Violette AOC 2019

Wine Description for Violette AOC 2019 by Clau de Nell

Colour & Appearance

Dense, saturated purple with luminous violet reflections that do full justice to the wine’s name. A youthful, vibrant robe with impressive depth.

Nose

Seductively complex and mysterious in equal measure. The 30 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon steers this cuvée in a distinctly darker direction than the house’s single-varietal Cabernet Francs. Blackcurrant, cassis and blackberry dominate, underpinned by undergrowth, liquorice and juniper. These are joined by dark chocolate, anise and black pepper. Characteristic of the Loire, animal notes of warm leather and saddle emerge, whilst grainy nuances of rye sourdough lend substance. Subtle traces of condensed milk round out the aromatic spectrum.

Palate

As if wrapped in silk – cool, elegant, refined. The fruit presents itself demanding, not banal: the berry notes from the nose assert themselves powerfully. Acidity, astringency and tannin are very much in evidence, yet the wine feels fleshy and positively rustic. A soapy note leads to floral hints of lavender and violet. On the finish, the wine reveals itself to be distinctly more harmonious – the aromas find a balanced equilibrium, full of elegance and style.

Finish

Long and well-balanced, with persistent berry fruit notes and fine-grained tannin. The initial rusticity gives way to remarkable finesse.

Terroir & Origin

The vines are rooted in clayey-silty soil on sandstone as well as in red flint on tuffeau (limestone) – a soil diversity that lends the wine its characteristic complexity.

Grape Variety & Vinification

Cuvée of 70% Cabernet Franc (45-55 year old vines) and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon (70 years old). Hand-harvested in 12-kilo crates at only 35-40 hl/ha yield. Largely destemmed, 30 days of maceration with infrequent pumping over. Twelve months ageing on fine lees in Burgundian pièces (5-7 years old), followed by a further six months in large oak.

Food Pairing Suggestions

Braised pork cheeks with root vegetables, grilled rib eye with rosemary potatoes, beetroot carpaccio with goat’s cheese and walnuts.

Special Features

Remarkable: this wine already flatters at a very young stage, yet simultaneously possesses excellent ageing potential. An exciting evolution is to be expected.