Le Temps de Vivre Syrah-Grenache 75 cl.

This is terrifically good, honest country wine in the best sense of the word: affordable, well-made and rustic in just the right way.

In southernmost France, Roussillon lies at the foot of the Pyrenees on the Mediterranean side, bordering Spain. Here, the grapes best known from the Rhône valley, namely syrah and grenache, are grown in the catchment to Perpignan under the Côtes Catalanes IGP.

The wine is steel-fermented with temperature control; a maneuver used to ensure that the original fruitiness also ends up in the bottle and that unwanted bacteria are kept at a safe distance. Often this produces correct but boring, embryonic wines, but the skilled team at Vignerons Catalans have made an inexplicably well-crafted wine that is simply a pleasure to drink.

Nose and taste have dark berry aromas with some black olives, and there is good intensity, while the gloom shines by its absence. This medium-bodied wine has the spicy profile, but the charming, healthy fruit remains the supporting element.

Enjoy this wine in its youth, preferably with a roast or simmered dish, and with Le Temps de Vivre you can also afford a glass or two for the chef while the food is being prepared.

Enjoy the wine in its youth and remember that the service temperature is below room temperature, approx. 14-17°.