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65 Côtes du Ventoux AC 2009
MartinelleGrape:70% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 5% Carignan, 5% Cinsault (14.5% alc)
This is a wolf in sheep’s clothing, or more accurately a Rhône-Villages from Beaumes de Venise reclassified after the war as a Ventoux. It is a rich, supple, very well balanced wine with hints of liquorice, spice, garrigue herbs nicely cut through by the tempering influence of limestone. For drinking now to 2013.
Technical Information Winemaker: Corinna Kruse-Faravel Location: La Barroux, ‘Martinelle’ Size of
domaine:8.5 hectares. Total production 40,000 bottles. Grape: 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah and 10% Cinsault with an average age of 25 years. Rootstocks R110 and Fercal. Plant density- 4-5,500 vines per hectare trained mostly to Cordon and some Gobelet . Terroir: Limestone-clay (Triassic age) at 300 metres south east and east exposure and both sloping hillside and terraces. Red-coloured, quite high iron content. Viticulture: De-buds but only green harvest when necessary. Grasses the richer soil areas but otherwise ploughs and harrows. Sulphur treatments for oidium & copper for mildew. Composts in the winter. Vines are trained high. Manual harvest and table de trie if necessary. Yield of 40H/H Vinification: De-stalks 100% and no crushing. Vinification in cement vats with natural yeast. Temperature no more than 28ºC and either one remontage, pigeage or delestage per day. Fermentation for between 4-5 weeks with exact duration decided by tasting. Plenty of batonnage during maceration. Total length of cuvaison varies quite a lot from year to year according to vintage characteristics. No heating of cellars for the malo. Pneumatic press. Elevage in cement cuves. Racking policy determined by taste but up to 3 times. No filtration or fining. Total production 40,000 bottles. Press: