From: Cabardès, Languedoc, France
Varietals: 30% Cabernet Franc, 30% Merlot, 20% Grenache, 20% Syrah
Tasting Notes: The nose pops with friendly, fresh aromas of red cherry, blackcurrant, plum, and violet florals with spicy black pepper undertones. Juicy yet fresh on the palate, the wine is succulent with red and black fruits, just a hint of green pepper, and a finish marked by fine tannins and freshness. Very approachable!
Pairing: This wine will pair nicely with braises, stews, cured meats, and hearty vegetables. If you want to have it with a dinner out, we’d recommend the steak frites from Gainsbourg, but this wine would be fantastic as an everyday week-night wine to pair with tacos, burgers, or pizza. We love the idea of the following Serious Eats meal idea: Dinner for Two: Steak Tacos with Pickled Onions by Kerry Saretsky.
About. The Château Jouclary estate is run by Robert and Pascal Gianesini in Cabardès, an appellation on the southern slopes of the Montagne Noir, just outside the medieval walled city of Carcassonne. The Château’s vineyard area extends over 60 hectares on the first foothills of the Montagne Noir, on very old rocky terraces. The deeper soils on these lower hillsides produce wines with great character.
The history Château Jouclary dates back to 1532, when it housed Guillaume Jouglary, consul of Carcassonne, who gave the Château his name. Robert Gianesini acquired Jouclary in 1969 when it covered just 30 hectares. In 1990, looking ahead to his son Pascal taking over the estate, Robert expanded the property to its current 60 hectares of vines—half in AOP Cabardès on clay-limestone hillsides, the other half in IGP Oc on cooler and deeper lands. For the most part, Château Jouclary uses traditional cement tanks located in half-buried construction; many of these tanks have been renovated and protected by an epoxy coating.
The AOC of Cabardes is a newly minted one; it is the farthest AOC to the west within the Languedoc, and is the closest southern France region to Bordeaux. Partly for that reason, and because it shares climatic similarities to both Bordeaux and the Mediterranean, part of the AOC laws stipulate that the reds of this region must blend a minimum of 40% "Atlantic" grapes (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon or Franc) and 40% "Mediterranean" grapes (Syrah or Grenache).
The 2021 Château Jouclary Tradition is a blend of 30% Cabernet Franc, 30% Merlot, 20% Grenache, and 20% Syrah grown on stony hillside soils. The grapes are destemmed and each varietal is vinified separately with a 30 day maceration. The final blend then takes form and matures in concrete vats for 12 months.