Vacqueyras Carmin Brilliant is a blend of 70% Syrah and Grenache from vineyards planted with 25-70-year-old vines on amphitheatre-like slopes Maceration lasts for 1-2 months with 50% aged in one-year-old barriques for 20 months.
Its impressively perfumed nose offers a suave bouquet of red berries, garrigue, anise and fruitcake. Opulent, sweet, expansive and mouth-filling, the lush red berry fruit builds in intensity before coating the entire palate. These flavours are enlivened by baking spices, herbs and gentle tannins.
‘Racy and very sweet fruit but with good, well-integrated acidity. Fine tannins. Proper wine‘ JancisRobinson.com
‘Grenache and Syrah provide a nose, combining candied fruit, scents of undergrowth and vanilla notes from barrel. We then discover a round, balanced palate, endowed with textured tannins and a beautiful aromatic persistence.’ 2 Stars – Guide Hachette des Vins 2019
CLOS DE CAVEAU, Vacqueyras
Certified Organic, Natural
Henri is the second generation of the Bungener family to own and work Le Clos de Caveau, an exceptional estate, surrounded by forest and made up of a single 14-ha parcel on the side of the Dentelles de Montmirail.
The estate was purchased by Henri’s father Gérard, from the late Steven Spurrier in 1976. Gérard decided to farm and produce wine organically “It was quite a different time in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s when my father decided to go organic, says Henri, there were no organic vineyards in Vacqueyras or neighbouring Gigondas in those days.”
“What my father was doing was ‘hush-hush’ and he told us not to tell the clients” says Henri. It would not be until 1985 that “organic certification” would be introduced in France. In 1989, Le Clos de Caveau was certified organic and, since organic viticulture was no longer “hush-hush,” added the tiny green and white ‘AB’ logo on the labels of their wines
On the slopes of Montmirail, the bedrock is vertically stratified which allows roots to penetrate deeply into the limestone mother-rock. The altitude is 650 m, which is also higher than any other vines in the appellation and the estate is surrounded by pristine forest which is key to preserving biodiversity and thus facilitating organic farming and indigenous yeast ferments.. At this altitude and perfect sun exposure, the Syrah and Grenache vines produce suave, opulent wine with good natural freshness. Most of the work in the vineyard is carried out by hand and the yields are very small.