`Les Zazous` Pinot Noir IGP Pays d’Hérault, Domaine La Croix Gratiot, Languedoc, France, 2021

Owned by brothers Yves and Hugues Ricome for over 30 years, Domaine La Croix Gratiot covers 27 hectares in Montagnac in the Coteaux du Languedoc. After years of selling to the local co-operative, Yves started bottling his own wine in 2005. His daughter Anaïs has now taken charge, after working for some time in New Zealand with Matt Thomson, and makes wonderfully pure wines that reflect the potential of the local varieties with which she works. The domaine has been practising biodynamic since 2016 and is currently in conversion. The first certified vintage will be in 2021. Grapes were hand picked and sorted meticulously at the winery prior to crushing and pressing. Fermentation took place in open-top fermenters for three weeks with optimum extraction of colour and tannins achieved by twice daily punch downs. The wine was aged in old oak barriques for 12 months before bottling.Domaine La Croix Gratiot is situated near the village of Montagnac, very close to the Mediterranean Sea. The vines are planted on a loamy-limestone soil. They benefit from the sea breezes and the microclimate enables the grapes to reach optimal maturity and fully express the typical Mediterranean character.

Food pairing ideas: Pinot Noir pairs well with a wide range of foods—fruitier versions make a great match with salmon or other fatty fish, roasted chicken or pasta dishes; bigger, more tannic Pinots are ideal with duck and other game birds, casseroles or, of course, stews like beef bourguignon.

This wine is bright ruby in the glass, and has an elegant aromatic nose with notes of red cherries, plum and a hint of cinnamon. It is full bodied, the palate has fine, silky tannins and finishes with lingering cherry flavours. 100% Pinot Noir

Feature(s): Practising Biodynamic, Practising Organic, Vegan, Vegetarian
Winemaker: Anaïs Ricome
Alcohol (ABV): 13 %
Acidity: 4.41 g/l
pH: 3.65