Description
Mediterranean aromatic expression, depth, power, balance: a truly great wine! The Saint-Chinian La Dournie Elise boasts a deep, dark ruby colour. On the nose, it is an explosion of aromas: tapenade, liquorice, blackberry jam, and a violet infusion. Ripe fruit with hints of resin and balsamic notes. The texture is silky, the tannins firm with peppery notes, all enhanced by admirable structure. This seemingly serious cuvée will gradually reveal itself until it reaches its peak, offering immense pleasure on the palate!
The estate
Acquired in 1870 by the Etienne family, Château La Dournie is a family estate passed down from mother to daughter for over six generations. It is now run by Véronique Etienne: ‘I needed to put down roots; I didn’t leave.’ […] It’s important to me to go out into the vineyard, to find increasingly natural solutions and put them into practice. I don’t like loud, overripe wines. There needs to be harmony and lightness, fruit, and yet the concentration characteristic of our schist soils. [read more]
In the vineyard, in the cellar
Syrah (90%) – Grenache (10%). The 5 hectares harvested to produce this cuvée are on schist soils. The texture of these soils is sandy-loamy on the surface with a clayey gradient deeper down. Harvesting is done by hand, and yields never exceed 30 hl/ha. The grape varieties are vinified separately in concrete vats. The whole-bunch Syrah and the destemmed Grenache undergo a classic vinification process lasting around 20 days, with racking and gentle punching down. Aged for 12 months in barrels after fermentation, followed by final blending before bottling.
What to eat with a Saint-Chinian La Dournie Elise?
- Provençal beef stew
- Southern-style veal sauté
- Duck with black olives
- Game and dishes in sauce
