Averys Project Winemaker, Carignan 2009, France
An interesting wine from a series the historic Bristol company of Averys is calling ‘Project Winemaker’ where rather than simply choosing some wine and slapping an own label on it, they are working with winemakers in various regions all the way from the vineyard on, including supplying their own oak barrels, to produce a small collection of individual wines. Having raved about some of the serious styles of Carignan now coming out of Chile and France, it is good to see this historically less important grape being fashioned into something a bit special here. From vineyards in the Minervois that are up to 105 years old, the fruit on the nose has a lovely lifted ‘garrigue’ note of herbs and wild flowers, some gamey underpinnings and a solid core of ripe black fruit. On the palate the sweetness and ripeness of that fleshy bramble and black plum fruit comes through, with gentle support from the oak and that sinewy, gamey character, and the acidity nice and brightly focused. A lovely wine with complexity and savoury depth. An interesting project indeed. £9.99 Averys
