A Taste of the Languedoc

It’s been awhile since I joined my fellow wine writers of the #Winophiles group, but I’ve been waiting for the opportunity to share some wines from the Languedoc I tried along with what I learned about this wine region of France.  I must admit my French wine knowledge is lacking, but I’m always intrigued by the wines of France.  I’m an old world wine girl, hence my love for Italian wine.  It’s always easier to gravitate towards what you know, but you don’t learn unless you put yourself out there to try new things.  I attended a virtual wine tasting awhile back hosted by Gregory & Vine and Laura Maniec-Fiorvaniti, Master of Wine and owner of the Corkbuzz in New York City.  Let’s dig into the Languedoc and get a taste of what it has to offer. 

The Languedoc wine region is located in the southeastern part of France.  This area has a rich winegrowing history dating back 2,500 years.  The region is mostly dominated by red wines at 59% with almost equal parts split between white and rosé wines at 21% and 20% respectively.  The Languedoc has 23 AOC’s with over 3,000 winemakers including small growers, negociants and cooperatives farming across 90,000 acres of vines. 

Languedoc-Rousillon wine region - sourced from Wikipedia

The Languedoc is abundant in sunshine receiving over 300 days of warm sun.  It has many climatic influences from the Mediterranean Sea and the cooling Atlantic wines along with the hillside and mountains influences to the north.   

For those conscious of organic wines, the Languedoc is the leading wine region in France for the most organic vines.  At the time of the virtual tasting they were at 33% and growing so I’m sure the numbers have incraesed since then.  Over 25% were in the process of converting as well making up 6% or organic vineyards worldwide.  Quite the astonishing number if you ask me!  One of the wineries that I’m highlighting today, Chateau Maris, is one of the pioneers of the region for not only organic, but sustainability and biodynamics as well. 

There is quite the diverse range of styles and terroir and the wines can be grouped into 5 classications: sparkling, sweet wines, the AOP Languedoc, village designations and sub regional areas.

Languedoc wine appellations - sourced from Wikipedia

The Wines 

The Languedoc produced the first sparkling wine in the world that came from Limoux in 1544.  The Limoux AOC is located on the southwestern side of the Languedoc region.  This area has a cool, moist climate with crisp, dry winds from the Atlantic from the west and warm Mediterrean winds from the east.  The soils there are mostly rocky filled with limestone and sandstone.  

Limoux AOC - sourced from the Wines of Languedoc

I tasted the 2019 Gerard Bertrand Heritage An 825 Brut Cremant de Limoux AOC which is owned by a famous rugby player whom owns over 17 estates in southern France.  Gerard grew up working alongside his family’s wine estate until he took it over in 1987 upon the passing of his father.  Five years later  he founded the Gerard Bertrand winery. 

 

The 2019 Gerard Bertrand Heritage An 825 Brut Cremant de Limoux AOC is named after the Abbey of St. Hilaire near Limoux that traced back to 825.  The abbey used to house monks who discovered effervescent wines.  This wine is made up of 60% Chardonnay, 25% Chenin Blanc and 15% Pinot Noir.  Produced in the traditional method, this pale rosé did not macerate the Pinot Noir with the juice, but went through a light bleeding.  This wine was light salmon in color with a tinge of orange. Aromas of citrus and yeast.   Dry on the palate with notes of citrus pith. ABV 12.5% SRP $23

Next up is the area of Pic-Saint-Loup AOC located in the hills and mountains in the northern part of the Languedoc. This area has dry, hot summers with cold winters. It is known for producing red and rosé wines made from Grenache, Mourvedre and Syrah. The soils of this area are composed of red sanstone known as “ruffe” as well as Jurassic limestone, basalt and schist. The volcanic subsoils of this area lend to minerality in the wines.  

 

I tasted the 2015 Chateau de Lancyre Vielles Vignes Pic-Saint-Loup that comes from old vines, averaging 30 years old. This wine is made up of 2/3 Syrah and 1/3 Grenache. Laura called this wine a “steakhouse wine”. Intensely colored to match it’s big, dark fruit flavors. This wine has a meaty structure, but also an elegance about it. SRP $21ABV 14%

Lastly is the Minervois La Liviniere AOC named after the village of La Liviniere. It’s meaning translates to a place planted with vines after the original name, Lavineira. In Minervois is Chateau Maris, a pioneer of the region for organic and biodynamic farming and sustainability practices. Wine Spectator labeled them as “one of the 5 most environmentally friendly wineries in the world”. They are Biodyvin and Demeter certified and is the first and only B Corp Certified European winery. They are known for making terroir driven wines.  

