Chateau Tirecul la Graviere Les Pins Monbazillac 2015 500ml SWEET

Producer Description

Tropical, laid back feel to this – pineapple fruit with bright acidity. Robert Parker compared the sweet wines of Tirecul as the most notable sweet wines from anywhere in the world. Les Pins is the estates entry level sweet wine.

Chteau Tirecul La Gravire is located in the Monbazillac appellation, in southwest France. This estate was created in 1992, when Bruno and Claudie Bilancini decided to rent 9 hectares of one of the region’s flagship vineyards, the Vignobles de Tirecul, a site historically considered one of the region’s Premiers Crus. Bruno, an oenologist by training, previously worked at the local cooperative.

They purchased the 400-year-old estate five years later and now have 16 hectares of vines. The estate’s production is based around four main wines produced most years, a dry white IGP Prigord named Cuve Andrea and three sweet wines from the Monbazillac appellation. Limited quantities of red Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot blends and sparkling wines are also produced. The estate uses a high proportion of Muscadelle in its wines. Bruno Bilancini claims that the quality of Monbazillac Muscadelle is superior to that found in Bordeaux, because the Monbazillac vine is largely virus-free. The couple have always farmed using environmentally friendly methods, deciding to adopt organic farming in 2009 and obtaining certification for all their vineyards starting in 2012.

Les Pins is a blend of Smillon and Muscadelle whose grapes are affected by noble rot . Fermentation takes place in barrels and vats for 1 to 2 months, then aging lasts 12 to 24 months in vats and French oak barrels.