Domaine de Fontsainte 2022 Corbieres Rouge, Languedoc--MARCH WINE OF THE MONTH

If you’ve been shopping with The Wine Country over the years, the name Domaine de Fontsainte will be familiar to you because of our annual order of the popular rosé called Gris de Gris.  It is one of our original wines from 30 vintages ago.  Recently, we became re-acquainted with the estate’s anchoring red wine and came away so impressed it was an instant selection for our March Wine of the Month. 

Corbieres is a large region in the south of France on the Languedoc side of the Rhone river.  As you drive 30 minutes east of Narbonne toward Carcassonne, Fontsainte’s vineyards surround the town of Boutenac in the area’s Golden Crescent, a far cry from the arid climate further east and inland where the gnarly vines like like upside down roots poking out.  For most of its history—the area was originally planted by the Romans—these vines provided the material for the cheap plonk that filled the wine jugs of peasants all over France.  Up until the 1970s only a handful of dedicated vintners were making interesting wines, and Fontsainte was one of them; Kermit Lynch discovered this estate early on and has been working with the family ever since.

This bottle is mostly old-vine Carignan with 30% Grenache and 10% Syrah, the latter to help flesh out the flavor and texture.  I stuck my nose in the glass and was blown away with the gorgeous, nearly floral aroma.  The flavor is equally compelling, juicy, elegant and so inviting to drink it nearly swallows itself.  A little grip in the finish prepares you for another juicy sip.  Your guests will never know you paid so little for so much pleasure.  I won’t tell if you don’t!  This wine won’t be around too long.