Chateau Maris La Touge Minervois La Liviniere 2019

Chateau Maris "La Touge", Minervois La Liviniere, Languedoc-Roussillon, France, 2019

Grapes: 60% Syrah, 35% Grenache & 5% Carignan, unoaked, hand picked, organic and biodynamic

"La Touge" is a medium bodied red wine made with Syrah, Grenache and Carignan grapes grown in the Minervois cru of La Livinière. The winding road that leads to the plots of Syrah located on the terraces below La Liviniere gave its name to this expressive cuvée with aromas of black fruits and silky tannins. A singular harmony which echoes the surrounding garrigue.

The Château Maris biodynamic philosophy follows a natural winemaking process with minimal intervention. Vinification took place in concrete fermenter and the wine was aged for 16 months in a combination of concrete tanks and eggs before being bottled. "La Touge" is very expressive on the nose with smoky and dark fruit (black currant; blackberry) notes. Inky purple in the glass, the palate displays full-bodied richness, beautifully integrated acidity, juicy ripe tannins and no hard edges.

Critics' Tasting Notes:

"Ripe raspberry aromas, notes of black fig, acacia, peppery spice, Dark berries on the palate, meaty hints and touch of oak."

90/100 points, Decanter World Wine Awards, 2022

"Dark ruby ​​red with purple reflections. Intense, dark berry fruit with blackberries, blueberries and elderberry, plus Mediterranean herbal notes and warm spices. Initially sweet on the palate with dark fruit, nice balance and medium length with spicy notes. Tannin is still present and can mature, and the wine is already a lot of fun to drink."

92/100 points, Falstaff (Austria), March 2021

Chateau Maris, established by Bertie Eden in 1997, has 32ha of estate vineyards in various, small plots with further fruit being purchased from growers around the region for the non-estate wines. It was the first estate in the AOC Minervois La Livinière to be certified fully biodynamic.

Food pairings include steaks, roasted pork and gratins.