SM3
⏳ Drinking Window
2022 - 2027
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Grilled rack of lamb with rosemary, slow-braised beef short ribs, roasted game with black pepper reduction
✨ Technical Specifications
Engineered as an unorthodox multi-vintage and multi-terroir assemblage, this cuvée brings together Syrah and Mourvèdre sourced from distinct micro-terroirs across both the Northern and Southern Rhône. Grapes are harvested from varied substrates, ranging from northern granitic parcels to southern clay-limestone and alluvial river stones. In the cellar, vinification features gentle extraction and temperature-regulated fermentation before maturing in a combination of oak casks and concrete vats. The result bridges the savory, peppery tension of northern continental Syrah with the dense, brooding wild-herb character of southern maritime Mourvèdre.
🍾 About the Producer
Founded in the Rhône Valley in 1999 by preeminent consulting oenologist Xavier Vignon, Maison Xavier Vignon operates as an innovative négociant and estate producer that challenges traditional regional conventions. Combining over 30 hectares of proprietary vineyards—concentrated around Beaumes-de-Venise and parcels across Vacqueyras and Châteauneuf-du-Pape—with long-term grower partnerships, Vignon explores diverse Southern Rhône terroirs characterized by galets roulés, limestone marl, and elevated mountain terraces. Informed by formative cellar experiences in Champagne and across both hemispheres, Vignon's winemaking methodology emphasizes avant-garde assemblage, often blending disparate terroirs, micro-parcels, and multiple vintages in perpetual reserve style. Vinification incorporates gentle extraction, minimal additions, and proprietary aging innovations such as the oxygen-free 'Vinarium' submersion technique. Benchmark cuvées include the multi-vintage Châteauneuf-du-Pape Réserve, the parcel-driven Arcane series, and the flagship Anonyme, each celebrated for mineral vitality, architectural balance, and expressive southern fruit.
🍇 Grapes
Syrah, Mourvèdre
🍷 ABV
14.5%