Grand Cartulaire
Located near Avignon, at the heart of the Rhone Valley, the fortified stronghold of Bonpas, from the French “Bon passage”, has watched over the safe crossing of the Durance River along the historic route that once linked Rome with Avignon. The estate marks the gateway to the southern Côtes-du-Rhône appellations and opens its gates to the discovery of the region’s terroirs. Its sophisticated, elegant wines embody the terroirs and varietals of this famous region through their power and fruitiness.
The vineyards stretch between the villages of Vacqueyras and Sarrians, at the foot of the Dentelles de Montmirail mountains.
Grenache Noir, Syrah, Mourvèdre and Cinsault.
The grapes, some of which are handpicked, are fermented for three weeks. The advanced state of ripeness of the grapes allows us to perform gentle extractions. Stirring the lees back into suspension at the end of maceration adds roundness to the wine’s pronounced tannic structure at the end of fermentation. 10% of the cuvee is aged for 8 months in 1 to 3-year-old French oak barrels. This step lends balance and complexity to the wine.
Visual: Intense garnet red in colour.
Nose: A bouquet of fresh red berries.
Palate: Starts off with dominant notes of mild spices, which are then taken over by flavours of garrigue herbs and black stone fruit. This wine, with its soft, silky tannins, is very round and boasts lovely length.
Serve between 16 and 18°C with grilled red meats, game such as roasted wild boar and aged cheeses.
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