Road Reports

I spent another afternoon with Sylvain Fadat, helping him with some Internet related matters. His domain is registered and he now has a host for his new site, well its in process. While at his street front chateau which is one part house upstairs, two parts celler, two parts office and tasting room, we opened up some more of the delicious 1998’s and drank the remainder of the 1990 and 1996 wines from Friday.

The 1998’s Domain du Aupilhac’s are superb. Now these two were from bottle, and were the “early” release wines for Paris restaurants that want his wines young. They will not age as long as his regular release, but they show so much fruit and complexity, that I can hardly wait for the “traditional” releases to hit the USA importers docks. The 1996 Le Clos is delightful, but the star was the 1990, now open three days it showed loads of velvet fruit, spice and still tasted very young.

Prior to visiting Fadat, I went to the Cave Cooperative du Montpeyroux to taste some of their well regarded and moderately bargain priced wines.

NV Dry Rose 16FF

Dark salmon color with a strawberry bouquet. This blend of Syrah and Grenache is bone dry and has a refreshing flavor to it.

1998 Coteaux du Languedoc Rose Montpeyroux 20FF

Made from 100 percent Syrah, this wine is very easy to drink with layers of blackberry fruit. It is long, lush and round, with only a touch of acidity in the finish.

1998 Domain du Goutal Bland de Blanc 24FF

This aromatic white is made from 100 % Marsanne grapes. Layers of bananas, cantaloupe, spring fruit, melons all give this wine very nice tropical aroma and flavors. A very good wine.

1997 Coteaux du Languedoc Rouge 16FF

A blend of Carignan, Cinsault, Grenache and Syrah, this is a very soft, easy to drink round fruit bomb. It has a light berry nose, with flavors of blueberries. The wine ends with some tannin around the edges of the finish.

1997 Le Souverin Coteaux du Languedoc 22.45 FF

Very light, quaffer style red wine. No noticeable fruit, no flaws, just simple.

1995 Cuvee Special Coteaux du Languedoc 19.95 FF

Round and easy to drink. A lighter style of wine. Soft berries. Short finish.

1996 Domain du Payrous 27FF

Made from 100% Mourvedre. It has a black pepper nose with blackberry flavors to go with the light purple color. Very good.

1997 Chateau du Rocquefeuil 40FF

Very lush, round and full of fresh berry fruit. The wine has excellent balance and structure, with very full and round fruit of blackberries, strawberries, tar, cypress and eucalyptus. Very much a wine of the Garrigue. Very good to excellent.

1995 Chateau du Rocquefeuil 35 FF

Lighter color, showing age too early. Has more oak, flavors of blueberries. Very spicy. Good.

Andy