February VIP Wine Club Six Pack: Languedoc-Roussillon!
Bonjour Wine Clubbers,
It's time to slap on your silly fake mustache, tilt that goofy beret to the side, and brush up on your outrageous French accent, because for this month's Wine Club Six Pack we are heading to the South of France and examining six awesome wines from Languedoc-Roussillon!
While some of you may be familiar with the region, some of you might also be asking, "What'd you call me?" Well, believe it or not, in terms of volume and economic significance, Languedoc-Roussillon one of the most important regions for French winemaking. Here in the US, regions like Bordeaux, Burgundy, Rhône Valley, and Loire Valley garner much more attention from casual sippers and perennial collectors alike. However, Languedoc wines are gaining steam in the market and it's about time that we took notice. Without further ado, let's head to France's southern most appellation in search for something new and exciting from my favorite wine-growing country.
The name Languedoc comes from a time which its inhabitants spoke Occitan, the language in which oc is the word for 'yes,' hence the name langue d'oc. Situated along the Mediterranean coastline in the south of France, Languedoc is comprised by three départements, Aude, Hérault, and Gard--names you won't hear often but are at least worth noting. In 1985, Corbières, Minervois and the all-encompassing Coteaux du Languedoc were elevated from VDQS to AC status, making Fitou no longer Languedoc's only 'AOC' (a government-controlled appellation like Gigondas, Vouvray, etc.). Since it's so integral to understanding the significance of Languedoc in French winemaking, here's a quick refresher on the government-regulated appellation system in France (that has been imitated throughout the world):
In the 1930s, in response to a debilitating economic recession, and influx in hybrid grape production and an overall surplus of grapes, the French government created the INAO (Institut National des Appellations d'Origine). The INAO would be a government-santioned body to control and regulate geographical appellations and production limitations in an effort to not only protect them from imitation but increase each region's legitimacy by identifiying unique regions with distinctive qualities. Established were the following categories (starting with the least prestigious): Vin de Table, Vin de Pays, VDQS (Vin Délimité de Qualité Supérieure), and AOC (Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée). AOC wines (or AC wines) are the most distinguished and now also constitute over 50% of all French wines. Wines from an AC zone must label the wine as such and cannot use varietals on the bottle. AC zones are limited as to what varietals they can grow and how much the vineyards can yield. Beneath AC is VDQS, a designation you'll rarely see as it constitutes less than 1% of all French wines. When petitioning for AC status, growers from a region will usually find themselves in VDQS, a designation just above Vin de Pays. Vin de Pays, or "country wine," constitutes a little less than half of French wines, but is a prolific designation. Vin de Pays wines can provide some great values. Some producers will actually opt to use a Vin de Pays designation, as they can print the varieties used directly on the bottle and increase their accessibility to consumers outside of France. Vin de Pays wines aren't regulated like AC wines regarding yields and varietal composition, but is clearly an echelon above the lowest designation, Vin de Table. Vin de Table, literally "table wine" are usually mass-produced grapes sold to producers of fortified wines and brandy. I'm not sure there's even a Vin de Table we can procure from any of our distributors. I probably wouldn't subject my worst enemy to a bottle of "vin de table." Blech.
Okay, cripes, I'll stop with the history lesson (it was justified, I promise). Since 1979, when the INAO officially formalized the Vin de Pays designation, over 140 different vin de pays have been created, all with some regional identity. To qualify as vin de pays, a wine must not be blended, must be produced in limited quantities, must reach a certain alcohol strength, and must be submitted to a tasting panel. By the turn of the century, about 30% of wine in France was sold as a vin de pays. Of the 5 overarching vin de pays categories, the most important by far is Vin de Pays d'Oc (Languedoc). In fact, Languedoc is responsible for producing over 60% of France's Vin de Pays wines. Ultimately, if you're a fan of French wines, you've probably tried wines from Languedoc without even realizing it. The Roussillon component, if you're wondering, refers to the area just south of Languedoc. Technically, Roussillon is its own appellation, but for administrative purposes, Languedoc-Roussillon is used to describe wines from the area. The Chardonnay we're featuring, from Vin de Pays des Côtes Catalanes, is in fact from Roussillon, not Languedoc. Languedoc has come a long way from producing nearly 45% of French wines at the end of the 19th century to now, when its acreage accounts for 25% of the country's vines. But Languedoc is still producing some of the best values France has to offer, so let's get to the goodies, for the love of all that is holy!
6 Wines from Languedoc-Roussillon!
Mas Belles Eaux 'Les Coteaux' 2006
$17.69 - February Wine Club Price (NFD, Reg. $20.99)
Coteaux du Languedoc | 70% Syrah, 20% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre As I mentioned above, Coteaux du Languedoc is quite an extensive region that includes many other appellations (like Picpoul de Pinet and Pic-St-Loup, for example). Mas Belles Eaux 'Les Coteaux' falls in that category. Comprised mostly of Syrah, its stuffing is very similar to a Northern Rhône wine, but doesn't come with the crazy pricetag. I'll let the press on this wine speak for itself:
- This elegant, refined red from the south of France is filled with vibrant flavors of red berry, plum, sweet cherry and spice. Well-structured, with lots of bright raspberry and light cream notes on the finish. Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre." 91 Points Wine Spectator
- “Vibrant and juicy with red cherry and blueberry playing well alongside notes of thyme and soft pepper spice. Medium weight in the mouth with soft grain tannins, solid acidity, and a finish that leaves a delicious raspberry syrup flavor lingering until the next sip.” 90 Points Wine Enthusiast
- "This blend of 70 percent syrah with grenache and mourvèdre is chewy with savory fruit, laden with rocky minerality, almost steak-like in its meaty flavor. Give it some air to bring up the pretty red raspberry center, and serve it with lamb chops." 90 Points Wine & Spirits Magazine
- "Utilizing the new "Languedoc" appellation, Mas Belles Eaux’s 2006 Languedoc mingles Syrah with 20% Grenache and 10% Mourvedre, aged in various ages of barrique. This offers a lovely though restrained nose of sandalwood, cassis, black raspberry, smoked meats, and herbal scrub. In the mouth, the black fruits offer a deep but not at all superficially sweet richness, with palate-staining resinous herbal, subtly bitter fruit skin, saline, and positively stony notes that carry into a long finish. This is a serious – some might even say "somber" – wine, and I expect it will perform well and evolve interestingly over at least the next 3-4 years. 90 Points Wine Advocate
'Nuff said.
Domaine de Fontsainte 'Reservé les Demoiselles' Corbières 2007
$13.59 - February Wine Club Price (NFD, Reg. $15.99)
Corbières | 60% Carignane, 30% Grenache Noir, 10% Mourvèdre Corbières, one of the most exciting regions in Languedoc (in my opinion), was one of the first ACs established in the Languedoc in 1985. Domaine de Fontsainte's 'Demoiselles' Corbières is farmed sustainably from vines planted in 1904 from a small, clay-and-limestone-ridden, 15-acre vineyard. Dominantly Carignane, like many wines in Languedoc, this wine is savory, rich, full-bodied, with notes of garrigue, raspberry jam, pepper, and nutmeg that manages to maintain a semblance of elegance despite its underlying power and depth. Between the insanely controlled yields, the incredibly old vines and the hand-harvested treatment, this a great introduction to Corbière--and an absolute steal at $13.59.
Ermitage du Pic Saint Loup 'Tour de Pierres' Rouge 2008
$12.69 - February Wine Club Price (NFD, Reg. $14.99)
Pic Saint Loup | 50% Syrah, 40% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre Like Corbières, Pic-St-Loup represents a significant winegrowing region in Languedoc. Pic-St-Loup, a subappellation--or cru --of Coteaux du Languedoc, is less dependent on Carignane than its counterparts. More than 50% of its vines are used to produce Vin de Pays wines, as the AOC Pic-St-Loup requires 90% of the cuvée be comprised of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre. Ermitage du Pic Saint Loup is one of the prominant winemakers in the region and this 'Tour de Pierres' is an excellent example of what Pic-St-Loup has to offer. Made 100% organically and biodynamically, Tour de Pierres is a blend of Syrah, Grenache, and Mourvèdre, similar to that of a Cotes du Rhône. Like the Fontsainte family that produces the Corbières above, Ermitage du Pic Saint Loup's focus is on letting the vineyard itself make its impression on the wine without interfering in the cellar. Subtle notes of cocoa powder and chocolate are evident on the nose, and are echoed on a palate brimming with ripe berries and plums. A tasty treat if I do say so myself.
Je t'aime Brut Rosé NV
$12.69 - February Wine Club Price (NFD, Reg. $14.99)
Crémant de Limoux | 90% Chardonnay, 10% Pinot Noir This sparkling wine couldn't fit better into this month's Six Pack. Not only does it demonstrate a great value in French sparkling wine and give me an opportunity to discuss the significance of Languedoc's Limoux, but it fits the bill for Valentine's Day consumption. Crémant is the term used by French producers for sparkling wines made in the traditional method (in-bottle fermentation) outside of Champagne. As many of you know, for a bottle to be labeled Champagne, it must be made in Champagne. Currently, Limoux specializes in sparkling wines made by Chardonnay, Mauzac, and Pinot Noir. Je t'aime ("I love you" in French) is a elegant little sparkler that is insanely approachable an exhibits many qualities you've come to love from Champagne. It's soft, fruity, and elegant with tiny bubbles that dance on your tongue. This sells online for $20. We have it at $12.69 all month!
Domaine Lafage 'Novellum' Chardonnay 2010
$9.99 - February Wine Club Price (NFD, Reg. $11.99)
Vin de Pays des Côtes Catalanes | 100% Chardonnay Jean Marc Lafage custom-makes this Chardonnay for Eric Solomon, one of the most preeminent importers of Spanish and French wines to the US. Produced in the Vin de Pays region of Côtes Catalanes in Roussillon (one of the southern-most regions in all of France for winemaking). This might be my favorite Chardonnay in our store at the $12 range. A few things make this Chardonnay stand out. Firstly, only 30% of the wine is aged in oak, allowing the Chardonnay grape to really express its tropical fruit quality. Secondly, the entire cuvée is aged on viognier lees (sediment, dead yeast cells, etc.). Lees aging is used to impart a creaminess without the use of overly-toasted oak. The result is a Chardonnay that demonstrates a profoundly rich mouthfeel without the heft or intrusiveness of wood.
From Robert Parker: "89 points. Nearly over-ripe apple and musk melon on the nose and a generously juicy, succulently sappy, lees-enriched, creamy yet somehow at the same time tart-edged palate are tinged with brown spices and hazelnut. The combination here of creaminess with refreshment and levity illustrates a virtue more usually associated with Pinot Blanc. This will prove delightfully versatile over the next 12-18 months."
At $9.99, this is far and away my favorite Chardonnay in the store.
Cave de Pomerol Picpoul de Pinet 2010
$8.49 - February Wine Club Price (NFD, Reg. $9.99)
Picpoul de Pinet, Coteaux du Languedoc | 100% Picpoul It wouldn't be right for me to feature Languedoc and not include my favorite value white in the store--Caves de Pomerol Picpoul de Pinet. Formerly known as 'Hugues Beaulieu', this dry, crisp, minerally white redefines versatility in ten dollar whites. Without overcomplicating this wine, Picpoul is the grape, and Picpoul de Pinet is the region (which is a cru of Coteaux du Languedoc).
From Robert Parker: "87 points. [This is a] super, crisp, unoaked, fruit-driven wine... what is often called the Muscadet of Southern France, the 2010 Picpoul de Pinet. This is a co-op, but a high quality one, and this fresh wine is almost the vinous equivalent of gin and tonic. It has notes of lime skin intermixed with other fresh citrus in a lively, fresh, very light-bodied, naked form. Drink it over the next year, preferably with shellfish."
Considering this isn't an overly complicated wine, it doesn't deserve an overly qualitative description. Just appreciate it for what it is--a delicious, easy-drinking, lime-and-mineral-infused white that's good for sipping and GREAT with shellfish.
I'm really excited about the Six Pack this month, as I think there are some amazing wines at amazing prices. If any of you have questions about any of these wines, don't hesitate to contact me and we'll talk wines. Afterall, that's why I'm here. I hope everyone has enjoyed this unseasonably warm winter so far (knock on wood) and hope you enjoy these wines as much as I do.
All prices are marked down 15% or more for the VIP Wine Club. Feel free to respond by e-mail with your order and we will be happy to pull it for you.
Prices are good thru the entire month of February.
Saluté!
Mike Hathaway
mikeh@corkandbarrel.biz
