Bettane & Desseauve Wine Experience in London
Michel Bettane and Thierry Desseauve are two of France’s
leading wine writers and for the third year running they brought a road show to
London. There were a host of interesting
producers from all around the world, but needless to say I concentrated on the Languedoc,
but did allow myself the odd deviation into Tuscany, Greece, China and even England. Bettane and Desseauve themselves were
conspicuous by their absence.
Château
de Lascaux.
This is a leading Pic St. Loup estate that I have not
visited for a while, so it was a good opportunity for a quick update. They make the basic appellation of Languedoc
for their entry level wines, as well as Pic St. Loup.
2012 Languedoc, Classique Rouge
Medium colour.
Youthful fresh nose, and on the palate some ripe black fruit and some
leathery tannins, but with an attractive freshness on the palate, as you would
expect from the Pic St. Loup. Medium
weight.
2011 Languedoc Classique Blanc
Vermentino 50%; Roussanne and Marsanne 20% each and 10% Viognier A delicate nose; quite a rounded nose, with
some dry honey. And on the palate some leafy ripe fruit. Nicely rounded and textured, with lots of
nuances from the grape variety mix.
2012 Languedoc Classique Rosé
Pale pink. Fresh dry fruit on nose, and on
the palate quite crisp and refreshing with some dry raspberry fruit. 50% Cinsaut, with 30% Grenache and 20% Syrah.
2008
Pic St. Loup, les Pierres Nobles
80%
Syrah with 20% Grenache. Quite a deep
colour. Ripe and spicy on nose
and palate, with some rounded oak, giving some structure. The soil is gravel and limestone, and rich in
iron.
2010 Languedoc, Les
Pierres d’Argent
40% each Marsanne
and Roussanne, and 20% Vermentino. Quite
a firm tight knit nose. Some
well-integrated oak, with a rounded textured palate. Satisfying balance.
Domaine D’Aigues-Belles
This is a new name for me.
Although the property at Brouzet les Quissac in the Gard has been in the
same family since 1870, the first bottling of their wine was only in 2000. They have 12 hectares of vines near the Pic
St. Loup,
They make Pays d’Oc, blends using both Bordeaux and Midi
grape varieties, such as a Grenache and Merlot blend with a touch of Cabernet,
and a Syrah with some Cabernet and Merlot.
There is a Chardonnay, which I liked a lot more than I expected, and a blend
of Roussanne, Sauvignon and Chardonnay, which was remarkably successful. Definitely worth further investigation, so
I will save detailed tasting notes for another time.
Vignobles
Jeanjean were there, pouring 2012 Mas de Lunès blanc, Coteaux du Languedoc. A blend of Marsanne and Roussanne. Lightly leafy and rounded, with white
flowers. A supple palate, with a
slightly bitter hint on the finish.
And from Domaine Cazes, 2011 Muscat de Rivesaltes which was
rich and honeyed and grapey. Everything
that a good Rivesaltes should be.
Pays d’Oc had a large stand.
Christophe Felez explained that these were the wines that had won a
competition to represent Pays d’Oc at tastings like this for the following 12
months. So I was intrigued to see just
what had been selected; So here goes.
2012 Domaine St Hilaire Advocate Chardonnay
A mouthful of ripe leesy buttery fruit.
2012 Domaine Rives Blanques
Chenin and Chardonnay, with leafy fruit on the nose and dry
honey and good acidity with a touch of butter on the palate.
2012 Gérard
Bertrand H de l’Hospitalet white
Chardonnay, Viognier and Sauvignon. Rounded leesy nose. Ripe and rounded on the palate with a touch
of oak and a flat finish.
2012 Les Vignes
de l’Arque, Alexia, white
A blend of Muscat and Sauvignon from the Gard. Quite fresh and pithy on the nose, and some
pithy fruit on the palate
2012 Domaine
Terres en Couleurs, Envie de l’Année
Roussanne and Vermentino.
Quite soft, fresh and rounded. Easy acidity on the palate, and a refreshing
bitter finish.
2012 Les Vignerons de Sommièrois, Viognier
Delicate peachy nose and on the palate, no great weight but
a sympa glass of wine.
2012 Domaine du
Grand Chemin, l’Incroyable, rosé.
Cinsaut and Pinot.
Pale colour. Pressed. Very
fresh nose with ripe rounded fruit on the palate and an elegant finish. A jolly
nice glass of rosé. One of my favourites in the range, and not
an estate I know.
2011 Domaine
Gayda, Figure Libre Cabernet Franc
Quite a deep young colour. Fresh but ripe fruit on nose and palate. Good balance.
Another jolly nice glass of
wine.
2011 Domaine de Bachellery, Grenache fût de chêne
Medium colour. Quite a
firm nose, with sweet oak, on both nose and palate. A
bit soupy on the finish.
2012 Les Vins
Skalli, Fortant de France, Terroir de Collines, Malbec
Medium colour. Quite
firm and youthful fruit on the palate. Red fruit.
A tannic edge with structure. Youthful.
2009 Blb
Vignobles, Tète de Cuvée Montlobre
100% Merlot in
barriques. Deep colour. Solid firm oaky nose on nose and palate. No
sense of place.
2012 Domaine les
Terrasses de Gabrielle, Pour Une Poignée
de Raisins
Nielluccio, as in Corsica, or the Sangiovese of Tuscany. From an estate near Capestang. Medium colour. Quite a dry nose, with a ripe confit
palate. Ripe cherries with a dry
finish. Yes, I could taste Sangiovese,
knowing that was what it was.
2012 Domaine Paul Mas, Da Pinot Noir Reserve
Quite deep colour. Rounded
nose. Quite soft and jammy fruit, quite
rich but with a tannic streak.
2012 Les Vins
Skalli, Fortant de France, Terroirs de Collines, Syrah
Deep colour. Rich spicy
nose and palate. Very harmonious, rich
rounded and supple. But a touch cloying on the finish.
2011 Domaine Camplazens, Syrah
Deep colour, peppery black fruit on nose and palate. Quite rich and dense and solid, and a touch alcoholic
at 15⁰.
This used to be Vignerons Val d’Orbieu’s flagship. A blend of Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre and
Carignan. Quite a deep colour. A rounded nose and a ripe solid palate. Some oak.
A warming mouthful. An edge of
youthful tannin. Still very young
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