Abélard, Vin de Pays du Vaucluse – 2007
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Introduction
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Abélard, one of the most distinguished philosophers of medieval times, is most remembered for his tragic romance with the gifted young Héloïse. One of history’s most celebrated couples, Héloïse and Abélard are known for their intellectual brilliance, passionate love affair, eloquent letters and the tragedy that cruelly separated them. Sometimes referred to as “the Romeo and Juliet of France,” they were actually far more complex and accomplished individuals, and their love spanned many decades until the end of their lives, making it a symbol of enduring romantic love. This complex, brooding Grenache-blend from older vines seems worthy of Abélard, who combined erudition with deep thinking and a near-fatal attraction.
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Vineyard Profile
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Estate vineyard
- Cultivation: Organic and biodynamic practices
- Size: A total of approximately 30 hectares are under cultivation (74 acres) at Chêne Bleu, from which all the wines are produced
- Vine Age: 45-plus years
- Soil: Clay and limestone, very stony
- Elevation: 530 meters (1,739 feet)
- Exposure: Northwest-facing slopes
- Density: 4,800 vines/hectare (1,943 vines/acre)
- Training: Double cordon de Royat, 6 shoots per cordon
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Vintage Report
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A very cold and dry winter with a great deal of wind and frost. Rainy spring was followed by a very hot summer. Harvest was from October 8-15, one week later than the regular season with perfect weather, no rain. 2007 is a fresh and fruity vintage.
- Yields: 31 hectoliters/hectare (2.3 tons/acre)
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Vinification
- Fermentation: Cold maceration for three days in wooden tanks, then fermentation during 10 days with punching-down, pumping-over and délestage twice a day
- Maceration: 4 weeks on skins
- Malolactic: 100%
- Barrel Aging: 11 months in mix of old and new French oak from various coopers, primarily 228-liter (60-gallon) barrels with medium and medium-plus toast
- Filtration: Unfiltered
- Fining: Unfined
- Bottle Aging: 3-4 years
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Technical Information
- Varietal Composition: 90% Grenache, 10% Syrah
- Cases Imported: 800 cases
- Imported Case Pack: 6/750ml
- Alcohol: 14.5%
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Tasting Notes
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Appearance: A very deep ruby
Nose: Ripe blackberry, garrigue, licorice and spice
Palate: Intense and concentrated, blackberry, morello cherry and spice; silky tannins bring structure and depth to the wine; elegant and powerful, distinctly masculine - Serving Suggestions: Enjoy with roast beef, venison, duck and roasted vegetables. Decant for several hours and serve at room temperature.
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Images
Reviews
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Abélard, Vin de Pays du Vaucluse – 2007 – Excellent – Bigger Than Your Head
"...this offers scents of ripe and slightly roasted blackberries and plums laden with dusty graphite minerality and notes of fruitcake, old leather, lavender and dried rosemary."
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Abélard, Vin de Pays du Vaucluse – 2007 – Three Chêne Bleu Wines Worth Seeking Out – The Wall Street Journal
"Big and brooding with the same ripe, dark fruit character of the Héloïse, this wine shows its 90% Grenache, 10% Syrah blend as the ripe sweetness of the Grenache grape variety shines through. Rich, spicy and concentrated."
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Abélard, Vin de Pays du Vaucluse – 2007 – 5 GREAT GRENACHE WINES – Snooth.com
“…This deep ruby-hued wine has aromas of ripe blackberry, warm baking spice (vanilla, nutmeg, clove) and a hint of white pepper…layers of blackberry and cherry jam are married with elegant tannins to create a wine with good structure and length.”
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Abélard, Vin de Pays du Vaucluse – 2007 – 95 points – eRobertParker.com
"…Dense and structured, yet still vibrant and very pure. Loaded with deep blackberry and black cherry fruit, licorice, crushed stone and hints of roasted herbs, it is full-¬bodied, rich and concentrated, with knockout precision and focus."