Description
Vinsobres is a small appellation in the southern Rhône, just north of Rasteau and Séguret. For many years it has been, along with Rasteau, Seguret and others, among the elite villages that are allowed to append their name to the title Côtes du Rhône Villages. Just last year, however, villagers were celebrating, as it has been promoted to full AOC status. This fine red is from the Perrin family, owners of the iconic Château Beaucastel. Its origins can be traced back to 1549 when Pierre de Beaucastel bought a barn with a small plot of land at the village of Coudoulet. Today, the grandsons of Pierre Perrin (a scientist who made great progress with the vineyard) continue the family tradition.
The Perrin family have a holistic philosophy, seeking to allow the vine its most natural expression. "We try to place the vine in its universe, that is to say, relate it to the earth, the animal life and the stars, by which it is influenced". To this end they use only natural fertilisers, made from sheep's manure and the remains of the previous year's pressings (marc) which maintain the soil's humus content and biological equilibrium. This increases the vine's natural resistance to disease and avoids the need for chemical treatments.
The equal blend of Syrah and Grenache grapes are sourced from the Perrin family's vineyards at Domaine de la Bicarelle and from the Julien estate located near the small village of Cornuds. This vineyard consists of a single block on south-southwest facing slopes.
The wine is made using the Perrins' patented chauffage de la vendange system, whereby the grapes are heated for about 90 seconds to 80 degrees celsius, then immediately refrigerated back to 20 degrees. This results in a hugely dark and dense wine which gets its wonderful velvety texture within quite a short time and has tremendous length and complexity as it develops in the bottle.
Parker awards the 2006 Cornuds 89-90 points saying it "has the beautiful freshness and liveliness tha
Price excludes 
100% 
Wine Advocate - Robert Parker 31st Oct 07 2007, United Kingdom
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