Le Chemindes Mulets 80% Grenache, 20% Syrah. Blend made with the Perrin family from 2 different vineyards in Châteauneuf -one very close to the Château itself, the other in the northwest of the appellation. This wine is named after the old mule path that runs through the vineyards. The grapes are hand-picked, de-stemmed and crushed, before a classic red wine fermentation (each variety separately) using only naturally present yeasts in stainless steel tanks for 14 days at between 25-28°C. Bottled after fining with egg white and bentonite and a light filtration.
Lots of spicy oak and some farmyard on the nose. Sweet, ripe fruit and quite interesting for Châteauneuf, which can be hard to love. The alcohol could just do with half a degree of reduction. Still good, though.
Alc 14.69%, TA 4.56g/l, pH 3.72, RS 1.2g/l. Available from Wine Direct and 192 branches.
15/10/2008