Talking of ageing red "Vins Doux Naturels" (that slight misnomer given there's nothing terribly natural about adding a good dose of fortifying alcohol, although the residual sugar left in the wine afterwards is of course natural) in my "Mas Amiel" post below, I've published my tasting notes following a winter visit to Domaine Puig-Parahÿ in the central Roussillon, including a 1945 red Rivesaltes (95+ points if you must score such an extraordinary bottle)... more about that filed in the Roussillon winery A to Z, under P obviously...
1 Mar 2010
Roussillon: Domaine de la Coume Majou, Corneilla-de-la-Rivière
Belgian Luc Charlier has a cosy garage cellar next to his house in sleepy Corneilla, but his 10 ha (25 acres) of vineyards are scattered around the villages of Maury, Estagel and Tautavel. He bought the former in 2005 and latter in 2004 thereby joining the growing band of new wave, take a chance on a dream winegrowers. "I originally wanted to buy in Bandol but the prices are much too high," he told me. "The Roussillon is the least expensive, and I discovered and liked the area's wines thanks to the great Gérard Gauby." Luc also firmly believes, like his fellow Maury growers, that "we have the best Grenache in the world along with Chateauneuf, Rasteau etc."
Luc also said he's aiming for "perhaps" three red cuvées - one from Syrah + press wine, the Majou main label based on Grenache/Carignan and cuvée Casot, mostly Grenache from his best Maury sites. His unusual rosé is made from Syrah, white Macabeu, Grenache Gris plus free-run (red) Grenache juice. However, Luc doesn't really believe in Syrah in this region "unless it's high up or in good chalk/clay soils, such as Vingrau, Tautavel or Rasiguères." Another striking and original feature of Coume Majou is the absence of barrels in the cellar: for the moment, the wines are kept in vat before bottling (good call, I'm getting very bored of oaky wines anyway!).
Posted February 2007 when I tasted these:
2006 rosé tank sample (12%, 8 grams/litre residual sugar) - rounded full and creamy with crisp vegetal edge and a touch of dry tannin too, off dry with fresh acidity.
2006 Casot tank sample (15%) - lovely ripe cherry and liquorice fruit v firm bitter twist and freshness, elegant concentration and depth of fruit, powerful but not too.
2005 Cuvée Miquelette - wild black and red fruits, ripe and rich v lively freshness, grip and alcohol; powerful but very fruity. 87
2005 Cuvée Majou (15%) - darker and richer black cherry/currant with pepper and liquorice notes, delicious depth of fruit v power and firm tight length, lively yet quite soft finish. 90
Coume Majou wines are currently only available direct, or in selected wine shops in Belgium at a somewhat bold €15-€25. Update September 07: Luc is going to make a small amount of Maury VDN from the 2007 vintage; and the French Guide Hachette 2008 has been saying nice things about his wines. More info to follow...
Coume Majou update autumn/winter 2008
Okay, so it took over a year: here are a few notes and thoughts following a re-visit chez Luc (who speaks very good English by the way, with an occasional "wee" thrown in even thanks to a former Scots girlfriend). It was good to taste a few Coume Majou reds from all three vintages bottled to date - 2005/06/07 - as well as 08 tank samples, which gave me a nice overview of how the wines are developing and which ones look particularly promising. On the vineyard front, Luc said he's very happy with the state and health of his vines, having done a lot of work on the ground (see picture above). And the relationship with his consultant winemaker seems to work well in terms of pushing the boat out a bit without taking any major risks (chemical or bacterial I mean). By the way, Luc uses up to 10% press wine in some of these blends, which he finds surprisingly smooth while adding extra structure. Wines sampled October 08, notes posted belatedly Dec. 08:
2007 rosé Vin de pays des Côtes Catalanes (mostly early-picked Syrah + a smidgen of old-vine Macabeu, 11.5%) - attractive elegant v creamy style, plenty of red fruits with mineral edges, crisp fresh finish. 87
2008 rosé (mostly Syrah + the 3 Grenaches) - fragrant rose petal and red fruits, very crisp mouth-feel (it will undergo malo-lactic fermentation to make it rounder) v appealing yeast-lees texture. Should be very nice.
2006 L'Eglise de Coume Majou (blend across all sites of Syrah Carignan Grenache, 13.5%) - herbal black cherry notes, getting some smoky development and liquorice on the palate too with a spicy cassis finish. €10: special blend for his Belgian importer. 85+
2006 Cuvée Majou Côtes du Roussillon Villages (Grenache from Estagel and Maury + his best Carignan + Syrah, 15%) - spicy liquorice v turning savoury and meaty, punchy palate but balanced with nice dry texture v lush beginning-to-mature fruit. 87-89
2005 Cuvée Majou - more savoury with tobacco tones; still lively and powerful v firm tannins and tasty dried fruits, Italianesque style. 89
2007 Cuvée Majou - more cherry and plum fruit on the nose; peppery and liquoricey on a quite firm backdrop v underlying lushness, nice balance of power and panache. 89+
2005 Cuvée Miquelette (Maury Grenache + Carignan + press wine, 14.5%) - fairly firm still yet has intriguing spicy herbal fruit v chunky palate v underlying 'sweetness'. 87
2007 La Loute de Coume Majou Vin de pays des Côtes Catalanes (100% 1922 Carignan 14.5%) - peppery and 'earthy' v rich and fruity; firm 'chalky' and fresh structure with lovely, well-balanced, weight and length. €20 90+
2006 Cuvée du Casot Côtes du Roussillon Villages (Grenache + 1922 Carignan, 15%) - perfumed liquoricey and peppery; concentrated, very solid mouth-feel although with attractive rounded tannins, closes up a little leaving a dark chocolate coating. A foodie: black pudding or fillet steak with a pepper sauce perhaps! 90-92
2007 Maury cuvée Jolo (Grenache + a little Lladoner Pelut, no oxidation, 16% and 113 gr/lt residual sugar) - juicy dark cherries and chocolate with lightly meaty edges, surprisingly savoury thanks to those tannins cutting through the sweetness, nice fruity punchy finish. 88-90
2005 Cuvée du Casot (15%) - maturing savoury notes v peppery lush liquorice and blackberry/cherry/currants; tasty and rich v firm textured + leather undertones, big fruity blast v lively structured finish. Better still after one day open. 90+
Update March 2010
2008 Le Rosé (mostly Syrah planted in 2002 from Coume de la Majou itself, near La Dona between Corneilla and Estagel) - light and clean style with refreshing edges and gently oily red fruits; drink up now.
2009 Le Rosé (mostly Syrah + 1/4 white grapes: most of the latter where eaten by wild boar in 08, hence the slightly different blend! 11.5%) - floral and fresh with mouth-watering palate, subtle ripe red fruits vs crisp elegant and dry finish; nice light quaffable rosé. 80-85
2009 Casot (tank sample so probably: 75% Grenache & Carignan from Estagel planted in 1922 + 1982 Lladoner Pelut) - lots of pure aromatic dark cherry and liquorice, rich vs juicy with dry yet attractive tannins; powerful and concentrated layered with delicious black fruits, nice "chalky" tannins and fresh acidity too; the 15% blends in well, very promising. 90+
By the way, the "powers that be" have finally adapted the rules for Côtes du Roussillon Villages reds from the 09 vintage onwards: you only have to have two varieties in the blend with Syrah no longer mandatory, although there's still a maximum percentage of Carignan stipulated at 40% with the other grape being up to 70%. So, some progress then!
