Domaine de Bonserine, Côte-Rôtie, La Sarrasine, Rhône, France, 2020

Producer Profile

This prestigious estate has only 10 hectares of vineyards, which consist mainly of old Syrah called "Serine". This is a very old clone of Syrah that produces small clusters of loose berries resulting in a particularly aromatic wine. No pesticides, herbicides or chemicals are used in their sustainable agriculture and, with a recent revamp of their cellar, the modern winery enables them to craft even more refined, elegant wines.

Viticulture

The vines are in on stakes to spur pruning or guyot simple for older Serines (to get some clusters). Composted manure is used and plowed into the land in the Spring to strengthen the roots encouraging them to bury deep into the rock. Each vine is worked to obtain grapes of the highest quality in accordance with the principles of "reasoned agriculture" and is specific to the plant, climate and disease pressure. De-budding and cluster thinning takes place routinely and the rows are grassed over to control the yield, limiting each plant to 4-6 clusters. The appellation allows a maximum of 44 Hl, at Bonserine the yield is on average 30 Hl / Ha. At harvest, sorting starts in the vineyard and continues on the sorting tables. The harvest is manual and arrives in the cellar in small boxes of 25 kilos in order to preserve the condition of each cluster.

Winemaking

Malolactic fermentation takes place in barrel. Periodic racking will takes place during the long period of barrel ageing, some of this in 228L barriques and partly in 500 litres barrels. During this magical period the wine develops its aromas and establishes its stability. Bottling takes place after 22-36 months of ageing. Rigorous tasting is carried out before final blending.

Oak Ageing

24 Months

Tasting Note

Rich, sweet fruit, dense and meaty on the nose with notes of olive and spice. Warm and ripe on the palate with raspberry and black cherry as well as a distinct mineral dimension. Refined and elegant exactly the right measure of savoury tannins. A classy glass of wine.

Food Matching

Enjoy with a generous cheeseboard which features some Comté - go for a lighter style of this unpasteurised cheese.