*One of the best run if not the finest estate in the Côtes du Ventoux is Fondreche. Shrewd consumers should have been stocking up on these wines for a number of years as they represent terrific values. They all exhibit beautifully pure fruit infused with plenty of Provencal character. Wine Advocate #169
One of the consistently superb estates in the Cotes du Ventoux, Domaine de Fondreche offers very high quality and reasonable prices. The creation of Sebastian Vincenti and Manou Barthelemy, their wines are bursting with fruit and have loads of minerality and aromatics. They are beautiful efforts representing the best of what a young generation of French producers can do. The estate is just under 100 acres in size and is now 100% biodynamically farmed.
The 2008 Persia, which is nearly 100% Syrah with a touch of Mourvedre, is their attempt in the Côtes du Ventoux to produce something along the lines of a top-notch Côte-Rotie. This wine always exhibits plenty of aromatics, in this case white flowers, smoky raspberry and black currant fruit, medium to full-body, very good acidity and minerality. This is a lovely wine for drinking now and over the winter months and shows what a great job a top estate can do in what was a challenging vintage. The supple palate is loaded with roasted herb, garrique and blackberry notes that gain in complexity with aeration. Delicious with cassoulet, roasts, lamb preparations, and easy enough to drink with a loaf of crusty bread, cheese and friends.
89 points Wine Advocate
Regular Price: $18.99 per bottle
Spring Special: $15.99 per bottle