6 bottles (147 CHF) Château la Croix Martelle Grande réserve 2000 Vintage: 2000 Colour: Red Origin: France - Languedoc-Roussillon - Hérault - Minervois la Livinière Alc % by Vol: 14% Jean-Michel Deluc:

Our opinion

A superb illustration of this exceptional terroir, with a masterful vinification that combines strength and concentration with finesse and elegance. An already complex wine aromatically. Best kept for a few months when it should be decanted and chilled before serving. The perfect choice to complement dishes from the south of France.

Description

From Syrah, Grenache, Cinsault and Mourvèdre that are grown here at Château La Croix Martelle, come two unique and unparalleled wines. Grande Réserve is matured for 18 months in oak barrels. The eye is seduced by this beautiful red wine that displays glints of purplish red. Subtle notes of barrel ageing, black olives, chocolate, coffee, woodland strawberries and raspberries soon begin to develop. This is a meaty wine with elegant, velvety tannins of a rare finesse. The perfect choice to accompany truffles, aubergine gratin or steak with a crushed peppercorn sauce. The perfect wine for hiding away in your cellar until a later date when it can really be appreciated at its best.

Tips on service

• Conservation: ready now but will improve
• At its best in: 2008
• To decant: 2 hours
• Serve at 16°

Food and wine matching

Duck with olives, beef casserole, stewed hare, young deer in a spicy sauce, 7 hour lamb, herby cheeses or those that are particularly strong in flavour.

Tasting notes

By Jean Michel Deluc : Master Sommelier

Eye - A ruby coloured wine of good intensity, with violet nuances and tender shades of pink. The wine is just beginning to show signs of maturity and seems to sparkle in the glass. It is bright, limpid and displays good concentration.
Nose - A fine and elegant nose. After a few moments of aeration, the wine opens with a wonderfully complex palette of aromas including rich notes of fruits and spices. Aromas of ripe fruits appear first, cherries, blackcurrants and woodland strawberries, followed by fresher notes of barrel ageing and later followed by notes of cocoa, pepper, wallflower, black olives and smoke. Finally, notes of lilac and violets bring a superb distinction to the finish. Seduction personified!
Palate - The same impression is found on the palate, with a smooth and velvety attack and the impression of a rich, meaty wine full of freshness and finesse. Silky tannins maintain the complex aromatic background over a good length. Fruits and spices combine to offer a veritable symphony of aromas in the finish. A powerful wine that should certainly be decanted before serving.