What I've been up to, plus a few interesting recent wines

Oh dear. Looking at the date of my last post, it would appear I have written precisely naff all for over 6 weeks. Not good enough, I know, though the reasons are manifold - with downright laziness being just one of them. To be fair, it has been a strange (and occasionally difficult) few months.

I seem to have spent a good part of my time in hospitals and doctors' surgeries, partly for checks on my own health (thankfully everything seems to be OK again) and partly due to the fact that my Mother has been in hospital on 3 occasions since December, firstly with pneumonia and latterly due to the ongoing after-effects. Seems her heart is a bit weak now, but with a few more trips to the doctor, and an ever-increasing daily coctail of drugs (warfarin next, I believe) she is still alive and kicking. And long may it continue - even at 84, she is certainly not the sort to let it get the better of her. She still lives on her own, in her own house and, whilst we have all been a lot more attentive since her illness, she manages pretty well. That said, I go to see her most days, either to do a few odd jobs or just to keep her company, which (having probably not done so as much as I should have in the past) has been really rewarding for me. Whatever happens, she isn't going to be around forever, so I'm glad it has whipped me into shape now, rather than when it is too late. After all, nothing else in life is as important as the ones we love.

Plenty of other things have been going on in my life, too. Much of March and early April were taken up driving around the country doing wine tastings, whilst May has been spent mostly in the garden - including (to borrow the phrase from Spinal Tap) a bizarre gardening accident, in which I tore some muscles in my side and cracked a rib or two. Of course, I have also been drinking a few decent wines and writing my tasting notes on them as I go along. Indeed, this post has been literally weeks in the pipeline. Problem is, with all the other stuff going on, and the resulting lack of time (not to mention the necessary drive and energy) typing everything up has, until now, simply been a chore too far. Let's face it, I don't earn any money from this blog - I do it for my own enjoyment (and hopefully to help my readers pass a pleasant few minutes!). And believe me, transcribing written notes is just about the most boring job in the world, especially since I am no touch typist! I'm actually considering buying one of those fancy tablets with a stylus pen, which would (if everything I read about them is to be believed) enable me to write on a screen and use an "app" to convert it into a text document. It could transform my dull existence and obviate the need for me to sit at the computer so much. Of course, if any of you have some useful advice on alternatives, please do let me know.

Anyway, for starters, here are my notes on some of the best or most enjoyable wines from the past few weeks (with more to come in future posts)...........

Cono Sur Sparkling Brut NV Bio Bio Valley, Chile

Rich, leesy, lime and lemon aromas and flavours, with a a touch of fresh, sweet apple ripeness, all underpinned by a strong mineral streak. Chenin Blanc, Pinot Noir and Riesling all work in perfect harmony, in a bottle that is just in the right place, although I doubt that another year or two more would do it any harm. A lovely friday night aperitif.

Domaine de La Garance Les Claviers 2006 Vin de Pays de l'Hérault

This is a wine that really does take time to open out and show its true colours - in this case, my note is written a full week or more after it was first opened. A hugely complex nose of white flowers, violets, mint, herbs de Provence, mixed spices, lime marmalade, old leather and all manner of white fruits (quince, peach, apricot) and even a suggestion of delicate red fruits. It really is a gloriously complex and flavoursome bottle, with myriad fruit and non-fruit flavours, a touch of tannic grip (even for a white wine) and tangy acidity. Add to that a spicy, herby, southern warmth and you have a quite wonderful wine, with real charm. For a wine that has little added sulphur, it is quite remarkable that it should smell and taste so good, more than a week after being opened. I still have a handful of bottles of this left at £12.95, but once they are gone, that's it.

Domaine La Combe Blanche Pinot de l'Enfer 1998 Vin de Pays des Cotes du Brian

For those of you unfamiliar with Guy Vanlancker's wines, Cotes du Brian has nothing to do with a Monty Python film. Brian (basically pronounced "bree-on" - though you may wish to add a bit of French spit for authenticity) is the local river - though doubtless no more than a trickle in summer - which lends its name for the most local VdP denomination. Indeed, "a local name, for local wines"! This (along with a 2001 Tempranillo from the same l'Enfer vineyard that also showed excellently) was a bottle I had been keeping for a tasting of unusual grape varieties from Languedoc that I presented a couple of weeks ago to Nottingham Wine Circle. It showed very well on the night, but once again (a full week after opening) the last glass was a real treat - which is quite amazing for any Pinot Noir, in my experience. The colour is a quite evolved brick/tawny. It has a wonderful aged Pinot character, more in the way of Claifornia in style than (say) New Zealand or Burgundy, but with a good degree of elegance. Lots of forest floor and rotting red/black fruit aromas and flavours, with classy oak and floral nuances, hints of garrigue herbs and white pepper and lots of secondary/tertiary flavours and a welcome touch of volatile acidity. In fact, after a week, it takes on an almost Musar-like quality. A really lovely wine and even mildly surprising - at least for a 15 year-old Languedoc Pinot Noir. Actually, it is (to my nose and palate) really just coming into its prime drinking window. I wish I had a few bottles left. I must ask Guy if he has any tucked away that I could buy!

Finally (for now at least) I thought it would be nice to try a much younger Pinot from the same stable - in this case an unoaked Pinot from the lower slopes near the village of La Liviniere. I must admit that (for me at least, and the above wine notwithstanding) Guy has yet to really "nail" Pinot Noir. In the Languedoc heat, it tends to have a bit too much of everything for its own good - especially alcohol. And yet....... and yet......

Domaine La Combe Blanche Calamiac Terroir Pinot Noir 2009 IGP Pays Côtes du Brian

This really is rather enjoyable. A pot-pourri of polished wood and leather, damp earth, red cherry, raspberry and bramble, and a whole load of pepper and spice. Even despite the noticeable streak of warming alcohol, it almost seems right for the wine, which (in a curious and totally irrational comparison with Burgundy) is less about the grape than the terroir. A less Burgundian Pinot Noir would be difficult to imagine, but it is full of life and charm and rich with the warmth of the south. And it went beautifully with a barbecued/griddled selection of rump steak, lamb chops and Lincolnshire sausages, with balsamic tomatoes and a pasta salad (remember that nice wether we had last week?). A very yummy wine, which may even get better over the next few years - after all, Guy Vanlancker's wines often reward patience! £10.50 (but only a couple of cases left).

               

Saving the best until last - a couple of outstanding 2009 reds from my latest shipment

Are Saint-Chinian and La Liviniere amongst the finest appellations in the whole of southern France? I think so. Indeed, the wines from these two hilly and rugged areas of the world's largest and most diverse wine region have built a deserved reputation for quality and individuality that is hard to beat - as are the prices. The following pair of wines are the top cuvées made by their respective growers, and both come in at less than 15 quid. They are the final couple of wines on which I have had to write notes from my most recent shipment - and I have definitely saved the best until last..............

Chateau La Dournie Elise 2009 Saint-Chinian

80% Syrah, 20% Grenache (50 year old vines). Part is aged in barrel and part in vat. A deep, blackberry-coloured core with a tiny carmine rim. As with previous vintages of this wine, the nose is wonderfully fragrant and considerably complex, offering aromas of fresh plums, bramble and black cherry, along with that unmistakable hallmark of Syrah grown on the schiste-based Saint-Chinian terroir - garrigue herbs, lilies, violets, black olives and a strong mineral influence. The palate is subtle and balanced, rather than overtly rich, with spice and herb-infused (though not too sweet) bramble, redcurrant and cherry fruit wrapped in a blanket of fine, silky tannins. And you can really taste the earthy, stony minerality, which - in combination with really juicy acidity - provides a firm backbone for the fruit. Add to that the ultra-fine tannins and you have a wine that, although very approachable now, has the capacity to age and evolve gracefully for another 5 to 10 years. Another gloriously elegant wine from this, one of (if not the) greatest estates in the appellation. 14.0% abv. £14.75.

Domaine La Combe Blanche La Chandeliere 2009 Minervois La Liviniere

75% Syrah, 15% Grenache and 10% Carignan, aged for 18 months in old oak barrels. A deep, blood red colour, with a narrow ruby rim. Bramble, red cherries and figs in abundance, with further notes of truffle, spices, herbs and polished leather - a very complex nose indeed. Whilst the flavours are at first rich and intense, with extremely ripe fruit flavours, this wine never loses its focus. Concentrated it may be (and at 15% abv, at the top end of the alcohol scale) but it is also beautifully balanced, with ripe tannins and ample acidity. On day 1, it is intensely spicy, warm and grippy, but never disjointed. By day 2 (or even day 3) it is an absolute joy and everything really does come together - fresh as a daisy, with a captivating nose and full of tangy, dark, fruit pie flavours, slightly earthy (though not particularly savoury), herby, with a touch of licorice on the long, sweet and sour finish. It is a completely brilliant expression of Languedoc Syrah and Grenache, with little or no oak influence to get in the way of such glorious fruit. If ever there was a red wine which you should decant a couple of days before drinking, then this is it. And if you do that - or if you age it for another 5 to 10 years - you will be richly rewarded. 15% abv. For a wine of such quality and breeding, this is an absolute steal at £13.99 - but stocks are limited!

As an aside, it occurs to me that your average (or even more elevated) wine writer or journalist may never fully appreciate a wine like this, for they would have a quick sniff and a slurp, write a cursory note and then move onto the next wine. Have you ever seen a note from a writer about how a wine performs after a day or two in the decanter? No - neither have I. Which is a shame, because I think that one of the curious (and rather wonderful) things about wines from Languedoc and Roussillon is that so many of them really do blossom on day 2. In fact, I have been banging on about it for many a year, as my customers and regular website visitors will be aware - and it is to my eternal surprise that no other merchant that I know of offers such commentary on their wines. Then again, I doubt that many of them get to know each wine they sell as intimately as I know mine - if they have even tasted them at all...........

          

3 more new Languedoc wines

Over the last week or so, I have been enjoying tasting and writing notes on a variety of new wines from two of my very favourite Languedoc growers. As always, it is an arduous task, but somebody has to do it! Here are three more................

Domaine La Dournie Marie 2011 IGP Pays d'Oc

100% barrel-fermented Roussanne. A very pale, limpid straw colour. Delicately perfumed and fresh, offering aromas of orange, nectarine and honeysuckle, with a sprinkling of oregano and basil, very subtle oak nuances and a distinct whiff of mineral/wet stone. Roussanne normally tends to have a rich, slightly oily texture to the palate, but this one is beautifully fresh, fruity and crisp, like biting into a just-ripe nectarine or dessert apple, with soft, citrussy acidity and a streak of stony minerality, which makes for a rather delicious and refreshing orange peel and sherbert tang on the surprisingly long finish. This is a new cuvée from Chateau La Dournie and whilst I have no idea whether it is built for ageing, I'm not sure there is any point - for it is just too delicious not to drink now! 13.0% abv. £11.75.

Domaine La Combe Blanche Calamiac Terroir 2010 Minervois

Carignan, Cinsault, Grenache and Syrah. Guy Vanlancker never fails to make delicious wines, even at the "lower" end of the scale, and this is a classic example of his craft. Fairly deep in colour, with a tiny rim, but a surprisingly elegant and enticing nose - bags of plum and bramble fruit, with something richer and darker like toffee or dried figs, but also a hint of balancing orange freshness. A distinct whiff of aromatic garrigue herbs and a touch of black olive tapenade add savoury elements to what - at this price level - is really quite a complex wine. The palate too has plenty of succulent red and black fruit flavours, again with a hint of toffee and fig, balanced by ripe, supple tannins and ample acidity. This really is quite a contemplative wine - the sort that has you sticking your nose in the glass and keeps you coming back for another drop or two. And how many wines at well under a tenner can do that, these days? Textbook Minervois. 14.0% abv. £8.90

Domaine La Combe Blanche La Galine 2008 Minervois La Liviniere

40% Syrah, plus Grenache, Carignan and Cinsault, aged for 18 months in old oak barrels. Deep purple core with a dark ruby rim. This really is a gloriously perfumed wine, with multi-layered black cherry, bramble and raspberry aromas, accompanied by damp earth, polished wood, leather, fine eau de vie and subtle notes of violet and peony. And whilst slow to come out of its shell, it gets more and more complex after a few hours in the decanter (and positively sings on day 2). The intense summer heat in the vineyards high above La Liviniere means that optimum ripeness is accompanied by relativelly high alcohol, but this is no Parkerised monster. For whilst evidently full-bodied and ripe, it possesses more than a little complexity and real elegance, with a multitude of fresh - rather than baked - red and black fruit flavours, infused with garrigue herbs and again a touch of earthiness. A combination of remarkably fine, supple tannins and juicy, orange-tinged acidity completes the package. The finish is long, spicy, warming, life-affirming - and truly worthy of contemplation. As a winemaker who forever struggles to make ends meet, Guy Vanlancker has not bought any new barrels for over 10 years. But this wine really doesn't need to be dressed up in a cloak of new oak - it is winemaking without a safety net, and with his skills laid bare, Guy has once again fashioned a remarkable wine. And at this price, it really is a steal. You can drink it now, with pleasure, but it should also age nicely for a good few years yet. 14.5% abv. £11.50.

All of these wines, together with the ones I mentioned in my previous post, are now available in the Leon Stolarski Fine Wines online shop - and I commend them to you very highly!

Incidentally, you can now receive notice of new entries on my blog by email. Just add your email address to the box on the right-hand menu (just underneath my mugshot) and click the 'submit' button. You will then receive a notification immediately I post a new entry on the blog.
                   

         

More new wines - Mostly Languedoc, but a couple of interlopers....

Over the past few days, apart from enjoying the sudden arrival of summer, I have also been busy tasting and writing-up lots of new additions to my list - yet more interesting stuff that I have picked up on the secondary market for the "special purchases" section of my website, but also some brand new wines just arrived from two of my very favourite Languedoc growers........

Vina Maipo Sparkling Brut NV, Chile

Chardonnay, Riesling and Chenin Blanc. A really quite complex array of fruity, floral, honey and mineral aromas, together with distinct notes of wet wool and lanolin. Indeed, the profile is much more in the style of a carefully aged Crémant de Loire, with the Chenin (and to an extent, the Riesling) asserting its presence far more than the Chardonnay. And the palate really does live up to the promise of the nose - essentially almost bone dry, but with a delicious combination of zesty/oily citrus and tree fruit, honey, wet stone and lanolin, the flavours of which linger for a long time on the rich, tangy finish. And with what appears to be a year or two of bottle age (as suggested by the nose and the hue) the result is a rather wonderful sparkling wine that is at the same time unusual, complex and utterly refreshing - and will offer plenty of drinking pleasure over the coming summer months. An absolute cracker of a wine. 12.0% abv. £8.75.

Real Companhia Velha Evel Branco 2010 Douro

A blend of Moscatel Galego (a.k.a. Muscat a Petit Grains), Viosinho, Arinto, Fernão Pires. Pale, watery straw/gold colour. Highly aromatic, with lemon oil, peach and apple and subtle notes of flowers and herbs. Quite full-bodied, with a touch of richness, offering flavours of peach, melon and citrus peel and fennel seed. Although quite rounded and warming, it is full of freshness and vitality, with mouth-watering acidity and a tangy/zesty finish. Stylistically, this is not a million miles away from a rather good Languedoc or southern Rhone white. 13.5% abv. Brilliant summer drinking and great value at £8.50.

Domaine La Combe Blanche Calamiac Terroir Roussanne Viognier 2011 IGP Pays Côtes du Brian

Delicate aromas of spiced pear, orange, apple, apricot and peach, with background notes of oregano, fennel and honeysuckle. And although it is aged in oak barrels for 6 months, the effect is minimal - winemaker Guy Vanlancker hasn't bought any new barrels since 2001! The palate is packed with stone fruit flavours and even a hint of fresh grapes, the texture has a slight oiliness, but is zesty and mouth-wateringly dry, with tremendous depth of fruit and delicious orangey acidity. Year after year, Guy Vanlancker makes lovely wine from these 2 grape varieties, and this is one of the best yet. 14.0% abv. £9.70.

Chateau La Dournie Rosé 2011 Saint-Chinian

Syrah, Cinsault and Grenache. A gorgeous pale salmon pink colour, with aromas of raspberry, redcurrant and delicate floral notes. A hint of pear drops - which I find rather fetching in a young rosé - will recede with time in bottle. Soft and gently creamy in the mouth, with lashings of strawberry, raspberry and freshly-squeezed orange flavours, subtle herby nuances and refreshing acidity. The schiste soil on which the grapes are grown adds a typical streak of Saint-Chinian minerality, whilst the finish is long and gently spicy. This is proper wine, bordering on serious, and would give many an expensive Provençale rosé a run for its money. It is brilliant as an aperitif, but equally good with food. 13.5% abv. £9.40.

Domaine La Combe Blanche l'Incompris Cinsault 2011 IGP Pays Côtes du Brian

100% Cinsault. "l'Incompris" means "the misunderstood", which alludes to the fact that Cinsault is usually considered only good for red blends or rosé, rather than as a variety with lots of character, which needs only the hands of a skilled vigneron to make something really rather lovely. The colour of this wine is vivid, dark, but transluscent ruby red. The smell of garrigue herb-infused red cherries, damsons and raspberries simply leap from the glass, accompanied by a touch of polished leather (though I don't believe this sees any oak), exotic spices and eau de vie. Waves of succulent red and black fruit flavours dance across the tongue, in a wine that is rich in flavour, but surprisingly balanced and fleet of foot, in a seamless mix of warm spice, silky tannins and ample acidity. Although no simple quaffer - and although young - this really is a delight to drink now. I have no doubt that it will keep nicely for a good year or three, but why wait, when it is this good? 14.0% abv. £8.50.

Domaine La Combe Blanche Calamiac Terroir Tempranillo 2009 IGP Pays Côtes du Brian

Medium-deep red in colour with aromas of raspberry and loganberry, polished wood and damp earth - lovely and fresh, with a hint of citrus and meaty/savoury notes. The palate shows some real elegance - some tannic grip, but plenty of fruit and acidity to match, with lashings of strawberry/raspberry compote flavours and a nice layer of creamy vanilla. There is no discernible oak influence, but it doesn't need dressing up, for this is packed with juicy fruit. As with the same grower's Pinot, this isn't trying to be anything else (and certainly not Rioja) - it shows lots of Tempranillo character, but is proudly Languedocien. Rich, rounded and lovely - and ready to drink now. 13.5% abv. £9.80.

Domaine La Combe Blanche Calamiac Terroir Pinot Noir 2009 IGP Pays Côtes du Brian

A medium-deep red colour with aromas of summer pudding, apple pie and soft citrus. Hints of new leather, eau de vie, herbs and spices, too, but essentially fruit-driven and remarkably fresh and high-toned. This isn't trying to be Burgundy (Languedoc is too hot!), but it is a wine that deserves to be loved for what it is - namely, identifiably Pinot-esque, but fruity, spicy, gently tannic and full of southern charm and warmth. Despite the 14.5% alcohol, it is nicely balanced, with decent acidity which contributes to a deliciously sweet and sour finish. 14.5% abv. £10.50.

Domaine La Combe Blanche La Galine 2008 Minervois La Liviniere

Deep purple core with a dark ruby rim. This really is a gloriously perfumed wine, with multi-layered black cherry, bramble and raspberry aromas, accompanied by damp earth, polished wood, leather, fine eau de vie and subtle notes of violet and peony. And whilst slow to come out of its shell, it gets more and more complex after a few hours in the decanter (and positively sings on day 2). The intense summer heat in the vineyards high above La Liviniere means that optimum ripeness is accompanied by relativelly high alcohol, but this is no Parkerised monster. For whilst evidently full-bodied and ripe, it possesses more than a little complexity and real elegance, with a multitude of fresh - rather than baked - red and black fruit flavours, infused with garrigue herbs and again a touch of earthiness. A combination of remarkably fine, supple tannins and juicy, orange-tinged acidity completes the package. The finish is long, spicy, warming, life-affirming - and truly worthy of contemplation. And it really does pass the harshest of tests, because it still tastes wonderful at 3 o'clock in the morning (which is when I wrote this tasting note) - and it is a rare wine that can do that for me! As a winemaker who forever struggles to make ends meet, Guy Vanlancker has not bought any new barrels for over 10 years. But this wine really doesn't need to be dressed up in a cloak of new oak - it is winemaking without a safety net, and with his skills laid bare, Guy has once again fashioned something remarkable. And at this price, it really is a steal. You can drink it now, with pleasure, but it should also age nicely for a good few years yet. 14.5% abv. £10.99.

       

Vinisud Part 2 - Domaine La Combe Blanche and Chateau La Dournie

No trip to Vinisud would be complete without a visit to the stand of our good friends Guy and Isabelle Vanlancker, from Domaine La Combe Blanche. Those of you who have followed the progress of Leon Stolarski Fine Wines will know that Guy's wonderful wines are the very reason for our existence in the wine business.

A treasured picture from a few years ago - Guy Vanlancker and his lovely wife Isabelle in the foreground, with TLD and our two rascally young boys

Calamiac Terroir Roussanne Viognier 2011 VdP des Cotes du Brian

This really is fresh as a daisy and completely delicious. No point taking a note, really, as for me it is simply a must-buy - and on first impressions, as good as always, if not better. Will retail at £9.75.

Cinsault l'Incompris 2011 VdP des Cotes du Brian

I don't recall noticing the bottle, but I assume this will be a new label (as distinct from the Calamiac Terroir series). Incompris translates as "misunderstood", and Cinsault has (along with the oft-maligned, but now in-vogue Carignan) traditionally been seen as a blending grape. Indeed, wines based purely (or even predominantly) on Cinsault are pretty rare, although Patricia Domergue makes one at Clos Centeilles, just a couple of kilometres up the road from La Combe Blanche in the tiny hamlet of Siran. And Guy definitely has the knack with Cinsault - his 2007 is a lovely little wine and is still drinking well (I have a couple of cases left, at £9.20 per bottle. l'Incompris 2011 is also a delicious drop - gloriously fruity and aromatic, with soft tannins and juicy acidity. It will be a bit of a steal at £7.99.