2007 L'Eglise (45% Syrah + Grenache Carignan, 13% alc.) - leafy cassis and herby aromas (light reduction even?); quite rounded mouthfeel vs some crunchy towards green notes, needs more time to round out?
2008 La Loute old Carignan (14.5%) - still quite closed up, although shows some nice crunchy vs sweet blueberry flavours; beginning to turn tobacco-y with firm, tight and crisp finish even; has concentration vs almost tart mouthfeel, although I like that crunchy vs ripe and peppery fruit and elegant length. A foodie wine needing 6+ months to calm down a bit! Sells for €25 in Belgium. 87+
2005 Miquelette - hints of complex sulphide notes, mint and eucalyptus too; darker liquorice palate vs again has that refreshing bite, power and depth of fruit vs "chalky" finish and savoury notes as well. 85+
2007 Majou - again a tad reductive/herbal/minty on the nose; moves on to concentrated dark cherry fruit with peppery tones, firm and crisp finish. Still a bit young but I like that grip, sweet fruit and oomph combo. €15 Belgium. 87-89
2007 Casot - more closed yet punchier with herby tobacco edges; riper black fruits with coffee tones, very dense and firm/fresh vs rounded and rich, powerful tight finish. With aeration, I got sweeter liquorice flavours; and it was more accessible still with duck fillet! 90+
2008 Jolo Maury VDN (98 y-o Grenache 17% alc.) - lovely dark fruits, damson and blackberry, beginning to turn tobacco-y; attractive bite and solid tannins, not very sweet actually with lively mouthfeel; a bit fiery at the moment but it's a delicious concentrated "vintage" style Maury. 87-90
Luc also had these two wonderful, other-country wines open (thanks again!):
1995 Fritz Haag Riesling Auslese: see "wines of the moment" here (goes to my other blog).
1990 Grahams Malvedos Port - complex oxidising notes vs still lush with dark damson and liquorice fruit; nice tannins, the alcohol's a touch glowing but a very attractive Port indeed.
Luc also said he's aiming for "perhaps" three red cuvées - one from Syrah + press wine, the Majou main label based on Grenache/Carignan and cuvée Casot, mostly Grenache from his best Maury sites. His unusual rosé is made from Syrah, white Macabeu, Grenache Gris plus free-run (red) Grenache juice. However, Luc doesn't really believe in Syrah in this region "unless it's high up or in good chalk/clay soils, such as Vingrau, Tautavel or Rasiguères." Another striking and original feature of Coume Majou is the absence of barrels in the cellar: for the moment, the wines are kept in vat before bottling (good call, I'm getting very bored of oaky wines anyway!).
Posted February 2007 when I tasted these:
2006 rosé tank sample (12%, 8 grams/litre residual sugar) - rounded full and creamy with crisp vegetal edge and a touch of dry tannin too, off dry with fresh acidity.
2006 Casot tank sample (15%) - lovely ripe cherry and liquorice fruit v firm bitter twist and freshness, elegant concentration and depth of fruit, powerful but not too.
2005 Cuvée Miquelette - wild black and red fruits, ripe and rich v lively freshness, grip and alcohol; powerful but very fruity. 87
2005 Cuvée Majou (15%) - darker and richer black cherry/currant with pepper and liquorice notes, delicious depth of fruit v power and firm tight length, lively yet quite soft finish. 90
Coume Majou wines are currently only available direct, or in selected wine shops in Belgium at a somewhat bold €15-€25. Update September 07: Luc is going to make a small amount of Maury VDN from the 2007 vintage; and the French Guide Hachette 2008 has been saying nice things about his wines. More info to follow...
Coume Majou update autumn/winter 2008
Okay, so it took over a year: here are a few notes and thoughts following a re-visit chez Luc (who speaks very good English by the way, with an occasional "wee" thrown in even thanks to a former Scots girlfriend). It was good to taste a few Coume Majou reds from all three vintages bottled to date - 2005/06/07 - as well as 08 tank samples, which gave me a nice overview of how the wines are developing and which ones look particularly promising. On the vineyard front, Luc said he's very happy with the state and health of his vines, having done a lot of work on the ground (see picture above). And the relationship with his consultant winemaker seems to work well in terms of pushing the boat out a bit without taking any major risks (chemical or bacterial I mean). By the way, Luc uses up to 10% press wine in some of these blends, which he finds surprisingly smooth while adding extra structure. Wines sampled October 08, notes posted belatedly Dec. 08:
2007 rosé Vin de pays des Côtes Catalanes (mostly early-picked Syrah + a smidgen of old-vine Macabeu, 11.5%) - attractive elegant v creamy style, plenty of red fruits with mineral edges, crisp fresh finish. 87
2008 rosé (mostly Syrah + the 3 Grenaches) - fragrant rose petal and red fruits, very crisp mouth-feel (it will undergo malo-lactic fermentation to make it rounder) v appealing yeast-lees texture. Should be very nice.
2006 L'Eglise de Coume Majou (blend across all sites of Syrah Carignan Grenache, 13.5%) - herbal black cherry notes, getting some smoky development and liquorice on the palate too with a spicy cassis finish. €10: special blend for his Belgian importer. 85+
2006 Cuvée Majou Côtes du Roussillon Villages (Grenache from Estagel and Maury + his best Carignan + Syrah, 15%) - spicy liquorice v turning savoury and meaty, punchy palate but balanced with nice dry texture v lush beginning-to-mature fruit. 87-89
2005 Cuvée Majou - more savoury with tobacco tones; still lively and powerful v firm tannins and tasty dried fruits, Italianesque style. 89
2007 Cuvée Majou - more cherry and plum fruit on the nose; peppery and liquoricey on a quite firm backdrop v underlying lushness, nice balance of power and panache. 89+
2005 Cuvée Miquelette (Maury Grenache + Carignan + press wine, 14.5%) - fairly firm still yet has intriguing spicy herbal fruit v chunky palate v underlying 'sweetness'. 87
2007 La Loute de Coume Majou Vin de pays des Côtes Catalanes (100% 1922 Carignan 14.5%) - peppery and 'earthy' v rich and fruity; firm 'chalky' and fresh structure with lovely, well-balanced, weight and length. €20 90+
2006 Cuvée du Casot Côtes du Roussillon Villages (Grenache + 1922 Carignan, 15%) - perfumed liquoricey and peppery; concentrated, very solid mouth-feel although with attractive rounded tannins, closes up a little leaving a dark chocolate coating. A foodie: black pudding or fillet steak with a pepper sauce perhaps! 90-92
2007 Maury cuvée Jolo (Grenache + a little Lladoner Pelut, no oxidation, 16% and 113 gr/lt residual sugar) - juicy dark cherries and chocolate with lightly meaty edges, surprisingly savoury thanks to those tannins cutting through the sweetness, nice fruity punchy finish. 88-90
2005 Cuvée du Casot (15%) - maturing savoury notes v peppery lush liquorice and blackberry/cherry/currants; tasty and rich v firm textured + leather undertones, big fruity blast v lively structured finish. Better still after one day open. 90+
Update March 2010
2008 Le Rosé (mostly Syrah planted in 2002 from Coume de la Majou itself, near La Dona between Corneilla and Estagel) - light and clean style with refreshing edges and gently oily red fruits; drink up now.
