Lorgeril Château de Ciffre Saint-Chinian 2019: Deep ruby-garnet color; red fruits, plum, cherry, strawberry, raspberry, blackberry, blackberry, black olives, pepper, garrigue aromas on the nose and palate.
Dry; supple tannins and balancing acidy. Medium body. Blend of 60% grenache and 40% syrah from the Saint-Chinian appellation of Languedoc-Roussillon in France. This comes from the Château de Ciffre, which achieved organic certification in 2019. The older syrah vines picked manually; frequent pumpovers during fermentation. Relatively conservative oak regimen—only a quarter of the wine ages for 14 months in wood. 14% ABV
Lorgeril Château de Ciffre Saint-Chinian is part of Château de Pennautier, a wine operation in the heart of the Languedoc for 12 generations, dating back to 1620. The website notes: “Nicolas de Lorgeril and his wife, Miren de Saint Chamas, have since 1987, grown beyond the Château de Pennautier, the historic family cradle. The Company now owns 6 estates, covering 250 hectares of vines. They represent the most beautiful terroirs of the Languedoc and Roussillon and include 8 Appellations d’Origines Contrôlées (Cabardès, Minervois, Minervois-la-Livinière, Saint-Chinian, Faugères, Côtes du Roussillon, Côtes du Roussillon Villages, Languedoc). Respect for the terroir and the environment is fundamental to the Lorgeril family’s work, with estates run under organic and integrated farming methods and certified as High Environmental Value Level 3.”
Lorgeril Château de Ciffre Saint-Chinian 2019 is a grenache-syrah blend from one of the six estates of Château de Pennautier, a family wine operation in the Languedoc region of southern France. The operation, vineyards, and historic buildings dates back to 1620 and is now in its 12th generation of family management. Pair with grilled meats—beef, veal, pork tenderloin, sausage. Rich stews—coq au vin. Grilled and roasted chicken. Game—venison, duck. Seafood—grilled and blackened salmon, grilled shrimp, tuna. Cheese—strong cheeses; comté, manchego, gruyère; blue cheese—gorgonzola, roquefort; hard cheese—cheddar, parmesan; goat cheeses. $23