Domaine Schistes Cuvée Tradition 2011

Addressing ourselves to the obscure Lledoner Pelut grape that makes up most of this wine* In the words of David Bowie, 'Little wonder / You little wonder, you'. Seriously though, where have you been all our lives? Everybody knows and loves your cousin, Grenache, but why you've had your light under a bushel for so long, we don't know. With your soft, downy skin, petite body and capacity to make darkly spicy, juicy belters like this, we want more of you in our lives.

After graduating from the Oenologie school of Montpellier in 2007, Mickaël Sire decided to help his father Jacques with the management of his estate. Initially, the grapes produced by the estate were sold exclusively to cooperatives but, 1989, Jacques decided to use the grapes to make his own wine.

Mickaël is young but very experienced. He made wines in New Zealand before coming back to the home vineyard. He brings youthful energy and ideas, a willingness to change and improve but is solidly grounded in tradition.

The wine is made with 60% Lledoner Pelut (a regional relation of Grenache that produces rich, smooth and fruity red wines), 20% Carignan and 20% Mourvèdre. The vines are a minimum of 30 years old and the harvests are completed manually. The wines fermented in stainless steel tanks and then the wine was bottled in spring.

Rich, spicy and fruity, it would be a great match for tomato-y Mediterranean dishes like spaghetti Bolognese and pizza.