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Spotlight on Languedoc-Roussillon: La Peira Deusyls 2005

January 10, 2011 By Shea 2 Comments

In my last write up of La Peira I intimated that this winery was one of the stars of the Languedoc, but deferred my reasons for saying so. No longer. It is this wine, which is perhaps the best white I’ve had from the Languedoc and one of the most interesting I’ve had out of France, that convinced me of La Peira’s star status.

The Deusyls is made in a manner that sees some semi-oxidation that produces something unlike most anything else I’ve tasted. According to the winery, the oxidation occurs naturally in the fermentation process and is simply a by-product of grapes that easily oxidize (the wine is made from 65% Viognier and 35% Roussanne). However, it could also be due to the Sauternes-like fermentation methods used by La Peira wine maker Jeremie Depierre. The level of oxidation will vary from year to year and in some years may not be detectable. It will also likely vary with age. I simply do not have enough vintages to do a true comparison – but something fascinatingly compelling is going on here.

This is stunning wine. The nose has extremely intense aromas of honey and figs that suggest an intensity and richness almost as strong as Pedro Ximenez sherry. The palate, however, flips your expectations upside down being both extremely dry and semi-oxidized but also rich, structured and long. Honey and nuts predominate the palate, but there are also a bevy of indescribable flavours that make this extremely interesting. This is far more balanced than any other oxidized white I’ve tasted, including the wines of Jacques Puffeney from the Jura. Despite the level of intrigue, the wine is eminently quaffable and I highly recommend drinking it with Charcuterie.

A sine qua non wine for wine geeks and adventurous wine lovers. La Peira produced only about 80 cases of this wine. We are lucky to have a few in Vancouver.

Excellent to Excellent+
$50 at Marquis Wine Cellars

Filed Under: $40-$60, Excellent, French Wine, Languedoc-Roussillon, Rousanne, Viognier

Spotlight on Languedoc-Roussillon: La Peira “Las Flors” 2005 Coteaux du Languedoc

January 3, 2011 By Shea Leave a Comment

Robert Parker is famous for turning back-water wineries into international superstars overnight, regardless of pedigree or old-school reputation. All that is needed are three simple digits. This has understandably made wine lovers wary of critical proselytizing and euphoria about the next great producer that you’ve never heard of.

But proper critical appraisal also requires an open mind to the contrary – massive scores for little known wineries should not in themselves negatively dictate a wine lover’s assessment of quality. While a pretence to objectivity has never sat well in my mind’s critical eye, an attempt at neutrality and open mindedness is surely essential.

La Peira seems to be one of the newest superstar winery discoveries for critics ranging from Robert Parker to Gary Veynerchuck to Andrew Jefford and Jancis Robinson. These critics have been raving about the outstanding quality from this new estate in the Coteaux du Languedoc’s “Terrasses du Larzac” climatic sub-region. Is all this hype substantiated? After a careful and open minded tasting of three of La Peira’s wines, I have to concur with the talking heads and recommend these wines as some of the best from the Languedoc.

The Winery

Begun in 2004, La Peira is the joint effort of winemaker Jérémie Depierre (a young vigneron who spent time at Château Margaux and Château Guiraud), Karine Ahton (a lawyer from the Languedoc), and Rob Dougan (a writer/composer of music). This is a quality first operation: low yields, hand picking, meticulous attention to detail in the vineyard and in the cellar. La Peira does not rack, does not fine or filter and thus they rely on meticulous work in the vineyard to ensure fruit of impeccable quality. La Peira does not use chemicals in the vineyard and in fact works the soil by hand rather than by machine.

The limestone and gravel soils date from the Late Jurassic period and are home to 10-40 year old vines planted of the varieties Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Viognier, Roussanne, Cinsault, and Carignan.

The Terrasses du Larzac

The Terrasses du Larzac, a relatively new sub-regional “climat” in the Coteaux du Languedoc, also sits at one of the highest elevations in the entire region. Wines from the Terrasses are known to be both intense and wild.

These are the most northerly vineyards in Languedoc-Roussillon and sit well back from the sea, thus limiting the temperature moderating effects of the Mediterranean. Thus, summers are longer and warmer than average and winters can be quite cold here. The average rainfall is a fair amount higher than the rest of the Languedoc.

