Vignerons | amarchinthevines

I wasn’t expecting to add anything to the previous post but on our walks around the area this week I have been struck by the amount of viticulteurs busy with a task that I had not included. So, as I hoped this blog would reflect what I saw rather than just theory I felt that I ought to add this post.

Biodiversité - un analyse démontre qu'il y a plus que 30 espèces de l'herbe dans un mètre carré

Soil in Jeff’s vineyard Peilhan with over 30 types of plant per square metre

So what has been the extra February task, getting rid of grass and weeds (désherbement). A normal task for gardeners but a controversial one for viticulteurs. I have posted many photos over the last few months showing grass growing between vines, not least those of Mas Coutelou. Twenty years ago this was relatively rare but modern viticultural practice reflects concern for the environment and less use of weedkillers etc. It has also been shown that grass (plus other herbs and wild flowers) has benefits for the vineyard; controlling weeds, conserving water and conserving the soil itself by binding it to prevent erosion. The grass can also help to provide competition to the vines forcing them to push their roots deeper into the soil to search for water and nutrients.

As spring seems to be with us already the grass will start to grow soon and viticulteurs want to control it so that it does not compete too much as the vines emerge from their dormancy. The amount of plant material a viticulteur would want will depend upon a number of factors such as the age of the vines as s/he would not want to hinder their growth and development. The nature of the vineyard too will affect the amount of grass you would allow. The viticulteur knows the vineyard and will make the decision as they see fit. Those who follow more reasoned approaches (my choice of words and my bias) do so carefully using strimmers to cut it down or pickaxes and hoes. Some will plough the soil so that the organic matter will provide a form of compost in the soil. I have asked a few winemakers I know and these are their methods. Manu Pageot, for example, will not start to weed until the soil has warmed up a little. Even then he will work by hand or using very light machinery so as not to compact the soil.

Jeff et Manu. ils étudient les herbes semées entre les vignes Cela va aider a garder de l'eau, renforcer la structure du sol et va attrayer les insectes

Jeff and Manu studying the grass Manu sowed between his vines

However, others take a more radical approach using chemicals. I took these photos on a recent walk around Alignan du Vent and Margon. Chemicals have been used to kill the growth and also a method of piling up soil to stop growth. I am not criticising these viticulteurs, they have to work as they see fit though clearly I am not personally sympathetic to their methods.

Chemical spraying to kill off any plant life in a new vineyard

Soil piled up to smother any growth. Note the compaction of the soil by the tractor

The photos below show a vineyard in November (top picture) and then below it you will see the row with the plants having been treated to kill them, changing colour as they die in the middle photo. If you look between the vines in the bottom photo you will see the grass turning to a straw colour.

So to finish,a lovely memory of a more gentle approach to grass management!

February 16, 2015
by amarch34 3 Comments

February

Version francaise

The Romans were late to add February as a month to their calendar having previously put together December, January and February as one long winter month. When it did become a distinct month February was seen as a month of purification, the end of winter feasting and preparation for the year ahead (February was actually seen as the last month of the year for a long time). In the Christian calendar the beginning of Lent and the tradition of Mardi Gras reflect this Roman influence.

Similarly, in the vineyard the work reflects the calendar. The Languedoc vineyards are still dormant. White vans are dotted amongst them containing the workers and their tools seeking to prune and to palisade their vines in preparation for the growing season ahead. I have described this work in detail recently so I won’t repeat myself but la taille proceeds all around us. (See here and here)

Vans and cars parked among the vines

Sauvignon Blanc vines grafted short to reduce the yield and concentrate flavour

Sauvignon Blanc vines (at Turner Pageot) grafted short to reduce the yield and so concentrate flavours

The month began with very cold northerly and easterly winds and even one morning of snow (Feb 3rd).

February 3rd – the view from our back window

The cold was needed to remind the vines not to start to emerge from their hibernation too soon. Early budding (bourgeonnement) can be disastrous as frosts can hit for a couple of months yet, traditionally it is mid May when the risk of frost is said to be over in the region. Those who pruned early run more risk as budding can sometimes happen sooner. Whether there was enough cold weather remains to be seen as by February 9th we were enjoying temperatures between 15C and 18C. I have heard of almond trees budding already, the mimosas were out for the festival in their name at Roquebrun on the 8th and so the vines may well be stirring already.

