2006 Mas Cal Demoura « L’Infidèle » Terrasses du Larzac Côteaux du Languedoc France

Although Summer is knocking on the door with temperatures indicating that light, crispy whites and rosés will soon, if not already, flourish your tables and complement your outdoor meals and recreations in the garden, on the patio or even on your roof terrace, I bought what I could portrait as my last fuller red wine of the cold season, before populating the shelves with lighter, more refreshing reds.

Also in my eternal quest of finding great wines under $20, (and usually more especially under $15 because I’m the king of under $15), I wanted to share with you this Languedoc wine produced in a fairly young appellation named: Terrasses du Larzac, which represents the central northern part of the Languedoc region between Beziers and Montpellier, recognized in 2004 and officially on the map since 2005.     

Mas Cal Demoura  

HISTORY OF DOMAINE: In 1970, when there was a great exodus from the Languedoc due to a loss of faith in its vineyards to provide a sufficient living, Jean-Pierre Jullien named his domaine "Cal Demoura", which, in Occitan, means: “one must remain”. He came from a long line of vignerons and, at that time, he followed most of his colleagues as they closed their caves and attempted to survive by participating in the local cooperative. Jean-Pierre's son, Olivier, refused to follow the path of the cooperative and established his own domaine, the "Mas Jullien", in 1985. Jean-Pierre, in a reversal of the usual process, took the example of his son, resigned from the cooperative and recreated his own estate in 1993. He sold off a portion of his vineyards and retained only the best 5 hectares. With these, he began making a wine of regal dimensions that helped to lead the qualitative revolution in the Languedoc. In 2004, Jean-Pierre retired, selling the estate to its current owners, Isabelle and Vincent Goumard. Seduced by the estate’s winemaking philosophy, as well as by the potential of its terroir, the couple spent a year working side by side with Jean-Pierre in the vineyard and in the cellar, before taking full control of the estate.

COMPOSITION OF DOMAINE: The five hectares are located in the village of Jonquières and in the neighboring community of Saint Felix, approximately 45 minutes northwest of Montpellier, just south of Clermont l'Hérault. They are situated in the heart of the Terrasses du Larzac, an independent subdivision within the Côteaux du Languedoc AOC that was recognized in 2004. The vineyards feature five grape varieties in approximately equal parts: Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah, Carignan and Cinsault. The average age of the vines is 25 years with significant parcels of Grenache, Cinsault and Carignan being considerably older. The soil is very dry and stony with deep but porous topsoil. The various parcels of the domaine are distributed over a terroir that is both geographically and climatically diverse. These variations, combined with an assortment of different cépages, result in wines of complexity and finesse.

METHOD OF VINIFICATION: Isabelle and Vincent are committed to producing wines that respect the environment from which they come, and express both their terroir, and the personality of the winemaker. In the vineyard, the Goumards treat organically and harvest manually. Harvest levels are approximately 30 hectoliters per hectare. In the cellar, they practice classic vinification.

Côteaux du Languedoc Rouge "L'Infidèle": The historic cuvée of Jean-Pierre Jullien, L'Infidèle is a blend of all the regional grapes – Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsault and Carignan. The Goumards make choices in the vineyard and in the cellar that will emphasize finesse and freshness in this bottling, allowing for full expression of the fruit. The grapes are partially destemmed. Temperature is rigorously controlled. The cuvaison can extend for as long as 3 weeks with frequent remontage. The Carignan and Mourvèdre are frequently aged in older barrels for 12 months, while the Syrah, Grenache and Cinsault usually remain in cuve for the duration of the élevage. The five varieties are assembled in cuve and aged for 8 months more prior to bottling. The wine is bottled without filtration. Overall this wine was aged for about 18 months, in 500 liter barrels for 60 to 80% of the final blend.

2006 Mas Cal Demoura « L’Infidèle » Terrasses du Larzac Côteaux du Languedoc France  

Suggested retail price $15-$18 
Imported / distributed by Rosenthal Wine Merchant / Madrose (in NYC)

The 2006 Mas Cal Demoura "L'Infidèle" presents a dark ruby color. A very fragrant, enticing nose boasting distinct aromas of dark and ripe red berries with earthy, spicy notes and hints of garrigues and soil. The palate is beautiful and complex, full, rich and ripe yet juicy and well put together, with flavors of dark fruit and berries intermingled with earthy, terroir oriented, spicy, peppery, liquorice notes especially in the finish. This wine is big, no doubt, but lovely and really integrated with focused acidity to balance the ripeness of the ripe fruit and present yet fairly gentle tannins that frame and structure the overall palate from beginning to end.

