2019 Château Coupe-Roses Minervois Rouge 'Vignals'

60% Syrah, 30% Grenache, 10% old-vine Carignan. Demeter certified biodynamic and Ecocert certified organic farming. The Syrah for this cuvée comes from the domaine’s vines in the highest section of the La Livinière cru near Minerve. The Grenache and Carignan come from the karst plateau on the other side of the mountain valley. Destemmed, fermented with native yeasts and aged on the lees over the winter. Done entirely in steel tank. No fining, minimal SO2 and only a light filtration. 600 cases made. 

90 points, Wine Enthusiast. "Ruby in color, perfumed aromas of pomegranate, cantaloupe, cranberry and fresh red cherry open on the nose. Drying tannins line the palate behind the flavors suggested on the nose and add structural depth."

In the 1980s Françoise Le Calvez took over a small domaine from her father, a veteran of WWII. In the decades that followed, she increased its vineyard surface to nearly 150 acres, working side by side with her husband and later her kids, who in turn have recently taken the reins. The domaine’s vines are deep in the Minervois hinterland, in its highest, coolest, most windswept zone, growing on an otherworldly limestone karst plateau. The winery itself is a large nondescript building on one side of the village, while the “château” is an old automobile service station that Françoise’s father operated decades ago on the other side of the village. For years it housed the office, and the old garage was insulated to store the bottled wine.