Domaine Balansa 'La Vinhota' Rouge 2022

Location: France, Languedoc-Roussillon

Winemaker: Céline Peyre & Alexandre Gressent

Grapes: Lledoner Pelut, Grenache

Winemaking: Hand harvest. 4 day carbonic maceration, spontaneous fermentation in stainless steel with indigenous yeasts. Aged in stainless steel. No filtering and no fining. 

From us at M&L: ‘La Vinhota’ is comprised of 40% Grenache and 60% Lledoner Pelut, a dark-skinned grape native to the Roussillon as well as Catalonia. ‘Pelut’ means ‘furry’ in French, so named for the fuzzy down that grows on this varietal’s leaves, which allow it to retain moisture in the heat. The fruit is carbonically macerated before fermenting and aging in stainless steel. Fresh, red-fruited, lightly herbaceous, addictive glou perfect with a chill and charcuterie. The simple pleasures are the best pleasures.

From the Producers: We cultivate 14 hectares of old vines in hillsides, on the Hautes-Corbières terroir, in Aude. Family vines cultivated for several generations, in organic farming. In biodynamic farming since autumn 2018.

Our objective is to produce fine wines valued by a cultivation approach implicated in the environmental cause, and to commit ourselves to offering natural wines, which reflect our precious and unique terroir of Hautes Corbières. Terroir expressed by shale soils on hillsides at an altitude of 140 to 280 meters surrounded by scrubland and shrub. The climate is Mediterranean, dry, sunny ,and windy – perfect support for expressions.