Chateau Fontareche Picapolle Corbieres 2022

Chateau Fontareche Picapolle Corbieres

Region: Languedoc, France

Vintage: 2022

Bottle size: 75cl

Grape: Piquepoul Noir, Carignan

ABV: 13.5%

Deep ruby in colour. The nose is fragrant with layers of bright, black fruit laced with a hint of mint and herbaceous nuances. The palate is supple with expressive blackberry fruit and a long, fresh finish.

Château Fontarèche is surrounded by 160 hectares of vines, which are sustainably farmed. Piquepoul Noir is a rarely seen black-skinned variety. Believed to have originated in the Languedoc and Rhône Valley, the first known records of it date back to the 16th century, but it is likely much older. The phylloxera crisis nearly wiped out this grape entirely at the beginning of the 20th century, which is why the variety is rarely seen. Fontarèche has an impressive 6 hectares of Piquepoul Noir, planted in 1993. The vines sit on an ancient limestone terrace and are rooted in a combination of gravel and limestone soil covered by large pebbles. A small proportion of Carignan from a vineyard planted in 1982 is also used in the blend.

The Piquepoul and Carignan grapes are hand-picked and undergo semi-carbonic maceration for nine days to soften the tannins. The grapes are fermented separately in stainless steel, to preserve the expressive fruit character of both grape varieties, before being pressed and then blended. The finished wine was kept in stainless steel tanks for eight months prior to bottling.

One of the most historic estates in the Languedoc, Château Fontarèche has been in the Mignard family since 1642 and is today owned by Jacques De Lamy. Winemaker Vincent Dubernet is the second generation of his family to make these wines, having taken over from his father as a consultant winemaker.

https://www.fontareche.fr