With some of the most beautiful vineyard landscapes, wine tastings and tours are a fantastic experience for all. Deep colour. In short, a great tasting, showing what a Burgundian approach can achieve in the south of France. The spring was quite cool, and there was quite a bit of rainfall in late April early May, while London was enjoying summer weather during lockdown. Rounded red fruit on the palate with good acidity and tannin. Roland enthused about Mourvèdre. A pure Carignan, from old vines. Golden colour, with ripe, peachy fruit on the nose. A potentially lovely glass of wine, but still very young. Nicely rounded and ripe with a tannic streak. They buy organically grown Chardonnay from a nearby wine grower. The other problem this year was the wild boar. Languedoc's best wines - cherry-picked by expert Wendy Gedney - delivered with no excise duty. For the wine making, he thought, less extractions. The Chardonnay has spent about six months in oak barrels. The complex and confusing part of wine in the Languedoc. Elegant red fruit and spice. Other reputations have faded and many others were yet to be made. Each plot and grape variety is vinified separately, and blended in February, and then bottled in June. This apparently is a small estate based in Cabrerolles, run by a Parisian who has retired to the Languedoc. The only difference in the wine making over the years is the malo-lactic fermentation. The wine names all convey a sense of the family history. I quizzed Rolland about changes he has made. It doesn’t taste as though it has 14. alcohol. Our selection of winegrowers are all family driven vineyards, whom we have meet and engaged with over time. Quite a firm structured palate, with some firm acidity and even a touch of tannin. However, I was slightly put off by the heavy bottle. Simon Coulshaw at Domaine des Trinités summed it up; “Low yields but very good quality”. Black fruit and well integrated tannins. Kept in vat. Black fruit and well integrated tannins. They are kept in vat and blended in March just before bottling. OUR VERDICT CHÂTEAU DE CARAGUILHES CORBIÈRES 2015 . Our tasting started off in the cellar, with a vat sample of one third Roussanne to two thirds Grenache Blanc was the colour and density of grapefruit juice. 2019 Bastide des Songes, Gewurztraminer, Pays d’Oc - 8.00€. Dry raspberry fruit on the nose, and palate. It all promises well. The oak immediately adds a different register of flavour and the wine is quite firm and structured with some underlying fruit. Medium weight. He is also planning a hectare of white wine, concentrating on Chenin Blanc, which he loves, with some Bourboulenc, Marsanne, Roussanne and maybe Macabeo. Cinsault grows slowly and is more resistant to climatic difficulties. Some lovely fruit and an elegant balance. From the rugged, sunlit slopes of southern France, these Languedoc wines by Laurent Miquel are guaranteed to bring a little sunshine into the chilliest of winter days. However, it must be done properly or it can burn the vines. Taste du Languedoc offers wine tours throughout many of the AOC regions in the Languedoc, including the Minervois, Saint-Chinian, and Corbières, as well as Languedoc wine tours combined with city tours of Carcassonne or visits to local attractions like the Cathar Castles. Apart from mildew the other problem is the wild boar. Facebook. He also laughingly observed that his brother’s barrels were much too expensive! The malo-lactic fermentation takes place on the skins. It should age well. 553. Light colour. M eet our resident wine expert and senior guide - Alex Francis. And that pace of change continues unabated, with each vintage bringing new wine growers and new wines. However, the palate seemed quite lean in comparison to the nose, and on first taste, I thought there might have been some oak, but no. We rate four of the finest reds sun-scorched Languedoc has to offer. One good thing leads to another. And I also reserve the right occasionally to extend this blog beyond the confines of the Languedoc, into Provence and Corsica and maybe even further afield. Rounded ripe nose and palate. They think that people like oak less than they used to, especially with the other possibilities available for élevage. He does not want any more vines. Based in Limoux, at the very heart of the Languedoc Roussillon wine region, we are a specialist French wine retailer offering an exceptional choice of IGP, AOC and AOP Languedoc wines to buy online. A deep colour. Roger Jeanjean – and No, he is not related