A visit to Domaine de La Marfée - surely one of Languedoc's finest growers

With a backgound in accountancy, Thierry Hasard came relatively late to winemaking, making his first wines in 1997. He farms around 9 hectares of vines, on a dozen or so different plots near the village of Murviel Les Montpellier, within the relatively unknown Saint Georges d'Orques sub-appellation of Languedoc. Although the village of Murviel is situated just a handful of kilometres west of Montpellier itself, it can best be described as a relative backwater - indeed, a real hidden gem - since it isn't actually on the route to anywhere in particular. You really have to be going there to even be aware of its existence, which probably explains why, in almost 2 decades of visiting the region, I'd never been there before. Murviel is located on a hill, with views of the Mediterranean about 15 kilometres away. Here, prehistoric men lived and the Romans built a temple and an oppidum, from which the name of the village originates: "mur viel", meaning "old wall". It is a pretty village, surrounded by undulating countryside, given over partly to vines and a few arable crops, but interspersed with numerous forests of holm oak. It almost feels like you are in the middle of nowhere, even though a big city lies so close by.

On our recent holiday, I felt like I'd been far too lazy and spent far too much time at our gite, lazing around. So I called Thierry Hasard on a whim, on one of the rare overcast (though still warm) afternoons, and managed to steal a few hours away. We arranged to meet an hour later and, although he gave me some vague directions, I found myself driving around the outskirts of the village, feeling rather lost. To be fair, he did say it was difficult to find! I pulled over to the side of the road and was about to call Thierry on his mobile when a car hooted from behind, and there he was. I guess it isn't hard to spot a lost English tourist around these parts! We exchanged greetings and then drove out of the village, to take a look at a handful of Thierry's vineyards.

His passion for the vines and the land is obvious - he practices biodynamic farming, although (unlike many growers who have jumped on the bandwagon) he feels no need for the certification to prove it. But one only needs to compare his vineyards, which are a picture of health and full of life, to those of others around here, which have been treated with chemicals. You can simply see the vigour in the vines and the soil. Aside from the occasional use of a little sulphur, nothing else goes onto his vines or into the soil - everything else is down to hard work, occasional (though not too much) ploughing and plenty of TLC for the vines. I asked whether the vine tips (which you can see reaching skywards in the photos) would be cut back. Thierry explained that the tips are the "heads" of the vines, and therefore (as with humans, I guess) provide a crucial role in their development through the growing season, so it would not do to cut them off too early(!) Being mid-June, the grapes were still green, but an absolute picture of health - and heathy grapes make healthy wine.

Syrah - note the bits of green dotted about between the rows -
no chemicals used in these biodynamic vineyards - only careful ploughing and hard work

Grenache - bush vines, but with wires to keep them orderly and provide support for the heads

Thierry Hasard in the Vermentino plot, planted just a few years ago

Precious 60 year-old Carignan vines - a picture of health

Following our walk through the vineyards, we drove to Thierry's newly-built chai, set amidst gently rolling hills, a couple of kilometres outside the town of Murviel-les-Montpellier. He's built a house next to the chai, which he and his family will move into later this summer. It's a tranquil spot, with lovely views over the surrounding countryside. There are probably few - if any - other buildings within a kilometre or more of here, although the suburbs of Montpellier now appear on the horizon, just a few kilometres to the east. Thierry believes that the inexorable sprawl of the city will eventually reach this far, and fears that within a generation, these beautiful vineyards may well have given way to houses. Even in southern France, prime agricultural and viticultural land is so much more valuable as building land. And if that happens (and I pray that the powers-that-be will eventually realise the true value of this region's wine industry, before it is too late) some wonderful terroir and yet more precious old vines will be consigned to the history books. But that's for the future to decide - for now, we can still enjoy the wonderful wines from this beautiful and peaceful backwater of Languedoc.

The road leading to the new chais at La Marfée - the suburbs of Montpellier appear on the horizon, now just a few kilometres away

The view from the new house and chai -

- looking south-east towards the Montagne de la Gardiole and the Mediterranean

And so to the wines. Firstly, we tasted through various components of the 2010 vintage, all from barrel.