2009 Le Rosé (mostly Syrah + 1/4 white grapes: most of the latter where eaten by wild boar in 08, hence the slightly different blend! 11.5%) - floral and fresh with mouth-watering palate, subtle ripe red fruits vs crisp elegant and dry finish; nice light quaffable rosé. 80-85
2009 Casot (tank sample so probably: 75% Grenache & Carignan from Estagel planted in 1922 + 1982 Lladoner Pelut) - lots of pure aromatic dark cherry and liquorice, rich vs juicy with dry yet attractive tannins; powerful and concentrated layered with delicious black fruits, nice "chalky" tannins and fresh acidity too; the 15% blends in well, very promising. 90+
By the way, the "powers that be" have finally adapted the rules for Côtes du Roussillon Villages reds from the 09 vintage onwards: you only have to have two varieties in the blend with Syrah no longer mandatory, although there's still a maximum percentage of Carignan stipulated at 40% with the other grape being up to 70%. So, some progress then!
2007 L'Eglise (45% Syrah + Grenache Carignan, 13% alc.) - leafy cassis and herby aromas (light reduction even?); quite rounded mouthfeel vs some crunchy towards green notes, needs more time to round out?
2008 La Loute old Carignan (14.5%) - still quite closed up, although shows some nice crunchy vs sweet blueberry flavours; beginning to turn tobacco-y with firm, tight and crisp finish even; has concentration vs almost tart mouthfeel, although I like that crunchy vs ripe and peppery fruit and elegant length. A foodie wine needing 6+ months to calm down a bit! Sells for €25 in Belgium. 87+
2005 Miquelette - hints of complex sulphide notes, mint and eucalyptus too; darker liquorice palate vs again has that refreshing bite, power and depth of fruit vs "chalky" finish and savoury notes as well. 85+
2007 Majou - again a tad reductive/herbal/minty on the nose; moves on to concentrated dark cherry fruit with peppery tones, firm and crisp finish. Still a bit young but I like that grip, sweet fruit and oomph combo. €15 Belgium. 87-89
2007 Casot - more closed yet punchier with herby tobacco edges; riper black fruits with coffee tones, very dense and firm/fresh vs rounded and rich, powerful tight finish. With aeration, I got sweeter liquorice flavours; and it was more accessible still with duck fillet! 90+
2008 Jolo Maury VDN (98 y-o Grenache 17% alc.) - lovely dark fruits, damson and blackberry, beginning to turn tobacco-y; attractive bite and solid tannins, not very sweet actually with lively mouthfeel; a bit fiery at the moment but it's a delicious concentrated "vintage" style Maury. 87-90
Luc also had these two wonderful, other-country wines open (thanks again!):
1995 Fritz Haag Riesling Auslese: see "wines of the moment" here (goes to my other blog).
1990 Grahams Malvedos Port - complex oxidising notes vs still lush with dark damson and liquorice fruit; nice tannins, the alcohol's a touch glowing but a very attractive Port indeed.
11 rue de l'Eglise, 66550 Corneilla de la Rivière.
Roussillon: Château de Caladroy, Bélesta
Overall, a quite impressive, even if large range and sometimes not exactly fantastic value, from this revitalised chateau "up in them there hills..." Although once again, on the first occasion below, I was least impressed by the supposed top wine; all dolled up in "impressive" new oak and rather heavy winemaking (knock this fashion on the head please!). Anyway, the rest are mostly rather tasty and better value for money in MHO.A wee bit of history is called for, as Bélesta really is an extraordinary wee place lost in time; just like Caladroy itself, which is found on the twisting road on the way in from the Forca Réal pass. Originally, the chateau was built in the 12th Century to defend the border between France and "Spain" (hence the village’s full name), or rather Catalonia/Aragon depending on the date (click here for a fascinating summary of the region's complicated history). Restored and rebuilt over the years, it reflects a mixture of architectural styles depending on who was paying. The Saint Barthélémy de Caladroer chapel dates from the same time, and the Maurin family, who owns the estate, had the bright idea of turning it into a discreet tasting cellar. You can also buy their unusual grape juice jams (Muscat or Grenache: try with different cheeses), cooking-friendly red wine vinegar (great for caramelising onions or meat) and delicious untreated olive oil. This first batch of wines was tasted at the Fenouillèdes wine show, held in April 2007 in Tautavel:
2006 Rosé des Vents Côtes du Roussillon (Syrah Grenache Carignan Mourvèdre) - quite tight and zippy framework v gentle strawberry and raspberry fruit, fresh long finish. €6.20 87-89
2005 Cuvée Les Schistes Côtes du Roussillon Villages (Syrah Grenache Carignan) - lovely juicy blackberry/cherry, perfumed v liquorice; very fruity with light tannin backdrop. €7.20 89
2005 La Cour Carrée Côtes du Roussillon Villages (25% each Mourvèdre Syrah Grenache Carignan) - similar aromas and fruit style to above but more concentrated, liquorice charm v oomph and grip, nice balance. €10 90
2004 La Juliane Côtes du Roussillon Villages (Syrah Carignan Mourvèdre Grenache) - smokier more rustic and savoury v lush black cherry fruit, firm and fresh with good length and power. €13 90-92
2004 Saint Michel Côtes du Roussillon Villages (at least half Mourvèdre plus Syrah Grenache) - lots of vanilla and chocolate oak, extracted tannins, robust closed up finish; more serious perhaps but more enjoyable? Dear at €22.
2010 update: fast-talking Serge Maurin did a full-monty tutored tasting for me in situ back in March and filled me in on a touch of extra detail. With an on-going replanting programme, sizeable Caladroy currently amounts to about 100 ha (250 acres) lying in one spot around the chateau, with certain plots at over 300m altitude. As for exports, his wines are well distributed in Denmark, Switzerland and the US (Vintage 59, Washington DC) although "not a lot" in the UK at the moment. They've also been focusing on getting people to come and visit them (you could do worse, it's a spectacular location) and now do a fairly serious turnover in direct sales.
