# La Montagne (2024)

- **Producer:** Les Vignerons d'Estézargues
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Carignan
- **Region:** Rhône, France
- **Style:** Natural
- **Alcohol:** 14.0%
- **Average price:** €12
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 15–18 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** blackberry, plum, cherry, black pepper, violet, liquorice

## About this wine

Les Vignerons d'Estézargues is a pioneering cooperative in the southern Rhône Valley, unique for its approach to winemaking. Unlike traditional coops that blend all members' grapes, Estézargues vinifies and bottles the best parcels from individual estates separately. 'La Montagne' represents a specific terroir within the Signargues appellation, the southernmost village in the Côtes du Rhône Villages. This organic cuvée highlights the collective's dedication to natural, terroir-driven expressions of the region.

## Interesting facts

- Les Vignerons d'Estézargues was one of the first cooperatives in France to adopt natural winemaking practices in the 1990s.
- Unlike most cooperatives, they bottle individual cuvées for each grower rather than blending everything together.
- Signargues is famous for its soil covered with large rounded pebbles (galets roulés), similar to Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

## Food pairing

The wine's medium-to-full body, moderate tannins, and rich dark fruit profile make it an excellent match for savory, herb-infused meats and roasted vegetables. The earthy undertones complement wild mushrooms and game, while the balanced acidity cuts through the richness of grilled pork and duck.

## Wine making process

The winemaking process follows strict natural principles. Grapes are organically grown and harvested at optimal ripeness. Fermentation occurs spontaneously using only native yeasts, without the addition of enzymes or sulfur during the vinification process. The wine is aged in concrete vats to preserve the purity of the fruit and the expression of the Signargues terroir. It is bottled unfined and unfiltered, with only a minimal dose of sulfur added at bottling to ensure stability.