2001 Les Baux de Provence Chateau d'Estoublon Rouge

Chateau d'Estoublon is a grand chateau in every sense of the word, having been constructed in the fourteenth century as a maison de retraite for the monks of the nearby abbey of Montmajour. The present day grounds consist of approximately 10 hectares of vines and thirty five hectares of olive trees, and makes one each of a red, white, and pink wine from varietals such as grenache blanc, ugni blanc, grenache noir, cinsaut, syrah and cabernet sauvignon. A guiding principle of the Chateau is to craft wines which are delicious, rich and yet always retain a signature elegance. The 2001 Chateau d'Estoublon rouge is primarily composed of grenache and syrah, and exhibits wonderful high-toned aromatics reminiscent of a charming red burgundy. Ripe cherry, wet stone and raspberry come to mind, along with moderate tannins on the finish due to 20% cabernet sauvingon. The wine is supple and fleshy, however it maintains the requisite amount of mineral drive and acidity to keep things interesting. A lovely and unique wine from one of the leading producers in the quality driven A.O.C. of Les Baux de Provence.