2009 Expression de Caladroy white vin de pays (Chardonnay, Macabeu, Muscat 13.5%) - fresh pear fruit with toasty lees and vanilla notes; juicy palate with crisp bite vs subtle oak giving a rounded vs lively finish. €6.90 85
2009 Rosé des Vents Côtes du Roussillon (Syrah Grenache Carignan 13%) - very aromatic rose petal and red fruit style; fatter creamier mouthfeel vs tight, crisp and mouth-watering finish. Nice balance and elegance too. €6.50 85+
2007 Clot de la Vigne Côtes du Roussillon Villages (13.5%) - attractive simple red with juicy cherry fruit, a touch of liquorice and spice too; fruity and easy with quite soft tannins giving a tad of bite. €5.80 80+
2007 cuvée les Schistes Côtes du Roussillon Villages (14.5%) - herbal/reductive notes plus richer cassis and liquorice; vibrant fruit vs rounded grip and peppery finish, light bitter twist vs dark fruit cocktail. €7.30 87
2006 la Cour Carrée Côtes du Roussillon Villages (14%) - nice maturing "sweet" fruit with savoury edges; tighter firmer finish with light wood texture, quite elegant style; perhaps lacks a bit of depth but might improve still... €10 87
2008 Pierre Droite Côtes du Roussillon Villages (80% Mourvèdre + Syrah Carignan 14.5%) - this one's new: wilder herbal black cherry / olive with liquorice tones; very firm coating of tannins vs chocolate oak and lush fruit, tight fresh and closed up finish; promising though and has lingering floral herby vs dark fruit flavours. €15 88-90
2004 la Juliane Côtes du Roussillon Villages (mostly Syrah 14.5%) - delicious maturing nose with black cherry, developing meatier edges with "sweet/savoury" profile and some background oak spice; concentrated yet elegant with a touch of chocolate texture, still firm actually with a bitter twist vs enticing maturing fruit. Quite fine. €13 89-91
2006 Saint Michel (14.5%) - similar blend but new barrels: it's oaky but has enough substance behind all that vanilla and chocolate; tight and elegant palate with "sweet/savoury" edges, quite fine tannins actually. We'll see if that oak drops a bit, although it seems less obvious than on the 04 above, a typical 06 really. Still rather expensive though at €22! 87-89
2009 Rosé des Vents Côtes du Roussillon (Syrah Grenache Carignan 13%) - very aromatic rose petal and red fruit style; fatter creamier mouthfeel vs tight, crisp and mouth-watering finish. Nice balance and elegance too. €6.50 85+
2007 Clot de la Vigne Côtes du Roussillon Villages (13.5%) - attractive simple red with juicy cherry fruit, a touch of liquorice and spice too; fruity and easy with quite soft tannins giving a tad of bite. €5.80 80+
2007 cuvée les Schistes Côtes du Roussillon Villages (14.5%) - herbal/reductive notes plus richer cassis and liquorice; vibrant fruit vs rounded grip and peppery finish, light bitter twist vs dark fruit cocktail. €7.30 87
2006 la Cour Carrée Côtes du Roussillon Villages (14%) - nice maturing "sweet" fruit with savoury edges; tighter firmer finish with light wood texture, quite elegant style; perhaps lacks a bit of depth but might improve still... €10 87
2008 Pierre Droite Côtes du Roussillon Villages (80% Mourvèdre + Syrah Carignan 14.5%) - this one's new: wilder herbal black cherry / olive with liquorice tones; very firm coating of tannins vs chocolate oak and lush fruit, tight fresh and closed up finish; promising though and has lingering floral herby vs dark fruit flavours. €15 88-90
2004 la Juliane Côtes du Roussillon Villages (mostly Syrah 14.5%) - delicious maturing nose with black cherry, developing meatier edges with "sweet/savoury" profile and some background oak spice; concentrated yet elegant with a touch of chocolate texture, still firm actually with a bitter twist vs enticing maturing fruit. Quite fine. €13 89-91
2006 Saint Michel (14.5%) - similar blend but new barrels: it's oaky but has enough substance behind all that vanilla and chocolate; tight and elegant palate with "sweet/savoury" edges, quite fine tannins actually. We'll see if that oak drops a bit, although it seems less obvious than on the 04 above, a typical 06 really. Still rather expensive though at €22! 87-89
Al Vi Réal Rivesaltes Ambré VDN (15.5%) - lovely caramelised walnut notes then more aromatic and orange peel-tinged; nice bite and twist vs rich marmalade, quite smooth and well-balanced too. €8 87-89
2007 Rivesaltes Grenat (16%) - lively fruity cassis and wild herb flavours vs dry tannins adding bite, not too sweet despite its alluring Black Forest gateau finish. €8.50 85-87
2009 Muscat de Rivesaltes - delicious, very typical grapey Muscat aromas with zesty pear notes too; nice crisp-ish edges vs all that sugar! €8 85-87
Rivesaltes Tuilé (16.5%) - complex herbal vs dark fruits, Madeira-esque and smoky with oxidising dried fruit; lovely "sweet/savoury" towards meaty palate with attractive dry bite, dense dark chocolate vs grippy tannins and complex finish. €10 90
More Caladroy under "Saint-Bacchus awards" in the 'articles archive', right.
66720 Bélesta de la Frontière. Tel: 04 68 57 10 25,
2007 Rivesaltes Grenat (16%) - lively fruity cassis and wild herb flavours vs dry tannins adding bite, not too sweet despite its alluring Black Forest gateau finish. €8.50 85-87
2009 Muscat de Rivesaltes - delicious, very typical grapey Muscat aromas with zesty pear notes too; nice crisp-ish edges vs all that sugar! €8 85-87
Rivesaltes Tuilé (16.5%) - complex herbal vs dark fruits, Madeira-esque and smoky with oxidising dried fruit; lovely "sweet/savoury" towards meaty palate with attractive dry bite, dense dark chocolate vs grippy tannins and complex finish. €10 90
More Caladroy under "Saint-Bacchus awards" in the 'articles archive', right.
66720 Bélesta de la Frontière. Tel: 04 68 57 10 25,
8 Feb 2010
Eclectic and varied...
A few more or less obscure "wines of the moment" have turned up (click here to read full notes): 2008 "One Block" red Côtes du Roussillon from Domaine Treloar, 2008 Touraine-Mesland (where?) white from Clos Château Gaillard, 2008 Côtes du Brulhois (ditto?) rosé from Clos Pountet and perhaps more "classic" 2008 Montagny "Les Crets" from Domaine Feuillat-Juillot. Eclectic and varied selection, c'est la France!
1 Feb 2010
Languedoc: Clos Marie, Pic-Saint-Loup
Clos Marie
Latest on Pic-Saint-Loup (report April 2011).
This intriguing little number also appears under "wines of the moment," winter 2010. Tempting enough to go and find out more about this quite cult estate the next time I head up to "wolf peak," north of Montpellier...
2006 Cuvée l'olivette Pic-Saint-Loup (Grenache, Syrah,Mourvèdre) - smoky and lush showing nice depth and weight, pretty chunky tannins adding dry texture and bitter twist/bite; fair oomph and grip vs dark cherry liquorice and tobacco, needs a year or so to come together fully. Turns a tad rustic and leather-tinged with very firm framework, but its solid trad Languedoc style seduces you in the end. A bit dear though @ €12.50. 88
Millésime Bio 2010
Organic updates, finds, reviews, "profiles" (watch out for FBI "certified" winemakers) from this lively green Montpellier wine fair. You'll find missing links to "R & L" wineries tasted here in the convenient 'A to Z' in the right-hand column; the rest are done or on WineWriting.com:
1. La Nerthe 2. La Fourmente 3. Cosse-Maisonneuve 4. Parra-Jimenez 5. Les Miaudoux 6. Clos Anhel (Corbieres) 7. Viña Ijalba 8. La Triballe (Montpellier) 9. Traginer (Banyuls-sur-mer) 10. Nivet-Galinier (Ponteilla) 11. Château Brau (Cabardes) 12. Bousquette (St-Chinian) 13. Clot l'Oum (Bélesta) 14. Frey Vineyards 15. Clos Joncuas 16. Ferrer-Ribière (Terrats) 17. Grand Guilhem (Fitou) 18. Clusel-Roch 19. Grange 4 Sous (VDPOc) 20. Matassa (Calce) 21. JP Padié (Calce) 22. Al Límit 23. Clos Gravillas (Minervois).