Andrew Jefford has called the Terrasses du Larzac the potentially greatest region in the entire Languedoc-Roussillon. Big words.

The Wine

There was a fair amount of oak on the nose, but still it smells fresh with its plummy notes and baking spices. Once again, the wine is fairly oaky on the palate, but is also very well balanced for this style.

Right now, it seems that the oak is a little too pronounced, but this is smooth and long in the mouth and has tremendous potential. As for flavour, baking spices, plums, and toast intermingle quite deliciously. The 14.5% alcohol is well integrated, but does give the wine a fair amount of weight, which is quite impressive considering the freshness.

Thus far, the wine has yet to come into its own and needs more time in the bottle to develop structure and nuance. I do, however, think it has quite a bit of potential. This is not to say that I am not excited about La Peira, I am. But it was another of their wines – to come – that really opened my eyes. The Las Flors is a blend of Grenache, Mourvedre and Syrah.

Very Good+
$50 at Marquis

Filed Under: $40-$60, French Wine, Grenache, Languedoc-Roussillon, Mourvedre, Syrah, Very Good

Spotlight on Languedoc-Roussillon: Chateau de la Negly “La Falaise” Coteaux du Languedoc La Clape 2006

December 19, 2010 By Shea Leave a Comment

As I finally move into the Languedoc I am happy to begin with Chateau Negly, perhaps the most well recognized and important producers in the Languedoc. But Negly’s importance comes less with its family traditions and more with its recognition by American media, which has helped to put both the winery and the region on the map. While Negly’s top cuvees are often criticized as behemoth over-extracted wines, this mid-range wine from the estate seems unrelated to such criticism.

The Terroirs of the Coteaux du Languedoc

While the Coteaux du Languedoc is the most diverse AOC in the region, the La Clape sub-region is a perfect place to start as it was the most important vineyard in the Languedoc in the Roman period. The Romans saved the wines made in La Clape to be shipped back to Rome (always a sign of the higher quality). Interestingly, La Clape used to be an island until the sea receded and connected it with the mainland. This separation still exists, however, with its unique micro-climate, which is one of the driest in the Coteaux du Languedoc. Today La Clape is at a higher elevation than the plains on which most vines are grown and it is the sea-mists that keep the moisture in the air in this region and the craggly outcrops of rock interspersed with garrigue and vines that give it its unique visual character. As is consistent in the region, the higher elevation helps to brings the wines made in La Clape greater complexity.

The Coteaux du Languedoc AOC has been divided to reflect the uniqueness of place, whether this be “terroir” in the soil and site sense or climate. La Clape is one of the 8 “Climats” of the region because of the unique lack of rainfall that I discussed above. There are also 9 “terroirs” in the AOC. It is understandable how all of this can become very confusing, which may prompt some to concentrate on finding good producers rather than buying by sub-region. However, there is also some interest in exploring the diversity that is available in the Coteaux du Languedoc, which as a microcosm reflects the diversity of wines available in the Languedoc-Roussillon.

Negly’s Winemaking

The “Cuvée de la Falaise” is Negly’s mid level cuvee and is produced from a 15 hectare portion of Negly’s 40 hectare vineyard. La Falaise means “Cliff” in French and the vineyard is a literal stones-throw from the Mediterranean. Everything is hand harvested and sees a week long cold soak and a 45 day macerated fermentation. Aged 12 months in half new and half 300 litre oak barrels.

Modern Wine with a Sense of Place

The nose suggests smoked meat and spices and is quite expressive and evocative. There is a briney quality to the wine, which contrasts nicely with its svelte texture. I find La Falaise to be very well balanced and very long. In fact, I think this quality level of wine would cost $70-80 if from the Northern Rhone.

Like many wines from Languedoc-Roussillon this marries elegance with great depth of flavour. I also appreciate that the fruit is very cool toned, which allows all the other amazing characteristics to come through – I would imagine this has a reasonable amount of Syrah and maybe some Mourvedre as well. With air, I noted Grenache characteristics coming through with sweeter cherry fruit. After checking online, I found out this wine is 55% Grenache and 45% Syrah, which is quite fascinating as I think the Grenache elements are subdued at this stage in the wine’s development.

