Domaine La Décelle "Le Carré" Cotes du Rhone Villages 2016 - Valréas, France

91/100 James Suckling
92/100 James Suckling (2015 vintage)
90/100 Wine Sepctator (2015 vintage)

Silver - Concours Mondial de Bruxelles (2013 vintage)
Bronze - International Wine Challenge (2013 vintage)

James Suckling "A very rich, dark-fruited nose and palate here, this has quite thick, dense tannins and plenty of oak also in the mix. Modern, bold style.

James Suckling "This blend of 60% syrah and 40% grenache is very intense and rich with powerful fruit and a mineral, citrus line running through the wine. Flint and dried lavender undertones are strong. (2015 vintage)

Winemaker "Powerful and complex on the nose with roasted aromas combined with a touch of chocolate. Full and generous on the palate, meaty, lovely black fruit aromas underpinned by the same roasted notes" We recommend decanting "Le Carré" one hour before serving in order to appreciate its full character."

Blend: Grenache 40% Syrah 60%
Alcohol:

Benoît and Frédéric Lavau discovered "La Decelle", a superb wine domaine in the heart of the Enclaves des Popes in Valréas, in 2010. "Le Carré" wine comes from a 5 ha plot planted on a south-facing slope in the centre of the domaine. It has an exceptional quality potential, and its name makes reference to its geometry.

"Le Carré" is only produced in exceptional years. After a long vinification, the wine is aged in new 228L and 450L barrels for 24 months. The best barrels of wine are then selected and blended to create "Le Carré", of which only around 3,000 bottles are produced. This work of fine craftsmanship creates a robust Grenache and very elegant Syrahs, comparable to the great Syrahs of the northern Rhône Valley.

Originally from Bordeaux, the Lavau family has been involved with winemaking for generations, and have had vineyards ranging from Bordeaux to Tunisia. In 1964 they were seduced by the richness and quality of the Provencal soil, and settled down to make wine in the Rhone Valley.