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 Jumping the gun on the Bordeaux lot, Languedoc winemakers had the bright
idea of showcasing their 2008 vintage wines (or "representative
samples" of) en primeur in March 2009 to, well, make a point
really.
The world's wine media has become so obsessed with everything
Bordeaux, and maybe Burgundy too, that the whole vintage in
France seems to be judged, and either written off or glorified, depending
on the weather etc. in Bordeaux alone.
It was the case in 2007,
a good vintage
around the Med having tried lots of very nice wines (and all styles),
some of them
available now. And 2008, perhaps better in certain regions across the south
according to a broad diversity of palates, growers and opinions. Yet mediocre
in Bordeaux - although reports coming through after the recent en
primeur tastings there have confirmed the wines are better than
expected, much in certain cases - therefore all of France
tarred with the same brush.
So, this year the Languedoc gang decided to shout a bit louder about
it and held an entire week of tastings area by area. I could only go
for one day - covering reds from the Languedoc appellation as a
whole: Sommières (nice fruit and style), between Montpellier and Nimes;
Pic Saint-Loup
(very consistent with some high scores);
Grès de
Montpellier (more subdued but a few very good ones here);
Pézénas
(well-balanced with a touch of class);
Terrasses
du Larzac (also pretty consistent, superior quality); La Clape
(several impressive wines although some too marked by toasted wood) and
Picpoul de Pinet whites
(generally high standard, very enjoyable).
I've
also already tasted
quite a few 2008 vat and barrel samples from e.g.
Corbières,
Saint-Chinian
and the Roussillon with their winemakers, let alone
some rosés and whites now on sale. All showing 08 is definitely worth talking about
- although perhaps less immediately charming than 07 - let alone drinking. Many of the reds have the lively attractive
fruit of the 2007s, yet with the structure and bite of a more "classic"
vintage such as 2006 (beginning to look rather good too actually).
Anyway, these were my favourites - all tasted blind then
cross-referred to a crib sheet - although I didn't try the entire
daunting line-up! Some might have been overlooked as, being
unfinished samples, weren't showing well; or quite simply as there
wasn't time to taste everything...
Languedoc AOC rouge
Domaine de la Reynardière - perfumed, juicy and spicy black
cherry fruit; quite rich v dry texture, nice elegant style.
87
Abbotts "Boreas" - spicy lively raspberry and cassis fruit;
has a bit of a kick then firmer finish, closing up but quite long.
87+
Languedoc Sommières
Domaine des Sauvaire - quite rich and perfumed on the nose; concentrated /
extracted mouth-feel showing fair grip but has nice fruit and weight
too. 87
Château Langlade "Prestige" - more structured with an attractive mouthful of spicy v ripe
fruit, promising finish. 88(+)
Mas Granier - peppery perfumed aromas, chunky concentrated palate with good
depth of vibrant fruit. 89+
Pic Saint-Loup
Les Domaines Bru "Le Loup du Pic" - seductive Syrah fruit (?) with classic spicy black cherry notes/
flavours; nice intensity v subtle tannins. 87+
Domaine Haut Lirou - again has that sexy "Syrah" perfume and spice combined with
delicious depth of fruit and big structure.
90+
Mas Thélème "Carpe Diem" - offers real depth and intense fruit; firm and powerful with
peppery lush mouth-feel then tight finish. 88+
Château de Lancyre "Vieilles Vignes" - commanding very concentrated wine with seductive spicy black
fruits; very firm and long finish. 92+
Le Chemin des Reves "Gueule de Loup" - solid and extracted but also shows very nice spicy v 'sweet'
fruit. 87+
Domaine Zumbaum Tomasi "Clos Maginiai" - straight and clean, subtle peppery v ripe fruit; tight closed
finish, could be good. 87+
Clos des Augustins "Sourire d'Odile" - enticing and classy, 'sweet' fruit with a tad of oak, chunky
and structured then rich v tight finish. 90-92
Château Laroque "Cupa Numisae" - lovely fruit and aromas; taut and textured palate / length,
promising. 90
More La Roque
here
Château de Lascaux "Tradition" - lively spicy black cherry nose; quite lush v firm and long,
delicious actually. 92
Terrasses du Larzac
Le Clos du Serres "Le Clos" - spicy minty aromas with black forest gateau notes; fresh bite
and grip, very attractive style. 89
Domaine L'Aiguelière "Cote Dorée" - rich v tangy cassis with wild herb edges; tight refreshing
finish. 87+
La Bastide aux Oliviers - crunchy and tense palate showing wild fruits, liquorice and
tobacco; fiery and firm on the finish. 88+
Renée Marie Giner "Vallongue" - ripe and liquoricey, delicious 'sweet' v savoury flavours v
subtle dry texture. 90+
More here
Mas du Pountil "Le Mas" - concentrated and chunky with meaty edges yet 'sweet' fruit, powerful
and solid. 90+
Mas de la Séranne "Les Immortelles" - not displaying much on the nose but has big meaty fruit and
tannins; quite high alcohol but finished with complex tobacco notes.
89+
Domaine du Causse d'Arboras "Les Grazes" - structured, fleshy and also quite punchy; attractive oily v
tobacco fruit and texture though. 87+
Mas des Brousses - spicy and focused, 'sweet' v savoury fruit with floral cherry
undertones; well-balanced finish. 87+
Domaine Alain Chabanon "L'Esprit de Font Caude" - a bit closed and unrevealing although it has fair depth of
spicy floral v riper fruit then firm texture.
87+
More here
Château St-Jean d'Aumières "A" - enticing ripe blueberry aromas and flavours; chunky v peppery
palate with rounded tannins. 89
Pézenas
Domaine de Fabregous "Le Coeur" - seductive and lush with spicy black fruit cocktail; solid
mouth-feel but not hard, nice 'sweetness' and oomph on the finish.
88+
Domaines Paul Mas "Les Faisses" - oaky although lush v firm textured, powerful tight length;
promising. 89+
More Mas
Prieuré de St-Jean de Bébian - similar style showing perhaps richer & spicier fruit, firm v
chocolate mouth-feel; nice texture in the end.
90
La Clape
Domaine Ferri-Arnaud "Tradition" - lush 'tar' aroma and texture, spicy and chunky mouth-feel
finishing more 'sweet' & savoury. 90
Mas du Soleilla "Les Chailles" - aromatic floral plummy nose; oily v firm palate showing
attractive ripe wild fruits and spices, then big finish.
90
Château Pech Redon "L'Epervier" - concentrated and extracted 'tar' fruit v black pepper and fresh
counterbalance; wow. 90-92
Château Ricardelle "Clos Sablières" - again has that wilder spicy side v 'tar' and tobacco; very ripe
with chocolate texture, in line with others stylistically and nicely
done. 88-90
Grès de Montpellier
Saint Jean du Noviciat "Novi" - delicious ripe 'tar' v wild herbs on the nose, perfumed yet
'fat' fruit then soft-ish tannins. 87+
Château de l'Engarran "Grenache Majeur" - spicy liquorice "Grenache" style, punchy and powerful with
quite firm tannins yet 'sweet' fruit lingering on the finish.
89
Clos des Nines "L'Orée" - ripe v peppery nose; very firm and solid with underlying
'sweet' fruit and pepper notes, tight long finish.
90
Château de Flaugergues "Colbert" - "vinous" 'sweet' nose; chewy tannins v vibrant lush fruit,
solid finish. 88+
Abbaye de Valmagne "Turenne" - lively "Syrah" style (?) with floral spicy aromas; nice dry v
'sweet' finish. 87+
 Picpoul de Pinet
La Croix Gratiot - pretty classic lively gummy style; oily v crisp and mineral
palate, nice length. 87
Domaine des Lauriers "Prestige" - peachier and richer v subtle lemon and sherbet zest in the
mouth, wow finish. 89+
Domaine de Belle Mare - pretty intense and gummy nose; elegant palate showing waxy
texture v very fresh acidity, long clean finish.
88
Domaine Félines Jourdan - oilier and more honeyed "Riesling" style; "chalky" and incisive
mouth-feel v exotic apricot flavours. 90+
La Grangette Ste-Rose "L'Enfant Terrible" - closed up on the nose; zippy v honeyed, subtle intensity and
less seductive now, although should round out nicely in a few
months. 87+
Over dinner at Le
Bar à Vin in Pézenas (20 Cours Jean Jaurès, tel: 04 67 31 71 98) with lots of porky produce,
the focus of their menu. The relaxed yet lively
atmosphere led to me dropping those tiresome scores for a change:
2004 "Les Myrthes" Mas Mouries (Syrah Grenache Cinsault) - nice smoky
development, rich cassis and liquorice v fresher herbier side; good
balance and style, with tighter structured mouth-feel v underlying
lushness.
More Mouries
wines and profile.
2001
Château Paul Mas - smoky maturing fruit and texture, turning
savoury but still has plenty of life. Quietly, a bit of a Languedoc
classic: the wine and the vintage.
More vintages here.
"L'Hospitalitas" La Clape Gérard
Bertrand - tried four vintages:
2003 - delicious smoky 'tar' and fig with herbal
cassis intricacy and lots of other stuff too; complex, rich and firm
although quite mature now, not too powerful for a 2003; good foodie.
2002 - meatier and more savoury with enticing light tobacco /
leather tones; elegant and mature, very nice now.
2004 - smoky leather aromas but still more structured and
firm-textured; subtle finish, closes up but very promising.
2005 - attractive ripe spicy wild fruits / herbs v dried
fruit edges; solid tight mouth-feel, not very revealing although
some nice savoury fruit underneath its concentrated core. Needs 2 to
3 years.
More GB wines and report.
2006 "Polaris" Pézenas Stella-Nova
- stonky ripe dried fruit style with roast parsnip edges; very tight
although slightly extracted framework, attractive but already
turning old despite those gripping tannins.
More Stella Nova.
2000 Pic St-Loup
Château de Lascours - lovely complex mature nose
continuing onto the palate, although it quickly got "very mature" in
the glass so drink up now!
Richard M James,
posted June 2009. |
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Languedoc 1:
"Coteaux" zones
Languedoc 2:
Corbières Fitou
Languedoc 3:
Faugères Saint-Chinian Minervois
Languedoc 4:
Limoux Malepère
Cabardès
Languedoc 5:
Vin de Pays
Languedoc 6: Sommières Nîmes
A to Z
all Languedoc profiles 1 - 6
More Languedoc
& Roussillon:
Wine words
Millésime Bio
Winery snapshots: Roussillon
Roussillon:
Maury
Saint-Bacchus
2009
vintage
Gérard Bertrand
Languedoc &
Roussillon top reds
Winegrowers Revolt
100 years on
Vinisud 2006
Millésime Bio 2006
More Paul Mas
Wines of the
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