Wine & Words

Regular Price $14.40
Domaine de Cassan’s vineyards lie amid olive trees on south facing hillsides of Provence’s highest mountain Mont Ventoux, which is named after the mistral wind – vent in French. Mont Ventoux is on the eastern side of the Rhone valley and separates the Rhone wine region from the beginnings of Provence. Every few years they make the Tour de France cyclists climb straight up one side of Mont Ventoux and then tear down the back side. I’d rather watch it on television (with a glass of this lovely red wine by my side). The Domaine makes Gigondas, dry red Beaumes de Venise and Ventoux. Winemaker Gerard Paillet’s style has evolved towards wines with more elegance and lighter tannins than usually associated with the big, fruit forward Gigondas. And all his wines share a mineral freshness that comes from the mountain vineyards and the spicy notes that seem to come from the wild herbs that grow everywhere around the vineyards. This wine is 70% Grenache and 30% Cinsault. My notes from tasting it with our distributor say: “Light & food friendly. Pepper on the middle, with a finish of bitter chocolate.” A very deep and enticing wine at a very reasonable price. Pair this one with something you’ve grilled in a fruity sauce and celebrate these days (and nights) of early summer.