Saint-Chinian is an appellation in the Languedoc-roussillon">Languedoc-Roussillon wine region of southern France. It is located between Minervois and Faugeres, which produce similar styles of robust red wine from similar grapes and in a similar landscape. It is also adjacent to the Muscat de Saint-Jean-de-Minervois appellation, which produces Sweet white wines. Therefore, the diversity of the Languedoc region is well demonstrated in this small area.
The AOC Saint-Chinian title was created in 1982, for red and rosé wines only. In 2005, white wines were introduced into the appellation, made from Grenache Blanc, Marsanne and Roussanne. Carbonically macerated Carignan used to characterize the production of Saint-Chinian, but it is gradually being replaced by more Complex wines produced from Syrah, Grenache and Lladoner Pelut. Similarly, the quantity of white wine is increasing.
Cabernet Franc is one of the oldest red grape varieties in Bordeaux. The Libourne region is its terroir where it develops best. The terroirs of Saint-Emilion and Fronsac allow it to mature and develop its best range of aromas. It is also the majority in many blends. The very famous Château Cheval Blanc, for example, uses 60% Cabernet Franc. The wines produced with Cabernet Franc are medium in colour with fine tannins and subtle aromas of small red fruits and spices. When blended with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, it brings complexity and a bouquet of aromas to the wine. It produces fruity wines that can be drunk quite quickly, but whose great vintages can be kept for a long time. It is an earlier grape variety than Cabernet Sauvignon, which means that it is planted as far north as the Loire Valley. In Anjou, it is also used to make sweet rosé wines. Cabernet Franc is now used in some twenty countries in Europe and throughout the world.
wines from the region of Saint-Chinian go well with generally quite well with dishes of beef, pasta or veal such as recipes of braised beef with carrots, spaghetti with old-fashioned tomato sauce or curried veal roulades.
On the nose in the region of Saint-Chinian often reveals types of flavors of tree fruit, plum or grapefruit and sometimes also flavors of pepper, oaky or red fruit. In the mouth in the region of Saint-Chinian is a powerful with a nice balance between acidity and tannins.
The Roussillon is home to a range of wine styles, at varying price points. Sweet fortified wines (vin doux naturel) used to dominate production, with still dry wines (vin sec) in the minority. In the last 30 years, however, this has completely changed, and vin sec now makes up the majority (80%) of the Roussillon’s output. The recent Wines of Roussillon tasting, held in London, not only highlighted many good quality dry wines being produced, but also cemented the idea that Roussillon whites are ...
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At the 2021 Decanter World Wine Awards, the world’s largest wine competition saw its biggest year to date, with 18,094 wines tasted from 56 countries. Over 15 consecutive days in June 2021, almost 170 expert wine judges, including 44 Masters of Wine and 11 Master Sommeliers, awarded 50 Best in Show, 179 Platinum, 635 Gold, 5,607 Silver and 8,332 Bronze medals. Join Decanter at our Fine Wine Encounter NYC this June, where you will have the opportunity to sample 23 of these top awarded Gold, Plati ...