Calamiac Terroir Tempranillo 2009 and 2011 VdP des Cotes du Brian

If Cinsault-rich wines are rare in Languedoc, then with Tempranillo, we are very definitely into "hens teeth" territory. Guy planted his in the early 1990's and, although a few others have followed suit, it remains extremely uncommon in Languedoc. The 2011 was a tank sample, and has yet to be bottled, so not available for my current order. It possesses plenty of fruit, accompanied by pepper and spice, though it needs a year or two for the tannins to soften. For now, I will be taking a few cases of the 2009, which is coming nicely into its drinking window. I currently have just a few bottles of 2007 left at £9.20, whilst the 2009 will retail at £9.25.

Le Dessous de l'Enfer 2010 VdP des Cotes du Brian

This is Guy's premium Tempranillo, made only in certain years, in which the best fruit is aged for 18 months in older oak barrels. It is laden with aromas of brambly fruit and spices, with notes of cough medicine, balsam and polished wood. The palate is rich and dense, with firm tannins and a sweet/sour cherry kernel finish. Again, this is not yet available in bottle, but needs time in any case. Good stuff, though!

La Galine 2008 and 2010 Minervois La Liviniere

In effect, La Galine is Guy's "entry level" La Liviniere, but those of you with experience of previous vintages I have sold (notably 2000, 2001 and 2004) will know that it is a serious (and seriously good) wine. I didn't make much of a note on the 2010, but it has a delightful perfume and a silky mouth-feel, and is surprisingly open and luscious now. However, I will be taking the 2008, which is equally delicious and has a couple more years' maturity to it (though it will undoubtedly age nicely for a few more years yet). Will retail at £11.50.

La Chandeliere 2009 Minervois La Liviniere

Despite the undoubted quality of La Galine, this is another notch up the scale, with rich, gently baked red and black fruits, countered by a good deal of minerality and ever-so-silky tannins. A complex wine, which is good to drink already, but has serious ageing potential. Will be £14.50 - and worth every penny!

I will also be importing Calamiac Terroir Minervois 2010 (£8.85) and Calamiac Terroir Pinot Noir 2009 (£9.25), although I didn't make any tasting notes as such - so you will have to wait a couple of weeks for my full tasting notes on the LS Fine Wines website. All good things, etc..... ;-)

The new range of Domaine La Combe Blanche wines should arrive in stock within the next 2 to 3 weeks. Make sure you are on the LS Fine Wines mailing list to be amongst the first to know.

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Chateau La Dournie has been a firm favourite of mine (not to mention my more enlightened customers) for a few years now, although I actually sold out of their wines a few months ago. So I was glad to be able to visit their stand at Vinisud and taste the current vintages before placing an order. Winemaker Véronique Etienne greeted me with a playfully beady eye, no doubt a mock reprimand for having compared Elise 2006 to a very good Cote Rotie (Languedoc winemakers are very proud of their own terroir!) but both my compliment and the comparison were sincere - and of course, she knew it. :-)

The charismatic Véronique Etienne (left) and her very capable assistant, Monique Blok

Chateau La Dournie Rosé 2011 Saint-Chinian

As always, a gorgeous soft rese petal pink colour. Fresh, balanced, wonderfully fruity and elegant, with plenty of Saint-Chinian minerality and a subtle herbiness. This really is proper rosé! I have ordered a few cases of this (projected price £9.50).

Chateau La Dournie 2009 (and 2010) Saint-Chinian
I imported several vintages of this wine, before Majestic discovered it a couple of years back and offered it at a price I couldn't even get close to matching (oh to be able to have such buying power and economies of scale). It is still a cracking wine, though, and these were both delicious - the 2009 has the typical black olive, herb, red fruit and schiste/mineral profile, whilst the 2010 (not yet bottled) is softer and less mineral, but still with plenty of structure.

Etienne 2008 Saint-Chinian
The wine formerly known as Chateau Etienne La Dournie, the name has now been truncated, but the wine is still just as good. Mainly Syrah, plus some Grenache and Carignan, aged in barrel for 1 year. Elegant and highly-perfumed, with aromas and flavours of crystallised fruits and red berries. Grippy, but beautifully balanced, with strong minerality, ample acidity and a good deal of complexity. A really lovely wine, which will be in stock by mid-to-late May (projected price £12.50).

Etienne 2009 Saint-Chinian (tank sample - not yet bottled)

As with the younger Chateau La Dournie, this is currently a little primal and fruit-driven, with the terroir yet to really emerge. Plenty of complexity though, with a rich texture. Needs time.

Elise 2008 Saint-Chinian
The estate's top red wine, made from 80% Syrah and 20% Grenache, aged for 1 year in barrel. Supremely elegant on the nose, with soft red and black fruits, violets, tapenade and a lick of oak. The palate is at the same time velvety and high-toned, with gorgeous fruit flavours countered by orangey acidity, grippy but fine tannins and real mineral depth. Young, and with the structure to age for 10 years or more, but already showing its class. A completely brilliant wine (which I won't dare to compare to anything else - at least not in print!) which will retail at £14.95.

Elise 2009 Saint-Chinian
Another wine which is still to be bottled. As with the other tank samples, it majors on fruit, with a palate of pure velvet. Difficult to assess at this point, but it clearly has the makings of another serious, complex wine.

Marie 2011 IGP Pays d'Oc

An "experimental" dry white which should, by rights, have preceded the reds, although it was almost served to me as an afterthought. Experimental because this is the first vintage of this barrel-fermented 100% Roussanne. Following fermentation, it is left for a further 2 months on its lees. The result is a wine with a very fruity nose, with the (still rather subtle) oak being more evident on the palate, along with some peachy, creamy fruit and good acidity. As this was another wine which had yet to be bottled, I guessed it may have the ability to develop into something really quite interesting, so I have ordered a few cases, which will retail at around £11.95 a bottle.

Again, our new range of Chateau La Dournie wines should arrive in stock within the next 2 to 3 weeks. I can't wait!
            

"Merchant Speak"? Nonsense! Besides, it all turns out alright in the end......

As with most things in life, there are certain rules to be observed when you are a wine merchant. Then again (as with most things in life) rules are there to be broken. And I have to admit that there are occasions - although very rare - when I break the golden rule and buy a few cases of a wine that I haven't actually tasted. You know how it is when you are buying something (or things) and find yourself needing to "top-up" your order for some or other reason. So you take a punt on an unknown, because the seemingly attractive price means you have little to lose. And so it was with this wine.

Domaine La Combe Blanche La Vigne de l'Homme 2006 Minervois

I can't remember the exact reason, but I have a feeling that this was a wine that I felt might sit nicely at an "entry level" price point, £1.50 or so cheaper than La Combe Blanche's "standard" Calamiac Terroir Minervois (although the brilliant "premium" cuvées of La Galine and La Chandeliere aren't exactly expensive, at £11 and £14 respectively). When I actually tasted it, I described it thus.....

"Sweet and sour red and black fruit flavours, spice and liquorice, with firm tannins and a nice lick of acidity. This is a robust, earthy wine, with plenty of tannic structure, which softens-out nicely after an hour in the decanter, but needs food to show its best ."

Looking back, it was certainly all of those things, but I couldn't help feeling I was sugaring the pill a little. To say it needed food was another way of saying that it was...... a bit rustic. Fast forward a year or so, and I thought it was about time to see how this wine was developing (or, perish the thought, not developing)......

