Syrah, Grenache
Mas des Agrunelles is situated north-west of Montpellier up on the Terrace du Larzac. Unlike the typical wines of the region, Frederic and Stephanie make delicate and subtle wines with gentle extraction. Rather than focusing on varietals, each of the twelve Mas des Agrunelles cuvées showcases the terroir of individual parcels covering 25ha and a range of soil types from fractured Jurassic limestone to red marne. Biodynamic principles are followed right down to bottling on fruit days, and when possible on the descending moon.
The name Nicot comes from a family ancestor of Stéphanie, Jean Nicot, who is believed to have been the first person to bring tobacco to Europe (hence Nicotine). Nicot Rouge comes from a mixed terroir of limestone, loam and clay. Yields are restricted to concentrate the fruit, and after a long but gentle maceration, ageing takes place in concrete vats. These preserve the characteristics of the varietals, Syrah and Grenache, rather than changing through oak or oxidative ageing.
Tasting Notes : Ripe red fruits, garrigue herbs, figs. A full-bodied red with fair tannin, yet retaining a juicy quality.
Food Pairing : The slightly meaty quality of the wine would pair well with roast meats - consider rare roast beef, which can have a delicate flavour that the biggest red wines overwhelm.
