2020 Château Fontareche Syrah ‘Les Guirlandes’

100% sustainable (HVE3 certified) Syrah. Destemmed and crushed before fermentation in concrete tanks. Aged six months in concrete. Minimal sulphur additions. 13.5% alcohol.   26,000 bottles made. 

This fruit driven Syrah from the Languedoc is a perfect everyday wine for fall and winter. Pours a fairly dense and dark ruby/violet color. Herbs, blackberry, blueberry, earth, leather and tobacco mark this medium bodied, smooth red. Low tannins and balanced acidity make this an easy drink.

Château Fontarèche is one of the most historic wine estates in the Languedoc region, with records of vineyards dating back to 1350 in the archives of the Archbishop of Narbonne. The estate has been owned by the Mignard family since 1682, and today it remains in the hands of their descendants, the De Lamy family.

Located near Lézignan-Corbières, Château Fontarèche spans 400 acres of vines, divided between Corbières DOP and Vin de Pays classifications. The estate cultivates 17 different grape varieties, with Carignan as the dominant red variety. Piquepoul Noir, a rare grape, enhances the blends of Corbières Red and Rosé, while Roussanne is central to the white Corbières wines. Chardonnay, Viognier, and Vermentino are also grown under the Pays d’Oc PGI designation.

Vincent Dubernet, a fifth-generation winemaker from Narbonne, serves as the estate’s Director of Oenology, bringing a wealth of experience and tradition to Château Fontarèche’s winemaking.