Savory Syrah Blend - Wine & Spirits Magazine

Savory Syrah Blend


Château Maris’s estate vineyard is peppered with olive trees. (Photo courtesy of the winery)

La Livinière is about 30 miles inland from the Mediterranean, the vines planted in the foothills of the Montagne Noire. Its name means “the place planted with vines,” dating back to Roman times. Château Maris focuses on sustainability not only in the vineyard—they’ve been biodynamically certified since 2004—but also in all the peripheral aspects, too. They were certified as a B-Corp. in 2016, the winery is fully biodegradable, and they’ve made a few trans-Atlantic shipments via sailboat. Overtly earthy, this blend of syrah (70 percent) and grenache reminded one taster of a pot of kidney beans stewing over a fire. Indeed, its red fruit seems of a similar tone, some black-pepper complexity marking the lasting flavors. It eases into a jammy cherry finish, suggesting that a few years in the cellar might reveal other facets of depth.

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Château Maris 2020 Minervois La Livinière La Touge

Every week, our editors highlight a wine that intrigued them in our blind panel tastings, expanding on their tasting note in this space. These are entirely editorial choices; there are no paid placements. Subscribers can also access the original tasting note by searching here.

Corey Warren is the Tastings Editor in addition to covering the wines of the Loire, Southern France, Argentina and South Africa.


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