Château Hostens-Picant Rouge, Sainte-Foy Côtes de Bordeaux 2017

£29.99

2017 saw Hostens-Picant’s first organic farming trials, starting with 4 hectares and growing to 10 hectares in 2018. They are making excellent progress with this and the goal is to convert the entire estate to organic winemaking. The 2017 Hostens-Picant Rouge contains some fruit from this successful trial and the wine is produced in a more approachable style than the monolithic Cuvée d’Exception Lucullus, the estate’s now flagship wine. The plot selection is oriented towards older vines but some younger fruit is also included. It is a beautiful purple-red in the glass, with the focus on red fruits and fresh floral notes on the nose. On the palate there are flavours of redcurrant, raspberry but also delicate notes of gentian. It is full of fine, lithe tannins giving delicate but not imposing structure, with its fresh and sapid finish leaving delicious aromas of blood orange and peony. Its aging potential is around ten years so it is just starting to hit its stride, now.