Maison Les Alexandrins Vin de France Rouge Syrah - 2023

A partnership between two winegrowers from the Rhône Valley – Nicolas Jaboulet and Alexandre Caso – Maison les Alexandrins produces northern wines in a style at once contemporary and timeless, always from exceptional vineyards unearthed by Alexandre Caso, a specialist in the terroirs of the northern Rhône Valley. Classics with a twist, these wines and how they are aged and blended are guided by the quest for perfect harmony from a very young age. This blend mainly comprises Vin de Pays from around the northern slopes of the Rhône, the Ardèche and Drôme.

The vineyard has young vines planted about 15 years ago on average, on terraces or on the plains.

2023 was a year full of contrasts, which required great composure and experience to deal with the climatic hazards. The winter was mild followed by a wet spring then a summer oscillating between hailstorms and drought, before a complicated harvest period, between August 17 and September 20. A permanent risk of rain and unpredictable weather forecasts required us to constantly adapt our plans in order to harvest our grapes, of good quality and well concentrated in sugars, at their optimal phenolic maturity. At the end of the harvest, the meticulous work was more than rewarded: this very unusual vintage proved to be very promising, perfectly well balanced across all quality indicators. In the cellar, we are pleasantly surprised by the freshness of the whites. The terroirs resisted drought and offer magnificent balance. Low temperature fermentations helped preserve the aromatics. The reds required long macerations in order to extract all the essence of the vintage. The wines from the lowlands are crisp and delicate, the wines from the hills stand out for their density and the radiance brought by the granite. The aging period has now started, the wines will improve and the textures will slowly become more complex in the cellar.

Syrah expresses itself most fully in its French birthplace, between the towns of Vienne and Valence. There are some who believe that it originally came from the city of Shiraz in Iran and was brought over during the Crusades. Others claim it first emerged in the 3rd century AD during the Roman Empire by dint of Emperor Probus. As for Viognier, the latest scientific research shows it originates from the northern Rhône Valley.

- Pre-fermentation cold maceration to develop the fruit.
- Maceration and fermentation for about a fortnight with pumping over and then punching down towards the end.
- A portion of the wine is aged for five to six months in stainless steel vats. Designed to preserve the wine's fresh and fruity expression. The other portion is aged in conical wooden vats for the same length of time to promote tannin extraction.