers believe the name originated from the place outside the village where meetings were held, under the “L’arbre de Moscou” the “Moscow Tree”. This tree was used as a navigation beacon by pioneers of the Aéropostale service flying out of Toulouse on their way to Perpignan, Spain, North Africa and eventually South America. Stories of these flights have been immortalised by Saint Exupéry in his many books about his exploits. The tree, an enormous pine, was struck by lightning and burned to the ground over 20 years ago.

Made with 73% Syrah, 20% Grenache Noir, 7% Cinsault from limestone plateaus, Latour de France (Gneiss), Calce (Schist), Granitic sand and calcareous sandstone. From low yielding vines, hand picked and hand graded selection with 1/3 of Syrah whole bunch fermentation, 2/3 de-stemmed without crushing. De-stemmed berry selection and traditional vinification with 2 weeks post-fermentation maceration. 21 months in French oak with 1/3 of the Syrah in ‘Burgundy’ new oak for 9 months. Grenache and Cinsault in 500 litre ‘demi-muids’ and 2000 litre ‘foudres’ for 9 months. Blending of the best barrels of each variety followed by a further 12 months maturation of the final blend in the same barrels.

Tasting note: A bright, vibrant deep red colour with hints of violet. The nose is remarkably intense, with dominant notes of wild blackberry, supported by fresh touches of liquorice and black pepper. Floral notes of violet add a refined dimension to this complex bouquet. On the palate, refinement and indulgence come to the fore with aromas of blackcurrant liqueur, enriched by hints of pepper and cocoa beans.

A fresh vegetal base and hints of plum jam add depth and richness to the wine. The long, powerful finish also reveals all its elegance thanks to controlled ageing in oak barrels.