Maison Les Alexandrins Syrah - 2020

Maison Les Alexandrins Syrah - 2020

Maison Les Alexandrins, a signature modern in approach and contemporary in style. Syrah blended with a touch of Viognier produces a wine of great finesse with beautiful aromatic elegance. From a granite terroir in the northern Rhône Valley, this blend is all about freshness and richness.
Description

A partnership between three winegrowers from the Rhône Valley – Nicolas Jaboulet, Guillaume Sorrel and Alexandre Caso – Maison les Alexandrins produces northern wines in a style at once contemporary and timeless, always from exceptional vineyards unearthed by Alexandre Caso, a specialist in the terroirs of the northern Rhône Valley. Classics with a twist, these wines and how they are aged and blended are guided by the quest for perfect harmony from a very young age. This blend mainly comprises Vin de Pays from around the northern slopes of the Rhône, the Ardèche and Drôme.

Terroir

The vineyard has young vines planted about 15 years ago on average, on terraces or on the plains.

The vintage

After the hail damage of 2019, we had to nurse our vineyards back to health with a range of gentle but complementary nutrients. This made 2020 a technically exacting year, especially since the weather reserved many surprises for us. Spring was extraordinarily hot and dry and, despite a short break in June when some welcome rain fell, summer saw a continuation of drought conditions right up until the harvest. With a high risk of mildew at the start of the season, constant and unpredictable winds, powdery mildew half way through the season and the threat of high temperatures and scorching, we were spared nothing, and it required a major effort to cope. Fortunately, the occasional shower, fairly cool nights and morning dew meant the vines did not suffer too much from the summer heat, and all our hard work seems to have paid off with the promise of a fine vintage. To avoid the hottest moments of the day, we began picking from 6 am so as to pick the grapes while they were cool. We began with the whites on August 19 and continued with the reds through until September 16. First tastings revealed aromatic wines of great freshness, with degrees rarely exceeding 13.5°. After so many twists and turns, it is a vintage that reverts to origin in a very “Northern Rhône” style, after the mediterranean vintages of 2018 and 2019.

Location

Syrah expresses itself most fully in its French birthplace, between the towns of Vienne and Valence. There are some who believe that it originally came from the city of Shiraz in Iran and was brought over during the Crusades. Others claim it first emerged in the 3rd century AD during the Roman Empire by dint of Emperor Probus. As for Viognier, the latest scientific research shows it originates from the northern Rhône Valley.

Process

- Pre-fermentation cold maceration to develop the fruit.
- Maceration and fermentation for about a fortnight with pumping over and then punching down towards the end.
- A portion of the wine is aged for five to six months in stainless steel vats. Designed to preserve the wine's fresh and fruity expression. The other portion is aged in conical wooden vats for the same length of time to promote tannin extraction.

Tasting

Seductive deep-red dress. The nose reveals an opulent aromatic palate with aromas of small red fruit and black spices. Round and well balanced, this northern Syrah is particularly seductive on the palate with notes of spices, Morello cherries and violets and its soft tannins enhanced by good acidity. A little touch of Viognier completes the wine, giving it a silky touch.

Food pairings

This unpretentious wine is great to accompany simple meals with friends or family: grilled or white meat, cold cuts, cheese and also more exotic and spicy dishes.

Serving

Serve at 16°C. Drink young, from 2 years old.

Grapes

Syrah : 95 %
Viognier : 5 %