I am trying to regularly update the Out and About page with photos and thoughts about my travels and experiences (often not wine related believe it or not). So please click on there from time to time and have a look. As ever any comments and thoughts will be gratefully received. There are two photos which need explaining on today’s update, and I admit one of them is wine related! The photo above contains one of the questions on the Out and About page.
The other big change is the addition of a tastings page. Rather than post lots of notes about wines I drink on the main page I will post on that page if you are interested in my amateur opinions. Starting with a very enjoyable tasting at Le Wine Shop in Pézenas.
The main salon of Millésime Bio took place in Montpellier from January 26 to 28th. It was a fun event with a huge range of winemakers. I had long lists of the I hoped to taste from but sadly didn’t get near completing it. I took the opportunity to try wines from outside the Languedoc Roussillon though I tasted many of those too. It was good to renew my love of Alsace and Burgundy, to remember why Champagne is very much the best sparkling wine and to enjoy delicious white wines and, especially, sweet wines from the Loire. I hadn’t expected Italy to provide some of my highlights but you will see that it did indeed, I must visit more Italian wines and the vineyards themselves!
A personal highlight was seeing Mas Gabriel win a Gold medal for Clos Des Lievres 2012, Peter and Deborah Core make lovely, rich, fruity wines and it is a range which gets better and better as their work on the land shows through increasingly. A new Grenache Gris white wine was a worthy addition. Congratulations.
What follows is a list of producers I particularly enjoyed visiting. There were many other individual wines but they would make this post even longer. I heartily recommend these producers and if you get the chance try their wines.
Italy
Az Ag Le Carline (Venezia) I have to say that this was my favourite tasting of the whole event. I knew nothing about Daniele Piccinin’s Azienda beforehand other than reading a little in Isabelle Legeron’s book. Daniele was helpful, enthusiastic and is a top class winemaker.
Daniele explaining his terrific wines
There were lots of wines on offer but the highlights for me were
Pinot Grigio, clear direct and flavoursome
Lison, a new grape to me and a lovely, refreshing but full white
Amicitia, Chardonnay aged for 6 months in barrel and a rich but clean wine,certainly a Burgundy rival, 2008 but still felt very young and expressive
Lison Pramaggiore, no sulphites and this was a full wine, lots of fruit with a clean, refreshing edge
Merlot, no sulphites. I am not particularly a fan of the grape but this was rich,, expressive red fruit and lovely to drink
Refosco, another new variety to me and I loved it. It carries fruit and rich flavours but with a classic Italian acidity to refresh
Cabernet Franc, now if there is a grape I find hard to like it is this. But this was lively, clean and full not the lean, green wines I am used to from CF. Aged 2 months in oak and then 2 years in barrel but felt freshness
Carline Rosso, a stunning wine. Cabernet, Merlot and Refosco, aged for 3 years in barrel but so clean, lively and beautifully balanced totally delicious
You had no reason to look worried Daniele, everything I wrote was complimentary
Cascina Zerbetta (Piemonte)
Quattrocento Sauvignon Blanc was classic but there was a version which had been macerated on skins and had lovely apricotty aromas and flavours, lovely
Barbera del Monferrato 13 – rich classic barbera with dark fruits, lively acidity and very enjoyable fruit
Piangalardo 09 -Rich stewed dark fruits with refreshing acidity, felt like a very young wine. Excellent
Champagne Leclerc Briant – another good champagne range especially the vintage 06 clean and refreshing and the special cuvée Les Chèvres Pierreuses which was deep, biscuity and very fine
Rhone
Montirius – some lovely wines made with a natural style
Cotes du Rhone La Muse Papilles in white and red
Minéral Vacqueyras Blanc (Bourboulenc 50%) and the Vacqueyras Garrigues
Vincent Achard – I hadn’t expected Clairette De Die to figure amongst my favourites but these were lovely, refreshing and fruity sparkling wines especially
Bio Sûre which grew in flavour in the mouth and lasted long
P’tite Gaby a sulphite free version which had lots of fruity, floral pleasures and a great balance of sweetness and dry finish.
Austria
Sepp Moser – after the excellent Austrian wines tasted at offlines here was another this time from Kremstal. A very ripe Zweigelt Reserve 2011 which was all red fruits and refreshment. It was the whites which shone bright though
Grüner Veltliner von den Terrassen 13 – good, mineral and refreshing
Grüner Veltliner Gebling Erste Lage 13 – clean, direct and mineral
Grüner Veltliner Breiter Rain Erste Lage 12 – richer, oak aged and even drier
Grüner Veltliner Schnabel Erste Lage 12 – good, refreshing and long
Riesling Gebling Erste Lage 13 – Very clean, dry and mineral. Lovely.
