Some recent wines, including some new additions to my list

TLD and I have been enjoying some pretty nice wines over the last week or so, including some that I have now added to the Leon Stolarski Fine Wines list (if there is a link, you can buy it - if not, then you can't!);

Cono Sur Sparkling Brut NV Bio Bio Valley, Chile

Mostly Chardonnay, with a little Riesling and Pinot Noir, this has an impressively strong mousse, with plenty of fine, long-lasting bubbles. Lovely fresh, floral, lemon and apple aromas, with biscuity notes and a hint of lime oil suggesting a touch of richness. And indeed the palate does deliver some richness, with that lime oil note adding a perception of sweetness to what is essentially a pretty bone-dry wine, though chock full of citrus and tree fruit flavours, loads of mouth-watering acidity and a lingering finish. This is a mightily impressive wine and, having bought 6 bottles from a local supplier (and now drank 2), I was going to go back for more. Unfortunately, they have now sold out......... :-( But I shall enjoy my remaining 4 bottles. 12.0% abv.


Cono Sur Riesling Reserva 2009 Bio Bio Valley, Chile

The freshness and vitality in this wine is evident from the little "sigh" of residual CO2 it gives as you twist the screwcap, releasing a wave of lemon, lime zest and floral aromas and a fair whack of classic Riesling slate and wet stone. The freshness is heightened by a delightful "prickle", evident on both the nose and the palate, with an immediate lime zestiness which fair races across the mouth and almost makes your eyes water. But this wine is anything but simple, for it offers masses of lime/lemon and tart apple flavour and a hint of lime oil richness - and real mineral depth, rather like a really good, almost-dry Alsace Riesling. In fact, I have tasted Alsace Grand Cru's that have given less pleasure than this little beauty. You may be thinking "Cono Sur?! Aren't they a big Chilean producer making (in the main) mass-market wines?" Well think again, for this really is a top-quality example of its kind, produced in one of the coolest and most southerly vineyards in Chile, and clearly ideal for growing this most wonderful of white grapes. The back label says "Enjoy upon purchase", and whilst I do not disagree (for it gives great pleasure now) it gives even greater pleasure on day 2, so I fancy it will evolve nicely over the next 2 or 3 years - perhaps a lot longer, given that it is sealed under screwcap. A brilliant wine - and a complete steal at just £8.50.

Jean-Marie Bouzereau Meursault 2000

This is the second one of three bottles I picked up relatively cheaply a year or two back and the second time it has been bang on the money. Pale gold, watery rim, very bright and limpid. Clean, fresh, slightly lemony aromas, with a touch of apple and loads of mineral/damp earth - high-toned and really very expressive, in a non-Meursault way (by which I mean no overtly oaky, struck-match things going on). It really is very integrated and winey and undoubtedly Burgundy in origin. The palate is super fresh, with not a hint of toffee/oxidation - which is increasingly rare in a 12 year-old white Burgundy, these days - but certainly not lacking in evolution or complexity. Lots of apple pie/cream/cinnamon flavours and again plenty of earthy minerality. It doesn't have any pretensions to anything particularly grand (or even premier!) but it is a mightily enjoyable wine, which partnered some fishcakes and a bit of baked salmon with some home-made mayonnaise very nicely. 13.0% abv.

Valiano Chianti Classico Castelnuovo Beradenga 2007

A mediu-deep cherry red colour. Aromas of cherries, too, of both the black and red varieties, with bramble, damp earth, polished wood and mixed spices - it really is quite heady stuff, when it opens-out. The palate initially seems a little dumb/closed, but emerges after half an hour in the decanter, with flavours of sweet and sour red cherry, soft citrus and bramble. There's a nice layer of rustic tannins, again quite earthy and spicy, with lots of juicy acidity and a touch of agnostura bitters on the finish. A delicious wine, which does everything you want a decent Chianti Classico to do. 13.0% abv. A bargain at £9.95.

Chanson Père et Fils Côte de Beaune-Villages 2007
A light-to-medium ruby red colour, with some darker, more evolved tinges which, along with the nose, suggest this wine has spent at least some time in older oak barrels. Aromas of raspberry and wild strawberry are accompanied by notes of cedar, polished wood, forest floor and a touch of vanilla. The palate too shows a touch of evolution - medium-bodied, with plenty of bright, juicy red fruit flavours, mouth-watering acidity and a gentle tannic grip, giving the wine a nice sweet and sour quality. Offering a nice degree of complexity and evolution, this is lovely to drink right now - what I would call a Burgundy lover's Burgundy. 12.5% abv. How often do you see decent Burgundy at under a tenner, these days? £9.95.

And finally (for now, at least) this real cracker of a wine from my beloved Languedoc.........................

J M & V Alquier Les Bastides d'Alquier 2005 Faugères
Still quite a youthful purple colour, with just a touch of blood/cherry red on the rim. The aromas coming out of the glass are deep, dark and considerably complex, offering a mix of bramble, redcurrant and black cherry fruit, with hints of orange peel, exotic spices, leather, damp earth and eau de vie. 18 months' ageing in oak barrels (30% of which were new) has imparted a subtle oakiness that caresses rather than assaults the senses, making for a totally harmonious and beautifully-scented wine. The palate is awash with the flavours of the south - big, bold red and black fruits, pepper and spice, garrigue herbs, a touch of meatiness and again a hint of damp earthiness. And whilst still quite youthful, the oak and tannins are already nicely integrated and everything is held together by a core of juicy acidity, whilst the finish is long and grippy, with sweet and sour flavours that linger for an age. It is delicious on day one, but spectacularly good on day two. By anyone's standards, this has the hallmark of a very fine wine. And by Faugères standards, it really is the benchmark wine of the appellation. 14.5% abv. £17.95.

News on more (lots more) new wines very soon.................
                 

Some rather nice reds from the last week

Despite the fact that winter is nearly over (OK, so we may have a little more snow on the way, but the nice weather will soon be back!) I'm still in the mood for hearty red wines. And this quartet have served very nicely, thank you.........

Les Vins de Vienne Sotanum MMIII Vin de Pays des Collines Rhodaniennes
Although the vineyards fall outside of the designated area for the appellation, this is to all intents and purposes a Cote Rotie - and, given the vintage, a rather good one. The nose is really quite intense, though not in a soupy way, and despite the fact that it has been given the "full treatment" (long extraction, some classy oak, heavy bottle, deep punt) it doesn't overwhelm. Darker aromas of black cherry, bramble and olive tapenade are offset by notes of raspberry, citrus and a hint of violet. A core of rich, almost sweet fruit on the palate might seem a touch too much, were it not for that raspberry and a delicious streak of citrus acidity, which may or may not have been adjusted in the winemaking process - though if it has, it has been very skilfully done. And although the tannins are quite prominent, they are remarkably supple, and I get the feeling that everything will integrate nicely with a few more years in bottle. Which is a feeling that gets stronger after 2 or 3 of days, for although the wine is beginning to oxidise a little, it is actually more impressive and enjoyable than when first opened (for our monthly get-together at Le Mistral in Nottingham). I wouldn't quite say it is elegant - yet - but it may become so eventually, which would be no mean feat for a 2003, and if Parker likes it (I don't actually know) then it would be purely coincidental. Whatever, I like it a lot and will look forward to trying my last bottle in another 5 years or so. I also have a couple of 2001's left, too! I can't remember exactly what I paid for this at auction, but probably around the £15-£17 mark, which is pretty good value.

