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Vinisud
February
2006
Comments and hot tips below from the showcase for Mediterranean
wines, which took Montpellier by storm, in the most constructive sense of the
expression. Unfortunate use of words perhaps, in light of recent isolated
desperate acts
(opens a story on Decanter.com). It's an event
such as Vinisud and participants that successfully demonstrates the future
path for wine in the
South, not smashing things up (even if difficult not to sympathise with stranded
growers asking for more help from a distant Paris): I'll leave further comments
on this to
Vitisphere.com (goes to
related piece on my 'Wine Press' pages). Featured estates: Daumas Gassac - La Sauvageonne
-
L’Euzière -
Anger - Grézan -
Champart
- Paul Mas - Matassa -
Força Réal - Crus pour Joie
(Corbières).
Mas
de Daumas Gassac
Still
the legend of the south? MDG was one of the first to make top
quality Vins de Pays in the Languedoc from a mix of
Mediterranean, Rhône and Bordeaux varieties. There are now
more growers reaching a similar standard; but their wines remain
classy and elegant including a back catalogue of older reds,
which few others can match and shows how well they age. As for
the high prices they command, well that's a different argument
and MDG aren't lacking in customers!
2004
Eraus blanc
(mostly
Sauvignon
Blanc) -
quite concentrated with mineral intensity, not very Sauv Blanc
but shows nice length and bite.
85
2005
MDG blanc -
lively zesty fruit with oily depth v aromatic peachy notes, zingy
and long.
89
2004
Guilhem rouge
(Syrah,
Mourvèdre,
Grenache
&
Carignan)
- nice soft youthful black cherry and liquorice fruit with a bit
of dry bite to finish.
85
2003
Elise rouge
(Syrah
&
Merlot) -
attractive smoky tobacco and dried fruit aromas & flavours,
soft mouthfeel v grip of tannin, elegant yet powerful finish.
87-89
2004
MDG rouge
(Cabernet
Sauvignon
+
15 varieties, barrel sample) - tight elegant blackcurrant and
cherry fruit, nice tannin texture v fruit concentration on its
subtle length.
90+
2003
MDG rouge -
more open and rustic, ripe liquorice fruit with wild herb notes;
richer than the 04 with attractive tannins, softer texture v
weight on the finish.
92
2001
Cuvée Emile Peynaud
(Cabernet
Sauvignon
from selected parcels) - quite oaky nose yet shows developed
fruit underneath, grippy powerful palate, the oak's still a
little strong but it's also concentrated and richly textured.
90+
Tasted
at the estate 13/3/05:
2005
MDG blanc -
tight and crisp yet lively and intense: this offers perfumed
apricot and peach fruit on a zingy palate, underpinned by a touch
of yeast lees and very light toast adding complexity, length and
richness.
87-89
2003
MDG rouge -
lovely ripe smoky cassis and black cherry fruit with notes of
leather, has softness v dry grip in the mouth with light creamy
oak coating; quite elegant actually for this hot vintage, complex
finish.
90-92
1995
MDG rouge -
had been open for a few days so a bit oxidised; however, it
displayed complex herbal v figgy flavours and again that perfumed
leather edge, still quite firm and lively with maturing fruit on
the finish.
92-94
La
Sauvageonne
A
new range of wines from this estate up in the Coteaux
du Languedoc hills purchased in 2001, with a resident English
winemaker sourcing from vineyard parcels at different
altitudes.
2005
Sauvignon Blanc
(+5%
Muscat)
- zingy green fruit set against ripe citrus, nice length and
intensity.
85+
2005
Rosé
- creamy red fruits v crisp long mouthfeel, nice style.
87
2004
Les Ruffes
(Syrah,
Grenache,
Cinsault
&
Carignan)
- lovely youthful cherry, liquorice and menthol flavours; fruity
v light grip, on the simpler side but nice finish.
85-87
2003
Pica Broca
(Syrah
&
Grenache)
- ripe fruit v firm texture, again has that attractive herby
black cherry character, with fairly soft tannins on the finish.
87-89
2004
Pica Broca -
spicier and more elegant than the 03, with soft tannins on the
subtle finish.
89
2004
Puech de Glen
(mostly
Syrah
+
Grenache)
- rather closed, tight and unrevealing at the moment; however,
has attractive fruit underneath and elegant length.
