2022 Pedres Blanques - Roussillon - 3 Bottles (0.75L)

Rié and Hirofumi Shoji cultivate 3.5 hectares of vines in the most isolated part of the Collioure denomination, namely “Pedres Blanques” (“white rocks” in Catalan); the name refers to the spectacular rocky terraces surrounding the estate. This cuvée is a single-varietal Grenache grown in a plot located in Collioure, at the top of a hill of schist and granite. The aim of this Japanese couple is to intervene as little as possible during winemaking, letting the wine express the characteristics of its terroir of origin. The vinification is therefore carried out without fertilizers and without the addition of sulphites. The grapes ferment as whole clusters thanks to the action of indigenous yeasts. The fermentation lasts about 30 days, with extraction limited to the bare minimum: light punching down at the beginning of the process, followed by gentle remontage. The must is then gravity-fed into used barriques and the aging continues until April. At tasting we find aromas of almond, plum and cinnamon, notes of tapenade and black fruits and the umami taste. This delicious wine, very complex, also offers a notable mouthfeel on the palate.