Well, as the saying goes, you could have blown me down with a feather. The nose is a heady mix of black cherry and bramble fruits, spices, garrigue herbs, cedar and kirsch, whilst on the palate, those tannins (which I admit now were a bit fierce at the time) have softened considerably, to reveal a wine of not inconsiderable charm. The black fruits, spice and liquorice are still present and correct, but the feel has become smoother and far more balanced. Delicious black forest gateau and fruitcake flavours and a touch of mandarin orange tanginess come to the fore - rich, but not overly so, with plenty of acidity to balance the core of sweet fruit. I'm not about to suggest this is now a beautiful swan of a wine, but it is no ugly duckling anymore either. In fact, if you poured this wine into a Rhone bottle and served it blind, many an experienced taster would probably be guessing at a rather good Cotes du Rhone Villages. It is rich, fruity, spicy and full of southern warmth - and really rather delicious.

I remember that on numerous occasions winemaker Guy Vanlancker has opined that some or other wine of his is "not ready yet" and (apart from the occasional 15% abv Pinot Noir that I feel might never become balanced) I think he may have a point. Having said that, he did bottle this one under those awful solid plastic "corks" that are usualy used for wines that require early consumption, so perhaps even he didn't see this particular wine as a keeper. To be honest, after almost 9 years of experience with Guy's wines (long-standing customers, or those that follow this blog, will know that he is one of the main reasons I started a wine business in the first place) I am only just beginning to get my head around them. For there is hardly a wine in his considerable portfolio that I have tasted over the years that hasn't just got better and better..... and better. And this is a classic (if rather humble) example.

If you have some of this wine (which is doubtful, because I have frankly sold bugger all) then try a bottle, and I think you will be pleasantly surprised. If you haven't, the I suggest you get some now, because it will put a rather inexpensive smile on your face! £6.99.

      

A couple of delightful weekend reds

Domaine La Combe Blanche Minervois 1989

Yes, you read the vintage correctly! This bottle is part of a case that I bought from winemaker Guy Vanlancker for the princely sum of 120 Euros (which works out at around £9 a bottle) and has provided pleasurable drinking over the last year or two. Granted, at over 22 years of age, it is hardly in it's first flush of youth, but for what is essentially Guy's "basic" Minervois, it has lasted remarkably well. As far as I can recall, it is an un-oaked blend of Syrah, Grenache, Carignan and Cinsault. It offers some really quite complex aromas of forest fruits, damp earth and a subtle savouriness, with notes of garrigue herbs, soft spices and old leather. And it certainly isn't difficult to spot the Syrah in the blend, as there are definite hints of violets and lilies. The palate is initially quite reticent and earthy, with delicate flavours of cherry and redcurrant, subtle herby and spicy nuances and a hint of licorice. It even seems to fade quite quickly in the glass for a while, but once the bottle has been open for an hour or two, the aromas and flavours really begin to blossom - which, to be honest, is the opposite of what I expected. There's still a touch of sweet bramble lurking in there, allied to sour red fruits, with wonderful acidity and even a touch of tannic grip. As I type, it is almost 8 hours since I opened the bottle and the final glass is definitely the best. It really is quite delicious, with a sweet and sour finish that lingers for a good while. I sill have 2 or 3 bottles left, and on this showing, they should provide some lovely drinking over the next year or two. Who says Languedoc wines don't age? 12.5% abv.

Domaine Michel Gros Bourgogne Haut Cotes de Nuits 2005

This, on the other hand, is a relatively youthful wine, which has taken a full 24 hours to really show it's class. When I opened it last night, it was a touch closed and primary, but it has now opened-up into a  fine example of it's kind. Wines from the Haut Cotes (being just one step up from basic Bourgogne Pinot Noir)are often considered to be relatively light and inconsequential, when compared to the Village and 1er cru wines, but when they are made by a good grower in a good (or in this case potentially great) vintage, they can provide wonderful drinking. And this one has all the attributes one could possibly expect from "lower end" Burgundy. The nose is essence of Pinot Noir - bright cherry and raspberry fruit aromas, forest floor, soft spice, leather, orange peel. There's a touch of oak influence too, but it seems totally in keeping with the fruit and adds complexity. The so-called experts will tell you that it is impossible to gauge acidity (or sweetness) from the nose, but when you stick your nose in the glass, you just know it is going to be there. And so it goes - a gloriously balanced wine, with ripe red fruit flavours, married to just the right amount of wood and grape tannin and truly mouth-watering acidity. Being from the higher slopes (somewhat relative, as there are no really big hills in Burgundy) it is essentially fairly light-bodied, yet with sufficient concentration and complexity to satisfy any Burgundy lover. Incidentally, I once read a comment on a wine forum, by a rather stuffy person fitting that description, along the lines that Burgundy has less to do with the grape than the terroir. The suggestion being that Burgundy would make great red wines, whatever grape variety was planted. Which, frankly, is just about as anally-retentive and pretentious a comment as I've ever heard about wine. Nevertheless, this is perhaps the sort of wine that could persuade lovers of new-world Pinot (or indeed Pinot from anywhere else) that Burgundy really is the best place in the world to grow Pinot Noir. It's just a shame about the prices - although this one was a relative bargain at £16 a bottle (and you can still buy it, in the Lay & Wheeler Sale). 13.0% abv.

Coincidentaly, my next post will feature my notes from a rather excellent recent tasting of white and red Burgundy wines from the 2004, 2005 and 2006 vintages.

     

Two very different Vins de Pays - and a heart-warming Open Championship victory for one of golf's good guys

Yes, I'm still here! As I mentioned in my previous post, I've been feeling pretty lousy recently, and the after-effects of my flu virus have lingered for far too long. Thankfully, after 2 long weeks of feeling pretty sorry for myself, I almost feel human again, thanks to a decent night out on Saturday, a bit of positive thinking and a few Sudafed tablets. I've even enjoyed a few glasses of wine over the last 2 or 3 days - which is a relief, after having consumed what amounts to a total of no more than 2 glasses in the previous 10 days. Here's a couple of really nice ones for starters, both of which are available via my website;

Domaine La Combe Blanche Calamiac Terroir Cinsault 2007 VdP des Cotes du Brian

I thought I'd give this a road test, since I haven't had a bottle for a year or more and I wanted to see how it is evolving. At getting on for 4 years old, it is still heady with the scent of bramble fruits steeped in eau de vie, but is now beginning to develop some genuine complexity. There's a real savoury quality to it, with beef, game, polished leather, forest floor and bready notes mingled in with the fruit, with garrigue herbs and even a touch of mint lurking in the background. And that preserved fruit and savoury theme certainly continues through to the palate, which - combined with juicy acidity, fine but grippy tannins and a touch of bitter-sweet dark cherry - makes for a wine with a deliciously sweet and sour quality. Add to that a touch of warming alcohol and more than a hint of spiciness and it all adds up to a wine of real southern character - not big, not soupy, not hot, but rich, characterful and warming, with a delightful freshness. A bit of a bargain at £9.20.

Domaine de Trévallon 2003 Vin de Pays des Bouches du Rhone

Despite the very hot vintage - and what turned out to be by far the earliest harvest in the history of the estate - this has many of the attributes of classic Trévallon. The nose offers remarkably fresh aromas of blackcurrant, raspberry and damp undergrowth, along with a distinct note of violets and a very slight herbiness and savouriness at the end. The palate is equally fruit-laden, displaying plenty of ripeness, without being too rich or soupy. And whilst the tannins are a little more dusty and grippy than in a "normal" vintage, they are fairly ripe, leaving an impression of dark, bitter chocolate, rather than any feeling of greenness. There is also a core of delightfully fresh, almost lemony acidity - I don't know if there was any re-acidification in this vintage (and if there was, who could blame them) but if so, it has been very skilfully done. The finish is grippy and quite dry, but there is more than enough fruit and acidity to keep the tannins at bay. Whilst this may not go down as a classic Trévallon vintage, it is nevertheless an extremely interesting and enjoyable wine, which every Trévallon aficionado should have in their cellar, which is beginning to drink well now and should soften-out and evolve nicely for another 5 to 10 years. £39.95.

