HOMMAGE 2022
La Provence – N° 20240331 – 31st of March 2024
« Lovers of Rhône wines will recognise the profile sketched on the bottle that pays tribute to him: it’s that of oenologist Philippe Cambie, who died in December 2021 and was a long-standing friend of Gilles Ferran, the winemaker at Escaravailles.
This cuvée features his favourite grape variety, Grenache, king of the Southern Rhône, combined here with 25% Syrah, both from old vines that concentrate aromas without impasting the wines.
Matured in large tanks (a 600L half-muid and amphora) for the Grenache, and in Burgundy casks (228L) for the Syrah, the wine has weathered tannins that let notes of black berries and liquorice shine through.
This generous but well-balanced profile is a perfect match for a stew or more delicate dishes such as bouchées à la reine.
It can also be paired with chocolate. Chocolate goes very well with the spicy, generous red wines of the southern Rhône. And if this slightly less classic pairing scares you, don’t hesitate to try your chocolates with another regional wine: the magnificent Vins Doux Naturels from the Rasteau vineyards in the Vaucluse. The Ferran family’s Grenat and TPMG cuvées are particularly well-suited to this exercise. »
Guénaël Lemouée