High‑altitude, old‑vine Chardonnay from Limoux, fermented and aged in older large barrels; tense and mineral with a touch of barrel‑derived roundness.
Named after Jean-Michel Basquiat, who created political and poetical graffiti in New York during the late 1970s under the name of Samo, and whose work Étienne adores. This is Étienne’s still Limoux white from old organically tended vines at high altitude aged in older demi-muids. Only made in the vintages with correct conditions. Reminiscent of some Jura whites and definitely one to try.
Notes on the producer
Prior to 2011, in his early twenties, Étienne Fort used to sell the high-quality grapes from his family's property, the Château St Salvadou, to the local co-op where they ended up in a generic sparkling wine.
With 11ha of older vines in deep limestone-clay soils located at 450m altitude (the highest blocks of vines in the appellation), Étienne knew that the fruit he was giving away was a cut above, and so he decided to produce his first domaine bottled Crémant and Blanquette de Limoux in 2013. Inspired by great Champagnes, all farming is respectful of his exceptional terroir and the fruit is harvested manually.