I can't sign off without a few words in praise of one of the genuine good guys in sport - the 2011 Open Golf champion, Darren Clarke. As a keen golfer myself, I have followed Darren's career since he came onto the scene in the early 1990's. Blessed with an elegant swing and a cheery demeanour, he was always a fans' favourite. But whilst he won the odd big tournament and was for some years one of the European Tour's highest ranked players - not to mention a stalwart of the European Ryder Cup squad - he never managed to win an elusive "Major" title. When Darren's wife Heather died in 2006, after a long battle with breast cancer, golf must have been just about the least important thing in life. But a few weeks later, swept along by a huge tide of emotion and affection from the Irish fans, he contributed 3 vital points towards another Ryder Cup win for Europe, whilst his courage and dignity cemented his position as one of (if not the) best-loved golfers of his generation. From there, it would have been easy for Darren Clarke to fade into the background, thinking his best days as a golfer were behind him - and for a while, he probably did.

Darren Clarke holes the winning putt to become 2011 Open Champion

And then, 5 years later and as if from nowhere, he suddenly found himself at the top of the leaderboard, going into the final round of The Open. He'd been in such a position on a couple of occasions before, but could never quite convert the lead into a victory. Until this weekend, when it all came together in the most glorious way. It is easy for me to say now, but for some reason, I just knew he was going to win this one. I don't think I have ever seen a golfer look so happy, so comfortable, so serene in "leading from the front" - a combination of great shot-making, pure ball-stiking, solid putting and a hitherto unseen self-confidence ensured that he never put himself under any pressure. To be fair, neither did his nearest challengers, perhaps because they - like me and no doubt countless others - realised that their efforts would be futile and that this was destined to be Darren Clarke's Open. Perhaps the golfing gods - and maybe even his very own angel - were smiling down on him this time - or perhaps it was simply written in the stars. And when that final putt went in, it was all I could do not to burst into tears (TLD was in the room, and I do have some pride!) but boy was I shaking inside. After the sad death of Seve Ballesteros earlier in the year, this was an occasion to warm the heart of every true golf fan. And it was lovely to see Darren's parents and his new fiancée there to enjoy it - and also to see his fellow competitors offering their heartfelt congratulations to one of the sporting world's genuine good guys. It was a truly memorable and utterly deserved win for a lovely man. Well done Darren Clarke.

    

Weekend wines - a nine year-old Mosel Riesling, a 22 year-old Minervois(!) and a rather lovely 2005 Banyuls

Domaine La Combe Blanche Minervois 1989

Never let it be said that Languedoc reds don't age. I may even have blogged about another bottle of this wine, sometime in the past, since I have (or had) more than a dozen bottles, which I picked up for around 10 Euros a bottle from winemaker Guy Vanlancker's private "library" collection. To be honest, it is probably now a few years past its absolute peak, but it still provides enjoyable drinking. The colour is blood red, with a definite amber hue, whilst the nose offers secondary red and black fruit aromas with hints of polished old wood, incense, soft spices and forest floor. The palate is a gentle mix of aged raspberry, bramble and cherry, with subtle herby/spicy/savoury notes and a hint of eau de vie, with a slight bitter cherry kernel finish. For a humble Minervois at the grand old age of 22 years, which undoubtedly was not designed to age for decades - and which, incidentally, received very little in the way of oak-ageing - it is quite remarkable. Even more so, considering we drank this over 2 evenings, and it was still going strong by the time we finished the bottle. 12.0% abv.

Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt Scharzhofberger Riesling Spätlese 2002 Mosel Saar Ruwer
I sold a few cases of this in the none too distant past, but kept just a few bottles back for myself. It has a lovely, complex nose of lime zest, orange, apricot, nettle and wet slate, with a hint of fresh root ginger and just a suggestion of petrol. There's even an enticing note of fresh emulsion paint - which I find rather alluring. Swathes of lime and lemon fruit caress the palate, with a core of intense, tingling acidity and slatey minerality that is simply mouth-watering. Yet there is also an underlying richness, courtesy of some beautifully ripe fruit, with suggestions of apricot, clementine, sweet apples and subtle spicy notes. There is purity and focus, with lovely acidity combining beautifully with ripe, only fleetingly sweet fruit. This will undoubtedly evolve for a good few years yet, taking on more of those classic Mosel Riesling mineral and petrol nuances, but I love where it is at right now, whilst it still retains some of that lovely fruit. 8.0% abv.

Domaine Pietri-Geraud Cuvée Méditerranée 2005 Banyuls

It is difficult to compare and contrast this particular vintage with the 2003, because they are quite similar in so many ways. Then again, 2003 was such an unusual vintage, due to the (in)famous heatwave, that the full-on richness inherent in such a vintage would be hard to replicate. Having said that, the fact that this wine is matured for no less than 4 years in old barrels, outside and exposed to the elements of all four seasons, means that there really isn't that much difference. And make no mistake, this is another delicious Banyuls. Bonfire toffee, Christmas cake, roasted mocha, prunes in eau de vie, Seville oranges, marmalade and polished old wood are just a few of the aromas which greet the senses on the first sniff, along with a definite hint of damp earth/forest floor. And whilst the flavours are a shade less dense than the 2003, there's a degree of subtlety and elegance in their place, with the aforementioned toffee and fruitcake qualities accompanied on the palate by flavours of crystallised red and black fruits and almost fresh orange acidity, whilst whatever tannin remains is tempered by a level of sweetness that is comforting, rather than cloying. There's a warming touch of eau de vie on the finish, but you almost don't notice it, because it gets buried beneath those fruit flavours, which go on and on for an age - and at just 16% abv, this is a fortified wine which majors on fruit, not alcohol. In fact, as I write this note, I'm tempted to say that I actually prefer this vintage to the 2003 (I have a bottle open, by way of comparison). It really is a quite wonderful wine, and a relative bargain at £18.79.

     

More new wines

Apart from all the other things I have to do at the moment (day job, car mechanics for son(s), odd jobs for my mother, shovelling snow, cooking, packing wines etc!) I also currently have the somewhat more enjoyable task of tasting through lots of new wines and writing them up for my website. Here are are my notes on four more wines, enjoyed over the last couple of evenings (and no - we haven't finished them all!) which I have recently added to the website;

Domaine La Combe Blanche Calamiac Terroir Roussanne Viognier 2008 Vin de Pays des Côtes du Brian

Delicate aromas of melon, apricot, quince and tropical fruits, with background notes of oregano and fennel. Although this is aged in oak barrels for 6 months, the effect is minimal - for reasons I have stated before on my blog, winemaker Guy Vanlancker hasn't bought any new barrels since 2001! The palate is packed with flavours of fresh quince, stone fruits and lemon zest, yet infused with a herby, spicy, almost savoury quality. Although the flavours are quite rich, the overall effect is of a bone-dry wine, with a backbone of refreshingly zesty acidity and a commendably long, spicy finish. £8.99

Chateau Rives-Blanques Sauvageon 2009 IGP Pays d'Oc

Sauvignon Blanc, from vines planted as recently as 2006. Sauvignon is not a variety permitted by the Limoux AOC, so this has to be labelled as a vin de pays, but it benefits from the same barrel fermentation and ageing as the Cuvée de l’Odyssée Limoux Chardonnay from the same grower (full tasting note to follow). And it makes for a really interesting, quirky wine. The colour is a quite a pale gold, with green tinges. The nose is gently oaky, but with lots of other aromas, such as lime and mandarin, apple, fennel, cloves and herbs. There are some backround herbaceous notes, but this is a far cry from the minerally, occasionally lean wines of Sancerre and the overtly fruity, herbaceous wines of New Zealand - but it remains recognisably Sauvignon. The palate also shows a touch of oak, but it is very skilfully done and adds structure, rather than dominating, with some quite intense flavours of orange zest, honey and apple pie, with ample (but not high) acidity and a nice, long, spicy finish. A really interesting and quite lovely wine.

