Gérard Bertrand 2015 Syrah Grenache

Gérard Bertrand 2015 Syrah Grenache

Languedoc, South of France

$16.95 (413237)

Winemaking decisions for this juicy and rewarding red centred on maintaining the wine’s fruity character. A blend of Syrah and Grenache, picked by hand and fermented individually, results in a satisfying red with a core of juicy fruit enhanced by roasted coffee and spice notes. The tannins are evident but the texture is silky smooth. The Syrah component saw whole cluster fermentation at low temperature to preserve the fruity intensity, while the Grenache was destemmed and was subjected to traditional vinification (pumping over and racking to extract colour and tannins). The majority of the blend was fermented and aged in vat — once again, to maintain the freshness and fruit — with a portion spending in French oak barrels for 10 months before blending. A well-made, solid value red that’s ready to drink.