Domaine Peter Sichel - IGP Aude Pays de Cucugnan Cucuniano 2022

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About wine:

With Cucuniano, Alexander Sichel champions a Languedoc style with delicate tannins and vibrant juice.

About the estate:

In the 1970s, Peter Sichel founded an estate in Cucugnan out of love for the place. The vines are planted in a steep-sided valley, between 300 and 500 meters above sea level, cooled by a coulis wind. The grapes were sold to négociants until Alexander, his grandson, took over the estate in 2018. Alexander had been selling fine wines to Americans before falling in love with this forgotten family estate, of which he now retains only 13 hectares on the southern slopes of the valley and in the commune of Rouffiac, at an altitude of 500 meters. He has created a collection of modern, precise wines, certified organic since 2022 and set to carry the Biodyvin label from 2025. We love the complex and elegant Roussanne Vieilles Vignes and the reds, which reveal the quality of the terroir and the winemaker's talent.

Jancis Robinson

About wine:

Transparent garnet. A label that is very un-Languedoc-like! The typography is impeccable. Soft and tender, with a lot going on in the background. A very atypical Corbières. The refinement of Bordeaux seems to be present.

James Suckling

About wine:

This red wine from the south of France has striking aromas of dried Mediterranean herbs, candied oranges, and dried cherries, as well as a surprisingly light texture. I like the dry, elegant tannins on the medium-bodied palate. The finish is harmonious and slightly savory. A blend of Syrah, Grenache, and Carignan grapes grown using organic farming methods. Ready to drink or cellar.