VinoDuo is Lisa & Gary. Engaged in Sonoma. Honeymooned in Napa. Vacationed in
Temecula (CA), Woodinville (WA), and other off the beaten path wine regions. We’ve married our love of wine with our passion for travel, visiting lesser-known wine regions throughout the United
States. We’ve got strong opinions about the pros and cons of each wine region and this is our forum for airing and sharing them.
Our Visit to the Languedoc Region at Sel De La Terre
Sometimes you just want to get away; you know, leave your regimented day behind, if only for a few hours. That’s what our “trip” to
the Langudoc region of France did for us a few weeks back—transport us away to this little known—to us—part of French
viticulture. Thanks to the Conseil Interprofessional du Vin de Langedoc, we spent a few hours at Sel de La Terre (in Boston’s Back
Bay) dreaming of the South of France while sampling wines from the AOC Langudoc. This sprawling region’s Mediterranean
coastline is dotted with a wide array of terroire and features wines made from grape varietals like Carignan, Cinsault, Grenache, Mourvedre, Syrah, Marsanne, Mucan, Piquepoul, Rousanne, Clairette, and Rolle.
We’ve been drawn to the AOC Languedoc since celebrating New Years Eve in 2004 at a Cambridge MA restaurant called Chez Henri. The French-Cuban cuisine from Chef Paul O’Connell was a challenge to us and we sought the advice of the sommelier (yes, even wine snobs don’t know everything,) who recommended a 2000 Clos Marie Pic Saint Loup from the Languedoc region. The wine was so outstanding we bought a case from our local wine store , Berman’s Liquors, on special order. So, when the opportunity arose to leave our day jobs behind for a couple of hours to explore the wines of AOC Languedoc, we said, “oui!”
Sipping Our Way through the Langudoc Our journey through the tasting started with sparking wines from the interior region of Limoux, made in the Champenoise style but not legally Champagne. We started with the Antech-Limoux (90% Mauzac, 5% Chardonnay, 5% Chenin Blanc). The tasting notes were spot-on zeroing in on the green apple and Bartlett pear flavors and a slightly dry finish.. The other sparkler was a Toques & Cloches NV which blended Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, and Mauzac. This reminded us of a true “Champagne,” with a floral nose and some toasty/nutty notes on the palate.
Other notable whites/Rosé’s include a 2006 Picpoul de Pinet (Mas Saint Laurent) that featured an inviting honeysuckle nose and a
surprisingly full palate that would complement a steamed lobster in the rough. This terrific wine almost fooled Gary into thinking it
was a premium Alsatian wine. But at $16, this is a terrific bargain and is on our must-buy list!
The only wine we found from Pic Saint Loup was a 2009 rosé from SCEA Chateau de Lancyre (50% Syrah, 40% Grenache, 10% Cinsault). At $15 this is a outstanding Rosé with ripe red berries on the nose and a delicious full-bodied (not too sweet, not too fruity) palate that cries out for your summer barbeque; a great beverage to serve with food or as a stand-alone for lounging on the deck. This is a must-buy as well!
But enough about the whites. AOC Languedoc is best known for its reds, relying heavily on the deep dark fruit of Syrah and
Grenache. Following is a review of the top reds from the tasting.
Awesome story of discovery! And it's awesome that another O'Connell helped you discover the Languedoc.
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