BIN ENDS WINE TASTING GROUP
“The Wines of the Languedoc”
Tuesday, 27th October 2009
At St. Augustine’s Church Hall

In terms of volume, the Languedoc is the largest wine-producing region in France, if not the world. It accounts for around 40% of total French production, and that’s around two and a half times more than the whole of Australia each year.

The Languedoc-Roussillon region covers an enormous swathe of Southern France, from the Pyrenees to the west and the mouth of the Rhone to the east. It’s hemmed in to the north by the Massif Central and the Mediterranean Sea to the south.

A region so vast is bound to have an enormous diversity, but it’s unified by one significant feature, the Mediterranean climate. It enjoys hot summers and mild, wet winters, ideal conditions for what is principally a red-wine region.

A large part is devoted to Vins de Pays, more specifically, d’Oc, which is generally marketed in varietal form. The more interesting wines, though, are from the AOCs, generally referred to as “terroir” wines and, more often than not, blended.

Here, the noble varieties are Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre, with the less fashionable Carignan and Cinsault used as supplements. Cinsault, these days, is largely confined to Rose, but old-vine Carignan in the right hands can perform an interesting role, by maintaining acidity and reducing the alcohol level in the blends, as it’s more difficult to ripen.

The paradox is that, although the Languedoc has been producing wine for the last 2000 years, there is little history of fine wine. Until the very recent past, it’s always been made and sold in bulk, and probably attained its heyday in the 19th century, with the coming of the railways, providing wines to the masses in the industrialising north of France.

Over the last 30 years, quality has shot up, with improved technology, in particular temperature controlled fermentation, and the use of barrels to age the better wines. As recently as the mid-1980s, the various zones within the region were conferred AOC status and there is still a continued drive to improve at all levels of quality, as France faces a competition onslaught from the New World.

The focus of tonight’s tasting was to take a look primarily at reds from a number of different AOCs, at the basic level, and then move up the quality-ladder to see what the extra spend level achieves. We also looked at a different cross-section of vintages to determine whether or not the wines would improve with age.

The wines were primarily sourced from the Wine Society, who are well represented in this region.

The Tasting

1. Chateau Ste Eulalie Rose 2008 Minervois (£5.95 Wine Society)
Minerally, fresh and with plenty of bite, this had good strawberry fruit character. Somehow, though, this was not a night for Rose, and it came across as a bit insipid. (CHP 14+, Bin Ends 0 votes)

2. Domaine Raynier 2008 St. Chinian (£4.95 The Wine Society)
An entry-level wine made using maceration carbonique to emphasise the fruit. It was juicy, fresh, with red fruits and a touch of liquorice. Soft and quaffable.
(CHP 15, Bin Ends 1 vote)

3. Domaine de Limbardie 2007 VdP Cessenon (£5.95 Wine Society)
This was principally a Syrah blend made near Beziers, from a well-regarded winemaker. On the nose it was unpleasant, smelling of sulphur and rubber, but on the palate it was lush, with mouthfilling silky soft black fruits. (CHP 15, Bin Ends 0 votes)

4. Chateau de Pena “Case de Pena” 2007 Cotes de Roussillon-Village
(Wine Society £5.95)
A good example of a co-operative wine, again from the excellent 2007 vintage. I found this laden with violets and rose-petals, supported with cassis. Again, soft, rich and mouthfilling, and good value. (CHP 15+ Bin Ends 4 votes)

5. Le Syrah de Villerambert-Julien 2006 Minervois (c£6.95 CHP stock)
100% Syrah, much more in the style of a Northern Rhone, e.g. Crozes-Hermitage. Unoaked. Fresh, black fruits, liquorice and spice. Still a little tannic, but elegant structure, with a sprinkling of dark chocolate on the finish. (CHP 16+, Bin Ends 7 votes).

6. Chateau de la Grange 2004 Fitou (£6.95 Wine Society)
A mature example, this had aged well with a nice vibrant structure, although some of the primary fruits had faded. There were notes of garrigue (wild herbs), linctus and spice. Still fresh, well-balanced and with good length. (CHP 16+, Bin Ends 2 votes).

7. Chateau Rouquette sur Mer 2007 La Clape (£8.50 Wine Society)
A bit cheesy and sulphury, but good colour and built to last. Meaty, firm and vibrant, with powerful tannins, developing black fruits and liquorice, and a good finish.
(CHP 17, Bin Ends 1 vote).

8. Grand Cuvee Castelmaure 2005 Corbieres (£10.95 Wine Society)
Fresh black cherry with earthy tannins, developing a soft smooth velvety textured finish. (CHP 18, Bin Ends 8 votes).

9. Clos l’Escandil 2003 Minervois La Liviniere (c£15 CHP stock)
Big and beefy, with black cherry, liquorice and dark chocolate flavours, but just a tad astringent. Drying out? (CHP 17, Bin Ends 8 votes).

10. Chateau des Estanilles 2001 Faugeres (£16 Wine Society)
Another strapping wine in a similar style, with black cherry, spice and a touch of astringency. Rich and mouthfilling, the alcohol was beginning to show through, and further let down by a rubbery note and a distinctive whiff of elastoplast. (CHP 16+, Bin Ends 12 votes).

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If there was one lesson to be learned from this tasting, it’s that you get what you pay for and the three most expensive wines were the most popular by far. Nevertheless, there was value to be found at a more basic level, particularly with the Chateau Pena and the Villerambert-Julien Syrah.

In terms of evolution, the basic wines are lighter and fresher, and they deliver more red fruits. Further up the chain, oak is introduced for a more complex and rounded product and, from my own point of view, the best value to be found is between £8 and £12.

Above this level, the wines do become more concentrated, with more black-cherry flavours, but I am concerned at the high level of alcohol that’s consistently being achieved. From my own view point, too much alcohol simply unbalances the wine, nevertheless, price aside, these were the wines that the group preferred.

COMING UP .....

Tuesday, 24th November 2009
A Claret Tasting -
Comparing the Right and Left Banks,
Bordeaux Superieur to Cru Classé, St. Julien
£15 per head entry

Tuesday, 15th December 2009
French Dessert Wines
Looking at the contrasting styles of sweet wines,
Matched with blue cheese and mince pies
£15.00 per head entry

Friday, 29th January 2010
Bin Ends Annual Dinner
At Opus Restaurant,
Birmingham City Centre
Tickets available from Derek & Barbara Lamb.
Contact them on: deklamb@lineone.net, or
barlamb@lineone.net
Places are limited, so book early to avoid disappointment
£50 per head - includes three-course meal, 5 wines
and all service charges

Please note my website link:
www.clives-wines.com