Do we ship to you?.
More Details
Winery
Gros Nore
Vintage: 2012
2012 has, so far been a positive year for wineries around the world. While it may be a little too early to speak of the wines being made in the northern hemisphere, European and North American wineries have already begun reporting that their harvesting season has been generally very good, and are predicting to continue with the kind of successes they saw in 2011. However, 2012 has been something of a late year for France, due to unpredictable weather throughout the summer, and the grapes were ripening considerably later than they did in 2011 (which was, admittedly, an exceptionally early year). French wineries are claiming, though, that this could well turn out to be advantageous, as the slow ripening will allow the resulting wines to express more flavour and features of the terroir they are grown in.
The southern hemisphere has seen ideal climatic conditions in most of the key wine producing countries, and Australia and New Zealand particularly had a superb year, in particular with the Bordeaux varietal grapes that grow there and which love the humidity these countries received plenty of. Also enjoying a fantastic year for weather were wineries across Argentina and Chile, with the Mendoza region claiming that 2012 will be one of their best vintages of the past decade. Similar claims are being made across the Chilean wine regions, where Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon had an especially good year. These two grape varietals also produced characterful wines on the coastal regions of South Africa this year.
Varietal: Mourvedre
The Mourvèdre grape varietal is today grown all over the Old and New World, and is thought to have originally been brought to Spain by ancient Phoenicians over two thousand years ago. They are not the simplest of varietals to cultivate, and often wineries struggle with Mourvèdre, as they require both heat and moisture, and as such need to grow in well irrigated vineyards in hot regions. However, the resulting wines made from Mourvèdre grapes are usually fascinating and delicious, carrying interesting flavors that are often described as darkly meaty, with plenty of blackberry and other dark berry notes. The wines are often quite tannic and high in alcohol and acid, and as such, it is very common for Mourvèdre to be blended with Grenach and Syrah varietals in order to make superbly balanced wines.
Region: Provence
Provence is a very special wine region, located in the south of France where the Mediterranean sea meets the beautiful green and rolling landscapes of the mainland. For centuries, the region has been deeply associated with its unique cuisine and characterful wines, which stretch back through history an impressive amount of time. Indeed, Provence can claim to be one of the original French wine regions from the classical age, and its wine culture has been influenced and inspired by a stunning list of different peoples and cultures, who have settled in the stunning green valleys of the region over three thousand years. Today, Provence is most famous for its stunning rosé wines, which have been the favorites of European aristocracy for centuries. However, white and red wines are also made in Provence, and are equally fine and just as capable of expressing this most wonderful of French wine regions.
Country: France
French winemakers are subjected to several laws and regulations regarding the wines they produce, and how they can be labeled and sold. Such procedures are designed to increase the overall quality of the country's produce, and also to ensure that wines made in each particular region or appellation are of a character and type which is representative of the area. Thankfully for consumers of wine world-wide, the French have a particularly high reputation to uphold, and seem to do so flawlessly. Every year, wineries from all over France produce millions upon millions of bottles of fine wine, making the most of their native grape varieties and the excellent terrain which covers most of the country. From the expensive and exquisite red wines of Bordeaux and Burgundy, to the white wines and cremants of central France, the French are dedicated to providing the world with wines of the highest quality and most distinctive character.