Domaine Gramenon La Belle Sortie 2022
Domaine Gramenon is one of Southern Rhône's pinnacle producers. Their rise to cult status has not been without trials and tragedy however. Michele Aubrey-Laurent and Philippe Laurent released their first wine in 1990, gaining some international acclaim early on for their complex and concentrated wines. In 1999 Philippe was killed in a hunting accident, leaving Michele to take the reins. Since then she has, alongside her son Maxime, taken the little domaine in Montbrison-sur-Lez to dizzying heights of fruit concentration, while introducing biodynamic practices to sustain their extremely old vineyards.
La Belle Sortie delivers upfront as a Grenache Shiraz style blend from the Rhône. It's full of dark blackberries and slightly spicy tones, yet mouth watering to the last. Made to drink sooner rather than later, the fruit from their slightly younger vines, spends about six months in concrete and retains all it's delicious primary fruit characters. Splash it in a decanter and drink it with a steak frites with sauce au poivre.