Dark, slightly rustic and robust yet pleasantly surprising and really juicy despite its fullness, this wine is surely more wintery than summery, but I do think that it will pair well with BBQ and flavorful game dishes and stews and cheeses. Amateur of lightly spicy, peppery wine with great character and body should appreciate it greatly. As I like to say sometimes, it is one of this Dark Vader of wine, dark, powerful, earthy and intriguing…

Enjoy!

LeDom du Vin 

Info about the Domaine taken from the importer website at www.madrose.com, for more info also consult the winery website at www.caldemoura.com 


Step into the Green! Drink more Biodynamic, Biologique and Organic wines and spirits and food) from sustainable culture and respect the environment! Support the right causes for the Planet and all the people suffering all around the globe! Also follow projects and products from the Fair Trade, an organized social movement and market-based approach that aims to help producers in developing countries obtain better trading conditions and promote sustainability. Also support 1% for the Planet, an alliance of businesses that donate at least 1% of their annual revenues to environmental organizations worldwide. "Commerce Equitable" or "Fair Trade" is evidently and more than ever a needed movement connecting producers and customers, to be aware of others and their cultural and traditional products based on high quality, natural components and craftsmanship. 

Les Vignerons d’Estezargues & 2008 Domaine Grès St. Vincent Côtes du Rhône Villages Signargues

Les Vignerons d’Estezargues - Côtes du Rhône

Founded in 1965, the cooperative "Les Vignerons d’Estezargues" is located in the Côtes du Rhône “Gardoise”, in the French departement of the "Gard", in the small town of Estézargues, about 17.5 kilometers west of Avignon.

The cooperative regroups 10 different growers (or Domaines) and collects the fruits of 400 hectares of vines, mostly planted in the AOC Côtes du Rhône and AOC Côtes du Rhône Villages “Signargues” and its surroundings.

During the 1990s, the cooperative took a more qualitative orientation, with major changes made in the production and vinification processes. The sale of bulk wine trading has given way to the development of bottling at the property, which was crucial to increase consistency and quality. Bottling at the property has been expanding steadily since 1995, from the generic wines to the Domaine wines. This new policy also generated the development of sales at the cooperative’s store, where nearly half of the production is currently sold.

To further increase the sales and the quality of the produced wines, a new policy of vinification per "Domaine" was also launched, and, as a result, each of the 10 growers has his own Domaine’s Cuvée. The choice of doing individual vinification for each Domaine, highlights the work of each producer and their specific characteristics depending on their respective Terroir.

Therefore, starting in 1995, under the supervision of the winemakers, the ten different growers in this co-op began to vinify their wine separately and make single Cuvée from their best plots. Yet, collective tanks still remained to create the entry level wines that are blended with the fruits of all growers, like “Les Grandes Vignes” line.

Anxious to preserve the environment, the growers are engaged in a durable development system for their Domaine and the cooperative, which both embrace sustainable and organic farming and methods. Moreover, the growers also signed the charter “Terra Vitis”.

FYI: The “Terra Vitis” charter (or designation) was established in 1998 by a federation of French growers and small, premium wineries to promote healthy, high quality grapes, to maintain the diversity of the fauna, to minimize chemical treatments, and prevent erosion. The federation maintains criteria and oversees verification through inspections conducted by the Véritas inspection bureau, an independent agent that verifies compliance. Among other things, the "Terra Vitis" charter requires:

• Use of natural processes to control pests whenever possible and minimal use of chemical treatments
  

• Planting varietals appropriate to soil and the climate
  

• The use of ground cover and compost to provide habitat for useful micro-organisms and to prevent erosion
  

• Continuing education on organic control of pests and parasites
  

• Documentation of the winemaking process, literally, from the ground up
  

(Info about Terra Vitis courtesy of www.terlatowines.com)

To go further in quality, in 2004, the cellar invested in new equipment and winemaking process to expand and improve the winery.

Constant quality also can easily be reached because the cooperative benefits of the expertise and skills of these 10 growers united in the same cellar: each with his own identity and way of working, grape varieties and specific Terroir. The cooperative reveals their work, either through their specific Cuvées (the Domaines) or the generic wines, which are blended with the grapes of all growers.

In the cellar, unnatural yeasts, filtration and fining, as well as all technologies denaturing the wines are prohibited. The winemaking is done without sulfur and low temperature in order to make the most of fruit and Terroir potential.

The winery sells about 15 different wines, red predominantly and rosé and white, from 5 appellations: Vins de Pays du Gard, Costières de Nîmes, Côtes du Rhône, Côtes du Rhône Villages and Côtes du Rhône Villages "Signargues".

AOC Côtes du Rhône Villages "Signargues" was established in 2004 and is exclusively dedicated to red wines. It is the output of most southern vineyards in the AOC Côtes du Rhône Villages with a communal name. "Signargues" encompasses four municipalities: Estézargues, Domazan Rochefort du Gard and Saze.

