classical quirky vino
Fronton
Fleshy red and black fruit, liquorice and floral notes leap from the glass. Underneath, there is plenty of structure and spice to keep things interesting. Also delicious served chilled.
A blend of 50% négrette, 26% syrah, 15% cabernet franc and 9% gamay. Also available in magnum.
quick facts
APPELLATION: Fronton AOP
VINTAGE: 2018
STYLE: red
GRAPES: negrette, syrah, cabernet franc, gamay
FARMING: organic
FERMENTATION: stainless steel
MATURATION: concrete
FILTRATION: unfiltered
VEGAN: yes
ALCOHOL: 12%
CASE SIZE: 6
'Rend Son Jus'
100% jurançon noir, a local variety that has almost been abandoned. According to Louis and Marc Penavayre, it is a grape that gives "little color, little alcohol and little structure. These are real wines for friends, for thirst... To drink without thinking."
quick facts
APPELLATION: Vin Rouge
VINTAGE: 2018
STYLE: red
GRAPES: jurançon noir
FARMING: organic
FERMENTATION: stainless steel
MATURATION: stainless steel
FILTRATION: unfiltered
VEGAN: yes
ALCOHOL: 11%
CASE SIZE: 6
Alabets
100% négrette fermented in open-top barrels using only natural yeasts and aged in concrete. This is Marc’s homage to old-school winemaking, but with the clarity and precision that comes with painstaking vineyard work and meticulous care in the cellar. An honest, open and delicious wine that captures the essence of this intriguing grape.
Here’s what Jamie Goode (wineanorak.com) had to say about the 2010 vintage: “13% alcohol. Sweet and ripe with nice black cherries, some raspberries and a hint of meatiness. There’s some warm herb character here, too, lying under the supple, expressive black fruits. Complex and balanced, and just a bit edgy with a fresh almost lemony finish. A distinctive, delicious wine. 92/100.” Wineanorak.com, 10/03/15
quick facts
APPELLATION: Fronton AOP
VINTAGE: 2017
STYLE: red
GRAPE: négrette
FARMING: organic
FERMENTATION: oak
MATURATION: concrete
FILTRATION: unfiltered
ALCOHOL: 12.4%
VEGAN: yes
CASE SIZE: 6
Tot Ço Que Cal
In Catalan, Tot Ço Que Cal means ‘everything that is necessary’. This is the flagship wine of Chateau Plaisance, made from pure négrette, and as the name suggests, it has power and expressiveness in spades, but without excess. It’s fermented with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel and then racked into foudres and barrique for 16 months. The natural perfume of négrette is enhanced by low yields (around 20hl/ha) and framed by subtle oak flavours. Rich and structured, with intense tannins and spice that will only get more interesting with age.
quick facts
APPELLATION: Fronton AOP
VINTAGE: 2015
STYLE: red
GRAPE: négrette
FARMING: organic
FERMENTATION: stainless steel
MATURATION: oak
FILTRATION: unfiltered
ALCOHOL: 13.5%
CASE SIZE: 6
Lakaat-e-Barzh
A naturally sweet wine made from muscat de Hambourg (black muscat) grapes left to raisin on the vine and then harvested over two passes of the vineyard.
At 40g/l residual sugar, this is a softly sweet wine, never syrupy, and is a brilliant partner for cheese, particularly blues. Beautiful rose petal aromas, and there's a touch of grapefruit peel bitterness that acts as a foil to the sweetness. If you're on the fence about sweet wine, try this - it just might convince you!
quick facts
APPELLATION: Vin Moelleux
VINTAGE: 2018
STYLE: sweet
GRAPE: muscat de Hambourg
FARMING: organic
FERMENTATION: stainless steel
MATURATION: stainless steel
FILTRATION: unfiltered
ALCOHOL: 11%
CASE SIZE: 6
Château Plaisance Penavayre
Château Plaisance Penavayre covers 30 hectares of certified organic vineyards on terraces above the Tarn valley, about 35km north of Toulouse. The soils in Fronton are characterised by boulbènes – acidic, sandy-gravel mixes also seen further north in Bordeaux – but on the terraces, the soils are particularly poor and gravelly, forcing the vines to dig deep for water and restricting yields. The domaine was established in 1971 by Louis Penavayre, although the Penavayre family have been cultivating vines in the area for generations. It is now run by Louis’ son, Marc, who oversaw the conversion to organics over a decade ago and has adopted an increasingly holistic approach to winemaking.
Local variety négrette is the main focus of the domaine. Thought to be related to malbec and tannat, négrette has been cultivated in the area for millenia. It produces deeply coloured wines that can vary from soft and fruity to full-bodied and powerful, depending on the terroir, and typically shows flavours of blackberry, raspberry, black pepper, liquorice and violets.
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