Chêne Bleu Astralabe 2018

Chêne Bleu is a critically-acclaimed new winery in the Southern Rhône, located in the Dentelles de Montmirail, of Gigondas fame, in a protected mountain saddle in a UNESCO biosphere reserve. This family owned single estate make meticulously handcrafted wines in tiny quantities, no more than 600 cases of each wine. The terroir here is special: The 30 hectare vineyard is the highest in the region, and one of the highest in the South of France, at 550-630m. The resulting cool nights and late harvest bring a highly desirable 'Northern-Rhône' style freshness to the 'Southern Rhône' rich concentration of fruit and tannin. The estate was purchased by Xavier Rolet and his wife Nicole in 1994 and with it began the project of renovating this medieval estate vineyard to the highest international standards. The Rolets took the bold decision to take their wines out of the AOC system in order to have full artistic freedom to pursue the property's utmost potential for quality. The wines thus carry the Vins de Pays de Vaucluse designation, as such they can be considered the first ever "Super Rhônes". Their pursuit of quality is obsessive: only hand picking, double sorting with individual grape selection, top quality new French oak cooperage, stateof- the-art gravity fed winery and parcel by parcel vinifications. In the vineyard everything is farmed according to biodynamic principles and ancient methods with emphasis on maintaining the ecosystem, planting bamboo forests to purify the water; propolis from their own beehives as an organic treatment for the vines. There are no shortcuts at this estate and the resulting wines are powerful, layered but with a sense of origin and also a fair degree of finesse, too.

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Shiraz, also known as Syrah, is a red wine grape variety that is grown in many regions around the world. The grape is known for producing wines with rich, full-bodied, and intense flavors. The wine typically has flavors of dark fruit, such as blackberry and plum, as well as notes of pepper, licorice, and smoke. In warm climates, Shiraz wines can also have a jammy character with high alcohol content.

The wine style can vary depending on where the grape is grown, for example, in Australia, Shiraz wines are typically full-bodied and high in alcohol, with ripe fruit flavors and a relatively high level of oak influence. In the Northern Rhône region of France, the wines tend to be more elegant, with a focus on the grape's natural pepper and meaty notes, and less oak influence. Shiraz pairs well with a variety of hearty and flavorful dishes, especially rich meats such as beef, lamb, and game.

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