Chateau Montfin - Corbieres Sur Pilotis 2021
Price: $21.99
| Producer | Chateau Montfin |
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| Country | France |
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| Region | Languedoc-Roussillon |
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| Subregion | Corbieres |
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| Varietal | Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Carignan. |
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| Vintage | 2021 |
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| Sku | 17487 |
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| Size | 750ml |
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Here’s the key to unlocking the wines of Corbieres- while it now sits firmly in the Southwest of France, For centuries it bounced between the Spanish Kingdom of Aragon and the French until the treaty of the Pyrenees in 1659, which would finally cede the Rousillon to France as part of the ending of the 30 Years War. Even 350 years later, the Spanish influence can be found in the architecture of the picturesque cities on the Mediterranean as well as the Catalan still spoken throughout the region. It shows here too in the wine, where I found myself thinking of gorgeous Cariñenas from Eastern Spain on the first sip.
Chateau Montfin sits in the heart of Corbieres in the ancient commune of Peyriac-de-Mer. The name, “sur pilotis” refers to the stilts and boards that townsfolk have used to cross the lagoons that surround the village since it was first established during the Iron age. Just like the French and the Spanish influences, two distinct wind patterns combine along the coast to keep the region temperate and gorgeous.
The focus here is a fresh, light red that conveys the Mediterranean climate suited to lively cafes or surreptitious sipping on nature walks. That quaffable quality is doubled with a slight chill, which enhances the bright acidity and further broadens its food pairing possibilities. While the 60% Old Carignan gives it a decidedly Iberian feel, the extremely French Carbonic Macerated Syrah alters course with bright, poppy fruit. These two disparate tones are brought to harmony by a dollop of grenache, which balances everything out with distinct Mediterranean herbal notes. It’s fresh and floral in a way that just screams springtime!
Chateau Montfin Description
"On the nose, lots of black, red, and blue fruit, and a trace of mocha. The fruit is darker on the palate, with warm undertones of black pepper and bay leaf. With a little air, the spice accents really emerge, and the wine gains substance and character." - Importer
View from the Cellar: 93+ Points
“Jérôme Esteves farms all of his very old vineyards (dating back to 1930!) organically and has been certified now for several years, with his farming practices now incorporating several aspects of biodynamics as well. His Sur Pilotis bottling is made from a blend of grenache, syrah, mourvèdre and cinsault and comes in at 13.5 percent octane in this vintage. It offers up a deep and complex nose of red and black cherries, a touch of fruitcake, woodsmoke, lavender, a fine base of soil and a touch of menthol in the upper register. On the palate the wine is vibrant, full-bodied, focused and complex, with a rock solid core of fruit, excellent soil signature and grip, ripe tannins and excellent backend energy and lift on the long and complex finish. This could do with a few years in the cellar to soften up its backend tannins a bit more, but it is so packed with sappy fruit that it is certainly already pretty easy to drink in the first blush of youth.”
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