Vermentino 2010

The colour has a faint orange hue. Apples, tree blossom and minerals on the nose. The palate is generous and expansive, but beautifully poised and elegant - rich, but not too rich, with flavours of honey, soft citrus and a little bit of spice. Supremenly elegant finish, with lovely acidity. Thierry told me his wife said he was mad to plant Vermentino (a.k.a Rolle) but she has now changed her mind. This is a wine he can be rightly proud of, and although it tasted wonderful on its own, it will be blended into the white Frisson d'Ombelles - which can only make an already brilliant wine even better.

Chardonnay 2010

A little bit reductive on the nose, but with some lovely "non-fruit" Chardonnay aromas. Reminds me of a Cote d'Or wine, actually. Thierry said the acidity was almost lemon juice in intensity when first vinified, but it has settled nicely into a medium-rich wine, with real depth and minerality, a touch of wood/grape tannin and wonderful length. Only 12.9% abv, too.

Roussanne 2010 (aged in a new 600 litre oak demi-muid - the only new barrel in the chai)

Aromas of citrus and orange blossom, with buttery, honeyed notes. Wonderfully tangy on the palate, with some richness and savouriness, but with a backbone of lively acidity. Delicious.

Grenache 2010 (only just put into barrel)

Very light in colour, almost like a Pinot (I can't divulge why). And the nose, whilst not really Pinot, does show some real elegance, with aromas of cherry, redcurrant and raspberry. The palate is richer, with a hint of licourice, but bags of fruit too.

Syrah 2010

Savoury, almost meaty nose, but with hints of minerality and white flowers. to complement the red fruits and a touch of citrus. Grippy, but very ripe tannins, with redcurrant fruit and loads of mouth-watering acidity.

Carignan 2010 (from 60 year-old vines)

Earthy, red and black fruit aromas, with notes of citrus and blackcurrant leaf. The palate is just lovely - a huge core of elegant red and black fruit flavours and wonderful lemon/orange acidity and a length that just goes on and on. A gorgeous wine, with immense potential.

Mourvedre 2010

Smoky! Meaty and savoury, too - it just screams Mourvedre. A touch of petillance/spritz, with lovely acidity (there's a theme to these wines), so fresh and full of life, yet with a richness and generosity. Still tannic, but fine-grained, even soft. Thierry describes it as being like a big, soft blanket, covering you with its multi-layered warmth. Delicious wine, with a serious side.

Part of the barrel room in the new chais - a bit foggy from the effects of the humidifier!

One of 5 new concrete "eggs" - these are becoming a popular alternative to oak and stainless steel

After tasting through the 2010's, Thierry showed me his private cellar. He was an accountant in his previous career (and indeed still practices a little, for a few chosen clients) and it is obvious that a good deal of his disposable income at the at time was spent on his love of good wine. He has a fair amount of classed growth Bordeaux, top-notch Burgundy and Rhone, and a rather impressive selection of vintages of Chateau d'Yquem. Clearly, though, he has a balanced perspective on what is worth keeping and what is simply too expensive for any normal person to drink, for he showed me a case of 1989 Chateau Haut Brion, which will soon be destined for the auction house. After all, life as a vigneron is much less lucrative than that of an accountant, and every little helps. I was much more interested in his collection of vintages of Domaine des Grange des Peres, which I assume must be in lieu of payment for professional services rendered - if you see what I mean. When I remarked that I had never - for my sins - tasted a Grange des Peres, he very generously gave me a bottle of 2008 red, which I shall do my best to avoid broaching for a few years.

Just part of Thierry Hasard's personal cellar -

- the fruits of a somewhat more lucrative previous career as an accountant

Finally, we tasted through the current release wines, from bottle - all 2008's, and all opened especially for my visit. After the tasting, Thierry kindly gave me the bottles to take away, so my initial notes are augmented by further impressions, written over the following couple of days;

Frissons d'Ombelles 2008 Vin de Pays de l'Hérault
A blend of Roussanne and Chardonnay (from 2010, Vermentino will also become part of the blend). Spring flowers, blossom and citrus aromas, with definite nutty and honeyed notes and a real mineral streak. The palate is supremely fresh and full of life, again slightly nutty and medium-rich, but with a wonderful citrussy, zesty acidity and underlying flavours of apple, peach and spice. The oak is very much in the background, on both the nose and the palate. Lovely structure and complexity, which makes it lovely to drink now, but with the potential to evolve for up to 10 years. 13.0% abv.

