Notify me
2021 Corbières Rouge
Domaine de FontsainteI have a short list of “Old Reliable” wines, the wines you can open for anyone, anywhere, on any occasion, and you know everyone will love them. They tend to be open, pure, fun, fruity, and delicious—attributes no one can argue with. The list comes in handy when planning wines for gatherings, anything from weddings to a small party, Thanksgiving to end-of-year holidays, when you need bottles that wine lovers and the uninitiated can sip together with pleasure. Smack in the middle of that list lies this Corbières rouge from Fontsainte, arriving each year (since 1978!) fresh off the boat in top form, bursting with southern French sun, fruit, and herbs, with just the right amount of je ne sais quoi for everyone to enjoy.
—Chris Santini
Wine Type: | red |
Vintage: | 2021 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | 60% Carignan, 30% Grenache Noir, 10% Syrah |
Appellation: | Corbières |
Country: | France |
Region: | Languedoc-Roussillon |
Producer: | Domaine de Fontsainte |
Winemaker: | Bruno Laboucarié |
Vineyard: | Carignan vines planted in 1950, Grenache in 1986, Syrah in 1991, 46.2 ha |
Soil: | Silica, clay, limestone (gravelly with large galets, or rounded stones) |
Aging: | 60% of wine ages 8-12 months in French oak barrels, remainder in cement tank |
Farming: | Lutte Raisonnée |
Alcohol: | 14.5% |
More from this Producer or Region
2022 Pic Saint Loup Rosé
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
May Chevalier ~ Its intense aromatics brazenly translate the Pic’s rugged nature, and an almost chewable minerality brings to mind slabs of shattered limestone incarnated as energy, drive, and uncommon length on the palate.
2022 Corbières Rosé “Gris de Gris” MAGNUM
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
This crisp and succulent vin gris is a guaranteed thirst-quencher.
2022 Corbières Rosé “Gris de Gris”
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
Its peachy-pink hue hints at what’s to come: orchard fruits and brambly wild berries, grapefruit and wet slate after a summer rain! A staple wine I can’t live without.
2021 Monts de la Grage Blanc
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
These ancient hillside vines yield very little, giving an intensely concentrated juice with great acidity and a textured finish. Open it alongside seafood or as an apéritif.
2021 Corbières Rouge “Réserve La Demoiselle”
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
Hailing from the rugged and windswept hills of Corbières, which teem with garrigue and olive groves, La Demoiselle delivers a glorious taste of the South.
2022 Vin de France Blanc “L'Estrade”
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2022 Vin de France Rouge “Saint Jacques”
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
Equal parts Grenache, Carignan, and Mourvèdre, this boasts all of Maxime’s trademark elegance and silkiness.
2020 Pic Saint Loup Rouge “Sainte Agnès”
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
Shows a kinship with the northern Rhône, echoing aromas of black olive and violets.
2020 Pic Saint Loup “Guilhem Gaucelm”
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
One of the great reds of the Languedoc. Rhône Valley, look out!
2021 Saint-Chinian Blanc
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
Showcasing impressive texture and flavors of citrus, stone fruit, and spring flowers, this offers a great pairing for grilled fish or seared scallops.
About The Producer
Domaine de Fontsainte
About The Region
Languedoc-Roussillon
Ask wine drinkers around the world, and the word “Languedoc” is sure to elicit mixed reactions. On the one hand, the region is still strongly tied to its past as a producer of cheap, insipid bulk wine in the eyes of many consumers. On the other hand, it is the source of countless great values providing affordable everyday pleasure, with an increasing number of higher-end wines capable of rivaling the best from other parts of France.
While there’s no denying the Languedoc’s checkered history, the last two decades have seen a noticeable shift to fine wine, with an emphasis on terroir. Ambitious growers have sought out vineyard sites with poor, well draining soils in hilly zones, curbed back on irrigation and the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, and looked to balance traditional production methods with technological advancements to craft wines with elegance, balance, and a clear sense of place. Today, the overall quality and variety of wines being made in the Languedoc is as high as ever.
Shaped like a crescent hugging the Mediterranean coast, the region boasts an enormous variety of soil types and microclimates depending on elevation, exposition, and relative distance from the coastline and the cooler foothills farther inland. While the warm Mediterranean climate is conducive to the production of reds, there are world-class whites and rosés to be found as well, along with stunning dessert wines revered by connoisseurs for centuries.
More from Languedoc-Roussillon or France
2020 Gard Rouge “Clausus”
Ludovic Engelvin France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2021 Corbières Rouge “Réserve La Demoiselle”
Domaine de Fontsainte France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2021 Monts de la Grage Blanc
Mas Champart France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2020 Saint-Chinian Rouge “Clos de la Simonette”
Mas Champart France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2021 Terrasses du Larzac Rouge
Les Vignes Oubliées France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2021 Pic Saint Loup Rouge
Château La Roque France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2020 Collioure Rouge “La Pinède”
Domaine La Tour Vieille France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2022 Pic Saint Loup “Tour de Pierres”
Héritage du Pic Saint Loup France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2020 Pays d’Oc Rouge “Les Vieilles Vignes de Mourvèdre”
Château La Roque France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2020 Vin de France “Le Carignan”
Domaine d’Aupilhac France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2020 Pic Saint Loup Rouge “Sainte Agnès”
Ermitage du Pic Saint Loup France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2021 Banyuls “Rimage”
Domaine de la Tour Vieille France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2020 Gard Rouge “Clausus”
Ludovic Engelvin France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2021 Corbières Rouge “Réserve La Demoiselle”
Domaine de Fontsainte France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2021 Monts de la Grage Blanc
Mas Champart France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2020 Saint-Chinian Rouge “Clos de la Simonette”
Mas Champart France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2021 Terrasses du Larzac Rouge
Les Vignes Oubliées France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2021 Pic Saint Loup Rouge
Château La Roque France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2020 Collioure Rouge “La Pinède”
Domaine La Tour Vieille France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2022 Pic Saint Loup “Tour de Pierres”
Héritage du Pic Saint Loup France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2020 Pays d’Oc Rouge “Les Vieilles Vignes de Mourvèdre”
Château La Roque France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2020 Vin de France “Le Carignan”
Domaine d’Aupilhac France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2020 Pic Saint Loup Rouge “Sainte Agnès”
Ermitage du Pic Saint Loup France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2021 Banyuls “Rimage”
Domaine de la Tour Vieille France | Languedoc-Roussillon
Kermit once said...
Kermit once said...
If you're looking for value, look where no one else is looking.
Inspiring Thirst, page 211