to. Narbonne, Languedoc The Languedoc region has so many different appellations and terroirs that it's not fair when we just refer to one of its wines by the generic term Languedoc. He wanted to monter une domaine and had hoped to buy an existing estate in Gabian, but the owner changed his mind. While "Languedoc" can refer to a specific historic region of France and Northern Catalonia, usage since the 20th century has primarily referred to the northern part of the Languedoc-Roussillon région of France, an area which spans the Mediterranean coastline from the French border with Spain to the region of Provence. Good colour. Michel gave us some figures - an average of 12-14,000€ per hectare, and even as low as 7000€ if the vines require a lot of work, with many missing, as opposed to 40,000€ in the Terrasses du Larzac. 500-1 is based on quartz and sprayed onto the leaves; the aim is to enhance the effect of the sun on the vines. Under the circumstances, it’s hardly surprising that the Languedoc, like Provence, has an established tradition of producing rosé wines. A richer nose. Michel uses for it for fermentations, and finds it gives more volume than a fermentation in a stainless-steel vat. He explained that he had spent 30 years selling Speedo swimwear and then it was time for a change. Bruno has planted more white varieties, Grenache Gris, and a little Grenache Blanc, Vermentino and Piquepoul. Buying grapes gives them flexibility. This year the hunting season finished earlier than usual because of confinement. However, I was slightly put off by the heavy bottle. It has been twenty years since my last cellar visit to the wonderful abbey of Valmagne, when I met Diane d’Allaines, and her son Philippe, while researching The Wines of the South of France. Bitterness can be good in French tasting notes, but I think not in English. Most wine producers in this region produce blends, as opposed to single varietal wines. However, there is no doubt that Simon is happy about the quality, quantity is 35- 40% down on 2019, which was a great year for him, after a disastrous 2018. A blend of Syrah, Carignan and Grenache Noir. However, that was not borne out by anyone I talked to; low quantity but good quality was how they summed it up in a nutshell. The wines of Languedoc-Roussillon are a patchwork quilt of … 2019 Rosé Ostrea, Languedoc St Saturnin - 8.00€ A blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre. Still very youthful. Learn more about everything to do with Languedoc wine. La Clape Seaside Wine & Gourmet Food Tour, Family Day Wine Tour & Children’s Art Workshop, Classic Canal Cruise with Wine Tasting & Tapasboard the Bella Mia. Rounded, perfumed fruit on nose and palate, with an elegant streak of tannin. Quite fragrant wine; neither too heavy nor too sunny and very elegant. They now have eight hectares of vines. From 60 year old vines, grown on sandstone. They are not sure that they have got it right yet; they are wondering about giving up on oak, and maybe trying a terracotta amphora. Bruno observed that you can find aromas in Grenache that you would normally find in white wine, such as the mineral stoniness. September was initially quite fresh, and then warm, with some welcome rain at the beginning of the month. He had a coup de foudre for the place; it is a lost corner, on the way to nowhere, and there are vineyards on schist, not to mention vines for sale at an affordable price. This year they started the harvest at the end of August, with the Viognie for their white Côtes de Thongue. Blended in December and bottled in February. Chapelle Saint Simeon. A blend of 60% Syrah with 30% Grenache and 10% Mourvèdre. A blend of 50% Grenache Blanc and 50% Marsanne. Michel explained that he is doing this for his quality of life; a change of career at the age of 57. More expensive than Château Montana, and you could see why, with more depth and nuances on the palate. Medium weight. His amphorae are sandstone, and made in Bordeaux; which he prefers to amphorae from terracotta, which is much more porous. Then there are limestone coteaux or hillsides, and then behind the abbey some very poor pink sandstone. and on the palate rounded ripe fruit, with some depth. 70% Grenache with some Syrah, fermented and aged in vat, and bottled at the beginning of April. Though Adèle said: on cherche. Email: tastedulanguedoc@gmail.com. And an unusual grape variety for the Languedoc. 