Coteau de la mort, 2014 | Savoie

Region: Savoie

Grape/s: Mondeuse

Farming: Organic & biodynamic (practising)

Tasting Note: The Mondeuse grape produces wines that are aromatic with a deep, inky violet hue - a sort of combination of Pinot, Gamay, and Syrah with aromas of black pepper, violet, raspberries, and blackberries.

All of Antoine's wines have a real freshness and minerality and these Alpine wines exude the panache and excitement as his Burgundian wines. Coteau de la Mort is the most serious of the three Savoirian reds from Antioine - wonderfully complex, layered, and long.

Background: Coteau de la Mort, which translates as slope of death(!!) refers to the steepness of the slope, which reaches 40% in some parts. Making wine here is physically very tough - it was first planted by the Benedictine monks during the 11th century and was prime terroir until it was abandoned in the 1930s, and only recently replanted at the end of the 1990s.

The soils are composed of red clay on a limestone base and give structured and serious wines that have the signature Savoirian minty, peppery, almost Chartreuse-esq fresh, herbal and savoury character.

Serving: Pop this into the fridge for 15 minutes to freshen it up! Best served at 14-16°C