Vin de Pays
Since their birth almost forty years ago, Vins de pays (‘country wines’) have become popular both in France and abroad and enjoy particular success in Britain. Intended to be ‘easy to understand and to drink’, these wines represent the second rung in the ladder of French wine classification, being superior to Vin de Table but below the Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) and Vin Délimité de Qualité Superieure (VDQS)
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J L Terrier & C Collovray,
Drink now,
This wine exudes notes of white blossom, citrus and generous stone-fruit. It has lively and energetic, almost saline acidity, that one expects from the beautiful hillsides of Limoux. Juicy and silky in texture, the concentration drives on right to the finish
Fiona Hayes, Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd
Fiona Hayes, Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd
J L Terrier & C Collovray,
Drink now,
Deep ruby in colour, notes of pepper and spice showcase the wine’s Syrah component. The Merlot adds a red berry and plum aroma, supported by a juicy and generous palate. The fresh, vibrant acidity from the Syrah, combined with the spicy and ripe tannins, make for a well-balanced and accessible red. This was a particularly good vintage for both Merlot and Syrah
Fiona Hayes Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd
Fiona Hayes Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd
Ready, but will improve,
Mas de Daumas Gassac,
Ready, but will keep,
Mas De Daumas Gassac is the brainchild of Aimé Guibert, oneologist Emile Peynaud, and geologist Henri Enjalbert. Described famously as 'The First Growth of the Languedoc' by Hugh Johnson, Mas de Daumas, despite its flattering imitators, remains unique, primarily because its red wine is dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon.
The estate planted its first vines in 1974, in the unique and gentle climate of Aniane just to the north-west of Montpellier. Here they identified a combination of Burgundian terroir and an extraordinary micro-climate, dominated by gentle garrigue slopes and cool underground springs. This is now considered the finest terroir in the South of France, and led to the challenge to reproduce the quality of the best Châteaux of Médoc in the Languedoc.
Many of the leading Languedoc estates have now established themselves here, but it was Mas De Daumas Gassac who pioneered the production of world-class wine in the region, and can still be considered its finest producer.
When Aimé Guibert retired the gauntlet passed to his sons Samuel and Roman, who have proved more than a match for the challenge.
Upon appearance, The 2014 Mas de Daumas Gassac Rouge displays a deep ruby core with a purple hue. The dominating Cabernet Sauvignon fruit is evident on the nose with aromas of ripe blackcurrants and bramble, amongst black rose petal, smoke, and a lick of liquorice. An immediate richness of black fruit greets you on the palate, which is carried through to the back of the mouth across a velvety texture. All components are working together, the tannins are long and fine yet providing a neat framework, alcohol is modestly low and allows the purity of the blackcurrant and red plum fruit to shine through, balanced with a cleansing acidity. Leaving a clean and lasting finish with a touch of bitter chocolate. 13% alcohol. Drinking 2017 – 2022+.
Chris Lamb, Private Accoun
The estate planted its first vines in 1974, in the unique and gentle climate of Aniane just to the north-west of Montpellier. Here they identified a combination of Burgundian terroir and an extraordinary micro-climate, dominated by gentle garrigue slopes and cool underground springs. This is now considered the finest terroir in the South of France, and led to the challenge to reproduce the quality of the best Châteaux of Médoc in the Languedoc.
Many of the leading Languedoc estates have now established themselves here, but it was Mas De Daumas Gassac who pioneered the production of world-class wine in the region, and can still be considered its finest producer.
When Aimé Guibert retired the gauntlet passed to his sons Samuel and Roman, who have proved more than a match for the challenge.
