ALARIC Corbières AOP 2021 Château La Baronne Organic Wine

Nutritional information per 100 ml

Contains negligible amounts of fat, saturates, protein and salt.

Syrah

Syrah undoubtedly comes from France. Its resemblance to the name of the ancient Persian city of Shiraz in present-day Iran gave rise to a legend that crusaders brought the grape back from their raids. Scientists disproved this in 2000, when DNA analysis showed its parents, red Dureza and white Mondeuse Blanche, to be thoroughly French. From France, this sun-loving yet undemanding vine found its way around the world. Today, winegrowers cultivate it in Australia, South Africa, California, Chile, Argentina and Sicily, for example, although overseas it often goes by Shiraz. Syrah or Shiraz wines are weighty and fruit-led, with characteristic berry and chocolate aromas. Yet the wines differ in more than spelling. Australian grapes in the McLaren Valley, for example, have a good 450 mm of rainfall, while French vines on the Rhône enjoy 834 mm. Hardly fair, considering Australia's average temperature is also a good 5 °C higher. Different climate, different soil and different cellar techniques: long maceration periods, customary in France, produce tannin-rich wines that remain drinkable for a long time if stored well. Down Under, the emphasis is on rapid completion of fermentation and oak ageing, producing fruit-led, intensely aromatic wines scented with vanilla and chocolate.

Concentrated, with a powerful, fine-grained tannic structure and good ageing potential!

La Baronne

The Lignères family has a long tradition in medicine. The three current owners, who are siblings, are also doctors. Alongside this, their love of winegrowing and the region has, over the years, created a substantial estate with a proper château and 90 ha of vineyards. The estate lies sheltered and secluded in a small valley at the foot of the Montagne d’Alaric, with vineyards rising to almost 300 m above sea level. The cellar has been continually modernised: well-maintained concrete tanks, stainless steel and state-of-the-art steel and wooden fermentation vats offer every opportunity to turn good grapes into good wines. All 90 ha are harvested by hand into small crates, and the grapes are hand-sorted again before processing.

Marc Dubernet has provided the estate with expert guidance for many years. Italian oenologist Stefano Chioccioli, responsible for numerous three-glass wines in Italy, offers additional advice and, unusually for France, ensures that La Baronne’s wines always benefit from a broader outlook.