We tasted only 4 of them out of the 15 that they produce, although most of them are in the US market, they are distributed by 3 different distributors in NYC; and from Jenny & François, the two following really captured my attention:



2009 D'Estezargues Les Grandes Vignes Rouge Côtes du Rhône France
Suggested retail price $10-$13
Imported / distributed by Jenny & François (Importer of Natural Wines) in NYC

Made from 100% Cinsault, 20 to 80 years old vines, planted on red clay based and stone strewn soil. Natural vinification method: hand harvested grapes. No external unnatural yeasts and no enzymes are used during the winemaking process. The bunches are de-stemmed and the fruit undergoes fifteen days of maceration; then the wine is stored in enamel-lined concrete tanks for 10 months before it is bottled without fining or filtration.

Made with 100% Cinsault, which is quite unusual for a Cotes du Rhone, 2009 Les Grandes Vignes rouge offers generous ripe dark fruit flavors, in a rich, juicy, earthy profile. Behind its deep ruby color, the nose develop warm, inviting and expressive aromas of dark berry, garrigues, chocolate and earth. The palate is gorgeous and friendly, full and rich, offering a lot of chocolate and ripe dark fruit flavors mingled with spicy, floral, earthy, garrigues notes. Balanced, with good tannic structure, this an excellent example of Cotes du Rhone. Even from a cooperative, it has nothing to envy to independent producers, on the contrary. Highly recommended for everyday drinking on "charcuterie", "paté", grilled red meat and cheese. I love it.




2008 Domaine Grès St. Vincent Côtes du Rhône Villages Signargues France
Suggested retail price $12-$15
Imported / distributed by Jenny & François (Importer of Natural Wines) in NYC

Patrick Vincent, the owner, grows 5 grapes going into this wine, which is a blend of 60% Grenache, 25% Syrah and the rest being Carignan, Mourvèdre and Cinsault, 20 to 80 years old vines, planted on Red clay covered in small stones soil. Natural vinification method: hand harvested grapes. No external unnatural yeasts and no enzymes are used during the winemaking process. The fruit undergoes twenty days of maceration and the wine is stored in enamel-lined concrete tanks for 10 months before being bottled without fining or filtration.

On the nose the initial freshness is quickly complemented by perfectly ripe red fruit, mingling with earthy, mineral, garrigues, Terroir oriented spicy notes. Domaine Grès St. Vincent is also a worthy representative of the new appellation “Signargues”; delivering the same type of flavors, the palate is balanced, structured and quite exquisite, juicy, rich and complex, yet harmonious, focus and elegant. It will pair greatly with earthy dishes, stews, rack of lamb, “Tete de Veau” and Boeuf Bourguignon, and flavorful cheese. Excellent.

Enjoy!

LeDom du Vin

Info partly taken, translated and edited from the cooperative website at www.vins-estezargues.com and from the importer website at www.jennyandfrancois.com

Step into the Green! Drink more Biodynamic, Biologique and Organic wines and spirits and food) from sustainable culture and respect the environment! Support the right causes for the Planet and all the people suffering all around the globe! Also follow projects and products from the Fair Trade, an organized social movement and market-based approach that aims to help producers in developing countries obtain better trading conditions and promote sustainability. Also support 1% for the Planet, an alliance of businesses that donate at least 1% of their annual revenues to environmental organizations worldwide. "Commerce Equitable" or "Fair Trade" is evidently and more than ever a needed movement connecting producers and customers, to be aware of others and their cultural and traditional products based on high quality, natural components and craftsmanship.

Domaine du Poujol Coteaux du Languedoc France

Domaine du Poujol

Yesterday, I had the pleasure to receive Robert Cripps, owner of Domaine du Poujol, an English man living with his American wife, Kim, in the Languedoc for the past 18 years, which, as he likes to joke about it, makes them one of the first expatriate small owners of a Languedoc winery.

Robert is a self-taught winemaker, who trained and learned how to make wine in the cellar of a winery in California, where he met his wife Kim. Curious and creative with an artist attitude and adroit with his hands, he rapidly discovered his love for winemaking and the need for crafting wine. He also created his own wine labels. They both very handy and like to be in control of their Domaine.

It all began after a year of rain and part-time work in Burgundy, when Robert and Kim started looking for a place under the sun and found “Domaine du Poujol” in the Languedoc region, about 20 km/12 miles northwest of Montpellier, and situated between Pic St Loup, Montpeyroux and St Georges d'Orques.