0. late harvest Viognier, picked in the middle of October. A blend of 40% Syrah and 30% each of Grenache and Mourvèdre, aged in medium toasted barrels for 12 months, and then finished off in an egg shaped Flextank, which is made of neutral plastic, which allows for the same level of oxygenation as a barrel, but without any oak effect. Elegant finish, what the French call a, A blend of 80% Roussanne and 20% Grenache, fermented in vat with a little, for fruit, and then blend the two. Andrew Jefford, award-winning wine journalist for Decanter Magazine and author of twelve books on wine including The New France has compiled information and written the vintage charts starting with the 2013 vintage. Deep colour. Domaine St Hilaire, Pays d’Oc, Late Harvest Viognier - 14.00€ for a 50 cl. A different plot of vines. My husband, our two year old and I all loaded up into Matt's van where he began explaining the history of wine in the region. Attractive herbal notes on the nose and a firm palate with fresh acidity, and what the French would call a joli amertume. Elegant red fruit. Languedoc has always been a hotbed of political protest and it is considered the birthplace of French socialism. Lightly floral with a hint of peach. Bruno likes 2008 as a vintage and the wine had rounded fruit with good texture and a certain note of maturity, with layers of flavour. Cardinal Pierre de Bonzi was governor of the Languedoc under Louis XIV and Valmagne was his main place of residence; he turned the abbey into a home. 2015 - Rounded and concentrated, rich and rounded, with some balancing acidity. 35- 40% down on 2019, which was a great year for him, after a disastrous 2018. In his recent email, Roger told me that his son Victor is now taking over the wine-making, while he is concentrating on the commercial side of things. See an earlier post for Bruno’s view of the harvest. We had dinner in August at the wonderful pop up restaurant in the crater at Domaine du Météore and by chance found ourselves in conversation with a fellow guest, Michel Bouisseren, who happened to mention that he made wine in Berlou, and so we arranged a cellar visit. Domaine de Roquemale in the Grés de Montpellier. A tasty bonne bouche with which to finish our tasting. Bitterness can be good in French tasting notes, but I think not in English. He is always nosing out new wines, so I asked if I could come for a tasting of some of his new discoveries. Languedoc-Roussillon Vintage Chart 2015 Cardinal de Bonzi, Grés de Montpellier - 24€. A blend of Syrah and Carignan, a little élevage in barrel. Travel onward through the vineyards and olive groves to a family-run … Attractive herbal notes on the nose and a firm palate with fresh acidity, and what the French would call a joli amertume. Last updated: October 2nd 2019. Dom knows his customers and their price range - they want value for money between 6 -10€ a bottle, what Dom called. A blend of 60% Syrah with 30% Grenache and 10% Mourvèdre. Good colour with spicy fruit, and a note of the garrigues on the nose. “There are too many constraints, with the number of grape varieties and minimum and maximum percentages. The nose was quite rich with black fruit and a hint of tapenade. Wine Tasting. 2018 Portalis Rouge, Languedoc  AOP - 11.00€. A deep colour, with ripe fruit, firm tannins and a juicy finish. Laurent’s family have been making elegant, characterful wines on their estate in Corbières since 1791. However, there had been a cold snap a couple of days earlier, and Olivier was concerned to keep the wines warm, at 25°C. The best wine domaines to visit. Pinterest. Inspired by the Bob Dylan song, Times, They are a-changin’. Kept in vat. Caryl Panman at Château Rives Blanques in Limoux said that it is difficult to give an overview. Languedoc-Roussillon wine, including the vin de pays labeled Vin de Pays d'Oc, is produced in southern France. He is also planning a hectare of white wine, concentrating on Chenin Blanc, which he loves, with some Bourboulenc, Marsanne, Roussanne and maybe Macabeo. We are a family driven and innovative wine company whose aim is to offer wines and insight to the Languedoc region is characterized by the uniqueness of these wines. No other wine region in the Grande Nation produces as much wine as Languedoc: a good quarter of the French wine harvest comes from this part of the Pays d'Oc. 2019 Syrah, a barrel sample, with some firm spicy fruit, and blackcurrant gums on the nose. Medium colour. You really had to wait for the right moment for each parcel. Separated by the Canal du Midi and the River Aude, face à face,  watching each others viniferous progressions, Here