France – Domaine Allemand Theusien Rouge “Vieilles Vignes” 2015

Domaine and vineyard

The Domaine Allemand has always been family run, and the passion for viticulture has been passed on from generation to generation. The father of the actual owner was the very first in the area to produce his own wine and, since 1954, all wines have been harvested, made, bottled and sold at the domain. In 1964 the tasting cellar designed by xxx was inaugurated, and from the mid-seventies Marc began working at the domain, taking responsibility for the running of it fifteen years later. Since then the efforts to constantly improve the quality of the wines have continued, culminating in 1984 when the Domaine to become the first in the Hautes Alpes to obtain the ‘Vin de Pays’ label (since 2009 known as  IGP– Indication Géographique Protégée).

The vineyards are near to the Serre-Ponçon dam, between Espinasses and Remollon, below the village of Théüs. The vines stretch along the banks of the river Durance on sunny south facing hillsides at between 650 and 750 metres altitude. The vine parcels are small and dispersed, situated mainly on the alluvial slopes carved out of the hillsides of Théüs. Their limestone clay and very stony soils give a specificity to our terroir which is revealed in all our wines and most particularly in our cuvee ‘Vieilles Vignes’ which is crafted from mollard, the traditional grape variety of this valley.

The grape variety

Mollard (which means literally « little mound » or « little mountain ») is the emblematic red grape variety of the Hautes-Alpes. It forms an integral part of the history of vine growing in these valleys. And yet, in the 1980s, many winegrowers decided to pull up these vines to replace them with international varieties such as Cabernet or Syrah in order to appeal to a large number of consumers. A few plots of Mollard remained in the Hautes-Alpes, but through lack of attention their condition deteriorated, and the variety risked extinction. Mollard is a variety that is particularly well adapted to conditions of altitude and mountain terroir. Wines made from Mollard are beautifully intense ruby red in colour, with spicy, lightly peppery aromas and toasted notes on the nose. In the mouth they are smooth and full of perfectly ripe red fruit. And, what is more, wines made from Mollard are low in alcohol. Harvested at prime maturity, the degree of alcohol never exceeds 12°.

Marc Allemand, like his father before him, has always cultivated the Mollard grape. From the beginning of the nineties, conscious of the potential of this grape and anxious to protect the biodiversity of the region, he embarked on a pioneering project to preserve this historic variety. In collaboration with the French Vine Institute, and with the guidance of France Agrimer, Marc Allemand patiently selected the healthiest and most vigorous plants from his vineyards. After 10 years of work, two of these plants were finally chosen to be preserved and reproduced in order to re-establish the production of Mollard. A rootstock nursery of Mollard was planted in the following years, and looked after by Domaine Allemand. It was a long and costly adventure, but Marc Allemand’s work finally bore fruit with Mollard making its official entry into the official French catalogue of recognised grape varieties in 2005.

The wine

The Domaine Allemand Theusien Rouge “Vieilles Vignes” 2015 is 100% Mollard.

Tasting Note

Date	06 December 2016
Wine name	LE THEUSIEN ROUGE	Vintage	2015
Nation	France	Region	Hautes-Alpes
AOC-DOC	//	Grape Varieties	Mollard
Serving temperature	16-18° C	Alcohol	12
Price (in euro)	8	SO2 (in mg/l)	Nd

Visual Examination		Taste analysis
Limpidity	Limpid	Body	Full
Color	Ruby Red	Balance	Balanced
Consistency	Quite consistent	Soft sensations	Quite Soft
Effervescence	//	Hard sensations	Quite Fresh, Quite Tannic
		Flavors intensity	Quite Intense
Olfactory analysis		Flavours	Red berries
Aroma intensity	Quite Intense
Complexity	Quite Complex	Finish/Persistence	Quite Persistent
Quality	Fine	Overall evaluations
Aromas	Spices, Pepper, Vanilla	Development	Ready
	Toasted bread, Red Fruits	Harmony	Harmonious

Food pairing

The wine is the deal match for mountain hams and mature Queyras cheeses. Very good matching also with Asiatic food or Pizza.

Ancora un nuovo vitigno. Mollard e Domaine Allemand sono una cosa sola, frutto della tenacia di questa famiglia nel riscoprire e valorizzare questo vitigno. Nella versione in purezza il risultato é un vino leggero, da pasto che si beve piacevolmente. Il colore é un bel rubino e i sentori di frutti rossi e spezie sono ben definiti. In bocca il vino é fresco, abbastanza tannico  con un buon finale sempre sui frutti rossi.

Official website: www.domaine-allemand.com