31 Jan 2010
Millésime Bio 2010: Rhône valley highlights
Domaine Clusel-Roch - Côte Rotie
Brigitte Roch and Gilbert Clusel have a massive four (which probably is in this super-steep, small-parcelled wine area) organically farmed hectares (10 acres) lying in, or on rather, the almost legendary "roasted slope" appellation, plus a few rows in nearby Condrieu; and their cellar is located in the village of Verenay close to more famous Ampuis (home of Guigal among others) alongside the Rhone in the so-called "northern" region (if you see what I mean). I tried all their reds, I think, all of them 100% Syrah, at this year's (2010) Millésime Bio wine fair in Montpellier:
2006 Côte Rotie - quite a bit of spicy wood still dominating the nose; smoky and peppery vs ripe and rounded palate, fairly elegant in the end actually. 87
2007 Côte Rotie - similar aroma/flavour profile but richer and fruitier too, velvety vs firm mouthfeel and finish; needs time to express itself better. 88
2007 Les Grandes Places Côte Rotie - from a specific "lieu-dit" plot: attractive herbal spicy black peppery and black cherry notes; again relatively soft and elegant palate then tight and punchy on the finish. 89+
2008 Côte Rotie - juicier and less oaky on the nose; showing nice fruit overlaid with touches of creamy oak, solid but subtle finish. 87
2009 Côte Rotie (barrel sample) - lush with lively fruit, firm and spicy mouthfeel with good weight and tight framework; should be good. 89
www.domaine-clusel-roch.fr
Brigitte Roch and Gilbert Clusel have a massive four (which probably is in this super-steep, small-parcelled wine area) organically farmed hectares (10 acres) lying in, or on rather, the almost legendary "roasted slope" appellation, plus a few rows in nearby Condrieu; and their cellar is located in the village of Verenay close to more famous Ampuis (home of Guigal among others) alongside the Rhone in the so-called "northern" region (if you see what I mean). I tried all their reds, I think, all of them 100% Syrah, at this year's (2010) Millésime Bio wine fair in Montpellier:
2006 Côte Rotie - quite a bit of spicy wood still dominating the nose; smoky and peppery vs ripe and rounded palate, fairly elegant in the end actually. 87
2007 Côte Rotie - similar aroma/flavour profile but richer and fruitier too, velvety vs firm mouthfeel and finish; needs time to express itself better. 88
2007 Les Grandes Places Côte Rotie - from a specific "lieu-dit" plot: attractive herbal spicy black peppery and black cherry notes; again relatively soft and elegant palate then tight and punchy on the finish. 89+
2008 Côte Rotie - juicier and less oaky on the nose; showing nice fruit overlaid with touches of creamy oak, solid but subtle finish. 87
2009 Côte Rotie (barrel sample) - lush with lively fruit, firm and spicy mouthfeel with good weight and tight framework; should be good. 89
www.domaine-clusel-roch.fr
Clos du Joncuas - Gigondas
More than just Gigondas actually, as the Chastan family (Dany, Fernand and Carole) has 29 organic hectares (72 acres) in total around the latter village, Séguret and Vacqueyras; all nestling quietly in that southern Rhone paradise valley. Well, not always: it snowed quite a bit there this year I believe. I digress... they've been doing the organic thing since the beginning, 1989, with a hint of biodynamics now thrown in too. My tastebuds got stuck in to the following reds at this year's Millésime Bio show in Montpellier (2010):
2004 Séguret Côtes du Rhône Villages (Grenache 70% plus Carignan, Mourvèdre etc.) - maturing smoky nose with dark savoury notes; chunky firm mouthfeel vs mature fruit, a tad old with extracted tannins but quite nice still (with food). 85
2004 Vacqueyras (Grenache 80% + Syrah etc.) - enticing herbal minty spicy aromas underpinned by maturing black fruits; powerful and pretty grippy still yet lush too, big old tannins layered with nice savoury vs dark fruit finish. 87
2004 Gigondas (Grenache 80%, Mourvèdre, Cinsault, Syrah) - similar profile to above but more complex, developing meaty fruit; again very grippy tannins but I like that lush sweet vs savoury fruit underneath. 88
2005 Gigondas - richer smokier nose and palate, lovely concentration vs firm structure; smoky, liquoricey and peppery finish. Quite wow. 88-90
www.closdujoncuas.fr
More than just Gigondas actually, as the Chastan family (Dany, Fernand and Carole) has 29 organic hectares (72 acres) in total around the latter village, Séguret and Vacqueyras; all nestling quietly in that southern Rhone paradise valley. Well, not always: it snowed quite a bit there this year I believe. I digress... they've been doing the organic thing since the beginning, 1989, with a hint of biodynamics now thrown in too. My tastebuds got stuck in to the following reds at this year's Millésime Bio show in Montpellier (2010):
2004 Séguret Côtes du Rhône Villages (Grenache 70% plus Carignan, Mourvèdre etc.) - maturing smoky nose with dark savoury notes; chunky firm mouthfeel vs mature fruit, a tad old with extracted tannins but quite nice still (with food). 85
2004 Vacqueyras (Grenache 80% + Syrah etc.) - enticing herbal minty spicy aromas underpinned by maturing black fruits; powerful and pretty grippy still yet lush too, big old tannins layered with nice savoury vs dark fruit finish. 87
2004 Gigondas (Grenache 80%, Mourvèdre, Cinsault, Syrah) - similar profile to above but more complex, developing meaty fruit; again very grippy tannins but I like that lush sweet vs savoury fruit underneath. 88
2005 Gigondas - richer smokier nose and palate, lovely concentration vs firm structure; smoky, liquoricey and peppery finish. Quite wow. 88-90
www.closdujoncuas.fr
Domaine La Fourmente - Visan
This 46-hectare (110-acre) organic estate (since 2005) is owned by Rémi and Valérie Pouizin and found in the Côtes du Rhône Villages Visan appellation (a bit longwinded to say but now producing some superb reds, as you can see), which lies a good bit northeast of Orange and north of Cairanne or Rasteau. They also produce natural lavender oil, by the way: I tried to copy one of the nice pics of lavender fields off their website, but it must be an annoying "flash" thing as I couldn't! See for yourself @ www.domainelafourmente.com. These were sampled at Millésime Bio in Montpellier (January 2010), a bit of a discovery, I'd say, especially those two 100% Grenaches:
2009 Nature rosé (Grenache Syrah) - clean and fruity, crisp and juicy; nice enough quaffer. 80+
2009 Amour de Fruit Côtes du Rhône (Cinsault Grenache Syrah) - attractive juicy fruity style with a bit of grip and substance too. 85
2009 Nature Visan (Grenache Syrah) - richer spicier Syrah-prominent style (although with more Grenache actually), perfumed black cherry fruit vs chunky tannins, lush and peppery; yum, promising. 87+
2007 Les Vieux Grenache des Garrigues Visan (14%) - sexy liquorice, spice and dark leather edges; very rich and concentrated vs uplifting floral peppery notes; dark lush fruit turning savoury, firm and powerful finish. Wow. 92-94
2007 La Fourmente Grains Sauvages (old Grenache) - delicious liquorice, dark plum and spice notes; "sweet" vs floral fruit too, gripping tannins on a very tasty finish; perhaps firmer and tighter than above, but similarly gorgeous! 90-92
