2023 Les Traverses de Fontanès, Cabernet Sauvignon, Vin de France, Languedoc-Roussillon, France.
The all organic old vine Cabernet Sauvignon, from vines planted in 1970, by Château Fontanès and biodynamic winegrower Cyriaque Rozier is a dark and rustically charming wine from the wilds of the Pic St. Loup area of Languedoc region with layers of black fruits, brambly spice, tobacco and anise notes. The juicy fruit forward full bodied palate is fresh and ripe, not overly tannic, showing a nice purity of form without any wood, giving currant, blackberry and plum fruits along with hints of mint, herbal and aromatic sage, crushed stones, delicate florals and a dry earthiness. The Mediterranean climate and clay/marl limestone soils lead to softer ripe tannins, but still having moderate alcohol, so wine is balanced and lively. I’m a long time fan of Cyriaque Rozier’s wines and while I usually grab his Pic St. Loup bottlings, which are more Rhône like with offerings led by Syrah and Mourvèdre being my favorites, but you can’t beat this for value and it is a perfect winter meal wine. I also should mention the Château La Roque wines Rozier makes, especially the Pic St. Loup Rouge and the Vieilles Vignes Mourvèdre cuvée, both killer values and the new 100% Assyrtiko, which I can’t wait to try soon!
Based in the Languedoc-Roussillon’s Pic St. Loup, Château Fontanès or Les Traverses de Fontanès was started by Cyriaque Rozier in 2003, as his importer Kermit Lynch notes, a highly acclaimed winemaker and vineyard manager at Château La Roque, and makes his own wines here in Pic St-Loup in the remote and ancient Languedoc region. Cabernet Sauvignon has long been in the Languedoc and was made famous in the region by Mas de Daumas Gassac and the Guibert Family in the l’Hérault, where they planted Bordeaux clones, rumored to be from the best selections at Château Margaux. While that wine is about 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, this Les Traverses de Fontanès is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, which isn’t recognized by the AOC here, hence the Vin de France labeling. Rozier’s vines are old and organic/biodynamic, all hand tended, and this wine is 100% de-stemmed and macerated and fermented in cement vats with temperature control with manual punch-downs and pump=overs to get that deep extraction. After fermentation the wine goes into stainless tank for between 6 months to a year before bottling, all to allow for the utmost transparency, as seen in this lovely 2023 version available now. There’s some real quality, authentic charm and charisma to be found in these wines and I highly recommend them
($18 Est.) 92 Points, grapelive