Upon appearance, The 2014 Mas de Daumas Gassac Rouge displays a deep ruby core with a purple hue. The dominating Cabernet Sauvignon fruit is evident on the nose with aromas of ripe blackcurrants and bramble, amongst black rose petal, smoke, and a lick of liquorice. An immediate richness of black fruit greets you on the palate, which is carried through to the back of the mouth across a velvety texture. All components are working together, the tannins are long and fine yet providing a neat framework, alcohol is modestly low and allows the purity of the blackcurrant and red plum fruit to shine through, balanced with a cleansing acidity. Leaving a clean and lasting finish with a touch of bitter chocolate. 13% alcohol. Drinking 2017 – 2022+.
Chris Lamb, Private Accoun
Ready, but will keep,
The magic of Eloi Durbach’s Mediterranean vineyard stems not only from the natural beauty of the Beaux-de-Provence setting, with its gentle rolling hills and aromas of scrub, thyme and rosemary, not only from its romantic genesis and on-going connections with the bohemian world of painting and sculpture, but also from the simple philosophy which has informed the winemaking itself. Eschewing the dictates of Appellation Contrôleé and no friend of techniques such as destemming, filtration or the use of cultured yeasts, Eloi has ploughed on ( probably with a horse) and built a reputation for this wonderful wine with labels drawn by his late father, each subtly different , each designed to capture something of the essence of the vintage in question.
A propos, the 2010 is an outstanding example and therefore logically will merit a label which captures the colours and contours of a perfect season. The wine repays the compliment; the blend is divided equally between Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, the former lending an elegant Palladian structure, the later bright arboreal colour…..or in wine speak, firm but finely-etched tannins and a measured density of fruit, with blackberry and black cherry to the fore, and behind that hints of bay laurel and distant autumnal bonfires. The achievement of interloping Cabernet Sauvignon into these warm Provençal vineyards has been significant, and has no better illustration than the 2010 vintage.
A propos, the 2010 is an outstanding example and therefore logically will merit a label which captures the colours and contours of a perfect season. The wine repays the compliment; the blend is divided equally between Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, the former lending an elegant Palladian structure, the later bright arboreal colour…..or in wine speak, firm but finely-etched tannins and a measured density of fruit, with blackberry and black cherry to the fore, and behind that hints of bay laurel and distant autumnal bonfires. The achievement of interloping Cabernet Sauvignon into these warm Provençal vineyards has been significant, and has no better illustration than the 2010 vintage.
Ready, but will keep,
Domaine de Trévallon is located in the medieval town of Les Baux-de-Provence, 30km due south of Avignon, relatively close to the Southern Rhône, but, whereas Châteauneuf-du-Pape glories in heady Grenache and brooding Mourvèdre, Trévallon is an equal partnership of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. Cabernet has found a natural homestead in the relative altitude of the slopes of the Alpilles, its generous black fruit core held in counterpoint by the purity and focus of the Syrah.
An idiosyncratic wine, with mint, dark chocolate, eucalyptus, and ripe blackcurrant and blackcurrant leaf on the nose. The palate is superbly balanced, with reams of ripe cassis fruit, full-bodied, but fresh and lively. It has a precision and elegance one would not expect from a Southern French wine. The tannins are ripe and chalky, which is a nice foil to the ripe fruit palate.
An idiosyncratic wine, with mint, dark chocolate, eucalyptus, and ripe blackcurrant and blackcurrant leaf on the nose. The palate is superbly balanced, with reams of ripe cassis fruit, full-bodied, but fresh and lively. It has a precision and elegance one would not expect from a Southern French wine. The tannins are ripe and chalky, which is a nice foil to the ripe fruit palate.
Domaine Gauby,
Ready, but will keep,
‘Old vines’ is a somewhat nebulous term, but the Carignan vines that provide 35% of this blend are unequivocally long in the tooth – planted up to 125 years ago. The remainder of the blend is Grenache (a mere 55 years-old), Mourvèdre and Syrah, which have been cultivated bio-dynamically since 2001. Like all the domain’s wines, Vieilles Vignes Rouge is bottled un-fined and unfiltered in order to capture as much as possible of its exceptional provenance.