Languedoc
Grand Guilhem – some nice clean white and rosé wine but the reds stood out
Fitou 13 was rich and dark,needing time but very deep fruit
Angels 13 with its Carignan majority was deep and dark but red fruits were clear and enjoyable
Le Pointilliste is a blend of Grenache, Syrah and Maccabeu which is aged in concrete eggs. Very complex and rich in flavours, hugely interesting
Deux Ânes (Corbières) A domaine situated near the sea and I am sure it is a coincidence but there is a refreshing, cleaning finish to these wines like a sea breeze blowing through them.
Premiers Pas – Carignan dominant, excellent balance of freshness and rich spicy fruit
Fontanilles – the wine which first got me interested in 2 Anes, more Gren / Syrah but still Carignan domainant. Lovely
L’Enclos – Grenache led and extra warmth and spice but still fresh and balanced
Les Cabrioles – Mourvedre / Carignan and all the depth that implies with a hint of sweet ripeness cleansed by the freshness
Chateau MarisAll good especially Minervois13 – classic clear Le Carignan 13. – really good balanced and long La Touge – lovely clear expression of syrah fruity but serious Planels – oak aged syrah should be heavier than Touge but actually delivered a strawberry and cream lick with power behind Anciens – mainly Carignan and the dark fruits were there but with really smooth, creamy delivery. Lovely
Vignerons d’ Estézargues – an innovative co-operative in the east of the Languedoc where local producers’ wines are made separately (as well as some joint blends) according to their wishes, but often in a natural style.
Domaine Fées – rich Grenache/Syrah, ripe and good
Bacchantes – Syrah / Grenache – good
Sarrelon – Grenache dominated with some striking red fruits and strawberry notes, lovely
La Baronne Corbières, yet another interesting Corbières estate. Interesting and fresh white wines especially the pure Grenache Gris which is partly macerated on skins and very expressive.
Las Vals pure Mourvèdre was lovely with classic leather and dark fruit
Les Chemins was a classic Languedoc blend, restrained and refreshing dark fruits
Les Chemins De Traverse waspure Cinsault with no sulphites and a lovely, red fruit and refreshing wine
Mas des Chimères – a long time favourite of mine for its cuvée L’Oeillade a great summer red
L’Oeillade 14 – sampled from tank but already rich, round and refreshing. I love this cuvée.
Terrasses de Larzac Nuit Grave 13 – such a great balance between rich, ripe and refreshing
Terrasses De Larzac Caminarèm 13 – an equal blend of 5 grapes and a lovely wine
Terre des Chardons from eastern Languedoc, a range I know from Leon Stolarski. I have always liked the freshness of these wines, they are rich but so well made they leave you always wanting more
Bien Luné 14 – often my favourite in the range and this from tank was up to the usual high standard
Marginal 13 – lovely ripe fruit, dense and still that refreshing balance
Chardon Marie 12 – rich and dense but lovely again
Domaine Réveille (Roussillon)a natural style of winemaking and full of wild, exciting flavours
The rosé Herbes Folles 14 is Cab Sauvignon first press with no sulphites, bright, floral and dry, a food wine
Herbes Folles 13 was more settled and excellent, probably my favourite rosé of the salon
Peau Rouge 12 Syrah and Carignan was wild in aromas, amazing aromas. Dry, steely but fruit balanced. Lovely. The 13 was darker and more acid but nice.
Ultra Violet is a pure Syrah. The 12 was a little too wild and animal but the 13 was amazing. Tannic yes but fruit aromas and flavours leapt out of the glass and in the mouth these just exploded into something exciting
Mas Des Agrunelles – an isolated domaine allowing real control of their land and organic grapes.I only tasted the whites and they were very good, even a 100% viognier was fresh and clean. I must taste the reds soon.
La Fleur Blanche 13 was lovely, a blend of Chardonnay and Roussanne with length and citrussy flavours. Good
Zélige – Caravent
Ikabena – a lovely Cinsault dominated wine, full ripe and enjoyable
Burgundy
Moreau – a clear reminder of how Chablis is such a great white wine area with richness and fruit bit always that clean, refreshing balance and, yes, minerality. Tasting took off beyond the merely good at the 1er and Grand Cru levels.
