Louis Chèze : Caroline 2024

Characteristics and tasting notes for the "Caroline" 2024 cuvée by Louis Chèze

Tasting

Appearance
This wine reveals a particularly bright garnet hue.

Nose
The aromatic bouquet opens with floral scents of violet, delicately underscored by subtle peppery notes.

Palate
The attack is generous and ample. The structure is firmly built, offering a finish that lingers with beautiful aromatic persistence.

Food and wine pairings

This cuvée will be best enjoyed alongside fine cuts of red meat cooked on the grill, as well as with a selection of regional cheeses.

Serving and cellaring

To fully appreciate this wine, it is recommended to serve it at a temperature between 16 and 18 °C. In its youth, decanting two to four hours before tasting is strongly advised. This wine has ageing potential allowing it to be kept in the cellar and enjoyed until approximately 2032.

The powerful expression of Syrah in Saint-Joseph by Louis Chèze

The estate

Taken over in 1978 by Mr Louis Chèze, who is still the current owner, this family estate is located on the right bank of the river, in the heart of the northern Rhône Valley. The property, which began with a single hectare, now extends over 35 hectares of vines. Guided by rigour, curiosity and determination, the estate strives to express the very essence of its terroirs with each new harvest. Since 2000, the domaine has also taken part in the revival of the historic vineyards of Seyssuel.

The vineyard

The grapes for this cuvée from the Saint-Joseph appellation come from a specific plot located above the Brèze slopes. Rising to an altitude of 300 metres, these vines, around forty years old, benefit from an ideal due-south exposure. They flourish on a soil composed of granitic elements with muscovite. The vineyard is managed according to the principles of sustainable viticulture, with rigorous practices such as debudding and green harvesting to limit yields.

Winemaking and ageing

The creation of this vintage begins with manual harvesting, with an initial meticulous sorting directly on the vine. The bunches are picked into small 30 kg crates before undergoing a further sorting on a table at the cellar. After complete destemming and a pass over a vibrating table, the berries are crushed. Fermentation and maceration take place in small temperature-controlled vats, while malolactic fermentation is carried out in barrels. Ageing then lasts 14 months in barriques, split between 20% new oak and 80% containers that have held one or two previous wines. Finally, bottling is carried out in a single stage, without any prior filtration.

Grape variety

This wine is made exclusively from Syrah.