This 46-hectare (110-acre) organic estate (since 2005) is owned by Rémi and Valérie Pouizin and found in the Côtes du Rhône Villages Visan appellation (a bit longwinded to say but now producing some superb reds, as you can see), which lies a good bit northeast of Orange and north of Cairanne or Rasteau. They also produce natural lavender oil, by the way: I tried to copy one of the nice pics of lavender fields off their website, but it must be an annoying "flash" thing as I couldn't! See for yourself @ www.domainelafourmente.com. These were sampled at Millésime Bio in Montpellier (January 2010), a bit of a discovery, I'd say, especially those two 100% Grenaches:
2009 Nature rosé (Grenache Syrah) - clean and fruity, crisp and juicy; nice enough quaffer. 80+
2009 Amour de Fruit Côtes du Rhône (Cinsault Grenache Syrah) - attractive juicy fruity style with a bit of grip and substance too. 85
2009 Nature Visan (Grenache Syrah) - richer spicier Syrah-prominent style (although with more Grenache actually), perfumed black cherry fruit vs chunky tannins, lush and peppery; yum, promising. 87+
2007 Les Vieux Grenache des Garrigues Visan (14%) - sexy liquorice, spice and dark leather edges; very rich and concentrated vs uplifting floral peppery notes; dark lush fruit turning savoury, firm and powerful finish. Wow. 92-94
2007 La Fourmente Grains Sauvages (old Grenache) - delicious liquorice, dark plum and spice notes; "sweet" vs floral fruit too, gripping tannins on a very tasty finish; perhaps firmer and tighter than above, but similarly gorgeous! 90-92
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| "Now that's what I call a chateau," taken from www.chateaulanerthe.fr |
Château La Nerthe - Châteauneuf-du-Pape
This simply famous estate has been in the hands of the Richard family since 1985, the latest in a line of owners spanning its, well, historic long history. The vineyards were first converted over to organic growing back in 1998, one of few in Châteauneuf-du-Pape actually (you have to wonder why?), which must be a challenge for estate boss Christian Voeux and his team managing 80 ha (200 acres) accordingly; while probably being surrounded by non-organic spraying neighbours (it's a compact appellation). Their impressive "Cadette" cuvée is sourced from a particularly senior and cherished plot with 100+ year-old Grenache and their oldest Mourvèdre and Syrah. And the powerful yet complex Clos de Beauvenir white shows how well good white CNdP can age. I tasted these wines with Christian at the earthy Millésime Bio show, Jan 2010 in Montpellier:
2008 La Nerthe white (Clairette Grenache blanc Roussanne Marsanne Bourboulenc among others) - a bit closed on the nose to start with, moving on to a much more exotic palate vs mineral and light wood spice notes; oily and weighty mouthfeel vs nice juicy, yeast-lees tinged finish. €28 87+
2004 Clos de Beauvenir white (Roussanne Clairette) - lots of hazelnut and oily maturing notes, rounded and creamy mouthfeel vs fair bit of oomph; long mellowing finish but certainly not old. €57 89+
2007 La Nerthe red (Grenache Syrah Mourvèdre Cinsault & others) - lovely rich Grenache-styled, liquorice and spice aromas followed by a tad of sweet oak although subtle; dark ripe fruit explosion with firm and fiery backdrop, tight closed up finish yet plenty of delicious fruit. Promising. €30 90-(92)
2005 cuvée des Cadettes (Grenache Syrah Mourvèdre) - showing more wood but there's lots of maturing sweet fruit underneath; attractive dry vs ripe tannins, actually finishing more elegantly than I thought it was going to! €62 90+
2006 cuvée des Cadettes (Grenache Syrah Mourvèdre) - more developed and leather-edged supported by sumptuous fruit, concentrated vs firm palate; again big and bold but lush and dark too, dry texture vs intensity and great finish. €63.50 92+
Route de Sorgues, 84230 Châteauneuf-du-Pape. www.chateaulanerthe.fr, 04 90 83 70 11.
This simply famous estate has been in the hands of the Richard family since 1985, the latest in a line of owners spanning its, well, historic long history. The vineyards were first converted over to organic growing back in 1998, one of few in Châteauneuf-du-Pape actually (you have to wonder why?), which must be a challenge for estate boss Christian Voeux and his team managing 80 ha (200 acres) accordingly; while probably being surrounded by non-organic spraying neighbours (it's a compact appellation). Their impressive "Cadette" cuvée is sourced from a particularly senior and cherished plot with 100+ year-old Grenache and their oldest Mourvèdre and Syrah. And the powerful yet complex Clos de Beauvenir white shows how well good white CNdP can age. I tasted these wines with Christian at the earthy Millésime Bio show, Jan 2010 in Montpellier:
2008 La Nerthe white (Clairette Grenache blanc Roussanne Marsanne Bourboulenc among others) - a bit closed on the nose to start with, moving on to a much more exotic palate vs mineral and light wood spice notes; oily and weighty mouthfeel vs nice juicy, yeast-lees tinged finish. €28 87+
2004 Clos de Beauvenir white (Roussanne Clairette) - lots of hazelnut and oily maturing notes, rounded and creamy mouthfeel vs fair bit of oomph; long mellowing finish but certainly not old. €57 89+
2007 La Nerthe red (Grenache Syrah Mourvèdre Cinsault & others) - lovely rich Grenache-styled, liquorice and spice aromas followed by a tad of sweet oak although subtle; dark ripe fruit explosion with firm and fiery backdrop, tight closed up finish yet plenty of delicious fruit. Promising. €30 90-(92)
2005 cuvée des Cadettes (Grenache Syrah Mourvèdre) - showing more wood but there's lots of maturing sweet fruit underneath; attractive dry vs ripe tannins, actually finishing more elegantly than I thought it was going to! €62 90+
2006 cuvée des Cadettes (Grenache Syrah Mourvèdre) - more developed and leather-edged supported by sumptuous fruit, concentrated vs firm palate; again big and bold but lush and dark too, dry texture vs intensity and great finish. €63.50 92+
Route de Sorgues, 84230 Châteauneuf-du-Pape. www.chateaulanerthe.fr, 04 90 83 70 11.
Roussillon: Domaine du Traginer, Banyuls-sur-Mer
No-nonsense Jean-François Deu is very proud of his organic status (since 1997 officially) and philosophy – some wines have no added sulphites too – combined with certain biodynamic farming methods (he doesn't go along with the full-monty "witchcraft"), which seem to nicely match his laid-back manner, ironic sense of humour yet uncompromising standards. The result is an edgy yet classy range of wines going from his pure and floral site-blend Collioure red, to the peppery more refined Cuvée du Capitas single-siter and delicious late harvest Banyuls ‘mise tardive’ (late bottled). Jean-François spends long hours out in his vineyards (best to ring his mobile number if you want to see him personally, although you can taste the wines in his shop from spring to autumn) working the soil and stimulating the vines' natural defences by applying various biodynamic herbal remedies. He’s also trying to make things less labour intensive by "mechanising" some of the work, which isn’t an easy task in the area’s mostly narrow, terraced and very steep vineyards. Actually, that's a little bit of a joke; he uses a mule and plough, which is a touch easier on the back no doubt!
