(The historical information contained in this post was derived from Andre Domine's excellent book entitled 'Wine'. Here is the publishing information: Domine, A. (2007). Wine (5th ed.) Konigswinter: Tandem Verlag GmbH.)
There is no doubt in my mind that the area between the Southern Rhone Valley and the Spanish border known as the Languedoc-Roussillon or Midi represents some of the best value wines around. It is a region steeped in wine making history with historical records showing that grapes were grown here over 2ooo years ago. This makes a lot of sense given the region is dry with a ton of sunshine and poor soils, perfect for making great wines. There is some evidence that shows the region was famous for producing excellent wines during the height of the Roman Empire. Unfortunately for the past several centuries the region has been known for producing massive amounts of poor quality wines.
The factors that lead to this are multifaceted and has much to do with the regions history and economics. Andre Domine and co-writers in their excellent book simply entitled 'Wine' point to several factors. First, after the collapse of the Roman Empire demand for wine diminished and much of what was produced in the Languedoc remained within its borders. Then in the 17th Century when the famous Canal du Midi was constructed the region was reopened to trade. However, at this time wine was not nearly as fashionable as distilled liqueurs like Brandy. So many producers in the region opted to grow high yielding grapes and distill them. In the 19th Century with the Industrial Revolution in full swing demand for cheap, consumable wine came from the working class in the cities as a way to nourish themselves and escape from the horrific conditions. It thus became highly lucrative to make as much wine as possible, quality was not at all an issue. Producers in the Languedoc responded by planting even more high yielding grape varieties and by the end of the 19th Century the region was the largest wine growing area in the world at roughly 1.14 Million acres planted.
It seems the mentality of mass producing wine with no thought of quality remained ingrained in producers minds as the 20th Century rolled on. Between the Phylloxera outbreak, economics issues and two world wars not much changed in the region until the 1970s. This was when irrigation was introduced to the region and soon growing vegetables and fruits became much more profitable than making wine, producers were forced to respond. They did so by looking for the best growing sites and producing smaller amounts of better quality wine. In the late 1970s the now famous Aime Guibert released his first vintage of Mas de Dumas Gassac which in only a few years had critics agreeing that the wine rivaled some of Bordeaux's finest. This proved that the region could indeed produce top quality wine if proper vineyard sites were selected, yields were kept low and the focus was on quality not quantity.
Hence, a revolution began in the region with forward thinking producers focusing on quality. This was also aided by the creation of several Appellations in the region which were considered distinct, interesting and could produce good quality wine. The Appellation system also set rules for grape types, yield limits, and types of fermentation allowed. The early 1980s saw a boom in these new Appellations as Faugeres, Saint Chinian, Minervois, and Corbieres all came into existence. Now 20 years later the region is still a work in progress and has a way to go, but it is really starting to become a reliable place for interesting, characterful, and quality wines at bargain prices.
Now certainly the top producers like Mas de Dumas Gassac and Mas Jullien are commanding higher prices, but the region is filled with small quality minded producers making great stuff. It does take a little bit of homework to find which producers are the best, but lately I have found that if it says Saint Chinian, Faugeres, Corbieres, or Fitou on the label your chances that it will be good are quite high. At the least the quality and character will be there if not the easy drinkability many have come to expect from wine, but that is whole point. These wines make you work a bit, but it almost always pays off. And at an average of $12-$15 for most bottles it is a much better choice over much of the junk on the shelves at the same price. So I definitely encourage to give some Languedoc wines a try I think you will be pleasantly surprised.
It was in this spirit that I decided to have a fun comparative tasting last week of two Langeudoc reds one from Saint Chinian and one from Corbieres. I have posted my producer and tasting notes below.
Domaine Combebelle - Saint Chinian - 2007 - Les Vignobles de Foncalieu - Saint Chinian- Languedoc -France
From what I understand this wine is produced by Les Vignobles de Foncalieu which is a massive wine co-operative with member vine growers throughout the Languedoc. It is not to be confused with another Saint Chinian producer known as Chateau de Combebelle which is piquing the interest of several wine critics (perhaps I will get a chance to try a bottle soon.) There is not much information available about this wine, which is unfortunate as the Foncalieu website is under construction. From the back label this is what we do know. The Domaine is situated on 20 hectares near the village of Cazedarnes. The grapes are grown in chalk, clay, and stony soil on slopes and terraces with Southern exposure. The wine is a blend of Syrah, Grenache and Carignan.
The wine is an inky purple colour with notes of subtle strawberry, mint and an interesting tomato vine green note on the nose. In the mouth it is light to medium bodied and smooth and round in the mouth with a note of slate and subtle fruit which sweetens slightly on the finish. With air the nose displays some notes of dried herbs and stones with the same simple earthy fruit in the mouth. Overall the wine is simple and well made, but I found it to be rather boring especially compared to the Corbieres that was tasted with it. The slate note in the mouth was the only interesting thing. Good.
Chateau de Vaugelas - La Prieure - Corbieres - 2007 - Corbieres - Languedoc- France
The Chateau de Vaugelas has been in the hands of the Bonfils family for five generations. The family owns 110 hectares in Corbieres situated on argilio-limestone soils mixed with galets the large round rocks made famous by the Chateauneuf du Pape region. The property saw major investment in the mid 1990s by the Bonfils family including the hiring of oenologist Robert Dejean and Georges Pauli, who is the technical director of Chateau Gruaud-Larose in St. Julien, Bordeaux ( a second growth in the original Bordeaux classification). This wine, vinified by Pauli, is a blend of 35% Syrah, 30% Grenache, 30 % Carignan, and 5% Mourvedre. It was fermented in stainless steel and then aged in oak barrels for one year.
The wine is inky purple with complex notes of cedar, flowers, sweet hay, alfalfa, clover, black licorice, eucalyptus, and wood. It conjures up the smell of a barn in the middle of summer filled with fresh hay and a warm breeze flowing through. In the mouth the wine is very smooth, medium bodied and well rounded with the fruit perfectly framed by the wood. It finishes with a spicy earth note that is just delicious. With air the nose becomes even more complex with subtle notes of smoked meat and dried herbs becoming perceptible. The bouquet actually reminds me of a good perfume in its ability to balance the sweet floral notes with spicy, woodsy earth. All the while the wine stays perfectly balanced and delicious. Overall the wine is complex, interesting, very tasty and nose is undeniably fantastic. At $12.95 a bottle this is a steal. Excellent.
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