The 2012 is redolent of the hillsides of Roussillon: aromas of garrigue and fresh black fruit. Black fruit dominates the palate, supported by firm tannins. The finish is long and confident.
Will Heslop - Buying Department
The 2012 is redolent of the hillsides of Roussillon: aromas of garrigue and fresh black fruit. Black fruit dominates the palate, supported by firm tannins. The finish is long and confident.
Will Heslop - Buying Department
Ready, but will keep,
2009 in the South of France was almost perfect for the vines; the early rain providing energy and fuel, the mid-summer temperatures engendering complexity through their diversity and the late season warmth ensuring a happy coincidence of phenolic and fruit ripeness. Trevallon provides a magnificent illustration of this benevolence, all the more so because the marriage of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah requires very specific conditions, with sufficient warmth to ripen the Cabernet skins but diurnal patterns through the season to allow the Syrah to shine through with pellucid purity. The wine succeeds admirably, with the roundhead Cabernet providing a sober framework and the more cavalier Syrah broadening the mouth-feel, harnessing the sweetness and lifting the mood.
(Simon Field MW, BBR Buyer)
(Simon Field MW, BBR Buyer)
Ready, but will keep,
“Trévallon Rouge always has similarities in structure and finesse to the finer wines of the Médoc whilst holding resonance with the dense, dark wines of the Northern Rhône. 2011 is no different, with the Rhone aspect holding a stronger hold over the palate at the moment. Rich and exuberant red and black fruit vie for attention through the front of the palate. A distinctive white pepper lifts the mid palate before a focussed, linear finish. This wine is refreshing and appealing now, but will surely benefit from a further two years in the cellar and can be enjoyed over the following ten.”
(Gary Owen - Fine Wine Department - 29-Nov-2012)
(Gary Owen - Fine Wine Department - 29-Nov-2012)
Mas de Daumas Gassac,
Ready, but will keep,
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
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
Mas de Daumas Gassac,
Drink now,
The white from Daumas Gassac has long been a favourite of mine, in its own way just as influential as the red; indeed in the selection of grape varieties, namely equal shares of Viognier, Petit Manseng, Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc, it has probably been more influential. It is great to see white wines of this stature,and those from near-by Châteauneuf-du-Pape, now being assessed in the same way as the top Chardonnays from Burgundy. Complexity is most impressive here, with ripeness, effortlessly achieved in this, near-perfect summer, manifested by notes of acacia, white peach and guava, and freshness evidenced by the stony minerality and crisp acidity which subtly underwrite the whole structure. A twist of nutty Mediterranean indulgence completes the picture, which is eminently food-friendly, but certainly worthy of trying on its own such is its fundamental quality.
(Simon Field MW, BBR Buyer)
(Simon Field MW, BBR Buyer)
Ready, but will keep,
A gorgeous biodynamic wine, an even split of Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon that spent 2 years in a combination of foudre and barrel. Seamless, elegant and layered, with fabulous cassis, lead pencil shavings, tobacco leaf and spice, this full-bodied beauty is perfectly balanced, with no hard edges, fine tannin and terrific length. Drink now, it has the concentration and balance to continue to evolve gracefully for at least another decade.
94/100 Jeb Dunnuck eRobertParker.com #216 Jan 2015
94/100 Jeb Dunnuck eRobertParker.com #216 Jan 2015
Domaine Stephane Ogier,
Ready, but will improve,
Perennial Berry Bros. & Rudd favourite, for staff and customers alike, La Rosine is sourced from vines just to the south of the appellation, including some on the plateau above. Decomposed granite, high planting densities and careful winery treatment, where pumping over is eschewed in favour of a more gentle cap management: all these factors contribute to the silky, charming ensemble presented in the glass; its ripe and generous fruit held in check by an authoritative, gently spicy finish. Drink now to 2021.
Simon Field MW, Wine Buyer
Simon Field MW, Wine Buyer
Showing 1-29 out of 29 items
Fiona Hayes, Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd