Domaine de Trevallon IGP Alpilles red 2016

Domaine de Trévallon IGP Alpilles Rouge 2016 is a particularly distinctive vintage in the history of this iconic Provence estate. It marks Trévallon’s 40th vintage and, unusually, the blend comprises 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Syrah rather than the estate’s customary near-equal proportions. Wild boars destroyed around 30% of the 2016 crop and showed a particular preference for the Syrah, naturally increasing the proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon in the final blend. The grapes were harvested between September 12 and 22. Whole-cluster vinification without destemming or inoculated yeasts is followed by the estate’s traditional long ageing, approximately 24 months in large foudres. The estate describes the 2016 as remarkably complex, with star anise, liquorice, wild blackberry, cassis and cedar, supported by ripe tannins and impressive freshness. Now with a decade of bottle age, it offers a fascinating combination of emerging maturity and continued cellaring potential.