Mas de Daumas Gassac

The white wine of Mas de Daumas Gassac is a blend of mainly Chardonnay, Viognier and Petit Manseng; the wine is beautifully perfumed, a hymn of white flowers and peach kernels; then the palate, textured and rich, wonderfully expressive and seamlessly constructed.

The domaine of Mas de Daumas Gassac, famously described as' The First Growth of the Languedoc' by no less a luminary than Hugh Johnson , is located just to the north-west of Montpellier.The advice given in 1972 to the owner Aimé Guibert by geologist Henri Enjalbert and Bordeaux oenologist Emile Peynaud, was that both the soils and the climate here were perfect to reproduce the outstanding quality of the wines of the Médoc and in particular to the cultivation of the Cabernet Sauvignon grape, hitherto a virtual stranger this far East. History has proved them to be correct!

2011 was relatively-speaking a cooler year in the Aniane Valley, and the wine has greater freshness than sometimes, greater purity and perhaps a greater sense of terroir. The fruit ripened nicely, if later, and the tannins are finely drawn, not for a moment forsaking the virtues of balance, structure and length. Small grapes with thick skins are reliable qualitative precursors, it seems.
 
The Cabernet dominates, as always, with the supporting cast made up of Malbec, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Tannat, Pinot Noir, Neboilo, Dolcetto and Tempranillo to name but a few. Peonies, wild berries, sousbois and spice (the wines has seen 16 months of new barrique) are the dominant notes at present; but the precise descriptors will evolve as much as the wine over time, taking on even greater complexity and harmony.
Simon Field MW, Berrys' Southern France Buyer


The dominant Cabernet Sauvignon in this blend leads to lovely rich dark fruits and a pleasing sense of style. However, for me the real interest comes from the other varietals that are blended with this, they add real interest to the palate, with meaty, smoky characters coming through and a powerful structure that clearly indicates this will age very well indeed. Mas de Daumas Gassac is a wine with a big reputation and in 2011 it clearly demonstrates why it is in such demand!
Matthew Tipping, Fine Wine Sales Manager - 29-Nov-2012

Cabernet Sauvignon makes up 80% of the blend, the balance an intriguing combination of indigenous varieties, such as Grenache and Cinsault, and those seldom found in France, let alone the Languedoc, such as Tempranillo and Nebbiolo.
 
The parcels are vinified separately, then afforded generous elevage of 14 months in barriques, some of which are new. The 2010 has a deep, plummy colour and a beguiling nose of smoked meat, ripe damson and hints of wood smoke, with a gentle herbal backdrop adding interest. The palate is, not unsurprisingly given the percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon, somewhat closed, the ripeness evidenced on the nose hitherto marginalised in the name of a serious vin de garde in the making. All well and good; the hints of herb have yielded a pleasing pot pourri of flavour, with firm acidity and a good but not overbearing level of alcohol respectful of the vintage conditions in a year when the summer was not intolerably hot, but the Autumn was long and pleasing. A most promising and pleasing Gassac; the children are now finally making wine in the style of father Aimé and the father is very satisfied with the results.
Simon Field MW, Berrys' Southern France Buyer