Domaine des Pourthié Merlot 2022 Pays d'Oc
Deeply coloured and vibrant, this is full of sweet berry fruits, with hints of capsicum and coffee on the nose and palate. A structured wine with smooth tannins and a pleasantly long finish.
Domaine des Pourthié practices sustainable agriculture and is in conversion to HVE Level 3, which officially recognises the environmental performance of winegrowers, including biodiversity conservation, plant protection strategies, managed fertiliser use and water resource management. Situated in the Pays d'Oc the climate is warm, dry and Mediterranean, with the summer days mitigated by cooling breezes from the Mediterranean Sea. The vines are traditionally trellised and are planted with an eastern orientation. The vineyard soil is volcanic, made of black ash, basaltic rocks and marine deposits. The soil is free draining, encouraging the vine to send its roots deeper into the soil, where they absorb more complex nutrients, imparting complexity into the resulting wine.
The grapes were vinified in the traditional manner. Fermentation took place in a combination of stainless steel tanks and concrete vats with selected yeasts at controlled temperatures of 20 to 25°C. A two-week maceration period took place with regular pump-overs to extract the desired level of colour, flavour and tannins. The wine underwent malolactic conversion, resulting in a softer, rounder palate. This wine was made in an unoaked style in order to retain the pure fruit character.
| RRP | £12.25 |
| Vintage | 2022 |
| Alcoholic strength | 14.5% |
| Serve with | Red and white meats, summer barbecues |
| Country | France |
| Region | Languedoc |
| Subregion | Pays d'Oc |
| Grapes | Merlot 100% |
| Body | B |
| Contains sulphites | Yes |
| Vegetarian | Yes |
| Vegan | Yes |
| Milk | No |
| Eggs | No |
| Organic | No |
| Biodynamic | No |
| Closure | Screwcap |
Domaine des Pourthié is an estate covering 60 hectares, situated near Agde, a few kilometres from the Mediterranean Sea. It is now in the hands of the fourth generation of the Pourthié family, who cultivate the HVE Level 3 certified vines sustainably. The vineyards are located on a ridge formed during the Ice Age, where the soils are gravelly clay and limestone. The Mediterranean warmth and sea breezes combined with the terroir, help to ripen the grapes harmoniously and maximise their aromas. The winery has recently been updated with modern equipment, leading to more sophisticated methods of vinification. These are classically styled Languedoc wines.
