Events

Wines of the Southern France in the Moscow tasting
September 2005

The Embassy of France in Moscow hosted a joint tasting for Languedoc and Roussillon wines.

Around forty producers presented their wines at the event.

Generous southern lands yield all styles of wine — still and sparkling, dry and sweet. Below I would like you to meet a few estates which produce excellent examples of local winemaking.

Domaine Rives Blanques in Limoux is worth knowing for sparkling Blanquette de Limoux. The wine was the parent of champagne, yet, alas, it didn’t get the fame it deserved. Blanquette de Limoux is produced from local Mauzac variety that grows on mixed clay-sandy soils of a plateau 350 m above the sea level. Fresh aromas combine notes of flowers, citruses and minerals, the palate has lovely balance and length. Domaine Rives Blanques also makes untraditional, but excellent Chenin Blanc wines and elegant Chardonnay with full, long finish.

Abbaye de Fontfroide, founded back in 11th century to the west of Narbonne, looks like a very romantic place to grow vines. щивания винограда. Here they produce white, rose and red wines of the Corbieres appellation from typical varieties. They are Roussanne, Marsanne and Grenache Blanc for white and Syrah and Grenache for red wines. Abbaye de Fontfroide blanc 2004 AOC Corbieres featured soft floral, citrussy nose and full, soft and balanced palate of white stone fruit, citruses and spices. Rose wine was lovely thanks to fresh notes of barberries.

Chateau Villerambert-Julien in Minervois which vineyards are mentioned back in 1231 now belongs to acute winemaker Michel Julien. He produces worthy white and rose wines, but the best emotions of the tasters are left for the reds. Varietal La Syrah de Villerambert-Julien 2003 has fine structure, but good grip. Cuvee Ourdivieille 2002 from Grenache and 10% Syrah will most likely become a cult Languedoc wine. Julien had experimented with it for 10 years, but the first was the vintage of 2002. With iodine and concentration, the wine impresses with deep structure and complex array of flavours which include dark fruit, herbs and spices. This is Languedoc’s answer to Priorat.

La Cave de l’Abbe Rous which unites 750 vignerons produces high quality dry and fortified wines in Banyuls and Collioure. Two top wines from Signature series are made under supervision of Alain Raynaud from Chateau Quinault in St Emilion. Red dry Cyrcee 2002 Collioure AOC consists of Grenache, Mourvedre, Syrah and Carignan. Old vines’ roots go through thick layer of hard schist. Notwithstanding its southern origin, this deep, complex wine bears elegant stamp of Bordeaux. For red fortified Helyos 2002 Banyuls AOC the harvest was chosen from 7.5 out of nine hundred. The wine impresses with concentration, smoothness and minerality with the dominance of sweet berries and fruit.