Domaine les Terres Promises 'Anachronie' 2023

The vibe: Where to start here. This is such a unique red for so many reasons but the most obvious is evident once poured. That’s not a red, that’s a….is it a red? It’s not a rosé. Maybe it’s somewhere in-between, but it doesn’t matter. It’s delicious. This Cinsault hails from Jean-Christophe Comor’s Domaine in Provence, southern France. In a land of lighter-than-water rosés and Bandol cut-with-a-knife reds, this raucous and racy rosé-not-rosé is a truly refreshing take on one of our favorite varietals of southern France. When in fact previous vintages have been true rosés and labeled as such, we prefer this darker, more textural expression, especially this time of year. It’s bursting with fruit and acidity, yet possesses plenty of grip. And with no sulfur additions, this wine is honest and pure in its delivery of fruit and terroir. We love to see it.

The winemaker: Jean-Christophe Comor’s Domaine is so perfectly situated, he named it Terres Promises, or The Promised Lands. In fact, the land, though situated in the Coteaux Varois of Provence, is entirely unique for the region, residing both at high elevation at 400m and inland 30km from the Mediterranean coastline. This permits the coveted lengthy ripening season, allowing for retention of racy acidity in his wines, a relatively uncommon attribute in Provençal reds. This acidity meshes elegantly with undertones of garrigue, the leafy scrubland underbrush typical to this neck of the woods, and results in a unique expression that we can’t get enough of. 

The geeky details: 100% high altitude Cinsault vines at 400m on Jurassic Dolomitic limestone terroir. Organically farmed and hand harvested. Whole cluster carbonic maceration. Pressed after 12 days. Fermentation finishes in demi-muid in an underground stone cellar for at least 6 months.  

Serve: With a light chill. 

Food pairing: Aside from the classic Cinsault pairing of escargot (which, let’s be honest where are you finding that) this would go great with braised and roasted chicken or pork, smoked seafoods like mussels or salmon, a hearty stew, or anything ~herb-crusted~.

Album pairing: The New Mastersounds - This Is What We Do