The mimosa is out to the left of the tower at Roquebrun

At Mas Coutelou there was also work to be done in preparing new vine canes to be grafted onto older vine stocks. Jeff is trying to establish some parcels with a mix of grape varieties as these cross pollinate during flowering and help to protect each other in resisting disease. He wants to bring older varieties (cépages) into his vineyards such as Aramon (noir and gris) and the Castets I wrote about in October. These are already producing great results in the quality of wine produced so far, even if it is in small quantity so far. Therefore, some old Cabernet Sauvignon vines are being removed from a vineyard such as Peilhan and being replaced by these more traditional Languedoc cépages.

Michel, Renaud and Jeff work amongst the wild rocket

Believe it or not it was quite warm despite Jeff’s attire

The grafting itself will not take place until around May time. For those who are interested in the technical side of this I can highly recommend this article which raises some interesting points and questions about grafting, vines and terroir. Steve Slatcher has a very good blog, well worth reading.

February also continues to bring lots of paperwork, customs and taxes for example. Many hours of such work are certainly unglamorous. Selling wine is also vital and Jeff took some cases to Gabian on the 13th to Domaine Turner Pageot to form a groupement (a pallet of wines made up from different producers) to head to Leon Stolarski, a very good merchant based in Nottingham. I have sung the praises of Turner Pageot many times on here and so it was a pleasure to see two of my favourite winemakers come together and visit Manu’s vineyards as well as tasting his wines.

Jeff and Manu study the grass which Manu has sewn between vines. This will retain moisture in summer, strengthen the structure of the soil and attract helpful insects amongst other advantages

There is also a belief that February is named after Febris the Latin for fever. Jeff has been suffering from flu, there is an epidemic in the Hérault at present, and Manu too was far from well. Fortunately their passion for their vines and wines shone through, a reminder that February also has its other big date on the 14th.

A warm, sunny birthday for me on February 9th but snow in the mountains still lingers

February 13, 2015
by amarch34 3 Comments

Millésime Bio – salon

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 Maris All 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

Pithon Paillé – lovely Anjou dry wines, lovely sweet wines

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 Briderie Nice 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.

February 6, 2015
by amarch34 3 Comments

Working in the vines (January)

January vineyard

Version francaise

It was the 30th January and having promised to write about vineyard work in each month of the year, I felt that a deadline was looming! After tasting wines in Montpellier for a few days it was definitely time to get back to the vineyard the key component of those wines. Jeff took me to the vineyard called La Garrigue which is to the south east of Puimisson, home of Mas Coutelou. It is one of around a dozen parcels of land which Jeff owns, though some are home to olive and fig trees as well as hedgerows and other methods of reintroducing biodiversity into a district which has become one large vineyard. I shall be writing soon about the various parcels and Jeff’s work to safeguard and boost the local environment and biodiversity.

La Garrigue is rather like a small pyramid in form with a peak in the middle and vines around the sides.

Facing north is a parcel of Syrah planted in 2006, so the vines are still young. They face north so that the freshness and spiciness of the grape variety are preserved rather than being overcooked. They are also planted in rows facing north to south so that the wind blows down the rows, helping to prevent disease and to dry the grapes after rain. Carole was busy pruning this area and the preferred method is the gobelet style. This is the traditional and most natural way of growing vines in the Languedoc and Jeff has preferred to use this method for his vines for a number of years and so these Syrah vines are grown using gobelet.

Syrah vine pruned in the gobelet style

However, as you will see in the video, Carole studies each vine carefully and if she feels it would benefit from a different style she will prune in the more suitable way. This may be because the vine canes are growing too vigorously between the rows of vines and need shaping along the rows. As these are young vines they are being supported by wire trellising. In this case a cordon de royat system might be used.

Syrah vine pruned in cordon rather than the gobelet style which most of the Syrah vines are. It was felt its needs suited cordon better

Facing south is a parcel of Grenache vines. This is a variety which welcomes heat and is grown through Spain and around the Mediterranean. It adds spice and complexity to wines and, facing south, the sunshine brings out these characteristics. In this parcel cordon de royat is used as the pruning method. This was the system used when the Grenache vines were planted back in 2000 and so they continue to be grown in that style as it is not advisable or even possible to change them to gobelet now. The Grenache is usually used in the popular cuvee Classe.

Grenache vines,cordon pruning

A magnum of Classe

To the easterly side of La Garrigue is a block of Sauvignon Blanc. This is not a variety often grown in the Languedoc as it gives green, fresh almost acidic notes in its wines and the region is often too hot for it to show those qualities. Facing east, however, means that the sun hits the grapes in the morning so does not overheat or over ripen them, preserving the freshness of the fruit. In this parcel guyot is the preferred system of pruning. This system allows more air to circulate around the grapes and as the white grapes are more fragile guyot training helps to protect their health. The white grapes are usually used in the white blend, PM.

