Faugères Clos Fantine Tradition Famille Andrieu 2017

Founded in the 1990s in Cabrerolles, a little Occitan commune, Clos Fantine is now managed by Corine, Carole, and Olivier Andrieu who took up the estate after their father. Driven by an eco-friendly impulse, they care for their 31 hectares of vines with the aim of crafting deep and authentic wines. They have adopted organic practices (no synthetic products, no herbicides, no additives) for the growing of their Syrah, Mourvèdre, Carignan, Cinsault, and Grenache vines. These are cultivated in a veritable garden thriving with flowers and wild herbs. They undergo ‘gobelet' pruning for protection from the strong, southern sun. In the cellar, the wines are matured in concrete vats to preserve the freshness and identity of the varietals. The grapes are vinified as naturally as possible, meaning fermentation is set off by wild yeasts and sulphur is avoided. To taste a wine from Clos Fantine is to taste a true ‘terroir wine'.

The Carignan, Grenache and Syrah grapes blended here have been vinified entirely naturally in concrete tanks. This character-packed wine reveals great aromatic richness and a silky texture, enabling it to form marvellous gourmet pairings with tender meats or a Mediterranean vegetable gratin.