Solihull Fine Wine Society January tasting.
PT decided we ought have a look at Languedoc et environs as RP has been extolling their virtues. Blind as usual
Domaine Gauby, Vin de Pays des Cotes Catalans, Vielle Vignes, 1999. A fat and heavy white, complex peaches nose and alc and fruit on palate. Long. Needs food, but rather agreeable.
Coteaux du Languedoc, Pic Saint Loup, Ch. de Valflaunes 1999, Reboul. Cherryade and pale purple edge. Fruit and spice, pungent nose, soft all in balance, hint of bitterness at end. Pleasant luncheon wine.
Montpeyroux, Carignan, Domaine Auphilac, 1998 Purple edged, bright. Dumd almost foetid nose, vegetal..............then a shock, entry almost pettilante, zing, lightweight, pathetic tannins, Where is there fruit? All there on the nose and nowt on palate. Supposed to be good with game.... a limp wristed pheasant peut etre.
Domaine de Perdiguier, Coteaux d'Enserune, 1999 Great looker, viscous. Sweet bonbon nose, beetroot, a bit chaptalised. Stewed plums, and lomg bitterness. Oz influence? Supposed to be standard of a Cru Bourgeois....................fat chance
Coteaux du Languedoc, Prieure St Jean de Bebian, 1996 Depth with extract, most agreeable nose of spice and syrah, again a strange zingy entry, bang to the palate, but good fruit, long. This wine is C-De-P clone and is showing well...ish. One houe later, smelt of mango chutney.
Faugeres, les Bastides, 1997, (Alquier) Rather dull and flat, but a definite nose of Branston pickle, complex. All in balance, long seductive fruit, but enough firm tannin to balance. Long. My wine of the night, despite appearance. BTW, all the reds were decanted.
Collioure, Junquets, Domaine du Mas Blanc, 1998 ( Dr Parce) Another dull wine, depth++, another branston picle and lamb stew nose, fat entry, yummy, all there, spice and plums, very gamey. ( Cuvee 90% syrah) I wondered if these two were from the same producer, but different year.
Cotes du Roussilon Villages, Muntada,1998 ( Gauby) Looks like young port, what depth., vegetal wet fireworks nose with spicy gunpowder. Massive entry, huge tannin but enough fruit to balance. Long and lingering. A mans wine! 27GBP!
Mas de Daumas Gassac, 1997, ( Guibert) The old chestnut hauled out, bright, hint of brown, odd faecal nose, agreed by our rectal surgeon! Too vegetal and merde for me. Huge entry, complex, fruit and big tannins.......come back in a few years.
Interesting wines, but value for money?
Try the Muntada lying down. JT