What sup doc?

The Languedoc has reworked its appellation system. Richard Woodard accompanies a team of sommeliers to France’s biggest wine region to get a flavour of what it all means

There is a delicious irony in the Languedoc’s decision to show off the new, simplified structure of the region’s wine appellations by, er, constructing a special three-tiered pyramid (see over). Only the French…

But let’s just forget the bureaucracy for now and concentrate on what it means for the wine. Better still, let’s accompany four upstanding representatives of the UK on-trade on a three-day tour to discover more: the nooks of terroir and the quality-first producers who should, if the Languedociens have got their sums right, benefit most from the changes sweeping the Midi.

Day one

Boutenac-Corbieres, plus a bit of Corbieres, Limoux & Cabardes

Released from the caring embrace of Ryanair at Carcassonne Airport, we start in the west, at Château Les Ollieux Romanis in Boutenac-Corbières. A new cru since 2005, Boutenac’s trump cards are its south-eastern exposition, elevation and maritime influence (you can sometimes catch a whiff of the Med).

Carignan is king here, with some of the most gnarled examples reaching 100 years old. Still unfairly derided by many, in Boutenac this ugly duckling is transformed, producing distinctively fresh, mineral-tinged wines brimming with ripe fruit and an elusive smokiness. Look out for the 2007 and 2005 vintages in particular.

Ollieux Romanis also has a remarkable, quirky, ink-and-pepper 100% Alicante Bouschet – and some very nice donkeys.

Dinner brings an eclectic line-up, including James Kinglake from Domaine Begude in Limoux. Not everyone around here loves the AOC rulebook, and Kinglake is grumpy about having to harvest by hand, and enforced fermentation in oak. As such, his lean and flinty Sauvignon Blanc is defiantly non-AOC, and all the better for it.

Meanwhile, Rachel Pacquelet flies the flag for Lorgeril, pre-eminent producer in Cabardès. Its unique terrain allows the combination of the best of the Atlantic and Mediterranean grape varieties – Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Grenache and Syrah in varying proportions – creating distinctive, list-friendly bottles such as L’Esprit de Pennautier.

Day two

Minervois La Liviniere, Saint-Chinian & another mixed bag

Even so early in the trip, there’s a theme emerging here: like Boutenac, La Livinière tempers the exuberant fruit of the south with an elevated finesse and minerality which catches our sommeliers by surprise (see tasting, page 82).

Then it’s on to Saint-Chinian and more pleasant surprises. At the Cave de Roquebrun, a gaggle of local producers freely admit that the area was previously associated with heavy wines used to slosh down hearty stews of local wild pig. Not any more – or not in Roquebrun, at any rate.

This emerging AOC cru has a mix of schistous soils (for power and richness) and flint (for elegance and minerality). ‘A lot of young growers are settling in the area – more than in other appellations,’ says Luc Bettoni of Domaine Les Eminades. ‘I like the soil potential and I wanted to make wine with very old varieties – Grenache, Carignan, Cinsault. To me, it’s an authentic attitude.’

The evening finds us high in the hills, at the atmospheric St-Guilhem-le-Désert. Here, three ex-pat Brits treat us to another mélange of regions and styles. There’s Gavin Crisfield of La Sauvageonne, high in the Terrasses du Larzac, producing wildly aromatic wines from a wild area, where zesty minerality is attainable in a Sauvignon Blanc grown in schist at 300m.

Robert Cripps at Domaine du Poujol is close to Pic St-Loup, and strives for fresher, lower-alcohol styles of red. He’s also a fan of Vermentino, but acknowledges that getting Chardonnay-obsessed growers to plant it is still a challenge.

And Robin Williamson’s Domaine de Saumarez, west of Montpellier, offers a food-friendly selection of wines from Jurassic soils, including a broad-shouldered and fresh white that blends Grenache Blanc, Marsanne and Roussanne.