Les Gamines 2008 Languedoc Saint Georges d'Orques
Quite closed on the nose to begin with, but opens-up nicely to reveal some really quite complex aromas of leather, spice, bramble, vanilla, smoke, damp earth and soft citrus. There's a core of ripe (but not dense) red and black fruit on the palate, with perfect tannin/acidity balance, again with orange/citrus notes and a long, spicy finish. This is a classic "day 2" wine - on the first day, it seems in need of 2 or 3 years to soften, but by the second day it is really singing. A wine to drink now (preferably decanted well in advance) or to age for 5 to 8 years. 13.5% abv.

Les Vignes Qu'On Abat 2008 Vin de Pays de l'Hérault
100% Carignan, from 60 year-old vines. Savoury, meaty, herby and sous-bois aromas, with masses of both red and black currant fruit. The palate is medium-bodied and almost understated, with a piquancy rarely found in a Carignan-based wine. The acidity is quite high, though nicely integrated with fine tannins and prominent cherry and redcurrant fruit - a beautifully poised, elegant wine, and the absolute antithesis of soupy. A real connoisseur's wine, with brilliant medium-to-long term potential. 13.0% abv.

Les Champs Murmurés 2008 Languedoc Saint Georges d'Orques
50% each of Syrah and Mourvedre. A very complex nose of leather, coffee, beef, allspice and polished wood. Savoury and meaty, but with plenty of rich bramble fruit and even some floral notes. Quite rich and velvety, but with ample acidity and plenty of grip. On day 2, the savoury notes are complemented by a hint of forest floor and red and black fruits steeped in eau de vie. The palate shows a lovely combination of ripe fruits, citrussy acidity and fine tannic structure. As with all of Thierry Hasard's wines, it is complex and expansive, but at the same time understated and carefully extracted. It is surprisingly drinkable now, but will be magnificent in 5-10 years - and surely longer. 13.5% abv.

Rosé 2010 IGP Pays d'Hérault
Thierry also presented me with a bottle of this wine, which we drank at home last week. And although I included it in an earlier post, I've included it here, for completeness. To be honest, I have no idea of the grape mix - I really should have asked. It is a fabulous colour - ultra-pale onion skin pink, with orange glints, and with a lovely nose, too - lightly zesty, forest fruits and orange blossom, apples and flowers, with hints of sweetly aromatic herbs. The flavours are wonderfully delicate and understated, rather than showy, with myriad red fruits, herbs, minerals and beautifully integrated acidity of the juicy (rather than pithy) kind. The flavours are long, spicy and gently warming, though without even the merest hint of alcohol. Most rosés can perhaps be dismissed as lacking identity - a sort of confected halfway house between red and white wine. But for me, this lovely wine is the very definition of the style, and worthy of real appreciation and contemplation - a wine of real structure. It may well age for a few years, and if I had any more, I'd be tempted to tuck a few away for a year or two, but it is just so lovely now, and it would give the very best Provence rosés a real run for their money. A truly lovely rosé. 13.0% abv.

I've written quite extensively about the wines of Domaine de La Marfée on several previous occasions (see the alphabetical menu on the right-hand side) but have no qualms about doing so once more. For I genuinely believe that Thierry Hasard makes some of the greatest wines the Languedoc has to offer. As it is, they remain hidden gems on the Leon Stolarski Fine Wines list - perhaps a relatively expensive leap of faith for the majority of Languedoc fans who look to the £8 to £12 category for what is perceived as the starting point for real quality/price ratio. And, of course, those who choose to spend their money on much more expensive wines from the more fashionable regions of France and elsewhere may never make that leap, despite the fact that growers such as La Marfée are making wines to rival - and in my humble opinion surpass - their over-priced trophy wines. It is their loss - and the canny Languedoc aficionado's gain.

Leon Stolarski Fine Wines currently stocks the full range of 2007's from Domaine de La Marfée, priced from £13.79 to £24.50. We also offer a 6-bottle sampler case, at the special price of £110.44 (a saving of £10).
            

