2018 Corbieres La Forge
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Tasting notes
100-year-old Carignan vines with some Syrah. Hand-picked, carbonic maceration, aged in new oak barrels for 12 months. Not pressed or filtered before bottling. Aged in bottle for 12 months. 15,454 bottles made. Smells so like strawberry jam being made! And maraschino cherries. Generously round and ripe on the nose with a light woody fragrance underneath. Fruit is clear as a bell on the palate. The tannins are remarkably gentle for old Carignan, wrapped around and through the fruit like a cashmere scarf, dry but not drying. Remarkable balance for its 15% abv. Ripe, juicy cherries and sumac and very subtle tobacco leaf on the end. (TC)
Critic scores
Average Score
Tamlyn Currin, jancisrobinson.com
Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
Bertrand's homage to his father, the 2018 Corbieres Boutenac la Forge comes from the family's Château de Villemajou. A selection of old-vine Carignan and Syrah, all aged in new French oak, it boasts wonderfully expressive raspberry and herbal-tea aromas. It's full-bodied, expansive and perhaps just a bit warm on the palate at 15% alcohol, so be sure not to serve it at too warm a temperature. Cola, mocha and cedar notes show up on the softly tannic finish, but not as major players, just as accents to the intense raspberry fruit.
About the producer
Product details
Carignan, Grenache/ Garnacha , Syrah / Shiraz, Mourvedre/Monastrell/Mataro
Red
Dry