Domaine Houchart AOC Côtes du Provence, Red 2010
Tasting Notes: Red berry, pepper on the nose. Smooth tannins on the palate, more red berries, slightly jammy (softened by the tannins) and evened out by the Cabernet Sauvignon. Slight hint of the thyme and rosemary terroir comes through. Vermillion red hue. 14% alc.
Production Notes: Total de-stemming of the Grenache, Syrah, Carignan, Cabernet Sauvignon. Vatting for 10-15 days at 27 – 28°C. then matured for 10 – 12 months. 3 Stars from PROWEIN 2012.
Pair With: Italian dishes. Anything with sundried tomatoes or pesto. Barbecues. Serve at 15°C
Domaine Houchart AOC Côtes du Provence jeromequiot.com
Initially bought in 1890 by Geneviève Quiot’s great-grandfather and friend of Cézanne’s, Aurélien Houchart, the 90-hectares of vineyards of Domaine Houchart sit at the foot of Mont Sainte Victoire in Provence.
Evidence demonstrates that the lands have been farmed as vineyards since Roman times; in deference to the environment and heritage preservation, they family has retained many of the original copses that contain almond trees, olive trees and umbrella pines as well as the aromatic underbrush of thyme and rosemary and other “garrigue” aromatic broom and brush. The Domaine is situated 15 kms. from Aix-en-Provence in the village of Puyloubier, on a plateau, in the middle of a vast expanse of chalky pebble deposits (runoff from Mont Sainte Victoire) that are beneficial for growing red wines.
A family dynasty. What’s more, Famille Quiot,who has been making French wines since 1748, is a veritable and authentic French wine dynasty. The family represents a marriage union (1975) of two heirs, Jérôme and Geneviève, to families Quiot and Houchart, each with long and successful winemaking histories in both Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Provence. They have continued the legacy, now aided by their two children, with exports totaling 95% of their annual 1.2 million bottle production. Famille Quiot is one of the largest, by volume, and oldest family and privately held, winemaking operations in Southern France.
Their vineyards and domains, centered in the Southern parts of France, represent vast vineyard acreage and grape holdings: Châteauneuf-du-Pape (110 Ha. total), Côtes du Ventoux (14 Ha.), Côtes du Rhône (70 Ha.) and Provence (80 Ha.). All together their landholdings represent 300 hectares, spread out over 25 appellations. The house signature is a blending of tradition with modernism.
Domaine Houchart AOC Côtes du Provence jeromequiot.com
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