2017 Domaine Rimbert, Saint Chinian Rouge “Les Travers de Marceau” Languedoc, France -photo grapelive

2017 Domaine Rimbert, Saint Chinian Rouge “Les Travers de Marceau” Languedoc, France.
One of my favorite Languedoc wines, the Domaine Rimbert Carignan based Les Travers de Marceau is a beautiful and fresh Rhone like offering that satisfies the senses with purity of terroir driven fruit and a playful character as well as serious complex array of mineral and spice. Jean-Marie Rimbert, self proclaimed defender of the Languedoc’s native Carignan grape, is a benchmark grower for the region, he is a “Carignanista” and his Saint Chinian Rouge Les Travers de Marceau is a delightfully pure and fresh red. This cuvee is mostly Carignan, but with some Syrah, Grenache, Cinsault and Mourvèdre to add complexity and depth. Jean-Marie ferments this Les Travers de Marceau with native yeasts, almost no sulfur with primary and secondary done in tank with no oak.

Rimbert’s importer, Floraison Selections, notes, with his low yields (30hl/ha max, often less), intimate knowledge of his individual parcels, and delicate extractions (punchdowns), he brings out undeniable delicacy, nuance, elegance as well as ageability in these wines. Both his AOC and VDF bottlings alike brim with energy and fresh detail, especially this Les Travers de Marceau.
The 2016 was absolutely delicious, so I was full of expectations of this 2017, and lucky for me and the world it is just as good with lovely ripe fruit and wonderful purity along with a clean intensity of form, it is lively and vivid with black and blue fruits leading the way.

This dark fruited and spicy 2017 Saint Chinian Rouge by Rimbert flows with easy to love and drink flavors, it shows blackberry, plum and juicy sweet currant fruits along with a touch of pepper, mineral and floral tones as well as a touch of anise, earth and lavender. This Languedoc red has the personality and naked focus to go great with many cuisine options and is a wonderful drinking old world wine with a sense of place, and its brightness makes it good with a BBQ or picnic quaffing. This dark purple/garnet wine is medium weighted and has plenty of class, it is a nice value too, especially those that like old vine Carignan, drink this over the next 2 or 3 years.
($19 Est.) 90 Points, grapelive

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