NV Arcane Le Fou Vin de France

‘Le Fou’ (meaning the fool) is an homage to the art of blending as well as a tribute to the Southern Rhone. A multi-vintage blend (the five most outstanding vintages of the last decade: 2010, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017), from ten terroirs of the Southern Rhone (Chateauneuf du Pape, Rasteau, Ventoux and high altitude Cotes du Rhone sites) and using 15 different late-ripening varieties of Grenache (making up 85% of the blend, with the remainder made up of Mourvedre and Syrah), ‘Le Fou’ is designed to showcase the natural complexity of this region to the fullest extent possible. Labelled a Vin du France and using minimal winemaking techniques apart from his unique method of submerging his barrel of Chateauneuf du Pape in a larger barrel of Chateaunuef du Pape to perfectly preserve the fruit, this is Xavier through and through. The result is an incredibly generous wine that perfectly harmonises its young fruit-driven bouquet with exciting peppery spice, wild garrigue-like herbal lavender notes and seductively sweet and silky-smooth tannins. Immensely drinkable and sure to age beautifully for the next 10-15 years, this is a wine that Southern Rhone and Xavier fans will adore. Xavier’s Le Fou unfolds from the glass in layers of rich, ripe strawberries, raspberries and blueberries, lashings of sweet spice and pungent pepper and intoxicating scents of Mediterranean garrigue, including lavender, rosemary, mint and thyme. The body is full yet beautifully balanced by freshness and with superb energy and the mouthfeel is smooth and silky, with dense, velvety, sweet tannins.