Le Raisin et l'Ange, Fable 2018

This is a sunny, fruit-forward red from Antonin & Gilles Azzoni who work 7 hectares of vines in the commune of Saint-Maurice-d’Ibie, located in a limestone valley along the River Ibie in Southern France's Ardêche region.

Tasting Notes: An even red in the glass, the nose is succulent and lush -- bright acid and pulpy dark-skinned fruit move with good energy into the more savory elements of the wine's bouquet: bramble, peppercorn, and slight mushroom. There is good length here for such a bright wine, though this is by no means mouth-drying territory.

Vinification: 70% Syrah, 20% Merlot, 10% Gamay. Hand-harvested, from vines atop limestone soil, the grapes ferment with no temperature control and 17-day whole cluster semi-carbonic maceration. Subsequent elevage takes place in stainless tank. This is bottled unfined/unfiltered with no added So2. "Zero-zero" with 13% ABV