Les Hautes Terres "Panorama" Rouge '23

Geneviève and Gilles Azam, the duo behind Les Hautes Terres, live and work at the top of a 600-meter summit surrounded by an amphitheater of vineyards. The area is on the boundary of the Limoux appellation, on the western edge of the Languedoc in the village of Roquetaillade. The slopes are composed of clay-limestone and sandstone, creating various expositions and microclimates, and the domaine now encompasses about 30 hectares. All the domaine’s vineyards are farmed organically, and the grapes are manually harvested.
 
“Panorama” rouge is a blend of 50% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, and 20% Cabernet, with an average vine age of 26 years. The varieties undergo whole-cluster fermentation separately, in a combination of large concrete and stainless-steel tanks. Alcoholic fermentation begins naturally, using only indigenous yeasts. The whole cluster maceration lasts 5 to 10 days, depending on the grape variety, and the grapes are then pressed and transferred back to large concrete and stainless-steel tanks to complete fermentation. Blending occurs after the completion of malolactic fermentation. The wine is aged for six months in concrete vats and lightly filtered before bottling.

Old school French country red at its finest, with notes plum, sandalwood, and spice on the nose and palate. If there was ever a wine to sit around and drink while eating Pâté en Croûte, this would be it!