J M Alquier Reserve Les Bastides 2004 Faugères
I've enjoyed a few older vintages of this wine before (notably 1995 and 1997) but don't recall drinking one this "young". I wasn't sure what to think at first - very savoury, meaty and tobacco-scented, with the fruit lurking in the background - but it opened out rather spectacularly with air, with waves of spiced bramble and raspberry, subtle notes of redcurrant and kirsch, spiced fruitcake and garrigue herbs. And all of those components come together beautifully in the mouth, making for a wine of considerable complexity - full of restrained power, yet possessed of real balance and elegance. And I keep going back to that nose, which continues to develop and change over the space of a couple of hours, with notes of tobacco and forest floor, incense and herbs, not to mention layer upon layer of complex fruit aromas and flavours. It really is a breathtakingly beautiful and complete wine, which can only get better and better...... and better. J M Alquier isn't exactly an "under the radar" grower as far as Languedoc aficionados are concerned, but even the best Languedoc wines are generally under-appreciated and relatively unknown to the wider wine-buying public. Which is why you can still buy world-class wines like this for under £20. And since I bought mine for about £10 per bottle (again, at auction), I think I got myself a pretty decent bargain - and I'm glad I still have another 3 bottles tucked away for the future. Benchmark Faugères - in fact, one of the Languedoc greats.


Quinta do Poco do Lobo 1991 Bairrada (£12.95)

I do love old wines - especially when they are cheap! Of course, there's no point in ageing wine for too long, if it doesn't have the stuffing, but this one is right on the money at 21 years of age. I've blogged about this wine before, so I won't bore you with too much detail..... Suffice to say that it is a tobacco, spice, herb and fruit-scented bundle of loveliness, with a fabulous core tangy red fruits, ground pepper, spicy/grippy tannins and mouth-watering acidity. The first half went beautifully with spaghetti in a sauce comprising lashings of olive oil, sweet white wine, creme fraiche, sweet garlic, chilli, red capsicum and oregano that I threw together last night (along with copious amounts of home-made wholemeal sourdough bread). The remainder should pair equally well with pork chop and chips tonight..........

Les Vignes de l'Arque IGP Duché d'Uzs Rouge 2009 (£9.95)

This one isn't exactly expensive either, but hardly anybody buys it, so I thought I'd open a bottle to see how it is coming along. Well two bottles, actually, as the first one was corked to buggery - these things happen, unfortunately. Thankfully, the second bottle was in perfect condition (one does get paranoid about these things, especially when one is selling the damn stuff!). A 50/50 blend of Syrah and Grenache, with the benefit of a few months' ageing in oak barrels, it simply reeks of super-ripe grapes, black cherries, black olives, garrigue herbs, toasted brioche and a touch of eau de vie, whilst the palate is an absolute riot of deep, dark, sweet and sour red and black fruits, with great concentration and just enough acidity to keep it all nicely together. A mini-Chateauneuf, which is beginning to open out nicely, though I suspect it is a few years short of its peak.

Next up, Vinisud Part 2, with details of a couple of fine Provence growers..........
     

Lazy days in Laurens

Well, I said I'd be posting quite a lot whilst in France, but I obviously lied - the best laid plans can sometimes be scuppered by a desire to do nothing more than just chill-out (a bit of a misnomer, given the scorching weather we are experiencing here in Languedoc)!

We left Nottingham at around 2am last Friday morning and managed to catch an earlier ferry than we had booked, which made my planned detour to a couple of growers in Jasnieres (north of Tours, in the Loire) much more do-able. I'd wanted to do this ever since a fabulous tasting of Jasnieres whites and Coteaux du Loir reds a few weeks ago at the Nottingham Wine Circle.  We visited 2 growers - Raynald & Francine Lelais at Domaine des Gauletteries and Domaine Philippe Sevault. I'll tell you more about these growers - and that brilliant tasting in Nottingham - in another post.

Having failed to make it in time for a visit to third grower (by this time it was 7pm on a Friday evening and most sensible natives of the region probably had better things to do) we decided to head cross-country towards Clermont Ferrand and the A75 autoroute across the Massif Central, where we planned to grab a few hours kip in the car, before arriving in Languedoc on Saturday morning. At one point, just before the sun went down, we were hit by an almighty thunderstorm, so had to stop for a few minutes. My camera skills aren't really up to scratch, but here's a picture of the sun going down over the Auvergne, surrounded by a very dark sky.........

A spectacular sunset following a cloudburst over the Auvergne

All went otherwise to plan, although I did get flashed by a speed camera on a particularly steep (downhill) and very winding section of the autoroute, just south of Clermont. However, considering the speed limit on that stretch was 90kph and I was doing exactly that, I would be more than a little miffed if I got a ticket. Actually, I have been flashed on the autoroute at least a couple of times in previous years (again, not going particularly fast) and I've never had a ticket yet. French speed cameras do seem to go off a bit indiscriminately, it seems. We shall see......

After a few hours sleep, we had just a couple of hours' drive to Laurens (our base in Languedoc) so we decided to avoid the 6.50 Euro toll for the Viaduc de Millau and take the "old" route down into Millau and up the other side of the Causse. A drive of around 15 kilometres, which might once have taken several hours (before the viaduct was built, this was a single carriagway bottleneck between two stretches of 3-lane autoroute) took no more than half an hour, which included a stop to take in some bracing early-morning air and a photo or two...............

The magnificent Viaduc de Millau

We arrived at our destination much earlier than we have ever done before (indeed, too early to be able to get in) so we nipped to Pézenas to do a quick shop for supplies, then back to our lovely little hideaway in Laurens..........

Frankly, we have been very lazy since we arrived - sunbathing, the occasional dip in the pool, a glass or two of wine, a bike ride or two in the surrounding countryside and some lovely meals on the patio have been the order of the day so far. We did meet up with the delightful Brigitte Chevalier yesterday evening, to taste through her range of wines (including barrel samples of her brilliant 2010's) and I'll tell you more about that in another post.

A typical Faugeres scene, whilst out on a gentle evening bike ride

Scrumping for cherries!

Of course, we've enjoyed plenty of lovely wines, including this delightful little number.......

Domaine de Gauletteries 2010 Coteaux du Loir

80% Pinot d'Aunis, the remaining 20% being a mix of Gamay, Cabernet Franc and Cot a.k.a. Malbec). Light ruby red in colour - not much darker than a full rosé. In my relatively limited experience, I have come to understand that Pinot d'Aunis displays quite a distinct aromatic profile, and this one has bags of character - redcurrant, cherry and wild strawberry, damp earth, ground pepper, tobacco and a distinct florality are just some of the aromas in what is really quite a complex and beguiling nose. It certainly wouldn't be to everybody's taste, because it is essentially light-bodied - Chateauneuf or Priorat it is not. In fact, it even makes your average Burgundy or Beaujolais seem like big, strapping wines. If I'm honest, I probably would have hated this wine a few years ago, because I would have dismissed it as weedy and thin. But I know better these days. For there is much to reward the contemplative drinker, with a slightly creamy texture and beautifully delicate red fruit flavours of both the fresh and crystallised varieties and even a hint of apple. It has really good (but not excessive) acidity, bags of earthy minerality, light-ish tannins and a warm, spicy/peppery/tangy/sweet and sour finish, which really does linger for quite a while. Red wines rarely get much lighter than this - but rarely do they possess such delightfully rustic charm, either.

Today, we are contemplating a trip to the beach at Marseillan (decisions, decisions!) whilst tomorrow we are off to Limoux, for a couple of grower visits, followed by a night at Domaine Treloar.

More anon!

      

New Jurançons from Domaine de Montesquiou, plus a couple of lovely Languedoc reds

The arrival of the latest Jurançon vintages from Domaine de Montesquiou is always one of the highlights of my year, so when they finally arrived at the bonded warehouse last week, I was eager to get my hands on a bottle of each, to taste and enjoy over the weekend. And enjoy them I did! Here are my notes;

Domaine de Montesquiou Cuvade Préciouse 2008 Jurançon Sec

70% Gros Manseng and 30% Petit Manseng, aged for 11 months in oak barrels. This shows richness on the nose, with aromas of baked apples, honey, brioche and spice. The palate is nicely rich, too, with a hint of oiliness and flavours of apples and lime zest, tangerine and a barely perceptible touch of oak. It is also made in a slightly more oxidative, ripe, even opulent style than the 2009 below - more Rioja/Rhone in style, to the 2009's Burgundy style. A lovely wine. £12.50.

Domaine de Montesquiou Cuvade Préciouse 2009 Jurançon Sec

70% Gros Manseng and 30% Petit Manseng, aged for 11 months in oak barrels. This is quite different from the 2008. Were I tasting it blind, I might just mistake it foir a very young white Burgundy, with its aromas of peach and apricot combined with herbs, smoke and very subtle oak. The palate is less rich and more tightly-structured than the 2008, lemony rather than limey, and with huge mineral depth. It is a bit like a supercharged version of La Rosée de Montesquiou (a cuvée not made in 2009) and certainly has a lot more to give in the next year or two, whilst I would expect it to peak in perhaps 5 years. It is a really lovely wine, and makes for a fascinating comparison with the opulent 2008. £12.50.

Domaine de Montesquiou Grappe d'Or 2008 Jurançon

100% Petit Manseng, aged for 11 months in oak barrels. A vivid 24 carat gold colour with orange glints. The nose has complex aromas of honey and woodsmoke, with hints of toasted brioche, cinnamon, clove and a touch of oak vanillin. And that is before I even mention the fruits! As ever, this wine is complex in the extreme, with notes of apricot, apple, mango, orange and lime oil. And the palate sure matches the nose, with all of the above coming into play, along with subtle spice and toffee notes. It has a beautifully rich, oily texture in the mouth, and the flavours coat the palate and linger for an age. And then, of course, there is that wonderful, searing lemon and lime acidity and minerality, the like of which (in my opinion) is unrivalled by any other sweet wine style in the world, and balances the richness so perfectly - a more finely poised sweet wine is hard to imagine. Although the grapes for this wine are not harvested until deep into November (and occasionally December) botrytis is not necessarily a classic Jurançon trait, since the region is only occasionally visited by the autumn mists necessary for the growth of this particularly (sweet wine-friendly) fungus. And yet this particular vintage displays many of the hallmarks of a somewhat botrytised harvest, with its intense honey and apricot notes. When I first opened a bottle, I considered it to be almost as good as the outstanding 2004 and 2007 vintages. But now, a full 6 days after opening, it is so spectacularly good that I have no doubt whatsoever that it is the finest vintage I have tasted - it is utterly, utterly brilliant! £16.99.

Hot on the heels of the Jurançon pallet came 2 pallets of wines, from no less than 4 different Languedoc growers (or 6, if you include some lovely Corbieres and another delicious Faugères find from the negociant arm of my friend Brigitte Chevalier's stable of wines). These arrived on Monday, so I hot-footed it up to Rotherham on Tuesday, to collect some stocks. There was already 6 inches of snow in Rotherham by then, and I returned home to find just as much had been dumped where I live, to add to the inch or two we'd had over the weekend. I'm now busy tasting through some of these wines and preparing the notes for my website, so will be posting them here, in the coming days. Frankly, there's not a lot else to do, whilst we are well and truly snowbound! Here's a couple of delicious new reds for starters;

Domaine St Martin d'Agel 2008 Faugères

55% Syrah, 25% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre, 10% Carignan, aged in vat. Medium raspberry/purple colour. The aromas are beautifully fresh and vibrant, suggesting bramble, blackcurrant, plum and orange, with background notes of cinnamon and oregano. The palate is similarly fresh and juicy, crammed full of fresh and crystallised bramble fruits, a touch of black cherry, creamy vanilla and a delightfully fresh, orangey acidity. The tannins are beautifully soft and velvety and there is just a hint of spiciness to the finish. This is a really nice wine, and a fine introduction to the wines of the Faugères appellation. It isn't serious, but it is seriously soft, refreshing, food-friendly and very more-ish! £8.95.

Domaine du Grand Cres La Cadela 2006 Corbières

70% Grenache and 30% Syrah. A bright, medium-deep ruby red colour, with an expressive nose of plum skin, cherry and raspberry, a hint of tar and woodsmoke, and pronounced herby aromas (notably thyme and rosemary). The palate is beautifully fresh and fruity, with bags of red and black fruit flavours, soft spices and herbs, supple tannins and a refreshing streak of orange-tinged acidity. From one of the best growers in Corbières, this really is an attractive, elegant wine, which is lovely to drink now - but there's no hurry. £9.75.

More anon........