Minervois AOC - sourced from Wines of Languedoc

I tasted the 2019 Chateau Maris La Touge La Liviniere Minervois AOC which is a blend of 70% Syrah and 30% Grenache that is vinified and aged in cement eeggs. Full-bodied, this wine has a meaty structure and is full of juicy black fruits and ripe red raspberries with a touch of pepper and herbs. ABV 14.5%, SRP $21 

Join my fellow wine writing friends as they share additional wines with some pairings from the Languedoc.

• Camilla of Culinary Cam serves up A Simple Poulet Rôti with the 2023 Les Foulards Rouges Octobre Rouge
• Robin of Crushed Grape Chronicles is sharing Heresie – Ancient and Modern Knights of Languedoc
• Gwendolyn of Wine Predator offers For Spring, try Salade Niçoise and this cheeseboard with red or rose wine from Languedoc
• Wendy of A Day In The Life On The Farm sips Grande Réserve de Gassac Blanc 2021: A White Blend from Languedoc
• Jeff of FoodWineClick discovers Languedoc – Hidden Value from France
• Here at ENOFYLZ Wine Blog I’ll be Pairing 2022 Jeff Carrel Languedoc Les Darons with Birria Pizza

You can shop on Wine.com in support of Vino Travels and find a variety of Languedoc wines to try for yourself.

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*These wines were provided as samples, but opinions are always my own.

Bring on Spring with Loire Valley Wines

Every time I join our Winophiles group focusing on the different wine regions throughout France I ask myself why I do not drink more French wine.  I have an Old World palate and every time I decide to jump in and try something new I add some new favorites to my repertoire.  This month we feature the Loire Valley hosted by Camilla of the Culinary Adventures of Camilla.  With spring upon us, the wines I’m sharing today couldn’t have been a better fit to welcome the season.  Let’s dig into the Loire Valley! 

The Loire Valley wine region is located in Central France and runs along the Loire River. The wine region is divided into 3 parts, two of which I’ll be sharing wines from today including the Upper Valley and the Central Valley. The region is rich with beautiful landscapes with chateaus and castles spread throughout and covers over 600 miles from east to west.  

Sourced from Wikipedia

There is nothing like starting a tasting with some sparkling wine, which brings us to our first wine, a non-vintage Bouvet Signature Brut. The winery was founded in 1851 by Etienne Bouvet and is located in the Central Loire Valley in Saumur. Bouvet is the 2nd oldest sparkling producer in the Saumur. This area became one of France’s largest traditional method producers and still stands to be one of the most respected sparkling wine producing areas in France. 

Saumur is an area that is known for its tuffeau caves that reside in the chalky hillsides. These caves help moderate consistent temperatures. There are actually hundreds of miles of underground caves dug out with the materials used to build castles and palaces found throughout the region. Bouvet actually has underground cellars that were excavated by St. Florence monks that used the material to build La Bella d’Anjou abbey. These underground caves about 5 miles long, in 2002, became recognized as a UNESCO Heritage Site known as the Underground Cathedral.  

The Bouvet Signature Brut non-vintage I tried is made from 90% Chenin Blanc and 10% Chardonnay. The grapes are sourced from over 100+ plots of land that the Bouvet family has long established relationships with. These grapes grow on soils mostly comprised of limestone, which is fantastic for growing Chenin Blanc grapes, along with some clay that allow great drainage. The juice is pressed in the vineyard and brought to the winery and the lots are blended before secondary fermentation via the traditional method. Straw to yellow colored in the glass, this wine had a beautiful nose of citrus, green apple, stone fruit and a slight hint of vanilla. The bubbles were fine and the wine was quite airy with lemon zest and a tingly acidity carried through to the finish. I located this wine online at Total Wine for $11.99. Quite a steal! ABV 12.5% 

I’d love to say I prepared this gourmet French meal, but let’s keep in mind I have 2 small children and I may have been the only one eating it if I did. With the leftover ham we had from the prior night’s meal, I paired the Bouvet Signature Brut with a tortellini, ham and pea dish that went together quite well! The sauce had a slight creaminess to it that seemed to blend well with the bubbles. 

The second one I sampled, a 2019 Michel Redde La Moynerie Pouilly Fume, hails from the Upper Loire Valley where the winery is located in the north side of the town of Pouilly-sur-Loire. This particular wine appellation is known for its Sauvignon Blanc.  

Michel Redde and his son, Thierry, operate the winery today along with Thierry’s sons. Winemaking has been in the origins of the Redde family since 1630. Michel from an early age always wanted to be in the wine industry and with his wife in 1950 started purchasing and clearing land and planting vineyards. Starting with 15 acres and growing to the present 85 acres, the vineyards are located on hillsides overlooking the Loire Valley. About 97% of their vineyards are planted to Sauvignon Blanc. They are slow progressing towards converting over to organic winemaking as well.  

