80% Syrah, 20% Grenache

Food pairings: Grilled lamb, herbed roast chicken, ratatouille, tapenade and aged goat cheese.

Winemaking: The Syrah and Grenache are picked late, at full ripeness, and fermented with indigenous yeasts. The Syrah cold-soaks for five days before a ten-day fermentation in stainless steel, while the Grenache is fermented traditionally in cement tanks. The wine is bottled unfiltered, so a light deposit may form.

Vineyards and terroir: The certified-organic vineyards lie at the foot of Mont Ventoux in Mormoiron. The Syrah grows on deep limestone and the Grenache on limestone and sand. The microclimate is dry, the Mistral keeps the fruit healthy, and the soils are tilled by hand.

Family and history: Marc Pichon bought Domaine le Murmurium in Mormoiron, next to Château Pesquié, and named the wines after his wife, Anne. Murmurium comes from the Latin for “the buzzing song of bees”, an old estate name honored by the crest on the label. The name Sauvage reflects the family's respect for and attachment to nature. After Marc's death, Anne carries on the domaine.

In the pictures: Anne Pichon's vineyards beneath Mont Ventoux; the farmhouse at the domaine; and terraced old vines. Photographs from Cafe Europa, the importer.