Two more brilliant wines from Domaine de La Marfée

Those of you who follow my blog on a regular basis (or, indeed, buy my wines) will know that I am a huge fan of the wines of Domaine de La Marfée. I have posted notes on all of the 2007 wines elsewhere on this blog, and also wrote quite a lengthy article about biodynamic viticulture and natural wines, which featured very heavily on the biodynamic (though thankfully not "natural") practices employed by La Marfée winemaker Thierry Hasard. So it goes without saying that when I was offered a few cases of Les Champs Murmurés 2000 and 2001 (one of Thierry's top cuvées) by a previous importer - and at a decent price - I jumped at the chance. I'd enjoyed a bottle of the 2000 a couple of years back, so I knew how good it was, but the 2001 was more of a shot in the dark - and a very successful one. These days, this cuvée is made from Syrah and Mourvedre, but these earlier vintages also included a proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon - hence the Vin de Pays denomination. Here are my notes, from a bottle of each vintage, enjoyed over last weekend (and now available to buy on my website);

Domaine de La Marfée Les Champs Murmurés 2000 Vin de Pays de l'Hérault - £23.50

Although now 10 years old, this wine still looks remarkably young, exhibiting a fairly deep purple/red colour, and showing only slight signs of age on the narrow, raspberry-coloured rim. This wine contains a proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon (which the current wines do not) which means that it had to be labelled as a mere Vin de Pays. Nevertheless, as with the current crop of wines, the nose displays that trademark Marfée nose of crystallised red and black fruits, elderflower and blackcurrant leaf. There are also some savoury, earthy notes, mixed with exotic spices, old leather and cigar box. It really does have the whiff of a truly fine wine - in fact, the more you smell it, the more complex it gets. The palate is simply packed full of concentrated, ripe bramble and blackcurrant fruit, with some savoury, herby garrigue notes and grippy but fine, spicy tannins, offset by juicy acidity. The finish is dry, but laced with spicy, tangy, almost sweet and sour orange peel and black cherry flavours - and it is very long, too. The complexity of this wine is something to behold, and although it is lovely to drink now, I feel it has the stuffing (and the fruit) to age for at least another 5 years before it reaches its peak. It really is a fabulous wine, and does nothing to alter my opinion that Domaine de La Marfée is one of the Languedoc's finest estates - albeit still a very well-kept secret.

Domaine de La Marfée Les Champs Murmurés 2001 Vin de Pays de l'Hérault - £23.50

Like the 2000, this wine shows little sign of age, with the same dense, purple red core and narrow raspberry rim. And like the 2000, it displays that trademark Marfée nose of crystallised red and black fruits, elderflower and blackcurrant leaf, but this time with a hint of red meat, eau de vie and polished wood. If anything, it is even riper and more opulent, again with those beautifully savoury, earthy notes, exotic spice, old leather and cigar box, but with a pungency and sweetness of fruit typical of the classic (i.e. hot) 2001 vintage. It has a half degree more alcohol than the 2000, but the ripeness of the fruit and the spicy yet velvety tannins make it feel very balanced, despite a slightly lower level of acidity. The finish has a sweet and sour edge, with flavours of red cherry, raspberry and warming spice. Slightly more Chateauneuf in style than the full-on Languedoc style of the 2000, but a beautiful wine nevertheless. Oh, and the acidity actually get more pronounced with time in the glass, which only serves to heighten the experience. Another lovely wine, from a very (very) fine winemaker.

     

Some thoughts on Biodynamic viticulture and "natural" wines

At this week's gathering of the Nottingham Wine Circle, I presented a tasting of a dozen or so biodynamic wines from four growers on my list - Rolly Gassmann, Domaine de Montesquiou, Mas Foulaquier and Domaine de La Marfée. This isn't a report on the actual wines that we tasted - although they were very well received and I think the overall quality surprised a lot of people. One thing is for sure, though - whatever the merits of each individual wine (and I, of course, love 'em all), every single one was clean, pure and full of vibrant fruit. It was no surprise that the Rolly Gassman wines (a 2002 Pinot Gris and a 2004 Riesling) went down so well, as Alsace is a popular region amongst the Wine Circle members (and the wines really were on song). Similarly, the Domaine de Montesquiou wines (the bone dry Rosée de Montesquiou 2008 and the beautifully sweet, yet intensely zingy Grappe d'Or 2004) have always proved popular with the group. And my new wines from Pic Saint-Loup grower Mas Foulaquier were pretty well-received, with the top wine, Gran' Tonillieres 2006, proving the most popular (a serious wine, which will go for 10 to 15 years, according to some).

