2022 Domaine of the Bee Carignan

Retail: £25.00
Member: £20.00
Case: £150.00
Case (Member): £120.00

Varieties: Carignan
Vintage: 2022
Country: France
Region: Roussillon
Alcohol: 14.5%
Bottle size: 750 mL
Drinking Window: 2024 - 2031

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Description: Pure Carignan from the 80+ year old La Roque vineyard at Domaine of the Bee. Low yielding, concentrated and vibrant.
Eyes: A vibrant bright purple red.
Nose: Soft vanilla oak, opulent black fruit - black cherries & brambles and a waft of vanilla.
Mouth: Top quality old-vine Carignan often possesses a brambly, wild blackberry, woodland character, and this is very evident this year - with a delicious earthiness allied with fresh black cherry yoghurt.
Body: full
Winemaking Notes: From a one hectare vineyard of 80+ year-old Carignan vines. Bush vines are hand-tended, and shoot removal and a little green harvesting ensure a very well balanced crop of fully ripe grapes. Hand harvested into small baskets and destemming without crushing to allow some intra-cellular fermentation to release colour prior to the full alcoholic fermentation. Slow temperature controlled fermentation in stainless steel and a couple of 500L barrels before gentle pressing, and the wine for this two barrel bottling was matured in one 1-year-old 500L French oak barrel, and one 1-year-old 500L American oak barrel. No eggs or dairy used.
Growing Conditions: The Winter of 2021/22 was uncharacteristically dry, with 'normal' rain in April and May giving the vines enough moisture to commence the season's growth, and the lovely dry period during flowering in late May / June ensure the 'sortie' (successful flowering) was excellent, with LOADS of bunches. There then followed an exceptionally dry July and August which had us fearing that the vines would stop ripening, and that the grapes would just shrivel. Some relieving light rain in September kept the vines respiring, and we managed to harvest a good crop of plentiful bunches with very small grapes - with exceptional flavours.
Food Pairing: Carignan is especially good with charcuterie and wild boar sausage, but it also pairs well with grilled lamb, and most barbequed meats.