Family owned, Domaine du Poujol is producing Appellation Contrôlée Coteaux du Languedoc and Vin de Pays wines from grapes grown, bottled and vinified at the domaine. The wines are well structured, elegant, and ideal for immediate drinking yet with good ageing potential.

The Domaine possesses 18 hectares of vines planted with various mostly indigenous and a few international grape varieties: Syrah, Grenache, Carignan Noir, Cinsault, Mourvèdre, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon for the red and rosé wines, Vermentino (Rolle), Roussanne and Carignan Blanc for the white wines.

Robert and Kim do pretty much everything themselves from the vineyards to the cellar. Helped by Kim, Robert has multiple hats: owner, oenologist and winemaker. Their philosophy is to produce elegant, well-balanced wines that express the uniqueness and the character of the terroir: a unique combination of soils, topography, microclimate, exposure and environment.

They are not organic or biodynamic, but apply the technique of “Lutte Raisonnée” (comparable to Sustainable culture), which is somehow a compromise between the two previous methods with more flexibility and the possibility to moderately use some chemicals and pesticides but less often and less aggressively than conventional producers and only if really needed. Conscientiously practiced, this method resembles quite a lot to organic culture in many ways, except for the use, even if minimal, of chemicals. And compared to Organic culture or Biodynamic culture, the producers using the Lutte Raisonnée method (or concept) are not subject to any system of checks from certified organizations or any previously agreed limits to what is permissible to do in his vineyards.

Robert is quite old school and traditional, instead of trusting multiple analyses and other statistic numbers, he prefers to walk in his vineyards, listen his guts feeling and be guided by his taste buds especially during harvest time. As he told me today:” I pick randomly some grapes in different parcels to taste them and assess the level of ripeness of the fruit and tannins: if the tannins are too ripe, it is already too late because the grape should have been harvested a few days earlier; if the tannins remain a bit crisp and the fruit is ripe with good acidity, then it is time to harvest.”

Yet, harvest are also operated differently, he never harvests an entire parcel at the same time, he picks and chooses rows or portions of rows here and there to only pick gradually the grapes with the most ideal ripeness. He makes his vines selection depending on the soil, the exposure and the microclimate.

After being hand-harvested, the grapes are usually fermented in concrete vat lined with epoxy (much less expensive than the stainless steel tanks, less variation of temperature and more air interaction) or in 10 years old “demi-muid”, a large oak barrel of 600 liters. Some of its demi-Muid comes from Francois Chidaine, a great producer of Montlouis in the Loire Valley. The wines are naturally crafted with minimal intervention, minimal use of sulfur and bottled with no fining or filtering.

Usually labeled under “Appellation Contrôlée Côteaux du Languedoc” and “Vin de Pays” wines from grapes grown, bottled and vinified at the domaine; the Cripps produce excellent, earthy, terroir driven wines that are fresh, textured and structured, a touch rustic yet somewhat quite elegant, with good acidity, crispy tannins and integrated alcohol, which is rather unusual for Languedoc wines. They are usually ideal for immediate drinking about 6-8 months after bottling yet possess very good ageing potential.


We tasted:



2008 Domaine du Poujol "Pico" white Vin de Pays de l'Hérault Languedoc France
Suggested retail price $14-$17
Imported by Kermit Lynch

A blend of predominantly Vermentino, also known as Rolle (45-50%) and Carignan Blanc (35%) with a twist of Roussane (5-10%) crafted in concrete vats, this pale straw color wine offers aromas of white fruit, fresh nuts, earth and minerals. The medium bodied palate is fairly well rounded, clean, rich yet crisp, balanced and food friendly, with a long mineral finish where linger white fruit and nutty notes. Quite lovely overall!




2007 Domaine du Poujol “Proteus” red Vin de Pays de l'Hérault Languedoc France
Suggested retail price $14-$17
Imported by Kermit Lynch

“Proteus” is predominately a blend of Merlot (50%) and Cinsault (30%) completed with a blend of all the other grapes (Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan, etc..) that they do not use for their other wines (that doesn’t mean that the grapes are bad or that the quality of this wine is low, it just mean that after careful harvest and sorting for the other wines, the remaining grapes go into this wine).

Here again, produced in concrete vats, the resulting wine is quite well crafted with dark ruby color and good intensity. The nose is fresh, earthy and mineral with ripe red wild berry fruit, earth, hints of garrigues and rustic leather, spicy notes. The palate is also crisp with vivid acidity, bright red fruit, earth, mineral and a lingering finish with slight tannic touches. A food friendly wine for everyday drinking, touch rustic but balanced and pleasing!





2005 Domaine du Poujol “Podio Alto” red Côteaux du Languedoc France
Suggested retail price $23-$26
Imported by Kermit Lynch

Grapes for the “Podio Alto” are grown in six, predominantly south facing, rocky limestone based hillside vineyards, situated at 100-200m above sea level. The Grenache vines are 25 years old, the Mourvèdre was planted in 2001 and the Syrah in 1985 and 1997.

The flagship of this winery, “Podio Alto” is a blend of 35-40% Syrah, 25% Mourvèdre, 20-25% Grenache and 10-15% Cinsault that was aged in old demi-Muid oak barrel of 600 liters for 12 months and was bottled, like all their wines, with no fining and no filtering.

Behind its deep garnet color, the expressive 2005 Podio Alto shows intense aromas of dark red fruit, plums, leather, garrigues, earth and liquorice. The palate has had time to settle down and open up. It offers a soft, integrated, rich and generous profile with great structure and enhancing acidity despite the ripeness of the fruit. Supple tannins support the ripe dark fruit character that lingers through to the finish. The touch of oak, which is barely noticeable, adds complexity to this wine. Here again, the rustic touch is enjoyable, makes this wine even more food friendly and represents the undeniable proof of the nature oriented way of producing wine from the Cripps. Enjoy over grilled meat like Beef and Lamb, but also country dishes like rabbit, venison or wild boar.

Enjoy,

LeDom du Vin

Info mainly taken from my discussion with Robert Cripps while tasting his wines at the store

Step into the Green! Drink more Biodynamic, Biologique and Organic wines (and food) from sustainable culture and respect the environment! Support the right causes for the Planet and all the people suffering all around the globe!

Montpeyroux & 2008 Domaine d'Aupilhac Rouge "Lou Maset" Languedoc VDP France

Montpeyroux & Domaine D'Aupilhac

Located roughly at 40 kilometers from the Mediteranean coast, northwest of Montpellier, Montpeyroux is a village and a wine region of the same name where climate is typically Mediterranean: hot in the summer, cool in winter, with occasional yet needed rainfall during the spring and autumn.

Micro climates are numerous and very diverse in certain parts of the Montpeyroux area, where vineyards are being nestled in the foothills of the high Larzac between 100 and 850 meters (2800 ft) above sea level, benefiting from cool summer nights which, together with occasional storms, help refresh the vines after the scorching daytime sun. By the way, the Causse of Larzac is a mountainous chain in the southern part of the Massif Central.

The Domaine d'Aupilhac is located in Montpeyroux, a little village some 36 kms north-west of Montpellier which gave its name to the vineyards area. The cellar, created in 1989 in the family home, is right in the heart of the village. Sylvain Fadat and his family have been growing grapes for over 5 generations.

A large part of their vines grow on south-west facing "terraces" on a site named "Aupilhac", planted mainly with Mouvedre and Carignan, and a bit of Syrah, Grenache and Cinsault. Another part of their vineyard is the north-west facing "Les Cocalières" located at an altitude of some 350m (1150ft) where Syrah predominates, though Mourvedre and Grenache also grow here too. The most northerly facing part is also planted with the four white grapes allowed in the Coteaux du Languedoc: Roussanne, Marsanne, white Grenache and Rolle (also known as Vermentino).

The land is ploughed regularly, which means the roots have to force their way deep into the cool and moistened sub-soil, thus protecting the vines from seasonal drought. They treat their land ("terroir") with great respect, with the absolute priority being to maintain its natural balance.

Harvests are done by hand, when the grapes reach ideal maturity and phenolic ripeness. The skins must be properly mature to extract the best aromas and color, as well as ensuring silky tannins. The land's natural yeasts ensure the natural start of the fermentation. The wines mature in casks and barrels in the underground cellar. The wine is bottled unfiltered at the Domaine. Their belief and motto is: “work in the vineyards has far more influence on a wine's quality than what we do in the Cellar”.

D’Auphilac red was crafted from grapes for this wine come from 13.5 hectares of vineyards planted on terraces at an altitude of 100 metres in the area known as "Aupilhac", overlooked by the Castellas, ruins of an XI century hilltop castle which is the emblem of Montpeyroux. The vineyards are planted with Mourvédre (3.5ha), Carignan (4.3ha), Syrah (2.2ha), Grenache (2.5ha) and Cinsault (0.8ha).




2008 Domaine d'Aupilhac Red "Lou Maset" VDP Languedoc France
Suggested retail price $13.99
Imported by Kermit Lynch and distributed by Winebow in NYC

In the old Occitan language “Lenga Oc” ("Oc tongue" or "Language from Oc" or even "Langue d'Oc" in French), which eventually gave its name "Languedoc" to this vast region bordering the Mediterranean Sea in the south of France where this language was spoken for centuries by the locals, “Lou Maset” roughly signify “Le petit Mas”(or "small Mas" in English), the “Mas” being the traditional name of the old countryside houses scattered in the landscape of Languedoc and Provence.