     

The Outsiders (Part 4) - Domaine de Calet and Domaine de Cébène

This is the final instalment of my write-up from last week's Outsiders tasting in London, featuring two more growers whose wines impressed me greatly. 

Anna-Lena and Yvon Gentes - Domaine de Calet, Beauvoisin

Website - www.domaine-de-calet.com/

Anna-Lena and Yvon Gentes spent 30 years in Anna's native Sweden - Anna-Lena was a nursery teacher, whilst Yvon was a major player in the Swedish seafood industry. In 1999, they bought a run-down 30 hectare wine estate on the fringes of the Camargue, in the Costières de Nîmes. I almost didn't get around to sampling their wines, as time was fast running out, but I am mighty glad that I did so, as they are producing some really excellent wines, made with the minimum intervention and careful (i.e. minimal) use of sulphites. They received organic certification 2 years ago and are currently in conversion to full biodynamic status.

Domaine de Calet Long Terme 2008 Costières de Nîmes
75% Syrah and 25% Grenache. 20% of the blend spends time in 2 year-old oak barrels. The nose is lovely - very perfumed and clearly dominated by Syrah. In fact, there's even a hint of the Northern Rhône about it, with flowers, spice and savoury making for a wine of surprising complextity (given the relatively low price). And the palate certainly lives up to its promise, with a hint of oak influence, but dominated by rich, expressive, spicy fruit, whilst remaining very elegant. If only most Côtes du Rhône was half as good. A really lovely wine!

Domaine de Calet Grand Mas 2007 Costières de Nîmes
85% Syrah and 15% Grenache. Quite a similar wine to the Long Terme, again with an amazing Northern Rhône-like Syrah nose. The palate is again rich, but soft, velvety, ripe, and chock full of wild strawberry, bramble and plum flavours, whilst managing to remain beautifully elegant. Another lovely wine.

Domaine de Calet La Tournerie 2007 Costières de Nîmes
85% Grenache, 15% Syrah, aged for between 12 and 15 months in oak barrels. This has only just been bottled and is currently a little dominated by the oak, but it is very skilfully done, and there is so much fruit lurking in there, with abundent bramble and cassis flavours, complemented by garrigue herbs and soft spices. Quite a big wine, but very long in the mouth and showing huge potential for medium to long-term ageing.

Domaine de Calet Travers du Rey 2005 Costières de Nîmes
100% Syrah, from yields of just 20 hl/ha, aged for 18 months in new oak barrels. I must admit I found this quite hard to taste, since the oak is still very dominant. There is undoubtedly an enormous amount of fruit underneath the oak, but I feel it needs a good few years to really start to express itself. Given my experience of the other wines, I wouldn't be surprised if this turned out to be a really fabulous wine in 5 to 10 years, but it is currently a bit "international" in style, for my palate.

Brigitte Chevalier - Domaine de Cébène, Caussiniojouls

Website - www.cebene.fr/english.htm

The delightful Brigitte Chevalier needs no introduction to regular readers of my blog, nor to those of my customers who have been lucky (or canny) enough to have tasted her wines. I have written about Brigitte a couple of times already this year, once as part of my Vinisud report and again in June, when I visted her cave in Caussiniojouls, deep in the heart of the Faugères region. I tasted the following 3 wines in June, whilst they were still resting in cuves, prior to being bottled, but I lost my notes. I didn't actually taste them on the day of the Outsiders tasting (knowing that I would soon be taking delivery of a range of wines from Brigitte very soon anyway) but took the bottles of Ex Arena, Bancels and Felgaria back home with me to taste. Even then, I didn’t actually taste them and write my notes until a few days ago – and they still tasted wonderful, even after being open for up to 5 days!

