Réserve
THE OPULENCE AND ELEGANCE OF SYRAH
Syrah was the preferred grape variety of Baron Henri Le Roy, and expresses itself especially well on our terroir.
This queen of grape varieties is glorified in a blend in which it takes pride of place, accompanied by a dash of Mourvèdre.
Created in 2006, La Réserve is a wine produced in limited quantity and solely for great vintages. Made using grapes from our finest plots of Syrah, this wine will delight both connoisseurs and wine-lovers.
WINEMAKING METHOD
Harvested entirely by hand with sorting on the plot, the bunches are delicately picked and then transported in crates in order to ensure the perfect condition of all the grapes and to avoid any oxidation.
Destemmed to the tune of 90%, the grapes are then transferred to concrete or stainless steel vats. Fermentation and 4 to 5 weeks of maceration make it possible to extract all the colour and aromas from the grapes. Still tank ageing of 12 months allows the wine to gently flourish and maintain utmost freshness. It is then bottled and left to rest in our ageing cellars.
VINTAGES
This vintage will be remembered as one of the lowest in terms of quantity, and one of the best in terms of quality. The grapes have an interesting tannic structure because of the weather (rainy springtime and dry summer). The red wines have a deep dark purple robe. The nose is well balanced and fresh with intense fruity and mineral notes. The mouth is beautifully rich and the tannins are structured and finely grained. This vintage offers a very good ageing potential.
TASTING NOTES
Cherry red color with purple reflections. Powerful and complex nose, on ripe fruits and sweet spices (tarragon and cade). White pepper and notes of undergrowth. Very expressive. Great sweetness on the attack, followed by sensations of remarkable volume and fat. The freshness balances the tasting: The initial greed gradually gives way to minerality (notes of black marl) and reveals the underlying tension. The finish is supported by notes of liquorice and graphite.
RATINGS
Jancis Robinson: 17.5 points
Wine Advocate: 93 points
COMPETITION RESULTS
International Wine & Spirit Competition 2012: silver medal
This vintage was marked by bad weather conditions and delayed maturity. The summer was one of the coldest and most humid in recent years. Grenache was the most affected by low yield due to the loss of its flowers. The average yield was estimated around 26hl / ha. The wine has good acidity and an average alcoholic degree. Grenache produced fruity wines while Syrah and Mourvèdre produced powerful and concentrated wines with a beautiful color. The wines have a very good aging potential.
TASTING NOTES
Very dark color, cherry red with bright reflections. Expressive nose is complex. Raspberry cocktail, undergrowth, Indian ink. Rich and elegant on the palate, with good tension in the middle and salinity on the finish. We find the aromatic complexity of the nose. The volume increases throughout the tasting. Very nice outfit on the finish. Dense and elegant tannins.
RATINGS
Wine Advocate: 88 points
Vinous: 91 points
COMPETITION RESULTS
Concours Mondial de Bruxelles: gold medal
This vintage is described as generous in terms of color, structure, maturity and quantity due to ideal weather conditions. The spring was rainy while the summer was dry and hot. The reds have a dark color with nice reflections and hints of black fruits. The tannins are silky and smooth, fine and elegant. They are balanced, fruity and generous. The wines have excellent aging potential.
TASTING NOTES
Intense ruby red color, deep, with beautiful bluish reflections. Very rich and intense nose: fresh jam of red and black fruits, sweet spices (tarragon), liquorice stick and notes of garrigue to finish. The mouth is frank and greedy, and nevertheless presents a freshness and a remarkable balance, compromise between sweetness and tonic elegance. Very nice concentration. Cherry, kirsch, white pepper and tarragon. Very complex and long. The tannins still need to blend into the finish. We stay a long time on strong liquorice flavors.
RATINGS
Wine Spectator: 90 points
Wine Advocate: 92 points
COMPETITION RESULTS
International Wine & Spirit Competition 2017: silver medal
Decanter World Wine Awards 2017: silver medal
International Wine Challenge 2017: silver medal
This vintage is considered exceptional. The winter was mild and dry while the spring was cool and the summer hot. The grapes have reached full maturity. The reds are crisp, frank, intense with complex aromas of raspberry, garrigue, liquorice, candied ginger and black fruits. They present a dark and dense and complex color and fine tannins. The 2016 vintage has a very long aging potential.
TASTING NOTES
Splendid intense cherry red color, purple reflections. Intense and concentrated nose: mocha attack, cocoa, then very ripe fruity, graphite and delicately spicy at the end of the nose. The balance in the mouth is remarkable: full at the start, then massive, yet with great elegance and already perfectly coated tannins. The mineral tension effectively counteracts the extreme density of this wine and gives it surprising drinkability. We find the same aromatic identity as on the nose, with an even more dominant fruitiness. Very good length, with an Espelette pepper finish.
RATINGS
Wine Enthusiast: 94 points
Wine Advocate: 93 points
Jeb Dunnuck: 92 points
COMPETITION RESULTS
Concours Général Agricole 2018: gold medal
International Wine & Spirit Competition 2018: silver medal
International Wine Challenge 2018: silver medal
Concours des Vignerons Indépendants 2018: silver medal
TASTING NOTES
Ruby red color with purple reflections. Intense nose of strawberry jam, fresh red fruits. Delicately spicy. The palate is smooth, with good volume supported by fat and a powerful tannic structure. We find the fruity notes, slightly kirsch. The finish is reminiscent of liquorice but also more mineral notes of schist. The tannins are present, but already well integrated.
RATINGS
The Wine Front (Gary Walsh): 94 points
James Suckling: 93 points
The Wine Cellar Insider : 93 points
Wine Advocate (Joe Czerwinski): 91 points
Jeb Dunnuck: 91 points
COMPETITION RESULTS
International Wine Challenge 2019: gold medal
Concours Général Agricole 2019: silver medal
International Wine & Spirit Competition 2019: bronze medal
Concours des Vignerons Indépendants 2019: bronze medal
Decanter World Wine Awards 2019: bronze medal
Very beautiful intense ruby red color with purple reflections. Complex nose, mixing spices and fresh fruits: tarragon, white pepper and blackberry. Nice start on the palate, full and very voluminous. Density and fullness compete for satin and silky: astonishing contrast between power and grace. The fruitiness takes the upper hand, with aromas of blackcurrant and Burlat cherry. Notes of sweet liquorice appear, as well as a hint of gouache. The tannins are very tight, fine-grained.
RATINGS
Hachette (guide 2022) : 2 étoiles
Wine Advocate: 93 points
Jeb Dunnuck : 90 points
James Suckling : 93 points
Jeff Leve - The Wine Cellar Insider : 94 points
Wein Plus : 92 points
COMPETITION RESULTS
Concours Mondial de Bruxelles 2021 : silver medal
International Wine and Spirit Competition 2021 : silver medal
International Wine Challenge 2021 : silver medal
Decanter World Wine Awards 2021 : silver medal