Made with 40% Grenache, 40% Cinsault, 10% Carignan, 5% Syrah, and 5% Alicante Boucher, from vines planted on arid stony limestone where Grenache and Cinsault thrive, D’Aupilahc Red “Lou Maset” wine was fermented in traditional vats for 10-15 days, then aged for 6 months in cask. It was bottled without filtration.

Montpeyroux usually offers powerful, full-bodied yet balanced and structured wines with ripe fruit and earthy, Terroir oriented attitude, and the 2008 Domaine d’Auphilac "Lou Maset" red is no exception to the rule. Beside its dark, intense ruby color, the nose is fresh, earthy and warm at the same time, with ripe dark fruit mixed with floral and Garrigue scents. The palate is full, generous, with a lot of ripe, dark berry fruit and earthy Terroir components enhanced by a great acidity that makes this wine quite juicy and also an integrated tannic structure nicely framing all the layers and nuances. The finish is dry and slightly tight yet will settle down rapidly with a decantation and a bit of substantial food like grilled red meat, roasted leg of lamb, Cassoulet prepared in goose grease from castelnaudary or even Saucisses Lentils also prepared in goose or duck fat from Toulouse.

Enjoy!

LeDom du Vin

Info partly taken and edited from the winery website at www.aupilhac.net

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2007 Domaine Le Pas de l'Escalette "Les Clapas" Rouge Coteaux du Languedoc France

Domaine Le Pas de L’Escalette

Le Pas de l’Escalette is a young Domaine owned by Julien Zernotte & Delphine Rousseau. It is located near Poujols, a little village situated northwest of Montpellier and south of the National Park of the Cévennes (Hérault).



In 2002, while searching for some new Terroir(s) to establish a vineyard, Julien and Delphine passed by Pégairolles-de-L’Escalette, a little “Hameau” (hamlet) nestled in the gentle rolling hills of the “Pas de L’Escalette”, on the emblematic path between the south of the Larzac plateau and the Mediterranean sea. They fall in love with the area and its magical feel, and despite the stony, hot and arid land, they took the challenge of creating a Domaine.

Julien, with his degrees in viticulture and oenology (as well as a track record of producing outstanding wines in the Loire appellation of Menetou-Salon), and his wife Delphine, have built the domaine from small parcels of old-vine Grenache, Carignan, Syrah, and old plantings of Alicante, Aramon, Carignan Blanc, and Terret Bourret.

Their Domaine is growing. They recently bought some vines in the "Vallée de Lauroux" (somewhere west between Pégairolles et Poujols, not too far from the Domaine), planted with 15 years old Grenache Noir, some old Cinsault, two parcels of Syrah, some olive trees and a nice "Mazet" (name for a small country house).



Surrounded by small dry limestone-calcareous stone walls called “Clapas”, the 10 hectares of vineyards are planted in terraces carved into the rocky soil of steep limestone hillsides, located at 350 meters above sea level in the southern foothills of the Larzac plateau. On the calcareous stone heaps of the plateau, they work the soils in the most natural way possible, with Organic leaning towards Biodynamic methods and immense respect for the environment, and more especially for the diverse indigenous wild herbs, flowers and garrigues.

If we divided their entire vineyard in two, half of the parcels are east facing so enjoy the rising sun, the rest face west benefiting from the setting sun. Complementing the ideal exposure of the vines, the stony soils provide complexity and depth, but also contribute to the richly ripe fruit by redistributing the heat of the day during the night, and help to restrain yields, resulting in wonderful concentration of flavors.

The grapes are hand harvested and transported to the winery in small plastic baskets to be more easily hand sorted and destemmed. Fermentation take place in tronconic shaped oak vat (in a truncated cone shape). The wines are then aged partly in oak barrels and partly in bigger oak vats. Unless the vintage requires it, Malolactic fermentation isn't always done to keep the maximum of freshness.

They are just about to finish their new cellar where the 2009 vintage will be the first vintage to be vinified and aged.

Their philosophy: The exposure of the vineyards on terraces, the altitude, the depth of the clay-calcareous soil, the traditional grape varieties used and the temperate climate, represent the perfect factors and conditions to produce great wines.

They produce 5 wines:

• “Le Grand Pas” is their main wine and the primary reason for this adventure. It is a beautiful, rich and age worthy red wine blending harmoniously the silkiness and richness of the Grenache with the freshness of the Carignan and the finesse of the Syrah.

• “Ze Rozé” is self explanatory: made from old Syrah and Cinsault, it is a fresh and simple rosé for everyday drinking under the shadow of a fig tree or an oak tree during a picnic, as an aperitif or even with a light summer meal with salad, fish, chicken and cheese.