Sauvignon Blanc vines pruned in guyot style up the wire trellising

What struck me most, other than a bitingly cold, northerly wind, was how carefully Carole and Jeff study each vine to ensure that it is given a pruning which suits its needs. Direction, quality of the wood, crowding are all considered before they decide what to cut and at what length the remaining cane should be left. Some canes were cut very short, others had 8 to 10 eyes which will produce bunches of grapes. It depended upon the capability of the vine to bear such fruit. It is this care and attention which characterises the work of the skilled artisanal vineyard worker and winemaker.

Jeff studying a Syrah vine

First cuts

Getting to the heart of the vine

The finished vine

I would compare this with a machine I watched around Margon which cut the vines to the same shape and size regardless of their health and

needs. The cutting was fast and much easier work but the pruning was brutal and imprecise with no regard for the individual vines. For vignerons producing cheap, bulk wines I can understand their actions.However, it confirmed in my mind that artisanal vignerons are the ones producing the wines I want to drink

Machine pruning vines, the yellow arm contains the blades

Pruning is not glamorous. But is a vital part of the winemaking year, preparing the vines for when they reawaken in spring and enabling them to produce the right quantity of healthy grapes which in turn will produce great wine.

February 1, 2015
by amarch34 1 Comment

Mas Sibert, Fos

Version francaise

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

January 23, 2015
by amarch34 Leave a comment

Mas Coutelou 2014

‘Proof’ that drinking Mas Coutelou wines is good for you

en francais

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!!

Taking Classe from tank

Bottles prepared

January 9, 2015
by amarch34 2 Comments

January

Version française

Janus was the Roman god of the doorway, protecting the householders within by looking out on their behalf. January is the month named after him as the god was looking back to the old year and forward to the new year. 2015 has begun tragically in France and we could do with starting it over again. However, we live two lives the public and the private and life goes on for most of us as it ought to do.

I posted in December about pruning in the vineyards and that is very much the principal activity of January too. Vines need to be cut back and the wood (sarments) removed. Some of this wood may be mulched and used for fertilising and enriching the soil. The rest may well be burned and this would certainly be the case if there had been any disease in the vines. The photograph below shows vineyard workers burning sarments in Burgundy in December.

As I said in December pruning is very repetitive, monotonous and back breaking work. In January vignerons need to wrap up warmly to protect them from the cold. Well, that would normally be the case except at the present time in the Languedoc where Jeff tells me that today saw temperatures over 20C and that he is in shirtsleeves!

Meanwhile, strange weather patterns apart, the vines remain sleeping. From the falling of the leaves in autumn (late autumn in 2014!) until the buds break in spring the vines are resting and can withstand temperatures down to about -15C. Pruning means the vines are better prepared to produce healthy grapes in the year ahead. The photograph below shows how some vignerons (in this case in Burgundy) plough soil up next to the vine to help to protect them from frost, a process called cavaillonage.

January 22nd marks the nominal midway point between the falling of the leaves and bud break. It is also the feast day of St. Vincent, patron saint of vine growers and winemakers. Many wine fairs take place around St. Vincent’s day and indeed, France’s biggest organic wine fair (Millésime Bio) will take place from January 26th to 28th in Montpellier, an event I shall be attending. I am looking forward to it immensely. Wine fairs and feasting around the midway point of winter are no doubt a great way for winemakers and vignerons to relax amidst the cold, cruel days of pruning.

Legend has it that St. Vincent’s donkey showed the benefits of pruning. As the saint was talking to vineyard workers his donkey ate the new shoots from the vines. At first annoyed by this the workers noted later in the year that the vines nibbled by the donkey actually produced more and better grapes. Pruning worked!

I am not sure that the story is much consolation to those with aching backs and freezing fingers but January is a month which prepares the way for better days ahead. Let us hope that is true for the vines and for all of us in these troubled times.

December 16, 2014
by amarch34 3 Comments

Terroir

Version française

I posted this photo recently showing a contrast between the vineyard of Jeff Coutelou on the left, with grass growing between the vines and separating his vineyard from that of his neighbour who uses herbicides and chemicals which an organic producer does not want on his/her land.

I mention it again because as we travelled north last week to celebrate Christmas and New Year in the UK I was reminded of the clichéd but nonetheless relevant French word terroir. There is famously no direct English translation of the term, it means the soil but also the particular climate, aspect, position and subsoils of the vineyard. The French have said for years that terroir was what makes their wines special whereas New World wine producers were more willing to say that great wines come from great grapes and great winemakers, they often would call a wine by its variety, eg Cabernet Sauvignon or Chardonnay, rather than by where it came from. In recent years the argument appears to be won as Australia and other countries have begun to look to terroir to identify their best wines too.

