Aldeby Wines Blog

I don't just drink my own wines!

Ian Webb — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:14:35 GMT

Just a quick blog to show that while I am passionate about the wines from the South of France, I do drink other things.

Over the weekend, I decided to open something a bit different to accompany a sausage and lentil casserole. So rather than spending half an hour bent over double in the cupboard looking for something, I randomly picked a bottle from my cellar list. The random bit came from the last digits of the pages in the books we were reading. This took me to a page in the cellar book, and a row entry, after discarding the first selection (a Mosel Auslese) this technique picked a bottle of Aussie Shiraz, it was D'Arrenberg Footbolt Shiraz 1995. This beaut from the Barossa still had impressive fruit, as well as a lovely broad streak of leather, game and some interesting spice on the length. The tannins (never big to begin with) were lovely and soft, though still perfectly formed; the balance was also good, with sufficient acidity (and tannin) for it to work well with the sausages and lentils.

I recomment the technique to thise of you with big cellars, or for those who are wracked with indecision when they try to pick a bottle from the rack. Now I really must find something interesting to eat while we drink that Riesling.

Ian

Nigel Slater's Simple Suppers - Programme 5 - Opposites Attract

Ian Webb — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 13:36:30 GMT

The fifith installment of this series doesn't let up in quality of the dishes presented, they all still look really lovely and very tasty. I particularly like the use of oriental spices, even if that does add to the challenge for the wine matcher!

Sticky Chicken Thighs with Lemon and Honey - I love the idea of the sweet sticky but alos lemony outside and suculent chicken inside, with that touch of olive to add a little more! Wine wise arguments could be made for a big white wine or a red. For example, a good match would be a big, oaked Aussie Chardonnay, particularly if it had a touch of residual sugar. A good red match would be a big and fruit driven in style, like a Nero d'Avola or a Primitivo from Southern Italy, or a Barbera from Piedmont in the North - the powerful sweet fruit flavours would complement the chicken, with the soft tannins going well with the juices sticky outsides. From the Aldeby Wines list I would go for Domaine de Rieussec Jardin Anglais Rouge 2006, a Cabernet Syrah blend that has been made to show off this type of big fruit flavours.

Hot Spiced Fruit with Ice Cream - Lightly cooked plums with spices and ice cream - sounds lovely! Despite the sweetness, this is an idea dish for wine, it would be great with a Pedro Ximinez Sherry if the fruit is particularly sweet, otherwise a fortified Grenache from Banyuls or Maury in Roussillon would be great. I don't list anything quite like that, but the Cuvee Grangeon might be worth a go. One thing that I do know that would be perfect is the late harvest Grenache Noir that Pierre Ravaille mankes for the familly at L'Ermitage du Pic Saint Loup, full of berry fruit, sweet spices and perfectly balanced it would be great, particualrly if the plums and sauce wern't too sweet .... I really need to talk to Pierre!

Grilled Prawns with Yoghurt and Mint - Spicy food and wine are often poor bedfellows, add in the touch of sweetness from the coconut, and it becomes even more difficult. For this dish, I would drink a Pinot Gris from Alsace, one that has plenty of flavour, with fruit and nutty notes as well as the characteristic spice of the better wines, if it had a touch of residual sugar then it would probably work even better. From the Aldeby Wines list, I would offer Cuvee Salabelle 2008 from Domaine Grangeon, an Ugni Blanc that it full of character (I know a lot of you think it is imposible to find one, but try this one and believe!) Aged on the lees of the Viognier, it has body and flavour and is a fascinating drink that has enough about it to work with the prawns and the spices.

Pork Meatballs with Anchovies - This looks like a healthy form of comfort food, which of course demands a "comfort wine" - by that I mean a wine that is full of flavour, packed with fruit and spice and interest, with softening ripe tannins and well balanced acidity. For this dish I would go for a Syrah from the Northern Rhone, say a better St Joseph or Crozes-Hermitage, or alternatively go for a Cornas; Domaine du Tunel is a personal favourite. Better still go for Domaine Grangeon Syrah 2006, or the Mas de Valbrune Pas de Deux 2006 both have fruit, style and complexity in abundance.

