Vintage - 2018

Country - France

Region - Cahors

Grape Varieties - Malbec 100%

Alcohol by volume - 13%

Bottle - 75cl

The ever-innovative Emmanuel Rybinski is one of Cahor's up and coming young stars. The 14 hectare vineyard is located atop an iron-rich plateau on the southern border of the Cahors appellation and produces predominantly Malbec with 10% of the vines dedicated to Merlot. Since its inception in 1987, respect for the land has been a priority for this family estate and they have passionately committed to sustainable farming practices. In 2014, Clos Troteligotte was certified in organic agriculture and 2015 saw the beginnings of biodynamic viticulture. Passionate and dynamic, they are producing outstanding, stylishly packaged Cahors wines from their unique terroir. Pronounced with a French K "ka", their flagship wine K-Or is a play on words for Cahors.

A wet winter provided the soils with good water reserves. Glorious weather during the summer of 2018 provided dry conditions with ample sunshine enabling the vines to reach good maturity levels. Yields were down on the previous year, but the quality of the fruit was high, with wonderful concentration of flavour. A very good vintag

The vineyard is cultivated organically, respecting the environment and enabling the maximum expression of terroir. The 25 year old vines are trained according to the simple Guyot method, with debudding and a green harvest taking place during the course of the year to attain a yield of 40 hectolitres per hectare. The soil is calcareous-clay-siderolithic, which is a red clay soil composed of limestone and rich in iron, a rarity in Cahors. This unique terroir imparts minerality and complexity to these outstanding wines. Certified organic and biodynamic.

The micro-plots were vinified separately, without the addition of sulphur during vinification. A cold pre-fermentation maceration took place prior to fermentation using indigenous yeasts. A manual "pigeage" or punching down of the cap extracted the colour and flavours, followed by a long maceration. The wine aged in unlined concrete vats on its fine lees. Minimal sulphur was used at bottling.

A smooth, but dense wine with powerful black plum and berry fruits which are underpinned by a mineral complexity. Concentrated and spicy, with great structure and a long, firm finish. The perfect match for a seared steak, roasted venison, aubergine bakes and hard sharp cheeses.