It is always pleasing to discover a fine grower of which was previously off one’s personal radar screen and this occurred at yesterdays tasting at the admirable TGVins/Le Vin Passion.
Domaine du Clos des Fées – Vingrau – Roussillon.
The wines were presented by the grower, Hervé Bizeul, who possesses a caustic tongue and a “suffer no fools” manner. I felt this when I used the word “mineral” and was subject to quite a tart lecture on loose terminology and the effects of soil minerals on dry extract, which I don’t have the technical knowledge to relay properly. My favourable reference to his neighbour, Gérard Gauby, also produced a cold rejoinder. However, the wines are most impressive; rich and generous at the same time as preserving lively fresh fruit and some “minerality”.
Vin de Pays Vielles Vignes 2006 –W- (EUR 17,99) derived from Grenache blanc showed a fragrant nose with honeysuckle touches and a tender palate; 15/20.
Côtes de Roussillon Les Sorcières 2006 (EUR 10,99), a bend of Grenache, Carignan and Syrah matured in « cuve », showed attractive ivy notes on the nose and lively fresh fruit and minerals on the palate (I got the lecture here); 15.5/20 and good QPR.
Côtes du Roussillon Vieilles Vignes-R- 2004 (EUR 21,85), a Grenache/Carignan blend matured in old barrels, showed similarly lively fresh fruit but it was allied to much greater depth and richness; 16.5/20.
Côtes du Roussillon Le Clos 2005 (EUR 50,09), a similar blend to VV but matured for 19 months in new oak barriques, was quite marked by the wood at this stage both by coconut notes on the nose and a sweet patina on the palate but there was plenty of rich but fresh fruit, pineapple and leather notes and impressive depth; 16/20 now but may merit more if the wood integrates; dubious QPR.
Côtes du Roussillon Petite Siberie 2005 (EUR 199,99!), 100% Grenache matured 12 months in new wood. It takes a lot of “chutzpah” to price a wine whose track record started in 2001 at this astronomic level and I therefore approached it negatively. Nevertheless I think that this is the real thing! Aromatically closed on the nose, of course, but with some chocolate and port notes appearing on swirl. The palate showed impressive integration of concentrated dark fruit, depth, complexity, firm structure and great length with brightness shining through with wood aromas fully absorbed by the impressive matter (unlike the previous). The wine strikes me as the reverse of “spoofulated”; Bizeul says that he uses the minimum of intervention and just lets the terroir (so named because of exposure to cold winds) and the grapes speak for themselves. A lot of time is needed (Bizeul says that 2001 is far from its peak). 18/20 + potentially but is it worth 3x, say, Beaucastel with its long track record to add confidence?
Here is a link to the estate's website - http://www.closdesfees.com/english/index.htm
Domaine de la Marfée – Coteaux du Landuedoc
The owner, Thierry Hazard, is an accountant, who started running his wine business on a hobby basis from his home in Montpellier over 10 years ago. He is now constructing proper wine-making premises and is thinking of dropping his accounting practice. I first met his wines at the late La Vigneronne wine shop in London.
Coteaux du Languedoc « Les Gamines » 2005 (EUR 12,59), 60% Syrah, 30% Mourvèdre, 10% Grenache, shows nice savoury fruit with tar notes ; 15/20.
Vin de Pays de l’Hérault « Les Vignes qu’on Abat » 2005 (EUR 27,59), 90% Carignan, 10% Syrah, is a generous wine with ample body, “sweet” fruit and meaty touches which shows what can be done with old Carignan; 15.5/20.
Coteaux du Languedoc “Les Champs Murmurés” 2005 (EUR 27,59), 50% Syrah, 50% Mourvèdre, is more complex than the previous with similar generosity more length and savoury fruit laced with tar; 16/20.
I have read complaints that the last two wines are over-oaked; they did not offend me that way but there is a well integrated patina. They are however, IMHO, somewhat over-priced compared with other estates in the region and particularly in Côtes du Rhône and they do not have that something extra that I found in the range of le Clos des Fées.
Mas des Bressades – Costières de Nîmes (« CN »)
(This region is arguably more Côtes du Rhône than Languedoc/Roussillon.)
The range here offers impressive QPR.
CN EXCELLENCE BLANC 2006 (EUR 9,33), a blend of 70% Roussanne, 20% Viognier, 10% Grenache blanc, was quite marked by the Viognier and showed attractive fruit, some pineapple, and good “gras”; 15.5/20. CN TRADITION ROUGE 2006, Grenache and Syrah matured in “cuves”, used to be one of my QPR standby wines and on this showing of tangy fresh fruit and ivy will become so again; 15/20. CN EXCELLENCE Rouge 2004 (EUR 9,35), barrique aged Syrah, is surprisingly fresh and elegant for its southerly latitude with notes of cassis, ivy and garrigue; 15.5+/20. VIN DE PAYS DU GARD CABERNET/SYRAH 2005 (EUR 9,09) shows the brightness and structure of Cabernet and the generosity of Syrah with touches of leather; would be a good ringer for Trévallon which cost 4-5 times as much; 15.5/20+.
It will be interesting to see whether the first two estates here can sustain their high prices. Apparently stocks at a lot of Languedoc/Roussillon growers are very high and it should only be a matter of time before many have to reduce their prices to bring in the cash flow.