Wine Review of Lorgeril’s 2015 Château de Ciffre Saint-Chinian, Languedoc red from France
Score: 90/100 points
This Languedoc red by famous Lorgeril house from the Languedoc wine region, produced on their Chateau de Ciffre estate in the small Cabardès appellation near Carcassonne, is a blend of 60% Syrah and 40% Grenache from old vines.
Grapes were hand-harvested before a selection and fermentation in small tanks, each vineyard being vinified seperately emphasizing on a long maceration (30 to 40 days) for a smooth tannin extraction.
The ageing/maturation was both in stainless steel tanks and large oak wine barrels (demi-muids).
So, How Good is Château de Ciffre Terroir d’Altitude Saint-Chinian?
Tasting Notes
This Languedoc red comes in a bright red color, of medium intensity for the style, that is to say rather intense given this is a Southern French wine. Quite intense, but not overly dark for a Saint-Chinian wine.
The nose throws a heap of spicy aroma of white and black pepper, mixed with fruity notes of ripe red cherry. Spicy and fruity, yet overall discrete an aromatic profile. This feels like a young wine yet to reveal itself and become talkative.
On the palate, this Saint-Chinian boasts a round body on a rather dense and velvety, smooth tannic structure. It is dry and somewhat savory, filled with a wealth of peppery spicy flavors augmented by sweet/savory spices such as nutmeg and clove. While ripe red berry, blueberry and strawberry provide a sense of sweetness without actually the wine tasting sweet.
Overall
An opulent, richly-fruity and powerfully-spicy red Languedoc wine, concentrated and smooth, delivering a dry and generous velvety texture.
This is a young wine that still needs a couple of years to reveal its true potential.
Drink between 2020 and 2025 and surely you will find further depth, much developed spicy characters and a genuine sense of the Saint-Chinian schist terroir.
Enjoy 🙂
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