Almost black in colour, the nose is red berries and spice, complemented by nutty and oaky qualities imparted by the barrique barrel fermentation on the palate notes of liquorice are detectable. Producer Details Domaine Berthomieu is a small domaine (26 hectares) in the village of Viella, in the north of the Madiran appellation. The domaine has been in the family since 1850 and Didier Barr is the 6th generation to own and run the domaine. Didier is a real enthusiast, passionate about his wines and respectful of the traditional character of the wine. The wines offer tremendous character and style, some of the best in the appellation. The domaine has two different plots - one on a pebbly, clay plateau to the west of the village facing south towards the Pyrenees, and the other a gravelly slope facing south east to the east of the village. Many of the vines on the estate are between 40 and 100 years old. These older vines yield fewer grapes, but their long roots will extract more mineral character and trace elements. In the Vineyard The 26ha vinyard benefits from mild winters and very dry sunny autumns. Soils are a combination of clay-calcareous and clay-siliceous with vines averaging 50 years of age. Yields are restricted to 45 hectoliters per ha. The red wine harvest takes place around the 20th September, and the grapes are hand harvested