The “Spring Ephemeral” wines are anti-riserva’s and are bottled early to capture the narrow window where the fruit and flower aspects of each wine are at their apogee. The wines are also at their most fresh and energetic making them the perfect accompaniment to the food in the approach to summer. This latest release of Ériu is everything we hope for in such a bottling. This is the easternmost parcel at our site in the desert on the banks of the river. It’s adjacent to Áine, and like that wine is planted with all the traditional grapes from Châteauneuf-du-Pape, but with an emphasis on Grenache. The vines are younger here and the soil is slightly more fertile. We always pick, press and bottle this wine at earlier moments in its evolution than Áine and while it may lack the resonance of that wine it more than makes up for it with charm.

Red Blend – Châteauneuf-du-Pape & Grenache.