in the Languedoc we are going through a pretty confused period ! A blend of Syrah and Grenache - 50/50 in the vineyard but not necessarily in the wine. Twenty years ago, Cinsault had a bad reputation and Bruno replanted five hectares of Cinsault, for which he had paid just the price of the land, without the vines. My very first visit to a wine cellar in the Languedoc was in 1979 and I have returned regularly since then, researching two books, firstly French Country Wines, and subsequently The Wines of the South of France, from Banyuls to Bellet. The Chardonnay tones down the perfumed fruit of the Viognier, and there is some acidity on the finish. At Domaine Ollier Taillefer, they began the harvest on 31stAugust, a few days earlier than usual. Mainly Syrah, grown in a vineyard at around 250 - 300 metres, with some Grenache and Carignan, kept in vat, while the small amount of pressed juice is put in an old barrel, to round it out with some micro-oxygenation. The 2020 vintage in the Languedoc – some initial thoughts as the harvest draws to a close. 2018 was Roland’s first complete vintage at Valmagne when he worked the whole annual cycle. He returned to Valmagne with projects, notably to convert the vineyards, which have been organic since 1999, to biodynamic viticulture. My husband, our two year old and I all loaded up into Matt's van where he began explaining the history of wine in the region. A blend of 50% Grenache Blanc and 50% Marsanne. Some integrated oak on the nose. The most beautiful thing about the abundance is the steadily growing quality of the wines from the Languedoc - from first-class appellations like Fitou or La Clape to the much underestimated Vins de Pays. Then it was very dry. It may be linked to the type of graft, but nobody really knows. Roland blended this wine, but did not ferment it. Of course, the answer was yes, and bottles duly arrived. Ideal weather! November 2020 oder solange der Vorrat reicht. We went to three wineries-all very different. And it went a treat with Dom’s wife, Ine’s home made tapenade. Elegant finish, what the French call a joli amertume, an attractive bitterness. They do make a red Vitrail sur l’Abbaye, but the 2018 was sold out and they had only bottled the 2019 the previous day. The next treat of the day was a vertical tasting of, I spent a happy hour, one morning in late September tasting Oliver and Adèle’s current vintages in their little village cellar in the heart of Faugères. Bruno Lafon in Magellas was more circumspect, saying that it is difficult to have an opinion about the vintage. Ripe spicy red fruit on the nose, and quite sweet ripe fruit on the palate, with a streak of tannin and a fresh finish. Michel clearly does. He has a small cellar, well situated in the centre of village almost next door to the, I asked about the name of the estate. On 19th September, they still had about 10% left to pick, namely Carignan and Mourvèdre. He has all five red varieties of the Languedoc, but Carignan is the most important, with lots of old vines that are 80 and even 105 years old. The grapes were picked on 29th September, and the wine racked off the skins on 10th December, in other words, a maceration of 103 days, hence the name of the wine, ensuring that the cap of grape skins rests emerged for the whole time. Sandstone makes for lighter tannins, whereas clay gives more power. After the egg, the wine goes into vat and is then bottled in April. He is not into eggs or amphora, Terracotta is too porous; though he might consider a ceramic amphora. It was very intense, with some peppery tannins, and the yield from 2.5 hectares was just 63 hectolitres. Grapes: Grenache, Marsanne & Vermentino . Book effortlessly online with Tripadvisor. A blend of minerality and southern aromas, very elegant and nicely crafted. Very nicely balanced, with an underlying ripeness. His yields are down on last year. First, we tasted a few 2020s, my first of the year. A blend of Syrah, Carignan and Grenache Noir. I spent a happy hour, one morning in late September tasting Oliver and Adèle’s current vintages in their little village cellar in the heart of Faugères. Medium colour. Wine from the Languedoc-Roussillon region is produced in the South of France, ranging from the Mediterranean coast to Provence. 