The Wine.

An unoaked blend of 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah made from the family vines around the village of Suzette. Clean and cool with strawberry and cherry aromatics, a silky smooth texture and a long finish.

The Estate.

Château Redortier was established in 1956 by Etienne and Chantal de Menthon, grandparents of Isabelle and Sabine who run the estate today. It sits in the shadow of the Dentelles de Montmirail with Mont Ventoux not far to the east. They have 1 hectare of Ventoux A.O.C. vines at an altitude of 500m. These are hand harvested and the juice is fermented using wild yeasts.

The Appellation.

Ventoux is an up-and-coming appellation in the southeast Rhône. It offers much of the quality of the more established appellations of the area (Gigondas, Châteauneuf-du-Pape et al), but at much more manageable prices. Its key attribute is altitude. The high vineyards mean plentiful sun during the day but also cool nights. This range in temperature results in ripe fruit with good acidity - the latter bringing a crucial vibrancy to the wines.

Offered: August 2023.

Alcohol: 14.5%.

Vintage report: A light and fruity vintage that, as a rule, has produced fresh reds for earlier drinking. April frost damage meant yields were relatively low but there is excellent quality to be found.

Drinking window: 2023 - 2025.

Food matching: An excellent match for hard sheep's cheeses, roast chicken and barbecued steaks.