Le Sot de L'Ange

Vermouth Rouge (1 L)

Name: Vermouth Rouge (1 L)
Brand: Le Sot de L'Ange
SKU: SMSANVVERRO15
Price: 41.0 USD
Availability: InStock

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Cabernet franc and syrah based; fortified and macerated with the same ingredients as the blanc, but is made slightly differently. The rouge sees longer maceration of the herbs and a bit more cane sugar is added to balance out the tannins from the red wine base. Red cherries, hibiscus, grapefruit zest, and licorice come to mind on the nose. The palate again skews more bitter, with kicks of quinine and hops. This would definitely show well in a Negroni.

Quentin’s estate is certified biodynamic (which is quite rare in Azay-Le-Rideau) and has been for over ten years (even rarer still). His vines cover approximately twelve hectares, though it’s hard to keep up with him as he continuously seeks to expand. In July I was shown new plantings and acquisitions of vines on different parcels, with the classic, local varieties planted to capitalize on the clay and silica soils the region is famous for. In many parcels white silex stones litter the rows making it look as if the terroir is oozing from the earth. Quentin cuts no corners while working in the vines, doing everything by hand, usually without help, and limits copper sulfur sprayings to 500 grams a year: 75% less than commonly used by other producers in the area. 25 friends help harvest in multiple passes, berry by berry, ensuring that the grapes reach peak maturity.

This high level of thoughtfulness is equally apparent in the cellar, which, for the time being, he happily shares with Pascal Pibaleau – an old-school producer in the region. All of the grapes are painstakingly sorted four times before whole-cluster fermentation with indigenous yeasts in tank, and a slow, gentle pressing that in some cases lasts five or more hours. Aging occurs either entirely in tank, neutral barriques, or amphora depending on the cuvée, and zero SO2 is added during the winemaking process for the reds; a touch is added for the whites. The result is wines with soul, immediacy, and tension. I won’t mince words: Quentin is a man on a mission.

-Selection Massale

Vermouth Rouge (1 L)

Vermouth Rouge (1 L)

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