NWC – 3rd April – SW France

The South West of France is obviously a large, diverse region for wine making. Our presenter this week wanted to look more at the local grapes than the more international varieties that often crop up.

Cajolle, Parlange & Illouz, 2021. You couldn’t wish for a more rustic start. You could wish for a more enjoyable one though. This Jurancon Noir grape has never been written about as having great pedigree and I found that a difficult statement to argue with. Very light in the glass it was sour and fizzy with some red fruits, apple, wild strawberry, cherry but ultimately green and under-ripe. There wasn’t universal condemnation with some who like that sort of style enjoying it, think Loire or Jura reds. £20

Le Champ d’Orphee, Cotes du Tarn, 2019. A new grape to me, Fer Servadou, which is often shortened to Fer. Initially there was a whiff of something vegetal but that blew off to reveal a little blackcurrant and pencil shavings. Palate had more blackcurrant and berry alongside some fruit shortcake. Certainly more appealing than the last and much better length. £25

Irouleguy, Arretxea, 2020. Onto our first of a few tannats and often a wine that is hard work with uncompromising tannins. The darkness of the wine is immediately apparent and with quite a purple hue. Ripe stewed fruits, plume and prune become much more savoury in the glass with those dry tannins at the front and back but with a nice freshness in the middle of the palate. Pretty drinkable, dare I say a BBQ wine. £25

Madiran Vielles Vignes, Labranche Laffont, 2020. A fair amount of interesting chat about micro oxygenation improving the drinkability of traditionally impenetrable wines and something that is employed at this domaine. The nose was a little porty, ripe fruits, raisin, some vanilla. Quite sweet onto the palate with blueberry and Cassis but retaining excellent balance with a smooth finish. Very enjoyable, very drinkable if slightly too polished for some trad Madiran lovers? £20

Madiran, Chateau D’Aydie, 2001. Not convinced of how clean a bottle this was, certainly some cheesiness on the nose. Perhaps just a touch oxidised but cleaner on the palate with some blackcurrant, prune and liquorice. The age had softened it nice and there was still some fruit but just felt like a below par bottle. Current retail price £30

Madiran, Chateau Peyros, 1995. Really brown in the glass at almost 30 years of age now. Tomato leaf nose, a little warm earth. Not much fruit on the palate, some soft cherry and baking spices. Not totally knackered but over the hill to my taste. Not entirely sure if they still make this exact wine but I think currently around £20.

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Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh, Labranche Laffont, 2020. This is the same area as Madiran but the whites and traditionally sweet wines however the one we tried was sec (dry) with almost no residual sugar. Grapes are Gros Manseng & Petit Manseng. The nose was intense, waxy lemons, lanolin, guava. Amazing fruit intensity and a rich mouthful. Pithy citrus and quince, some ginger on the finish. An impressive wine that is one for wine lovers to contemplate rather than something for a dinner party. £20

Preciouse, Jurancon Sec, Montesquiou, 2020. Again Gros Manseng & Petit Manseng. Less intense but similar nose, more savoury and smoky. The topical notes here were richer dried pineapple. It did suffer a little from following the more ripe, intense wine that came before but great length here. In our midst was Leon who imported from this Domaine for many years, his notes are far superior to mine:

A pale, limpid gold colour. Aromas of lemon, lime oil, apple pie and dried herbs and spices greet the nose, with background notes of wet stone, lanolin/wool, cardamom, honey and the faintest hint of old(er) oak adding genuine complexity. As always with this cuvée, the palate lives up to the nose, with everything melding together in perfect harmony – biting, yet at the same time caressing. Slightly less intense than previous vintages, though possibly even more complex, this one offers tangy baked apple, quince, lime/lemon and herby/spicy flavours, balanced by a touch of nutty/oily richness and even a modicum of grape tannin, all wrapped around a core of saline minerality and mouth-watering acidity.

Not that I could emulate this but in my defense I have about 2 minutes to write my note in a room full of loud opinionated wine-lovers and many of these lovely wines should be contemplated for longer. Great value for money from Leon’s website at £15.50.

Ugo Sur le Fil, Jurancon Sec, Guirardel, 2016. Gros Manseng & Petit Manseng. Quite heady aromas of blossom around a core of baked apple pie and honey. An oily powerful palate that reminded me of Loire Chenin with a touch of burnt orange. High alcohol level though due to having to ferment all that sugar to reach a dry wine. This divided opinion, some people thought it was too natural but I really didn’t get that. However at £38 it would be hard to recommend this over the other whites!

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Renaissance, Rotier, 2017. Into the sweet wines, firstly from Gaillac and the rare Loin de L’Oeil grape. Smells like a wine with botrytis, tastes like a wine with botrytis. Lacking acidity. Some might like this style but too sweet and cloying for me. £18

Supreme de Thou, Clos Thou, 2018. Much more like it. The final three wines are all Petit Manseng from Jurancon. Really lifted aroma of tinned peaches. Flavours of apricot and bitter orange. Good acidity. £18

Grappe d’Or, Jurancon, Montesquiou, 2004. With age there was a more prominent burnt caramel here but still stone fruit and other complexities I didn’t have long enough to unpick. More fruit on the palate and amazingly fresh acidity still. I got apricot, pineapple and pink grapefruit. A note from a recent vintage from Leon:

The grapes for this wine are harvested deep into November, by which time they have begun to dry on the vine, concentrating the flavours, whilst retaining all of the bracing acidity which is the hallmark of Petit Manseng. The colour is a shiny, straw/yellow gold. The nose has everything – tangy lemon and lime oil, baked apples and apricots, with hints of fig, toffee, ginger and exotic spices and herbs. And it almost goes without saying that you can smell the typical steely, stream-fresh Petit Manseng minerality. The palate hits you with a mouthful of rich apricot and peach flavours, with a gently viscous texture and all manner of tangy, fresh and preserved citrus and tree fruit flavours. At the same time, you get a veritable wave of nervy acidity and steely minerality, followed by a cool spice and ginger hit at the end. Nothing sticks out, and it all comes together beautifully, in a wine that keeps you coming back for more.

It’s available from his website at £20.

Les Jardins de Babylone, Didier Dagueneau, 2007. A rare treat to finish from a great winemaker of the Loire who also made this sweet wine in Jurancon. The nose was a litte richer than the Grappe d’Or, baked apple and vanilla. Amazing acidity on the palate that almost reminded me of an ice wine. The tropical notes of youth seem to be giving way more to peach, marmalade and a finish of iced tea. Delicious and one I wish I had had longer to contemplate. Now £100 for 50cl (!!)

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