Syrah "Lou Pal", Les Arabesques 2018 (Languedoc, France)

100% Syrah, hand-harvested from 30-60 year-old vines grown in the calcareous/clay/gneiss soils of her Estagel (Latour-de-France) vineyard site. The grapes undergo spontaneous fermentation with only the help of native yeasts in fiberglass tanks. The juice is then aged in old barriques for a period of months before bottling. Unfined, unfiltered, with minimal SO2. Woodsy, meaty, and smoky on the nose. Palate is like balsamic drizzled over perfect summer strawberries. Chalky, easy tannins. A youthful, fresh syrah.