The Domaine de Fenouillet Vaucluse is the top value in the highly respected Neal Rosenthal import portfolio. A blend of Marsellan and Merlot, this is a classic French country or bistro red. But it’s far from simple.
The Marselan grape is a cross of Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache. When blended with Merlot, it produces a silky wine redolent of red fruit mingled with “sous-bois”. What’s “sous-bois” you ask? It’s the French term for undergrowth, forest floor, or damp earth. This wine has just enough to make it interesting, but not so much to make it funky.
2019 Domaine de Fenouillet Vaucluse Rouge
“Kind of like a Cotes du Rhone meets a Pinot Noir. Delicious!” – Josh Spurling
To order, stop by the store or click here to order in our online store.
Over the past couple of years, this has become a hot ticket item at Table Wine. Our friends at Haw River Wine Man only get one drop per year. Last year, I under-ordered, and the wine sold out in no time leaving some its fans disappointed. This year, I ordered all 12 cases that came into the state. And with just 600-700 cases brought in by Rosenthal each year, there just isn’t much to be had.
There’s so many thing to like about this wine and Domaine de Fenouillet. Brothers Patrick and Vincent Soard own and operate this impeccable domaine in the village of Beaumes de Benise, in the shadows of Mont Ventoux and the Dentelles de Montmirail. The estate is certified organic and the winemaking is uber-traditional, as you’d expect of a wine brought in by Mr. Rosenthal.
Beyond that, it’s just one of those wines that goes down incredibly while still being interesting. The wine is fermented and aged in cement tanks to preserve purity and freshness. And the resulting wine is full of ripe cherry, plum, and earth. Medium-bodied, fresh, and possessing mild tannin and zesty acidity, it’s the perfect red to enjoy with burgers, grille chicken, or a charcuterie spread.
So there you go — a wonderful and cleanly made red that won’t break the bank. I can guarantee you this will not make it to the end of sale date. Act fast or forever hold your peace.
To order, stop by the store or click here to order in our online store.
Josh Spurling
Owner, Operator, Wine Monger
Table Wine Asheville