Côte d’Azur and Occitanie: Blind Tasting Buddies

Wine Tasting, May 16th, 2019

Wine List:

Florensac, Picpoul de Pinet
2015, Domaine d’Aupilhac, Les Cocalières, Languedoc
2017 Domaine Mas Cremat, Muscat de Rivesaltes, Vin Doux Naturel, Roussillon
2018 Minuty, Côtes de Provence Rosé
2017 Clos Cibonne, Cuvée Spéciale des Vignettes, Tibouren Rosé, Côtes de Provence
2015 Domaine Tempier, “La Tourtine” Bandol Rouge, Provence
2015 Les Vignes Oubliées, Terrasses du Larzac
2016 Les Vignes Oubliées, Terrasses du Larzac
Hecht & Bannier, Syrah Grenache Carignan, Languedoc
Château La Roque, Cuvée les Vieilles Vignes de Mourvèdre, Pic Saint Loup
Domaine Olivier Pithon, Le Colt d’En Olby
2014 Domaine d’Aupilhac, Le Carignan
2011 Domaine de Trévallon, Alpilles Rouge
2014 Domaine de Trévallon, Alpilles Rouge
2015 Betz Family Winery, Clos de Betz, Red Wine Columbia Valley, WA
2015 Betz Family Winery, Père de Famille, Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, WA

The Coast of Southeast France

I have found a peculiar dichotomy in Southeastern France, in experiencing its unmatched beauty, with ongoing consternation with the wines from there.

A TGV train ride between Montpellier and Nice will offer breathtaking views of curved Mediterranean coastline, abutted by rolling hills of scrub and vines, with majestic towns dotted throughout. Grasse has some of the best perfume production, Cannes has the film festival, and of course Bandol has wine. Outside of the latter example, few appellations are celebrated in equal measure by American sommeliers, with Provençal neighbors Cassis and Palette coming closest.

What of the Languedoc and Roussillon? Fortified sweets and bulk juice aside, surely there are detailed and delicious examples of ageworthy dry wines to be found. Such a query invites exploration, hence the theme for Buddies this week.

In total, the Roussillon, Languedoc, and Provence have 29 appellations (9, 21, and 9 respectively). Of those, I have assembled a list of obvious and hypothetical gems, seen below. These are among the most popular, collected, or advertised wines from the three featured regions.

Using CellarTracker, Wine-Searcher, Delectable, importer tech sheets, and producer websites as my guide, assemblage has been indicated for each. This is my best guess of excellence for the region, and I hope you will join me in exploring some of them.

For my contribution to the tasting, we will be tasting 2011 and 2014 Trévallon Rouge side-by-side, two legends frequently observed on the trophy shelves of wineries across France, but rarely seen in the States. Let’s give them a try!

Cheers,

Nick Davis
May 13, 2019, Seattle

30 Wines from Côte d’Azur and Occitanie

Roussillon

Shatter, Côtes Catalanes IGP Rouge
- 100% Grenache Noir
M. Chapoutier, Occultum Lapidem, Côtes du Roussillon Villages AOP “Latour-de-France” Rouge
- 50% Syrah, 40% Grenache Noir, and a balance of Carignan and Mourvèdre
Domaine du Clos des Fées, les Sorcières, Côtes du Roussillon AOP Rouge, Syrah Blend
- 50% Syrah, 30% Grenache Noir, 20% Carignan
Domaine Lafage, Bastide Miraflors, Black Slate, Côtes du Roussillon AOP Rouge
- 70% Syrah, 30% Grenache Noir
Domaine de la Rectorie, Côte Mer, Collioure AOP Rouge
- 50% Syrah, 40% Grenache Noir, 10% Carignan
Domaine Cazes, Muscat de Nöel, Muscat de Rivesaltes AOP Vin Doux Naturel Blanc
- 70% Muscat of Alexandria, 30% Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains
Domaine du Mas Blanc, Rimage La Coume, Banyuls AOP Vin Doux Naturel Rouge
- 90% Grenache Noir, 5% Mourvèdre, 5% Syrah
Arnaud de Villeneuve, Grande Réserve 10 Ans, Rivesaltes AOP Vin Doux Naturel Ambré
- Macabeu, Grenache Blanc, and Grenache Gris
Mas Amiel, 40 Ans d’Âge, Maury AOP Vin Doux Naturel Rancio

Languedoc

J. Laurens, Les Graimenous, Crémant de Limoux AOP Brut
- 60% Chardonnay, 30% Chenin Blanc, 5% Mauzac, 5% Pinot Noir
Saint-Hilaire, Blanquette de Limoux AOP Extra Dry
- 90% Mauzac, with a 10% balance of Chenin Blanc and Chardonnay
Domaine Julie Benau, Libero, Picpoul de Pinet AOP Blanc
- 100% Piquepoul Blanc
Domaine de Fontsainte, Gris de Gris, Corbières AOP Rosé
- 90% Grenache Gris, 5% Carignan, 5% Mourvèdre
Château de la Négly, Clos des Truffiers, Coteaux du Languedoc AOP Rouge
- Syrah, Mourvedre and Grenache
Mas de Daumas Gassac, Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert IGP Rouge
- 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot, 2% Malbec, 2% Pinot Noir, and 4% rare grape varieties
Domaine Léon Barral, Jadis, Faugères AOP Rouge
- 50% Carignan, 30% Syrah, 20% Grenache
Domaine Les Mille Vignes, Atsuko, Fitou AOP Rouge
- 100% Grenache Noir
Prieuré Saint-Jean de Bébian, Languedoc AOP “Pézenas” Rouge
- Syrah, Grenache Noir, Mourvedre
La Pèira en Damaisèla, Matissat, Terrasses du Larzac AOP Rouge
- 100% Mourvedre
Château de Stony, Classique, Muscat de Frontignan AOP Vin Doux Naturel
- 100% Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains

Provence

Clos Ste. Magdeleine, Bel-Arme, Cassis AOP Blanc
- 65% Marsanne, 15% Clairette, 15% Ugni Blanc, 5% Bourboulenc
Domaine Tempier, Bandol AOP Blanc
- 60% Clairette, 18% Ugni Blanc, 19% Bourboulenc, 3% Marsanne
Château Minuty, 281, Côtes de Provence AOP Rosé
- Grenache Noir, Syrah, Cinsault
Domaine des Campaux, Metal Rose, Côtes de Provence AOP Rosé
- 65% Mourvèdre, 18% Syrah, 17% Grenache Noir
Château d’Esclans, Garrus, Côtes de Provence AOP Rosé
- 80% Grenache Noir, 20% Vermentino
Domaines Ott, Château Romassan, Bandol AOP Rosé
- 58% Mourvèdre, 32% Cinsault, 10% Grenache Noir
Pradeaux, X, 10 Ans d’Elevage, Bandol AOP Rouge
- 95% Mourvèdre, 5% Grenache Noir
Château Simone, Palette AOP Rouge
- Primarily a blend of Grenache Noir, Mourvèdre, Cinsault, with Syrah, Manosquin, Castet, Carignan, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Muscat Noir
Clos Cibonne, Tibouren Cuvée Spéciale, Côtes de Provence AOP Rouge
- 90% Tibouren, 10% Syrah
Domaine de Trévallon, Alpilles IGP Rouge
- 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 50% Syrah