But the undoubted stars of the evening were the wines of Domaine de La Marfée. Although the white Frisson d'Ombelles 2007 was again a definite jury-splitter (some think it has too much oak - I think there is a great wine lurking in there, so let's see what a few years in bottle will do) the reds were universally popular. In fact, they were more than popular - I sensed that many of those present were extremely impressed, and they are a difficult bunch to impress, believe me!

Although this was, of course, a tasting designed to showcase the merits of biodynamic viticulture, I was also at pains to point out the fact that some of the wines were made with low - or even very low - levels of sulphur. Mas Foulaquier, in particular, uses no sulphur in the vineyards and none in the actual winemaking process. Even at the bottling stage, the amount of SO2 (sulphur dioxide - a preservative) used in the Mas Foulaquier wines is just 10 to 30 mg per litre (the maximum permitted by EU regulations is 180 mg/litre). Bearing in mind that so-called "natural" wines must contain 10 mg/litre or less of SO2, the wines of Mas Foulaquier are as close to qualifying as "natural wines" as can be, without actually doing so. I use inverted commas because - as far as I am aware - there are no hard and fast rules or regulations (i.e. no official regulatory body) for natural wines.

Moving away from the subject of the actual tasting (if you want to see my thoughts on the wines, my full tasting notes are all on my website) this subject brought to mind two separate occasions when I tasted Frank Cornelissen Munjebel 4 2006/7 Etna, Sicilia. Now this is very definitely a "natural" wine - i.e. no sulphur at all. The first time I tasted this wine it was utterly delicious - full of all sorts of faults, but delicious in spite of (or do I mean because of?) them. That was in November 2009. Fast forward to March 2010 and I tasted another bottle - and thse faults had completely and utterly consumed the wine. In fact, it was no longer wine, it was vinegar - and, at around 20 quid a bottle, very expensive vinegar. Basically, the absence of SO2 had rendered it so unstable that it's ability to store for a few extra months (let alone age at all) had been completely eradicated. Don't get me wrong, I love a good dose of volatile acidity in my wine (I adore Chateau Musar!) but this was an acidic, volatile, totally unstable mess, with all traces of fresh fruit long gone. In fact, as one of the Wine Cirle members succinctly stated, "I wouldn't put it on my chips"(!)

The morethanorganic website, which sings the praises of natural wines (and seems to pretty much dismiss every other type of wine as inferior), does state that natural wines must be transported and stored at temperatures of no more than 14C, in order to remain fresh and stable. I'm not sure if that was the case with this particular bottle, but it had nevertheless fallen off its perch to such an extent that I resolved never to invest any of my own hard-earned money in any natural wines (I didn't buy this one) - unless I intended to drink them straight away.

All of this led me to start thinking more closely about sulphur levels in the wines I sell. The Mas Foulaquier wines are all fresh and clean as a whistle, so winemaker Pierre Jéquier clearly seems to have found a happy medium with his sulphur levels. So what of Domaine de La Marfée? Partly because of my experience with the Cornelissen wine referred to above, I entered into a flurry of email correspondence with winemaker Thierry Hasard, since I wanted to know how he achieved such amazingly fresh and "alive" wines and how much (or how little) intervention there was in his winmaking. Thierry is obviously a deep thinker and very passionate about his subject and, as a result, I learned an awful lot about the man and his winemaking philosophy. Here are a few of his thoughts, extracted from various parts of that correspondence (and used with Thierry's permission);

On using sulphur......

"Yes, I use sulphur in the vineyards because I dont know any other efficient biodynamic way of fighting against oidium (LS: mildew - even Languedoc is not immune, during rainy periods). Today everybody is claiming he is using very low sulphur in his wines. I would tell you the truth: it is very easy for me to sell wines claiming they have no sulphur because I use very little sulphur during the ageing in barrels. So, if anybody is asking me, before bottling, "sell me your wines like this" I can say :ok, no problem for me. The only question is who takes the risks related to the temperatures during transportation and conservation? I add, just before bottling, a quantity of sulphur in order to have "20 de libre" (I can't translate). (LS: I think he means 20mg of "free" SO2, which is the important bit that preserves the wine in bottle). I dont fine and I dont filter any of my wines."

On viticulture........

"If you look at my website, one photograph had been taken in autumn, and you can see grass because at that time we dont fight against the weeds. The other photograh had been taken in summer, at that time we manage to eliminate all the weeds we can. The need for ploughing depends on the weather conditions in spring and summer (rain/ no rain) (more rain = more grass) and on each parcel of vines (very stoney/ less stoney) (more stones = less weeds)."

