Domaine Hauvette "Amethyste" Rouge I.G.P. Alpilles '22

“Not far from Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, a tourist town known for Roman ruins and as the place where Van Gogh painted “The Starry Night,” you’ll find Domaine Hauvette. Nestled among the foothills of Les Alpilles, the vines are surrounded by a rocky and wild landscape—the clay and limestone soil retains moisture for the arid summer months, the mistral blows half the year, and garrigue is seemingly everywhere. It is here that in the early 1980s Dominique Hauvette, seeking more sunshine, left her job as a lawyer in the Savoie, rediscovered her passion for raising horses, and began studying oenology. Thirty-some years later and Dominique now has 17 hectares of vines and an international reputation for making benchmark natural wines.” (Kermit Lynch)

A blend of 80% Cinsault, 10% Carignan, and 10% Grenache, with an average vine age of 40 years, “Amethyste” it is vinified in cement eggs.

This is the best Cinsault-based red wine you will ever try. It is proof that Cinsault can achieve great heights if it comes from good terroir and old vines. Not as powerful as the Cornaline, this ethereal wine glides across the palate, but with no shortage of beautifully defined red fruit, woodsy notes and a long, complex finish. A great match for roasted duck.