Languedoc-Roussillon

Family-owned Antech is the most prestigious producer in Limoux and we are delighted to have worked exclusively with Françoise Antech, from the sixth generation of the family, to craft this wonderfully expressive Crémant de Limoux.

A blend of 70 percent Chardonnay and 15 percent each of Chenin Blanc and Mauzac, aged traditionally and generously on its lees, this is a beautiful, balanced wine, with elegant aromas of orchard fruit and honeyed spice. The palate marries more exotic fruits with a clean, pebbly backdrop and an impressive depth of flavour.

Blanquette de Limoux bears the honour of being the first sparkling wine to be produced in France, long before Champagne became the undisputed world leader for this style. Blanquette" actually just means "white" in the local Occitan language.

Blanquette de Limoux can be a blend of three grape varieties: Mauzac must be the dominant grape with a minimum of 90%, the balance Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc. The Mauzac grape is prolific in the Limoux region, but almost non-existent elsewhere, and produces a rustic wine with distinct aromas of fresh cut grass and apple-peel flavours reminiscent of apple cider.

A blend of Syrah and Carignan, black olive, pepper and bramble fruits play on the nose. Spice and garrigue add complexity on the palate. The firm, fine-grained tannins are well integrated, with juicy fruit density and a mineral backbone. Delicious.

First planted by the Romans, these beautiful vineyards share the terrain with the Roquefort-producing sheep and the wild savagery of the garrigue. The “domaine” consists of a stone barn, its location almost exactly halfway between the two great properties of Grange des Pères and Mas de Daumas Gassac.

Syrah dominates the blend once again in 2011, with Grenache and Mourvèdre lending support. The 2011 vintage is an attractive, forward, somewhat underappreciated vintage (by all but the growers and select cognoscenti!); all positive when one reflects upon the sheer inscrutable power of La Peira in “big” vintages. Elegance is all here, with cassis and plum fruit evocative of Médoc class and a spicy, gently peppery finish rendering suitable homage to the Mediterranean.

The charismatic Jean-Michel Alquier represents the fifth generation of this, the top property in Faugères. Faugères was lucky enough to break away from the heterogeneous Coteaux du Languedoc umbrella appellation as far back as 1982, although some may say that it has yet to perform strongly on the export market. Given the forceful personality of M Alquier, allied to the eloquence of his wines, one would be unwise to nominate anyone else to be an ambassador for the region.

The Faugères soil is dominated by grey schist, friable schist apparently, if that is not oxymoronic. The resulting wines, where vines are old and yields are low, as here, can be rich, savoury and take on complex gamey notes with maturity. Located just to the north-east of Beziers, Faugères deserves more attention.

The significance of the eponymous yellow house is not entirely clear. What is clear is that this is a prestige cuvée, made up of 80% old vine Grenache and aged for 14 months in barriqus, 10% of which are new.  The wine has an attractive nose of cherry, praline and woodsmoke; the palate is creamy and dense, with balancing acidity, hints of garrigue and a rounded finish, full of Mediterranean warmth. 
Simon Field MW, Wine Buyer