WTN: Lovely Languedoc, Lux.Riesling, new S.Champigny, etc.

The following wines were consumed at home last week with some traditionally warming Belgo/French dishes, carbonnades flamandes (beef stew with prunes in a beer sauce), moules frites (mussels and French -freedom?- fries), pot-au-feu (ox-tail and other ignoble beef cuts cooked with assorted vegetables) and they all went very well together.

Saumur-Champigny “Initiale” 2006 – Agathe Vatan (daughter of Château du Hureau’s Philippe Vatan); she describes this one right on the back label – “For a young wine-grower, this vintage was the perfect ally in making my first wine. Femininity joins the family tradition. Suppleness, power and succulence are its strong points for seducing you.” I would add nice round red fruit and ripe tannins; a very promising first effort, no doubt with some help from “papa”; 15.5/20++.

I was expecting more from Vacqueyras “Les Genestes” 2001 – Domaine des Amouriers (Jocelyn Chudzikiewicz) - which was somewhat subdued aromatically though attractive cherry and dark fruit and some leather were present encased in still firm tannins; maybe some more time is needed; 15/20+ now.

Riesling Grand 1er cru Stadtbredimus Fels - AOC Moselle Luxembourgeoise - “Art & Vin No 21 Sus Hierzig Série Limitée” 2006 – Domaine Vinsmoselle – was a deliciously crisp, mineral and fragrant dry Riesling with good “gras”, juicy acidity and white fruit aromas; 16.5/20. (Luxembourg’s offerings deserve to be better known but they nearly all are lapped up by Luxemburgers which helps to maintain their very reasonable prices - c. €9 for this one).

Coteaux du Languedoc Montpeyroux “Le Clos” 1998 – Aupilhac (Sylvain Fadat), made from Mourvèdre and Carignan 40% each and the balance from Syrah, was in a lovely place; colour was deep, aromas seemed slightly jammy and New World at first but that quickly dissipated and then they showed a lot of anis and herbs over discreet ripe fruit with a touch of mint; the palate was quite full, smooth and harmonious in a slightly sweet register but balanced by hints of leather and still present ripe tannic structure providing support for the finish; (the best half glass came from the heeltaps left after decanting but before the mud swamped everything; it seemed less smooth but more vibrant and deeper, better pointing up the complexity as if getting nourishment from the sediment – I need to do more experiments like this;) 16.5/20+++. (One fly in the ointment is that Fadat no longer seems to make this cuvée if his website is an accurate guide.)

Collioure Puig Oriol 2000 - Domaine La Tour Vieillle has gone downhill fast; about 2 years ago it was delicious but a few month back I reported that it was tiring with a dusty finish; this bottle was much worse with a nose showing rancid cheese and varnish with traces of the same on the palate coming through some still sweet fruit; the bottle did not even have the excuse of a leaky cork like the previous one and its contents went down the drain. It was replaced straight from the cold cellar by Côtes de Brouilly 2006 – Domaine des Terres Dorées (J-P Brun), which was enjoyably mineral and perhaps slightly more open aromatically than previous bottles, 15.5/20.

Saumur-Champigny “Initiale” 2006 – Agathe Vatan (daughter of Château du Hureau’s Philippe Vatan); she describes this one right on the back label – “For a young wine-grower, this vintage was the perfect ally in making my first wine. Femininity joins the family tradition. Suppleness, power and succulence are its strong points for seducing you.”

Sounds like the marketing pitch is already under control!

Nice to hear about family traditions carrying on.

Saumur-Champigny “Initiale” 2006 – Agathe Vatan (daughter of Château du Hureau’s Philippe Vatan); she describes this one right on the back label – “For a young wine-grower, this vintage was the perfect ally in making my first wine. Femininity joins the family tradition. Suppleness, power and succulence are its strong points for seducing you.”

Sounds like the marketing pitch is already under control!

Nice to hear about family traditions carrying on.

Rahsaan,

I was thinking the same thing.

And, exactly how does one go about growing wine?

'Winger

And, exactly how does one go about growing wine?

'Winger

Actually, I wonder if the label was in French or English and whether this might be Tim's translation?

And, exactly how does one go about growing wine?

'Winger

Actually, I wonder if the label was in French or English and whether this might be Tim's translation?

Could be. If so, apologies to Tim. I have difficulties with American, let alone another language.

Bill

My translation. Sorry, no American from me.

Saumur-Champigny “Initiale” 2006 – Agathe Vatan (daughter of Château du Hureau’s Philippe Vatan); she describes this one right on the back label – “For a young wine-grower, this vintage was the perfect ally in making my first wine. Femininity joins the family tradition. Suppleness, power and succulence are its strong points for seducing you.”

Sounds like the marketing pitch is already under control!

Nice to hear about family traditions carrying on.

It's a marketing pitch which, for once, is fair comment. It is also good that Philippe Vatan has an apparently competent successor; I hope that she does not get seduced into using new wood.

René-Noël Legrand's tradition, which produces highly characterful S-C, is in danger of disappearing because his daughter is not interested in taking over. Or so he told me when I talked to him in April. Incidentally he did not know about Agathe's example.

Tim, always impossible to find J P Brun here. Its like reading about reports of terrific Muskys that will last 15 yrs!

Bob, do you get Beauj from Dom. du Vissoux (P-M Chermette)? I think they are even better.

It's a marketing pitch which, for once, is fair comment..

Even better. I don't doubt your assessment of the wine although many times I might be skeptical of such marketing speak on a wine label. Will look out for her wines if I ever see them.