Tavel: 1er Rosé de France - Featuring Alexandre Hote's Fantastic 2023 Tavel and More!
12/13/2024
Years ago, back in the late 2000's, wines from a relatively unknown estate, L'Anglore, began making the rounds in Paris, and by 2010, were brought into New York by our own David Lillie and friend Phillipe “Fifi” Essome. Made by a humble beekeeper and grape-grower named Eric Pfifferling, who had been selling to the local co-op in Tavel/Lirac area until 2002, these wines had a following of wine-nerds, musicians, Parisian hipsters, and the like. By no means widely known, the L'Anglore wines attained a type of cult status among a small circle of wine drinkers. Since beginning to make and independently bottle his own wines, Eric Pfifferling has worked with many up and coming young winemakers in the region, so by way of his collaborations with folks like Nicolas Reynaud and Romain le Bars, we've been able to enjoy a wider range of wines influenced by Pfifferling. Today, we are very happy to introduce a new name, that of Alexandre Hote!
A local from Tavel, Hote's family historically sold grapes to the co-op, and his decision to bottle wines under his own name is fairly recent. Though he has not been officially producing wines for a long time, he has been making wine on a small scale for over a decade, and his 2023 Tavel thoroughly impressed us when we recently tasted it here in New York. Indeed, memories of that first taste of L'Anglore Tavel were activated! -- I feel it's important to take a quick moment to say that this particular wine is fantastic in its own right and does not need the mention of Eric Pfifferling as verification. That said, the style of Pfifferling's wines, with their grit, vibrancy, and immense energy, is one that very few producers in the region ever attain, most likely by choice, as L'Anglore wines are typically hazy, and made with minimal or no addition of sulfites. The 2023 Tavel from Hote is of this very tiny collection of wines, so the reference is more to situate the wine's style than it is a selling point!
We originally intended to just write a "one wine email" about this particular bottle, and believe us it warrants the format, but it seemed only right to include a few bottles from the aforementioned Nicolas Reynaud and Romain le Bars as well, and a special Cinsault-based Tavel from Alexandre Hote that we have not tasted, but are offering on the strength of the 2023 Tavel that is the star of the show.
Without further ado (in case our enthusiastic recommendation is not enough to pique your interest!), and because my father (David Lillie) so enjoys the writing and validation from Drink Rhone's John Livingston-Learmonth when he heaps praise on a wine we love, I feel compelled to share this thoughtfully composed note on the Hote's 2023 Tavel from DrinkRhone:
"65% Grenache, 35% Cinsault (1989) from galet stone covered clay-limestone soils on Vallongue, hand harvested, steel vat semi-macération carbonique vinification at 18°C+, then taken out of closed vat, pressed, & completes vinification in a classic way, steel vat raised 6 months, malo completed, zero added SO2, bottling on a waning moon, “drink with lightly spiced dishes, charcuterie, cheese”, 4,000-4,500 bottles produced......cloudy red robe; the nose has a little concentration around its raspberry, red cherry fruit, carries a note of reduction, “high”, the level of fruit sure. The palate offers clear, rather tingling fruit on debut, holds well in mid to late palate, has a kernel of cherry stone, raspberry flavour, with mild tannins in the picture towards the finish, which is well rounded. There is inner intensity here, is a wine of character, not to be taken lightly, will be suited to full flavoured dishes of the South, tuna, salmon. There is neat minerality in its late stages, good cut there as a result. This is pretty complex, has cards up its sleeve, is stimulating. Decant it. 14°. 2028-29 Oct 2024" -John Livingstone-Learmonth, DrinkRhone.com
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For more information on the domaine, please find below some notes from Alexandre's US importer, Selection Massale:
After 20 years of managing the family vineyards and bringing fruit to the local cooperative, Alexandre, at the age of 40 decided to start making some wine on his own. In 2019 he bought a parcel outside of the family holding and starts the adventure of the Domaine Alexandre Hote. Grenache, Cinsault, and Syrah on Galets roulés, those big round rocks often found in the nearby Chateauneuf du Pape AOC, on top of clay-limestone subsoil.
Alexandre is a dedicated vigneron, spending most of his time in the vineyards, but his approach to winemaking isn't a second thought. For years he had been experimenting in his garage making tiny amounts of wine. The process is quite simple. A small vertical press, a couple stainless steel tanks, and half a dozen barriques parked in the small chai he built behind his house. His parcel(s) are certified organic or in conversion, using only bouillie bordelaise as treatments, he brings in healthy fruit by the level of ripeness, starts macerations and fermentations separately, and starts tasting meticulously until the final blend comes to mind. Every vintage brings its nuances and experiments, some varieties will be macerated longer, some will be pressed slower, and some will spend some time in barriques, very little is set in Alexandre's young estate. The few rules are more ethical than philosophical. He bottles his Tavel "nature", with no addition of so2, works with gravity, and bottles everything himself with the help of his wife."
