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1. This was one helluffa great experience
2. Funtastic diversity (as well in styles as price brackets)
3. Languedoc-Roussillon rocks (at least most of this selection )
4. Sud de France has made a showcase of how an umbrella organization can make an unforgettable event
5. Wine is experimenting and approaching everything with an open mind…

I hope you enjoyed yourself, I did!

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Photo: svenwerk

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These aromas remind me of a trip to the Languedoc-Roussillon a couple of years ago. It was there that I discovered these amusing muscat wines, more specific in Domaine Barroubio at Saint Jean de Minervois. So nice that a smell can bring you back those memories…

In the mouth the sweetness a nicely intercepted by a chunk of acidity. Again that grapey taste immersed in peel of a lemon and roses water.

Conclusion: I’m seduced and want to meet the Madame of Mas de Madame!

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After a while those typical spicy notes free up: mint, lavender and rosemary tickle my nose.

These makes me think about a warm lazy afternoon in the South of France. Can you hear the crickets sing their song and feel the hot afternoon sun that makes you just feeling sleepy…a good book at your side and a red wine just slightly chilled and nothing to worry about…

Oops, where was I?

Oh yes tasting this wine.

In the mouth the wood aging is somewhat stubborn and not entirely integrated (maybe it needs a bit more time). This is a wine with quite some muscles: nice tannins countered by sufficient acidity and tons of fruit. I also noted a whiff of licorice and black olives.

This wine certainly needs a good meat dish to counter it.

Conclusion: Pretty complex with good balance, although the wood still needs some more integration. And be aware at the temperature you pour this wine: no more than 16°c to tame the alcohol devil.

Some more: 30670 is the postal code of code village d’Aigues-Vives (Gard).

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The color is a nice pink and this is were the transparent label gets his thing done: what a good view on this heavy pink, almost reddish, color.

In the first nose a bit shy but after a while the strawberries, red berries and a hint of white pepper kick in. Medium body and easy drinking (a hint of sweetness) with again a peppery note in the final. A quick check on the back label shows a 13% alcohol.

Conclusion: a well made and commercial rosé that a lot of people will like, though be it a bit heavy on the alcohol side. However, not my cup of rosé. On a terrace, on a nice sunny day I will drink a glass of this and enjoy it but then I would ask the wine card again and order me something completely different, something with more balls, brains and a bit profundity.

Check out their website and let you gulp down: Fruité Catalan

Some more: This Fruité Catalan sells in Belgium for about 4,19 € and is price quality certainly a good value. This wine is put in the market to aim at a specific target group: youth, women and wine newbies. And I’m sure they will luuvvit…

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Everything backboned by some wood: toasty notes and a trace of vanilla. After walsing the nose gets a grip on creamy peaches.

Once in the mouth, you feel the firm structure of the wood aging, a bit nutty with those roasty flavors, but everything quite well integrated.

Well, if you like white wine aged in barriques this might just be your stuff. The buttery and generous fruit aromas linger in my mouth. This is a wine with quite some structure and a serious length.

Conclusion: Yammie stuff but I guess that this bottle is not on the cheap side…

Waiter please bring me a second glass (and fast)!

Some more: Gérard Bertrand was a former French national rugbyplayer and is now an acclaimed winemaker.

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We have here a Crémant de Limoux. According to the AOC/AOP regulations such a crémant should be composed as follows: chardonnay (40% minimum) – chenin (20% minimum) – chardonnay + chenin (90% maximum). Secondary grapes: mauzac + pinot noir (20% maximum) of which pinot noir (10% maximum).

A rather complex blend with several restrictions as to minimums and maximums…

A Crémant de Limoux needs to age at least 15 months “sur lattes”. I understood that this sparkling wine has aged 24 months “sur lattes”.

When pouring this wine there was a nice mousse and tiny bubbles.

In the nose medium expressive with brioche and bakery aromas upfront combined with hints of lime and peach. Indeed, a very fresh nose where fried bread crumbles just increase your lust to take a sip…

The mousse is good for a creamy mouth feeling. Very refreshing with a bitter grapefruit accent at the end.

Conclusion: Nice refreshing and ideal aperitif on a lazy Sunday. However, if you are into complexity or you have to celebrate something really special I would recommend something else, something -probably- pricier. But as my everyday aperitif I like this a lot, a whole lot.

Some more: And this is an excerpt from the website of Sieur d’Arques:

“1531 – The first sparkling wine

The History of the Languedoc vineyard dates back to the 5 ^th century BC when the Greeks first introduced grape vines and their cultural practices.

It was in 1531, one century before Dom Pérignon, that wines from Limoux stepped onto the world stage thanks to Benedictine nuns from the St Hilaire Abbey, a neighbouring village, who created the first sparkling wine in the world: La Blanquette de Limoux.

The earliest written references to Blanquette de Limoux can be traced back to the lord of the region, “le Sieur d’Arques” who swigged down “flasks of Blanquette” to celebrate his victories.

Four centuries later, in 1946, the founding winemakers of our winery christened their wine, Sieur d’Arques.”

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A couple of weeks ago I received this great giftbox: 5 different wines, a glass, an opener and some folders explaining what Sud de France is all about.

What I noticed:

• The great and smooth organisation. Everything is very well coordinated and followed up by email. For example, I first received an email that my tasting samples were on their way and already the next day Fedex arrived with the package. So kudo’s for the organisation.
• The worldwide approach of this tasting. With the Flemish Winebloggers we also organise bottle exchanges or blog every two months about the same subject. But this is only in the Flemish part of Belgium, so just an extremely little part of the world. Sud de France is going global and I’m very curious about the results.
• The great box: indeed some nice marketing of Sud de France or how to make a name sticky!
• The diversity of the wines: sparkling, white, rosé, red and sweet. A whole meal of wines.

Now, off to the tasting of these wines…

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You have been selected to participate in the Sud de France worldwide synchronized wine tasting which will take place on June 21st, 2010 at 11a.m. in your country.

I would like to thank you for sharing this experience with us.
This is an exceptional opportunity to celebrate the 4th anniversary of Sud de France, the umbrella brand for wine and food products from Languedoc-Roussillon.”

With this email it all started exactly a month ago. When I first heard of it I was immediately enthusiast about this fantastic initiative.

This organisation recognizes the power of social media and blogs and applies it in a very original way. Love it and I’m very anxious how this day will proceed…

So let’s prepare the tasting.

Links:

Sud de France

Sud de France – Synchronized Worldwide Tasting

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Start as of 11.00 am. I will be posting every half an hour a tasting note. So stay tuned and enjoy!

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