Chateâu Pesquié in the Southern Rhône is among the Ventoux appellation’s brightest stars. Cuvée Artemia comes from two vineyards at Château Pesquie – a Grenache vineyard on pebbly limestone that is one of the Chaudiere family’s highest elevation sites, and a Syrah vineyard on alluvial soils at an elevation of 340 meters above sea level. A blend of 80% Syrah and 20% Grenache, the 2022 Ventoux Artemia reflects what family member Fred Chaudière calls "a more northern expression of Syrah." Scents of menthol, pepper, violets and blueberries appear on the nose, while the medium to full-bodied palate is silky, focused and elegant, with a softly dusty finish. It should drink well for a decade or more.