CHARLIE SIMPSON / +61 422 110 497 / charlie@virtuousvine.com.au
RESPECT.
20 years ago, two sisters and a brother, Corine, Carole and Olivier Andrieu, united by the untimely departure of their Father Jacques, made Clos Fantine. Since the beginning, Clos Fantine has been a star of natural viticulture. The very old vines (80 to 100+ years old) are all goblet style bush plantings, clinging to a lunar landscape of pure schiste. Yields are low. The plants have been entirely untreated for the last 15 years. The Clos has roughly 22 hectares of Carignan, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah, Cinsault, Aramon, Terret blanc. The flagship wine “Tradition» is a blend of 3 the first 4 varieties, with the most expressive being isolated each year to make the premium cuvée “Courtiol”.
The reds are mostly de-stemmed, no plunging or pump-overs, just a couple of delestage (racking) during the first few days. As such, the wines are deep, rich and satisfying, with plenty of velvety tannins, but really smooth and silky as well. The wines are fermented and aged in concrete only (no oak anywhere). These are wines of brilliance, made by quiet, understated poets. Every red drinker should try this wine at least once, and will probably come back for a second try!
CERTIFIED ORGANIC (AB). MEMBER OF AVN.
White.
Valcabrières / 2013 - Vin de France (Terret Blanc / Terret Gris)
Red.
Lanterne Rouge / 2015 - Vin de France (Cinsault / Aramon)
Tradition / 2014 - AOC Faugères (Carignan / Grenache / Syrah)
RESPECT.
20 years ago, two sisters and a brother, Corine, Carole and Olivier Andrieu, united by the untimely departure of their Father Jacques, made Clos Fantine. Since the beginning, Clos Fantine has been a star of natural viticulture. The very old vines (80 to 100+ years old) are all goblet style bush plantings, clinging to a lunar landscape of pure schiste. Yields are low. The plants have been entirely untreated for the last 15 years. The Clos has roughly 22 hectares of Carignan, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah, Cinsault, Aramon, Terret blanc. The flagship wine “Tradition» is a blend of 3 the first 4 varieties, with the most expressive being isolated each year to make the premium cuvée “Courtiol”.
The reds are mostly de-stemmed, no plunging or pump-overs, just a couple of delestage (racking) during the first few days. As such, the wines are deep, rich and satisfying, with plenty of velvety tannins, but really smooth and silky as well. The wines are fermented and aged in concrete only (no oak anywhere). These are wines of brilliance, made by quiet, understated poets. Every red drinker should try this wine at least once, and will probably come back for a second try!
CERTIFIED ORGANIC (AB). MEMBER OF AVN.
White.
Valcabrières / 2013 - Vin de France (Terret Blanc / Terret Gris)
Red.
Lanterne Rouge / 2015 - Vin de France (Cinsault / Aramon)
Tradition / 2014 - AOC Faugères (Carignan / Grenache / Syrah)