• “Les Clapas” Blanc, an unusual blend of two forgotten grape varieties: Carignan Blanc & Terret Bourret (one of Languedoc’s oldest grape varieties, also known as Terrain and Terret Gris), delivering great freshness and complexity due to the age of the vines and their location. Goat cheese is a “must have” with it.

• “Le Premier Pas” is a “blink of an eye” to the first step of their son, Jules. It is an easy going, friendly and versatile red to drink for any occasion. It is a blend of all the grape varieties from the Domaine, and its vitality makes it the perfect everyday wine.

And of course, our wine of today: “Les Clapas” Rouge




2007 Domaine le Pas de L’escalette “Les Clapas” Rouge
Coteaux du Languedoc France
Suggested retail price $20-$24
Importer / Distributor Sussex wine Merchants / Petit Pois

In short for the vinification process: the hand harvested grapes were totally de-stemmed and de-stalked. Then macerated in vats for 30 days. The alcoholic fermentation occured in 50 hl oak casks with natural yeasts. Regular draining and circulation of lees. Malolactic fermentation occurred in wood and the wine was then aged for ten months half in oak vats and half in oak conical casks.

The old Carignan vines (in Gobelet training system: meaning roughly untouched and unpruned, it looks like a a small round vine bush just a few inches of the ground cover with small stones) are the soul of this wine, they bring the earthiness and the freshness. The opulence and richness come from the Grenache. The old Cinsault and the Syrah respectively bring the aromas of flowers and wild red and dark berry fruit. Overall, the Meridional profile of this wine accentuates the characteristics of these Languedoc grape varieties.

A blend of 35% Grenache, 35% Carignan, 20% Syrah and 10% Cinsault, the resulting wine is quite amazingly attractive: balanced, focus, earthy, medium bodied yet complex, dense without being heavy and well structured by present yet integrated tannins. The robe is dark ruby red yet of medium intensity. The nose is quite expressive, clean and floral with bright red and dark berry aromas intermingled with earth, mineral and spice. The palate follows the same path with the same type of flavors in a complex, expanding, bright, vibrant and focus way, leading toward the lingering finish. Still a bit young with great ageing potential, we didn't decant it but opened it at least 30-45 minutes before drinking it. What a lovely wine!

As I always say when I buy a wine: “A good wine always calls for another glass!”, well this wine has my approbation to be on the shelf of the store. No problem. I instantly loved it when I first tried it. Last Sunday, I brought it for the Lunch at a friend’s place and it showed beautifully. We enjoyed it with “Carré d’Agneau à la Provençale et Purée de Pomme de Terre a l’Ancienne” (baked Rack of Lamb with onion, shallots and herbs in olive oil and served with traditional buttered mashed potatoes). It was a great combination of flavors.

Enjoy!

LeDom du Vin

Pictures taken from and Info mostly translated from the winery website at www.pasdelescalette.com , where you will also find great pictures of Pas de L’Escalette hills, vineyards and surroundings.

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2007 Domaine des Terres Falmet Cinsault Vin de Pays d'Oc Languedoc France

Domaine des Terres Falmet Cinsault Vin de Pays d'Oc Languedoc France

I do not know why I never wrote a post about this wine before, because it has always been one of my favorites on the shelves. I discovered it a few years ago when the importer, Patrick Allen and his wife Connie (founders of United Estates Wine Imports), came at the store where I used to work and introduced me to this incredible gems. I fell in love with it for 2 reasons:

• 1st: because I though that it was a lovely red wine, quite juicy, with good acidity, a touch rustic with some tannins toward the end, but overall really enjoyable and definitely food friendly, and more especially not overripe or overdone like some Languedoc wines can be (sometimes).

• 2nd: because, this nice wine is made with 100% Cinsault which is definitely not a common thing to see or taste, and I was really intrigued and surprised to find such a rare and distinctive wine that good at this price (under $15).

Cinsault (also spelled Cinsaut) is a red grape variety, whose heat tolerance and productivity make it very important in the Languedoc-Roussillon region, where it excels when blended with Grenache and Carignan, but also in Algeria, Morocco, Lebanon, South Africa and California.

As part of a classic Languedoc-Roussillon blend, Cinsault brings juiciness, brightness, structure and tannins while Grenache bears most of the fruit, softness, opulence and the aromatics, and Carignan complements the texture, the roundness and also some of the features through out the flavors in the palate.

Although, it is said that Cinsault originated from the Hérault district, near Beziers, in the Saint-Chinian region to be more precise, it may have been imported a long time ago from the middle-east, where it is still widely cultivated. As an example, Cinsault has always been one of the main components in the blend of Château Musar (see my previous post on Château Musar).

