WINERY VISITS FROM CAUNES-MINERVOIS

by Clive Platman, Wine Correspondent for the Birmingham Post

Congratulations on choosing the Minervois as your holiday destination! You are now based in one of the most progressive and exciting winemaking regions anywhere in France. On your doorstep, or with little traveling effort, you can get to meet some of the best winemakers in the region and taste their wines.

Be aware, however, that many of these wineries are small operations, so it is recommended that you 'phone in advance to ensure you can be received by the winemaker, or perhaps ensure that someone who speaks English is on hand. In particular, some winemakers may not be able to receive visitors during the harvest (September) because they're simply too busy.

The Wineries

Le Clos du Marbrier, Rue des Remparts, Caunes-Minervois
Irene Prioton, tel: 04 68 78 49 19, , website at www.clos-du-marbrier.leminervois.com, open every day. However, it's best to call ahead.

Irene Prioton is a small scale producer vigneron, farming some 6.5 hectares of vineyard. The wine is made at her micro-winery, a converted marble workshop in Caunes village.

Didascalie 2005 Vin de Table (3.90 euros)

A rosé from the now outlawed Aramon, notorious for its high yields and once a staple in the Midi. Though declassified to Vin de Table, the crop is kept low to produce a deliciously fresh 'vin de soif'. Pale salmon pink, it has light minerally bitter-cherry flavours, freshened with lemon citrus, and seasoned with spice. Enjoy it in its youth.

Le Clos du Marbrier Minervois AOC 2004 (6.20 euros).

A traditional unoaked Minervois from a blend of 40% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 25% Mourvedre and 10% Carignan and Cinsault. The high percentage of Mourvedre provides that extra backbone and touch of tar on the fruit.

Showing good concentration, it's easy going and soft, tasting of sweet, juicy blackberries, underpinned with tar and spice. There was good balance, and a pleasing finish, and personally, I consider it her best wine.

L'Atelier du Marbrier VdT 2004 (5.00 euros)

Made principally from the Chenanson Noir grape (hitherto unknown to me), a cross between Grenache and Jurancon Noir. Again, the variety is not permitted in the Minervois AOC, so the wine can only be labeled as table wine.

Aged in tank, it had a rich black colour, with tarry damson and blackberry fruit. Fuller in texture and mouthfeel, it too had a pleasing finish. Best enjoyed for its fruit, and not for long keeping.

Le Clos du Marbrier AOC Minervois 2003 (9.50 euros)

From the year of 'Le Canicule' (the heatwave), this was aged for between 12-14 months in old barriques sourced from Chateau Margaux in Bordeaux. The gentle ageing has produced meaty black fruit, but this was overwhelmed by a hot, spicy mouthfeel induced by the weight of alcohol. For me, the wine was out of balance, and a victim of a difficult vintage.

English spoken.

Chateau Villerambert-Julien, Caunes-Minervois
Michel Julien, Tel: 04.68.78.00.01, weekdays 9-11.30, 1.00-6.30- pm, Sat & Sun by appointment

Michel Julien may not win prizes, but his wines are consistently the best in the region, and will give pleasure bottle after bottle. His "second" wine "L'Opéra", though fruit-driven, still retains spice and backbone, and year on year, remains consistently good. (I always keep a bottle or three in my cellar in Birmingham).

To my mind, though, "Le Chateau" delivers the quality of a wine at twice the price. Maybe when young it can appear a little too oaky or gamey, but just allow a few years for the wood and fruit to integrate, producing a wine of perfect weight and balance with beautifully stated fruit and structure.

Also look out for the Rosé for immediate pleasure, and the ever-improving white, which just gets better every year (as the vines mature).

A little English may be spoken here.

Chateau Villerambert-Moureau, Villegly (near Caunes)
Marcel Moureau et Fils, tel: 04.68.77.16.40 Open every day except Sunday, 10-12 & 2-7

Remarkably, this winery farms the same estate as Villerambert-Julien above but under the ownership of Marceau Moureau. The tasting room is in the village of Villegly.

Their top "Cuvée des Marbrières Hautes" is much fuller, richer and more heady than the Julien version. Incredibly forward and soft, it's easily the best value wine in the Minervois.

For immediate gratification, the Rosé compares with any and they also produce a superlative bag-in-box Vin de Pays, which should not be overlooked.

No English spoken

Chateau Plo Du Roy, Villeneuve Windmill
Franck Benazeth, Tel: 04.68.26.13.64.

Regarded as a highly-talented young winemaker, Franck Benazeth ages his best cuvée in Russian Oak in the Gouffre de Cabrespine. Named after a geological feature, the "Le Balcon du Diable" is mouthfilling, full and spicy, with an excellent expression of black fruit.

