Wine Focus for October: SW France and Provence!

I'm not often a fan of Syrah from more southerly vineyards but here's one that showed very well. Maybe the Mouvèdre and vineyard altitude helped. I am looking for information on the latter.

2012 Cave de Roquebrun Saint-Chinian Roquebrun Grand Canal - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Saint-Chinian Roquebrun (10/23/2014)
This Saint-Chinian, a Syrah 55%, Grenache, Mourvèdre blend, from a co-operative at a low price (€7) was surprisingly delicious. Colour was a deep purple tinged near black. The nose was marked by blackberry and blueberry notes common in warm climate Syrah but also by metallic and meaty touches more common in the North. The medium/full bodied palate was bursting with brambly fruit but of a more savoury than sweet character on a velvety texture with lively acidity and decent length supported by ripe tannins. The whole carried effortlessly 14% alcohol and 12 months ageing in oak barrels, of which I was hardly conscious until I read the back label. Very good right now and spectacular QPR!!.

Posted from CellarTracker

PS - Roquebrun is situated between 200 and 350 metres (c 650 - 1150 feet). This should have some cooling effect and I know from experience that corner of France often gets strong north and north westerly winds.

2011 Mas de Gourgonnier Les Baux-de-Provence - France, Provence, Les Baux-de-Provence (10/24/2014)
Nice blend of Grenache, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Carignan. This wine reminds me of the Hochar Père et Fils wine by Chateau Musar. Medium bodied and rustic with bright red fruits and a hint of barnyard and spice. Very food friendly. 12.5% abv.

Posted from CellarTracker

Also tasted the 2012 of this wine the yesterday, and found the Cabernet to be more forward, with a bit more dark fruit and bell pepper aromas.

[Robin Garr]

Domaine Laroque 2013 Cabernet Franc Cité de Carcassonne ($10.99)

A 100 percent varietal Cabernet Franc, this flavorful red is dark garnet in color with a clear, transparent edge, very youthful to the eye. Its attractive aroma, red fruit and white pepper, shows kinship to Loire Cabernet Franc, but the effects of its region's warmer climate shows in a balance that tilts toward the fruit, with white pepper and stony minerality more restrained. Good acidic structure and soft but perceptible tannins also suggest a few years cellaring potential. Very good wine and a very good value. U.S. importer: Aquitaine Wine LLC, Berkeley, Calif.; a Jean-Christophe Calvet Selection. (Oct. 22, 2014)

FOOD MATCH: A red-meat companion by nature, it would go well with steaks, roasts or even burgers; it was fine, too, with an old-fashioned bowl of beef stew.

WHEN TO DRINK: It's certainly enjoyable now, but its clear edge and bluish-red color show its youth and suggest that a few years at cool cellar temperature might yield an even more complex and interesting wine.

VALUE: My local $11 retail price is right on the $11 U.S. median reported at Wine-Searcher.com.
http://www.wine-searcher.com/find/Laroq ... g_site=WLP
At this price it's an impressive bargain; if you're convenient to one of the shops offering it for less than $10, consider renting a truck.

WEB LINK:
There's abundant information about this wine and vintage on this detailed English-language PDF fact sheet from the producer.
http://www.aquitainewine.com/FichTech/D ... 202013.pdf

FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
Locate vendors and compare prices for Domaine Laroque Cité de Carcassonne on Wine-Searcher.com.
http://www.wine-searcher.com/find/Laroq ... g_site=WLP

For more information about the Carcassonne region, check this link to Wine-Searcher.com, where you'll also find links to 65 wines of the region from retail wine shops who offer them online.
http://www.wine-searcher.com/regions-ig ... g_site=WLP

Domaine Laroque 2013 Cabernet Franc Cité de Carcassonne ($10.99)

A 100 percent varietal Cabernet Franc, this flavorful red is dark garnet in color with a clear, transparent edge, very youthful to the eye. Its attractive aroma, red fruit and white pepper, shows kinship to Loire Cabernet Franc, but the effects of its region's warmer climate shows in a balance that tilts toward the fruit, with white pepper and stony minerality more restrained. Good acidic structure and soft but perceptible tannins also suggest a few years cellaring potential. Very good wine and a very good value. U.S. importer: Aquitaine Wine LLC, Berkeley, Calif.; a Jean-Christophe Calvet Selection. (Oct. 22, 2014)

