Domaine Brusset Laurent B. Cotes du Rhone 2021

Type of soil: Very stony clay-sandy.
Yield: 45hl/ha.
Harvest: Manual.
Vinification: Destemming, Fermentation 10 to 15 days at 26°C with regular racking. Each variety is vinified separately then blended after the malos.
Ageing: 100% in vats for 6 months.
Ageing: 5 to 6 years.
Appearance: Ruby red with purplish reflections.
Aromas: Small red fruits, spices.
Taste: Round, elegant, supple where we find small fruits (raspberry). Drinkable and balanced wine.

Brusset’s “Laurent B.” is an appealing blend of Grenache, Syrah, Carignane, and Mourvedre from stony, clay- and limestone-rich soil. The craggy, rocky “Dentelles de Montmirail” form the backdrop to Brusset  vineyards, some of Gigondas’ best. The steep terraced vineyards mean hand-harvesting is mandatory and mechanization is kept to a minimum. Fruit is vinified by variety in small lots, then matured in vats for six months before blending.

Rich, round, and warm, this is a medium-bodied Côtes du Rhône with easy, moderate tannins and well-balanced acidity. Spicy red fruit lays over an elegant, supple texture. Enjoyable now, it will maintain its style as a tasty, cozy little wine over the next five to six years. Definitely a find, and a gem at the price. Tuck a case away at home, if you can.

Food Matching: Rack of lamb with red-currant wine sauce, beef steaks with peppercorn sauce, lemon-coriander game hens or even seared tuna pepper steaks.

Vineyard: The soils are clayey-limestone and stony. The yields are 45 hl/ha. The grapes are 100% hand-picked from the domaines own vineyards.

Vinification: All the grapes are destalked before fermentation which lasts 8 – 10 days at a constant temperature of 28 degrees C. Each grape variety is harvested and vinified separately and then blended together after malolactic fermentation. 80% of the wine is then aged in steel while the remaining 20 is aged in large oak barrels for 6 months.