Ch Juvenal Ribes du Vallat ROUGE 22

Château Juvenal is a name you see pretty often in this newsletter. There's a good reason -- their wines are absolutely spectacular, and they're always a tremendous value. This was one of the very first properties I sourced during one of my earliest buying trips to France, so I have a considerable fondness for the two families who own the estate.

Ribes du Vallat, like all of the wines produced at Château Juvenal is made from grapes grown on south-facing slopes of clay and limestone, and the certified organic vineyards are farmed and harvested parcel by parcel. The blend varies slightly from vintage to vintage and most years is 70% Grenache and 30% Syrah. It's vinified and aged entirely in tank with extra time on the lees to preserve the freshness of the fruit.

The name of the wine is part of the story, and owner Bernard Forestier explains it this way:
'The name Ribes du Vallat refers to the plots of land where the vines grow and which are located along the gently sloping banks (ribes in Provençal language) that border the natural river bed (the vallat) that runs through the heart of the estate. Here, in springtime, painters come from afar to set up their easels and capture the multiple shades of green on display in this little corner of paradise. Our terroir is well exposed and well-drained and sits nestled among pine trees, Provençal cypresses, green oaks, Mediterranean scrub, and olive trees.

In your glass, you can look forward to notes of red berry and blue fruits on the nose, nicely framed by lavender and garigue. The lovely spice on the nose floats directly into the palate and provides a welcome foil to the purity and density of fruit. Crushed raspberry and blueberry lead to a lengthy, spicy finish with hints of smoke and black pepper. This is classic Château Juvenal all the way!