Domaine Gramenon La Papesse 2024

Domaine Gramenon is a cult name for minimal-intervention Grenache in the southern Rhone, and La Papesse comes from old Garnacha vines on the warm, stony soils of the region. The clay and limestone with rounded galets store heat and ripen the grape fully, while the mistral wind that sweeps the valley dries the fruit and keeps the wine fresh. Grenache gives ripe red and black fruit and a soft, generous frame. Farming is biodynamic and the wine is made naturally, vinified with native yeasts and little or no added sulphur, which keeps the fruit vivid and the texture energetic. There is little or no new oak, so the emphasis stays on fruit and site. The colour is deep red. The nose is brimming with blackberry, plum, red currant and black pepper over dried herbs and a warm, earthy base. The palate is full bodied yet lively, the tannin soft, the acidity fresh, the finish long and savoury. Serve at 16 to 18 degrees, decanted ahead, with roasted and slow-cooked meats.