Roast Duck with Citrus Salad - The contrast in flavours between the rich duck, five spice powder, citrus and watercress is huge, and this can only make for a complex set of flavours. As the citrus fruits have a touch of sweetness, any acompanying wine needs not to suffer due to the acidic or the sweet parts of the dish. The wine also needs a bit of power, and peferably some elegance, and it should also have some comlexity of flavour of its own. A good riserva Rioja (or similar from Spain), a Cahors or Madiran from SW France, or a Sangiovese based Supertuscan would work well, but I would go for one of two wines from Languedoc: Plan de l'Om Miejour 2007, made with lots of Grenache Noir, and full of lovely complex berry fruit and spicce flavours; or L'Ermitage du Pic Saint Loup Cuvee Sainte Agnes Rouge 2006, which has the power and elegance of the best wines from that AOC with great dark berry and cassis flavours with much spice and much complexity.

Don't miss my wine recommendations for the recipes in previous episodes of Nigel Slater's Current BBC 1 Series, scroll click here and here to find them.

I believe that a decent glass of wine will enhance the culinary experience of anyone eating any of these dishes. I would be interested to hear if anyone has any ideas for different wines to match with these recipes.

Best

Ian

Nigel Slater's Simple Suppers - Programmes 3 and 4

Ian Webb — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 14:06:07 GMT

My time has been very full over the last week, so I have decided to Blog on two episodes of Nigel Slater's programme at once.

What Grows Together Goes Together

Grilled Lamb with feta and Lemon - the combination of lamb, oregano and feta immediately point me towards recommending something classy and classic to drink. It would be really well accompanied by a good Southern Rhone, say a Gigondas, made by a producer focussed on quality. Alternatively something from Priorat in Spain would fit the bill. The Syrah and Grenache would really work with the lamb and the cheese [From the Aldeby Wines list I would recommend the Ermitage du Pic Saint Loup Cuvee Saint Agnes Rouge 2006, or if that is too pricy the Ermitage du Pic Saint Loup Cuvee Classique 2006]
Raspberries with Toasted Oats and Cream - I probably wouldn't try to match any wine with this lovely sounding dish, but if you must try a new wave sweet renache from Languedoc, or a fortified Grenache from Banyuls or Maury
Tomato Sauce for Pasta - The tomato is often a difficult thing to match wine to, it is the combination of acidity and sweetness (when they are truly ripe), the best things to go for are the wines of regions where they eat a lot of cooked tomatoes, like Italy, so a Tuscan Red, or anything made with plenty of Sangiovese in the blend, or possibly a good Montepulciano d'Abruzzo. From our range I would recommend the Mas d'Exindre Rouge 2007, which has plenty of fruit on the nose and palate, but enough ommph to cope with the tomato flavours
An Extraordinary Way with Lettuce - This looks a fantastic early summer dish, I would be looking for something summery to drink with it, like a dry full flavoured rose, or an unoaked cool climate Chardonnay from Victoria in Australia, or a Leyda Sauvignon Blanc from Chile, alternatively a Corsican or Southern French blend including a good dollop of Vermentino (Rolle) would also go very nicely (Try the Chemin des Reves Abracadabra Blanc 2008)
Thai Inspired Noodle Soup - The lovely blend of spices and coconut milk make this a difficult dish to match with wine, At worst the wine could clash badly with the food, or it could disapointingly just disapear. I think that some sweetness in the wine would help, as would some nice minerality and possibly some spicy characteristics, so I would try a white wine made from Chenin Blanc, like a demi-sec Vouvray from the Loire, or a halb-troken Riesling from Germany. With either wine, if on first taste the wine is wrong, it can safely be left to be drunk later, either with or without food.