One of the Marfée vineyards in July 2008 - more stones equals less grass (especially in summer)

Thierry Hasard applying a biodynamic preparation in a vineyard of old Syrah, Autumn 2008 -

- note the grass growing freely, due to minimum ploughing

On "natural" wines........

"To my mind, nature is the opposite of culture. Making wine is a cultural act. As a winemaker your job is not to let nature do what it intends to do: vinegar. As a farmer or a vinegrower your job is to cultivate, that means to observe the natural forces and processes and then to prove you have a human brain by doing what is necessary to have a good harvest. Look at what happens to vineyards which are not cultivated for one year : vines die and fruits are spoiled and not able to make a drinkable wine. Cultivating is a human invention. Wine is a human invention. Wine is the most cultural product in the world and that is the reason why it is so fascinating. Am I warming up ? I agree with one thing: I would prefer not to use SO2. It is almost the only product I use in my winemaking. That is the only thing. At that time I think it is not possible if I want to sell my wines all over the world. There are so many examples of "vins nature" completly spoiled. I also know that the addition of little quantities of sulphur is not so easy to detect in a blind tasting (I tried many times)."

On viniculture.......

"I dont use any industrial yeasts for any of the reds or for the Roussanne - that means for 95% of my wines. The natural yeasts of my Chardonnays never want to wake up even after 6 days - probably because it is the holidays when it is harvest time for chardonnays - so I am obliged to use industrial ones!"

So there you have it - a sensible, balanced, but passionate view on winemaking. And a sensible viewpoint on why no completely sane winemaker should indulge in "extreme" natural winemaking. Basically, Thierry intervenes as little as possible, but does so when absolutely necessary for the health of the vines - and the wines.

"Natural" winemaking is not a new concept (in fact it is as old as winemaking itself) but it is definitely in vogue, at the moment. In many ways, it is a noble concept, and I can see plenty more winemakers jumping on the bandwagon before it reaches its peak of popularity. And in an ideal world, all wines would be completely natural. But the fact is - let's be honest - natural wine is a flawed concept, fraught with danger at every turn. Once made, it needs to be either drunk pretty damn quickly, or stored in perfect conditions (and at constantly low temperatures). Any less and the result will inevitably be wines that spoil very quickly. But if I am going to spend good money on expensive wines, I want to be sure that they aren't going to be vinegar when the time comes to drink them.

I like vinegar (and make gallons of the stuff from leftover wine) but I prefer it on my frites, not in my glass.

      

Vinisud report, part 6 - Domaine La Combe Blanche and Domaine de La Marfée

Blimey - before I know it, Friday night has arrived and I've not posted since Tuesday. I must find more time, though I'm not sure where from. So if anybody knows how to fit more than 24 hours into a day, would you please let me know?

Anyway, continuing into the afternoon of our first day at Vinisud, we moved from Brigitte Chevalier's stand straight on to the Domaine La Combe Blanche stand, to spend some time tasting the wines and chatting with my good friend Guy Vanlancker. Those who know the story of how I got into the wine business in the first place will know about the key role played by this man and his wines. For those who don't, you can read all about it here on my website. You can also read more about my current selection of Guy's wines in the Domaine La Combe Blanche section of the website. Although I am extremely familiar with Guys wines, it would have been remiss of me not to taste a few whilst there.

Apart from his premium cuvées (La Galine and La Chandeliere being the top reds) there were some impressive "basic" Minervois reds. The 2009 - not yet bottled - was fabulously soft and primary, supple and intensely fruity. 2008 was somewhat richer, with ultra-ripe fruit. 2007 combined the richness of the '08 with the freshness of the '09 and was absolutely delicious. 2006 was spicy and firm, with a lovely core of fruit. I currently offer the 2005, which is lovely to drink right now, but my experience of previous vintages tell me it has even more to offer. The Vins de Pays from both Tempranillo and Cinsault are lovely wines, both of which display a mix of varietal character and the local terroir. The only grape that I feel Guy has not really nailed yet - at least on a regular basis - is Pinot Noir. The hills above La Liviniere tend to be subject to all the extremes that the different seasons can offer, and whilst the winters can be harsh - especially up on the relatively high slopes and plateaus - the summers are often conversely hot and dry, meaning that growing Pinot is a hit and miss affair. Then again, we all have our follies. And the occasional miss is more than made up for by an array of successes, year after year. I've been working with Guy from the very first day I started my business - and I'll be working to sell these lovely wines just as long as he keeps making them.