Cinsault has many synonyms, one of them (and probably the most confusing) is called "Oeillade" and is sold as a table grape, although it is different from the ancient and "true" Oeillade which is no longer cultivated.

In South Africa, it was known and bred as "Hermitage", hence the name of its famous cross created in 1925: South Africa's pride "Pinotage", a cross between Pinot Noir and Hermitage (Cinsault). After Languedoc-Roussillon, South Africa is somewhat the 2nd house of Cinsault.

Until about 5 or 10 years ago, Cinsault bottled on its own was nearly unseen and for most producers quite unthinkable. However, better technology and multiple experiences but also soil studies and partly global warming (I obviously mean: increase of temperature and longer ripening season), combined with skilled winemaking techniques, allow us to find more interesting wines made from grape varieties that were only believed to be small part of a blend or even sometimes nearly instinct. And trust me, this kind of wine really triggers my attention and interest.

In the store, I proudly bought quite a few wines made with grapes that were nearly instinct or only part of a blend before, here is a few very interesting examples that you should taste:

• Domaine de Monpertuis Counoise Vin de Pays du Gard: I also fell in love with this wine a few years ago when I first tasted it with my rep from Rosenthal. Roughly, about 15 to 20 years ago, Counoise was one of the 13 authorized grape varieties used in the blend of red Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Slowly, it was less and less used and was nearly instinct for lack of interest from most southern Rhône producers.... Most, except a few, like Domaine de Monpertuis (and a few more) who decided to revive it, replant it and bottle it on its own. They did the right things. Since then, Monpertuis Counoise has been one of my flagship wine in the store (for this one again, I do not know why I never wrote a post about it, may be because I always talk about it, at least 1 or twice a day, and I suggest it so much that I though that I already wrote something about it.....anyhow...)
  

• CVNE Contino Graciano and Santiago Ijalba Graciano: two great, earthy red wines made with this red grape variety called Graciano that has always been blended with Tempranillo in the Rioja region predominantly. Here again, due to daring and talented winemakers who believed in the Graciano grape, but also due to the cited above reasons, we can now find Graciano bottled on its own (see my previous post on Contino where I described in further details my experience with the wines of Contino and my meeting with the master winemaker behind them: Jesus Madrazo).

Cinsault is now a part of the list of these ancient grape varieties that were put aside for a while and nearly forgotten for some, which are now experiencing a renaissance and expressing the true characteristics and unique flavors of their Terroir of origin.

2007 Domaine des Terres Falmet Cinsault Vin de Pays d'Oc Languedoc France

Suggested retail price $10-$13

Imported by United Estates Wine Imports and Distributed David Bowler in NYC

Domaine des Terres Falmet was established in 1996, in the little village of Cebazan, located southeast of Saint-Chinian (north of Narbonne and west of Beziers). The Domaine encompasses 25 hectares of contiguous vineyard plots planted on hillside with excellent sun exposure.

The young and talented Yves Falmet, owner and winemaker, produces this well crafted Cinsault from vines that are more than 50 years old planted on very rocky, clay-limestone soil, so the resulting wine combines, character, length and depth with juicy fruit, mineral and good tannic structure. Moreover, with no filtration or no fining, this wine didn't lose any of its personality or varietal character.

I loved the previous vintage, and think the 2007 Terres Falmet Cinsault follows the same profile, attitude and charm. The robe is clean, bright ruby red with light intensity. The nose is quite expressive and inviting, Garrigues-like with freshly crushed wild red and dark berries aromas, touch floral, earthy and mineral. Overall light to medium bodied, the palate is quite lush with darker berries flavors than the nose, like blackberry, ripe dark cherry and blueberry, nicely lifted by a great acidity which adds balance, freshness and juiciness, especially in the mid-palate. Calling for another glass, the lingering finish is dry and earthy, a touch spicy, with present yet integrated, soft tannins.

Food friendly and an easy drinking, this intriguing and attractive little wine offers a complexity not often found in wines in this category. Pair it with grilled lamb Chops and veggetable Mediterranean dish like Ratatouille. You can serve it both room temperature or even slightly chilled, it has been flying off the shelves this summer.

Due to the consistency and harmony of the last two vintages, Domaine des Terres Falmet and Yves Falmet deserve that interested amateurs and connoisseurs keep an open eye on this estate and its wines. Yves also produces an other beautiful wine produced in AOC Saint-Chinian, called: "L'Ivresse des Cîmes" (which could be translated by the "Dizziness of the Summits", just the name speaks for itself).

Enjoy!

LeDom du Vin

You can also find more info about this wine on the importer website at www.unitedestateswines.com

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