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I tasted and reviewed these wines and vintages at Millésime Bio organic wine show in Perpignan and Montpellier in January 2008, 2010 and 2012. Click here for older Traginer vintages (Millésime Bio 2006) and read on for 2010 and 2012 updates. UK specialist merchant Stone, Vine & Sun lists some of his wines.
2004 Cuvée Capitas, Collioure rouge – ripe and raisiny with aromatic dark plum tones, concentrated and chunky showing a touch of oak and alcohol, rounded v grippy finish. 90-92
2006 Cuvée al Ribéral, Collioure rouge – liquorice and spice notes lead on to a concentrated inky palate, closes up on the finish although has lovely underlying black fruits. 89-91
2005 Collioure rouge – coconut spicy oak is quite prominent at the moment, but this has lovely depth of fruit v solid tannins. 90-92
2003 Cuvée d'Octobre, Collioure rouge – more raisiny and smoky, light old wood spice otherwise firm v ripe mouth-feel. 88
2006 Banyuls Rimage – fruity pruney nose with youthful fruit v grip v sweetness on the palate; very nice style. £17.95 90
2003 Banyuls Grand Cru – much more oxidised, Tawny style with complex maturing tones; good but personally prefer the Rimage wine. 89
2012 tasting update
2004 Cuvée Capitas, Collioure rouge – ripe and raisiny with aromatic dark plum tones, concentrated and chunky showing a touch of oak and alcohol, rounded v grippy finish. 90-92
2006 Cuvée al Ribéral, Collioure rouge – liquorice and spice notes lead on to a concentrated inky palate, closes up on the finish although has lovely underlying black fruits. 89-91
2005 Collioure rouge – coconut spicy oak is quite prominent at the moment, but this has lovely depth of fruit v solid tannins. 90-92
2003 Cuvée d'Octobre, Collioure rouge – more raisiny and smoky, light old wood spice otherwise firm v ripe mouth-feel. 88
2006 Banyuls Rimage – fruity pruney nose with youthful fruit v grip v sweetness on the palate; very nice style. £17.95 90
2003 Banyuls Grand Cru – much more oxidised, Tawny style with complex maturing tones; good but personally prefer the Rimage wine. 89
Update 2010: Jean-François was, as always, present, earthy, philosophical and good-humoured at the increasingly big Millésime Bio tasting held in Montpellier. I seem to have overlooked his star white wines somehow:
2008 Collioure blanc (Grenache blanc, Grenache gris) - hazelnutty and fino-edged nose; dry mineral mouthfeel, very intense with refreshing length and concentrated, lightly exotic vs spicy fruit. 87+
2007 Collioure blanc (Grenache blanc, Grenache gris) - more mature (obviously), attractively appley and fino in style; lovely nutty vs creamy palate with incisive long finish. 88+
2007 Collioure rouge - sweet, perfumed, garrigue aromas (kinda wild herbs etc.); delicious spicy fruit vs underlying grip, elegant vs powerful. 87-89
2006 Cuvée Capitas Collioure rouge – rich and smoky with lush dark fruit and spicy oak in the background; liquorice "sweetness" vs meaty flavours / texture vs proper grip, concentrated and powerful yet fine length. 90+
2004 Cuvée Capitas – turning savoury and meaty, attractive elegant vs rich fruit, ripe and soft vs still firm finish. 87-89
2008 Collioure blanc (Grenache blanc, Grenache gris) - hazelnutty and fino-edged nose; dry mineral mouthfeel, very intense with refreshing length and concentrated, lightly exotic vs spicy fruit. 87+
2007 Collioure blanc (Grenache blanc, Grenache gris) - more mature (obviously), attractively appley and fino in style; lovely nutty vs creamy palate with incisive long finish. 88+
2007 Collioure rouge - sweet, perfumed, garrigue aromas (kinda wild herbs etc.); delicious spicy fruit vs underlying grip, elegant vs powerful. 87-89
2006 Cuvée Capitas Collioure rouge – rich and smoky with lush dark fruit and spicy oak in the background; liquorice "sweetness" vs meaty flavours / texture vs proper grip, concentrated and powerful yet fine length. 90+
2004 Cuvée Capitas – turning savoury and meaty, attractive elegant vs rich fruit, ripe and soft vs still firm finish. 87-89
2012 tasting update
2010
white – peachy yet nutty too, intense mineral characters vs rounded
texture vs crisp tight finish. Very good.
2007
Cuvée Octobre – ripe sweet fruit with lavender edges, turning
savoury too on the palate, intense spicy finish though.
2008
Cuvée Capitas – quite savoury and leather-tinged,
structured and punchy mouth-feel, very powerful finish; a tad
unbalanced.
2009
Cuvée Al Ribéral (no added SO2) – lively wild fruits and scorched
heather/lavender undertones, 'volatile' edges too but it works well
here, intense long finish. Very good.
30 Jan 2010
Languedoc: Clos de l'Anhel, Corbières
Château Pech-Latt (see A to Z) estate manager Philippe Mathias and his partner Sophie Guiraudon, who are based at Pech-Latt, have a small domaine of their own called Clos de l’Anhel ('lamb fold' in Occitan: there is a semi-crumbling farmhouse / sheep shelter alongside the track leading up to their vines, which they might eventually do up into a small cellar). So, their address is the same as Pech-Latt below (they do also have a cellar in a nearby village, but it's not marked and difficult to find). Philippe and Sophie have converted six hectares/15 acres (with three more in the pipeline) over to biodynamic grape growing, man, and are already coming up with remarkable results, as demonstrated by the three tasty reds below all built mostly from old Carignan. They've also planted "a bit of Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre;" as you do.
They're using very little in the way of oak barrels, and Sophie said "we might stop using wood all together," a refreshing trend I've spotted elsewhere on mini-estates; partly to let the fruit do the talking, and partly, I'd imagine, because new barrels are expensive. You can taste Clos Anhel's wines while visiting Pech-Latt; and Sophie might also take you up to their 250-300 metre-high (900 feet) vineyards if you arrange it in advance (you’d never find this peaceful spot on your own anyway), where you’ll be greeted by three cheeky donkeys. I don't think they work in the vineyard but are probably a good, three HP manure machine. Other growers worth pencilling in in this area include Domaine Baillat, Château Prieuré Borde-Rouge, Château de Roquenégade and Domaine la Rune.
