89/100 There’s a sense of richness to the well-spiced flavors of ripe cherry and dried blueberry. Chocolate mousse notes linger on the minerally finish, alongside hints of black olive. Drink now through 2017.
91/100 Suave and rich, with effusively fruity flavors of blackberry, dark plum, blueberry and spice. Features medium-grained tannins, with some graphite and mineral notes. Finishes with bittersweet chocolate accents. Drink now through 2018.
91/100 More fresh, lively and complex, yet without as much depth or richness, the 2011 Saint Chinian is another beautiful wine from this producer. Ripe cherries, blackberry, sappy flowers and garrigue-like aromas and flavors define the bouquet here, and it’s medium-bodied, fresh and lithe on the palate, with juicy acidity and a clean finish. It […]
88/100 The 2012 Languedoc, a blend of Syrah, Grenache and Carignan is a spicy, black cherry, herb and leather-scented effort that has mid-weight aromas and flavors, plenty of character and a quaffable feel. Enjoy this bistro-styled effort over the coming couple of years. This was a superb lineup from Gregory Hecht and Francois Bannier. The […]
91/100 Offering fabulous richness, the 2011 Faugeres is ripe and up-front, with loads of red plum, ink, licorice, ground pepper and earthy/mineral qualities to go with a medium to full-bodied, voluptuous profile on the palate. A big, layered effort, it firms up nicely on the finish, and should drink nicely through 2023 or more. This […]
90/100 The 2011 Cotes du Roussillon Villages gives up classic red and black fruits, dusty pebble-like minerality, licorice and earth aromas and flavors as well as a medium to full-bodied, lively, yet nicely textured profile on the palate. Mid-weight through the middle, with savory tannin, it will evolve nicely through 2019. This was a superb […]
90/100 The 2011 Bandol is an outstanding effort that gives up ripe black fruits, ground pepper, earth and leather nuances to go with a structured, savory, medium-bodied feel on the palate. Give it another year and enjoy it through 2021. This was a superb lineup from Gregory Hecht and Francois Bannier. The wines show distinctive […]
If California is America’s fruit basket, then the Languedoc is Europe’s grape bin. Never was this more apparent than this week at Vinisud, the annual assemblage of producers from the Languedoc-Roussillon and other southern French regions. Trade fairs such as this can be brutal. Tens of thousands of generic Languedoc wines are fighting to sell, […]
The white Languedoc is Picpoul blended with Roussanne and Grenache Blanc, and it has a sort of hazelnut character that reminded me of good Soave, with a herbal note which is romantically compared to the garrigue of the Languedoc landscape. The Picpoul gives a fresh acidity so important for whites while the other two varieties […]
90/100 Côtes du Roussillon Villages 2010 88/100 Languedoc Rosé 2012