As I travelled through Burgundy last week the terroir issue sprang to mind. The region is made of many vineyards, of which large numbers are tiny and even they are (usually) divided between numerous winemakers. It is the region of terroir par excellence. The following photo shows Les Malconsorts a 1er Cru vineyard in Vosne Romanée. You can see different parcels of land clearly divided. Wines from one parcel will taste different to those from another. Terroir advocates will tell us that this is due to changes in soil, angle of the land facing the sun, drainage etc. Others would say it is more to do with the winemaker, the way s/he tends the soils and vines and how they work in the cellar.

La Grande Rue is another Vosne Romanée vineyard but this time rated even higher at Grand Cru status. It is owned wholly by one estate and the wines cost well over £100 a bottle. Yet look a few metres to the side the wines are worth half of that as they are not Grande Rue. This is the price of terroir or is it the expertise of the producer Lamarche which merits that premium?

Clos Vougeot is a famous vineyard which has multiple producers working inside its walls. The prices vary from around £55 to £400 depending on the producer.

My take on it is that terroir is hugely important. Vineyards which are well looked after and have good climate, soils etc should produce good wine. However, a good winemaker has a role to play and can make average vineyards produce very good wine and good terroir into a memorable bottle.

Jamie Goode wrote this on the subject and sums it up very well in my opinion. I hope these photos might help to illustrate why.

“I reckon terroir deserves to remain at the heart of fine wine. It’s the soul of wine, and like the soul, it’s very hard to define, but that doesn’t stop it being of utmost importance.”

Jeff Coutelou works vineyards which are traditionally not in the best of places. The work done by his father and by himself has helped to hugely improve that terroir. Combined with great winemaking this is why his wines take pride of place, like this display I came across in a Troyes restaurant / wine bar last week.

December 8, 2014
by amarch34 2 Comments

A walk in the vines (2) – Pruning

(En français)

Travelling around the area, or walking as I was when I took the photo above near Magalas, scenes like this are everywhere. It is pruning time for many viticulteurs. This is known as taillage (or prétaillage when the vines are prepared for a later pruning in the new year). Vines are freely growing plants and if left they would grow too fast, produce too many bunches of grapes which would become increasingly small and lacking in flavour. They would also be more susceptible to diseases such as mildew which would kill the vine in a matter of 3 – 5 years.

Pruning therefore is necessary to ensure that the vine produces an optimum number of bunches to enhance flavour. In the case of the viticulteur in the photo who obviously uses a lot of machinery it makes access to the vines for later pruning and treatments easier as the cut vines are trained along the lines of wires which support many vines.

The pack on the man’s back is for battery powered secateurs, making the job easier than manual cutting though it is still back breaking work.

Different viticulteurs will use different systems of pruning. This might depend on the age of the vine, the particular vineyard topography and her/his own traditions.

The classic method is known as Guyot, named after the doctor who studied viticulture in the 19th Century. There are variations but Guyot pruning usually means pruning the vine to 2 branches (sarments). One of these is cut short leaving only 2 buds (bourgeons or yeux), the other is longer with around 6 buds. The longer will be the part of the vine to produce grapes in the next harvest, the shorter branch will grow this year and be the fruit bearing sarment the following year. This allows space along the vines for air to circulate to avoid disease.

Guyot

Guyot pruning

Another system which I have seen commonly used in the area is Cordon de Royat. Here the vine is shaped with 2 branches reaching horizontally in opposite directions (but always along the row). Each branch will have 4 to 5 buds for the development of grapes the next harvest. The advantage is that the bunches will grow at a similar height making work and harvesting easier.

Cordon de royat

In the Languedoc Roussillon region the hotter, drier climate, together with frequent winds, means that disease should, in principle, be less of a problem that damper regions such as Burgundy or Bordeaux. Many viticulteurs prefer a less interventionist method than training the vines along trellises. Vines often grow like small bushes, especially varieties such as Grenache and Carignan. Jeff Coutelou prefers to use this method known as gobelet as much as possible.

Gobelet vines

However, there is one other decision which viticulteurs must make. When to prune?

