2018 Gonet-Medeville Ambonnay Cuvée Athenais Coteaux

Few red wines are produced in the Champagne region. The Athénaïs cuvée is made from Pinot Noir grapes that have found the nutrients they need to thrive in the chalky soils of Ambonnay. Hand-picked, the grapes are completely destemmed before vinification, which involves punching down the cap and malolactic fermentation in barrels. The wine is then aged in barrels containing 30% new wood. It is bottled 20 months after the harvest. 
Tasting reveals a wine with an attractive, intense ruby red colour and generous notes of red and black fruits, cherries and cocoa. The palate is well-structured, with velvety tannins and a slight bitter aftertaste. This is a wine to be enjoyed within the first ten years of its life and is ideal with grilled meats.