# Domaine Ledogar Corbières Boutenac (2018)

- **Producer:** Domaine Ledogar
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Carignan, Mourvèdre, Grenache
- **Region:** Languedoc-Roussillon, France
- **Style:** Natural
- **Alcohol:** 15.0%
- **Average price:** €27
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 16–18 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** blackberry, cherry, plum, liquorice, smoke

## About this wine

Domaine Ledogar is run by brothers Xavier, Mathieu, and Benoît Ledogar, representing the fourth and fifth generations of winemakers in Ferrals-les-Corbières. In the late 1990s, Xavier withdrew the family estate from the local cooperative to produce estate wines using organic and biodynamic practices. Situated in the Corbières-Boutenac appellation—officially recognized in 2005 as Corbières' premier Cru—the estate relies on old-vine plots, including century-old Carignan, planted on clay-limestone soils with rolled pebbles.

## Interesting facts

- Corbières-Boutenac was officially established in 2005 as the first Cru appellation of Corbières.
- The estate cultivates centenarian vines that are up to 100 years old.
- Light tracked tractors are utilized in the vineyards to prevent soil compaction.
- Harvest dates are determined entirely by tasting grapes in the field rather than laboratory analysis.

## Food pairing

The wine's rich full body, firm tannins, and high alcohol content demand rich, savory dishes with ample protein and fat to balance its structure. Mediterranean herbs such as rosemary and thyme complement the natural herbal undertones of the Carignan blend.

## Wine making process

The grapes are hand-harvested at optimal maturity determined by berry tasting in the vineyard. Following 100% destemming, fermentation occurs spontaneously using indigenous yeasts with gentle extraction. The wine is aged for 18 to 24 months in neutral, multi-passage oak barriques (5 to 12 previous uses) to allow micro-oxygenation while preserving fruit purity and terroir expression. The wine is bottled unfined or lightly filtered with minimal sulfur additions.