In principle pruning can be done all the way from the harvest and leaves falling to bud break, around 4 – 5 months in total. Leaving it late has a number of advantages such as avoiding problems with frost or drying out and avoiding problems of wood disease such as esca, which is an increasing threat in France. Many prefer to prune when the sap is starting to rise in the early spring, an old saying goes. “Taille tôt, taille tard, rien ne vaut la taille de mars.” (Pruning early, pruning late, nothing is as good as pruning in March)

As I said I have seen many people out pruning in recent weeks. This could be for simple reasons of habit or because as wines quietly ferment and work their magic in the cellars the winemakers have time now to get into the vines. Smaller producers who must do everything themselves might decide that earlier pruning suits their timetable best. Some also like to burn as soon as possible any pruned wood which might have been affected by disease. Jeff prefers a later pruning and so work will begin from January through to March, I shall report later.

Pruning is seriously hard, repetitive and dull work but it is an essential part of the viticulteur’s year.

On a less serious note, not just the vines have been pruned!!

December 4, 2014
by amarch34 3 Comments

A walk in the vines

(En français)

The Languedoc Roussillon region was struck by huge storms on November 28th. Lightning and thunder which lasted almost a whole day, torrential rain all day (over 210mm at Bédarieux), hail for half an hour, winds well over 100kph. Even local people were surprised by the storm. There are some scary pictures on Midi Libre.

Outside our door in Margon

Puimisson, the stream in the background reached the height of the tree branches

Jeff pointing to debris from the stream in the tree branches

A walk around Margon, our home village, 3 days later showed that many vineyards had been damaged. At this time of the year the vines themselves are not so vulnerable of course, there are no grapes left on there. However, the soils themselves were damaged in many places by erosion.

2. Water standing in the vines

1. Clay (argile) run off on the road

Much of our area has clay soils which are not the easiest to drain. However, many modern agricultural practices exacerbate this problem. Using heavy machinery such as tractors, harvesting machines and large sprayers means that the soils become compacted and, therefore, even more impermeable (photo 2). Inappropriate use of herbicides and weed killers to get rid of grass and other plants means that the soil has nothing to bind it together and, consequently, heavy rain will cause erosion as we see in photo 1. Overploughing will combine both problems.

I remember when I first visited French vineyards 30 years ago that most were like this. Times have changed though and more artisanal, more environmentally aware viticulturists have realised that the soil has to be treated with respect. In a previous post I mentioned that the soil experts Claude and Anne Bourguignon gave a talk recently which I attended. They explained that the soil is what gives a crucial 6% of the vine’s needs which can make all the difference in terms of flavour and quality. Vine roots need to reach down into the soil to extract the water and minerals which they require to grow and to fruit. They confirmed that the best practice is what many winemakers have been doing in recent years. Allowing grass and other plants to grow amongst the vines brings many benefits:

binding the soil, making it stronger and less prone to erosion
stronger soil makes it easier to withstand machinery
competition for nutrients drives the vine roots deeper where more of the species which benefit the plants live
retaining moisture in summer which can also be used by the vines
providing shelter to other wildlife which eat the insects that damage vines and grapes

Covered vineyard with no sign of erosion

Ruts developing between vines

The photos above show how two parcels of vines just metres apart responded to the storms. The difference is obvious.

Vines with shallow roots do not access the deeper minerals and ecosystem. The roots also overheat being nearer to the surface and this can mean that they shut down some of their work and grapes will not ripen so well or evenly.

Yet there are vignerons in the area who have installed or are installing irrigation. This can only compound the problem in a region where there are occasional droughts but not on the scale of Australia for example.

Jeff Coutelou reported to me that there had been no erosion in his vines unlike those of some of his neighbours, the reason may be seen in the photos below.

A stark contrast between the Mas Coutelou vineyard and that of his neighbour

Irrigation pipes run along the vines. Look closely at the channel which has been cut into the soil by the rain.

Water flowing off vineyards which have had the grass removed

The run off from the vines has caused a new stream and channels

Meanwhile Jeff’s vines have drained and there is no damage to soil below

Vine roots washed into the new stream next to the neighbours’ land

Biodiversity – analysis showed over 30 types of grass in one square metre of Jeff’s vineyard.

One sad casualty of the storms was the tree with a bat shelter installed by Jeff. Bats are good friend to vines as they eat many insects which might damage them or their grapes. Encouraging them and other friendly wildife, such as wagtails and hoopoes, helps to keep the grapes in good health. Unfortunately the tree, which was dead, was uprooted and so a new bat home will be established soon.

Bat shelter

And finally how to control that grass and plant life? Ploughing or working the soil is needed at times but there are some novel alternatives. At Mas Gabriel a local farmer brings his sheep into the vineyard at this time of year. And then, as I was driving to Cabrieres the other day I came across this.