Langue Rhone d’Oc

The Mediterranean region of France – Languedoc, Roussillon, and Provence -- are where the best values are. Red wine dominates, but surprisingly spry whites and rosés are popping up too. Despite near drought conditions the 2005, 2006, and 2007 vintages have been excellent, with the dry conditions producing richly concentrated wines with stellar tannins. This month little-known wine corners of Languedoc are delicious and affordable, plus we have some of the Southern Rhone’s red powerhouses. See inside for Rosés.

Rouge d’Oc

*2006 Vin de Pays d’Oc ‘Syrah/Mourvedre’ (Domaine Luc Pirlet),

Sale Price $9.99 -- $101.90 case of twelve;

A few months back the Boston Globe gave notice to this hearty blend, so we sent a man to Montpellier (FR not VT) to investigate. He found it to be deep, dark, and delicious, which is what we would expect from Syrah and Mourvedre grown in copious sunshine. It is officially time to dust off the grill. Burgers will be a great match for this fruity, peppery red.

Power to the Picpoul

*2007 Picpoul de Pinet (Chateau Font Mars),

Sale Price $11.99 -- $122.30 case of twelve;

Over several vintages one of our most popular French whites has been the Picpoul de Pinet from a cooperative labeled Saint Peyre. It is always a solid performer. Because Picpoul de Pinet is a small one grape appellation in the Languedoc, we wondered if there was a higher-grade Picpoul from an independent grower. Recently we had our Picpoul epiphany. The 2007 from Font Mars provided us with a peak Picpoul moment. This is as close to Picpoul perfection as you can get on this side of the pond. The flavors are zesty and minerally, with a green plum fruit. Try this with a bowl of steamed mussels in a curry sauce.

Faugères

*2005 Faugères ‘Vieilles Vignes’ (Chateau de la Liquière),

Sale Price $17.99 -- $183.50 case of twelve;

Faugères is a rugged appellation in the northwest corner of the Languedoc. The climate and soil here make grape growing about the only industry, and it is one of the most thriving red wines of the Languedoc. The 2005 La Liquière is a gorgeous Faugères with a smoky Syrah-like aroma and a long lingering finish. Great for BBQ.

Luc’s Baby

*2007 Côtes du Rhône (Roger Perrin),

Sale Price $11.99 -- $122.30 case of twelve;

Luc Perrin is the current proprietor at Domaine Roger Perrin, and it looks like he has many more successful harvests ahead, to judge by his entry level 2007 Cotes du Rhone. Young as it may be, this might be his best yet. Upon tasting this blend of Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault the latest member of our staff to visit Luc’s winery used one word to describe this rich red, and the word was “scrumptious.”

Village Rasteau

*2005 Cotes du Rhone Villages ‘Rasteau’ (Domaine Beaurenard),

Sale Price $19.99 – $203.90 case of twelve;

The beautiful hill villages of the Southern Rhone would still be great tourist attractions if they ceased making wine, but because they do – so much the better. The Grenache grape ripens so well in the village of Rasteau that they are certified to make a fortified dessert red wine. This rare Port-like wine pairs with chocolate to great satisfaction. The mainstay of production is the dry red Rasteau, one of the strongest wines of the Southern Rhone. In its full-bodied, heady fashion Rasteau compares favorably with Gigondas at a click or two lower in price. Domaine Beaurenard is an ever-improving producer of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, whose Rasteau impressed us at a recent tasting. The wine has an earthy herbal Provencal aroma and is loaded with roasted dark fruit and a gentle mugging of tannin. This cries for a grilled boneless leg of lamb packed with garlic and rosemary.

Appellation Bien Controlée

*2005 Chateauneuf-du-Pape ‘Grande Garde’ (Saint-Benoit),

Sale Price $25.99 -- $265.10 case of twelve;

The French appellation system, which was pioneered by a producer of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, has many virtues and more than a few flaws. By restricting yields and keeping traditional grape varieties in the vineyards it gives consumers an idea of what kind of wine they should typically experience. On the flip side it gives mediocre producers in famous areas an opportunity to sell their wine for more money than more talented producers in lesser-known appellations. We would argue that with worldwide competition what this ‘chutes and ladders’ situation has begotten is less prevalent today than in the recent past. Still, wine lovers wanting to follow regions and vintages have the French appellation system on their side, so we go back to Chateauneuf-du-Pape to cheer. Chateauneuf-du-Pape is the finest Southern Rhone appellation, and it produces a lot of wine. Certainly there are tip-top producers who charge top dollar for their wine and ask you to cellar it for maximum utility and pleasure. Then there are producers who make several different cuvées of Chateauneuf-du-Pape that one can drink at different age intervals and still get the maximum of pleasure. For instance Saint-Benoit, who kindly and wisely allows their American importer to blend a ready-steady mix called ‘Grande Garde’ for current- and medium-term consumption. For us this is the great Grenache grape singed by wild herbs and infused with the stones of Chateauneuf. This is an amazing wine, far nearer to the lowest price of Chateauneuf-du-Pape than the highest.

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Vol.27, No10.