Syrah 2019 - Pré des Pierres - AOC Valais
Our plot selection of Syrah, a unique Valais wine, from the magnificent terroir of Pré des Pierres in Chamoson/Saint-Pierre-de-Clages.
Vineyard
The terroir of Pré des Pierres is located on the limestone alluvial cone, with many pebbles, between Chamoson and Saint-Pierre-de-Clage. Our Syrah is located on a deep enough area that it never needs to be irrigated and thus allows the grapes to ripen with good concentrations. We are lucky to have this authentic grape variety planted on such a prestigious terroir.
Grape variety
100% Syrah
Syrah is one of the most beautiful grape varieties of the French Rhône Valley. It is quite natural that it has found a second home in Valais, on the banks of the Rhône. Syrah, with its purple colour, expresses itself with notes of spices, black pepper and wild berries. On the Pré des Pierre terroir, its expression is both fruity and racy.
Winemaking
We carry out cold maceration for 10 to 15 days and then start the fermentation process. We maintain a fermentation temperature of around 25°C and carry out light punching downs during the 10-15 days of fermentation. Decanting is decided by tasting.
The pressing is as delicate as possible and we separate the free-run juice from the press juice to make a blend that best reflects the finesse of each vintage.
The Syrah is then aged in oak barrels for 14 months. 50% of the barrels are new oak from the Tonnellerie François Frères in Burgundy, the remaining 50% are 1-wine oak barrels (having already vinified one vintage).
After maturation, the Syrah is lightly filtered and then bottled. We market the Syrah - Pré des Pierres a few months after bottling to give the wine time to develop before marketing.
Vintage 2019
2019 can be described as a demanding year for winegrowers. Although the mild weather conditions in February and March allowed vegetation to start early, the unusually cool weather in May slowed it down considerably. Flowering started a week later than the ten-year average.
The hot weather in June and July contributed to a sustained development of the vines. During the summer, numerous storm fronts swept across Switzerland, creating favourable conditions for the development of fungal diseases. The Valais was hit by three hail storms, causing light to medium damage locally.
The dry and sunny weather of September allowed to erase the heterogeneity of the maturity. The harvest was officially opened on 23 September. After a cool and changeable start to October, they took place in an Indian summer atmosphere. The particular climatic conditions of the summer necessitated sorting the grapes in the vineyard.
The alternation of warm days and cool nights in September allowed the aromatic potential to be preserved. A welcome freshness and a sustained and preserved acidity give energy and dynamism to the wines which are powerful and fleshy.
The white wines have an exuberant bouquet of fresh fruit, with marked typicity. On the palate, they are crisp and lively, with a bright, dynamic and aromatic fruitiness. The red wines reveal a rich palette of colours, ranging from ruby red to purple red with purple highlights. They offer a basket of black fruits and spices, with well-presented tannins and a nice fresh and fruity structure.
Tasting
The generous and delicious taste of black fruits maintains a good lemony freshness.
This Syrah will pair wonderfully with a spiced lamb tagine or a duck breast with cherries.
Wine conservation
Ageing potential of 6 to 8 years (in good temperature and humidity conditions).
