Maison Brotte Signature Thibault 2024 is a modern red Côtes du Rhône specially crafted to be enjoyed lightly chilled. Thibault Brotte gives this cuvée a striking twist by incorporating white grapes into the red blend, which softens the tannins and keeps the wine extra fresh and fruity. The style is light, juicy, and aromatic, with red fruit, yellow fruit, and floral notes, packaged in a more responsible bottle made of lighter glass.
This wine comes from the Rhône Valley, within the broad Côtes du Rhône appellation.
• Location / Origin: The grapes come from small-scale winegrowers in the Rhône Valley who have been working with Brotte for decades. Consequently, this cuvée combines regional grape expertise with the house's vinification experience in Châteauneuf du Pape.
• Soil: The vines grow on clay-limestone soils. This soil structure helps combine ripe fruit with freshness and a smooth tannin structure.
• Sustainability: The vineyards are HVE3 certified. This French certification focuses, among other things, on biodiversity, water management, fertilization, and crop protection.
• Vineyard management: Strict pruning is carried out in the winter. This helps control yields and supports even ripening of the grapes.
Signature Thibault Brotte 2024 is a red blend containing both red and white grape varieties.
• Syrah – Côtes du Rhône: Syrah gives the wine red fruit, spiciness, and a fresh, juicy backbone.
• Grenache Noir – Côtes du Rhône: Grenache Noir provides roundness, soft fruitiness, and a supple structure.
• Carignan – Côtes du Rhône: Carignan adds extra tension, freshness, and a light spicy grip.
• Grenache Blanc – Côtes du Rhône: Why white grapes in red? Grenache Blanc refines the tannins and gives the wine a more modern, easier-to-drink style.
• Clairette – Côtes du Rhône: Clairette enhances the fresh, floral side of the wine and contributes to an elegant, almost rosé-like drinkability.
The vinification is focused on freshness, fruit, and soft tannins.
• Harvest & Selection: The grapes are harvested at the very beginning of September and early in the morning. This helps to preserve aromas and freshness before the grapes are processed in the cellar.
• Fermentation: Grenache Noir and Carignan are treated like a rosé wine, with 1 day of cold maceration, gentle pressing, and 36 hours of settling for the must. They then ferment for 4 days in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks at 18–20 °C, so the distinctively fruity character is preserved.
• Fermentation of the other grapes: Syrah, Clairette, and Grenache Blanc ferment at 24 °C and undergo 4 days of maceration. This short extraction limits harsh tannins and preserves the fresh grape aromas.
• Aging: After malolactic fermentation, the wine ages for 3 months in lined concrete tanks. This short aging keeps the wine supple, fresh, and fruit-focused.
• Alcohol content: At 12.5% alcohol, Signature Thibault remains light-footed and suitable for drinking chilled.
