Calmel & Joseph La Folie Douce Caramany

Founded in 1995, Calmel & Joseph is a maison de negoce specializing in Languedoc-Roussillon wines from private wineries from across the region. Over the years, they have built close personal relationships with a large number of growers from all appellations. Convinced of the extraordinary potential of this region, oenologist, Laurent Calmel, and Jerome Joseph work together on the vinification, blending and ageing of wines with the common purpose of demonstrating the little known yet unique quality of these Mediterranean terroirs. As well as their desire to produce high quality wines consistent with their terroirs, they are committed to making wines which reflect their convictions and experience.

Vinification

The terroir is gneiss and granitic mountain arenas.

Carignan 35 %; Grenache 35 %; Syrah 30 %

Made from a selection of grapes grown with the strictest respect for the vines and their environment. Destemmed but not crushed. Blending of the Syrah and the Grenache during vatting. A few days following the onset of fermentation, the Carignan, having finally arrived at maturity, is blended into the same vat. Two open pump overs to aerate the wine are followed by light moistening of the cap during alcoholic fermentation. Slow, gentle vatting for four weeks. Malolactic fermentation takes place in barrel.

Aging of 100% of the cuvee in barrels of 2 wines for 12 months.

Tasting Notes

Deep red veering towards garnet. Superb intensity on the nose with subtly oaky notes intertwined with black fruit such as black fig and blackberry, but also coconut, vanilla, and mocha, with a spicy finish of black pepper, liquorice, laurel and a hint of peat. Powerful and creamy in the mouth with smooth, supple, well-integrated tannins. It opens with fruity aromas like blackcurrant, moving to vanilla pod, cacao, dried fig and truffle and rich buttery notes. This is a dazzling vintage in which the altitude of this terroir has found magnificent expression, giving a verticality to this wine that promises very great cellaring potential.