Font Sarade Les Terres Rouges Ventoux 2022
Price: $17.95
Channel: LCBO Vintages
Producer: Domaine Font Sarade
Country: France
Region: Provence (Rhône Valley)
Appellation: Ventoux AOC
Grapes: Grenache (50%), Syrah (25% ), Carignan (25% )
Alcohol by Volume: 14.5%
Sugar Content: 3 grams per litre
I nearly put the Font Sarade Ventoux in last week’s Substack, and I regret I didn’t because stocks are diminishing. I think there’s a secret society (as in we don’t know we’re part of it) that is always looking good Rhône reds under $20. They don’t last long. If you’re in Toronto, the LCBO inventory tracker says there’s still a good deal of the Sarade at their bigger Leaside store – check here
Font Sarade, which means “closed fountain” in Provençal dialect, is a 89 year old winery based in prestigious Vacqueras. This is their entry level wine, taken from a vineyard near the town of Aubignan, which is just south of Beaumes de Venise, best known for its sweet wines.
I’ve listed the grapes used to make the Terres Rouge in the order they appear on the back of the bottle. They’ve put Syrah ahead of Carignan even though they both equally constitue 25% of the blend and Carignan is alphabettically first. It might be nothing, but I wonder if Syrah is still considered a more noble grape, than old workhorse Carignan?
It shouldn’t be; old vine Carignan makes fantastic almost black fruited wine. I think the pronounced blackberry character in the Terres rouge come from it, and they complement the pepperiness and violet notes come from the Syrah that float on top of Grenache juiciness. Add a touch of herbal garrigue and it’s a great example of why the Southern Rhône still offers some of the best value on the shelves.
https://www.lcbo.com/en/domaine-font-sarade-les-terres-rouges-ventoux-42393
This wine recommendation was originally published at the MJ Wine Box Substack at https://malcolmjolley.substack.com/p/wine-trade-war.