Vaillons 1er Cru 13 – some grapes oak aged adding hints of richness to a delicious, clean and mineral wine
Vaudésir grand Cru 12 – more oak but so well judged to add richness but allow the refreshing mineral acidity to cleansed
Valmur Grand Cru 12 – my favourite, clean, direct and refreshing
Les Clos Grand Cru 12 – slightly more rich and less mineral but still lovely
Domaine d’ Ardhuy – a big range of wines on offer, some average but really enjoyed these
Ladoix Le Rognet 1er Cru Blanc 12 – open with lovely oak and refreshing clean fruit
Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru 12 – wonderful already with long flavours but there is a restraint here suggesting a full life ahead
Corton Clos Du Roi Grand Cru 12 – still closed and tannic but the fruit does open up and there is such beautiful Pinot power and elegance. I can only imagine how lovely this will turn into
Michel Magnien -nice range but gets really interesting above village level. All 2012. Great balance between freshness and rich Pinot fruit. Lively aromas too.
Morey Saint Denis Les |Millandes 1er Cru was full rich and just lovely
Morey Saint Denis Les Chaffots 1er Cru even richer, ripe and round, Lovely.
Gevrey Chambertin Les Seuvrées Vieilles Vignes was still closed, naturally, but ripe and rich
Chambolle Musigny Charmes 1er Cru was indeed charming and rich
Chambolle Musigny Bornigues 1er Cru – direct at first but then blossoms in the mouth
Clos De La Roche – just a terrific glass of wine even now but with such power and elegance that I can only imagine how it will develop beautifully over the years.
Loire
Domaine de Reuilly – Eastern Loire
Reuilly Les Fossiles 2012 – everything you want from Sauvignon Blanc, clean, green and fresh. Lovely.
I was also offered a Pinot Gris macerated longer on skins than usual, a vineyard in process of conversion to bio, and lovely it was too
Vincent Carème – I’m a big fan of Vouvray, my first real experience of French wine. These were lovely.
Peu Morier 13 – clean, direct full dry Vouvray
Le Clos 13 – rich, mouthfilling lots of fruit and lingering. Oaked but just hints showing.
L’Ancestrale – Pétillant, lovely, fresh mouth filling pleasure. My favourite non Champagne sparkling wine of the salon
The Anjou dry wines were clean, direct and full of lovely fruit especially Pierrebise 12 and Coteaux De Treilles 11. Nice Savennières too.
Coteaux Du Layon 13 was rich, with clean acidity to balance
Quarts De Chaume 13 was even better, with concentrated honey, rich flavours but a clean finish
Clos De la BriderieNice whites including a Sauvignon Gris and restrained Sauvignon Blanc. However the reds shone brightest ● 1877 Gamay sans sulfites 13 ● a Gamay / Cot blend sans sulfites 14 rich and deep ● Cot single variety again 2014 so young but fruity, ripe and lovely
Bordeaux
Clos Puy Arnaud – Bordeaux is not often my thing these days and I usually prefer left bank Cabernet Sauvignon to right bank Merlot yet these were lovely Merlot dominated wines, another prejudice blown away.
Pervenches 13 was enjoyable, a good food wine
Cuvée Bistrot 13 was made using natural methods and I liked the extra edge
Grand Vin 11 was rich, lively and lovely
New Zealand
Clos Henri – New Zealand and a different take to most wines on offer. No worse for that.
Sauvignon Blanc 13 – classic NZ full.
Bel Echo 13 Sauvignon Blanc – riper with passion fruit flavours, so rich and v enjoyable
Petit Clos Pinot Noir 13 – ripe fruit and rich sweet yet clean, nice
Alsace
Faller, Henri et Luc – an unsung domaine but a lovely range fro simple varietal wines to gorgeous sweet wines.
Sylvaner Vieilles Vignes 12, rich, grapey and full from a variety which is not known for being so
Pinot Blanc, mineral and fine. The En Barrique version was lovely with rich flavours
Pinot Gris 13, restrained and delicate,lovely balance. En Barrique, full and rich yet still restrained and hints of things to come
Riesling 13, classic steely, minerally, young. The Vieilles Vignes Fruehmess 11 was lovely, complex and classy Riesling.
Muscat Vieilles Vignes and Gewurztraminer VV were both restrained and full of fresh fruity flavours rather than the blousy style we often see
Vendanges Tardives Cuvée Matthieu and VT Gewurz, both delicious, sweet but no stickiness, fruit, and a clean finish
Muscat Selection De Grains Nobles, fantastic. Sweet wines often get an easy ride but this really was special. A sweet, clean and fresh delight
Barmès Beucher – another good flight of wines
Rieslings shone, Clos Sand was classic Riesling, Leimenthal was richer and rounder but still restrained and fine. Hengst was lovely with classic mineral flavours hinting at sweet notes.
Gewurztraminer Steingrubler was a gorgeous wine with some typical flavours which were restrained with a dryness to balance
Jura
Champ Divin – I tasted a few Jura wines in the main salon and this was easily my favourite especially the whites wines though there was also a very fruity Pinot Noir
Champ d’ Etoiles 11 a mix of Chardonnay and Savaginin had classic fruit with oxidative notes adding to the complexity, lovely
Champ d’ Etoiles 12 was just as good but lighter
Champ d’ Etoiles 10 was better still with age adding richness and complexity
Remember that there were even nore delicious wines at the offline events which, if you haven’t read before, are described here.
Millésime Bio is the world’s largest wine event for organic wine producers. There were around 800 producers at this year’s event in Montpellier, most in the main salon across 3 huge halls. Each was given the same size table on which to present their wines so that there were no big displays, a nod to equality which I find refreshing. In addition there are a number of ‘offline’ events rather like the Fringe at the Edinburgh Festival. Even over 3 days of tasting I did not get to sample wines from all the producers I wanted to visit.
I attended 4 offline events though sadly missed some I would have liked to attend such as ‘Vin de mes amis’ with producers such as Didier Barral, Yannick Pelletier and Maxime Magnon. However, I greatly appreciated those I did attend and thank those responsible for organising them.
Biodyvin was held next to the Etang des Moures, a lovely location and featured an excellent buffet. The event is based around biodynamic producers and some of the very best wine domaines of France were represented. There were some stunning wines on offer, these were amongst my favourites;
Zind Humbrecht(Alsace) – Olivier Humbrecht was present to explain 5 fantastic wines including a very good Muscat Goldert 2012, a stunning Riesling Clos Windsbuhl 2011 and equally stunning Pinot Gris Rangen Clos St Urbain 2011 all of which are Grand Crus and worthy of the name. Brilliant wines.
Talking with Olivier Humbrecht, great winemaker, nice man
Huet (Vouvray) – a good range of styles with a Le Mont Sec, 2005 Clos Du Bourg Demi Sec, 2008 Le Haut Lieu Moelleux and 2005 Le Mont Premiėre Trie. All were excellent with thrilling minerality and great balance between richness and freshness.
Other great white wines came from:
Marc Kreydenweiss (Alsace) with his Riesling Grand Crus, Wiebelsberg and Kastelberg from 2008
German estate Bȕrklin Wolff with Guisburg Grand Crus from 2012 and 2005
Roussillon producer Olivier Pithon’s Cuvée Lais and La D18 (both largely Grenache Gris based)
Marcel Deiss Burg 2012
Strangely I enjoyed the whites much more than reds. My favourite reds came from Domaine La Marfée especially Les Gamines and Della Francesca both 2012.
One final recommendation would be the champagnes of Domaine Françoise Bedel, especially the vintage cuvees especially the 2003 and 2004.
Les Affranchis saw a collection of winemakers from around Europe brought together, many of whom were biodynamic or natural producers. My friend Jeff Coutelou of Mas Coutelou (Languedoc) was present though I have not included him in these favourites on the grounds of impartiality!
Chatting with Jeff
I enjoyed many excellent wines here including:
Weingut Werlitsch (Ewald Tscheppe) an Austrian producer who makes excellent white wines based around Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, the cuvées called Ex Vero I, II and III depending on the soil. They were all excellent plus a natural wine made with maceration on skins which was very complex and elegant, named Werlitsch.
I would also add recommendations for another Austrian producer, Weingut Strohmeier another very good range.
Champagne Barbichon offered a series of excellent bottles which brought complexity, richness and freshness to their cuvées of which my favourites were based around Pinot Noir.
Hausherr(Alsace) produce wines with the same philosophy as Marcel Deiss, ie preferring their wines to reflect the terroir rather than just grape varieties as most Alsace producers do. They do have single varietals but also like to blend different grapes from one vineyard. A wine such as Colline Céleste 2012 was delicious, complex and mineral.
Domaine des Bodines (Jura) some lovely white wines including a classic Jura Savagnin 2013 and also a lovely red, Poulsard 2013.