Day three

Cave de Montpeyroux

The airport beckons as our whistle-stop tour draws to a close, but there’s time for one more standout tasting in Montpeyroux, the epicentre of the old Coteaux du Languedoc appellation. In the shady cool of Domaine d’Aupilhac’s HQ, we compare the wines of Aupilhac’s Sylvain Fadat with a redoubtable trio of other locals: Alain Chabanon, Mas de l’Ecriture and the co-op Cave de Montpeyroux.

Here we find echoes of earlier visits, albeit with a fresh twist: the south-east-facing exposition, but with highly diverse soils, from limestone in the higher altitudes, through silt deposits to outcrops of hard blue marl mingling with clay and limestone down below.

Our old friend Carignan re-emerges, despite the zeal of growers in the 1980s to whip it out in favour of Grenache or Syrah. Fadat, for one, had a good reason not to: ‘I had no money, so I couldn’t afford to put in Syrah like everyone said,’ he tells us. ‘Then I discovered that it was good – and it has been good ever since.’

Vermentino too: Chabanon introduced it to his 100% Chenin Blanc vineyard against the advice of, well, everybody really. His faith in its extraordinary acidity – forged in his days making wine on Corsica – has now convinced others of its merits.

And that’s it: back to Stansted.

So what have we learned? That, beyond the appellation politics and the sheer vastness of the Languedoc, there lurk pockets of land capable of producing unexpected results: wines that don’t follow the typical southern herd, but forge their own path, adding food-friendly freshness and minerality to the rich fruit and maturity more readily associated with this part of the world – wherever they might sit on the new AOC pyramid.

The political bit

The goals of the Languedoc’s AOC revamp are simple: raise the profile of the region’s wines; simplify the offer; and make quality more consistent. So, naturally, the authorities have constructed a three-tiered pyramid with more elements than the old AOC structure. Yes, that’s right. To simplify things, they’ve made it more complicated.

But bear with us: the bottom tier, an all-encompassing AOC Languedoc, is far more straightforward. We then move up into the grands terroirs of Languedoc, the sub-regional appellations, including familiar names such as Minervois, plus emerging zones like Terrasses du Larzac.

Finally, at the top are terroir-specific crus such as Corbières-Boutenac, Minervois La Livinière and Saint-Chinian Roquebrun.

Anything to declare, Sir?

So, what goodies were our sommeliers hiding in their hand-luggage as they made their way home?

Viktorija Paplauskiene, sommelier, Club Gascon and Julien Losada, manager, Cellar Gascon

Château Coupe-Roses in Corbières (Terroir Languedoc; 01756 700512). I liked its portfolio. They’re well-made, reasonably priced wines with good terroir expression.

Domaine de Saumarez (Thorman Hunt, 020 7735 6511) was interesting, too. Fruit, good acidity and overall, quite impressive. Could be a lovely aperitif.

Alain Chabanon (Trélans 2004, £15.95; L’Esprit 2003, £16.95, Grand Cru Wines, 0871 474 0635). All his wines were outstanding. Trélans 2004 could be nice with scallops, while L’Esprit de Font Caude 2003 would go perfectly with lamb.

David Kubler, sommelier, The Fat Duck

Domaine Les Eminades Cuvée Sortilege 2004 (£11.57, Maison Aubert, 020 7374 6033): Intense scrub aromas such as thyme and rosemary, with smoky and toasty hints, an elegant palate, and gorgeous tannins.

Domaine du Poujol, Podio Alto 2005 (2004: £7.93, Liberty Wines, 020 7720 5350): Oaky nose with cedar and leather aromas. Rich, powerful, with a massive palate and solid tannins.

Mas de l’Ecriture, L’Ecriture 2001 (£29.95, Bennetts Fine Wines, 01386 840392): Fresh nose with verbena and sandalwood. Square and balanced, good freshness and velvet tannins.

Chris Cooper, head wine waiter, St Alban

Les Hauts de la Borie Blanche 2003 (£11.79, Le Bon Vin, 0114 256 0090): I liked its bold coffee-and-spice nose. The fruit continues through to the finish.

Les Hauts de Borie Blanche 2000 (2003; £7.95, Ellis of Richmond, 020 8744 5550) was another highlight. It has a firmer nose, but is restrained, with well-balanced acidity.

Château de Gourgazaud Réserve 1998 (2004: £9.99, The General Wine Company, 01428 722201) for its bold, animal spiciness. As good as it gets!

The Tasting

What does Minervois mean to you? For many, it will at best be the source of easy-drinking, good-value wines best positioned in the lower ranks of a list. Undemanding by-the-glass fodder? You bet.

But Minervois La Livinière sets out to overturn those preconceptions. First recognised as an AOC in 1997, this quality enclave counts a number of factors that distinguish it from the surrounding hinterland. These include, in no particular order, tighter yields, less Carignan, greater elevation, south-facing vineyards and relatively consistent soils.

The latter is maybe the number one factor in delivering the keynote La Livinière style: deposits of shale, limestone, marble and flint create unexpected levels of minerality and freshness. Certainly more than enough to create a favourable impression with our sommelier tasting panel…

The panel

Chris Cooper, head wine waiter, St Alban Viktorija Paplauskiene, sommelier, Club Gascon David Kubler, sommelier, The Fat Duck Richard Woodard, Imbibe wine news editor and freelance drinks writer Julien Losada, manager, Cellar Gascon

SCORING SYSTEM

Although scored out of 20, the sommeliers were using a pure 100-point scale, with marks below 50 quite possible. The Imbibe system is thus not like a Parker/Wine Spectator scoring system, but more like a school exam grading scheme, where all marks above 50 are creditable.

90-100 astounding 80-89 excellent

70-79 very good

60-69 good

50-59 acceptable

The wines

81 Château de Gourgazaud Réserve 1998

First half of a pair of older vintages showcasing the potential of these wines, this won universal approval for its excellent balance, acidity and longevity. Age has softened all the hard edges and given this an appealing aromatic character.

‘Animal and leather nose, with rich, bitter tannins. Hearty, with excellent length.’ DK

‘Lifted, smoke-scented aromas. Fruit still going strong alongside a fresher mineral character. Fine and restrained.’ RW

‘This has a firmer nose, but is quite restrained. An enjoyable glass with very well-balanced acidity.’ CC

£8.75 (2004 and 2005 vintages), The General Wine Company, 01428 722201

76 Clos Centeilles 1997

As the oldest wine here, this drew the most raised eyebrows among the tasters – simply because of its evolved complexity, combined with some residual vivacity and punch.

‘Showing its age in colour and on the nose, but clean with very good palate
and freshness. Good tannins, too.’ JL

‘This has flavours of cedar, the garrigue and spicy notes. Bitter tannins and very good balance.’ DK

£11.35 (2000 vintage), Terroir Languedoc, 01756 700512

75 Les Hauts de la Borie Blanche 2003

The tasters were a tad nervous on approaching the 2003s – how would such a warm region cope with that summer’s heatwave? But they needn’t have worried in this case: it’s a silky wine with plenty of freshness.

‘Big intensity on the nose – complexity? Fresh and clean on the mouth, with good tannins. A surprise for this vintage.’ JL

‘Leather and herbal notes. This has good acidity and nicely balanced tannins. Very pleasant and still lots of fruit.’ VP

£7.95, Ellis of Richmond, 020 8744 5550

74 Château Faîteau 2004

Admired for its full, rounded character and evolved complexity.

‘Quite animal on the nose, with mushrooms and black pepper. Good balance: long and clean, full-bodied and with rounded tannins.’ DK

‘Sweeter and more perfumed than some, this has a funky, meaty texture to it.’ CC

£5.45 (2001 vintage), Eton Vintners, 01753 790197

74 Château Faîteau 2000

Has the farmyard character of the newer vintage, but with a bit more development.

‘Smoked-ham nose – good, truffly evolution and quite earthy. Still some freshness and restraint here, but with fine complexity and a long finish.’ RW

‘Savoury, ripe fruit with a hint of something herbal. Nice and elegant with a very good finish.’ VP

£5.45 (2001 vintage), Eton Vintners, 01753 790197

73 Domus Maximus 2005

‘The nose is spicy and a little herby. On the palate, it’s got a bitter chicory taste, but is round, rich and powerful.’ DK

‘This is much more in your face with its fuller acidity and bolder, tannic finish.’ CC

£12.40, Fields, Morris and Verdin, 020 7819 0360

71 Domaine La Rouviole 2005

‘Very well balanced, with some noticeable richness on the finish. This hasn’t let the dryness run riot.’ CC

‘Ruby coloured and a little alcoholic on the nose, this is really clean in the mouth, although the tannins are a little too strong – or too long.’ JL

£13.38, Hallgarten, 01582 722538

70 Clos Centeilles 2003

‘A toasty nose, then red fruit and herbs, with medium-plus tannins. The palate has hints of liquorice – good.’ VP

‘Some floral notes on the nose, but the fruit comes through and the power builds on the palate. Well-integrated tannins and some minerality on the finish.’ RW

£11.35 (2000 vintage), Terroir Languedoc, 01756 700512

69 Domaine La Rouviole 2002

‘This has a savoury, elegant nose. Medium-bodied, round with nice tannins. Rich and long.’ DK

‘Smooth, milk-chocolate nose. Slightly peppery with a very elegant finish.’ CC

‘The nose has clean, confit fruits, with the fruit still there through the palate. Medium to long finish – good.’ VP

£13.38 (2005 vintage), Hallgarten, 01582 722538

69 Tenement des Garouilhas 2005

‘Toast and bubblegum on the nose. Slight cherry flavour on the palate, but the tannins are a surprise after the nose.’ VP

‘Brighter, fresher fruits and a rounded, spicy finish.’ CC

‘Big, blueberry fruit and some oak. Big style, but a little too much extraction.’ RW

Not available in the UK

68 Les Hauts de la Borie Blanche 2000

‘Discreet nose with well-balanced thyme aromas. Fruity on the palate – generally good, but the tannins are just a bit long.’ JL

‘Notes of cedar and tobacco at first. Slightly bitter, but also rich. Rather well-balanced with good tannins.’ DK

£7.95 (2003 vintage), Ellis of Richmond, 020 8744 5550

64 L’Ostal Cazes 2005

‘Noticeable red fruit character, particularly strawberry. Balanced and quite nice, but a bit too short.’ DK

‘Bolder, balanced dryness. This is aggressive, but not too overpowering.’ CC

£8.10, Halifax Wine Co, 01422 256333

63 Château Sainte-Eulalie La Cantilène 2003

‘So balanced – and such a nice, fresh finish.’ CC

‘The nose is clean and typical. The palate is clean too, with a combination of flowers and fruit. Tannins OK.’ JL

Not available in the UK

63 L’Oustal Blanc 2002

‘This has generous richness and a velvety softness. It’s slightly meaty, but not so as you’d notice.’ CC

‘Warm and rich – a little high in alcohol. Very oaky, with long, smooth tannins.’ DK

£12.95 (2004 vintage), Genesis Wines, 020 7963 9062

63 Château Sainte-Eulalie La Cantilène 2005

‘Smoky black cherry fruit, decent concentration and big mineral character, with a smoked-meat character on the finish.’ RW

‘Very unusual on the nose, quite acidic and slightly spicy, with a peppery character on the palate.’ VP

Not available in the UK

58 Château Laville Bertrou 2005

‘The nose is oaky – toasty and with some vanilla. It’s got balance and is rich, fruity and quite long.’ DK

‘Dominant cassis and coffee notes. This has a mix of soft acidity and dryness.’ CC

Available via retail at Nicolas, RRP £9.95

56 Cuvée St Abdon 2003

‘An elegant, feminine wine, with a discreet nose and some warmth to its fruit.’ JL

‘Slightly subdued nose, then good acidity, but fruit slightly lacking in concentration. Not bad, but finishes slightly tired.’ RW

£10.50, Bella Wines, 01638 604899

55 Château de Gourgazaud Réserve 2005

‘Elegant spiciness, but not too much length. Showing OK.’ CC

‘Nose is oaky, cedar, herby, animal. Round tannins, good balance of alcohol and acidity. A bit short on the finish.’ DK

£8.75, The General Wine Company, 01428 722201

55 L’Ostal Cazes 2004

‘It’s got an elegant, meaty spiciness, but this is a bit flat on the finish.’ CC

‘Good nose, full-bodied and really fruity in the mouth. Good tannins, too.’ JL

£8.10, Halifax Wine Co, 01422 256333

53 Domaine des Garennes 2005

‘Fresh fruit character – spicy edge and integrated oak. Decent tannins, pleasant, but slightly short.’ RW

‘Nice, aromatic nose. Slightly toasty, with liquorice and red fruit. In general not bad, but a little too tannic for me.’ VP

Available via retail at Marks & Spencer, RRP £9.99

48 L’Oustal Blanc 2005

‘Cheesy nose – in a good way. Balanced and well made, but a bit “funny”.’ CC

‘Short at the beginning, heavy in the middle, but a nice finish. Very bitter tannins.’ DK

£12.95 (2004 vintage), Genesis Wines, 020 7963 9062

Conclusions

Chris Cooper: ‘It’s really interesting to see how these wines can last, how old they can go. As soon as we moved into something old, that was when the tasting really started. A lot of the wines became much more interesting and more quirky. You often see Minervois as an entry-level selection on a wine list, but it shouldn’t be like that – there’s so much variety in soils and vintages.’

David Kubler: ‘I was thinking that between the vintages there would be great variation, but you didn’t have very bad and very, very top – they are all very regular. The more you go into the past, the better they are. It’s not a wine to drink very young – depending on the vintage, you can keep them five years.’

Julien Losada: ‘I was expecting Minervois with a lot of fruit, medium- to full-bodied, simple, but quite good. But I found really elegant wines, a lot of aromas, a lot of floral character and tannins, good complexity – I was a bit surprised. The 2005s were all quite good, but there was nothing quite special.’

Viktorija Paplauskiene: ‘I’m not very familiar with the wine. I did discover quite a few things and I wasn’t expecting it to be as elegant as it was. My theory was that they would be more full-bodied and riper, but I was surprised by the elegance and finesse that I found.’

Richard Woodard: ‘It’s interesting that the 2005s didn’t receiver higher marks. I think that illustrates that these are wines that need a few years in bottle before they reach their peak of complexity and character. What surprised me most – and it was a very pleasant surprise – was the level of freshness and restraint in the wines.’

And with food?

Chris Cooper: ‘Something quite rustic. Some of the older styles were quite delicate and more powerful foods might overpower them. They might work with pork belly, cutting through the fattiness and greasiness of the food.’

David Kubler: ‘For me, meat for sure. Venison, depending on the vintage, or maybe pigeon with black pudding and a spicy sauce.’

Julien Losada: ‘There’s no generality, so it makes life more difficult when it comes to food-matching in the restaurant. Some of the wines would work with a chocolate dessert with fruit.’

Viktorija Paplauskiene: ‘I think more rounded foods, such as a strong, smoked fish with a rich red wine sauce. Or a lobster cappuccino with black pudding emulsion – something with a lot of flavour.’

Editorial feature from Imbibe Magazine - July / August 2008