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 Difficult to turn down author and journalist Michel Smith's invitation to taste
"over 50 of the region's best red wines." Michel writes for numerous
wine and food publications and his latest book "Les Grands Crus du Languedoc et du Roussillon"
(click on the pic for more info and buy a copy: commission free,
honest!) is the culmination of 20
years' travelling around southern France's vineyards.
But were all the wines in the tasting worth the money and deserve their
reputation? Michel had already done an 'under €10' tasting, where he found
plenty of winners. "Producers here have the right to charge high
prices, but there's no point in having ideas above your station," he
commented. "Languedoc and Roussillon offer very rewarding and drinkable
wines. That's the problem with some of the Bordeaux-owned estates: too
much, too Pauillac! They haven't yet understood the region's unique
characters...it's one of the most complicated."
What is
particularly noticeable from my comments and scores, is the amount of
favourites falling between €10-€15. Beyond that, we found some great wines but also more vacuous, frankly
less enjoyable ones overloaded with flash new oak or heavy winemaking. So
my 'top reds' were, in no particular order: Clavel, Singla, Bizeul,
Rouaud, Ollieux Romanis, Mazelet, Rimbert,
Borie Blanche, Tour Boisée, Lignon, Amiel, Liquière, Silène, Henry, Etoile Matin, Balmettes, Prés-Lasses,
Sylva Plana, St Antonin, Alezon, Grandes Costes, Aussières, Lacroix-Vanel, Augustins
and Bagatelle. By the way, a few of these cost less than €10, just
to throw the cat among the pigeons. NB: most of the bottles were opened
one day or more beforehand.
 2005 Domaine Singla
Alby, vin de pays des Côtes Catalanes
(Grenache Syrah 13.5% organic) - a bit closed on the
nose, moves on to nice light tobacco and rich black cherry, attractive
pure fruit showing depth, freshness and bite of tannins; good now yet
should round out nicely after 6-12 months. More Singla wines
here. €7 88-90
2003 Château de Pennautier,
Cabernet Collection
Privée - been open a little too long but still has attractive
mix of smoky and rich fruit v tarter cassis and firm texture. 87-89
2005 Domaine Rouaud
Têt Pourpre, Côtes du Roussillon Villages (organic) - youthful spicy and
rich with tobacco, blackberry and black cherry; deliciously drinkable and
refreshing v tight firm finish. More Rouaud wines
here and
here. €10 92-94
2004 Château
des Estanilles
Tradition, Faugères (14%) - nice maturing fruit offering spicy
liquorice and dark chocolate v ripe and rustic tones; quite soft with
light grip, drinking well now. €6 87-89
2005 Marie & Frédéric Chauffray
La Réserve d'O, Coteaux du Languedoc
Terrasses de Larzac (14%) - aromatic peppery and rustic black cherry
fruit, quite rich yet floral palate; a tad extracted on the finish but has
nice fruit and length. €10 88
2004 Château
Ollieux Romanis cuvée
Prestige, Corbières (Carignan Grenache Mourvèdre Syrah
14%) - quite wild 'garrigue' notes, earthy
and aromatic; attractive concentrated yet soft fruit and tannins, quite
elegant and well balanced with lovely textured leather tannins. €10
91-93
More Ollieux
Romanis here.
2005 Marie & Guy Taboulay
Mas du Mazelet, vin de pays d'Oc (Syrah
Cabernet Sauvignon Grenache Mourvèdre 13.5% organic) - perfumed
earthy Syrah fruit with tarter cassis notes, savoury palate showing
ripeness v firmness, light leather and spice; quite big and structured yet
has nice rounded fruit. €10 90-92
2004 Château
Belles Eaux Ste-Hélène,
Coteaux du Languedoc (14.5%) - toasted coco oak with spicy ripe black
cherries, nice fruit and elegance, pity about the Bordeaux styled oak.
I've previously rated it better: click
here. 87-89
2004 Domaine Rimbert
Mas au Schiste, Saint-Chinian (Carignan Syrah Grenache
13%) - delicious complex nose, perfumed Syrah fruit v savoury side;
elegant spicy ripe fruit v lovely freshness, maturing finish with subtle
length. Drinking well now onwards. €10 92-94
2004 Domaine Rimbert, Saint-Chinian
Berlou (Carignan Grenache Syrah) - lovely
floral spice, elegant ripe v minty fruit; firm and leathery needing to
open up a bit, classy structured wine with pure fruit finish, very nice
indeed. Worth €5 more than the above (which therefore looks good value).
€15 92-94
2003 Domaines Lorgeril
Les Hauts de la Borie Blanche,
Minervois la Livinière (13.5%) - savoury leather tones with scented wild
herbs, quite rich and firm with nice substance and tight length. 89-91
2004 Domaine Borie de Maurel
La Féline, Minervois la Livinière (Syrah Grenache
14%) - attractive perfumed Syrah nose with spicy cherry; fairly elegant
and maturing fruit with dry bite, a bit short after that promising start
and lacks charm in the end. €10 87
2003 Domaine Borie de Maurel
Cuvée Maxime, Minervois (100% Mourvèdre
14%) - fairly animal with wild black olive notes, quite rich and powerful;
sexy start turning a bit heavy-handed, firm v ripe finish though. €13
87-89
 2004 Jean-Louis
Poudou Château Tour Boisée,
Minervois (14%) - light herbal complexity v richer meatier side, tasty
palate v firm tight structure; promising. €11 88-90
2005 Clos des Fées
les Sorcières, Côtes du Roussillon (Grenache
Carignan Syrah 14%) - touch of sulphide on
the nose? Much nicer palate with juicy black cherry and firm fresh bite,
lively v restrained fruit. €11 87-89
2004 Clos des Fées
vieilles vignes, Côtes du Roussillon
Villages (Grenache
Carignan) - a bit closed on the nose, moving on to a leathery
palate with rich blackberry fruit, concentrated and firm, tobacco v lush
fruit. €25 90+
2004 Clos des Fées
de Hervé Bizeul, Côtes du Roussillon
Villages (Grenache
Syrah Mourvèdre Carignan 15%) - this bottle had been open for
a week: showing lovely rich liquorice spice and leather Grenache fruit,
ripe and extracted with quite a lot of new oak; nevertheless, it has
delicious depth of complex fruit underneath, firm fresh and long; balanced
despite high alcohol, stylish despite the power and extraction. Difficult
to score this in context of its cult price! €50 92-94 More
Bizeul wines.
2002 Domaine Lignon
Les Vignes d'Antan, Minervois (13.5%) - rustic old style but
attractively rich and ripe, weighty and quite firm; nice drinkable finish,
really quite good for the difficult 02 vintage (wet). 88-90
2005 Mas Amiel Notre
Terre, Côtes du Roussillon Villages (Grenache
Carignan Mourvèdre Syrah 14.5%) - odd
nose (wood?) moves on to a very nice palate, rich ripe tar and chocolate
tones v very firm and fresh; powerful length yet balanced, spicy with
layered tannins. €11.20 92-94
2005 Château
La Liquière Nos Racines,
Faugères (Carignan Grenache
14%) - black cherry and wild herbs, a tad animal too; smoky and rich with
sexy drinkable quality, power and grip v seductive rounded fruit. €11.40
89-91
2004 Château
La Liquière
Cistus,
Faugères (70% Syrah + Grenache Mourvèdre Carignan
14%) - spicy and floral v meatier depth, quite big Syrah styled fruit with
rather firm grip v lingering ripeness too. €14.30 88
2003 Robert Skalli
Domaine du Silène des Peyrals, Coteaux du Languedoc (Syrah Grenache
13.5%) - oaky very ripe nose, better palate with quite rich 'tar' fruit v
choco oak bite, quite tight and fresh actually (for a 2003); touch of oak
on the finish but nice balance and style, modern v traditional. €12 90
2004 Domaine Henry
St-Georges d'Orques, Coteaux du Languedoc (Grenache Mourvèdre Syrah Carignan
14%) - light red pepper, spicy liquorice and farmyard undertones, complex
pungency; quite rich and funky v freshness and grip, needs time to open
up; interesting, technically faulty perhaps but attractive. €12 90
2003 Domaine de Haut Gléon, vin de
pays de la Vallée du Paradis (13%) - mature smoky rustic leather
characters, rather dry finish lacking depth; nice enough but overpriced.
€12 85
2004 L'Ostal Cazes
Estibals, Minervois (Syrah Grenache Carignan
14.5%) - touch of wood with simple juicy fruit, dry and straightforward
finish. €12! 80
2004 L'Ostal Cazes, Minervois la Livinière
- rather Bordeaux in style, attractive elegant wild fruits v new wood,
well balanced and quite concentrated; lacks real depth and class at €20,
although much better than the above. 88
2005 Clos des Nines
L'Orée, Coteaux du Languedoc (Grenache Syrah
Cinsault
13.5%) - a bit reduced/sulphide? Aromatic black fruits and liquorice in
the mouth, appealing spice and elegant depth, well balanced. Perhaps lacks
complexity at this level, fine at half the price. €12 87
2004 L'Etoile du Matin, Corbières (Syrah Grenache Carignan
13.5% organic) - aromatic spicy and meaty, quite concentrated and firm v
attractive liquorice and pepper fruit; tightly structured and long with
freshness and lovely 'garrigue' notes. We'll
be hearing more about Geoffroy Marchand I think. More Etoile du Matin
wines here and
here. €12
92-94
2004 Domaine de la Prose
Embruns, St-Georges d'Orques (13%) -
quite simple and rustic start rolls on to lively pure fruit, nice coating
of tannins and length; needs a bit of time to open up. €12 89
 2004 Domaine des Balmettes
Les Figuiers, vin de pays des Côtes Catalanes
(100% Syrah 14%) - touch of sulphide but it goes
leaving nice meaty nose with sexy dark fruit, lively fresh fruit and
tannins, tasty and lush v firm and extracted; powerful long delicious
finish, not so Syrah in character. €12 94-96
2005 Domaine des Balmettes
Les Amandiers, vin de pays des Côtes Catalanes
(100% Grenache 14%) - very ripe with lots of
liquorice and leather, rather volatile towards almost acetic; strange
'natural' style nevertheless, rich and powerful, bit of a one-off. 89+?
2005 Domaine des Balmettes
Les Oliviers, vin de pays des Côtes Catalanes
(100% old vine Grenache
14%) - lovely ripe liquorice and leather, dense and smoky on a very firm
structure; less volatile than above, very long and complex, those tannins
bring freshness and balance; delicious although it needs a few years to
calm down! €16 94
Latest Balmettes here.
2003 Domaine des Prés-Lasses
Les Tabernolles, Coteaux du Languedoc (Grenache Syrah
Cinsault
13.5%) - ripe and smoky, nice juicy v meaty mouth-feel, rich and very firm
yet balanced, powerful cooked fruit finish. €12 88-90
2003 Domaine des Prés-Lasses
Le Castel Viel, Faugères (Carignan Grenache Syrah Mourvèdre
13.5%) - pure peppery v rustic aromas, lush and extracted with a touch of
wood; nice bite v richness although very dry tannins. €16 88
2005 Sylva Plana Le
Longe de l'Abbé, Faugères (Syrah Carignan Grenache Mourvèdre
13.5%) - violet and cassis aromas in a northern Rhone way, vibrant
perfumed fruit v firm structure, quite elegant with chocolate undertones.
€12.50 90
2003 Château
Moulin de Ciffre Eole, Faugères
(14%) - hints of oak on the nose, extracted cherry and tobacco palate,
chunky and spicy; that wood does melt in on the finish, a bit overdone but
still good. €13 87-89
2004 Domaine St-Antonin
Magnoux, Faugères (50% Syrah
14%) - funny nose, burnt chocolate and matches with floral perfumed cherry
notes; however, the palate offers nice raspberry fruit, soft and fresh
with light grip; long and stylish finish with freshness and floral fruit.