The 2019 Michel Redde La Moynerie Pouilly Fume was my favorite of the two. Made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc this wine is produced from 20-25 year old vines in diverse soils from limestone to marl and clay with flint. Unlike Bouvet, these grapes are estate grown. The wine was aged on the lees about 10-12 months in stainless and wooden barrels until bottled. A brilliant pale straw color in the glass. The wine was quite aromatic showing mostly apricots and grassy notes. Bright, lively acidity right up front with great body and texture. Mostly herbal and grassy notes along with some citrus and a hint of apricot towards the finish. Lots of minerality showing on this wine and I picked up a hint of warmth on the finish from the 14.2% alcohol, but not considerably noticeable. Great length! SRP $36. 

I went with a simple pairing for this one and wish I had added more of a sauce to the top that may have really married well to the dish. I prepared quinoa topped with baked salmon drizzled with some sesame oil. Still enjoyable, but I think a sauce would’ve turned this pairing up a notch.    

Don’t stop now! The rest of our wine and food loving crew have great wine and food pairing suggestions on the Loire Valley to share.  Join us live on Twitter this Saturday at 11am EST at #Winophiles as we chat more about the Loire Valley.  See you there! 

• Celebrating Spring with Raclette and Rosé by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Château Aqueria - Tavel Rosé Paired With The Perfect Spring Time Salad by Syrah Queen
• French Rosé, Sparkling Wine, and A Taco Bar for Easter? Si! by Wine Predator...Gwendolyn Alley
• French Spring Menu with Tavel Rosé & Cru Beaujolais by Always Ravenous
• Joyeuses Pâques with Champalou Paired Pork Loin by The Quirky Cork
• Roasted Salmon with Grilled Pineapple Pico de Gallo + Château D'Aqueria Tavel Rosé 2020 by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Woodfired Salmon Pizza with La Nerthe Les Cassagnes Rosé by Our Good Life

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*These wines were provided as samples, but opinions are always my own.  Importer is Kobrand.

Summer Is Here With These Refreshing Pleasures from L'Ecole

This year I have had a privileged opportunity to be part of an Ambassador team getting to know L’Ecole No. 41 located in the Walla Walla Valley on Washington state.  This is a 3^rd generation family run winery founded in 1983 when there were only 20 wineries in the state (now over 1,000) and this being the 3^rd winery at the time in the Walla Walla Valley.  The winery takes great pride in making 100% of their own wines and have been leaders in developing the Walla Walla wine region.  They are located in the Frenchtown District just west of Walla Walla.  The area was initially inhabited by French Canadians in the early 1800’s and is located in the 41^st district hence L’Ecole paying homage to the historial dwellings of the area.

Copyright of L'Ecole

These suggestons today were some of my recent favorites at great price points that I have been enjoying.  Both of these wines today are part of L’Ecole’s Heritage Collection marked by the black label that are branded to be consistent representations of the terroir and quality expressions of the grapes themselves. 

2020 L’Ecole No 41 Chenin Blanc Old Vines: L’Ecole has been producing this old vine 100% Chenin Blanc since 1987.  The founder, Jean Ferguson, was found of making this Chenin Blanc in a Vouvray style.  The grapes are grown from 3 separate vineyards: Willard Farms, Phil Church and Upland Vineyard, all planted in 1979 in the cool climate upper Yakima Valley AVA.  This Chenin Blanc is L’Ecole’s first white wine released every year.  Winemaker, Marcus Rafanelli, takes great pride in making aromatic whites like this Chenin.  One third of this wine goes through malolactic fermentation to calm its bracing acidity and give the wine some weight. 

A crisp, refreshing white with vibrant acidity bursting with citrus, grapefruit and stone fruit.  Good structure and fulfilling mouthfeel.  This wine was suggested to be ageworthy for 10-15 years if one can wait that long.  ABV 13.5% SRP $17

2020 L’Ecole No 41 Grenache Rose’: This wine is grown in the Alder Ridge Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA.  The Alder Ridge Vineyard is situated high on a bluff overlooking the Columbia River with a rather warm climate.  L’Ecole has been producing rose’ since 2009.  This wine is made in a Provence style made from 100% Grenache.  The wine is produced using the maceration method where the red grapes are harvested early for acidity and spend about 3-4 hours on the skins for their pale salmon color.  ABV 13.5% 

With 1,000 cases produced unfortunately this wine is sold out at only $16.  This is one of the perks of being a club member to get early access to these wines without missing out.  Marcus recommended a mouthwatering suggestion of pairing this wine with prosciutto and melon or a charcuterie plate.  I tried these wines out with vegetarian stuffed peppers stuffed with farro, pinto beans and tomatoes baked with cheese on top.

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*These wines were provided as samples, but opinions are always my own.