Despite an invisible presence in the village, his wines can be sampled at a tasting room next to the restored Villeneuve windmill.

No English spoken.

Domaine Cros, 20 Rue du Minervois, Badens 11800.
Pierre Cros, Tel: 04.68.79.21.82, open everyday 8-12 and 2-7.

A superbly gifted winemaker, Pierre Cros has been a consistent winner of the Hachette Coup de Coeur for his super-cuvée "Les Apres," a wine of astonishing concentration from low-yielding Syrah vines.

Ignore his other wines at your peril, because the entire range is superlative. The reds are soft and succulent, the rosé a perfect bitter-cherry aperitif and the white has beautifully stated peach and apricot fruit.

Well worth seeking out.

No English spoken

Domaine Borie de Maurel, Felines-Minervois
Michel Escande, Tel: 04.68.91.68.58 Email: boriedemaurel@wanadoo.fr

Located at the top end of the village of Félines.

Despite achieving cult status for his super-cuvee "Sylla", a 100% Syrah, this is not my recommended wine. Opt instead for "La Féline", a Cru La Livinière, selling at half the price. Alternatively, try his Mourvedre blend, "Cuvée Maxime," which is not widely available, but a lovely expression of this often under-appreciated grape. Finally, at the entry price level, his "L'Ésprit d'Automne" is also recommended.

Chateau Sainte Eulalie, Route de Ferrals-les-Montagnes, La Liviniere
Isabelle Coustal, Tel: 04.68.91.42.72, e.mail: icoustal@club-internet.fr.

Isabelle Coustal is simply the most delightful winemaker you could ever wish to meet, and her wines are equally charming. At the top of the range is "La Cantilène" a reasonably priced oak-aged Syrah blend, which has Cru La Livinière status. Here, the fruit is overlaid with earthy, coffee flavours and melting tannins.

At the entry price-level, the "Cuvée Tradition" is a delicious blend of raspberries and plums, seasoned with spice and soft tannins. Also recommended is the perfectly proportioned Rosé, which just has the right amount of fruit to minerality.

Her wines are listed by The Wine Society in the UK, which is a testament in itself.

English spoken

Chateau Massamier, La Mignarde near Pépieux 11700
Frantz Vènes, , tel: 04.68.91.40.74 Open every day 9 am - 7 pm.

The property takes its name from Maximus, the Roman General. Shards of amphora pottery have been found in the vineyards. The estate has been in the same family hands for around 800 years, and the present incumbent, Frantz, is overseeing an upturn in its fortunes.

His top cuvée is "Domus Maximus" a La Livinière Cru, but also worthwhile is their 100% Carignan cuvée. Down the scale is the "Cuvée St. Aubin", a splendid Rosé and a promising white.

Some English spoken

Chateau d'Oupia 34210 Oupia
M. Andre Iché, tel: 04.68.91.20.86 e.mail: oupia@tiscali.fr

Located at the top end of the village, this property is consistently good. Though not visited for a few years, the Cuvée Les Barons is an oak-aged Syrah blend that will provide a great deal of pleasure.

The super-cuvée, "Oppius" (not tasted) won a Coup de Coeur (Hachette) for the 2000 vintage.

Domaine Des Aires-Hautes, Siran
Gilles Chabbert, e.mail: gilles.chabbert@wanadoo.fr. Tel: 04.68.91.54.40.

Although located within the village itself, the property is not easy to find, and Gilles himself generally keeps a low profile, allowing his wines to do the talking.

His "Clos l'Escandil" is a low-yielding Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre blend, spending around 20+ months in barrel. Rest assured, the fruit can cope and this is amongst the finest wines of Cru La Livinière.

For those who find the premium wine too pricey, the "Domaine des Aires-Hautes" is generally silky smooth and very satisfying.

No English spoken

Domaine de Barroubio St. Jean-de-Minervois, Barroubio
Raymond Miquel, Tel: 04.67.38.14.06, Open every day: 10-12 & 2.00-6.30 pm.

You need to travel a little further afield for the classic, lightly-fortified muscats. These are not simply splendid dessert wines that make a perfect match for English puddings (particularly Christmas pudding), but also chocolate desserts, which are notoriously hard to match. They also work well with blue cheese and can match foie gras or paté. The French even drink them as an aperitif, but I think that's taking things too far.

The entire range of sweeties at this property are highly recommended. It all depends on what you want to pay, but they also produce a more than passable red. Well worth a visit!

