2017 Christelle Betton Rouge ‘Espiègle’ Rhone

Aromas of summer berries, light earth, peppery spice. Dominated by red, ripe fruit; moderate tannins. Best served chilled. PAIRING SUGGESTIONS: French charcuterie; roasted chicken with herbs NOTES: In French, ‘espiègle’ means “playful” or “mischievous.”
100% Syrah VINEYARDS: A selection of fruit from the domaine’s youngest vines. Soils are alluvial, with many “galets roulés” commonly found along the Rhône River valley (especially in Châteauneuf-du-Pape). The area is dry; the family plows their land by hand, to train the vines’ roots to dig deep in the rocky soils for nutrients and moisture. AGE OF VINES: 10-20 years WINEMAKING: Hand-harvested. Grapes held in cold storage for 24 hours. Fermented in tanks on indigenous yeasts; gentle crushing by foot. Aged in older French oak barrels (four- to six-year-old barrels that previously held white Burgundy) for one year. Bottled unfined and unfiltered.