Tasted October 2008 and again in January 2009:
Les Autres vin de table (because it's 80% Carignan + Grenache, 14%) - the name refers to all those who helped with the harvest, listed on the label. Pure ripe liquorice, cassis and juicy raspberries; more savoury on the palate with tobacco and leather edges, and soft v dry mouth-feel; has a bit of a kick too but also juicy fresh fruit. 87
2007 Les Terrassettes Corbières (mostly Carignan + Syrah Grenache Mourvèdre, 14%) - shows similar purity of liquorice fruit with dark cherries and wild herbs; richer colour and body, tasty mouthful of spicy tobacco-tinged fruit; powerful with more grip & structure, lively finish too, needs 6-12 months to come together nicely. 89+
2007 Les Dimanches Corbières (50% 70 year-old Carignan + Syrah Grenache Mourvèdre, 10% of it aged in used casks, 14% alc) - again has that similar hallmark profile but more aromatic and floral with richer black cherry/olive fruit; concentrated and powerful with nice grippy texture v deliciously drinkable fruit quality, quite fine and well-balanced to finish. 90-92
And Clos Anhel 2005 vintages from Vinisud 2006.
They're using very little in the way of oak barrels, and Sophie said "we might stop using wood all together," a refreshing trend I've spotted elsewhere on mini-estates; partly to let the fruit do the talking, and partly, I'd imagine, because new barrels are expensive. You can taste Clos Anhel's wines while visiting Pech-Latt; and Sophie might also take you up to their 250-300 metre-high (900 feet) vineyards if you arrange it in advance (you’d never find this peaceful spot on your own anyway), where you’ll be greeted by three cheeky donkeys. I don't think they work in the vineyard but are probably a good, three HP manure machine. Other growers worth pencilling in in this area include Domaine Baillat, Château Prieuré Borde-Rouge, Château de Roquenégade and Domaine la Rune.
Tasted October 2008 and again in January 2009:
Les Autres vin de table (because it's 80% Carignan + Grenache, 14%) - the name refers to all those who helped with the harvest, listed on the label. Pure ripe liquorice, cassis and juicy raspberries; more savoury on the palate with tobacco and leather edges, and soft v dry mouth-feel; has a bit of a kick too but also juicy fresh fruit. 87
2007 Les Terrassettes Corbières (mostly Carignan + Syrah Grenache Mourvèdre, 14%) - shows similar purity of liquorice fruit with dark cherries and wild herbs; richer colour and body, tasty mouthful of spicy tobacco-tinged fruit; powerful with more grip & structure, lively finish too, needs 6-12 months to come together nicely. 89+
2007 Les Dimanches Corbières (50% 70 year-old Carignan + Syrah Grenache Mourvèdre, 10% of it aged in used casks, 14% alc) - again has that similar hallmark profile but more aromatic and floral with richer black cherry/olive fruit; concentrated and powerful with nice grippy texture v deliciously drinkable fruit quality, quite fine and well-balanced to finish. 90-92
And Clos Anhel 2005 vintages from Vinisud 2006.
Update Jan 2010. Sophie had their lively 2008s ready and waiting to be sampled at Millésime Bio wine fair in Montpellier:
2008 les Autres (mostly Carignan) - very smoky with liquorice and tobacco notes, very Carignan style with lots of dark blueberry too; fairly easy palate with a bit of grip too. 85
2008 le Lolo Corbières - a tad reduced on the nose (these weren't finished bottled samples), turning more intense with perfumed fruit and dark vs crunchy mix; attractive dry grip and bite on the finish. 87+
2008 les Terrassettes - lush, smoky and expressive with blueberry vs meaty notes; chunky yet supple with good depth of cherry/berry fruit, nice length with lingering dried fruits. 89+
2008 les Dimanches - similar profile but richer with lively dark plum, liquorice and tobacco; pretty intense mouthfeel with firm vs rounded tannins, tight long and delicious finish. 91+
28 Jan 2010
Roussillon: Domaine Jean-Philippe Padié, Calce
You'll find Jean-Philippe working his twisty old vines "naturally" (with a bit of biodynamics too actually) up in the wilds of Calce, where he has 11 hectares divided up into "about 30 parcels." I bumped into J-P in late October 2009 at a "harvest party" (where they spit-roasted an entire lamb in the yard outside the Tautavel co-op winery), where I tasted his very nice "little bull" below. I'll probably be embarking on a comprehensive Calce revisit at some point... And, if you're ever in the area in early/mid May, there's the village wine fair/"open-day" called "les caves se rebiffent" ("wine cellars strike back"), where Jean-Philippe, well, opens up along with neighbours Gauby, Pithon, Matassa (see links under Roussillon A to Z for "profiles," right-hand column) and other local producers. By the way, there's a map of where to find his wines (in France) on the site link below. Not much luck for you lot in the US or UK though, as his export markets are Sweden, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland and Canada (Quebec).
2006 Petit Taureau Côtes du Roussillon (50% Carignan 30% Syrah 10% Grenache 10% Mourvèdre, no oak, 13.5%) - ripe black cherry with savoury and tobacco edges; rich and intense with attractive tannins and power/elegance together, "sweet" and savoury finish. 89-91
2010 update: from Millésime Bio organic wine show in Montpellier, where I tried most of Jean-Philippe's range:
2008 Fleur de Cailloux white (Macabeu, Grenache blanc) - appley, quite intense, crisp and refreshing vs rounded and lightly creamy. 85
2008 Milouise white (Grenache gris, Grenache blanc: oldest vines) - lees notes and similarly lively yet richer and rounder; bigger too with greater concentration, then spicy and mineral finish. 87+
2008 Ad Libitum Côtes du Roussillon rosé (Carignan, Mourvèdre) - creamy and nutty vs rose petal and red fruit tones; a bit odd/unexpected but I like it in the end!
2007 Petit Taureau Côtes du Roussillon (Grenache, Carignan, Syrah, Mourvèdre) - ripe and rich vs meaty and a tad of complex volatile tones; intense sweet/sour berry fruit vs dry firm tannins vs lively fruit and weight. 88-90
2008 Calice (Carignan) - a bit reductive on the nose, lively blackcurrant palate finishing a bit appley and tart.
2006 Ciel Liquide Côtes du Roussillon Villages - much lusher with oaky notes, attractive peppery dark cherry/berry fruit; concentrated and powerful vs full rounded mouthfeel, followed by tight long finish. Fairly wow. 90-92
2008 Fleur de Cailloux white (Macabeu, Grenache blanc) - appley, quite intense, crisp and refreshing vs rounded and lightly creamy. 85
2008 Milouise white (Grenache gris, Grenache blanc: oldest vines) - lees notes and similarly lively yet richer and rounder; bigger too with greater concentration, then spicy and mineral finish. 87+
2008 Ad Libitum Côtes du Roussillon rosé (Carignan, Mourvèdre) - creamy and nutty vs rose petal and red fruit tones; a bit odd/unexpected but I like it in the end!
2007 Petit Taureau Côtes du Roussillon (Grenache, Carignan, Syrah, Mourvèdre) - ripe and rich vs meaty and a tad of complex volatile tones; intense sweet/sour berry fruit vs dry firm tannins vs lively fruit and weight. 88-90
2008 Calice (Carignan) - a bit reductive on the nose, lively blackcurrant palate finishing a bit appley and tart.
2006 Ciel Liquide Côtes du Roussillon Villages - much lusher with oaky notes, attractive peppery dark cherry/berry fruit; concentrated and powerful vs full rounded mouthfeel, followed by tight long finish. Fairly wow. 90-92
11 Rue Pyrénées, 66600 Calce. Tel: 04 68 64 29 85/06 99 53 07 66 www.domainepadie.com.
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