Buy 6 bottles of Chateau Pesquie' 2019 'Artemia' Vendoux
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Your Price: $34.19/bottle

Once considered an insignificant satellite of the Rhone Valley, Ventoux is now seen as an important appelation in its own right. The Chateau Pesquie’ vineyards are set in the Southern Rhone in the shadow of Mt. Ventoux, with soils rich in limestone and located at higher elevations than in the neighboring Rhone Valley.

The Chaudière and Bastide families have now farmed this land for 3 generations. Odette and René purchased the Château in the early 1970s. While the building itself dates to the 1750s, the lands around it have been cultivated since the Roman era. Recent archaeological discoveries have proven that wine was made in this region as early as the 1st century BCE, and the name of the property derives from the Latin name for fish ponds, pescarium– no doubt due to the springs that occur naturally near the Château.

By the mid-1980s, Odette and René’s daughter Edith and her husband Paul Chaudière had taken over the running of the estate. Both left careers in the medical field to return to the family estate and in 1989 Château Pesquié was born.

Now in the capable hands of Fred and Alex Chaudière, Edith and Paul’s sons, Château Pesquié comprises 100 hectares of vines. Only organic treatments and composts are used in the vineyard. There are three main terroirs on the property: rocky limestone clay, red clay, and loamy gray clay. Their most common and diverse plantings are Syrah and Grenache, each chosen specifically for their soils and exposure. Fortunately, the Ventoux has a cooler micro-climate than the vineyards near the Rhône, so Fred and Alex can be guaranteed a longer and slower ripening of their fruit – especially important for these two varieties. The age of the vines ranges from 20 to well over 80 years old.

All of these elements: good terroir, older vines, organic farming, and hand harvesting combine to create wines that are rich in fruit with remarkable balance and purity.

The Artemia blend, which in the 2019 vintage is 50% Syrah and 50% Grenache, is only made in top vintages and represents the best the estate can offer. The Artimia opens with a very aromatic nose, showing notes of violets, licorice, and fresh blackberry. The palate has a fresh and velvety texture, very balanced and subtle, with aromas of strawberry, black raspberry, and violets again, with a long and slightly peppery finish.