Vin de France Songe Jules Desjourneys 2020

Songe is a deep and dreamy red wine produced from vines in Côte Chalonnaise, in the south of Burgundy. If the label simply reads Vin de France, it’s a deliberate choice: Jules Desjourneys rejects technical constraints so the wine’s identity can speak freely. However, this wine is very much presented as part of the heritage of the Côte Chalonnaise. It is produced on limestone and clay-siliceous slopes. The grapes are harvested by hand at optimal ripeness before being completely destemmed and fermented with indigenous yeasts. The wine is then aged for an extended period in old barrels without added sulphur and is bottled unfiltered.
The wine is a clear ruby-red colour with a soft cloudiness. The nose evokes morello cherry, wild raspberry, wilted rose, and a hint of undergrowth. The wine is remarkably delicate, almost ethereal, on the palate but underpinned by a salty structure. The tannins are fine and perfectly integrated, and the finish lingers gracefully with floral and smoky notes.