|
Discover 18 worthwhile wines tasted at the
first Fête des Vignes de Montpellier Agglomération. While in town on a
gloriously sunny, early December afternoon, I stumbled across this local
fair ("for local people") in the elegant imperial Place de la Comédie. The wine
capital of the South is literally surrounded by vines (although it
probably shouldn't be given the location of certain vineyards) - all of the
growers mentioned here are on the
Montpellier
wine route. This is
Coteaux
du Languedoc country taking in individual areas such as Grés de
Montpellier and Pic
Saint-Loup, as well as attractive vins de pays varietals too. Plus a few dry
and sweet guest Muscats thrown in...
Domaine de Piquet,
Confidence NV sparkling
wine - Quite fine nose displaying light toasty notes, crisp v milky
palate finishing with subtle yeasty touches. A surprise.
87
Domaine de Causse
2001 Cabernet/Merlot, vin
de pays d'Oc - Lovely cassis fruit with rustic notes, tangy leafy edges
too but it's ripe and rounded with a bit of bite and good length.
89
2003 Muscat, vin
de pays d'Oc (Muscat à Petits Grains) - Aromatic dry and fruity, fairly
fleshy style yet elegant and grapey, showing good depth of fruit.
85+
Domaine de Rieucoulon
2003 Carignan rosé, vin de pays Collines de la Moure - Crisp dry and tight in the mouth set
against nice elegant fruit and style. 85
2003 Merlot, vin
de pays d'Oc - Impressive depth of plummy fruit tinged with leafy notes,
quite weighty and concentrated within a firm framework. €5
87
Domaine de
Terre Megere, 2001 'Clapas' Grés de Montpellier (Syrah,
Grenache, Mourvèdre) - A touch
reductive on the nose
(ever so slightly vegetal) but this disappears into the smoky plummy
whole, with lightly herbal edges; richer riper palate, very firm and
stonky finish. 87+
Château de Fourques,
2001 Coteaux du
Languedoc (Syrah, Grenache,
Cinsault) - Minty blackcurrant and cherry
aromas, nice tangy fruit, firm tannins but ripe and textured.
85+
Château de Flaugergues,
2002 Cuvée Sommelière Grés de Montpellier (Syrah,
Grenache, Mourvèdre) - Firm
tannins and tight structure with long finish; not revealing much at the
moment so difficult to say. €9 87
Le Chemin des Rêves,
La Première Cuvée
(Syrah, Carignan,
Grenache) - Benoît Viot made this as vin de table because he felt like it: Soft fruity
cherry notes showing elegant depth, fairly light yet quite long and
attractive with it. 84+
Vignobles Baron de la Liquisse
2000 Lion d'Azur Grés de Montpellier (95%
Syrah) - Herbal peppery
nose leads to delicious black fruit palate, ripe v firm texture with
subtle concentration and length. 92
2003 Rosé d'Aurore, Coteaux du Languedoc (Syrah, Grenache, Cinsault) -
Attractive style showing elegance yet weight too, lively raspberry fruit
then oilier texture on the finish. Drink with grilled red mullet.
85+
2002 Tradition 'Terroir de Verargues', Coteaux du Languedoc (Syrah, Carignan, Grenache) - Soft ripe and smoky with plenty of liquorice and
'sweet' red fruits, supple tannin mouth-feel and lovely mature fruit to
finish. 88+
Château de Stony
2002 Lumière d'Automne, vin
de pays d'Oc (Muscat à Petits Grains, 14%) - Made with over-ripe grapes in
oak casks. Coconut oak notes mingle with quite rich sweetness (50 grams/litre
residual sugar), fairly toasty/spicy but underneath it's concentrated,
fruity and nicely textured. Unusual, needs time. €13 for 50cl
90
2003 Muscat de Frontignan, Cuvée Sélection de Vendanges (Muscat à Petits
Grains, 15%) - Vin Doux Naturel fortified to 15% leaving natural
sweetness. Starts with a fair kick of alcohol, but this also has delicious
Muscat fruit intensity and sweetness balancing it out. €7.80
89
2003 Muscat Sec, vin
de pays d'Oc (Muscat à Petits Grains, 13%) - Perfumed grapey aromas lead
to crisp bite on the palate, yet it's soft and elegant too with very dry
finish. €4.60 87
La Magdelaine
d'Exindre, 2003 Muscat de
Mireval 'Vent d'Anges' (Muscat à Petits Grains,
15%) - Classic style Vin Doux Naturel fortified Muscat with delicious
grapey orangey fruit, intense yet elegant sweetness, pretty full-on
finish. €10.20 87+
Domaine Desvabre
2003 Pic Saint-Loup Fût de Chêne (Syrah,
Grenache) - Spicier and toastier than the 'tradition' below with
coconut vanilla edges, quite concentrated and tight with rounded tannins;
more 'modern' style but good with it. 89
2003 Pic Saint-Loup Tradition (Syrah,
Grenache) - Nice smoky rustic fruit, soft mouth-feel with a touch
of dry grip too, finishing with elegance and power combined.
89
|
|
|