Domaine de Cébène Ex Arena 2009 Vin de Pays d'Oc
Grenache and Mourvedre, from sand-based terroir in Corneilhan, just north of Béziers. Tasting this after being open for 2 days, it really is only just beginning to get into its stride. Lovely aromas of poached raspberry, cherry and redcurrant, with background notes of leather, sandalwood and eau de vie. There are also enticing notes of fresh bread, spices and garrigue - so complex! The palate has layer upon layer of red and black fruit flavours, with hints of soft citrus and peel, with a touch of nicely integrated oak. It has power, but without too much weight or extraction, grippy but fine tannins and a decent backbone of acidity. It is a really lovely wine, which probably needs 3 to 5 years to show its best - or just a couple of days' air, to help it open-out(!) Very complex, and worthy of contemplation.

Domaine de Cébène Les Bancels 2009 Faugères
50% Syrah, 35% Grenache and 15% Mourvedre, grown on schiste. This had been open for 5 days(!) and was still very fresh. Indeed, the aromas fairly leap out of the glass, which is sitting a foot away from me as I write, and I can still smell the glorious aromas of bramble, raspbery and redcurrant steeped in eau de vie, with notes of oregano and cinnamon, leather and polished wood. It is indeed a rare wine that can do that.The palate is truly expressivewith warming spice and savoury/herby flavours mingling with red and black fruits, fine tannins and excellent acidity. The result is a wine of enormous complexity, combining fruit, savoury, sweet and sour in a rich, even powerful, yet deceptively elegant, feminine wine. A fabulous wine, with great potential for development. No wonder Tim Atkin scored it 94/100!

Domaine de Cébène Felgaria 2009 Faugères
50% Mourvedre, 30% Syrah, 20% Grenache. This is Brigitte's top cuvée - deep, dark (almost opaque), brooding and even more serious than Les Bancels. Bramble and blackcurrant aromas mingled withblack cherry and seville orange. Once again, laden with herbs and exotic spices, meat and and an enticing hint of volatile acidity. There's a strong schiste/mineral streak, together with classy cedar/cigar box and an amazing freshness and vitality (again, even after several days) - another astonishingly complex wine. The palate is rich, deeply flavoured and beautifully extracted, without sacrificing its inherent freshness. The flavours are complex and full of fruit, with supple tannins and fresh, almost lemony acidity. The finish is spicy, zesty and very long. A glorious bottle of wine. It won't be cheap, at over £20, but Faugères does not get any better than this.

That's it for this year's Outsiders tasting. Well done to Louise Hurren for such a brilliantly organised event and thanks to all the growers for coming over. I do hope it will become an annual fixture, and that the Outsiders group go from strength to strength!
     

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.

    

Vinisud report, part 5 - some super wines from a couple of my current growers

The wines of Mas de Lavail have been an integral part of my list for some years now. Indeed, I visited the estate again last summer, to taste the wines and bring back some sample bottles for tasting at home. On the basis of those bottles, I only intended to import two of the wines (the basic "Tradition" plus the vintage Maury, both of which are excellent, year-in, year-out) since I feared that some of the other cuvées were becoming a bit too big and rich - and hot - for their own good. But I'm glad that I stopped by their stand at Vinisud to taste the current vintages, because they all showed beautifully, and were generally a lot more restrained and balanced than the previous vintages. 

First up was Le Sud 2008 Vin de Pays des Cotes Catalanes, which is a 50/50 blend of Grenache Gris and Grenache Blanc. Aromas of honey, citrus, fennel and creamy oak vanillin. At 14.5% abv, this is still a rich, powerful wine, but so much fresher than the 2007. I liked it a lot, so it is back on my shopping list!

Next was the red Tradition 2008 Cotes du Roussillon Villages, comprising 40% Syrah, 20% Grenache and 40% Carignan, aged in vat. This is a consistently reliable wine, and offers a brilliant quality/price ratio. This one has a nose of fresh fruits and tobacco and a palate that is juicy and ripe, with velvety tannins and good acidity. It's a shame I missed out on the outstanding 2007, which was undoubtedly the best vintage of this cuvée I have tasted, but the 2008 runs it very close. Another one for the shopping list. La Desirade 2006 Cotes du Roussillon is 50% Syrah, plus Grenache and Carignan, aged in barrel for 12 months. My note is a bit sparse, save to say that it is again better than the preious vintage, soft and lush, with a lot of fruit and nicely balanced. Ego 2006 Vin de Pays des Cotes Catalanes is (as always) a super-ripe 100% Grenache wine. At 11 o'clock in the morning (for it has just occurred to me that this was the very first stand we visited, even before the Sud de France room) I would have expected this wine to taste big and tannic, but not a bit of it - it is soft and voluptuous. Rich, but not soupy, and with surprising balance, given that it comes in at 15% abv. Another winner.

