Languedoc tasting - Experience le Sud Part II Independent Wine Merchants:



The Independents' range started off with some of my favourite sparkling Limoux, from Domaine J. Laurens, imported by Boutinot Wines.   There was Blanquette de Limoux, Le Moulin, NV  RRP £17.40. A blend of 90% Mauzac with 10% Chardonnay, with some fresh herbal fruit, and a touch of sweetness on the finish.  

2022 Crémant de Limoux, les Graimenous is a blend of 60% Chardonnay, 30% Chenin Blanc and 10% Mauzac.  RRP £18.20  Nicely rounded, with dry honey and balancing acidity.  


NV La Rose No 7 is 60% Chardonnay, 25% Chenin Blanc and 15% Pinot Noir.  Very pale pink. Ripe with satisfying mouthfeel and balancing acidity.   RRP - £19.80


St John Wines were offering a Crémant de Limoux from Maison Antech, a blend of 70% Chardonnay with 30% Chenin Blanc, which was quite firm and dry, and almost austere, after the wines from J. Laurens, but refreshingly so. 


There were a pair of Vermentino, sorry Rolle.

2023 Pays d'Oc from La Combe Saint-Paul,  RRP  £10.95 - Stone Vine & Sun.  This comes from a small estate on the edge of the appellation of La Clape.  Pale colour.  Lightly herbal fresh nose, with a rounded herbal palate.  Nicely satisfying.


Roc 'n Rolle, Pays de l'Hérault, Château Coujan - £15.50 - Wickham Wines

Château Coujan is one of the old historic estates of St Chinian and Florence Guy's father one of the pioneers of the appellation.   Another lightly herbal Rolle, with some weight and balancing acidity.  


Next came a swathe of Vigonier which I am afraid I skipped....and alighted on Mas des Brousses Blanc, IGP St Guilhem-le-Désert - £20.50 from Stone Vine & Sun  An intriguing blend of Chenin Blanc, Viognier, Clairette and Rolle.  Light colour. Nicely rounded nose, with some hints of peach.  Lots nuances from the different grape varieties on the palate.  Herbal notes and white flowers and a hint of peachy.  Nicely intriguing.  Xavier Peynaud is the grandson of Lucien Peynaud who did so much for Bandol and he married a vigneron's daughter in the pretty village of Viols-le-Fort and together they developed Mas des Brousses.


I have always had soft spot for Clos de l'Amandaie ever since I first encountered it in our local wine shop in Clermont l'Hérault.   We went in to buy a bottle of rosé for lunch and came out with cases of Clos de l'Amandaie for our house warming party the following week, now over 20 years ago!   2022 Clos de l'Amandaie blanc, AOP Languedoc - £17.95 from Stone Vine & Sun.  80% Grenache Blanc, 20% Roussanne.  Lightly herbal fresh nose and palate.  Nicely intriguing nuances balanced with fresh acidity.  


2023 Château de Luc Blanc, Corbières -  RRP - £16.00 Boutinot Wines

80% Roussanne with Grenache Blanc.  White flowers on the nose and palate.  Some weight and texture and nicely satisfying and rounded, with balancing acidity.  


Next came some Limoux Blanc of which my favourite was 2020 Domaine de Mouscaillo - from Taste Union.  100% Chardonnay- Limoux can be a blend, and it must be aged in oak.  Sometimes that is all too apparent, but in this instance, any oak was well integrated.  The wine was beautifully balanced and elegant, with nuances of flavours.   


Next came a minor incursion into Roussillon:

 

Domaine Olivier Pithon,  Mon P'tit Pithon Blanc 2023 Côtes Catalanes.  A blend of Grenache Gris, Grenache Blanc and Maccabeu.  from St. John Wines.  Quite firm white flowers on both nose and palate.  Good mouthfeel, texture and weight, balanced with some acidity.


2023 Domaine Boudau, Côtes Catalanes, le Petit Close - Hourlier Wines - is a pure Muscat, half Muscat d'Alexandrie and half Muscat à petits grains.  Fresh and grape and very Muscat, with the typical note of bitterness on the finish.


In an attempt to remain focussed on the Languedoc, I lurched past various wines from the south west which could have been tempting, to a row of rosés.  Justerini & Brooks had three rosés from Domaine Montrose, Pays d'Oc, Prestige and 2022 1701, Côtes de Thongue, which is the one I tasted. A blend of 85% Grenache Noir with some Roussanne and delicious it was too.  Everything that a good rosé should be, with raspberry fruit, fresh and dry with just the right amount of weight to make it a food rosé.  Nicely balanced with satisfying mouthfeel.   


And now for some reds:


2023 Pinot Noir, le Cerisier, Domaine Bégude, Haute Vallée de l'Aude - Vinceremos. Light red in colour, with some fresh raspberry fruit and some weight.  Who said the Languedoc can't make Pinot Noir.  James Kinglake can.   


There were a pair of wines from Domaine les Caizergues in the northern part of the Languedoc, not far from Ganges.   Le Papillon de Soie, Pays d'Oc RRP £11.95 - Caizergues Wines.  A blend of 40% Cinsault, 30% Syrah, 20% Grenache Noir and 10% Merlot.  Quite a firm nose with quite a ripe fleshy palate, with some dry spice on the finish. 


2023 Les Bobines, IGP St Guilhem-le-Désert was a blend of Cinsault, Grenache and Syrah with more spicey red fruit.  Supple tannins and subtle fruit and very appealing.  Maybe the Merlot jarred in the previous blend.  RRP £13.50  Wickham Wines.  


And then I found more Domaine les Caizergues further down the line, as the wines were grouped by appellation rather than estate.  So Domaine les Caizergues, AOP Languedoc 2022 les Magnarelles, a blend of 30% each of Grenache and Mourvèdre, with 20% each of Cinsault and Syrah.  Medium colour.  Fresh peppery fruit on the nose and palate.  Tight knit structured and youthful, with ageing potential.  RRP £15.95 Caizergues Wines.


There was 2021 Les Amoriers,  Terrasses du Larzac, a blend of 40% Carignan, 30% Mourvèdre, 20% Grenache and 10% Syrah.  I think this is the wine I liked best from Domaine les Caizergues, with some firm spices fruit and youthful structure.  RRP £19.50 - Wickham Wines.


2022 Villa Dondona, Que du Grenache, IGP St Guilhem-le-Désert - RRP Hourlier Wines

As you may realise, the name is a play on words.  No prizes for surmising that the wine is pure Grenache.   And redolent of varietal character.  Light red in colour.  Very appealing liqueur cherry fruit on both nose and palate.  Ripe fruit and supple tannins.


There was a lone Pic St Loup, 2019 Clos des Jean from Mas de Farjou, which was a new name for me.  RRP - £20.50 from Hourlier Wines, A blend of 80% Syrah with some Grenache Noir.  Nicely rounded ripe spicy fruit, with some balancing tannins.  


2021 Mas d'Agamas, Nostre Mescladis, Terrasses du Larzac - £16.50 - Stone Vine  & Sun  A blend of Grenache Noir, Syrah, Carignan Noir and Mourvèdre.  Medium colour and with a nose and palate redolent of spicy black fruit.  Quite solid,  rounded and youthful.


2022 Mas des Brousses, Terrasses  du Larzac - Stone Vine & Sun  £23.50

A blend of Mourvèdre, Syrah and Grenache, with rich spice on both nose and palate, balanced with some firm tannins and a note of refreshing acidity.  Youthful potential. 


Faugères was represented by Château des Adouzes and Château la Liquière, both with spice and red fruit, and nicely representative of their appellation.


Next came St Chinian, with a pair from Clos Bagatelle, and one wine from Château Coujan.  Colline d'Assignan Rouge from Clos Bagatelle  - Boutinot Wines  RRP £16.95 - got my vote with dry spicy fruit on the palate.


There were a pair of wines from Pierre Cros, who is one of the more maverick wine growers of the Minervois.  2022 Minervois Tradition is a blend of Carignan, Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault.  £15.75 -Hourlier Wines  A refreshing  13.5%.  Medium colour with some rounded spice on both nose and palate.  


2020 Le Clos Minervois was a much more serious proposition and price - £48.50 RRP  The oak was very apparent.  And the nose was peppery, and the palate rich and juicy, with mouthfeel and weight.    A bad mark for a heavy bottle.  


On to Corbières next.  Sadly the wines from Domaine Cendrillon were missing so I consoled myself with 2019 Domaine Sainte Croix, Celéstra, a pure Grenache from Trade Union.  Medium colour.  Rounded spicy on the nose.  Lots of nuances.  Ripe cherry liqueur balanced with some leathery notes and appealing ripe fruit.


There was a lone Fitou, 2022 Vieilles Vignes from Domaine Jones  - Vinceremos.  Quite a deep colour.  Ripe spice balanced with a firm sturdy structure.  It simply tastes of the wild Fitou hills, with the depth of flavour that comes from old vines.  Katie Jones is fanatical about her old vines and rescuing old vineyards that are about to be pulled up is one of her life's missions.


Next a brief sally into Roussillon for 2022 Domaine d'Ansignan, Côtes   42% Carignan, 31% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 8% Lladoner Pelut.  from St John Wines.  Light colour - almost dark rosé.  Light refreshing red fruit, and very quaffable.  13.5%.   I have not come across this estate before.


Domaine Olivier Pithon, Mon P'tit Pithon Rouge 2023 Côtes Catalanes.  One third each of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre.   Medium colour.  Dry spice on the nose.    Medium weight palate with rounded spice.  It simply tastes of the south.  


And the Independents' selection  finished with a delicious 2015 Rivesaltes Ambré from Domaine Fontanel.  A blend of Grenache Blanc and Grenache Gris - £23.95 - Stone Vine & Sun.  Ripe and rounded with a bite of alcohol and redolent of rich walnut fruit. 






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