Clos Siguier Cahors 2020

Deep purple in the glass with an amethyst rim. Black cherry, red currant, and cool black tea notes dominate the nose. Succulent red and black fruit, blackberry, plum skin, crushed violets and a whisper of tobacco follow through on the palate, backed by pounded stones. Medium-bodied, great minerality, moderate acidity, structured yet silky, with just enough tannin to keep things interesting.

Composed of 95% Malbec and 5% Tannat. A rustic gem rooted in the heart of Cahors, Clos Siguier is a small family-run estate where tradition meets terroir. Known for their low-intervention methods and hand-harvested grapes, they turned Malbec into something utterly magnetic. It’s Malbec, but French farmhouse chic -- earthy, elegant and wildly expressive. A lighter, more modern style of Cahors.

Winemaker Gilles Bley knows the history of Cahors and can trace his winegrowing roots in the AOC back many generations. His intimate understanding of the Malbec (Côt) and Tannat vines on his 15-hectare estate led to a desire to create wine that highlights this storied region’s unheard potential for delicacy.

Cahors is divided into two distinct terroirs — this appellation is traditionally known for its heavy and brooding black wines that take years to reveal any fruit. These dark tannic wines come from the heavy soil down by the Lot River. Gilles Bley’s vines, by contrast, are on the lesser-known, better-drained terroir, up on the flat terraces above. His wines express the lighter and brighter side of Cahors. He produces wines that are surprisingly bright and fruit-driven with depth of red and black fruit, subtle terroir and silken tannins. Clos Siguier produces wines that are at once readily accessible, but also age-worthy. Drink now or put down for a few years.