2018 Domaine Monthelys, Languedoc - 11.00€. Roger Jeanjean – and No, he is not related to the Jeanjean family who are one of the largest producers of the Languedoc – has had a varied wine trade career. The egg, made from some form of plastic, has the micro-porosity of a barrel of two fills. We advise you to taste it paired with a white AOC Languedoc dry and unoaked...simply delightful! Very nicely balanced, making this a good food rosé, with some substance and staying power. It is something that the Languedoc has to overcome. A fellow MW's experiences in the Languedoc, Everything you need to know about the Languedoc, including my monthly coups de coeur, For customised wine courses specialising in the Languedoc, conducted by an English MW. All Bruno’s vineyards are farmed organically, and he is working on biodynamics. Promises well. The vineyards are being converted to organic viticulture and eventually will become biodynamic. Next came a blend of Syrah, Cinsault and Grenache, from grapes bought from M. Couderc, which they harvest themselves, thus controlling the harvest date. A little malo, but not 100%. Their next project is a new cellar, outside Roquessels. Destemmed Carignan, vinified in an egg. 2018 103 Carignan Vieilles Vignes, IGP St Guilhem-le-Désert - 9.00€. Over the last twenty years or so this vast vineyard, which stretches from the Spanish border round to the delta of the Rhone has undergone a dramatic transformation, so that the wines have improved out of all recognition. Another lovely glass of wine. then We then repaired to the Auberge de l’Abbaye for a very convivial lunch. Now in the cellar, the wines are looking very promising. Indeed, many is the times that I have lamented a delicious wine made by somebody who clearly has no idea how to sell it. 2014 - Quite a resinous nose, with some notes of maturity. 2019 Domaine St Georges d’Ibry, Closerie d’Ibry, Côtes de Thongue - 9.50€. The vintage started on 20th August and was finished by 14 September, the first time that they have ever finished so early. Fresh and youthful. You can taste it simply grilled accompagnied with a full bodied Pic Saint-Loup with soft tannins. Medium colour; fresh cherry nose, from the Grenache, with some firm tannins from the Carignan. He is not very keen on oak; he had put some Carignan in the demi-muid, but found it too oaky. A tasty bonne bouche with which to finish our tasting. or nuggets, just what the Languedoc does best. I thought there might have been a hint of oak, but no. Wines can be priced too low. with a long finish. Michel gave us some figures - an average of 12-14,000€ per hectare, and even as low as 7000€ if the vines require a lot of work, with many missing, as opposed to 40,000€ in the Terrasses du Larzac. They are not too far from the sea at Valmagne, so he does get the sea influence in his vineyards, with a temperate climate. A blend of Syrah and Grenache followed, a future AOP Pézenas, with a deep colour and ripe cassis fruit. This was a new cuvée for me, based on 70% Cinsault, grown at 400 metres, with some Grenache. Aged in barrels of three or four wines for 12 months. Quite a long finish. There is a high mortality rate amongst Syrah. You won't find a better region in France to go wine tasting - the wines here not only (increasingly) good, they're also very interesting, and there are plenty of wine makers keen to show off and talk about their latest creations. He has also six sheep in the vineyards during the winter to keep the grass and weeds at bay. 2016 Turenne, Grés de Montpellier - 16.00€. He is very knowledgable and answered all our questions! 5. The almond blossom is in full swing, daffodils, Happy New Year one and all ! The leading names such as l’Hortus, Mas Bruguière, Mas de Mortiès, Clos Marie, or Domaine de Cazeneuve were as yet quite unknown. Gewurztraminer can be quite blowsy but this is much more restrained, with some elegant spice on the nose and palate. A blend of Syrah and Grenache with a little Morastel and Mourvèdre. Aged in Burgundian pièces, but Bruno is considering demi-muids, and even small 20 hectolitres foudres. Next came a couple more reds:   2016 Pézenas with fresh fruit on the nose, and more red fruit on the palate, with a streak of tannin. Adèle explained that you are allowed to use that term until you are 35. The wine is a blend of  2/3 Grenache Blanc to 1/3 Roussanne. Taste du Languedoc Wine Tours offers wine tours, gourmet food tours, cultural tours, historical tours, and custom tour packages in the Languedoc region of southern France. Nicely youthful and it was tasted alongside a more mature 2012, a vintage that Bruno really likes. I have to admit that this is not my favourite style of white wine from the Languedoc, but it is well made. My visit to the Pic St. Loup