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Producteurs Plaimont Plaimont Collection Madiran 2012

$39.00

Rich but soft red from an ancient terroir that has been producing wine since the middle ages. Matches meat dishes but also gently spicy dishes. Drinking “effortlessly” right now.

Description

It is a great pleasure for us to bring this wine to Austraiia. It ticks all of the boxes- a wine of character, a top producer, good vintage, great value for money, a wine that we would be happy to buy for our own cellar.

Producteurs Plaimont is a co-operative in the village of Saint-Mont in the Adour Valley of southwest France. Vineyards in the region date back to the Romans, through to the Middle Ages when monks were making wines for pilgrims on the route of Santiago de Compostela.

The Madiran Appellation is situated at the foot of the Pyrenean mountains. Forty kilometres from Pau, the medieval village of Madiran gives its name to the appellation. Vines have been grown in this region since Antiquity and the wine’s reputation was first established in the eleventh century at the time the Abbey of Madiran was founded in 1030 by Benedictine monks and transformed 30 years later, in 1060, into a Priory. Madiran’s golden era was undoubtedly the period from the sixteenth to the eighteenth century when François 1st of France referred to it as “wine that aged very well” and Henri IV served Madiran wines to his most prestigious foreign and French guests in his Chateau de Pau. Relatively mild winters; hot, stormy summers and dry, sunny autumns all contribute to the maturation of the grapes. Tannat, a local, indigenous grape variety which is responsible for Madiran’s distinctive identity, is undeniably, King of the grape varieties. The cultivated surface area of 1400 hectares covers three departments: the Gers, the Pyrénées-Atlantiques and the Hautes-Pyrénées.

In modern times the wine-producing heritage of this area has been reinvigorated under the leadership of the visionary (and beret- wearing!) Andre Dubosc. Plaimont was founded in 1979 when he brought together a group of like-minded winegrowers, with a quality-focused approach.  Plaimont is now rated in the Top 10 Wineries in France.

Innovation together with respect for tradition has seen the cooperative invest in modern winemaking techniques, lead a revival of ancient regional varieties, assist growers to improve viticultural practices, and embrace sustainable and chemical free systems. Improved grape quality has yielded vivacious wines showcasing the delicious flavours of grapes grown in the region.

Original wines. Wines of character. Wines to match with slow food.

Tasting Notes:  

Black fruit aromas (blackberry, blackcurrant) combined with spicy, slightly toasty notes. Rich elegant and very full in the mouth but an elegant long finish. Good tannins but balanced with the fruit and acid.

Drink now to 2020.

Match with roasted or barbecued meats. Will also hold up to some gently spicy foods.

Terroir:

The very best parcels situated on the Pyrenean river-deposited stones, are selected for this cuvee.

The presence of pebbles encourages phenolic maturity which is an absolutely essential criterion if the Tannat grape is to express itself fully. The amount of sunshine which the parcels at the top of the slopes receive helps maintain a disease-free (mildew free) environment. The clay-gravel soils of these cultivated slopes bestow an amazingly silky structure on this wine while its freshness guarantees great balance.

Grape varieties: 70 % Tannat, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15%  Cabernet Franc

Winemaking:  Each grape variety is harvested at maturity and vinified separately. A 48-hour period of pre-fermentation skin contact favours the diffusion of aromas and colour. Gentle pump-overs and punching down of the cap in combination with delestage (or “rack and returni”) ensures the extraction process until fermentation begins. Temperatures are carefully controlled throughout the alcoholic fermentation process starting at 22 C, the activity of the yeast leads to a controlled rise in temperature to 26 C. Tannat skin contact never exceeds 25 days and that of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon never exceeds 20 days which favours the diffusion of the best quality aromas and tannins. Once the free-run wine is drained off and the press wine put aside, malolactic fermentation is allowed to occur naturally at any time thus contributing to the roundness and balance of these wines. Malolactic fermentation can, depending on the particular tank, take place at any moment between November and March.

After malolactic fermentation the wine is blended and matured in French oak barrels (a third of which are renewed – 30% new oak) for a period of 11 to 14 months. Approximately three rackings take place during this time before the wine is transferred to stainless steel tanks for four months in order to bring complete harmony to the cuvee.

Alcohol: 13.5%

Single bottles, multiple bottles or complete boxes (6 bottles) may be ordered. 

By purchasing this wine you confirm that you are over 18 and accept the terms and conditions of sale.

 

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