Made For Each Other

Sausages and Mustard - Real comfort food like this calls for real comfort wine: Chateauneuf-du-pape, or even a decent reasonably old Cornas or St Joseph from the Rhone Valley would be great; as would a good mature St Emilion from Bordeaux. From the New World I would choose a top Malbec from Argentina or a new wave Syrah from Limari in Chile or rom the Gimblet Gravels in New Zealand. From by favourite Languedoc, I would try the Plan de l'Om Paysage 2006, the Mas de Valbrune Pas de Deux 2007,or the Domaine de Rieussec Orangerie 2007.
A Creamy Crunchy Fruit Sundae - Often I don't even try to match sweet dishes with wine, they often don't work, but in this case, I can picture a good sweet Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc blend working well, as long as it doesn't have any botrytis, so try a Montbazilliac. A sweet Pacherenc du Vic Bilh would also go nicely, as would a sweet Chenin Blanc from the Loire, say a Quarts de Chaumes or a Coteaux du Layon.
Green Beans with Ham and Cheese - I think this dish would be enhanced if you had a good red wine to drink with it! I think it cries out for something full of red berry and spice flavours, and that means one thing - Grenache. The best Grenache based wines in the world come from the South of France, including some Chateauneuf-du-pape amd Costieres de Nimes. But in the Languedoc you find in my opinion the very best, like Miejour from Plan de l'Om, or Calice from Mas de la Barben, or from our list 1000 Roses Cuvee Lea 2006 or Domaine Jordy Cuvee Tradition 2007
Smoked Haddock Chowder with Leeks and Sweetcorn - For me this says a white wine with plenty of character! So an oaked Chardonnay, say a Premier Cru (or better!) from the Cote Challonais in Burgundy, or a top Aussie Chardonnay like Bindi. Alternatively go for a wine made with Marsanne and/or Roussanne an important part of the blend, like a wine from the Northern Rhone like Saint Joseph or St Peray, or L'Ermitage du Pic Saint Loup Cuvee Saint Agnes Blanc 2007 - a blend of Roussanne, Clairette, Grenache Blanc and Marsanne - Plan de l'Om Feuillage 2006 or the remarkable and very rare Carignan Blanc from 1000 Roses. The weight, complexity and texture of these wines will work with the smoked fish and milky, herby "soup", lifting the flavours and adding to their complexity, while the oak will add a touch of richness to the whole dish.
Carrot and Coriander Fritters - The cheese suggests a red wine, but I would go for a white and aromatic, with a definite, but not too marked flavour: a Pinot Gris from Alsace, a Gavi from Northern Italy, or a Marsanne from the Northern Rhone would be good choices. From the Aldeby Wines list I would direct peole towards the Praelude from Mas de Valbrune, a 100% Clairette that is dry, and made from old vines producing tiny yields of fruit.
Pork Chops with Apple and Cider - Pork, sage, juniper and dry cider all push me towards a syrah based red, particularly one from a terroir that makes wines with a herbal character. Try a varietal Syrah from Margaret River in Western Australia, or from Piorat or Monsant in Northern Spain, or a good Cornas from the Rhone Valley. The flavours of these wines will partly reflect and partly add to the flavours on the plate, enhancing the whole thing. [Try the Domaine Grangeon Syrah 2006, or the Domaine de Rieussec Gentilhomiere 2006 from the Aldeby Wines range]

I hope that this theme continues to be interesting for you, I am certainly enjoying watching and even cooking some of the recipes. Finally, I'm sorry I have had to cover two episodes in one blog, I hope to be able to cover next week's episode a bit more quickly.

Best

Ian

Nigel Slater's Simple Suppers - Programme 2

Ian Webb — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 15:40:08 GMT

As the third in the series was being broadcast last night, I realised that I needed to blog on the wines I would use to accompany the recipes in programme 2, so here goes:

The Leek Rissotto with Parmesan Chips - You could go for either a red or white wine for this dish, but I am really tempted to go for a good rose, by that I mean one that is dry and full of flavour, and preferably one that has been made with half an eye on drinking it with food. I can think of nothing better than Aldeby Wines' very own Ermitage du Pic Saint Loup Rose. If you were to go for a white wine try an unoaked Chardonnay, preferably from a cool climate like Chablis (From the Aldeby Wines list try the Petit Saint Aunes Blanc 2007). Alternatively if you prefer a red then try Beaujolais, but a village or Cru wine (from our range try Domaine du Grangeon Gamay)
Chicken Salad with Cous Cous and Oranges - Take care the acidity in the orange can destroy and unwary wine! Try a Pinot Noir, but one that is not trying to be Burgundian, I would try a Pinot from Chile, but make sure it is not a cheap one pay say £8 or more. (From our list: The Domaine de Raissac Pinot Noir 2007)
Bubble and Squeak Cakes - These look good, and when eaten with bacon, or a gammon steak would be great accompanied by something big, try a Barossa Shiraz, or a better Chilean Merlot or Carmenere (or better still the Domaine des 1000 Roses Cuvee Lea)
Quick Tomato and Cream Sauce - Assuming you eat this with pasta, I would recommend opening a bottle of Chianti, or another Italian wine made with lots of Sangiovese. The wine needs to have sufficient acidity to cut through the cream and work well with the tomato. (From Aldeby Wines the Bois Moi from Le Chemin des Reves fits the bill in terms of slighty raised acidity)
Fresh Mackrel with Roastred Rhubarb - This is difficult to match, but I would try an aromatic white wine, like Torrontes from Argentina, or Albarino/Alvarinho from Spain/Portugal.(From Aldeby WInes try the 100% Clairette - Cuvee Praelude from Mas de Valbrune)
Rhubarb Tart with Marscapone Cream - this sounds lovely but not over sweet, so a sweet rather than luscious wine would work well, try a Sweet Chenin Blanc from the Loire, or possibly a Vin Santo from Tuscany. (From our list I would instantly go for Domaine Grangeon, Cuvee Grangeon, and if it didn't quite work with this dessert it would be lovely on its own after the meal!)

That's all for now, I will blog on Programme 3's recipes soon

Ian

Is it Worth Keeping the White Wines of Languedoc?

Ian Webb — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:05:04 GMT

Aweek or two ago I blogged on the aging ability of red wines from Languedoc, and in the blog I said that I would come back to talk about aging the white wines of the region, So here goes.

In general most white wines from the South of France tend not to be greatly improved by aging. They tend to be rather simple and are much nicer drunk on the fruit while retaining their freshness. The majority of these are Vin de Pays d'Oc. They tend to be made from Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, or increasingly from Viognier or from varieties we associate with the region like Grenache Blanc, Roussanne or Marsanne, and of course the very underrated (when it is good) Picpoul. Increasingly these wines are becoming more and more drinkable, and it is possible to find some lovely wines for early drinking. Areas I like for this type of wine include the Vin de Pays du Duche d'Uzes, Vin de Pays des Coteaux du Salagou, and the Vin de Pays des Cotes du Thongue, and AOC Picpoul de Pinet.

However there are a small number of producers who try to make white wines that will improve with age. They tend to follow the same ideas as the best red wine makers:

They look for the "right" terroir for the variety
They only harvest at low yields
They are very careful in their vinification

Often these producers will use oak barrels of various sizes to ferment or age the wine. The varieites that interest these producers tend to be Grenache Blanc/Gris, Rousanne and Marsanne. There are also one or two age-worthy Chardonnays and the occasional Chenin Blanc that are fascinating. The wines will have a lovely heavyish, oilyish texture, and be full of complex white fruit, floral, melon, and tropical fruit flavours, often with some spice and occasionally a herbal note. They are always well balanced, and often have a great persistence of flavour.

The best wines will usually be made in the areas where the vines get chance to recover from the heat of the summer's day by being cooled by breezes through the night, so for example, the parts of the Coteaux du Languedoc that are nearer the mountains are a good place to look, these include the Terrasses du Larzac, and Pic Saint Loup.

