2010 WINE TOUR
IN LANGUEDOC-ROUSSILLON
introduction to wines and wine tasting
May 23 - May 29
995 euros per participant, double occupancy
single occupancy: add 250 euros
-Six (6) nights accommodations in chambres d'hote
-All dinners, all breakfasts
-Private wine initiation lessons with French wine expert
-Daily visits to vineyards for wine tastings (fees included)
-Two cultural visits
-Private transportation for activities included in tour
-Airfare not included
-250 euros non-refundable deposit
Minimum number of participants: 4
Maximum: 8
To read about wines from the Languedoc-Roussillon region, I invite you to visit one of these excellent web sites:
Château LAMARGUE wines (Costières de Nîmes from Saint-Gilles)
Wines have been produced for over 2,000 years in what is called today the Costières de Nîmes region. Château Lamargue, established in 1999, is located in Saint-Gilles, in the southern Rhône Valley, just over the border between Provence and Languedoc. The property was purchased by Campari in 2001. I includes 210 acres of vineyards planted with several varieties of grapes, a large percentage of which is syrah.
There are two types of Château Lamargue wines: A.O.C. Costières de Nîmes and Vins de Pays d'Oc. I tend to appreciate their whites more than their reds and although I personally don't find Lamargue wines the "best" of the Costières de Nîmes, they're a great value -- plus I've never had one I didn't like!
FITOU (Languedoc-Roussillon)
Fitou is the oldest appellation
in the Languedoc region, having been established in 1948. It also has the
lowest yield of all Languedoc red wines. Only nine communes in the
Fitou-producing region are classed as AOC: Cascastel, Caves, Fitou, La Palme,
Leucate, Paziols, Treilles, Tuchan et Villeneuve. The soil consists of clay,
limestone and schist; the climate is typical of the Mediterranean.
Fitou wines are made for the most
part from Carignan and black Grenache grapes (30-40% minimum of each), with the
latter rounding out the strong personality of the former. Some Fitous also use
Syrah and Mourvèdre in the blend (10-30%). The Syrah contributes to Fitou’s
complexity, while the Mourvèdre’s tannic structure increases the wine’s aging
potential. The bouquet of Fitou wines is defined typically by violet, pepper,
and black fruits.
Fitou is made using traditional winemaking
methods passed on from generation to generation, combined with the very latest
winemaking technology. Either whole, destalked grapes or entire clusters
of grapes are macerated then fermented for a period of 8-10 days, sometimes
much longer. Combining methods is the norm to produce a good balance of
elegant fruitiness and tannins.
Fitou wines are ruby red in
color, warm, and full-bodied. To best appreciate their richness, they should
ideally be served between 17-19° C or 62-67° F.
Their robustness makes them a wonderful wine for cured meats, fish, grilled
meats and strong cheeses.
I can honestly say that I’ve
never had a Fitou I didn’t like, but for a special wine tasting, try an older
Fitou from 1994, 96 or 98 or one of the Mont Tauch. Les Quatre, for example, is
rich in blackberry and spice, with some oakiness. The vineyard is situated
above the village of Paziols in Languedoc, facing south towards the
Pyrenees. Carignon, Grenache, and Syrah are used in the blend. Part of the wine
is aged for nine months in new oak barrels, then bottled in the fall, between
September and November. It is released six months later.
Les
Quatre is said to be a perfect pairing for a meal of Jugged hare. I’ve not yet
tried it, but it’s on my list of Christmas dishes. If this type of dish interests you, click
on the Recipe of the Month link to read the recipe. If you can’t find hare or
rabbit for the dish, try it with chicken. And a bottle of Fitou, of course.
http://www.mont-tauch.com/
Wines from the PIC SAINT-LOUP
Pic Saint-Loup wines are produced in Languedoc-Roussillon. They've been on the rise for the past several years and their quality continues to improve. L'Hortus is one of my all time favorites.
Most of the wine we consume in my home comes from the vineyards of Languedoc-Roussillon. Not only is the wine quite good (some is excellent), it's also inexpensive.
We take our 10-liter reusable plastic jugs (called cubis) into the cave coopérative and have them filled with our favorite local wines. At home, we tap the wine into recycled wine bottles, then cork and cellar. Our latest favorite merlot costs us 12 euros per cubi, which comes to under one euro per bottle of wine, since each 10-liter cubi will fill 13 wine bottles. Now don't you wish you lived in France?
Buying your wine this way has its down sides: you have to have the right equipment and you can't put the wine down for very long. That's not really an issue for us. Wine consumption may be down in France in general, but our corner of the country still has a glass or two with the evening meal. A typical glass of wine here, by the way, is much, much smaller than a typical glass of wine in the States. Large pours exist, but are rare.
For special occasions or just for a change, we'll splurge on bottles of more complex wines not available by the cubi. I especially like Pic Saint-Loup wines. My current and long-time favorites come from Domaine de l'Hortus and Château de Lascaux. I've indicated contact information for both at the bottom of this page. You can choose to read their web sites in either French or English. Hortus and Lascaux wines are both available for purchase in the USA.
Pic Saint-Loup has been a fully recognized AOC wine (Coteaux du Languedoc) since February 2002, so is a very new denomination. However, wine has been produced in the area for over two thousand years.
The Pic Saint-Loup is about 30 kilometers from the Mediterranean Sea, just north of the city of Montpellier. The soils of this scrubby garrigue include hard and soft limestone, dolomite, clay and conglomerate. The overall climate is quite stable from year to year and the different micro-climates are favorable to the successful growing and ripening of the Pic Saint-Loup's three predominant grapes: Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre. Carignan and Cinsault are the two lesser dominant grapes grown here.
The Pic Saint-Loup is named after one of three brothers who, legend has it, were all in love with the same woman. Her name was Bertrade. She refused to choose and so they all left for the Crusades, staying away for so long that the need for Bertrade to choose became unnecessary. You see, she died during the long wait! As often happens in these legends from the Middle Ages, the "heroes" became hermits. Each of them made his home on a separate but neighboring peak. Once a year, on the 19th of March, they lit a fire in memory of the beloved Bertrade. Thieri apparently outlived his brothers and so the Pic Saint-Loup, the highest of the three peaks, was named in his honor. Feel free to interpret...
And we'll leave it at that. Check out the two web sites indicated below for details about the very fine Pic Saint-Loup wines from Domaine de l'Hortus and Château Lascaux.
Check back in November to read about another Coteaux du Languedoc denomination: FITOU.
