LES SENTIERS GOURMANDS A LA CLAPE
La Clape is one of the wine regions of the Languedoc that organises an annual balade vigneronne. This is the first time that I have been in
the Languedoc in mid-May and able to take part.
This year it was centred on the village of Fleury d’Aude, on the eastern
edge of the appellation. The
countryside is gently undulating, rather than dramatically mountainous, as it
is in the heart of the Massif de la Clape, and given the inclement weather, I
think I was rather relieved that we were not too far from civilisation. We awoke to torrential rain and thunder in the
Hérault, but a phone call to Susan Close at Camplazens reassured me that the
rain was calming in the Aude.
Nonetheless we went prepared for the worst…… and were incredibly lucky. The rain stayed off until we were back at
our starting point, the Cave Cooperative de Fleury d’Aude. You are issued with essential equipment at
the start of the walk; wine glass, knife and fork; meal tickets; list of wines
– and a sunhat. That Sunday mine eventually doubled
up as a rain hat, keeping the water off my glasses.
We set off
from the coop to our first étape, where a mise en bouche was
served, a delicious cream of cauliflower with a coulis of prawns. But first some tasting: What follows are highlights – I have omitted any wines that I did not enjoy.
2010 Château
Ricardelle Blanc Combemale – 8.00€
A blend of
Roussanne, Grenache blanc, Vermentino and Picpoul. Light colour; delicately fresh nose, delicious
and fragrant on the palate. Again this
is not the occasion for detailed tasting notes, but a balade like this is a
great opportunity for gaining an overall impression and for spotting estates to
visit, and also which to ignore. And also for catching on the local news.
2011 Château Mire l’Etang Blanc, Aimée de Coigny – 7.00€
Roussanne,
Grenache Blanc and Bourboulenc – Bourboulenc being the essential grape variety
of la Clape Blanc. Quite a fragrant
nose, lemony, citrus notes. Youthful
with fresh acidity.
2011
Château Capitoul, Rocaille – 6.00€
Marsanne,
Roussanne, Viognier and Bourboulenc. Quite
a fragrant nose. Quite a firm palate
with a peachy note from the Viognier. A
slightly bitter finish.
The track
took us through vineyards and garrigues; there were some beautiful pyramid
orchids and other wild flowers. Our
entrée was a gateau d’oeuf aux morilles, with a salad.
From the Fleury coop La Vendémiaire blanc, les Arbres
blancs 2010 – 4.90€
Light,
delicate and fresh nose. Lemony fresh
fruit on the palate. Nice acidity balance. And good value.
2011
Chateau Moyau rosé – 6.00€
Here it was
a nice surprise to find old acquaintances, Susan and Peter Munday pouring the
wine. They used to have vineyards in the
Corbières at Domaine des Chandelles, and are now managing Moyau for the
absentee Swiss owner.
Fresh nose
with a touch of raspberry. Nice balance
of fruit and acidity. Nicely vinous with
a fresh finish.
2010 Château Rouquette sur Mer Esprit Terroir rouge – 8.00€
Mid colour;
ripe nose, very garrigues. Ripe rounded palate, with supple
tannins. The Midi at its sunniest.
2009 Mas du Soleilla, la Rupture – 13.00€
A blend of
Bourboulenc, aged in vat, with two barrels of Roussanne. Quite solid and rounded on the nose, with a
touch of oak. Very good acidity. Youthful with plenty of potential for future
development.
2011 Vignoble Moujan, red, D’ici et d’ailleurs -
A blend of
Cinsaut, Grenache, Syrah and Carignan in vat.
The first vintage under new ownership.
Very bright colour. Youthful oak
on the nose. Patrick Mazzoleni explained that he is the new owner and there is a lot to do as the estate had
been a bit neglected by the previous owners.
And the wine is not really ready; but this was a premier essaie. Very youthful, with potential . Worth watching.
A gentle
track through vines and garrigues to the
fish course, a carré de saumon mi-cuit with some broad
beans and buttered bean, ham and basil.
The salmon was delicious, cooked to perfection. And there was a selection of pink and white
wines to go with it.
2011 Château Abbaye des Mongs blanc, Augustine – 8.00€
An estate
near Gruissan. I’ve not come across this
estate before; their first vintage was 1995.
90% Bourboulenc, with 6 months in oak.
Quite lemony and oaky on the nose.
Medium weight. Good balance of
fruit and fresh acidity on the finish.
Oak nicely integrated on the palate.
2011 Domaine Sarrat de Goundy, Cuvée du Planteur – 6.00€
Another
estate that was new to me. First vintage
2003. Pale colour; delicate and fresh, with very good acidity. Nice depth. Delicious.
2011
Chateau Capitoul, Rosé Rocaille – 6.00€
One third
of each of Syrah, Grenache and Cinsaut.
Half pressed and half saigné. Some depth of colour. Light nose, but quite a
rounded vinous palate. Ripe
strawberries. Full and rounded.
2011 Château la Négly, Brise Marine - 8.00€ - 9.00€
70% Bourboulenc
and 30% Roussanne. Light colour. Quite a firm nose. Quite herbal, lemony and fresh. Nicely balanced.
More
vineyards and past an old capitelle to the meat course. A
delicious piece of poitrine de porc, sage flavoured jus, potatoes and red
onions cooked in duck fat. Succulent
meat and a lovely selection of red wines to go with it, bar a couple of
disappontments, which I won’t mention
2008 Chateau d’Anglès, Grand Vin Rouge – 15.00€
Mourvèdre,
Syrah and Grenache. Quite a young oaky
nose. Quite a solid rounded palate, with
oak and fruit. Youthful with a lot of body
and weight, and plenty of potential.
2009 Château Abbaye des Monges, Augustine. – 8.00€
10% élevage
in wood. Quite a rounded nose.; nice touch of spice. Medium weight. Nicely balanced.
Domaine
Maury, L’Insoupçonné – 15.00€
80% Syrah
with 20% Mourvèdre. Half the Syrah was fermented by maceration carbonique and
half a classic fermentation. Paul
Maury’s first vintage, and what a great start.
Very tapenade on the nose. Rounded
spice with quite a fleshy palate.
Eighteen months élevage. He has
5 hectares of La Clape, with a cellar at Sallèles d’Aude.
2009 Mas du Soleilla, Les Chailles – 15.00€
Medium colour. I thought there was some oak on the
nose, but Peter Wildbolz assured me
there was none. Quite rounded
ripe palate. Good body. Quite ripe and dense. Needs time.
With plenty of potential. As it
happened we had drunk the 2003 a few days earlier, and it was still very
youthful, but with the warmth of the vintage.
The cheese
course was a selection of goats cheese, from Mas Combebelle, with some
delicious local honey from La Cité des Abeilles et des Fleurs at Domaine d’Aubian at Cuxac d’Aude.
2009
Domaine de l’Angel – 6.00€.
A new name for me, but an old estate. The first vintage under new ownership was 2004. Half Bourboulenc, half Grenache blanc. Very floral nose with herbs and citrus notes on the palate. Fresh and mineral and a great choice with the goats cheese.
A new name for me, but an old estate. The first vintage under new ownership was 2004. Half Bourboulenc, half Grenache blanc. Very floral nose with herbs and citrus notes on the palate. Fresh and mineral and a great choice with the goats cheese.
2009 Château Camplazens, la Garrigue - 9.00€
Medium colour. Ripe rounded spicy fruit on nose and
palate. Very tapenade. Soft tannins and a ripe finish, and all too
drinkable.
The route
took us back to the coop at Fleury for dessert and coffee, and the rain drops
began to fall. Dessert was sablé biscuit with a dollop of a pistachio almond cream on top. And there were three dessert wines or Cartagène.
Chateau
Ricardelle, Cartagène.
– 10.00€
Quite ripe
and grapey, with nutty biscuity notes.
Cave de
Gruissan, a red Cartagène, 8.00€ - which
was rich and raisiny, with a dry finish.
Domaine Sarrat de Goundy, Vendanges Surmûries, Trobaïritz – 18.00€
Late
harvest Roussanne, honeyed ; with a touch of oak. Medium weight and quite a dry finish. But I am not sure that La Clape is really very
suitable terrain for dessert wines.
And then it
was time to turn for home, savouring some new discoveries and enjoying more familiar
wines, and with a feeling of relief that the weather had been, relatively, kind
to us.
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