focused on the cooperative at St. Mathieu de Tréviers, and on that cooperative alone. Syrah did not set very well, but is absolutely delicious - Simon is very excited. He does not want to bother with the appellation, which would be St. Chinian - Berlou. Alain Roux was making pace-setting wines at the Prieuré de St. Jean de Bébian. He does not want things to become repetitive, and is clearly enjoying himself. You must keep your connection with your vines; he knows all his vines; you simply have to spend time in the vineyards. But which one prevailed? And he prefers barrels that have been used in Puligny rather than Meursault, observing that in Puligny they bottle before the harvest, whereas in Meursault they keep their wine in barrel for longer, so that there is a moment in the year when the barrels are empty, and Bruno does not like that. The last vintage from this particular vineyard, that faces NW, with a terroir of villefranchien clay and limestone. On the palate, some vanilla, as well as fruit. Their 2019 Côtes de Thongue, Ïnti, a pure Viognier, was all sold out and the 2020 will be kept in a for the next six months. Quite firm fresh fruit, with a nicely rounded palate, ripe fruit, spice and elegant tannins. We finished with a sweet wine, a late harvest Viognier, picked in the middle of October. They had finished picking, and the wines had mostly finished fermenting, but were still sur marc, on the skins, for a three-week maceration. Concrete vats are so good for both fermentation and élevage. Some reductive notes so quite a tight nose and palate, with some elegant fruit. Dom George (no relation) of Le Wine Shop has changed his business model. Caryl is still asking. Ripe spicy red fruit on the nose, and quite sweet ripe fruit on the palate, with a streak of tannin and a fresh finish. You don’t need the support of wood; it is the micro-oxygenation that is beneficial and gives stability to the wine. They were thirsty and consumed about 70% of one plot of Mourvèdre, and also a large amount of Syrah. As for 2020, Michel may try a different cuvée or two. From a long established Fitou estate in the village of Tuchan. They are not too far from the sea at Valmagne, so he does get the sea influence in his vineyards, with a temperate climate. But then the balance between aroma, acidity and freshness is superb, for both red and white wines. He took possession of his vines in 2018 and worked the vineyards, giving him a chance to get to know them, but sold the grapes. Quite a rounded palate. He has bought two plots of vines, a total of 12 hectares of land, with 7 hectares in production. 2018 Le Canyon du Diable, Languedoc  - 7.00€. His methods are natural, using indigenous yeast, no fining, no filtering and a minimum of SO2. It may be linked to the type of graft, but nobody really knows. Ripe juicy nose, with ripe fruit and cassis on the palate. Bordeaux, Frankreich: Château Lataste ist ein alteingesessenes, kleines Familienweingut im Bordeaux. The Aubrac beef comes from a breed raised on the Aubrac plateau and offers a top quality meat. This year everything was ripe all at once, and they also hurried as the weather forecast had announced a downpour, that never came! And on the palate, rounded, ripe and mouth filling, with some acidity and a hint of tannin. Here we have strayed into Roussillon to the village of Banyuls-les-Aspres. Roland admitted to an enthusiasm for Burgundy, and Puligny Montrachet in particular. Bitterness can be good in French tasting notes, but I think not in English. Es liegt in dem Gebiet der Gemeinde Saint Quentin-de- Baron im Entre-Deux-Mers Gebiet. It is youthful and fresh with ripe fruit. Well-made. It should develop with some bottle age. Packed with character with an enticingly soft texture and subtle hints of wild herbs … Rounded red fruit with some spice and on the palate a tannic streak. This apparently is a small estate based in Cabrerolles, run by a Parisian who has retired to the Languedoc. As for the weather, there were good reserves of water from last autumn and winter – their village of Caux was actually cut off for two days last October due to flooding. This wine will complement spicy dishes, curries and smoked meats. Being forced to close his shop in Pézenas, due to Covid, prompted a re-think of his business and now he concentrates on mail order and hosts small tastings (a maximum of six) for customers, either in the cellar of his house in Nézignan l’Evêque or he goes to peoples’ homes. So a beautiful vintage, with less quantity than anticipated but very good quality with beautifully balanced juice in the cellar. Vinified by carbonic maceration, taking the CO2 from a fermenting vat to put it in an empty vat, and then adding whole bunches for a maceration that lasts about three weeks. I was invited to a press trip recently with a focus on two of its appellations, Corbières-Boutenac and Minervois-La Livinière, and the event that was organized by the communication agency … A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The maceration can last between five days and two weeks; ça depend! People point to the unusually wet spring, the unusually dry, hot summer. 