Lemasson Les Vins Contés (Loire) – I am a fan of Loire white wines and have a real difficulty with reds from the region especially those based on Cabernet Franc. However, here there were two reds which appealed particularly, R13 a blend of Grolleau, Gamay and Cot and Cheville De Fer a pure Cot, both 2013.
La Ferme St Martin (Beaumes De Venise, Rhone) had a good range especially the reds Les Romains and two vintages of Les Terres Jaunes mainly Grenache and Syrah based wines. I enjoyed their whole range but these stood out.
Domaine de la Ramaye (Gaillac) showed some lovely wines, again the reds appealed most with the Duras grape offering variety to most reds tasted over the three days. La Pech De La Tillette 2013 and La Combe d’Aves 2009 were excellent wines of power and elegance.
Philippe Tessier (Loire) I particularly enjoyed the Cour Cheverny wines based on Romorantin grapes.
The Outsiders is a group of Languedoc Roussillon producers whose origins are outside of the region. I have enjoyed many of their wines in the past and there are two of my favourite Languedoc producers involved. Held in a very hip and lively venue with good food this was a very enjoyable evening.
Domaine de Cébėne (Faugères), run by Brigitte Chevalier, produces wines with power and freshness. I have enjoyed all of her wines over many years and this evening was especially by the Carignan dominated Belle Lurette 2013 and the classic Languedoc blend of Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre in Les Bancels 2012.
Brigitte tells me how it is
Turner Pageot (Pézenas) is run by Emmanuel Pageot and his Australian wife Karen Turner, winemaker at the Prieuré St Jean de Bébian. Manu is a terrific winemaker, restless in his search to improve his wines and explore his terroir. Every one of his wines is a pleasure to drink, personal favourites were La Rupture 2013, a unique Sauvignon Blanc vinified not to taste of the standard varietal flavours and also Carmina Rouge 2012 a powerful, spicy fresh wine which needs time to develop but is already excellent. I tasted more of the range at the main salon including a new orange style wine which I found stunning and a new Grenache based wine which was profund.
Manu Pageot, winemaker extraordinaire and wearing the same colour jumper as I was!
I also enjoyed the wines of Domaine Sainte Croix from Corbières, powerful yet refreshing and complex. Big wines with a touch of wildness reflecting the Corbieres countryside. Other wines came from guests of the group including some good Pouilly Fumés from JD Pabiot.
Finally I attended Biotop another collection of winemakers sharing a belief in organic, biodynamic and natural ideals. Held in the Phare at Palavas with stunning views along the coast. Three wine ranges really caught my imagination here along with many other wines.
Champagne Franck Pascal is a small domaine which produces a range with a light, floral touch and yet long lasting flavours. Much more complexity than most marque champagnes I have tasted. Non vintage wines were lovely, the vintage wines such as Quintessence 2004 and 2005 were deep, refreshing and rich in flavour and simply delicious. Other bottles included a lovely natural champagne, Serenité. If I was looking for top class champagne this is where I would look first.
Juchepie (Coteaux du Layon, Loire) produces Chenin Blanc wines ranging from dry to vins liquoreux . The dry Anjous were excellent, the Moelleux wines showed brilliance with richness and acidity and long long long lasting flavour. The two cuvées were Les Churelles and Les Quarts, both 2011. Then came two vins liquoreux which were both wines which will stay in my memory forever. They had such depth, such complexity and were just beautiful. I like sweet wines but these were very special. The unctuous sweetness was balanced by a clear line of acidity making the wines lovely to drink. Such wines make you stop and think, wow.
Le Conte De Floris (Languedoc, Pézenas). These are wines which remind me of Burgundy, especially the reds. They contain minerality and freshness and, despite having a light appearance in the glass compared to most Languedoc wines, they have real power and depth. The whites were clean, direct, long and mineral with the 100% Carignan Blanc Lune Blanche 2013 the star wine. The reds are based mainly on blends of Grenache, Syrah and Carignan and carry powerful aromas of strawberries, red fruits and spice with a clean, direct approach which grows in complexity as the wine fills the mouth. Cuvées such as 6 Rats Noirs, Villefranchien and Carbonifère are wines to seek out and enjoy.
I also enjoy the wines made by Les Arabèsques in Roussillon which are full, powerful and show great freshness. Le Roi Pecheur and Les Champs d’Andrillou are excellent wines and will develop beautifully with time.
Saskia van der Horst talks me through her wines. It was good to taste even more of them than I had at Latour De France in November.
Pierre Frick is another excellent Alsace producer, he showed a huge range of wines, many natural. The Grand Crus Gewurztraminer and Pinot Gris wines were especially good and showed again that the Grand Crus vineyards of Alsace do indeed stand out in the right hands.
Part of the extensive range of Pierre Frick, a major tasting in itself
More lovely Austrian wines from Meinklang including a lovely 2012 Zweigelt red, a very refreshing St Romain 2013 from Emmanuel Giboulot and more good Chenins from La Grange Tiphaine helped to make this another very enjoyable tasting.
Simon Bertschinger explaining his wines and sharing his passion for them
It’s always good to discover new wine domaines in the area and Mas Sibert was recommended to me by Dominic George at Le Wine Shop in Pézenas, well worth a visit in itself incidentally.
Mas Sibert is in Fos, a 3 ha domaine run by Simon Bertschinger and Sara Frémine. They produce natural wines (with tiny amounts of SO2 added before bottling) with clear freshness, terroir and complexity. They are clean, well made and use unusual grapes for the region such as Merlot, Petit Verdot and Sangiovese, hence they are bottled as Vin De France.
The wines, the rosé is already sold out
They also have a bread oven and in summer they make bread and pizzas on Sundays, something I shall definitely be looking to profit from. A domaine to follow as Simon’s work in the vineyards will continue to enrich the wines. He is looking to plant new white grapes (from older cépages) and they will take time to come on stream but I look forward to trying them. Simon used the word ‘passion’ many times in describing his work and wines and it shows in the glass. He is also realistic, has not tried to overmake the wines but lets the terroir and it’s grapes speak for themselves. He has built the cave so that gravity helps the movement of the wine during production rather than pumping.
A very interesting display in the cave showing the soils and natural treatments using plant teas eg nettles, horse tail and ferns
The barrels used for Soléno have been used for 4 or 5 wines before so are used for a little oxidation and complexity rather than oak flavours
I tasted 3 reds:
Armélot 2013 Merlot, Syrah, Petit Verdot – Clean, fresh, rich and smooth but the Syrah adds nice spicy notes.
Fosénot 2013 Syrah, Sangiovese, Merlot, Petit Verdot – The Syrah shines with clear fruit but it is the Sangiovese which adds the interesting acidity and fresh cherry flavours. Very good, my personal favourite.
Soléno 2013 Merlot, Petit Verdot, Syrah. More Petit Verdot here than Armélot, the Bordeaux varieties get some oak ageing in old barrels for complexity. It had a light colour and structure but carries a real weight. Good and will develop with time.
Did I like them? Well I bought some so yes I did!
It actually snowed in Fos, hence the coat. I enjoyed talking with Simon as well as tasting his wines
The assemblage for the 2014 wines is well under way, the wines are settling in tank for some of the well known cuvées such as Classe and Vin Des Amis. (Above are glasses of richly coloured Vin Des Amis). Both are delicious already and in the few days since I first tasted them they have shown development as they marry together. The fruit and freshness which characterise Mas Coutelou wines are evident and there is a marked concentration which shows that the wines will mature well.
Jeff has published his vintage report for 2014. Winter, spring and early summer were exceptionally dry (less than 150mm or 6 inches of rain in the 9 months to the end of June) and at that moment Jeff was far from sure that he would be able to harvest any grapes. Some relief came from a summer which was not too hot and peppered by storms. However, the vines had to dig deep into their reserves of energy in order to produce grapes. Troubles continued with some storms towards the end of harvest time and then the Marin wind with their warmth and high pressure meant that through the autumn and into December the wines in tank were not able to truly rest. It was a difficult year in short, a reminder that nature rules the life of the vigneron. Indeed some local producers have seen their crops virtually wiped out by hail and mildew so the wines that Jeff has produced are to be even more cherished.
Nevertheless there are some drawbacks. The harvest was smaller especially for Syrah, (down by 40%), Carignan and Mourvedre. Syrah is a major part of many Coutelou wines so Jeff has had to improvise and make the most of what he has. The lack of Mourvedre may mean that one of his popular wines ‘Sauvé De La Citerne’ will not be made. In addition the effort made by the vines means that they would benefit from a rest and yet this winter (thus far) has been so mild that they are starting to show signs of producing buds even in January (débourrement). Instead of resting they are starting to work hard already.
The wines I tasted from tank are marked by concentration and minerality. The vines had to push deep into the soil for water in the arid early part of 2014 so they have drawn up minerals from the soil’s depths. The mineral flavours are evident when drinking. A difficult vintage has produced some highly promising wines but in smaller quantity, so guard what you already have and appreciate the quality of the new wines.
Two wines to note.
PM, the rosé, is already gorgeous, full of fruit and perfume yet dry and absolutely delicious. At only 11% alcohol it is a wine to drink and enjoy.
A new wine made from old Cinsault, Aramon, Oeillade and Muscate. Tasted from tank this was already sensational, a red wine with grapey, perfumed scents and deep, concentrated red fruits. Can’t wait to see how this develops.
Jeff will be showing some of these new wines at a couple of tastings in the next 10 days, in Montpellier and the Loire. Today Jeff put the bottles together for those tastings, including some corking by hand. Nothing was easy about 2014!!
The Grenache you harvested and pressed has been added to large 26 litre bottles and is beginning its journey towards maturity and drinking.
Moving from bonbonnes to bottles
Yesterday was a superb day to be at Mas Coutelou.
It started fairly routinely by continuing habillage, preparing bottles for sending to merchants around the world. But then Jeff took me out into the vineyards to meet up with Michel who was already out there. He was in a vineyard of young vines, including some of the almost forgotten variety Aramon Noir as well as other cépages. There is a mix of ages too with vines from this year and the last two or three years. Michel, and then Jeff, were checking each vine to check on their health and progress since they were grafted. If the graft had not taken then they will be replaced later. If everything was looking good then stakes were added to support the young vines in their growth. As it was a lovely, warm and sunny day it was good to be out in the open air.
Michel has checked that this vine is healthy and will add a wooden stake
Jeff and Icare get to work
The weather has been remarkably mild and the vineyards were full of unusual sights for mid November such as flowering roses, wild leeks and wild rocket.
It was interesting to note the differences between two neighbouring vineyards. Jeff’s has vines living in soil which supports wildlife and olive trees for diversity. A neighbour’s vineyards show clean soils with neat rows of vines. How are they so clean? Fertilisers and chemicals. Here are obvious differences in ideas about wine and agriculture in general. Personally I am becoming ever more convinced that organic, minimal intervention is the way to healthy and tasty wines but others will disagree.
Biodiversity
A regiment of vines
After lunch Jeff decided it was time to put into bottles the Grenache harvested in late September by the Rugbymen and ourselves. The wine had been placed in a series of bonbonnes after pressing and we tasted each one to look for the best assemblages, eg bonbonnes B and E had a sweeter edge so were mixed together in a large 26 litre bottle. The bottles were enormous and 8 were filled with the Grenache.
Michel tasting the Grenache as we agree on best assemblages
Bottles, sample bottles and emptied bonbonnes
As the work finished for the afternoon we were joined by Jeff’s niece Flora, a talented photographer. Jeff opened some Vieux Grenache as he checked on the progress of some new small barrels used in a new solera system to supplement the older more established one. Some bottles from 20, 30 and even 40 years ago were sampled and were truly delicious, rich with layers and layers of different flavours and varying from dry to sweet. Finally he took a sample of a very special bottle, Sélection Des Grains Nobles 2012 made with Grenache Noir. Apparently some of the Grenache was affected by noble rot that year and Jeff and Michel spent a whole day doing triage to ensure only the right grapes were selected. The result even after two years is astonishing. My mind was truly blown. How to describe something so stunning, ethereal and rewarding? One of the very best wines I have tasted and a fitting climax to a truly memorable day which was full of sunshine, teamwork and friendship.
When Jeff suggested that I should attend Latour De France I was rather surprised as I was unaware of his love of cycling. A quick correction of gender and I was patiently told that it was a village in the Pyrenées Orientales where 12 of 13 winemakers are organic producers and several make natural wines. An opportunity not to be missed. Combined with visits to one of my favourite French villages, Banyuls, and also to Collioure this made for a great weekend.
Saturday by the coast proved to be a lovely, sunny day – unbelievably warm for November.
Vineyards in Banyuls stretching down to the Mediterranean Sea
Collioure
Sunday was cooler and grey but a great day for wine tasting. We arrived before the start of the event and the car park was already pretty full. Despite this the crowds were never too large and there was every opportunity to get round the various caves without much hassle. Each of the village organic producers had their cellar open and each also contained invitees from Roussillon but also from Fitou and Burgundy. This spread out the crowds as we walked through the streets between caves. In addition to the wines there were street entertainers and various food outlets including, to my delight, a vegetarian outlet. So, all in all, a very well organised event catering for everyone (sorry about the pun).
I am not a professional wine journalist and I am not great at writing tasting notes so I won’t! Instead I offer overall impressions and suggest some of my favourites from the 120 or so wines which I tasted (it was hard but someone has to do it on your behalf dear reader).
What struck me most was how much I enjoyed the white wines, I had expected the reds to be the outstanding wines, and some were, but the whites were much more consistent and interesting overall. One Carignan Blanc stood out (Clos Du Rouge Gorge, Cyril Fahl of whom more later) but what emerged was the splendour of Grenache Gris. Often combined with Maccabeu it was Grenache Gris which provided a series of fresh, deep, long lasting and flavourful wines with hints of minerality, sweetness and fruits of all kinds depending on the producer. Excellent examples from Padié (very expensive though), Calimas, Tribouley, Rivaton and Deux Chateau. There was also a very nice Maccabeu based white from Troullier. I would happily seek out and drink any of these and would advise anyone to do so.
There were also a few strange white wines ranging from cloudy and sulphury to the downright sharp and tooth decaying.
Talking with Nikolaus Bantlin of Les Enfants Sauvages
There were some excellent red wines on offer.
Cyril Fahl (Clos Du Rouge Gorge) produces a high class range of (quite expensive) wines based mainly on Carignan and Grenache. Tasting Cyril’s wines proved that his reputation and garnered praise were well merited, his Carignan based wines were delicious, nothing more to add to that. Top winemaker.
As with Grenache Gris in the white wines there was an outstanding red grape which stood out in many of the top wines and it was, as with Cyril, the Carignan. Time and again the wines with fruit, flavour and long finish were based around Carignan or had a large proportion of it in the assemblage. Not long ago Carignan was being grubbed up around the region and dismissed as a variety of little potential. La Bande de Latour showed how nonsensical that was. Carignan is a great and noble variety, again seek it out from good producers.
Other favourite reds which I tasted came from Domaine du Possible (C’est Pas La Mer A Boire), Opi D’Aqui (from Clermont L’Hérault) and Maramuta.
The problem with a number of red wines, in my view, was the use of oak. This may be a personal thing as I really do not like obvious oaky flavours. It can add complexity and structure to wines when used carefully but a lot of winemakers seem to rush to use barrels so that they can be seen as ‘serious’ winemakers. And add many euros to the price of their ‘special’ cuvées. Sadly I felt a number of wines were spoiled by injudicious use of oak. The wines appeared thin and dry with their fruit stripped out.
I would like to mention 3 other winemakers whose bottles I enjoyed.
Les Enfants Sauvages is the wine domaine of Nikolaus and Carolin Bantlin, a German couple based in Fitou. I enjoyed talking to Nikolaus and warmed to his passion for his wines and I could understand that passion when I tasted them. I liked all of the wines, white and red, but especially Roi Des Lézards, which is, you guessed it, 100% Carignan. I would definitely like to visit the Domaine in future.
The range of Les Enfants Sauvages
Domaine De La Chappe is a Burgundy domaine run by Vincent Thomas a young winemaker who has built on the work of his father and used natural methods as well as biodynamic practices. He is based in Tonnerre and offered Bourgogne Pinot Noir and Petit Chablis amongst other wines. The prices were very reasonable for Burgundy, around the 10-12€ mark. The wines were far more rewarding than many Burgundies I have tasted at much higher prices. I would love to try these wines again when I have more time to devote to them. You can read more about Vincent from an article on the very good louisdressner website.
Listening to Vincent Thomas of Domaine De La Chappe
Saskia van der Horst runs Les Arabesques in Montner not far from Latour. She was a sommelier in London at Gordon Ramsay’s restaurant at Claridge’s and also ran a wine bar there. She returned to France to make wine rather than just sell it and drink it. These were amongst my favourite wines of the day, all 3 were rich, full and refreshing. What amazed me was that these were Saskia’s first wines, the 2013 vintage was her first. Saskia can certainly be proud as her wines were as high in quality as most of those I tasted at Latour.
It was a great day. I liked the way the event was run, I loved the focus of organic and natural wines and the enthusiasm of the winemakers for their work and their wines. I tasted some excellent wines and discovered plenty of new winemakers whose work I look forward to sampling in future.
amarchinthevines 