Amazingly this wine is 15% ABV but it is so balanced it tastes more like 14%, which is a remarkable achievement in itself. This wonderful wine again proves the Languedoc marries elegance and power and can make world class wines for entirely reasonable prices.

Excellent
$43 at Marquis (Also, recently this was on an amazing special marked down from $25 to $10 at K&L in San Francisco)

Filed Under: $40-$60, Excellent, French Wine, Grenache, Languedoc-Roussillon, Syrah

Spotlight on Languedoc-Roussillon: Domaine Canet-Valette Saint-Chinian “Maghani” 2004

December 2, 2010 By Shea Leave a Comment

Today’s wine is an altogether different creature than the Minervois I looked at a few days ago. It is also a great showcase for different trends in the modern leaders of Languedoc-Roussillon. On the one hand there are those contemporary wine makers who go for elegance, finesse and a more transparent sense of terroir. On the other hand, there are those who push for power, opulence and concentration. Two things I find common between both groups in the region are cleanliness and expressivity.

Monastic Origins

Saint-Chinian began as the labour of a monk named Anian and his bretheren who first saw the potential for agriculture in the region. Amongst other things, Anian helped to plant the first vines in the 9th century – meaning that St. Chinian is one of the older planted regions in the south of France. Anian was eventually canonized into a saint. Time and linguistic changes transformed Saint Anian (pronounced Sainch Anian in old French) into Saint Chinian.

Saint-Chinian’s Terroir

The terroirs of Saint-Chinian divide into two main categories: (1) schist and (2) chalk subsoils left by a prehistoric receding sea. Stylistically, this has tended to produce both a rounder and more elegance style and a harder, intensely fruity style. Wild orange trees and strawberry trees cover the region. The region is north of Minervois and just south of Faugeres.

Full Throttle Wine with Balance

Marc Valette, winemaker for Domaine Canet-Valette is a full-throttle wine maker. He explicitly goes for the highest alcohol possible in his wines, which fortunately for us, is only around 14-15%. While high, this is nowhere near as high as the most extreme North American examples.

This is a full-throttle wine, make no mistake. However, it retains an eminent drinkability and focus that eludes most North American attempts at this style of wine. When you drink it you will find leather, herbs, garrigue, meat, licorice and plum on the nose, which reminded me somewhat of the southern Rhone (this too is a blend of Grenache and Syrah), but with more elegance. Those same flavours persist on the palate, which is heavily tannic but also both supple and bold, with a good core of acidity – and, therefore, balance. A masterful use of barrel aging – and a very good price for the level this wine is at. This is a wine that will benefit from age but drinks well now with the right food.

Very Good+ to Excellent
$50 at Marquis

Filed Under: $40-$60, French Wine, Grenache, Languedoc-Roussillon, Syrah, Very Good

Spotlight on Languedoc-Roussillon: Vignoble de Loup Blanc “La Mere Grand” 2004 Minervois

November 28, 2010 By Shea 2 Comments

Minervois is one of the best known regions in all of the Languedoc-Roussillon, and still most people have never heard of it. Sitting about 50 miles north of Roussillon, the appellation, despite its relatively small size, has a varied range of soils and climates, from pebbles and sandstone to schist, chalk and white marble. Wind is important here, and its direction can determine the success of a particular vintage (rain vs. cool and dry). Thus, it can be hard to pin down a single style that is common to the entire region.

Increasing Quality and New Ventures

Despite the variation, one commonality is that the best wines manage to provide elegance and lightness that is uncommon in the southern parts of Languedoc-Roussillon. Allowed yields have declined twice since the 80’s and quality has increased accordingly. Vignoble de Loup Blanc is a relatively new winery, started about a decade ago by a Frenchman and a Quebecois sommelier.

Several grape varieties are grown in Minervois, but this cuvee from Le Loup Blanc combines 60% Grenache with 15% Carignan and 25% Syrah. The vines range from 20-100 years, with the Carignan vines being most likely the oldest as is common in the region. It also has a 15-20 day fermentation and 20 months elevage in oak.

Brooding Flavours in an Elegant Package

This is outstanding wine for the price and offers great elegance and acidic lift compared to many wines from Southern France. Fresh, and very clean this wine also has a pert texture and wonderful aromatics of herbs, sweet plumy fruit and tremendous minerality. The palate is dry, however, and the fruit is properly balanced with the secondary characteristics so that nothing seems over ripe or over the top. Balance, poise, and power – a great combination, particularly at this price point.

Very Good+ to Excellent
$30 at Marquis

Filed Under: $20-$30, Carignan, French Wine, Grenache, Languedoc-Roussillon, Syrah, Very Good

Spotlight on Languedoc-Roussillon: Domaine Gauby Vieille Vignes Blanc 2005

November 21, 2010 By Shea Leave a Comment

Gauby’s old-vine white is an intriguing blend of white Carignan, Grenache Blanc, Grenache Gris, Chardonnay and Macabau. Gauby grows this mix of Spanish and French grapes with fervent non-interventionist methods and a strict no-chemical regime. The vineyards are populated with weeds and other plants that compete with the vines for nutrients. This reduces yields, forces the vines to push deeper for water and increases the quality of the fruit.

Gerard Gauby is also a strong believer in minimal use of “make-up” for his wines. For example, he prefers fermenting in cement as opposed to wood and using spontaneous fermentation with no intervention in the process of the indigenous yeast. The results are consistently outstanding.

The Wine

This is a fascinating wine, beginning with petrol, green apple, lemon and minerals on the nose and expanding to green apple, kiwi, lime, lemon and mineral on the palate. Very zesty and fresh, this also has a fat mid-palate and a density that does not generally come from this grape blend. The wine is remarkably unlike any other French white wine and is a great testament to Gauby’s outstanding terroir. A clean and well delineated wine that is also rich and full. Perhaps somewhat expensive, but also unique and delivering a sense of place.

Very Good+
$50 at Kitsilano Wine Cellars

Filed Under: $40-$60, Carignan Blanc, Chardonnay, French Wine, Grenache Blanc, Grenache Gris, Languedoc-Roussillon, Macabau, Very Good

Spotlight on Languedoc-Roussillon: Domaine Gauby ‘Muntada’ Cotes du Roussillon Villages 2004

November 9, 2010 By Shea Leave a Comment

Gauby may be the leading producer not only in Roussillon but in the entire Languedoc-Rousillon region. The domaine is fully biodynamic, but more importantly Gauby is fanatical about hard pruning, green harvesting, low-yields and hand sorting. These sorts of practices tend to produce good wine. Gauby, however, makes great wine.

Hot Climate Finesse

These are also wines dripping tremendously with the trappings of terroir – which is not surprising given the limestone, schist, and sandstone soils. They taste nothing like we have come to expect from hot climate wines, particularly the reds. This wine, the Muntada, is made almost entirely from Syrah but you would never know it and would never place it amongst any other warm climate syrah.

Instead, the Muntada has an utterly compelling nose of violets, anise, herbs, red cherry and raspberry that broods as much as it expresses. This is a wine that tastes of stones and minerals but somehow makes them as delicious as a fresh orchard fruit. Light and long, the flavours yet remain intense and the 12.5% alcohol ensures an excellent accompaniment to many foods despite the intensity.

Old Vines, New Vines

The non-syrah Mourvedre and Carignan vines average 110 years of age in this blend and show how old vines and low yields can produce tremendous depth of flavour without requiring extreme ripeness. On the other hand, that Gauby is not only open to using syrah, but fully embraces it in his top wine shows that one can both honour terroir and be open-minded to the new.

Not only is this wine is of the same quality and finesse as a great Premier Cru Burgundy at a much better price, but it is also a personal favourite.

Excellent+
$78 at Kitsilano Wine Cellars

Filed Under: $60+, Carignan, Excellent, French Wine, Languedoc-Roussillon, Mourvedre, Syrah

Spotlight on Languedoc-Roussillon: Clot de L’Oum La Compagnie des Papillons 2005

November 7, 2010 By Shea 3 Comments

If Roussillon is sometimes known for overtly heady, viscous wines, then the Clot de L’oum would speak of a different place. This is a wine that conspires to offer the drinker more than what they bargained for with 60-year old vines, organic viticulture and solid terroir.

