Tardieu Laurent : Cuvée Spéciale 2024

Characteristics and Tasting Notes of the "Cuvée Spéciale" 2024 Tardieu Laurent

Tasting

Colour
The red colour reveals a purple hue with subtle glints. The absence of filtration gives it a very slight opacity, a hallmark of authenticity.

Nose
The aromatic bouquet opens with great delicacy, blending scents of flower petals with intense aromas of black fruits such as blackcurrant and blackberry. Subtle notes of black pepper, lavender, fresh tobacco and mineral spices further enrich this olfactory palette.

Palate
On the palate, this Vin de France stands out for its refined elegance rather than any showy power. The texture proves silky and velvety, supported by fine, perfectly integrated tannins. There is a harmonious balance between fruit concentration and lovely freshness, leading into a persistent finish with floral, spicy and mineral accents.

Food and wine pairing

This wine pairs wonderfully with slow-cooked red meats such as Provençal-style braised lamb, hare stew or a fine grilled beef rib. It also shines alongside Mediterranean dishes such as ratatouille with goat cheese, as well as characterful cheeses like an aged Comté or an alpine Beaufort.

Service and storage

Built to stand the test of decades, the "Cuvée Spéciale" 2024 boasts exceptional ageing potential and can be enjoyed until around 2064.

The elegance and minerality of a Châteauneuf-du-Pape wine

The estate

Founded in 1996 in Lourmarin, Maison Tardieu Laurent has established itself as one of the most illustrious micro-négociants of the Rhône Valley. Originally born from a collaboration between Michel Tardieu and Dominique Laurent, the company is today an exclusively family-run business. Michel Tardieu, supported by his wife Michèle and their children Bastien and Camille, runs the estate with passion. The house is distinguished by a Burgundy-inspired philosophy, favouring a rigorous selection of very old vines and terroir-respectful ageing to craft wines of rare finesse.

The vineyard

The grapes for this cuvée come from the prestigious La Crau sector, located in the south-east of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation. This terroir is characterised by soils made up of fine sand and rolled pebbles, offering optimal natural drainage. The century-old vines rooted here produce naturally limited yields, encouraging remarkable concentration and a distinctive mineral expression.

The vintage

The 2024 vintage unfolded within a Rhône climatic context marked by weather patterns that influenced the ripening of the berries. It offers a particularly youthful expression of the fruit, while still guaranteeing remarkable ageing potential.

Winemaking and ageing

The "Cuvée Spéciale" 2024 is crafted from entirely whole-cluster harvests, allowing for gentle tannin extraction. Ageing takes place in two distinct stages: an initial phase of twelve months in French oak barrels that have previously held one or two wines, sourced from the forests of Allier and Tronçais, followed by a further twelve months of refinement in large oak vats. The wine is then bottled without any fining or filtration to preserve its full aromatic integrity.

Grape variety

100% Grenache