Very dark, dense, purple color. Aromas of dark plums, spice, saturated dark fruit (plum, black cherry, wild berry, mulberry). The palate is well structured with integrated tannins and fruit. There’s a somewhat rustic, animal quality here, along with spicy, almost peppery rich, ripe, firm, black berry/currant fruit and touches of leather. Not a shy wine, dense but not heavy, it is medium plus in body and length.

WINE INFORMATION

The Faillenc estate was established in the reign of Louis XIV by an army officer returning from India. The site he acquired (12 km east of the walled city of Carcassonne), harsh as it was, had the remains of a Roman winery. Soils are rocky limestone; vineyards are terraced on the foothills of Mont Alaric, sharing their shelves with olive trees and scraggly brush. They are windy, buffeted by the Tramontane wind from the north, which keeps them disease free but also keeps yields extremely low.

Today, the property is run by the energetic Gilbert family. Father Dominique is the winemaker, with his son Jean-Baptiste working by his side. Mother Marie-Thèrese tends the vineyards. Importer Neal Rosenthal first enjoyed the wine in France, importing the 1991 as is first vintage. The estate now covers 8 hectares, one devoted to white grapes, the other seven to reds—Syrah, Grenache, Cinsault (much 100 years old), and Mourvèdre.

This is a natural wine, farmed organically, harvested manually, and made with minimal intervention. Grapes are partially destemmed cofermented in tank, and aged in the same.

Grilled preparations, Hearty stew, Lamb, Mushrooms, Roasted Root Vegetables