Biodiversity in Roussillon

Situated on the Maury river in Roussillon, Clot de L’Oum is a winery that loves what it does and where it does it (if you read French, check out their fantastic blog). Not only do these guys love what they do, but they actually went about revitalizing the land on which they grow their grapes. Ten years ago, the only visible organisms on the land were two worms every 2 hectares. After moving the domaine to biodynamic principles and stopping all the pesticide and herbicide use in the vineyard, so much life returned to the vineyard that they named their red wine after the butterflies who came back after a decade away.

Of course, it’s important to keep all this in perspective – the agricultural idyll is far fetched on a global scale. However, important lessons remain. Certain methods can bring life back to a place and restore biodiversity. Small, dedicated producers who sell to a wealthy clientele are particularly well suited to this paradigm. That said, these wines are not priced in the stratosphere like many of their prestige counterparts (at least not yet), and are thereby offering outstanding value for the quality of what’s in the bottle.

Will this trend to comparatively moderately priced wines made with methods that respect biodiversity remain sustainable as critics like James Suckling from the Wine Spectator start to get interested in biodynamics and ‘natural’ producers? Practically speaking, will these wines ever be accessible to the average person? These are tough questions.

A Wine of Weight and Clarity

That said, this is an excellent and brooding wine with black cherry and licorice aromatics and cherry and licorice richness married to a herbal and stoney secondary backbone on the palate. This has very nice balance, is a clean and expressive wine and is big and full flavoured without being heavy – perhaps something to do with the 60+ year old vines grown on gneiss and schist soils. A blend of Carignan and Grenache, with a touch of Syrah.

Very Good to Very Good+
~$35 at Kitsilano Wine Cellar and occasionally on the list at L’Abattoir

Filed Under: $30-$40, Carignan, French Wine, Grenache, Languedoc-Roussillon, Very Good

Spotlight on Languedoc-Roussillon: Clos des Fees Grenache Blanc Vieilles Vignes 2004

November 2, 2010 By Shea Leave a Comment

White wines in Languedoc-Roussilllon are little known and little produced. Despite this, several producers are making truly outstanding whites at very reasonable prices – whites with personality, expressivity and a great ability to pair with food.

Old Vines and Varied Soils

Clos des Fees’ white wine is comprised of 90% of 100 year old Grenache vines blended with Grenache gris and Maccabeau. The Grenache blanc is fermented in steel and the gris in oak. The wine is fermented sur lees for 8 months, which adds richness to the wine.

The site and soils of Clos des Fees – and Roussillon generally – are particularly interesting. Calcareous and limestone soils in one vineyard, red clay alluvial soils in another, gneiss, schist, vast changes in ripening curves based on altitudes – these are all parts of the dramatic shifts of landscape in the region. In fact Roussillon has the greatest variation of soil types in all of France other than Alsace.

Wine for Country Fare

There is a little reduction or oxidation on the nose – but otherwise the wine offers nuts and bitter flowers. This aromatic oddity turns into quite an impressive wine on the palate: very rich fruit – pear, guava, prunes, raisins and grapes. This is a unique off-dry style with outstanding length and very good balance. With medium acidity, this wine is well suited to French country fair like terrines and rustic cheese. This is a distinct expression of Grenache Blanc that is more interesting than most (more expensive) examples you find in the more famous Southern Rhone.

Very Good+ to Excellent
$44 at Marquis

Filed Under: $40-$60, French Wine, Grenache Blanc, Languedoc-Roussillon, Very Good

Spotlight on Languedoc-Roussillon: Clos Des Fees Vieilles Vignes Cotes du Rousillon Village 2003 and 2004

October 31, 2010 By Shea 2 Comments

The Languedoc-Roussillon has been getting attention as a good value region for a few years now. Despite this attention, the wines remain relatively unknown and, accordingly, often retain very good value. This spotlight will take a look at what I think are some of the best producers in the region and will examine the past, present and future of wines in this southernmost of France’s wine growing locales.

