I chose Le Voyage de Ulysses 2006 which is a Côte du Rhône Villages at an affordable price of €14.99. It is a blend of 60% Syrah, 20% Mouvedre and 20% Carignan. The name of the wine means “The Journey of Ulysses”. Frederic David, the winemaker, named the wine after his 7 year old son, Ulysses and runs the vineyard with his father who bought it on his retirement in 1991 and, subsequently, moved the whole family down from Paris.
I had the pleasure of meeting Frederic when he visited Dublin just before Christmas. He is so passionate about not only his wines but the land itself that it would be difficult not to get enthused listening to him. He is very conscious about pesticides and trying to minimise the amounts used in his winemaking process as much for the wine he makes as for the land he farms. The property itself sounds amazing, as well as vines and olive trees, there is a 16th century chapel on the land which Frederic is in the process of renovating with the hope of hiring out for weddings.
Frederic is a rather small producer, making only 5 wines; 3 reds, one of them a Kosher wine (for all of you in Passover at the moment), a white and a delicious rosé. The Ulysses is his top wine and has an amazing ruby red colour and a nose of cherries with some spice and vanilla. The palate is full of red fruit flavours especially morello cherries with some meatiness and smoky spiciness. Lovely fine sweet tannins on the finish.
Already thinking of the rosemary flavours of the lamb with T’s homemade gravy... only 5 more sleeps!!!
Till next time
Clare
No comments:
Post a Comment