But before you think this sounds excessively fruit-driven, rest assured - there is an incredible, savory harmony to this wine. Although the Domaine d'Eole will most definitely complement those hearty stews sure to grace your end-of-winter dinner tables, it is also one of the rare, traditionally-made wines that will stand well on its own.
Completely organic and biodynamic, the Domaine maintains very low yields in the vineyard to ensure added quality. Untilizing a process called vendage vert, owner/winemaker Mathias Wimmer aggressively cuts bunches of berries in July so all the vines' nutrients will focus within the surviving berries. The resulting wine shows fantastic concentration without being aggressively big and ponderous.
I'm thrilled to share with you this wonderful, barely-manipulated wine. It is a true reflection of the winemaker's passion and the estate's special piece of land.
Is there such a thing as too hot?
In wine there is. When people call a wine 'hot', they mean that the alcohol is out of balance and shows burning sensation on the palate.
Garr-what?
Garrigue is the name for the low-growing vegetation that covers many of the hills near the coast of the Mediterranean. These shrubs include a few herbes de Provence: thyme, lavender, rosemary and tarragon. Many southern French wines pick up these pungent herbal notes, and it's often called garrigue.