Les Vignerons D’Estezargues is a Southern Rhone Cooperative located in the Gard Departement near Villeneuve-Les-Avignon. The cooperative was formed in 1965 and when Jean-Francois Nicq took over the reins in 1989 the quality levels jumped. Jean-Francois decided to vinify seperately and make single cuvees from each of the 10 vignerons that made up the cooperative. The vignerons were finally convinced and the new changes were put in to place with the 1995 vintage.
In 1998, the cooperative again shifted gears when they decided to take a more natural approach to the winemaking and when Denis Deschamps took over the winemaking duties in 2002 the cooperative took the following steps: No external yeasts, no filtration, no fining, no enzymes, no SO2 at the crusher or in the cellar and only a little bit for bottling….not your typical cooperative that’s for certain.
This Côte du Rhône is a blend of Grenache (50%), Carignan (30%) with the balance being Syrah.
Slighty, turbid, grapey purple hues. Aromas of raspberry, plum and macerated red-fruit. There are some herbal hints in the mix….tobacco, bramble, thyme and some lifted blueberry notes.
At the lighter end of medium-bodied in the mouth the palate is juicy and gluggable with spicey cherry and plum fruits laced with pepper, spice, tobacco, licorice & nutmeg. Not exactly a wine to pontificate and hurrumphh over but one that is very enjoyable to drink all the same.
Price:$30
Closure:Synthetic
Alcohol:14.5%
