Description

DOMAINE BELLE Les Pierrelles, Crozes-Hermitage

Les Pierrelles is 100% Syrah (Shiraz) from organically-farmed vineyards in the Crozes-Hermitage communes of Pont d’Isère and Mercurol, cropped at 40hl/ha. Soils are very stony and sandy over red clay. Viticultural practices include close pruning, leaf thinning, and green harvesting, if necessary to manage yield. Grapes are hand-picked, destemmed, and vinified in traditional, closed, temperature-controlled vats with daily pumping over and punching down.

A final warm maceration follows the three-week, indigenous yeast fermentation. The wine is matured in used oak barrels (25% each two, three, four and five years old) for 14 months. Les Pierrelles is noted for inviting aromas of sweet spices, blackcurrant and raspberry. The palate is typically soft and voluptuous, with silky tannins and a long, balanced, lifted finish.