The vignes oubliées in question are old, head trained Grenache, Carignan, and Syrah vines, planted in small plots at 300 to 400 meters of elevation in the commune of Saint Privat. The vineyards are, essentially, cultivated open patches in the middle of the woods. The sites are farmed by a collective that works naturally, viz., organic but not certified.
The blend usually leans on Grenache, about 60 percent, with the balance split between Carignan and Syrah. It’s lightly reductive at first, but after thirty minutes in the decanter it begins to exhale the fresh air of forest and field: juniper, pine, brambly berries. The texture is silken, with concentrated red and black raspberry fruit and a velvety mid-palate accented with black pepper and allspice.
A good wine for robust fare.
2018 Les Vignes Oubliées Terrasses du Larzac AOP
14.5% ABV | About $30 (sample); imported by Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant
