Roussillon: Domaine Hylari, Estagel

Jean-Michel and Isabelle Hylari are based in the village of Estagel, where the micro-winemaking takes place in a cosy backstreet cellar, and have another barrel cellar in nearby Tautavel (both found northwest of Perpignan). They concentrate on making small quantities of distinctive reds, dry whites and complex fortified Rivesaltes: cask-aged red Tuilé & 'white' (as in varieties used but the wines aren't at all in colour) Ambré styles as well as youthful Muscat. Wines below sampled at the Fenouillèdes wine tastings in the region in January 2005 and April 2007, and when I called in at the winery in autumn 2005 and March 2009.

Jean-Michel once took me for a spin past some of the 'new' vineyards he's purchased; actually a few old parcels between Estagel and Maury (not far from Mas Amiel) packed with crumbly dark grey schist and big pebbles. He's also been selectively replanting or re-trellising some Syrah while maintaining treasured old Grenache (red and white) and Carignan. Good to see he remains a fan of Mourvèdre too, which plays a supporting role in the intricate screenplay behind his quadruple-blend red wines. Jean-Michel hopes his son and daughter will get involved in the family estate, not a given nowadays (young French people probably don't think there's any money in wine, wonder where they get that idea from!), once they've finished their studies to bring a new winemaking and marketing dimension perhaps.

Dry white

2005 Muscat sec – still fresh and mineral, ripe fruity palate v zingy elegant and long. 85-87

2004 Muscat sec Vin de Pays Catalan (13%) - Very floral, grapey and zesty with lemon and orange peel notes; fresh and crisp palate with quite good weight too. 87

Reds

2005 Coeur de Gamme Côtes du Roussillon Villages (Grenache Syrah Carignan Mourvèdre) – spicy fruit and background dark chocolate oak vs quite rich black fruit cocktail; firm vs rounded mouthfeel with light vanilla and coconut tannins and texture; perhaps slightly smokier, riper and more forward now, tasty and well-made. 89

2005 Haut de Gamme Côtes du Roussillon Villages (Grenache Syrah Carignan Mourvèdre from selected barrels) – quite similar at first, although you get the impression it has firmer structure and is more concentrated / powerful ("there's no real difference in alcohol strength or varietal blend," J-M confirmed, so it's all down to nuances in barrique-ageing and arduous lot selection by tasting); very attractive black cherry and liquorice fruit, perhaps showing better integration of the wood with rounder mouthfeel despite its dry texture; again well-made and -balanced, after a bit of aeration shows an enticing 'sweet vs savoury' finish vs grip. Can be drunk now although no hurry. 90-92

2003 Côtes du Roussillon Villages (Grenache Syrah Mourvèdre) - Developing attractive smoky savoury notes on top of chocolate and liquorice black plum fruit, good depth and style with pretty grippy bite still, but it's also rounded on the finish. 90

2003 CdRV - tasted four years earlier: perfumed spice plus a hint of oak, chunky blackberry/cherry fruit, concentrated yet pretty firm and closed up on the finish at the moment; however, shows nice bite, elegance and ripeness with well handled oak. 87-89

2001 Côtes du Roussillon Villages (Grenache Syrah Carignan 13%) - Beginning to oxidise and dry out a little, but still a nice drink now with its rustic liquorice fruit and dry yet ripe palate; lighter than the 2003. 85

2004 Côtes du Roussillon Villages (Grenache Syrah Mourvèdre) - enticing black cherry & olive fruit with background cedar spice notes, nice elegant liquorice and ripe plum style rounded off by firm dry yet supple tannins. 88-90

Tasted two years before:

2004 CdRV (Syrah Grenache Mourvèdre) – similar ripe smoky plum and black cherry fruit, nice juicy texture v dry grip and liquorice fruit, elegant too. 88-90

2004 Fûts de Chêne Côtes du Roussillon Villages (Syrah Grenache Mourvèdre) – ripe smoky plum and liquorice fruit with a light touch of oak, rounded and full with lively bite of tannins and acidity on its attractive length. 90-92

2005 tank samples tasted in his cellar, late Sept 05:

Muscat d'Alexandrie - super aromatic with juicy grapey flavours, lovely depth of fruit and fresh acidity.

Muscat à Petits Grains (Frontignan) - richer than above yet more apple and citrus too, nice concentration and intensity of flavour.

Syrah (best parcels low yielding) - delicious perfumed ripe blackberry nose, nice dry grip and extract v concentration and fresh bite.

Syrah (fermented at lower temperature) - attractive fruit although less generous at this stage and firmer, perhaps more straightforward yet still very nice.

Grenache (after 4 days fermentation) - lovely fruity spicy black cherry and liquorice tones, rich and ripe v fresher cut; still plenty of sugar left, should reach at least 15.5% (will be blended with lower degree Syrah and Mourvèdre).

Vins Doux Naturels

2002 Vendanges d'Or et de Pierre Rivesaltes Ambré (old vine Grenache gris & Macabeu, 16% + 85 grams/litre residual sugar) - complex 'cheesy' oxidising nose with pecan nut notes, turning to toffee vs tangy walnut and Fino aromas/flavours; lively punch with attractive sweet vs savoury texture and finish, beginning to mellow nicely although has plenty of time ahead of it. Good with the foie gras and Maury jelly we had at lunch (at Le Relais des Corbières/La Garrigue in Saint-Paul de Fenouillet), making it taste lusher and more "late-harvest" in style with delicious grapier finish. 90+

1994 Rivesaltes Tuilé (Grenache 16%) - delicious Porty aromas of black fruits, liquorice, leather and cinnamon; rich sweet powerful palate balanced by textured tannins, fresh cut of alcohol and mature earthy dried fruit. Yum, nice with Gruyere, Comté or mature cheddar. 92+ 

1997 Rivesaltes Ambré - quite intense toffee and walnut notes, shows attractive bite and length v warming sweetness. 90

12 Rue Urbain Paret, 66310 Estagel. Tel: 04 68 29 01 21, mobile: 06 70 48 39 79.

Languedoc: Château de Pennautier/Vignobles Lorgeril, Cabardès/Minervois/St-Chinian/Roussillon...

Château de Pennautier - Vignobles Lorgeril

The Lorgeril family wine empire, based at this marvellous aristocratic 17th-Century Château in Cabardès country northwest of Carcassonne, now not only takes in many appellations and promising estates in the Languedoc, but they've also recently dipped their toe into French Catalan territory by purchasing vineyards in Côtes du Roussillon Villages AOC. They own two other properties in the Carcassonne area, Château La Bastide and Château de Caunettes, all adding up to a significant amount of total Cabardès production; plus another leading one in Minervois-La-Livinière called La Borie Blanche; as well as having interests in or partnerships with domaines in Saint-Chinian, Faugères and Corbières. Which makes them a pretty formidable player in the South. Although overall the company produces quite a lot of wine including a wide range of AOC blends and Vin de Pays varietals - such as a fairly benchmark, chunky barrel-fermented Chardonnay, a handful of good rosés and reds full of character - their top Cabardès wine called L’Esprit, made from Syrah, Cabernet and/or Merlot, develops real complexity after five years ageing and certainly makes a serious quality statement (see below).
Back in Pennautier on the wine tourism front, the mini-empire also has a campsite and gîte complex adjoining the chateau’s grounds and good wine bar/restaurant/wine shop located on the left as you arrive in the village, next to the winery just before the bridge, where you can taste from the whole Lorgeril range. If you want to visit the chateau itself (just over the bridge on the right), and after they've finished all the work, you’ll need to make an appointment (see link below for accommodation options).


The wines below were sampled at Vinisud Montpellier, February 2008, and/or in situ when I visited in April 08.
2006 Sauvignon Blanc, Vin de Pays d'Oc (13%) - oily ripe citrus style finishing with fresh crisp bite. 85
2006 Chardonnay (13%) - again shows nice ripe peachy fruit in a Chile style, quite concentrated actually then crisp with fair length. 85-87
2007 Viognier (13%) - zesty and aromatic with lightly exotic fruit, citrus flavours too v weight and fatness. 85
2005 Marquis de Pennautier blanc, Vin de Pays d'Oc (Roussanne Marsanne Bourboulenc Grenache blanc 13%) - waxy mature almost botrytis nose, creamy palate with nutty maturity v citrus too; very attractive food white and still just alive. 87
2006 Marquis de Pennautier, Chardonnay Terroirs d'Altitude - light toast and oatmeal enhanced by exotic and oily flavours/textures, a bit flabby and toasty but it's quite crisp too. 85
2005 Marquis de Pennautier Chardonnay - much richer exotic fruit v still tight acidity lending a little freshness; ripe oily oatmeal, chunky maturing 'sweet' fruit and subtle toast then cleaner length. 87-90
2007 Mouline de Ciffre, Languedoc rosé - strawberry and raspberry fruit; crisp and dry v rounded, lightly creamy and sturdy even. 85+
2007 L'Orangerie de Pennautier rosé (12.5%) - fresh rose petal and crunchy red fruits, zesty & crisp v nice depth of fruit. 87
2007 Château de Pennautier, Cabardès rosé (13%) - similar to above two yet has tighter structure and zingier length v a bit fuller and chunkier. 87+
2006 Château de Pennautier, Cabardès red (13.5%) - bright cassis / black cherry with light red pepper and redcurrant notes; quite grippy v vibrant lightly creamy fruit, dry v 'sweet' texture. 85-87
2003 Château de Pennautier, Cabardès Collection Privée - attractive smoky development showing savoury leather, liquorice and raisin edges; still pretty firm but concentrated, powerful and balanced in the end thanks to maturing fruit and rounded v dry texture. 89-91
2001 Esprit de Pennautier, Cabardès (Syrah Cabernet 13.5%) - smoky herbal & complex, maturing meaty fruit with liquorice, dark cherry and chocolate tones; concentrated and rich v solid tannins, lovely savoury/sweet fruit v power and length. 94
2000 Esprit de Pennautier, Cabardès (Syrah Merlot) - mature v herbal nose, rich fruit v big tannins, attractive ripeness turning savoury with leather and mushroom. 92-94
2006 La Borie Blanche, Minervois (14%) - smoky rustic notes enhanced by delicious wild black fruits and herbal mint tones, ripe yet dry tannins set on a juicy fruit finish; very attractive. The next time I found it more austere and not quite right, must have been a funny bottle. So we'll go with initial score.87-89
2006 Moulin de Ciffre, Saint-Chinian - more extracted and less charming now but it has underlying blackberry fruit v those solid tannins. 87
2003 Les Hauts de l'Enclos des Bories, Minervois-La-Livinière - still quite youthful with peppery black cherry fruit and liquorice v meaty edges; very firm tannins lined with more liquorice, pretty powerful alcohol (welcome to 2003) but it works, just. Wow indeed. 90-92
2003 Les Hauts de la Borie Blanche, Minervois-La-Livinière - subtle oak with menthol and spicy black cherry, very concentrated with extracted tannins but it's well-balanced. Not sure what the difference is to above wine but my notes aren't the same anyway. 92+
2007 Château de Ciffre Faugères, Terroirs d'Altitude (barrel sample) - gorgeous spicy vibrant fruit with subtle depth on the palate, promising although don't leave it in oak for too long! 89-91
2007 Château de Ciffre, Saint-Chinian (barrel sample) - the property straddles both AOCs by the way. More lifted perfumed Syrah style, chunky mouth-feel with liquorice and spice; yum. 90-92
2007 Mas des Montagnes, Côtes du Roussillon Villages (vat sample) - nice fruit and spicy liquorice Grenache style, grip v ripe and rounded. 85+
2007 Mas des Montagnes Terroirs d'Altitude, Côtes du Roussillon Villages(cask sample) - similar fruit but much more concentrated, firm tannins v vibrant liquorice with savoury leather edges. 89
2006 Domaine des Causses, St-Chinian (13%) - a bit thinner than the others, OK but lacking. 80
2006 La Combe des Oliviers, Corbières (70% Mourvèdre 13%) - attractive resiny ripe nose leads on to a 'sweet' v spicy palate; good depth, style and length & balance of fruit concentration v tannins. Aromatic Bandol-esque liquorice, black olive and tea notes; lush fragrant fruit v grippy tannins v weight. 90-92
2003 Les Cèdres, Vin de Pays d'Oc (Syrah Malbec) - nice mix of 'sweet 'n' sour' with very chunky fruit and tannins, rustic v tangy finish showing real depth too. 92+
2005 Pinot Noir, Le Clos de St-Jean - pretty tight and closed with fresh acidity, background wood and elegant fruit; not getting much, needs airing perhaps.



Spring 2009 update: I tasted a few new wines with English (yet another invader in the south of France!) export sales director Tim Smith (who's since left to work for Gérard Bertrand I was told, Ed.), who also took me on a tour around the recently restored Château de Pennautier. For more info on that, read my article from the July 2009 issue of Decanter magazine (go to "western Languedoc travel"). The Lorgeril range is well represented in the UK and US - send them an email for details (click below).
2007 Saint-Chinian Terroirs d'Altitude - enticing dark cherry and tobacco notes on the nose; spicy and lush mouthfeel vs grippy and powerful, pretty chunky texture vs nice fruit and length. €8 89
2007 Faugères Terroirs d'Altitude - same blend of grapes and treatment, different vineyards (although adjacent where the two appellations border each other). Spicier and more structured, dense and concentrated with underlying dark ripe fruit. €9.70 89+
2007 Mas des Montagnes Côtes du Roussillon Villages - richer "sweeter" spicy liquorice fruit (more Grenache in this wine); attractive rounded palate, juicy and lively vs a touch of grip. €6.10 87
2007 Mas des Montagnes Terroirs d'Altitude Côtes du Roussillon Villages -more closed up on the nose showing a hint of chocolate oak; punchier, firm and tight palate vs good depth of fruit, a bit unrevealing but should develop nicely. €9.25 89+


More Lorgeril / Pennautier here (tasting report May 2011 when I actually stayed at the château château, will be restored...).
And the latest Pennautier Cabardès vintages are now here (June 2012).


Route de Carcassonne, 11610 Pennautier. Tel: 04 68 72 65 29, contact@lorgeril.com, www.vignobles-lorgeril.com.

Roussillon: Clos de l'Origine, Maury

New age Marc Barriot, who's working towards biodynamic certification, is a pleasure to talk to, always buzzing with ideas and opinions, which he doesn't hold back on! Click here for previous notes on his wines, and here's a little philosophical snippet translated from his website: "As wine should be and remain a living product, I don't aim to make perfect boring wines..." Way to go, Marc, as our transatlantic friends might say. As you'll see from the picture (right), he does sometimes use a mule to get rid of unwanted weeds and churn the soil on his vineyards' trickiest slopes. Marc has disparate parcels totalling 5 ha (12.5 acres) around Maury and in Calce, Estagel and Montner; so he must clock up quite a bit of "kilometre-age" knowing how much time he spends in the vineyard. He's also experimenting with low or no-sulphur winemaking and keeping things as natural as possible; a bit of a cliché, I know, but in his case it seems genuine (as long as you keep a close eye on everything). He's also something of a Greenpeace-type when it comes to environmental issues, local or global. Marc's experimented with a variety of arty and/or humorous labels; the current ones feature portraits of 'the big guy himself'.

I tasted these wines at the Fenouillèdes wine show in April 2007:
2005 L'Original blanc, Vin de Pays des Côtes Catalanes (Macabeu Muscat à petits grains) – attractive juicy apple fruit with intense mineral palate, crisp v concentrated. 85-87
2005 Soif de Plaisirs, Côtes du Roussillon red (60% Carignan, Grenache Syrah) – nice ripe black cherry and liquorice intensity tinged with a touch of VA complexity; quite concentrated and rich with subtle grip and length. 87-89
2004 Clos de l'Origine, Côtes du Roussillon red – pure aromas with more intense blackcurrant/cherry notes, again showing that hallmark intensity; subtle concentration with appealing fresh bite and length wrapped in liquorice fruit. 90

Update 2009: a comprehensive tasting tour around, and from, Marc's increasing collection of varying sizes of vats and barrels in March produced the following notes and comments.
2008 Grenache gris / Grenache blanc (already blended in a six year-old cask) - light apricot aromas & flavours vs appley and crisp; very dry yet honeyed and floral, nice style.
2008 Grenache gris / Grenache blanc (same blend, one year-old 400 litre barrel) - a bit fatter with yeast-less juiciness, pineapple fruit then turns crisp and fresh with good length. He'll blend the two probably.
2008 Macabeu / Muscat - attractive mix of juicy and spicy vs aromatic, grapey and clean.
2008 Grenache rosé (from Maury, picked 25 August with 13.5%, run off quickly) - appealing juicy spicy light red fruit cocktail, crisp dry and tasty.
2008 Muscat ("petits grains" on schist) - picked on 18 August around 12% potential: lively aromatic grapey and citrus notes, clean "straight" and crisp palate.
2008 Syrah ("carbonic maceration") - perfumed spicy very-Syrah nose with rustic edges, juicy cherry fruit; quite easy although has a bit of grip though.
2008 Carignan (+ splash of Lladoner Pelut, from Montner & Estagel) - tangy and structured with elder/blueberry aromas / flavours, firm tannins vs quite delicate mineral frisson.
2008 Grenache (Maury, picked 30 September from north-facing clay-chalk slopes, 14%) - quite tautly textured actually with very solid framework vs delicious liquorice and spice flavours. Should be an excellent element in the blend.
2007 Soif (Carignan Grenache Syrah) - the only finished wine I tried this time: aromatic dark cherries with smoky tobacco notes and wild strawberries too; nice depth of fruit set on firm tannins and fresh bite, very tasty and, erm, thirst-quenching I guess (soif = thirst)! 87+
2007 Grenache - a bit volatile and/or dirty or reduced; something odd on the nose for sure? But its powerful structured mouthfeel finishes with much nicer wild fruits and herbs.
2008 Muscat "Alexandrie" - a bit "fatter" than above with exotic curry (I can't read my notes very well but that's what it looks like!) and orange/lemon twang; nice cut with clean aromatic finish.

1 Route de Lesquerde, 66460 Maury. Tel: 04 68 53 10 38, mobile 06 75 03 71 71; closdelorigine@gmail.com, closdelorigine.free.fr.

Languedoc: Château de Stony, Frontignan

Château de Stony

Frédéric and Henri Nodet live and breathe Muscat: in addition to a couple of classic Muscat de Frontignan Vin Doux Naturel styles, and a drink-young zesty dry white; their sometimes sublime Lumière d’Automne speciality is made from very ripe, late-picked grapes (leaving 50 grams/litre residual sugar) and aged in oak. They also make an aromatic tasty Muscat (Petits Grains) grape juice and "real" honey on the estate. To find Chateau de Stony, follow signs for La Peyrade rather than Frontignan town centre: this peaceful pretty property feels quite isolated, once you go down the dusty track into their yard, even though it's on the edge of a residential area and not that far from the, erm, least attractive side of Sète (slight understatement but if you do visit the latter, ignore the rather grisly eastern side and head straight for its attractive, canal-side centre).
I visited Stony and tasted these in March 2009:
2007 Muscat sec - distinctly Muscaty nose, aromatic and grapey; still quite crisp and aniseedy although, in the end, best to move on to the 2008 soon. 85
2006 Kermès Vin de Pays d'Oc (Syrah, Mourvèdre, Grenache13.5%) - showing quite a bit of vanilla oak on the nose but also has nice red fruits and spices; dry v coconut texture with chunky finish, needs a few months to open up fully. 87
2007 Muscat de Frontignan Sélection de Vendanges (15%) - attractive juicy grapey style with honey and marmalade notes; lush and sweet yet has nice citrus / orange peel finish and cut and the alcohol doesn't hit you staying in the background, so quite elegant actually in the end. 87+
2004 Lumière d’Automne Vin de Pays d'Oc (Muscat 14%) - oxidising pecan nut nose, luscious fruit v light oak texture; actually quite powerful with fresh acidity too v underlying sweetness. Different. 89
Previous vintages here ("Fetes des Vignes," Montpellier 2004).


Route de Balaruc, La Peyrade, 34110 Frontignan. Tel: 04 67 18 80 30, frederic.nodet@9online.fr.

Roussillon: Domaine Piétri-Géraud, Collioure

The feminine touch of mother and daughter Maguy and Laetitia Piétri-Géraud might explain this small-scale winery's more elegant yet still structured Collioure reds, such as their Moulin de la Cortine sporting less Grenache, more Syrah and Mourvèdre. They also make a scarcer white Banyuls as well as very attractive examples of all the red styles: lush fruity Rimage to oxidised toffee-like Cuvée du Soleil, which is matured outdoors entirely in bonbonnes, glass demijohns. They have a tasting shop in bijou old town Collioure and cramped little cellar up the road a bit.

I sampled the following wines in October 2006 - Laetitia also does a tasty rosé but didn't have any left to try! (NB see update below below for notes on her 2008 rosé.)
2004 L'Ecume Collioure blanc (Grenache blanc & gris Vermentino, 13.5%) - oily nutty oxidising style, dry and mineral with very light oak texture; subtle intensity and freshness. €11 85
2004 Collioure red (Grenache Syrah Mourvèdre Carignan) - nice perfumed ripe fruit, light bite and easier drink-now style. €9.50 85
2004 Le Moulin de la Cortine Collioure (Grenache Syrah Mourvèdre) - peppery smokier fruit, tighter firmer palate, long and elegant; needs a bit of time to open up. €12 87-892004 Banyuls blanc - quite floral and honeyed v lightly oxidised almond notes, sweet v interesting fresh cut. €14.50 87
2004 Banyuls Rimage Mademoiselle (fortified on the fruit and skins before pressing) - lovely raspberry summer fruits, soft mouth-feel with dried fruit and light leather to finish; very fruity v nice bite of tannins/alcohol. €11 88
1998 Banyuls cuvée Joseph Géraud (aged for 7 years in large casks plus some in demijohns outside) - delicious maturing dried fruits with rich fig and raisin notes, seems less sweet on the finish with those oxidised pecan nut tones and the alcohol lending freshness. €12 89+
2000 cuvée Méditerranée (5 years in newer barrels) - more aromatic with intense prune fruit, drier grip and more structured finish. €14 90+
2000 cuvée du Soleil - much more toffee-ish and roasted pecans, actually doesn't taste so oxidised, more Madeira like; long and sumptuous. €20 50cl 90-93


Update spring 2009:
2008 Collioure rosé (Grenache Syrah) - nice fruity and actually relatively light / elegant style despite being 13.5%: tight zingy mouthfeel with subtle red fruits lurking underneath. 85+
2007 Sine Nomine Collioure red (Syrah Grenache Mourvèdre Carignan) - perfumed and spicy with enticing ripe fruit and liquorice; tangy and dry textured vs powerful yet quite soft, nice now actually. 87
2007 Banyuls blanc (just bottled) - lightly honeyed with a hint of toasted wood; rounded and oily palate beginning to turn nutty and not too punchy, closes up a bit so needs 6 to 12 months to express itself better. €12
2007 Banyuls Rimage - floral with lots of cassis notes; lively and lush vs crunchy and dry textured, quite elegant finish. 87+
2000 Banyuls cuvée Joseph Géraud - turning toffee-ish with roasted coffee notes, sweet raspberries and chocolate too; savoury drier finish with a bit of kick vs lush coating. €13 89+
2003 Méditerranée ("no barriques and less oxidation") - complex coffee and stewed raspberry aromas, mature and meaty vs sweet and pruney then shows some fresher cut; attractive now with its dried fruit finish. €14 88+
2003 Cuvée du Soleil (3 years in demijohns) - deep amber / golden brown colour, lovely pecan nut and toffee aromas / flavours; intricate nutty and tangy vs rich and toasted, dried apricots and orange peel vs honey on toast, very long and seductive. 92-94
2005 Muscat Vendanges Tardives vin de pays d'Oc (picked from mid Oct. into Nov.) - oxidised, super honeyed and raisiny vs nutty and "straw" notes too; perfumed lush fruit with quince tones and lightly grainy texture, sweet yet not too heavy. Different.

22 rue Pasteur, 66190 Collioure (shop, tasting and barrel store – their cramped cellar is on rue du Docteur Coste). Tel: 04 68 82 07 42, fax 04 68 98 02 58; domaine.pietri-geraud@wanadoo.fr.

Languedoc: Château Pech-Latt, Corbières

Pech-Latt is a little off the beaten track, lying in an idyllic spot the other side of the tiny village of Ribaute and surrounded by nothing but vines (around 100 ha / 250 acres), although it’s quite well signposted whichever way you approach it from. Regarded as one of the leading lights in the Languedoc for organic viticulture and producing top-notch Corbières, their range is as handsome and complete as the fading old château itself. The reds in particular show the kind of depth and excitement you can achieve from well-looked after and highly expressive terrain typical of the Lagrasse area. Vineyards and winemaking are overseen by Philippe Mathias, who with his partner Sophie Guiraudon have a small domaine of their own called Clos de l’Anhel (see winery A to Z, right).

Tasted October 2008 - February 2009:

2007 Corbières white (mostly Marsanne 13%) - honeysuckle and white peach, lightly floral with oily and quite full mouth-feel v reasonably fresh and relatively light; quite nice although turns a bit bland when it warms up (second tasting). 80-85
2007 Corbières rosé (13.5%) - tasted in situ: quite punchy with yeast-lees notes, crisp dry palate with light red fruits. Second bottle at home: a bit blander and flatter, I wonder if the plastic cork is to blame for that variation (premature oxidation, so to speak)? 80-85
2007 Corbières vieilles vignes (Carignan Syrah Grenache Mourvèdre 14.5%) - a tad closed up, awkward and 'reductive' on the nose to start; however, moving on quickly to distinctly delicious lush dark fruit with a bitter chocolate twist, tobacco v violet edges too; very firm with big texture, closes up on the finish needing a good year to express itself fully, I'd say. Very nice though. 90-92
2006 Tamanova (Syrah Carignan Grenache Mourvèdre 14%) - also not very revealing at first, hinting at dark fruits; quite extracted and solid with chocolate texture although plenty of fruit buried underneath. We'll see. Another bottle another time: indeed, its rich spicy fruit is now more to the fore and the oak is melting into its generous rounded texture. 90+
1995 Les Pièces Nobles Vin de Liqueur (Grenache 15.5%) - jammy fruit with mature meaty edges, sweet v nutty oxidised flavours with a touch of grip too helping to balance out the sugar. 87-89


More Pech-Latt wines here (Millésime Bio 2006).

Ribaute, 11220 Lagrasse. Tel: 04 68 58 11 40, www.louismax.com.

Languedoc: Château Saint-Esteve, Corbières-Boutenac

Château Saint-Esteve

Saint-Esteve is an alluring estate forlorn among old pine trees, wild shrubs and expansive vineyards (doh, what else), found up a track off the D611 between Montséret, Thézan and Portel. Eric and Sylvie Latham took it over, including 55 ha of vines (140 acres), in the mid-80s and are now making some attractive chunky reds from Syrah, Grenache, Carignan and Mourvèdre. Their 2006s, selected and noted below, are showing especially well. Eric and Sylvie also have a big five-bedroom gîte available to rent in the summer: see website for info. Links to updates at the bottom.


Tasted in Oct. 08 and Feb. 09:
2005 Corbières - smoky ripe nose, a tad oxidised but has some depth with that old-fashioned style; firm yet quite rich, beginning to fade a bit although shows attractive savoury cheesy mature notes, drinking now. €4.50 85-87
2006 Corbières - livelier than the 05 with spicy menthol fruit and cherry & liquorice notes; attractive rounded fruit v grip on the finish. 87+
2006 Ganymède Boutenac - I found the 2005 Ganymède a bit too firm, rustic and lacking charm. However, the 2006 is spicier showing good depth of black cherry and olive with  liquorice edges; firm-textured and powerful with chocolate hints and nice lingering fruit. Needs a couple of years. 89

Latest updates: here (2009 vintage report, June 2010) and here (Boutenac & 2010 vintage report, May 2011).


11200 Thézan-des-Corbières. Tel: 04 68 43 32 34, www.chateau-saint-esteve.com.

Languedoc: Domaine Saint Andrieu, Montpeyroux

Domaine Saint Andrieu

The Giner family is a big fan of the Mourvèdre and Carignan varieties (and not forgetting Grenache and Syrah of course); for example, their meaty smoky Les Marnes Bleues contains around three-quarters of the former and one-quarter the latter. Other traditional-styled, slightly rustic yet elegantly balanced red blends include La Séranne and L'Yeuse Noire; all sourced from a variety of plots totalling 17 ha planted at between 130 and 330 metres (425 to over 1000 feet). Charles Giner made his first vintage in 1995, although has been growing grapes since replanting new land with his wife in 1980 and taking over much older family vineyards at that time (now 50 to 70 year-old Carignan).
Their wines age very well and start to show real complexity after about five years; the charming Charles takes great pleasure in tasting and talking about them with you in their cave-like old cellar (as we did in February 2009: see my notes below). It’s worth driving - or better still walking - around the Montpeyroux area, by the way, to take in its remote beauty, with vineyards mixed in among swathes of wild herbs, flowers and bushes; as well as visiting other estates such as Domaine Boisantin (Charles’ daughter Anne Jeffroy actually); and the village co-op also makes good everyday wines.

2005 Vallongue Coteaux du Languedoc Montpeyroux (mostlyCarignan) - aromatic blueberry and cassis aromas, interesting herbal tones too; quite soft and savoury with maturing dried fruits v a bit of grip, quite elegant with subtle tannins. 85
2003 La Séranne (Carignan, Mourvèdre, Grenache, Syrah) - smokier and more leather tinged with cooked fruit notes; weightier (14%) with more solid tannins yet nice mature fruit and still quite fine, despite it being a hot-vintage 2003. 87-89
2002 Les Marnes Bleues (Mourvèdre, Carignan) - shades of animal and dried black olives but also enticing 'sweet' fruit, complex smoky and mature; firmer and tighter, very attractive now yet still alive for a 2002 (less good vintage). 87+
2001 L'yeuse noire (45% Mourvèdre + Syrah, Carignan, Grenache) - more intricate and toasted/rustic with fig, dried cherry and liquorice notes; elegant, concentrated and mature with rounded v firm structure, power v finesse. 89-91
2002 Domaine Boisantin L'Embellic (Grenache, Syrah, Carignan) - developing 'volatile' meaty balsamic nose with 'sweet' berries, mint and liquorice; similar balance and style, firm v fruity, drinking now as it won't get much better. 87
Earlier vintages here ("Meet the winegrowers tasting," Montpellier 2005: scroll down to Montpeyroux).

La Dysse, 1 Chemin d’Aigues Vives, 34150 Montpeyroux.
Tel: 04 67 96 61 37; giner.charles@wanadoo.fr, www.montpeyroux.typepad.com.

Languedoc: Domaine Clavel, La Méjanelle / St-Christol

Pierre Clavel’s name often crops up among those estates considered as leading lights in the Languedoc; and when you taste his wines, it’s not hard to see why. But they aren’t showy, like the people behind them (a laid-back welcome to this attractive neck-of-the-woods, just north of Montpellier, is part of their style by the way); showing in fact purity, depth and balance as a hallmark across the range. Pierre is Jean Clavel's son: a long-time Languedoc winegrower, activist and historian who has an info-packed blog dedicated to the region's wines and the fate of its growers, past (especially the 1907 Revolt) and future (e.g. news and views on EC wine reforms); and who was a great help for an article I did in Decanter magazine (December 2007 issue) - more on that by clicking here (page down to "CRAV - 100 years of protest").


Back to Domaine Clavel, having worked more or less organically for many years, Pierre will be officially certified (or rather the vines will, not meaning to imply he's certifiable!) from the 2008 vintage; a particularly cracking one too from evidence of the tank and barrel samples I tried, see below. They recently replanted a very stony chalky and sloping vineyard at Mas de Périé with Syrah and Muscat (possibilities of a Languedoc-style Cote Rotie perhaps?), and have also leased some plots in the nearby Pic Saint-Loup appellation, whose official ‘border’ is actually only a few hundred metres away from here. Otherwise the bulk of Pierre's older vineyards are located in ‘Grés de Montpellier’ country on the highly rated terroirs of La Méjanelle and around Saint-Christol.

My favourites include Le Marteau and Copa Santa, both of which need a few years to open up and express themselves fully. Next time you're in Montpellier, why not try them in the comfort of their neat spacious and large-windowed tasting room opposite the cellar? To get there, drive through the village of Assas heading north, following the sign for Sainte-Croix, then take a left down the tree-lined track (second left a few minutes out of the village) that leads up to the winery buildings. They also have a family holiday gite on site or do B&B outside of the summer season - see website for details. Pierre's top reds might be on the pricey side - Copa Santa €14.50 and Des Clous €26 - but his Le Mas red and rosé start at €5.60: "you have to eat and keep things ticking over," as he put it.


These wines tried and tested at Millésime Bio wine show (Montpellier January) and/or at the domaine in February 2009:
2008 Cascaille Coteaux du Languedoc 'La Méjanelle' (Roussanne,Grenache blanc, Vermentino & splash of Viognier) - lean mineral edges v pear and citrus fruit, layered with light yeast-lees notes and finishing with nice elegant bite. 85+
2007 Cascaille (13%) - lightly exotic and aromatic with subtle lees undertones, fresh mineral bite v gently creamy finish. 85+
2008 Les Garrigues (Grenache Mourvèdre) - lovely perfumed herbal nose v rich liquorice too, thick fruit and tannins yet relatively light and juicy; concentrated dark fruits, liquorice and spice lead the charge on the finish. 89(+)
2006 Les Garrigues (Syrah Mourvèdre Grenache) - nice smoky ripe black fruits; fine grained soft-ish tannins, quite elegant and tasty length. 87(+)
2008 Le Marteau (Syrah Grenache Carignan from St-Christol) - delicious spicy wild herbs and black cherry Syrah style; again concentrated yet juicy fruity with solid v fresh finish. 91+
2007 Le Marteau - closed nose at first, moving on to spicy minty black cherry fruit, quite rich and seductive; firm tannins but not very, attractive lively undercurrent as well. 90+2006 Le Marteau - rather cold but showing a slightly richer nose v herbal cassis complexity; firm structured and powerful v spicy dark fruit and bitter chocolate on the finish (no wood though); needs a few months and warmer environment to open up, as it's beginning to taste well. 89+
2008 Copa Santa (Syrah Grenache Mourvèdre from La Méjanelle) - slightly reduced on the nose to start (unfinished sample remember), turning cassis; much firmer and tighter v lush liquorice, big grip and concentration; very promising, please don't swamp it in too much oak! 92-94
2006 Copa Santa - again rather cold with coconut oak quite prominent; thick coating of tannins and fruit, tight and long finish; needs 1-2 years. Next day: the oak has merged in more, revealing denser 'sweeter' fruit v thick layer of dry yet nicely grained tannins; dark cherry, chocolate and spice lurking in the background. 90-92
Copa Santa 2004 here ("Languedoc & Roussillon reds over €10" tasting).

Mas de Périé, Route de Sainte-Croix, 34820 Assas. Tel: 04 99 62 06 13, info@vins-clavel.fr, www.vins-clavel.fr.

Languedoc: Les Sabots d'Hélène, Corbières

Les Sabots d'Hélène

Amiable Alban Michel established Les Sabots d’Hélène in 2005. Apart from being his girlfriend's name, this refers to a title of a George Brassens' song, I'm reliably informed from a Google search, the cult French 'folk' singer - songwriter (for want of a better word, his lyrics are often more poetic and cutting than what you might usually refer to as 'folk'). So Alban is now the other new winegrower (along with Geoffroy Marchand at L'Etoile de Matin) in the blink-and-miss-it village of Feuilla, bringing their number to a grand total of two (not much more room there for another cellar anyway). Alban is originally from the northeast, French Mosel country, and landed here after working in the southern Rhone and over the hills in the Roussillon. He talked about "the gold mine" this area represents and how the locals had missed the point, with its inexpensive vineyard land, fine old vines and climate so suitable for organic and biodynamic growing (he does). His domaine comes to a slender 4.5 hectares / 12 acres of (mostly Carignan) vines lying at altitude along the vividly wild southern chunk of the craggy Corbières hills. But he isn't very interested in expanding in size as he can do everything himself this way.


Alban's wines are priced between €9 and €14, I tasted these in Jan/Feb 2009:
2006 La LiberTerre Vin de Pays Coteaux du Littoral Audois (100% Carignan 13.5%) - 1. very cold when I tried it in his cellar: a bit dominated by woody notes at first, lush v aromatic cassis fruit underneath then tight firm length. Needs a year or so in bottle I suspect.
2. Less obvious oak when warmer and aerated a little, although still has light coco spice, texture and flavour; similarly dense and powerful with aromatic cassis & blueberry, turning more liquoricey and meaty after left open for a day; nice dry v sweet texture, chunky pure fruit and spice; beginning to turn savoury, well-balanced and tasty finish. 89+?
2007 L'Abus d'ange heureux Vin de Liqueur de Carignan - delicious raspberry, liquorice and treacle flavours / aromas balanced by spicy intensity (17%) and dry tannins; very nice and unusual too. (60 g/l residual sugar)
2006 La Mauvaise Réputation Vin de Pays Coteaux du Littoral Audois (100% Carignan 14% alc. unfiltered) - quite coconut oaky at first, but when it warmed up plus with a bit of air (in fact it was better after being open for 2 days), it had appealing aromatic cassis, black cherry & blueberry fruit; thick-textured dry tannins, concentrated pure fruit with that oak moving into the background; powerful and firm v lush, pure and tasty. 89+?
2006 Pas de Bla Blah Corbières (Syrah Carignan 13.5%) - quite intense and aromatic showing attractive lush fruit with funky edges, black cherry spice and liquorice; ripe v very dry textured, concentrated rich and spicy although a touch grainy / gritty. Full of character but again there's perhaps something slightly intrusive about those barrels, in terms of texture on the finish? 88(-90)

11510 Feuilla Tel : 04 68 64 94 20 / 06 32 88 44 63, www.sabotshelene.com.

Roussillon: Domaine Vaquer, Tresserre

Domaine Vaquer
Having unearthed a bottle of their sublime 1991 Cuvée Fernand Vaquer ("wines of the moment" April 2006), a red Vin de Pays Catalan, in a posh wine shop in Perpignan; I felt a visit was in order. Frédérique Vaquer now runs this distinctive estate located in Tresserre off the main road to Le Boulou and Spain. Frédérique described their philosophy as "looking for finesse, a lighter elegant style rather than extracted and rich... more like Burgundy that will age." I like their wines, which certainly are different (and quite pricey) and unashamedly labelled Vin de Pays, as they're not very interested in appellation rules or conforming to what's supposed to be typical of the area (actually, things have changed just a little since then - see update below). They also offer several old vintages of reds and whites even: read on for updates... 

Tasted June 2006:
2002 L'Exception blanc (Macabeu Grenache Blanc, 14%) - toasty but not too much, adding coconut spice to its complex oily texture and richness, fresh acidity and nice length. €14.50 89
1995 Blanc de Blancs Tradition (Macabeu) - mature oily aromas, oxidised fruit with steely backbone; interesting although a bit old. €8 85
2002 L'Exigence rouge (Grenache) - nice plum and liquorice nose, mature 'sweet' fruit v meaty spice, firmer rounded palate, elegant v powerful finish. €9 87+2004 L'Expression rouge (Carignan) - shows good depth of fruit and concentration, quite volatile but complex and unusual (see re-tasting below). €12 87-89
2003 Cuvée Bernard Vaquer (Carignan Grenache Syrah) - developed intricate wild herb, black cherry and liquorice tones; nice soft fruit with leather notes, rounded easy tannins and light dry finish. €7.50 88-90
1985 rouge - a little old and oxidising but its complex meaty characters, soft liquorice fruit and subtle finish give it charm; much better with food too. €18 89
2005 Muscat de Rivesaltes - very zesty floral nose with white peach and citrus notes, nice extract, intense v sweet length with balanced finish. €9 90
1995 Post-Scriptum, Rivesaltes Tuilé (Grenache) - appealing cooked red fruit nose with interesting oxidised pecan nut tones, rich and sweet yet very fruity, finishing with a touch and tannin and alcohol to balance. €13 89
Vieux Rivesaltes ambré (Grenache gris & blanc, Macabeu)  - intriguing Madeira like aromas, walnut tang with toffee richness, not too heavy thanks to subtle length. €13 90+

Vaquer update October 2008
A long overdue re-visit to effervescent Frédérique Vaquer's cosy garage (literally) tasting shop, on a lovely sunny mid-October afternoon I may add, yielded the following notes and comments from a somewhat extensive and remarkable tasting. The wines below are 'classified' Vin de pays des Côtes Catalanes (out of choice rather than representing any preconceived ideas on quality or whatever) unless otherwise stated. However, Frédérique's L'Exception red is now AOC Côtes du Roussillon Les Aspres, from the 2005 vintage, as she decided to demarcate certain plots accordingly to make a statement blend of varieties.
2007 L'Ephémère rosé (Syrah Carignan 13.5%) – pretty serious style, still vibrant with tangy raspberry and redcurrant fruit v creamy & full mouth-feel; very dry refreshing finish with a lightly bitter twist of tannin, nice food rosé as perhaps a tad 'big' to drink on its own. €5.80 87+
2006 Exigence (Grenache 14%) - delicious smoky black cherry and liquorice, spicy and savoury underpinned by lovely fruit; powerful yet with nice subtle tannins, finishing with elegant fresh length. €9.50 88-902006 L'Expression (Carignan 13%) – smokier and more complex, liquorice v herbal edges; delicious fruit and refreshing style, makes you want more; firmer tannins than above yet lovely depth and finish. €26 magnum. 90-92
2004 L'Expression (Carignan 13%) – a tad oxidised (already opened) but again shows that richness v freshness thing, dry bite v fruity depth; less vibrant than the 06 although turning nicely savoury with leather and dried fruit edges. €12 89-91
2005 L'Exception Les Aspres (Grenache Cinsault Syrah 14%) - very tasty with attractive depth of rich dark spicy fruit v savoury edges; weighty yet elegant, closes up on the finish with subtle dry texture v lush length. Promising. 90-92
2001 L'Exception (mostly Carignan 14%) – smoky savoury meaty aromas with sexy almost salty dark chocolate undertones, bitter liquorice and dried herbs / fruits too; quite big and grippy still, although would drink very nicely now with game or a mature cheese like Gruyere. €14.50 89-91
2007 L'Extrait Rivesaltes Grenat (Grenache mûté sur grain: meaning the fortifying spirit is added while still fermenting with the crushed berries before pressing, and bottled young, similar to the way they make vintage Port) - delicious blackberry/cherry, very fruity and crunchy; lively and powerful palate (17%), luscious and sweet but with nice bite and style. €11 88+
1995 Post-Scriptum Rivesaltes (Grenache) - aged for much longer in cask. Complex mature cheesy notes layered with toffee and pecan; ageing fig and burnt chocolate flavours yet still has some freshness, long and stylish with a bit of bite making it seem less sweet on the finish. €13 90+
Rivesaltes ambré Hors d'Age 'solera' (Grenache gris & blanc, Macabeu 16.5%)  - the base is 20+ year-old wines with younger ones added (like old sherry or tawny Port). Intricate Madeira like aromas, rich toffee and resiny fruit on the palate but not cloying, pecan and walnut flavours v refreshing bite and length; stays with you,  mature cheesy v pruney v nutty aftertaste. 92-94
2007 Muscat de Rivesaltes (16.5%) - fragrant and quite fine, grapey Muscat aromas; sweet v bitter citrus peel edges, floral and fresh v dried apricot richness; has more depth and unctuousness than most. €9 89
1985 Blanc de Blancs Tradition, Vin de Pays Catalan (Macabeu 13%) - intriguing kind of old Burgundy v mature Riesling v Fino sherry style, oily rounded and toasted nutty; a bit over the hill although nice with fried trout fillet.
1986 Blanc de Blancs Tradition (Macabeu 13%) - strangely, more oxidised than the 85 with a rather bitter finish; past it I'm afraid but worth trying anyway!

Winter 2009:
1986 rouge - attractive mature Burgundy style with dried "sweet" red fruits turning very savoury, cheesy and intricate; velvety mouthfeel with delicious liquorice vs meaty flavours, gets older in the glass and beginning to fade quite quickly, so enjoy it now as it's not going to keep much longer. Still very nice though. 90
The Winery in London stocks several Vaquer wines: click here to go to their site.

1 Rue des Ecoles, 66300 Tresserre. By appointment only: tel 04 68 38 89 53, fax 04 68 38 84 42; domainevaquer@terre-net.fr.

Roussillon: Dom Brial - Château les Pins - Vignerons de Baixas

Church in Baixas

Let me explain: the cooperative cellars in the pretty village of Baixas (west of Perpignan airport, pic.) go under the brand name Dom Brial - some of the wines with bright, sense-of-humour labels (lipstick & fruit) and others more trad - and own Château les Pins, their premium estate a stone's throw away. With this wide grape source "we can adapt to make what sells and what customers want," Claude Sarda told us during an enlightening, late summer visit. He also said there's a surplus of Vins Doux Naturels (sweet fortified whites and reds) but not really dry wines, the production ratio being about one-third to two-thirds. Their preferred solution is to come up with ideas to sell more sweet wines - this used to be a massive market in France - rather than stop making them. Either option is a brave choice...

Grapes from Les Pins are hand-sorted by about half-a-dozen people in the cellar; in general, control and traceability of the grapes' health, quality, sugar levels, provenance etc. are quite strict, as it should be in any big winery. Technical advisers work with the co-op growers (300 of them) in their vineyards, and everything is weighed and analysed on the spot when they deliver the fruit, before they proceed to unload. I'll spare you the chemical analysis but can confirm the little lab has a machine that goes ping. The winery, which takes up half of the village, has been totally refitted over the last ten years; so plenty of stainless steel and other shiny geeky stuff.

2002 Château les Pins Côtes du Roussillon blanc, vinifié en barriques (Grenache Blanc Malvoisie Roussanne) - oily oxidised development, fat-textured quite toasty yet concentrated; not for everyone and definitely needs food. €9 85+
2005 Rozy, vin de pays Côtes Catalanes (Muscat Syrah) - quirky blend for this light, cheekily packaged (bikini clad bottle) rosé: fresh and aromatic with tangy finish, perfumed and easy yet has a bit of weight too. €4.50 82-84
2004 Dom Brial les Terres Rouges, Côtes du Roussillon Villages (Grenache Syrah Mourvèdre Carignan, 13.5%) - nice peppery rustic black cherry and cassis notes, aromatic fruit v light grip and bite. €6 87
2002 Côtes du Roussillon Villages Elevé en fût de chêne (13.5%) - smoky mature liquorice nose, rustic black fruit set on a rounded soft palate; nice for 2002 (difficult vintage here). €6 87-89
2002 Château les Pins Côtes du Roussillon Villages (Grenache Syrah Mourvèdre Carignan) - similar to above but more complex and liquoricey, smoky perfumed fruit with elegant long finish. They also sell quite a few older vintages in their shop. €8.50 90+
2004 Château les Pins Rivesaltes Primage (Grenache, 15.5%) - attractive mix of sweet blackberry and leathery maturity, sugar-coated mouthful cut by drier tannins. €8 87-89
Above tasted on 5/9/06 - go down to 'France' on wines of the moment ('archive' on WineWriting.com) for reviews of other Brial wines, which are mostly sold in France at the moment although they have plans to increase their presence in the UK and US. More links to updates below.

Tasted summer 2007:
2006 Le Pot rosé (Syrah Cabernet 13%) - quite fat and juicy start with strawberry and redcurrant fruit, more elegant dry fresh finish. €3.50 87
"Wine of the moment" Feb 2009:
2008 Dom Brial Côtes du Roussillon rosé (Syrah Grenache 13%) - classic storming Roussillon rosé style, deep coloured with a light touch of tannin adding dry texture; 'winey' aromatic and crunchy red fruits with rose petal edges, juicy and zingy with chunky fruity mouth-feel and full dry finish. Nice foodie (e.g. hake fillet in Provencal sauce). €4.19 87+

More Brial here (2009 Saint-Bacchus awards) and here, my Oct. 2010 "wotm": 2009 Dom Ici Chardonnay/Macabeu.
Plus the latest medal winner is HERE (World Grenache Competition 2013).

Cave des Vignerons, 66390 Baixas. Tel: 04 68 64 22 37, contact@dom-brial.com, www.dom-brial.com.