Campagne Sarriere Patience Rouge 2020

Campagne Sarrière is a 7ha estate comprised of a number of small and remote plots in the villages of Peypin D’Aigues, St Martin de la Brasque, and La Motte d’Aigues, all on the south side of the Mont Luberon and with an average elevation of 450 meters. This is an area close to Provençe that is distinguished by its rich architecture of stone hamlets, and by the many waterfalls that flow from its massive forests. The Côtes du Luberon didn’t receive AOC classification until 1988 and is still a bit off the beaten path and is rarely visited by wine professionals. The surface area is spread out among 36 villages and the total hectares under vine are fewer than in Châteauneuf-du-Pape; the entire appellation is contained within the protected zone of the Parc Naturel Régional du Luberon.

After working for domains in Provençe and elsewhere, Ludovic Blairon established Campagne Sarriere in 2017 with the goal of creating an integrated farm that includes diverse crops and animals. He farms according to biodynamic principles and the winery is certified organic; he is one of a small group of vignerons who does not plough his vineyards, preferring to leave the ground completely undisturbed with the exception of cutting the natural grasses twice a year. Ludovic says that his winemaking techniques are original and leave room for improvisation, all in the service of creating wines with a strong personality.

Patience Rouge is made from a single low-yielding parcel of Syrah surrounded by oaks and pines at 400m elevation. The grapes are hand-harvested and fermented in old foudres using indigenous yeasts; the wine is then aged for 12 months in 600L foudre before being bottled by hand, without filtration, and with just 1.5g/L of SO2. This is a classic smoky, bacon-y, black-peppery Syrah with dried-herbs and lots of dark fruit, finishing with earthy, grippy tannins. We had this wine open over 3 days and it never lost an ounce of its appeal, but it did soften up some, and the ripe fruit glossed over the earthier notes—in a delicious way. We could see this wine aging nicely over the next 5 or so years. Have it with the obvious grilled lamb, or French lentils or white beans with garlic, thyme, & rosemary….cheeses to pair with Syrah include some blues like gorgonzola, aged cheddars, & camembert…