Fabien Jouves 2021 Malbec, Les Escures Vineyard, Cahors AOP

Fabien Jouves 2021 Malbec, Les Escures Vineyard, Cahors AOP

Item Number: 17259

UPC: None

Country: France
Region: South West France
Sub Region: Cahors
Appellation/AVA: Vin de France
Estate Grown Wine: Yes
Vineyard Designation: Les Escures
Vintage: 2021
Grape(s): 100% Malbec (Cot)
Type: Wine - Red
Bottle Size: 750 ml
Pack: 12
Closure: Cork
Viticulture: Certified Biodynamic
Soil Type: Kimmeridgian limestone
Elevation: 350 meters

Winemaking Notes: Les Escures is a vineyard designate wine. Grapes are picked by hand and destemmed. Fabien employs a non-interventionist vinification philosophy. Fermentation occurs naturally with spontaneous yeast in barrels and concrete vats. Maceration lasts 30 days. Wine is aged for 6 months in concrete tanks.

Terroir Notes: Fabien Jouves’ family has a long history farming grapes in Cahors. The domaine is a 6th generation property and is located in Causses (limestone plateau), on the highest slopes of the Cahors appellation. His family’s 22 hectares sit atop the hills of Quercy at over 1,100 feet. The high elevation guarantees low nighttime temperatures, which partly explains the freshness and vivacity of the wines. In addition to his family’s holdings, Fabien purchased two other pieces of land; his property totals over 30 hectares.

About Cahors: For centuries, Malbec was a supporting player in Bordeaux blends, but the threat of rot and mildew are ever-looming in that region, and can cause Malbec to flounder. In France, it’s found its niche in Cahors to the southwest, thanks to dueling Atlantic and Mediterranean climatic influences: cooling breezes from the west keep the vines rot-free, while warm daytime temps allow grapes to ripen. Here, Malbec has been referred to as "black wine" for its deep, purple-ebony hue since at least the early Middle Ages, and it still has that raven-like quality. In the limestone soils of the region, the grape produces its darkest, most tannic manifestation, showing blackberry fruit in its youth, and tobacco, coffee, and meaty notes as it ages. This is partly due to the calcium component in the limestone, which helps maintain acidity late into the growing season for the grape, and contributes to structure in the glass. The vines thrive in the arid, limestone plateau called the Causses, which has a thin topsoil that forces the roots dig deeply for nutrients. Hardworking roots equate to more concentrated grapes and a deeper wine.