89+
Latest Sauvageonne
here.
Château
L’Euzière
Brother
and sister Michel and Marcelle Causse run this scenic property
near Fontanès in
the Pic Saint-Loup region,
north of Montpellier. One to watch...
2005
Grains de Lune,
Coteaux du Languedoc blanc (Roussanne,
Vermentino
&
Grenache
blanc) -
nice and juicy with complex yeast lees edges, crisp bite and
length.
87-89
2004
L'Almandin,
Pic St-Loup (Syrah,
Grenache
&
Mourvèdre)
- intricate rustic notes mingle with black fruits, nice firm grip
yet elegant and spicy; young (just bottled in fact) showing
potential.
89+
2004
Les Escarboucles,
Pic St-Loup (Syrah,
Grenache
&
Mourvèdre)
- closed and oaky on the nose, solid structure with nice texture,
fruit and concentration; also needs time to express itself.
89-91
More L’Euzière
here.
Domaine
Anger
Laurent Anger is a leading grower in
Minervois La Livinière.
2001 La Chapelle de Calamiac
(100% Syrah) - intriguing flavours
of lovely ripe smoky liquorice fruit and leather notes, soft long
finish. 92-94
2001
Château Anger la Croix de St-Bénoit - herbier
with more aromatic black cherry fruit, again elegant and ripe,
smoky and long. 92-94
Château
de Grézan
This
extraordinary, walled-castle estate makes a fairly large
(perhaps too) range of
traditional Faugères
reds and charming varietal white wines.
2004
Commanderie de St-Jean Chardonnay
- nice clean citrus and peach style, soft juicy palate with a
little freshness on the finish.
85-87
2005 Commanderie de
St-Jean Viognier
- subtle yet lively apricot, herb and mineral flavours, weighty
extract v quite crisp and fresh.
89+
2004
Commanderie St-Jean barrique Chardonnay
- nice creamy, fairly fat fruit set against yeasty bite and
intensity; well handled oak.
89
2003
Château de Laurens
Faugères (this and below variations on
Grenache,
Syrah,
Mourvèdre
&
Cinsault)
- ripe spicy developing nose, nice balance of grip and fruit with
good length.
87-89
2003
Château de Grézan Cuvée Arnaud
Faugères - less open and seductive, mintier too;
structured yet round tannins, the fruit's not coming through at
the moment but this is designed for ageing.
87-89
2003 Cuvée
Vieilles Vignes
Faugères (Grenache
&
Carignan)
- firmer and stockier, light oak coating wraps up a concentrated
grippy palate; needs a couple of years at least.
88-90
2001
Les Schistes Dorés
(Grenache,
Syrah,
Mourvèdre)
- richer and more concentrated, mint and chocolate underneath
black cherry fruit, very firm and powerful yet shows sweetness
and roundness too.
89-91
Mas
Champart
Isabelle
and Matthieu Champart's lovely reds have long been among my
favourite
St-Chinian
wines, especially their Mourvèdre rich Clos
Simonette.
2004
St-Chinian blanc
(Marsanne,
Roussanne,
Grenache
blanc &
Bourboulenc)
- fresh and exotic fruit then turns zesty and mineral, nice clean
elegant finish.
85+
2003
Côte d'Arbo St-Chinian
(Syrah,
Grenache
&
Carignan)
- wild and spicy with attractive pure fruit, quite elegant with
ripe soft-ish finish.
87-89
2003
Causse du Bousquet
(Syrah,
Mourvèdre,
Grenache
&
Carignan)
- more liquorice and black cherry, again shows softness v
concentration, grip v elegance.
90
2003
Clos de la Simonette
(70%
Mourvèdre
&
Syrah) -
firmer structure and style, again displays lovely fruit and
rounded tannins.
90-92
More Champart here.
Château
de Lastours
I
tasted cask samples of their promising 2004 vintage reds: Arnaud
de Berre,
Simone
Descamps and
top cuvée Château
de Lastours.
See Winery
snapshots: Corbières.
Les
Crus pour Joie
Fetching
name for this recently formed, merry band of mostly young, small
estates in wild Corbières
country around the town of Lagrasse. Several delicious finds
here.
2005
Domaine Baillat
rosé
(Syrah,
Cinsault
&
Grenache)
- very youthful, tight and steely with elegant zippy fruit.
85-87
2005
Clos d'Espinous
rosé
- juicier style than above, quite concentrated with tight, zesty
and youthful finish.
85-87
2005
Château
Roquenégade
blanc
(Roussanne
&
Grenache
blanc) -
quite fat and juicy set against mineral and herb edges, nice
length and bite.
87+
2003
Domaine la Rune 'Pertho'
(mostly
Grenache)
- lovely ripe Grenache fruit with smoky spicy liquorice notes,
then elegant dry finish.
87-89
2003
Château Prieuré Borde-Rouge -
ripe and spicy with wild flowers and black & red fruits,
powerful finish yet light tannins.
89-90
2003
Château de
Roquenégade
rouge - also has very ripe fruit, more on the leather and
chocolate side, firmer structure and power too.
89
2004
Domaine Baillat
rouge - up-front black cherry and liquorice aromas lead to a firm
and concentrated palate, young and closed but will be good.
89+
2005
Clos de l'Anhel 'les Terrasses'
- concentrated and meaty, lots of depth and style, grippy tannins
v ripe fruit; very promising.
90+
Latest Anhel
here.
2003 Château
Cascadais -
slightly dusty wood on the nose but this shows nice depth of
fruit, more trad and structured style yet good with it.
87
Domaine
Força Réal
Jean-Paul Henriquès
and his son Cyril have done sterling work restoring this
spectacular estate up on a hill between Millas and Estagel, with
distant views of Perpignan, the Mediterranean, Corbières
hills and the Pyrenees.
2004 Mas de la Garrigue -
nice ripe black fruits with earthy notes, soft palate with a
touch of grip too. 87
2003
Domaine Força Réal - richer fruit than above,
attractive depth and stylish finish. 89-91
2003
Les Hauts de Força Réal - chocolate oak aromas
lead to rich wild fruits and lovely textured finish; needs a
couple of years. 92-94
More Força Réal
here.
Domaine
Matassa
Tom
Lubbe and Sam Harrop's estate in the northern Roussillon/eastern
Fenouillèdes area, where they're making some distinctive
whites and an elegant, pure Grenache red.
2005
Matassa blanc
(Muscat
&
Macabeu)
- lively aromatic fruit with mineral edges, clean long and zesty
palate.
87
2005
Viognier-Muscat
- lovely aromatic apricot and white peach fruit, zesty citrus
undertones with long bite and power on the finish.
89+
2004
Grenache Gris-Macabeu
(white) - toasty and funky with similarly intense and pure
length.
89
Latest Matassa and profile
here (2010).
Domaines
Paul Mas
A
few new vintages and releases from Jean-Claude
Mas and his winning team, including some unusual blends and
the cross-breed red variety Marselan from recently purchased
organic vineyards near Pézenas (Languedoc).
2005
Sauvignon Blanc dA,
Limoux - attractive crisp intense gooseberry and citrus fruit,
fresh long finish.
85-87
2005
Viognier -
lively and zesty showing lovely depth of rich apricot fruit and
aromatic class.
89
2005
La Forge Chardonnay
- attractive citrus and peach fruit underlined by subtle toast
and cream flavours, good bite v weight on the finish.
90+
2005
La Forge Cabernet Sauvignon
- tight focused cassis fruit, firm yet rounded mouthfeel; needs 6
months to come together, promising.
89-90?
Paul
Mas 1892 (its
name rather than vintage!) (Alicante,
Carignan,
Cinsault
Grenache
&
Merlot) -
stonky grippy palate, unusual meaty style, old fashioned chunky
blend but good with it.
87-89
2004
Marselan -
curranty juicy fruit, has fair depth and firm texture; different.
87
2004 Château
Paul Mas,
Coteaux du Languedoc - the oak's quite strong at the moment, but
this displays beautiful concentration of blackberry and
chocolate; tight, fine yet weighty finish.
92+
2003 Château
Paul Mas,
Coteaux du Languedoc - similar power v finesse with richer wilder
more developed fruit.
92+
2003 Les Faisses,
Coteaux du Languedoc - lovely drinking now (with rack of lamb)
yet concentrated and structured enough to develop much further;
full, gamey and 'sweet' with firm rounded tannins.
92-94
And more here
too...
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