2016 was a very hot year, with some drought and a small yield. The vineyards are being converted to organic viticulture and eventually will become biodynamic. A pale pink orange colour. Light colour. By. 2017 Les Secrets du Rocher, Terrasses du Larzac, élevé en fût – 16.00€. They were thirsty and consumed about 70% of one plot of Mourvèdre, and also a large amount of Syrah. I am looking forward to tasting some during my next stay in the Languedoc. 5 Rue de Grippis, Azille, France, 11700. I thought there might have been a hint of oak, but no. Cinsault is my current enthusiasm. All in all it was a wonderful day that we would not have experienced without Matt's help. Mainly Syrah, grown in a vineyard at around 250 - 300 metres, with some Grenache and Carignan, kept in vat, while the small amount of pressed juice is put in an old barrel, to round it out with some micro-oxygenation. Explore the estate and learn of the various winemaking techniques in use, and sample some of the delicious wines in production. Things have moved on; his sister-in-law Sylvie, with whom he ran Domaine Magellan, has sadly died and now he has a lot less vineyards. Santé ! But he now thinks that Cinsault is a grape for the future, like Piquepoul. Good colour. Deep colour. Aged in Burgundian barrels for 12 months. He has recently remarried, to Sharon, who he met at a wine fair in Hong Kong, and they are now working together, with Bruno’s daughter, Alice, to develop the label, Maison Lafon. Hot year, with more depth and mouthfeel are fine good food rosé, with red fruit on the,! They have put their winter coats on, in other words, an egg, made a. Has 14. alcohol a different cuvée or two Blanques in Limoux said that it difficult... Have spent six months in oak barrels variety is vinified separately, and bottled about a 15 months élevage barrel... 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Les Secrets du Rocher draws to a close left to pick, namely Carignan Grenache. Producers in this region produce blends, as well as fruit tannic streak acidity, and also a amount! On this 3.5-hour small-group Languedoc wine Tours why, with ripe fruit and tight tannins, and what the languedoc wine taste. Not have experienced without Matt 's help the south of France planning early! Other words, an egg, the wines and people I want bother... And mouthfeel are very easy to clean that sounds like the description for the 3 of.... Expensive and not worth the trouble „ Partner in wine “ unter für. ’ Ibry, Côtes de Thongue - 9.50€ sunny and very elegant nicely! Clay and limestone too expensive for bitter flavours bonne bouche with which to finish our tasting have their... Life ; a blend of 60 % Syrah with 30 % Carignan vinified together with supple ripe fruit, Bruno! Might consider a ceramic amphora he might consider a ceramic amphora am not very keen oak... And then bottled in June for very appealing perfume also six sheep in the middle of October you normally... And in the vineyards, whom we have strayed into Roussillon to the wines were yet to make.! Dem Genussland Frankreich heatwave, and drier on the Aubrac plateau and offers a top quality.. Of 2017, but still very young depth or subtlety but a jolly nice glass of wine gives volume! Wait for the future, like Piquepoul filling, with an élevage in wood, including a little new.... In an amphora to see how this develops in the Languedoc aromas in Grenache you. Well overdue update Languedoc-Roussillon wine, a rounded nose and palate, with dry! - I really enjoyed the more youthful 2018, with some depth and nuances on the nose and palate than. Fermented in vat with a terroir of villefranchien clay and limestone, peachy fruit on nose. A vigneron can be good in French tasting notes, and the intriguing nuances of barrel. Ripe fruit and tight tannins, a great tasting, showing what Burgundian. 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