Domaine Gramenon La Belle Sortie Côtes du Rhône Rouge 2021

Domaine Gramenon La Belle Sortie Côtes du Rhône Rouge 2021 is a vibrant, characterful southern Rhône red that captures the soul of Grenache and Syrah grown at altitude. Crafted from organically farmed old vines and made with a light hand in the cellar, it’s a pure, unvarnished expression of fruit, spice, and terroir. La Belle Sortie offers a more lifted, fresh take on Côtes du Rhône, ideal for those who love authenticity and energy in their wines.

Tasting Notes
In the glass, La Belle Sortie 2021 shows a deep, glowing ruby to garnet core with violet highlights, hinting at both concentration and freshness. The nose opens with dark, ripe berry fruit – think blackberries, black cherries and mulberries – wrapped in a subtle creamy, lactic note from the malolactic fermentation that quickly recedes with air. With a few swirls, more complexity emerges: cracked black pepper, dried herbs, hints of violets, liquorice, and a faintly wild, almost gamey nuance that adds alluring complexity without ever feeling rustic. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied yet wonderfully fluid and juicy, with a tight core of dark fruits complemented by savoury spice and stony freshness. Fine, chalk-dusted tannins give gentle grip, while the natural acidity from the higher-altitude vineyards keeps everything brisk and mouth-watering. Flavours of black cherry, macerated raspberry and plum are interlaced with garrigue, pepper and a touch of smoked tea. The finish is long, spicy and slightly saline. This vintage drinks beautifully in its youth for its vibrant fruit and energy, but it has the structure to evolve gracefully over the next 5–7 years.

Production
The fruit for La Belle Sortie comes from 15–40-year-old Grenache and Syrah vines rooted at around 300 metres altitude on the Taulignan plateau, just west of Montbrison-sur-Lez in the southern Rhône. The soils here are a classic mix of clay and limestone, lending both power and tension to the wine, while the elevation brings cooler nights and slower ripening, preserving aromatic lift and freshness. Yields are kept low at about 35 hl/ha to concentrate flavour. Harvest is done by hand with rigorous selection in the vineyard. In the cellar, the grapes are only partially destemmed and gently macerated in unlined concrete tanks, where spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts takes place. The must remains on the skins for around 15 days, extracting colour, aroma and fine tannins. After alcoholic fermentation, the wine undergoes malolactic fermentation and is then minimally sulphured, with no other oenological additions or manipulations, in keeping with Gramenon’s natural, low-intervention philosophy.

Food & Serving
This Côtes du Rhône Rouge is a versatile food partner, shining alongside Mediterranean and bistro-style dishes. Try it with grilled lamb chops and rosemary, duck breast with cherries, charcuterie and country pâté, or hearty vegetable dishes such as ratatouille, roasted aubergine, or mushrooms with thyme and garlic. It also pairs beautifully with hard and semi-hard cheeses like Comté or aged Tomme. Serve at 15–16°C (slightly cooler than standard room temperature) to highlight its freshness and aromatics. A light decant of 30–45 minutes is recommended, especially when young, to let the initial lactic note and wild aromatics settle and allow the fruit and spice to fully unfold.

Producer
Domaine Gramenon, based in the northeastern reaches of the southern Rhône, has long been a reference point for naturally made, terroir-driven wines from Grenache and its Rhône companions. Founded in the late 1970s and brought to prominence by Michel and later by Michèle Aubèry-Laurent, the estate has become one of the key names in the movement toward organic and biodynamic farming and minimal-intervention winemaking in the region. Working primarily with old-vine parcels on limestone and clay at relatively high altitudes, Gramenon focuses on purity of fruit, finesse of texture, and a strong sense of place. Their cuvées, including La Belle Sortie, are highly regarded by sommeliers and enthusiasts alike for their energy, authenticity and consistent quality, making the domaine a benchmark for contemporary southern Rhône wine.

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