White wine making, with the intention of producing a wine to age, is a relatively new thing in Languedoc, for example Pic Saint Loup has an Appellation for red and Rose wines, but must use the regional AOC Languedoc for white wine, despite it having a lovely white wine terroir - I understand that the local Producers Union has begun the process to apply for an AOC for the whites, but that it may take 10 years for them to persuade the appropriate bodies that they deserve one!

So, dry white wines from the South of France are generally intended for early but pleasurable drinking, though there are a few producers who are trying to make a longer lived wine that will develop with age. Just take care when buying to age, always take advice from a Wine Merchant or Producer you trust.

It seems sensible to point out a few of each type from the Aldeby Wines List:

Early Drinkers - Up to 3 years old

Wines to age

I hope this is of interest. Soon I will give you the low down on a new wave of sweet wines that are slowly becoming more evident in the South of France.

Ian

Nigel Slater's Simple Suppers

Ian Webb — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 12:44:37 GMT

I have just watched the first in the series of Nigel Slater's Simple Suppers thanks to the BBC i-Player. I have always been a fan of Nigel Slater, his philosophy on food has often matched mine. I particularly like the way he uses what he has around, and what takes his eye in the shops. He also seems to be particularly keen to eat according to the season, something that I am keen to do. I really don't think we should be eating strawberries in December, or brussel sprouts in May.

On thing that struck me while watching the programme was the lack of any wine - food matching that goes on in just about all of the cooking programmes on UK television. It got me thinking about what I would match with the five dishes NS prepared:

Hot Chicken Cakes with Herb Mayo - This dish will have plenty of flavour and a good Grenache based red wine will suit it, so a good village wine from the Southern Rhone from say Gigondas, Vacqueyras or Chateauneuf-du-Pape (from the Aldeby Wines list I would pick either Domaine des 1000 Roses Pierre Figee, or Plan de l'Om Miejour.
Nigel's Adaptable Bean Soup - You could go either white or red with this dish. The white would need to have a bit of body, but I think it needs to be unoaked and fairly robust, I would probably open a Chardonnay, or perhaps a Chardonnay blend (from the Aldeby Wines list I would pick the Domaine Grangeon Cuvee Fermiget, a Chardonnay Viognier blend). If I was inclined drink a red wine, it would need to be lightish, but with plenty of fruit flavours - perhaps a Loire Cabernet Franc, or a bigger style of Beaujolais (from the Aldeby Wines list I would try the Domaine Grangeon Gamay, or the Chemin des Reves Bois Moi)
Free Form Trifle and Custard - This really doesn't need a glass of wine, it just looks great! Save the sweet wine to drink as a digestive!
Goats Cheese on Garlic Toast - This is an easy match, though you may be surprised to hear that it demands a white wine. I would go for a Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire (say a Sancerre) or a bry white from Languedoc containing some or all of Roussanne, Marsanne, Grenache Blanc and Clarette. (from the Aldeby Wines list the obvious choice is the Ermitage du Pic Saint Loup Cuvee Sainte Agnes Blanc)
Tidy Friday Pan Fry - What a good looking dish! It need a glass of red, no it demands a glass of red! On a Friday night having worked all week it is only right to have something nice to eat that is simple to prepare - this dish is perfect - but also to drink something really nice. Something with a bit of power, with a fair bit of Syrah or a fair bit of Cabernet Sauvignon would be great, i.e. a good St Joseph (or Cornas), a nice Western Australian Shiraz, a very good Chilean Syrah or a Cru Bourgeois Bordeaux, a good Cab from Klein Constantia, a Super-Tuscan with lots of Cabernet in, or whatever takes your fancy! (from the Aldeby Wines list I would pick the Mas d'Agalis "Yo no Puedo Mas d'Agalis" if I was inclined to Syrah, or the Domaine de Raissac Gustave Fayet if Cabernet was the choice. If I couldn't decide I would go for Domaine de Rieussec Gentilhommiere, which blends the two!)

I really must stop thinking about food. I have only just eaten my lunch and I am hungry again!

