2021 Domaine la Cabotte Côtes du Rhône Villages Massif d'Uchaux 'Colline'

Domaine la Cabotte is named for the small stone shelters and tool sheds used by growers in the vineyards. Purchased in 1981 and owned by the Burgundian Plumet family ever since, this winery has grown from 10 to 30 hectares of vines planted around the estate, as well as 1.5 hectares in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. It is certified organic and farmed biodynamically. The mainly limestone and sandy soils of the plateau of the Massif d’Uchaux are very poor in nutrients, producing wines of real finesse and elegance. Marie-Pierre and Eric use the lunar calendar as a guidepost for appropriate natural vine treatments. Keeping the yields low, an uncommon practice in the high-yielding Côtes-du-Rhône, is paramount to their philosophy. They prune aggressively in the winter, de-bud in the spring and perform a green harvest in the summer. After the harvest, all of the grapes are sorted rigorously (once in the vineyards, another at the winery) and are de-stemmed. Fermentation takes place quickly, and the must is pumped-over twice a day. The wines then go through a post-fermentation maceration of six to seven days to soften the tannins. The wines are aged in tanks and bottled in the spring.