Saint Etienne La Garrigue 2024

Saint Etienne La Garrigue is an organic red from Domaine Saint Etienne in AOC Côtes du Rhône, a blend of Garnacha Tinta and Syrah. The estate sits at Montfrin, between Avignon and Nîmes, with 25 hectares of certified organic vineyards in a warm, dry Mediterranean climate that ripens the fruit fully and pushes alcohol to 15 percent. The wine is fermented and aged for seven months in concrete tanks rather than oak. Concrete is inert and gives no wood flavour, but its thick walls hold a steady temperature and allow a slow, gentle micro-oxygenation, so the wine keeps its fresh fruit and a clear sense of the garrigue scrubland the cuvée is named for. Garnacha brings ripe red fruit and warmth, Syrah adds colour, pepper and a darker, smoky edge. The colour is deep purple, the nose offering ripe plum and red berries, black pepper, thyme and liquorice over a smoky note. The palate is full and generous, the tannin ripe and the finish warm and herbal. Serve at 16 to 17 degrees. It suits grilled lamb, beef and gently spiced dishes.