Château Pesquié Quintessence Rouge 2023

Château Pesquié is one of the leading family estates of the AOC Ventoux, in the southern Rhône, and farms organically and biodynamically. Quintessence is one of its top reds, a blend led by Syrah with Grenache. The Ventoux sits at altitude against the mountain of the same name, and the diurnal swing between hot days and cool nights is wide, which preserves acidity and aromatic lift while the fruit ripens fully. Limestone and clay soils give the wine its backbone. The blend spends around fifteen months in barrel, where slow oxygen ingress through the staves polishes the tannins and knits the oak into the fruit rather than dominating it. The colour is an intense deep purple. The nose leads with blackberry and dark plum, black pepper, savoury herbs and a measured note of toast and liquorice from the wood. The palate is full and structured, with ripe black fruit framed by firm but fine-grained tannins and a long, peppery, mineral finish. At 15.5 percent it is generous but balanced. Serve at 16 to 18 degrees and decant an hour ahead while young. It is a natural match for grilled red meat and game.