Domaine La Combe Blanche La Vigne de l'Homme 2006 - Minervois

Bright ruby/blood red colour, with a mix of primary and secondary fruit aromas (wild strawberry, raspberry, cherry), garrigue herbs and hints of polished wood and sous-bois. The palate shows sweet and sour red and black fruit flavours, spice and liquorice, with firm tannins and a nice lick of acidity. This is a robust, earthy wine, which has plenty of tannic structure, which softens-out nicely after an hour in the decanter, but needs food to show its best - a hearty winter stew or cassoulet would do very nicely! Not serious, but a nice entry-level Minervois. £7.50.

Chevalier Vins Concertino 2008 Corbières

This is yet another wine from the  Brigitte Chevalier stable, which I am enjoying as I type - and it is yummy! Opaque purple/blood red core, with a narrow ruby rim. Bramble, cherry and plum skin aromas, with notes of savoury, tar and undergrowth. The palate is rich and full of bramble and black cherry fruit flavours, and nicely savoury/meaty, with gentle spices thrown in for good measure. Rich, chocolatey tannins, allied to those soft fruits and excellent acidity make for a juicy, sweet-and-sour style of wine. It isn't complex, but it is a really delicious wine, which is both food-friendly and nice to drink on its own. £8.50.

Right - I'm off to prepare dinner for TLD and I, before settling down to watch Match Of The Day!

     

Two lovely mature(ish) wines enjoyed over the last couple of nights - and some thoughts on the plight of a struggling Languedoc winemaker

Here a some thoughts on a couple of wines I have enjoyed over the last couple of evenings - both quite mature and both rather lovely. And there is a real story behind the second one, so please bear with me and you'll hopefully get an impression of how difficult life is for so many vignerons in the south of France - even some of the best.

Domaine La Colombette Lledoner Pelut Demi-muid 2004 Vin de Pays des Coteaux du Libron

I opened this last night, and what a lovely surprise - I expected it to be good, but not this good! Lledoner Pelut is said to be a "hairy-leafed" close relative of the Grenache variety - some say it is probably one and the same grape, but I doubt it, for this wine is more elegant and refined than just about any Grenache I have tasted. The colour is medium-deep carmine red at the core, leading to a wide, light ruby red rim, with subtle shades of amber – in other words, it is beginning to show some signs of maturity. The nose was a touch bretty/funky on first pouring, but there is a lovely core of ripe red and black fruits lurking in the background. And it doesn’t take long before most of the funkiness dissipates to reveal heady scents of damsons and wild strawberries, complemented by subtle notes of forest floor and very carefully judged oak. There is also a suggestion of cherry and orange peel. Add to that a mix of garrigue herbs and exotic spices, and what you get is a very alluring wine with more than a degree of complexity. And the palate certainly lives up to the promise of the nose – the fruit is a delightful combination of sweet and sour, with elegant flavours of raspberry and redcurrant, countered by a touch of spiced bramble richness. Fine tannins and a mouth-watering backbone of juicy acidity complete the package. Lledoner Pelut may well be a variation of Grenache – and it has certain similarities when young - but at almost 6 years of age, this wine has begun to take on more than a hint of Burgundian Pinot Noir character. It has turned into a wine of great elegance and finesse, and I suspect that it has the potential to develop even further over the next 5 years. Indeed, the last glass, consumed tonight, after the bottle had been open for 24 hours, was still lovely and fresh. This is a wine that has, for some reason, been very slow in selling and I was about to put my last 16 bottles or so into an up-coming bin-end sale. But I’ve now decided to keep a half dozen back for myself, to enjoy over the next few years – and leave the remaining bottles for eagle-eyed customers to fight over, at the regular price of £13.95. Which, on this showing, is an absolute bargain!

Domaine La Combe Blanche La Galine 2001 Minervois La Liviniere

I opened this wine tonight - and got just as much of a pleasant surprise as with the Lledoner Pelut. I'll tell you why, after I've told you how good it was. It is quite a mature colour, blood red at the core, with a wide, semi-transluscent ruby/amber rim. The nose has bramble, wild strawberry and orange peel, married to classy cigar box/polished wood aromas, not to mention garrigue herbs, cinnamon, cloves and eau de vie - imagine, if you will, a box of mixed fruits, herbs and exotic spices, left to infuse inside an old wardrobe(!) The palate is equally complex - rich and brambly, but imbued with a softness and lightness of touch borne of 9 years of maturity. It has all manner of crystallised fruit flavours, tea, orange, lovely acidity, fine tannins and a long, warm finish. Not that all those aged aromas and flavours mean that this is over the hill. Far from it - 2001 was one of the greatest Languedoc vintages in recent memory, and a wine as good as this certainly has the structure to go on for a number of years yet. It is just lovely, and reminds me yet again why Guy Vanlancker and his wines were so instrumental in me starting a wine business in the first place.

So why was this wine such a pleasant surprise? Because it is a sample bottle! Guy rarely does things the simple way, and this is a classic example of his somewhat eccentric way of doing things. La Galine is one of the wines Guy makes only in the better vintages. When I first started my business (in late 2003) the vintages available to me were the 1999 and 2000. I took the slightly more forward 2000 first, then eventually moved onto the later-maturing 1999. Next up was the 2003 vintage, which Guy only released for sale about a year ago. When I met up with him on my recent holiday, he gave me samples of most of his current releases, which included the 2007 La Galine..... and the 2001.

Which begs the question, where has this wine been for the last 9 years? Great winemaker that he is, Guy is (much like me) pretty useless as a businessman/salesman. And the sad fact is that he makes more wine than he can comfortably sell, especially in the better vintages, when he has (historically, at least) made more of his top cuvées. And as we all know, top cuvées cost more to make, take longer to reach the bottling stage and are more expensive/difficult to sell. And unsold wine means less cashflow. As a result, Guy has not bought any new barrels since 2001 - he simply can't afford them. All of the wines he makes now are aged either in vats or in barrels of around 10 vintages or more. And, last time I was there, his cramped winery in the village of La Liviniere was still crammed full of barrels, in some places from floor to ceiling.

With the spectacular 2001 vintage, Guy probably made more of his premium cuvées than ever. The brilliant La Chandeliere 2001 has long since sold out, and I also recently sold the last of my stocks of the (almost as good) Clos du Causse 2001. And I suspect that this La Galine 2001 has been sitting in vat or barrel(s) in some inaccessible corner of his cellar for all that time, waiting for the other 2001's to sell out. I am almost certain that it hasn't been in bottle for that long, because it is sealed under a different cork - Guy's corks used to be embossed with "La Combe Blanche", whereas they now just say "Mis en bouteille a la propriete" (after all, when every cent counts, extra frills mean unneccessary expenditure). And the label is of the more "modern" design that Guy introduced a few years back. Furthermore, winemakers must pay taxes on wines they hold in bottle, so it makes financial sense only to bottle a wine when it is actually released for sale. So what we have here is a brilliant, semi-mature wine, which is only now available not because of a deliberate marketing strategy, but because of stark financial reality. It is great for merchant and punter alike, to be able to obtain such mature wines at very reasonable prices, but it is bad for the winemaker - and only serves to highlight the perennial struggle that so many vignerons in Languedoc face, merely to keep their heads above the water.

