Jono & Jules do food & wine

A real conundrum of a wine: this oozes class and breeding, and yet it comes from the wilds of Provence – away from the maddening crowds of tourists and up in the hills where everything is a little rustic and rural. Likewise this wine should be a little wild and uncouth; a little coarse and peasant like, however this shows what happens when someone knows what they are doing and has the right vineyard land to do it!

The aromas are of blackcurrant, damson plums, a little mocha, layers of menthol, spice  and sophisticated smokiness but all layered and cohesive. This follows through to the flavours that mirror the aroma: all sitting effortlessly in the mouth – full of power and yet smooth and easy. It has a balance between all components, superb length, an effortless intensity and an elegant complexity, combined with a real drinkability. A combination that lingers for ages and really shows its breed: top quality!

Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah dominate this blend (with a little grenache). The cabernet drives the flavour characters and elegance while the syrah gives depth and roundness. What always pleases me is that Chateau Vignelaure delivers elegance, power and finesse just like a top Bordeaux. This is because it has the right soil, climate and a careful vigneron and winemaker to be sensitive to this fact.

A confession of bias … I spent a few weeks in this vineyard back in 2006 during the harvest. When there we tried, courtesy of the then owners, David and Catherine O’Brien, some really highly regarded wines from around the world alongside various vintages of this wine – and the Chateau Vignelaure wines always had real class! Subsequently I have tried this wine blind against other wines, without knowing what it was, and it still tasted superbly.

Revisiting this wine now after a long hiatus has me remembering the care that went into the raising of the wine: David O’Brien really nurtured these wines so carefully. A good memory for me, but one that is easy to share: just try the wine yourself and let me know what you think?

Jono

Available to try in Ireland from O’Briens Off-licences from €24.45