       

After we left Guy, we strolled around the various halls, stopping here and there to taste wines from various growers. Some of the visits were planned, others just took our fancy, for one reason or another. I'll post notes and thoughts on some of the highs and lows in due course. For now, I'll tell you about our last major visit of the day - and one which I had been really looking forward to - which was Domaine de La Marfée. I've had the opportunity to taste one or two older wines from this grower before, so I know how good they can be, and how ageworthy they are. Indeed, I posted a tasting note on a particularly enjoyable Les Vignes Qu'on Abat 1999 a couple of weeks ago. But having never tasted them on release before, I didn't really have any idea what to expect of them, given that they were relatively young. But these wines are, almost without exception, brilliant. There's no other word to describe them, in my humble opinion.

With a backgound in accountancy, Thierry Hasard came relatively late to winemaking, making his first wines in 1997. He farms around 6 hectares of vines (on a dozen or so different plots) near the village of Murviel Les Montpellier, a few kilometres west of Montpellier itself. He currently makes five wines - a white and four different reds.

Frissons d'Embolles 2007 is a blend of 70% Roussanne and 30% Chardonnay. It is full of minerally character, with aromas and flavours of herbs, stone fruit and citrus. There's a hint of reduction, though it certainly doesn't detract from the wine, and a touch of classy oak, which adds richness and depth. But the overall impression is of purity and finesse. A really lovely wine.

Les Gamines 2007 is 50% Syrah, 40% Mourvedre and 10% Grenache. I was obviously too busy enjoying this wine, because my rather brief note reads "berries galore - soft but so complex!"

Della Francesca 2007 is 85% Mourvedre and 15% Syrah. Savoury and herby, but again so fruity. Grippy and quite tight at present, but full of rich, almost pastilley-sweet fruit, with excellent balancing acidity.

Les Vignes Qu'on Abat 2007 is 100% Carignan. Once again, we have gorgeous, almost lush fruit, with hints of garrigue and an almost schiste-like minerality and remarkably ripe, velvety tannins. This is another really fabulous wine, which is already surprisingly approachable. A real testament to the potential of old Carignan vines (in the hands of the right winemaker, of course).

Les Champs Murmurés 2007 is Syrah and Mourvedre, made from very old vines. It is a little bit closed on the nose at present, although the palate is much more expressive. Again, a rich core of fruit, but with a cloak of tannins that needs another 2 or 3 years to soften. Nevertheless, another beautifully structured and classy wine.

Looking at the above notes, I almost sound as if I'm damning these wines with faint praise, but I can assure you that I was completely bowled over by them. The white is up there with the very best I have tasted from Languedoc. And the reds all have one particular thing in common, whatever the blends or varieties - and that is a depth of fruit which I find hard to describe. The nearest descriptor I can think of is fruit pastilles (especially the red and black ones) with a rich, deep flavour, like ultra-ripe raspberries and blackcurrants, but alwayys with a lick of mouth-watering acidity. Monsieur Hasard has been quoted as saying that he believes terroir is more important than grape variety. Whatever it may be down to (I think it is probably a blend of great terroir, top-notch viticulture and damn fine winemaking) there appears to be a clear style to these wines, and one that I find very easy to fall in love with. They are just wonderful.

Thierry Hasard of Domaine de La Marfée,

applying a biodynamic preparation in his vineyard

As with Mas Foulaquier (whose wines I talked about in part 2 of this report), it wasn't until later that I discovered that Domaine de La Marfée is biodynamic. Which I guess should not have come as a surprise. As I have said before, whatever you think of biodynamicism (extreme organics or just plain whacky) it is a philosophy which does tend to go hand-in-hand with a healthy respect for the land and a fastidious approach to winemaking. And when the wines are this good, you can't help but begin to believe in it.

I have therefore wasted no time in placing an order for a selection of all five of the above wines from Domaine de La Marfée (along with the range of wines from Mas Foulaquier) which should arrive in stock within the next 2 to 3 weeks. To say I am excited at the prospect of having them on my list is an understatement - I can't wait!