Castelmaure : N°3 de Castelmaure 2007

Tasting characteristics and advice for N°3 de Castelmaure 2007

Tasting

Appearance

The wine reveals a deep, intense ruby-red hue, enhanced by violet and garnet highlights typical of a red wine from Languedoc at optimal maturity.

Nose

The nose opens with generous aromas of ripe dark fruits, with notes of blackberry, blueberry and blackcurrant. With aeration, the bouquet reveals nuances of stewed plum and candied fruit, accompanied by sweet spices reminiscent of black pepper, cumin and licorice. Scents of Mediterranean garrigue bring aromatic freshness with touches of thyme and rosemary, while toasted and vanilla notes attest to careful ageing.

Palate

On the palate, N°3 de Castelmaure 2007 stands out for its breadth and generosity. The attack is ample and delicate, followed by a fleshy mid-palate with ripe, velvety tannins, perfectly integrated. The powerful structure is elegantly balanced, offering a round, creamy texture. The finish lingers at length, leaving echoes of spice and subtle minerality.

Food and wine pairings

This red wine from Corbières is an ideal match for grilled or roasted red meats, notably a leg of lamb with Herbes de Provence or a rib steak. It also pairs perfectly with slow-cooked dishes such as cassoulet, meats in sauce or game. For a regional pairing, opt for duck breast or aged cheeses from the south of France.

Serving and cellaring

N°3 de Castelmaure 2007 benefits from being decanted one hour before serving to fully reveal its aromatic complexity. Serve between 16 and 18°C. This wine can be enjoyed until around 2032.

A powerful, refined Corbières from the Castelmaure cooperative winery

The estate

Founded in 1921 in Embres-et-Castelmaure, in the heart of Corbières in Languedoc, the cooperative winery Castelmaure brings together around 60 member winegrowers and 440 hectares of schist hillsides. A collective property owned by its cooperative members, it has been chaired since the 1990s by Patrick de Hoym de Marien, with Bernard Pueyo as oenologist and long-standing director. A benchmark for its quality revolution, it popularized carbonic maceration on old-vine Carignan and inaugurated in 2019 a conservatory of 79 heritage grape varieties.

The vineyard

The Castelmaure vineyard covers 440 hectares spread across two distinct areas of the Corbières appellation. The north-west plots lie on schist soils, rocky, mineral terroirs that shelter some of the cooperative’s oldest vines. The south-east plots feature warmer clay-limestone soils, encouraging generous ripening of the grapes. This mosaic of terroirs benefits from a Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers. Yields are deliberately limited to 35 hectolitres per hectare and harvesting is exclusively by hand, with rigorous selection of bunches at optimal ripeness.

The vintage

The 2007 vintage is recognized as an exceptional year in Languedoc. The climatic conditions made it possible to reach optimal grape ripeness while preserving aromatic freshness and balance in acidity, hallmarks of the finest expressions of Mediterranean viticulture.

Winemaking and ageing

N°3 de Castelmaure 2007 was crafted using differentiated methods by grape variety. The Syrah underwent low-temperature carbonic maceration after a cold maceration phase, a technique mastered by the cooperative since the 1970s. The Grenache was vinified in a more traditional manner to extract color and tannic structure. Around 75% of the wine was aged for 12 months in French oak barrels, 25% of which were new, bringing vanilla and spicy notes without masking the expression of fruit and terroir.

Grape varieties

Syrah (70%)
Grenache (28%)
Carignan (2%)