Giles de Maré
                                           wine selection

Telephone: 01985 844695                     E-mail: giles@demare.org.uk

SIRIUS
Ageing of the wine : The majority of the grapes are vinified in the traditional Bordeaux way: the bunches are totally de-stemmed and the grapes fermented, in vat, at between 27 and 32oC to extract colour and tannins. There follows a period of vatting (15-21 days) to give the wines their characteristic Bordeaux structure and the potential to age well. To maximize the fruit,however, the remaining proportion of grapes undergoes carbonic maceration. Once the different vats are blended, Sirius is aged in French oak barriques for 12 months.
Alcohol volume : 13%  Final blend : 55% Merlot - 45% Cabernet Sauvignon

Vintage information : After a cold, dry winter, the start of the vine vegetation was late. The bud burst was homogeneous and regular. The flowering took place in good meteorological conditions. The summer started with the dry and hot months of June and July enabling a good development of the vine and grapes. August was cooler and the vines were watered on a regular basis with small showers, which forced the vine-growers to remain vigilant against diseases. The harvests started at the beginning of September with the picking of the Sauvignon and Sémillon Blancs. The weather was wonderful and even a bit too hot for the picking of the whites. Many vine-growers were forced to harvest early in the morning to take advantage of the coolness of the night, because temperatures during the day quickly topped 30 degrees. The Merlots matured very quickly during the hot sun of September and the small quantity of rain accelerated even more its maturation. The picking of the Merlots started a little bit after the middle of September and occurred quickly because the maturity was homogeneous and a rain was forecast for the 23rd of September. The Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignons were picked in the last days of September, depending on the maturity of each parcel. We took advantage of the wonderful weather in the Gironde to continue the harvests until mid October in order to obtain wonderful Cabernet Sauvignons, very aromatic and well-concentrated.

Tasting notes (Sichel) : A worthy successor to the 2005, SIRIUS 2006 once again shows itself to be at the summit of its appellation. Intense, deep purple in colour, it displays a nose of fresh black berried fruit and cherry with an expertly dosed hint of oak and vanilla. Sirius presents a harmonious whole with its beautifully concentrated extract which is full, warming and regally elegant in style. The palate offers both the freshness typical of Cabernet and the chewy roundness of Merlot. The elegant tannins, full of finesse, are respectful of the aromatic expression which seems to linger forever.