# Le Petit Menuts (2020)

- **Producer:** Famille Rivière
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Merlot, Cabernet Franc
- **Region:** Bordeaux, France
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 14.0%
- **Average price:** €15
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 16–18 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** plum, cherry, blackberry, blackcurrant, vanilla, cedar, toast, forest floor, tobacco

## About this wine

Le Petit Menuts is the second wine of Clos des Menuts, a historic estate located in the heart of the Saint-Émilion appellation. Crafted by the Rivière family, who have been winemakers in Bordeaux since 1875, this cuvée is designed to offer an accessible, fruit-forward expression of the estate's terroir. The vineyards benefit from the classic clay-limestone soils of Saint-Émilion, which provide excellent water retention and impart a refined structure to the grapes. This wine represents a modern, approachable style of Bordeaux, showcasing the family's commitment to quality and tradition.

## Interesting facts

- Le Petit Menuts is the second wine of Clos des Menuts, a historic estate with medieval cellars carved directly into monolithic rock.
- The Rivière family has been cultivating vines and producing wine in the Bordeaux region since 1875.
- Designed for early accessibility, this wine offers a classic Saint-Émilion experience without the need for decades of cellaring.

## Food pairing

The moderate tannins and vibrant red fruit profile of this Merlot-dominant blend make it highly versatile. It pairs beautifully with roasted or grilled meats, where the protein softens the tannins, while the wine's acidity cuts through richer dishes like duck or mushroom risotto.

## Wine making process

The winemaking process for Le Petit Menuts focuses on preserving fresh fruit characters and achieving supple tannins. Grapes are harvested at optimal ripeness and undergo traditional fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel and concrete vats. The extraction is kept gentle to ensure a round, approachable mouthfeel. Following fermentation, the wine is aged for a shorter period than the grand vin, utilizing a combination of older oak barrels and stainless steel tanks to maintain its vibrant fruit profile before bottling.