Capitelle de Centeilles
Capitelle de Centeilles
The context
The siliceous pebbly soil, overlaying tertiary sandstone (Bartonian) which is more fissured here than elsewhere, reveals, through its hot and filtering qualities, ideally suited to “its” grape variety, the difficult Cinsault.
The Cinsault was the source of the great Languedoc crus of the XVIIIth and IXXth centuries. It later fell out of favour because it was planted no matter where, but now, this grape variety with its very limited capacity to adapt has found here, in its prime, with its stocks with their powerful trunks and branches stretched out by successive pruning, the qualities that tradition once recognised in it and which made it stand out amongst many other grape varieties.
Destemmed, crushed, interminably macerated (eight weeks!) in open vats, with the marc cap trodden into the juice (‘pigé’) twenty to thirty times, at the end of this “obsessive” vatting it expresses all its fine pedigree.
Its personality
1 – A beautiful mauve shade,
2 – A lively and sharp attack on the palate,
3 – The mid-palate, underpinned by a tonic acidity and a generous warmth, bringing out flavours of fruit and candy,
4 – A finish with soft tannins with a fiery and melting wrapping.
An attractive overall balance which recalls the appetising qualities of the most successful Chiroubles or Juliénas, with an additional mysterious touch which gives a discreet reminder of its origins in the sunshine.
Silky and delicate tannins, and melted fruit in the softness of the alcohol: an immensely elegant wine.
Gourmet matches
Its aromas of little candied fruits and soft spices will accompany feathered game and filet mignon. To be drunk within the next 25 years at 17°.
