"Order my book on the Roussillon wine region (colour paperback) DIRECT FROM ME SAVING £4/€4 (UK & EU only), or Kindle eBook on Amazon UK. Available in the USA from Barnes & Noble in hardcover, paperback or eBook; or Amazon.com. For other countries, tap here." Richard Mark James

17 June 2009

Roussillon: Château Mossé, Sainte-Colombe de la Commanderie

Jacques Mossé has trimmed his picturesque estate to around 50 ha (125 acres) having ripped up "the less good parcels," and sells off any extra wine "not considered appellation standard." The distinctive red-clay vineyards climb gently up behind the twee village of Ste-Colombe, neighbouring Thuir, and downhill towards Terrats. Jacques makes good traditional Roussillon styles, including complex aged 'vins doux naturels' (sweet fortified wines), and more 'contemporary' barrique influenced reds.
The first three wines here were tasted in his cellar on 31/1/06; there are more filed under "wines of the moment" (Mossé dry Muscat and rosé) and below. These wines are easy to find in local restaurants and wine shops, although he doesn't export that much.

2003 Côtes du Roussillon tradition (Syrah, Grenache & Carignan) - nice maturing nose, sweet and perfumed; the palate's still firmly textured, rounded out by quite concentrated fruit. €5 85+
2003 Temporis (80% Syrah aged in barriques) - spicy coconut oak aromas set the scene for lightly choco texture, good depth of fruit too; more supple than the tradition yet still structured and long. 87-89
2003 Le Carignan - appealing rustic ripe cherry aromas, lovely depth of 'sweet' fruit then firmer and more powerful on the finish. 90+ 

Tasted July 2006:
2005 Le Rosé, Côtes du Roussillon (13%) - nice chunky oily textured style, less perfumed than some but more serious on the palate; drink this with an anchovy salad. €5 85-87
Tasted summer 2007:
2006 Le Rosé, Côtes du Roussillon (13%) - similar to the 05 but a little tighter fresher and more refined even. Still a foodie rosé though. 87
Tasted June 2009 over dinner at Can Marty restaurant, Thuir:
2007 Le Rosé - still drinking well with nice ripe red fruits and oily texture v bit of weight and freshness. Pretty good with duck and steak even. 87
2008 Le Rosé...

Domaine Mossé, 66300 Sainte-Colombe de la Commanderie. Tel: Tel 04 68 53 08 89, fax 04 68 53 35 13; chateau.mosse@worldonline.frwww.chateau-mosse.com.


No comments:

Post a Comment

'RED'

'Red is for wine, blood, revolution, colour... Time-warped slices of mystery, history, fantasy, crime, art, cinema and love...' Buy the e-book or paperback novel on Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com. Click here to view the RED blog!

Send an email

Name

Email *

Message *

Header image: Château de Flandry, Limoux, Languedoc. Background: Vineyard near Terrats in Les Aspres, Roussillon.