About the Wine
From a beautiful parcel of Petite Sirah planted over three hundred metres above sea level, the bush vines here are grown over a complex mix of complex terroir of clay, limestone and marnes bleues. The fruit is destemmed and fermented on the skins for 10 days before a slow, 3 day pressing into old barriques for 4 years of rest. Topped up just the once after 2 years in barrique.
2019 was a particularly warm, dry year, the resulting wine is raw, savoury and deep, with oxidative notes wound up in layers of black fruit, bitter herbs and spice. A wine which really captures the rustic charm of the Ardéche. Captivating, raw and wild.
About Anders Frederik Steen
Anders and his family have now settled in the beautiful village of Valvignères in the Ardèche, a beautiful spot amongst a wide, open valley. The many varieties grown here thrive on a perfect mix of clay and limestone and the vineyards are full of life, having been tended organically for decades. As well as his own vineyards, Anders also picks grapes with the Ousrics in Valvignères and further afield with the Bannwarth family in Obermorschwihr, Alsace. In his previous life Anders was both a chef and sommelier, working at the best restaurants in his native Denmark. First as a sommelier at Noma, later opening Manfreds and Relae. This experience informs his winemaking in that he does not seek to follow rules and doesn't feel the need to do the same thing every year. Instead, as he harvests he tastes the grapes and begins to imagine the kind of wine he might be able to make. This refreshingly logical, creative approach yields wines that are truly one of a kind.
