Domaine La Courtade - La Courtade Red 2022
Domaine La Courtade is located on the island of Porquerolles , off the coast of Hyères, in Provence . It was founded in 1983 by Henri Vidal and taken over by Édouard Carmignac in 2012. Today, the vineyard covers 35 hectares, certified organic since 1997 and oriented towards biodynamics. The vines are located on the hillsides and the plain; on the hillsides, the terroir is composed mainly of friable metamorphic schist and clay which stores water while allowing the roots to penetrate very deeply in search of nutrients. On the plain, the terroir offers a richer, sandy and schistose soil, just as suitable for growing vines. Michel Couturier, head of cultivation since 1987, passed on the torch and the secrets in 2015 to a young team led by Florent Audibert , operations manager and oenologist. Édouard Carmignac also founded the Carmignac Foundation, a contemporary art center located next to the estate. The work of L'Alycastre , a bronze statue located at the entrance to Villa Carmignac, created by the artist Miquel Barceló and depicted on the bottle labels, refers to the legendary monster of the island.
La Courtade Rouge is a blend of Mourvèdre and Syrah from a selection of old vines. The grapes are harvested very early in the night to preserve their freshness and protect them from oxidation. The grape varieties are vinified separately. The grapes are sorted, destemmed and then cold macerated for 48 hours before starting fermentation, which lasts approximately 25 days. Malolactic conversion takes place in barrels , where aging then lasts 14 months .
Grape varieties: Mourvèdre, Syrah