€13 89-91
2005 Mas d'Alezon
Montfalette, Faugères (Syrah Grenache Mourvèdre
12.5%) - ripe floral berry and cassis fruit with subtle chocolate texture,
nice light touch v depth and purity of fruit; juicy yet firm with elegant
length. Grown at altitude. €13 92-94
2004 L'Ancienne Mercerie
Cuvée Couture, Faugères (14.5%) - a
little burnt and rustic, powerful and rich mouth-feel, quite firm v smoky;
impressive start but lacks a bit of class in the end. €13.50 89
2004 Domaine les Grandes Costes
Les Grandes Costes, Coteaux du Languedoc
(13.5%) - complex floral red pepper notes, pure fruit palate with lovely
drinkability, elegant and soft v rich and impressive; nice length with
wild floral fruit, chocolate oak and freshness. €13.50 92-94
2004 Château
d'Aussières (Rothschild), Corbières (Syrah Grenache Mourvèdre Carignan
13%) - seductive 'sweet' floral Syrah fruit enriched with meaty
complexity, ripe yet firm mouth-feel, quite elegant with lightly rustic
tones; very nice style although a bit dear at €14 (that's bankers/top
Bordeaux chateaux owners for you). 88-90
2004 Domaine Clavel
Copa Santa, Coteaux du Languedoc 'Terroir de la Méjanelle'
(14%) - a touch of disjointed wood leads on to attractive liquorice and black
olive fruit, very firm v black cherry richness; slightly oak dominated at
the moment? Not very revealing, although does show potential class. €14.50
89-91 Latest
Clavel here.
2001 Enclos de la Croix, vin de pays
d'Oc - rustic v herbaceous nose moves on to nice maturing lush fruit, the
tannins are a bit hard though. 87-89
 2004
Domaine Lacroix-Vanel
Mélanie, Coteaux du Languedoc (70% Syrah
+ Grenache Mourvèdre 14%) - quite Syrah
dominated in style, floral v odd rustic edges; better palate, rich and
solid, a bit soupy but it closes up on its firm finish. €15 89+?
2004 Domaine Lacroix-Vanel
Ma Mon troppó, Coteaux du Languedoc (90% Mourvèdre
+ Grenache Syrah 14%) - the nose is a bit
closed and reduced; black olive fruit with
liquorice and leather overtones, lush then firm and tight yet has vibrant
wild herbal fruit; needs time, could be very good. €16 90+?
2004 Clos des Augustins
Sourire d'Odile, Coteaux du Languedoc (Syrah Grenache
13%) - violets chocolate and black cherry, nice fruit purity and firm coat
of tannins, balanced and fresh too; good but €15... 89+
2003 Clos des Augustins
L'Ainé, Coteaux du Languedoc Pic
St-Loup (mostly Syrah 12.5%) - more choc and
spice with attractive meaty character, rich fruit and underlying purity;
nice depth and character despite the oak. €25 90-92
2004 Clos Bagatelle
La Gloire de Mon Père, Saint-Chinian (13%) - very rich tar v
floral Syrah? notes, chunky and lush v firm tannins; coffee and liquorice
flavours linger on an earthy v 'sweet' finish, long and full. €20 92-94
2004 La Boda d'Aupilhac, Coteaux du
Languedoc Montpeyroux (Mourvèdre Syrah Grenache
Cinsault 13.5%) - smoky and spicy, nice nose and start to the
palate with lush and peppery fruit, but finishes rather extracted and dry.
€22 87-89
2004 Château
St-Roch Kerbuccio, Côtes du Roussillon Villages (Grenache
Syrah Mourvèdre 14.5%) - closed nose leads to liquorice and black
olive fruit in the mouth, extracted and firm; rather oaky at the moment,
not sure. €23 88-90. More
St-Roch
wines, including this one tasted on a different occasion, and
here too.
Apparently 'top' cuvées (from €15 to €40) from these estates were
disappointingly over-oaked and/or heavily handled/extracted: St-Jean
Noviciat, Auzières, Lastours, Estanilles, Nines, Vernède, Caladroy and Massamier Mignarde.
Wines tasted April 2007, feature posted August 07. |
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More Languedoc
& Roussillon:
Winery
snapshots Languedoc
(6 pages)
Winery
snapshots
Corbières
& Fitou
Winery snapshots
Roussillon
(4 huge pages)
6th Fenouillèdes
wine fair
Vinisud Montpellier
Faugères
Saint-Chinian
Coteaux du Languedoc
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