To be honest, I don't know whether to feel happy or sad. I got into the wine business because I wanted to work alongside and with wonderful people like Guy Vanlancker. And it would give me almost as much pleasure to see Guy get that fancy house and winery up in the hills that he dreams of, as it would for me to see my own labours in the wine business finally bear fruit. The fact is, that is not likely to happen without some much-needed investment.

Tasting barrel samples in Guy Vanlancker's cellar in August 2003 - many of those barrels were fairly new at the time, but no new ones have been added since then.

Incidentally, I also opened my bottle of La Galine 2007 the other night, although I did so quite late in the evening, so wasn't really in the right frame of mind to give it the attention it deserved. Revisiting it now (a good 3 or 4 days after opening) I have to say it really is good. Whilst it lacks the sheer complexity of the brilliant 2001 (and, of course, has very little oak influence) it has a delicious core of both fresh and crystallised fruits, garrigue and spice, with some very faint cedary/sous bois notes. The palate is fresh and full of vitality and, despite the lack of any oak component, it has the structure in its own right to age nicely over the next 5 or more years. After all, great winemakers will make great wine, whatever the constraints placed upon them.

       

Look out for the 2001 when it arrives in stock at the end of the summer. At a guess, I would say the price will be no more than about £12.

   

En vacances 4 - visits to Domaine de Cébene, J M Alquier, and the wonderful Languedoc scenery

All of a sudden, we've reached the last full day of our holiday. I am always sad to leave such a wonderful place, but a little bit of me always misses home. But this time - perhaps for the first time ever - I can see very few virtues in our impending return home! Obviously, we are looking forward to seeing Alex and Daniel again (though Dan is flying off to Corfu for 2 weeks on Monday morning) but I think TLD and I would have been glad to spend at least a few more days (or even weeks) in this beautiful place. Still, all good things must come to an end and I am consoling myself with the fact that the weather in the UK sounds as if it is almost as good as here. Somehow, though, a 3 bedroomed semi-detached house on a busy main road in urban Nottinghamshire seems a poor substitute for a beautiful house with a swimming pool in rural Languedoc. And I have to go to work on Monday. :-((

Never mind - onwards and upwards, as they say, and I also have a business to run, which I can't really do from here. And there's also a great summer of sport to look forward to, with the Open Golf Championship, the World Cup and, of course, Le Tour.

All in all, we have spent a bit of a lazy few days here in our hideaway in Laurens. Sunday and Monday, we pretty much stayed at the gite, lazing by the pool and cycling around the deserted backroads of the Faugeres countryside in the evenings, when the air was a little cooler. Tuesday was busier, as Jonathan Hesford came over to visit us. We drove to the nearby village of Caussiniojouls to meet up with Brigitte Chevalier of Domaine de Cébène and Guy Vanlancker of Domaine La Combe Blanche. Brigitte took us to see one of her vineyards, situated on an elevated and terraced mound no more than a couple of kilometres outside the village. This south-facing side of the vineyard is planted with Mourvèdre, whilst the north-facing side is planted with Syrah, the idea being that the later ripening Mourvèdre gets more of the sun, whilst the less demanding Syrah benefits from the slightly longer growing season of the north-facing situation. It is all relative, though, on a hill which sees a great deal of sun on all sides - especially on the day we visited! For a more detailed low-down on these wonderfully situated vineyards, and about Brigitte herself, see Tom Fiorina's excellent article on his blog, The Vine Route. Meanwhile, here are some photos.........

With Jonathan Hesford, Guy Vanlancker and Brigitte Chevalier - an awful lot of winemaking talent!

If you didn't know what schist "soil" was, then here it is -
- this metamorphic shale-based rock strata is a feature of the Faugeres terroir

Brigitte Chevalier's terraced vineyard, seen from the north

After looking at the vines, we repaired to Brigitte's cave, where we tasted the soon to be bottled 2009 Faugères cuvées of Les Bancels and Felgaria and also the 2009 Ex Arena, a Grenache/Mourvèdre blend from vines grown further south in the Languedoc, closer to the sea. All were really lovely, and worthy successors to their 2008 counterparts. Rather annoyingly, I seem to have misplaced my notes on these wines, for the time being. If/when they turn up, I'll publish them in due course. I hope the bottle of La Combe Blanche Pinot Noir that Guy kindly gave me also turns up somewhere, too!

After a lengthy tasting session, which also included some of Brigitte's other wines (made in collaboration with growers in Faugères, Minervois and Corbières) and the latest vintages from Domaine La Combe Blanche, we dined at a new restaurant in nearby Bédarieux. A three-course menu of salmon paté and salad, huge mussels stuffed with sausage meat accompanied by rice and a lovely curried sauce, and a simply wonderful chocolate cake and ice cream proved and interesting (and totally delicious) accompaniment to a load of red wines!

After we bade farewell to Brigitte and Guy, Jon, TLD and I made a quick visit to taste the wines of Jean Michel Alquier in the town of Faugères. A white Vin de Pays made from Roussanne and Grenache Blanc was delicious, as of course were his better-known red Faugères cuvées. I didn't make any notes, but I did buy a bottle of the white and a bottle of his young-vine red. I'll post notes when I eventually broach them.

Jonathan Hesford talks shop with Jean Michel Alquier

Wednesday was another lazy day by the pool, whilst on Thursday we drove south to spend a few hours on our favourite beach at Marseillan. When we returned in the evening, we put the bikes in the back of the car and drove 25 kilometres or so north-west to Mons. After almost 20 years of coming to Languedoc, I had never seen the Gorges de l'Heric, which carve their way for a good few kilometres through the Monts de l'Espinouse, a range of mountains in the Parc Régional de Haut Languedoc with jagged peaks reaching to around 1,200 metres (almost 4,000 feet) above sea level.

A view from the road, near the bottom of the Gorges de l'Heric

A small road, which is closed to public cars, runs up through the gorge, climbing at a fair old gradient for most of the way. The scenery is spectacular yet tranquil, especially in the hour or two before sunset, when most of the daytime tourists have gone.

Looking a bit knackered after climbing a few kilometres of the Gorges de l'Heric

Although the steep ride proved a little too much for TLD to handle, she did get part of the way up, before stopping for a rest. I went on a kilometre or two further, which probably took me a good few hundred metres up, as the road continued to climb at a very steep gradient - at a guess, I'd say it is somewhere around 11 or 12%. I was quite pleased with myself for having got as far as I did before turning around and going back down. There are steep drops down to the river at every turn, so the descent was quite scary, and my hands were certainly tired from all the braking, by the time I got back to where TLD was waiting. Nevertheless, I enjoyed it immensely and fully intend to return next year and tackle the whole ascent - unfortunately, on this occasion, it was starting to get a bit too dark, so it wasn't possible. If you are ever staying in the region, I thoroughly recommend a visit to the Gorges de l'Heric - whether it is on foot, or by bike, your senses will be truly heightened by this beautiful place.

As we set off back to Laurens, we were rewarded with the most spectacular sunset over the mountains - various shades of orange, pink, red and blue which were too difficult for a poor phographer like me to capture.

The Monts d'Espinouse, silhouetted against a stunning Languedoc sunset -

- believe me, it looked ten times as good to the naked eye

It was a fitting way to end what has been one of the most relaxing holidays we have had in years - and certainly one of the most memorable. We are sad to be leaving, but we will of course return.