Garrigues and CDR

I have experienced quite a few different styles of CDR including quite soft very approachables, or rich and silky tannin types, or ones with a sweet and earthy minerals. There is one CDR that is so unlike the others I know. It's called Domaine La Garrigue CDR Cuvée Romaine. It has a very strong herbaceous palate. In the Winelovers lexicon, garrigues is defined as: The hillsides of Languedoc and Provence are covered with low, aromatic herbs like lavender, and it's traditional among the wine makers of those regions to report these herbal aromas in their wines. What does "report" mean? I know this particular wine has a palate with a very strong garrigues component to it. But how did it get there? Does it come from the terroir and the presence of herbal aromas near the growing area and some sort of transfer of the aromas in to the grape? One person told me he thought it came from the processing of a full bunch, stems and all. Or other processing related tricks. So I'm curious about this term and characteristic and how it gets in to the wine. It seems to me that somehow a vintner can purposely "report" this in to their work to various degrees, and somehow this is very obvious with the Domaine La Garrigue CDR Cuvée Romaine. It's an interesting characteristic of Rhone wines.

Bryan

I forgot to mention I've noticed this characteristic in what seems like every Vacqueyras that I have had. Is there something about this AOC and Garrigues?

Bryan

Funny, I just read that the Cuvee Romaine could have been a declassified Vacqueyras. I've noticed a strong garrigues component in Charbonnaire, Sang des Cailloux and at least one other Vacqueyras, and a more subtle dose in a Perrin Vacqueyras. So is there a direct correlation between Vacqueyras and garrigues? Some sort of AOC specific rule that enhances garrigues?

Bryan

I have heard that in Languedoc herb bushes are sometimes thrown into the ferment. Probably dodgy practice and I've no idea how widespread the it is.

I went to Domaine La Garrigue in Vacqueyras three years ago on a brief visit after tasting them and liking them at the biennual Découvertes du Vallée du Rhône trade tasting in the valley and wanting a few bottles to drink! Website is: http://www.domaine-la-garrigue.fr/ though doesn't look like it's been recently updated.

The word "garrigue" in a tasting note does indeed imply the wild scrubland found in the Languedoc and Provence, which consists of broom, wild thyme, sometimes wild rosemary or lavender and no doubt other plants. Garrigue is never specifically planted, I don't believe - it's simply the wild, natural vegetation of the area - it springs up after again after an area has been devastated by bush fires, for example.

.... it's traditional among the wine makers of those regions to report these herbal aromas in their wines

The French verb to report as used here simply means to describe, I think.

I really think that finding this smell in the wines is similar to finding a smell of eucalyptus in certain Australian, Chilean (especially Maipo) and South African wines in areas where eucalyptus trees are widely grown. Some of it must get into the soil in some way.

Either that or it's simply auto-suggestion - I often find what I think of as a smell of garrigue in Rhône, Languedoc or Provence reds.

Either that or it's simply auto-suggestion - I often find what I think of as a smell of garrigue in Rhône, Languedoc or Provence reds.

It is not auto-suggested. There is a very strong and intense garrigue aroma and palate to this wine. I have read content online such as on ebob that this wine is superb CDR QPR, which is why I purchased this wine. Both bottles were the same, no variation at all. Very strong sense of a herbal, sage brush on the nose and very much on the palate. I did wonder if the domaine name had something to do with my impression, and I think it named purposely. But when I close my eyes and don't read the label, it still tastes like strong herbs. To be honest, and I do understand how tasting is subjective, I am quite surprised how highly this wine is regarded. Herbaceous, garrigues is interesting, and one thing, but is it all that great? I'd say it's interesting and better than the usual, soft CDR out there, but it's still has that spoofy herbal cooked thing going on.

Bryan