No English spoken

My top ten list is by no means comprehensive, and I realise I have omitted some top-notch producers. These are listed as follows:

La Livinière

Domaine Piccinini, Route des Mentieres 34210 La Livinière, Tel: 04.68.91.44.32

Founded by Maurice Piccinini, one of the prime movers of the La Livinière Cru, and now run by his son, Jean-Christophe.

Chateau Faiteau, Route des Mentieres 34210 La Livinière, tel: 06.15.90.89.48 e.mail: jma-ch-faiteau@wanadoo.fr, no English spoken.

In the heart of La Livinière, the property has recently cut its ties with the co-operative and is now producing some splendid wine.

No English spoken

Clos Centeilles Patricia and Daniel Domergue, Compagne de Centeilles, 34210, Siran Tel: 04.68.91.52.18. Visits by appointment, English spoken

One of the leading thinkers on regional wines. I particularly commend the "Carignanissime," and the "Clos Centeilles." The style is almost Burgundian, such is the sensuous mouthfeel.

Chateau de Gourgazaud La Livinière 34210 Olonzac Tel: 04.68.78.10.02 A property well worth visiting for the quality of its white wines, as well as its reds. The owner was a co-founder (along with Maurice Piccinini) of the Cru La Livinière

Chateau La Coupe Roses, Rue de la Poterie, La Caunette. Tel: 04.68.91.21.95 e.mail: couperoses@infonie.fr Visits: 9 am - 12 noon, and 2.00 - 6.00 pm

I have been particularly impressed by Les Plots (unoaked) and L'Orience (oaked), as well as their whites.

Further Afield

Located to the south, across the Canal du Midi, lies the neighbouring Appellation, Corbières. The proximity of the situation would suggest that the wines are identical to those of the Minervois, but this would not be true. Whilst members of the same family of Languedoc AOCs, the wines from Minervois tend to be more elegant and refined, whereas those from the Corbières are a little more rustic in character. This is partly accounted for by variations in micro-climate and soils, but the principal feature is that Corbières allows for a much higher proportion of the Carignan grape as part of its blend, which produces peppery, earthy, redcurrant flavours. In comparison, wines from Minervois generally have a greater proportion of Syrah, giving off flavours of hedgerow fruits.

Three of my favourite producers are:

Chateau La Voulte-Gasparets - Patrick Reverdy, 11200 Boutenac (about 10 km south-east of Lezignan-Corbières). Tel: 04.68.27.07.86, e.mail: chateau-le-voulte@wanadoo.fr Visits: everyday 9-12 and 2-6 pm. No English spoken

Amongst the consistently best Corbières producers, located in superb terroir.

Domaine de Fontsainte - Bruno Laboucarié, 11200 Boutenac. Tel: 04.68.27.07.63 Visits: everyday except Sunday, 10-12 and 2-6 pm Bruno is an ex-paratrooper and is fastidious when it comes to winemaking.

Domaine Serres-Mazard - Annie et Jean-Pierre Mazard, 11220 Talairan Tel: 04.68.44.02.22 Visits: 9.00 am - 7.00 pm in summer (winter by appointment)

Not only are the wines superb, but the tasting room is a shrine to the Corbières region. An essential visit.

No English spoken

TOP TASTING TIPS

1. Don't smoke or wear strong perfume while tasting.
2. Make notes at the properties you visit, the wines you taste, and the prices. Indicate your reaction and, for simplicity, mark out of 10.
3. Keep a clear head, spit - don't swallow. Ask for a spittoon - a "crachoir".
4. Look at the colour - this will give an indication of clarity, cleanliness and age.
5. Smell the wine - this will give an indication of the quality of fruit, as well as reveal faults, such as a "corked" bottle.
6. Taste the wine. Look for the ripeness and quality of fruit. Sour or thin fruit will not improve. Think about the level of tannin and use of oak-ageing.
7. Think about the age of the wine and whether it will mature - a young wine will be tannic and tough, but this may be a sign that it will develop. Remember, wines are made to go with food and a certain amount of tannin is highly desirable.
8. Think about your general impression and after-taste. If it is long and lingering, it will have ageing potential. If it's short, it may be best for general "quaffing".
9. Rely on your own judgement - if you don't like it, don't buy it. Don't feel obliged to make a purchase.
10. Wines that are drinking well in the tasting room are ready now and probably won't keep for a long period. Wines which are backward (generally more expensive) will repay up to 2-3 years cellaring before they are approached. Rosés, in particular, are best consumed by the Christmas after the year of the vintage. In other words, you should finish your 2003 Rosés by the end of 2004.
11. Treat your purchase carefully, keep it protected and, above all, don't let it cook in the car. In extreme heat, the liquid will expand and push out the cork, causing premature oxidation.
12. Remember - don't drink and drive!