From Co-ops to Independent Producers

The history of Languedoc-Rousillon has been tumultuous. Ups and downs of under and over production – collapsed wine prices – strikes and even riots (with military sent in) – in classically French manner some of the soldiers mutineed to join the French Wine growers – their superior refused to discipline them. That’s wine in France I suppose. This solidarity helped lead to the development of cooperatives in Languedoc, which acted as beacons for mutual support in the industry.

Over time the wine industry in Langedoc-Roussillon has moved from cooperatives to farmer-producers. The increasing technical education and expertise of the younger wine makers and junior members of wine-making families has spurred a drive towards quality control and a desire to find and express terroir.

While some good cooperatives do exist, in this spotlight I will be concentrating on the independent grower-winemakers who are shaking things up in the region and pushing for ever greater quality.

Internationalism in Roussillon

Languedoc-Roussillon is the largest vineyard region in all of France. It has, accordingly, become known as France’s wine lake, with huge amounts of wine produced there going unsold. Quality used to be low, but is now improving and many producers are looking to augment the traditional grape varieties with international varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. These producers are challenging the AOC system, which restricts which grapes may be grown in a given region.

Certainly the climate in Languedoc-Roussillon is suited to growing most of the international varities reasonably well. But I question why this is necessary. Certainly the appeal to larger markets is appealing to those making wine in France’s “wine lake”, but in my mind the best road towards market penetration is to produce something both high quality and unique, something nowhere else can produce. At least for the smaller producers, terroir is the vehicle for branding and marketing that will ultimately prove more sustainable than any attempt to obliterate it and grow international varieties.

The wines in this profile tend to use the ‘traditional’ grapes of the region (which ironically are mostly old imports from Spain and the Rhone): Syrah, Mourvedre, Grenache, Carignan and Cinsault for reds and Viognier, Marsanne, Roussanne, Grenache Blanc, Chenin, Colombard and Semillon for whites.

That said, sometimes the AOC designations can get in the way of including some of the more interesting indigenous grapes in the region and so some very cool wines can be found under the Vins de pays qualification rather than just the AOCs.

The Terroir of Cotes du Roussillon Villages

The reputation of Mediterranean heat holds true in Roussillon, which is the hottest, and southernmost, region of Languedoc-Roussillon. Windy and parched, Roussillon tends to produce grapes high in sugar and deep in colour, and one might expect all the wines of the region to be blockbuster in style. The best, producers, however have managed to produce a surprisingly wide variety of styles, showing the talent present in Roussillon today.

The traditional style of wine made here was sweet – and, these wines still comprise almost 1/3 of the region’s production. Recently, however, the AOC dry wines have been grabbing notice around the world, despite their mere 22% share of sales in Roussillon. Only 7% of that is white, the majority (80%) being dry red wine.

The Wine

Clos des Fees is a newcomer in Roussillon, founded by Herve Bizeul, a former sommelier, restaurateur and journalist. Most of the vines here are 60+ years old, are planted on chalk soils and at an altitude of 2150 feet.

This winery is a true “garage” operation, without industrial processes or a fancy winery. Bizeul makes the wine in a small unassuming building and relies instead on hand picking and careful selection.

The Vieilles Vignes is made from the oldest vines and is aged in oak for 18 months, where it also sees malolactic fermention.

The 2003 Vieilles Vignes Rouge presented licorice, roots, black cherry and spices on the nose. The palate repeats the aromatics and is quite balanced for such a hot vintage. The tannins are supple – the wine of medium length and very well made. I must say that I do not necessarily detect a unique sense of terroir in this wine, which seems to go more for the prestige quality rather than simple sense of place.

I would score it Very Good+.
$45 at Marquis

The 2004 had very similar aromatics – licorice, dark cherry, plum, fig and some balsamic. It is, overall, a more balanced wine though it retains the same level of richness and extract. It does have a savory quality an d a bed of dried herbs on which lay the ripe black cherry, plum and fig fruits.

This is a great wine for those who love size and power but hate too much sweetness, lack of balance or jammy fruit.

Excellent
$45 at Marquis

Filed Under: Languedoc-Roussillon