Robin, you have chosen a very interesting one there. Wine and climate-wise the Carcassonne area is a bridge between Languedoc and the South-West, although it is usually classified as Languedoc for wine and is definitely in Languedoc-Roussillon administratively (Aude département). The principal nearby appellation, Cabardès, is a blend of Atlantic grapes (CabSauv, Merlot, Malbec) and Mediterranean grapes (Syrah, Grenache) and tastes like it with a mixture of Atlantic brightness and structure with Med warmth and generosity. Another nearby appellation, Malepère, requires 50% Merlot in the blend; I have never tasted any so I can't comment on how it performs.

Here is another Picpoul de Pinet from our expanded area. The guys in the UK have talked a lot about the apparent popularity of P de P, but have also mentioned overcropping. Not the case with mine .

WTN: 2013 Domaine de Belle Mare Coteaux du Languedoc Picpoul-de-Pinet.

12.5% alc, $19 Cdn, good natural cork, serve well chilled, purchased for this Focus. www.belle-mare.com

The color is a medium straw, no green. Very inviting nose that was still good on day 2.....floral, grass, acid, chalky.
Initial entry thought was dry-ish, good length, ample fruit, mineral tones abound. Served blind would fool a few I think. Apple, crisp, good finish.not bitter. "Think there is some salt here" from across the table, imo very much textbook Picpoul. I served with pork medaillons, carrots and bok choy but not a good match. Seafood dish would have gone down well.

2013 Maxime Magnon Corbières Rozeta - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Corbières (10/31/2014)
A true field blend of Carignan, Grenache, Syrah, Grenache Gris, Macabou, Terret. Full bodied and very grapey, with spice on the finish. Pleasant wine, but a bit pricey. Retails at about $28-30.

Posted from CellarTracker

Worth seeking out is the Vin de Pays de la Vallée du Paradis Rouge “La Démarrante” by Maxime Magnon. It is a blend of Carignan and Cinsault and a better QPR than the Rozeta.

To mark the end of the month, I opened one which is genuinely from the South-West .

Cahors La Chapelle du Clos 2011 - Triguedina, Jean-Luc Baldès - Alc.13.5 - (€9), made from Malbec 80% and Merlot 20%.

Colour was almost black with purple at the rim. Nose was well developed with damson type fruit, wet leather, metal and mineral touches. The palate was full/medium bodied and round with plenty of fruit and tar as well as the aromas from the nose and had a firm finish with strong but non-aggressive tannins. The back label claims that this wine has been made in such a way as to give suppleness, which will make it approachable young and provide a good initiation to Cahors. I think that they have been successful in this endeavour as the wine has real Cahors character. Good and good QPR.

I was surprised to see such a kind `11 note then saw 20% Merlot

Thought I would mention this article one more time>

http://www.sfgate.com/wine/thirst/artic ... php#page-1

The Mas Granier that I tasted for the October Focus was one of the discoveries of the year.

I was surprised to see such a kind `11 note then saw 20% Merlot

The Merlot certainly made a contribution to the wine's accessibility and was not enough to dumb down the Cahors character at age 3. Maybe a few years along the line, it will become too soft.

I have cross-posted these three Roussillon TNs from the Holiday thread to this dedicated WF so as to attract the attention of those particularly interested in these southern French regions.

2013 Mas Amiel Côtes du Roussillon Villages Pur Schiste - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Roussillon, Côtes du Roussillon Villages (12/8/2014)
This is very similar to the 2011. On the first sip before food, I thought it seemed clumsier but it came rapidly into balance. Colour is deep red and the nose shows dense dark fruit tinged with raspberry and a hint of liquorice. The palate is quite full and dense with lots of dark fruit laced with spice, mineral hints and again a little liquorice and raspberry and has sufficient substance for the high alcohol to remain unobtrusive. Good+. QPR! at €9.

2003 Domaine Gauby Côtes du Roussillon Villages Vieilles Vignes - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Roussillon, Côtes du Roussillon Villages (12/6/2014)
This was my second Roussillon VV in the last week (the other was Clos des Fées). Colour was still quite deep and the nose was lively with notes of red and dark fruit with a touch of varnish, sour cherry and kirsch. The palate was medium/full bodied and the texture was more matt than the Fées. There was good depth of fruit, lively acidity, minerals and a still quite firm backbone towards the finish. Which do I prefer? Hard to say. The Gauby leans more towards a fresh, digestible Atlantic profile (alc.13.5%) and Fées towards the hedonistic and heady Mediterranean (alc.15%). Both very good but my heart goes to Fées.

PS: Varietal composition -
- Grenache noir 25 % Vignes de 55 ans
- Carignan 35 % Vignes de 125 ans
- Mourvèdre 10 % Vignes de 25 ans
- Syrah 30 % Vignes de 20 ans

2005 Domaine du Clos des Fées Côtes du Roussillon Villages Vieilles Vignes - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Roussillon, Côtes du Roussillon Villages (12/2/2014)
I like this wine a lot more than some of the posters here on CT. Colour was a dense carmine red and the nose was discreet but showing beautiful notes of mature dark fruit and roses with a dash of tar. The velvety palate was full/medium bodied with depth and roundness showing the promised rose tinged dark fruit with tar touches confirmed, discreet garrigue and enough acidity for balance leading to a firm liqueur tinged finish where the high alcohol (15%) was unobtrusive. Very good classy Mediterranean wine but the prices for current vintages are quite high for Roussillon (c.€25).

PS: "Assemblage des plus vieilles vignes du domaine (50 à 100 ans) : 50 % Grenache et LLadoner Pelut, 35% Carignan, 15% Syrah."

Posted from CellarTracker

Gauby! Sure rub it in as will never find here .
...and Mas Amiel for 9 euros. What a great life you have over there!

Bob, I should have mentioned in my post that this one with the appellation Côtes du Roussillon Villages is a dry Mas Amiel table wine. The famous fortified sweeties are labelled with the appellation Maury. They along with Rivesaltes and Banyuls are amongst the best wines with or after a chocolate dessert. I tried a sip of this dry one after chocolate and it was better than I expected.

Since Olivier Decelle took over, the estate has gone from strength to strength. He also does a very good job with St.Émilion grand cru Château Jean-Faure.

Decelle being there is news to me so thanks for that. Mas Amiel is quite a rarity, guess not many here have come across it...ooops here come the emails .

Domaine Bru-Bache Jurancon Sec 2010. This is a white wine made from Gros Manseng. I personally really like wines that have a more mineral side. Gros Manseng is certainly off the beaten path. The color is between golden and amber. It smells of apples and melons with definite mineral overtones. It has a nice acid balance and works well with lots of seafood and chicken. This is not your average consumers type of wine as it has no oak and plenty of acid. This is a great educational style wine. If I were teaching a wine appreciation class, this would be on my list.

Just had to go to the archive here as I have just found some 2012 Clos Thou Supreme in the west end. $41 Cdn but think well worth it. Not sure what in-house PO will make of my purchase!

Think Tim might know of this apparent gem?

Domaine Bru-Bache Jurancon Sec 2010. This is a white wine made from Gros Manseng. I personally really like wines that have a more mineral side. Gros Manseng is certainly off the beaten path. The color is between golden and amber. It smells of apples and melons with definite mineral overtones. It has a nice acid balance and works well with lots of seafood and chicken. This is not your average consumers type of wine as it has no oak and plenty of acid. This is a great educational style wine. If I were teaching a wine appreciation class, this would be on my list.

Just had to go to the archive here as I have just found some 2012 Clos Thou Supreme in the west end. $41 Cdn but think well worth it. Not sure what in-house PO will make of my purchase!

Think Tim might know of this apparent gem?

I don't know it, Bob, but this link tells you quite a lot about it http://avis-vin.lefigaro.fr/vins-champa ... /vin-blanc . It's moelleux apparently. $41 Cdn sounds a lot to pay for Jurançon .

Thanks Tim for this, should visit this website more often. You know about prices in Edmonton !
The store where I purchased this wine is a small independent in a rich, plush part of town where folks have way too much cash on hand. A latte next door was over $5.00 .