Ian

PS Click here, to go to the main Blog page for more on matching wines to the food cooked by Nigel Slater in this series

First News of the 2009 Vintage in Languedoc

Ian Webb — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 11:29:19 GMT

I have just got back from a few days in the South of France where I was lucky enough to get the inside information on the 2009 vintage from a few producers in the eastern part of the Herault departement.

The weather through the months of June, July and August was particularly dry, with only a few milimetres of rain in each month - the Pic Saint Loup had only 20 mm in July and less in August. Temepratures have been higher than normal, as had the total hours of sunshine. All this lead to the start of the harvest teo to three weeks early, the fruit was generally in very good to excellent condition, though many vines were suffering from hydric stress, leaving the grapes small and with thick skins. In some ways it is a bit reminiscent of 2003, but the producers were ready for it, and picking began very early.

At L'Ermitage du Pic Saint Loup, the white grapes were harvested very quickly over 3 days from the 18th of August. The bunches were in great condition, with uniform ripeness of the berries, and with ripe stalks. The black grapes were harvested immediately after the white grapes, with all harvested by 3-4th September, except the Mourvedre which is always late and which will be picked on the 11th September. The black grapes were also very healthy, if a little small, with lovely ripe stalks.

Overall yields are fairly low, with Pierre Ravaille calculating that the whites will produce around 25 hectolitres per hectare and the reds around 20 hl/ha.

The vinification of the white wines at L'Ermitage has begun with the sole barrique of Viognier already finished, the rest still have a fair way to go. With the warm ambient temperatures, the cooling system is working hard with the remaining barriques, demi-muids and foudres of white wine maintained at around 20 degrees. Tasting barrel samples of fermenting wines is never easy, but it is my impression that this is going t be a lovely white vintage in Eastern Languedoc, comparable to though different from the fantastic 2007. There is a great purity of fruit in the Viognier, Roussanne and Marsanne, with the Clairette also very pure. The Grenache Gris/Blanc is showing well, with a great attack at the start, and a good array of spice and herb (fenel) on the mid palate.

The Vinification of the red wines at L'Ermitage is also going well. Because the skins were thick it was decided to not destem all of the fruit, this helped the free run wine to flow more easily and for piegage to be performed, even so Pierre Ravaille believes that he has never had a cuve with a cap as difficult to to punch down as one of the cuves of Grenache this year - it easily supported the weight of a person!

Exemplary tannin management is going to be the key to the quality of the red wine produced 2009. Those who take care and don't try to work on the extraction of flavour and tannin as much as they do most years potentially will make great wine, as long as they are prepared to only press lightly.

Overall, yields are likely to be down on normal, with potentially fantastic dry white wines, and potentially great red wines where vinification has been managed particularly carefully. All we need to do now is wait until mid-2010 for the white wines and mid-2011 for the reds to be bottled!

Ian

Well that was fun! Thanks Lemington!

Ian Webb — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 21:57:18 GMT

I know it is Wednesday, and that I am slow to blog having been in Leamington on Saturday and Sunday, but I am only just recovering from all the fun!

The two days went very well with about 300 people tasting some of our wines, which I will list in more detail in my next Newsletter. Three or four favourites stood out, they were:

Mas de Valbrune Rosae Rosam 2008, AOC Coteaux du Languedoc Cabrieres. A lovely rose made from Cinsault and Syrah, it is full of berry fruit, mainly strawberry, with a touch of cream and lovely hits of spice.
Plan de l'Om Feuillage 2006, AOC Coteaux du Languedoc. A complex, rich white wine with aromas and flavours of ripe apple, pear and white stone fruits, with a floral note, spice and a lovely full body
Mas d'Agalis "Yo no puedo mas d'agalis VII", vin de Table Francais, a big rich full powerful red based on Syrah, Carignan and a touch of Mourvedre. Pcked with dark fruit, spice a touch of leather i is supremely well balanced.
L'Ermitage du Pic Saint Loup Cuvee Classique 2006 AOC Coteaux du Languedoc Pic-Saint-Loup. Power and Elegance in a glass, lots of complex berry fruit, with additional cassis, cranberry, and spice, and herbal notes, silky tannins - a real pleasure to drink.

