As I used to be on my technique to the Rhone Valley to satisfy my colleague, Senior Editor Stuart Pigott, to start tasting Rhone wines for our annual report on the area, I ended by a wine cellar in Provence. The proprietor had lately added bottles of some new winemakers to his assortment, and one label specifically caught my consideration: the Cassagne et Vitailles Carignan Vin de France Nimalaya Vieux Carignan 2019.
I found this vineyard final yr whereas tasting their vary of wines, that are principally from Languedoc, however a number of bottles, just like the Nimalaya, are merely labeled as “Vin de France.” The standard of this comparatively new vineyard is kind of outstanding, and their fashion trendy, as they’ve opted for class and finesse of their wines.
This previous carignan is restrained and agile, but it has texture, complexity and vibrancy. It’s additionally extremely drinkable, with an alcohol content material of 13.5 p.c and contemporary acidity. This fashion of wine is turning into increasingly more standard everywhere in the world, nevertheless it’s not simple to make. Balancing and sustaining the complexity of such a wine in order to excite wine lovers’ style buds whereas retaining class and low alcohol isn’t any simple process, however Cassagne et Vitailles pulls it off right here.
As soon as the phrase is out about such choices, they rapidly change into onerous to search out, and costs are inclined to rise, so I’m going to proceed to seize and revel in such bottles each time they arrive throughout my path.
– Kevin Davy, Tasting Supervisor