Maury Expression 2008 is also 100% old vine Grenache, made by the "mutage sur grains" method, with the fermentation stopped by the addition of a relatively small amount of grape spirit - classic Maury. Deep red, with a fragrant nose of stewed bramble, caramel and eau de vie. Extremely complex and mouth-filling, with flavours of bramble fruits, cassis and Seville orange. It has 80g of residual sugar and, at just 15.5% abv, is elegant and delicious. As I expected, this is a must buy. Muscat de Rivesaltes 2007 was a bit of a revelation, since I'm not the biggest fan of this style. But this was absolutely gorgeous - a riot of grapes, marmalade and clementines. The palate is clean and super-fresh, but with a marmaladey richness. Very long, too. I've yet to taste a better Muscat de Rivesaltes. Finally, Maury Blanc 2007 - quite oaky on the nose, but so complex. The aromas and flavours put me in mind of orange marmalade and fennel, with a fresh, almost zesty streak of acidity. Again, I've never been a fan of white Maury, but this was wonderful.

This was a very impressive line-up of wines and I clearly have some thinking to do. Seven different wines, and each one had merit, which is going to make narrowing it down to four or five a bit difficult. Not that I would expect much take-up for Muscat de Rivesaltes or Maury Blanc, but how could I not buy at least a little to try out on my customers? I may just take some of all seven!

Although I have been importing wines from Brigitte Chevalier for over a year now, we hadn't previously met (it was though my friend Guy Vanlancker, with whom Brigitte works to produce a fine La Liviniere red, that we actually came into contact). Therefore,  it was a joy to finally meet this delightfully unassuming, softly-spoken and intelligent lady, who speaks with great passion and enthusiasm about her subject. Brigitte previously worked as an export manager for négociant company in Bordeaux until she decided to return to her native Languedoc to make wine. She began by making wines from grapes bought-in from other growers. Whilst continuing with this policy, she now also makes top-notch wines from her own estate, Domaine de Cebene, situated in the far north of the Faugeres region. If that were not enough, she also manages her own négoce company, Chevalier Vins, working closely with top quality growers to produce wines from other appellations, such as Corbieres, Minervois.

Brigitte's own Faugeres and Vin de Pays d'Oc wines are not cheap, but they are amongst the best of their kind. Although I did of course taste those very wines whilst at Vinisud, I didn't make any notes - they are comprehensively covered on the Brigitte Chevalier page on my website. I did however taste some other wines in which Brigitte has a hand in both making and marketing, in conjunction with other growers. Chateau Fabas Minervois Rosé 2009 is, as I noted, simply lovely - proper rosé! Concertino 2007 Corbieres is really lovely stuff - wild and herby, with lovely fruit and spice flavours. I liked it a lot - and it is great value at well under 3 Euros ex-cellars. Domaine du Grand Cres "La Cadella" 2007 Corbieres is finer and more serious, but again with some lovely fruity, spicy flavours. A structured but supple wine, with some potential for ageing. At around 3 Euros ex-cellars, another serious bargain. Domaine Saint-Martin d'Agel 2008 Faugeres is even better, with lovely aromas of tobacco, garrigue and bramble. The palate is is rich, yet beutifully balanced, with subtle hints of tar and even citrus fruit - a lovely, refreshing red wine, and another really serious bargain at just over 3 Euros.

I look forward very much to working with Brigitte Chevalier in the years ahead, for she is a talented winemaker, who also has the ability to sniff-out some great bargains from other producers around the region. One of whom is, of course, my friend and inspiration, Guy Vanlancker, who just happened to walk by and say hello as we were finishing our tasting with Brigitte. I'll talk about Guy and his wines tomorrow, as well as telling you about my second major new discovery of the trip.