People also seemed very interested in holding a tasting, the idea of spending a couple of hours having a tutoured tasting of eight lovely wines is obviously appealing!

Generally we felt very welcomed in Leamington. One other bonus was to have a stand next to Fiona Sciolti Botanical Chocolates, not only are they totally hand made, but they are delicious, positively hedonistic! They can be found online at www.scioltichocolates.com

Best

Ian

We are in Leamington Tomorrow and Sunday

Ian Webb — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 16:09:05 GMT

Just a quick reminder that Aldeby Wines has a stand at the Royal Leamington Spa Food and Drink Festival, that runs tomorrow and Sunday in the Pump Room Gardens at the bottom of the Parade in the town centre.

If you are in the area and have a bit of spare time come along and say hello!

Ian

Do the Red Wines of Languedoc Age Well?

Ian Webb — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 22:11:56 GMT

This is an important question, particularly if you find a wine from the region that is a little more expensive than usual.

The answer is the same as for any other region from Bordeaux to the Grampian Hills in Victoria, or Burgundy to the Central Valley of Chile. In other words yes they will age very well, but only if they have been made carefully, using grapes from (fairly) low yielding vines, and only when the winemaker has decided to make a wine for aging.

I think the secret for picking wines for aging from Languedoc is to look for the better regions, and the better producers. If you look at the wines on our site, this would immediately push you to L'Ermitage du Pic Saint Loup from AOC Pic-Saint Loup, and Plan de l'Om from the Terasses du Larzac, perhaps with Mas de Valbrune from AOC Coteaux du Languedoc Cabrieres. Now all of these domains harvest the grapes at low yields, often below 25 hl/ha, they are all meticulous in their care of the vines, with L'Ermitage using Biodynamic techniques and the other two either zero, or very low levels of chemicals purely to treat pests and diseases if only absolutely necessary. In the cellar all three are careful to only allow healthy fruit to be used, and the fermentations are long and slow, with the extraction very carefully managed, and the marc pressed at very low pressures. Aging is also lenghty with careful use of mainly old oak only if they are absolutely sure it will benefit the wine. Interestingly the blends of the wines vary, with L'Ermitage focussing on mainly Syrah and Grenache, Plan de l'Om on these plus Carignan, and Valbrune on mainly Cinsault with Syrah.

But does all this really make a difference, and do the wines really improve. Well it is only my opinion, but over the last month or two I have tasted/drunk five vintages of l'Ermitage du Pic Saint Loup Cuvee Saint Agnes - 2000 - 2 and 2004 - 6. The results were fascinating, the wines were all unmistakably from the same producer, with a very characteristic note of spice and almost vin d'orange on the finish, and the same (but developing) black fruit aromas and flavours from the Syrah. The youngest wines were definitely still dominated by fruit, but with age the wines started to develop some lovely gamey character, and even more complex spice, the tannins were also developing, though never aggressive to begin with, the took on a real soft texture.The oldest wine still showed some fruit, and I believe it is now at its peak, but that it will stay there for a year or three yet. For me the most interesting thing was the overall quality of the wines, they are definitely improving year on year, the 2004 was very good, the 2005 better and the 2006 very complex, full of flavour and superbly balanced. It is obvious that Pierre Ravaille is comfortable in his winemaking and can now extract that last few percent of the potential of this great domain.

If you are happy to ook outside the best reputed areas, then it is occasionally possible to find a producer who makes fantastic wine that will age for many years, in an area that is only allowed to make a humble Vin de Pays. I am happy that Mas d'Agalis and the Domaine des 1000 Roses do just that. They use exactly the same approach as the domans in the so called best areas, but if anything are even more obsessive about the health of the vines and grapes, and the care with which they make the wine. The both wines from Agalis and the Pierre Figee and Cuvee Lea from 1000 Roses are great examples of brilliant and ageworthy wines from Languedoc.

But what about the whites? Well that is for another post!

Ian