Domaine Labranche Laffont Madiran Rouge “Vieilles Vignes” 2015

100% Tannat from several parcels that total 7.5 acres. One parcel of roughly 2 acres is of pre-phylloxera vines in the neighborhood of 150 years old; the other parcels support vines that are at least 50 years old. Grapes are de-stemmed and the wine is raised in Bordeaux barrels, roughly 20% of which are new each year. Given several hours of aeration, this Tannat blossoms.

In exceptional years, Christine will vinify the block of pre-phylloxera vines separately and bottle the wine as her cuvée Préphylloxérique. In all other years, the wine from these ancient vines goes into the vieilles vignes cuvée.

Tasting notes:
Very dark, deep and dense–this wine underlines the notion that Tannat is a study in density and the exact opposite of modern “spoofilated” wines.