Xavier Vignon : Une Bouteille à la Mer Rouge Edition Ines de la Fressange 2020

Tasting Characteristics and Serving Suggestions for Xavier Vignon’s Une Bouteille à la Mer Rouge Édition Ines de la Fressange 2020

Tasting

Color

The color displays a deep red hue, enhanced by lovely violet highlights.

Nose

The nose reveals fine aromatic complexity, combining notes of sweet spices such as cinnamon and white pepper, alongside fragrances reminiscent of the Mediterranean garrigue typical of the region.

Palate

On the palate, the wine charms with its density and a persistent fruity framework, dominated by aromas of blueberries and black cherries. The tannins are supple and crisp, while the finish unfolds elegantly, revealing a silky persistence and subtle spicy notes.

Food and Wine Pairing

This wine is an ideal match for grilled meats, herb-roasted lamb, or Provençal dishes lifted by gentle spices. It also pairs beautifully with aged cheeses and quality cured meats.

Serving and cellaring

Une Bouteille à la Mer Rouge Édition Ines de la Fressange 2020 is best enjoyed at a temperature between 14 and 16°C. This wine can be enjoyed now but will continue to evolve through around 2028.

A Côtes du Rhône Villages combining freshness and environmental commitment

The estate

Xavier Vignon settled in the Rhône Valley in 1996 after traveling through vineyards around the world. Having become a renowned consultant oenologist, he launched his own négociant-producer label in 2002 before acquiring around thirty-five hectares of vineyards in 2016. Today, Xavier Vignon produces twenty-five different cuvées and stands out for his scientific approach to minerality, the result of numerous soil analyses carried out across the region. A pioneer in the winegrowing renaissance of the southern Rhône Valley, he combines oenological expertise, technological innovation, and environmental commitment, with 70% of his production certified organic.

The vineyard

This limited edition comes from plots located in the Dentelles de Montmirail, a mountain massif renowned for its remarkable geological complexity. The vines are planted at elevations ranging from 250 to 600 meters, on soils composed of limestone, marl, schist, and rounded pebbles. This diversity of terroirs, combined with significant temperature variations between day and night, encourages the development of concentrated grapes with lovely aromatic freshness. The Côtes du Rhône Villages appellation guarantees an authentic expression of these exceptional terroirs.

Since 2020, Xavier Vignon has partnered with the Fondation de la Mer to create the cuvée Une Bouteille à la Mer. For each bottle sold, one euro is donated to this organization, which works to protect marine ecosystems. The 2020 edition was created in collaboration with Inès de la Fressange, an icon of French fashion, who designed the label. This alliance of winemaking excellence, artistic creation, and environmental responsibility turns every bottle into a tangible act of support for preserving marine biodiversity.

The vintage

The 2020 vintage benefited from favorable weather conditions that allowed optimal ripening of the grapes.

Winemaking and aging

The harvest took place in mid-September, at the ideal point of ripeness, yielding generous, well-balanced berries. The winemaking of Une Bouteille à la Mer Rouge Édition Ines de la Fressange 2020 illustrates Xavier Vignon’s philosophy of gentle extraction. Whole grapes are placed in tank in mid-September for extended maceration at controlled temperature. The white varieties are co-fermented with syrah from the outset to soften the aromatic expression, while grenache and mourvèdre are added at the end of the fermentation phase. Cold pressing is applied after alcoholic fermentation to delay the start of malolactic fermentation and preserve aromatic potential. Aging takes place 80% in truncated-cone wooden and concrete tanks, and 20% in oak barrels, allowing the aromatic expression to soften without masking the purity of the fruit.

Grape varieties

Syrah (75%), mourvèdre (10%), grenache (10%), viognier (3%), roussanne (2%).