2018 Vallée des Aigles IGP Côtes Catalanes Carignan

Happy Saturday!  I was planning to do yard work today, but it was too windy to get the leaf blower out, so instead I decided to build my raised garden bed and dig around the foundation of the shed and fill it with river rock to help drainage.  So a productive day of hard work and now I'm ready for a nice meal and glass of wine.  Tonight, I've opened a bottle of 2018 Vallée des Aigles IGP Côtes Catalanes Carignan that I recently purchased from Wines Till Sold Out.  Carignan is mainly used as a blending grape with Southern Rhone blends, and I think this is the first time I've tried the single varietal.  This wine was made from fruit harvested from 60-100 year old vines in the Languedoc-Roussillon region in the south of France near the Spanish border and the Mediterranean.  So, let's see how this wine is tasting.

The wine is a deep ruby in the glass, somewhat reminiscent of a nice Cabernet.  A gentle swirl in the glass reveals aromas of sweet cherry, raspberry and aged leather, with soft floral undertones.  Take a sip and you're palate is awash in sweet fruit, cherry, raspberry and currant, that has acidity that at first blush makes you think of sweet-tarts candy, but then the taste evolves into some rich minerality and white pepper spice, before the smooth tannins kick in for added complexity on the long dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a surprisingly pleasant expression of a varietal that happily lives in the background.  This wine was also a terrific value at just $14 (I wish I'd bought more!).  This wine would pair well with hearty lamb dishes, beef stew or hearty pasta dishes.  Tonight, I am taking a bold departure and enjoying this wine with a sesame crusted tuna steak topped with sunflower sprouts, steamed rice and broccoli, with a citrus wasabi dipping sauce.  Cheers!

2022 Perle du Sud Rosé

Well, it's Thursday evening and the work week is coming to a close.  It's also been a week of crazy weather, yesterday we had 5.7" of rain in a 12-hour period and now it's unbelievably hot and humid with highs expected in the mid-90s tomorrow!  So, it must be time for rosé!  Tonight I've opened a bottle of wine I recently bought from Wines Till Sold Out, the 2022 Perle du Sud Rosé.  This wine is a wonderful blend of Grenache (60%) and Syrah (40%) from the Languedoc-Roussillon region of the south of France.  So let's see if this wine can provide a cool break in the hot weather!

The wine is a lovely pale peach color in the glass, with aromas of pear, strawberry and melon with undertones of tarragon.  Take a sip and you're treated to a rush of tart cherry, strawberry and honeydew, that transitions to some notes of green grass and mineral notes midpalate.  The acidity is well balanced for a wonderfully crisp dry finish that will have you reaching for another sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's a wonderfully refreshing summer rosé with the French craft that will have you feeling Mediterranean breezes as you sip.  This wine would pair well with summer salads, particularly caprese salad, light fish dishes or fresh poke bowls.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a cedar planked coho salmon filet topped with lemon and dill, farro and steamed sugar snap peas.  Cheers!

2017 Domaine de Fabrègues 'Le Coeur' Languedoc

Happy Sunday!  It's been raining her for much of the day, which is good as it's been very dry for the past month and the farmers and my lawn can use it!  After accomplishing some inside chores today, it's time to make dinner and open a nice bottle of wine.  My selection tonight serves two purposes, first to enjoy a nice wine, but second to try out a new gadget I recently bought.  You see, the wine I am opening is a magnum, which I recently bought from Wines Till Sold Out, and not wanting to drink to excess tonight, I plan to try my new Rabbit vacuum wine preserver!  So, after a few glasses tonight, I can seal up the rest of this large bottle until I'm ready to enjoy it.  Now, about the wine, the 2017 Domaine de Fabrègues 'Le Coeur' Languedoc is a blend of Syrah (80%) and Carignan (20%) from the Languedoc-Roussillon region of the South of France.  So, let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, as you might expect with such a Syrah heavy blend.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of vanilla, blackberry and blueberry, with hints of vanilla and earthy mineral notes.  Take a sip and you experience a rush of ripe black fruit, blackberry, blueberry and tart cherry that ease back into some warm spice, espresso and mineral notes midpalate.  The tannins are smooth and dark, providing for a wonderfully smooth, dry finish than lingers on your palate.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a fine example of the wines of the south of France, and it was also a solid value at just $33 for the magnum!  This wine would pair well with a variety of hearty dishes, from braised short ribs to hearty stew, pasta with wild mushroom cream sauce, or hearty fish dishes.  Tonight I am taking the latter approach and enjoying this wine with a crispy skin salmon filet with some roasted rainbow carrots and baby beets and steamed purple asparagus with hollandaise.  Cheers!

2020 Hampton Water Languedoc Rosé

Well, it's certainly feeling a lot more like summer, highs today in the upper 80s (with mid-90s predicted for tomorrow!) and humidity of 85% it seems perfect for a nice bottle of rosé!  Tonight I've opened a bottle that I recently bought from Wines Till Sold Out, the 2020 Hampton Water Languedoc Rosé.  This wine is another collaboration between fame and wine, as it's the result of a collaboration between Jon Bon Jovi and his son Jesse, along with Gerard Bertrand to create a unique rosé from the Languedoc region in the south of France.  This wine is a blend of Grenache(60%), Cinsault (15%), Mourvedre (15%) and Syrah (10%).  So, let's see how refreshing this wine can be on a hot, humid evening!

The wine is a pale peach color in the glass, which seems to be the trend among rosé the past couple years.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of peach, strawberry and a bit of citrus that invites you to imbibe.  Take a sip and you're transported to the beach, with a rush of wonderful fresh fruit dancing on your palate, intermingled with some earthy notes of basalt.  The finish is wonderfully crisp and dry with just a hint of acidity at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's an ideal everyday rosé and a good value at just $19.  This wine would pair well with a variety of summer dishes, though it practically begs to be consumed with seafood.  Which comes in handy as tonight I am enjoying this wine with a bit of low country boil as I picked up some crawfish over the weekend, along with corn and potatoes and some creole and Old Bay seasoning makes for a perfect summer patio meal.  Cheers!

2008 Domaine Thunevin-Calvet Cotes du Russillon-Villages

Happy New Year!  To celebrate 2016, I've decided to open a more mature bottle this evening to go with my special New Year's dinner.  Tonight I am enjoying the 2008 Domaine Thunevin-Calvet Cotes du Roussillon-Villages, a lovely blend of Grenache and Syrah from the Languedoc-Roussillon region of Southern France.  I bought this one a few months ago from Wines Till Sold Out, so let's see how I did!

The wine is a deep, inky indigo color at the center, with some brighter garnet along the edges.  The nose presents aromas of blackberry, licorice, green tea and toasted oak.  The taste is quite nice, with a rush of blackberry, cherry cola and mint at the outset that transition nicely to some mineral notes and dark chocolate midpalate.  The tannins are very smooth, providing a luxurious finish that is smooth and dry, with a pleasant reprise of mineral and spice notes.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, it's just a terrific example of the region but it would be even better with a few more years in the bottle.  As for pairing, it would be perfect with a nice Provencal menu, but tonight I am enjoying this wine with my traditional New Year's dinner of steamed Maine lobster, wild rice and broccoli.  The spice and minerality of the wine really make a nice contrast to the richness of the lobster.  Cheers!

2010 Gerard Bertrand Corbieres

It's a Sunday night, and I am getting ready for dinner, so why not open up a nice bottle of wine from the south of France?  Tonight it's the 2010 Gerard Bertrand Corbieres, a blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre from the Languedoc-Roussillon region of southern France, the perfect match for a relaxing Sunday afternoon.

The wine is richly colored with deep garnet hues, and the nose is a pleasant combination of ripe berries, and something of a "twang" to it, perhaps some tart fruit to counterbalance the jammy sweetness that is also present.  The taste is very fruit forward, with lovely notes of blackberry, ripe plum and vanilla that is just offset with a bit of tartness as well.  Midpalate the fruit gives way to some tar and spice, a bit of black pepper notes.  The finish is quite nice, very long and dry, supported by some supple tannins.  I've found on this one that as you let it breathe, it really opens up quite nicely, so give it an hour or so if you can't decant it.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, as it's a great example of the Mediterranean influences on the wines of the Languedoc, and a terrific value.  I bought a couple bottles of this wine at the World Market for only $9!  I couldn't afford not to get them!  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a nice winter meal, some lovely baked chicken breasts on the bone, some garlic mashed potatoes and some fresh steamed asparagus, as the fruit in the wine really brings out the best in poultry, making it feel like Thanksgiving.  Cheers!

2009 Chateau des Karantes Coteaux du Languedoc La Clape

Tonight I am relaxing with a bottle of lovely wine from the south of France from one of my favorite chateau in the Languedoc region, the 2009 Chateaux des Karantes Coteaux du Languedoc La Clape.  This particular producer was one that I first encountered a few years ago at a charity wine tasting, and having met the winemaker, I fell in love with the product!  From the gorgeous vineyard right along the Mediterranean coast to the spicy bold wine, this is certainly my favorite French wine outside of Bordeaux.  Now the wine itself is a blend of Syrah (60%), Mourvedre (30%) and Grenache (10%) that is a classic style of the south of France.

The wine itself is a lovely deep ruby in the glass, and the nose is a wonderful combination of intriguing aromas, from some lovely toasted oak, faint floral notes, anise, cocoa powder and a bit of earth.  The taste is delightfully subdued at first, which is surprising given how fruit forward so many GSM blends can be.  Instead, this one opens with some lovely notes of ripe berries and plum, which transitions to some baking spice and dark chocolate midpalate.  The tannins are nicely structured, supporting a long, smooth, dry finish that makes you immediately crave another sip.

Overall, I would rate this one a solid 8.5, it's still pretty young but drinking beautifully now, with some good aging potential as well.  I bought this from my local wine merchant, G.B. Russo, and I think it was around $20, so a pretty good value for a wine of this quality.  Tonight I am enjoying this with some crab cakes and sweet potato fries, as the richness of the starch and spice of the crab cakes really balance the richness of this wine.  The perfect end to a long week, bon appetit!

2003 Le Signal Domaine Lignères

So tonight I've decided to open up a bottle of wine from the Languedoc-Rousillon region of France, certainly one of my favorite wine regions outside of Bordeaux, with the signature blends based on Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre, they tend to be much more fruit forward and in many ways more food friendly wines than some other regions of France.  This particular wine is a blend of Carignan (80%), Grenache (10%), Syrah (5%) and Mourvèdre (5%), which is interesting as I've not tried many wines based primarily on Carignan.  This wine also had an interesting story on the label (yes I do read these things!) and apparently in the 1920s the winemaker delivered the domaine's wines in a Berliet truck designed to carry barrels.  He took 22 hours at an average speed of less than 7 mph to go from Alaric Mountains to Lourdes where he finally delivered his wine!

The wine itself is a deep purple color in the glass, and the nose exhibits scents of mint, ripe plums and blueberries and a good bit of earthiness, perhaps a hint of truffle.  The fruit was pleasant at the outset, with some chewy plum and black cherry flavors, there were some spice notes and a bit of cinnamon midpalate.  The tannins were very subdued, making for not much of a finish, though it was still pleasant.

Overall, I would rate this wine a mid-range 7, it's a pleasant one that might be a year or so past its prime, but at least it was a bargain - I picked it up at my local D&W for only $13!  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a grilled pork tenderloin with a wasabi marinade, some steamed broccoli and a baked potato, a wonderfully fall dish, and the best part is that fruit in the wine really compliments the flavors of the pork and spice of the wasabi, so delicious!

2007 Chateaux des Karantes Coteaux du Languedoc La Clape

It's a beautiful summer afternoon, so what better way to enjoy the day than to open a bottle of wine and start cooking?  So that's exactly what I've done, and for tonight's festivities, I've chosen a bottle of Languedoc from one of my favorite winemakers in the region, Chateau des Karantes.  As I've mentioned in the past, I met the winemaker at a tasting here in Grand Rapids in 2008 and I was so impressed with the wines I was an instant fan.  The blending of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre (GSM) has become such a classic in my mind, even as it hasn't seemed to have surged in popularity like some wines.

The wine itself is a wonderful deep purple trailing to bright ruby along the edges.  The nose is a delightful blend of fruit, ripe plum, red berries and apricot, layers with a bit of smoke that creates a wonderful reminiscence of the sweet smell of bacon to wake you up on a Saturday morning.  The taste has some delicate fruit at the outset, transitioning to some licorice and dark chocolate midpalate.  Despite how delicate the flavors can be at times, the wine has a lush, smooth finish that seems to last in the minutes!

Now I'll confess, it's been a bit harder to find wines from this Chateau at my usual wine hang-outs, but I happened up on a few bottles of this wine at a local supermarket.  The great news was that it was market down to $22 (already an unbelievable bargain) and then with an extra 10% discount for buying 6 bottles, I had them for under $20!  The drawback (if you can call it that) was that these bottles were actually signed by the wine maker for an even held a year or two ago, so I faced a dilemma.  Do I save the bottle since it's signed or do I crack it open and drink it, sending the moment to the recycling bin?  Well, I did what any good wine drinker would do, I bought an extra bottle, so I had one to save and one to enjoy with you tonight!

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, it's definitely a step down from the Diamant (you can see my review of the '05 Diamant here), but still a wonderful example of the quality of the wines of the Languedoc region of France.  And this seems to be a trend, just like last time, I am enjoying this wine with some chicken and veggies with a bit of Indian red curry over basmati rice.  Yum! So if you happen upon a bottle, signed or not, I highly recommend picking one up!

2009 Château Puech-Haut Coteaux de Languedoc Prestige

So tonight I've decided to indulge my appetite for southern France, both in terms of cuisine and wine!  We'll get to the cuisine in a moment, but let's start off with the wine, the 2009 Château Puech-Haut Coteaux de Languedoc Prestige, a blend of 55% Grenache (from 60-75 year-old vines) and 45% Syrah (from 40-year-old vines).

I must admit, my first surprise with this wine was the color, given the light color on the cork, I was expecting this to be a lighter style wine, but the color in the glass was a deep purple, transitioning to a bright ruby along the edges.  The nose was a wonderful blend of leather, black currant, ripe berries, rose petals and moss.  The taste was a wonderful complexity, starting with ripe berry fruit, transitioning to vanilla and anise midpalate, which then gives way to a stunning, long-lasting finish as the lovely, vibrant tannins play off the acid and alcohol.  I could almost smell the salt breeze of the Mediterranean as I sipped this wine before dinner!

Speaking of dinner, I decided to get a bit creative with southern French cooking this evening, mixing a bit of Provence with a bit of the Mediterranean coast.  I sauteed some boneless chicken breasts with thinly sliced shallots and olive oil, and after browning the chicken, I added some sauvignon blanc for some vibrant acidity.  Once the wine reduced a bit, I added some diced plum tomatoes and capers and allowed that to simmer over low heat as the chicken finished cooking.  As the sauce reduced, I tossed the chicken with some al dente angel hair pasta for a lovely dinner to complement this wine! And yes, back to the wine, overall I would rate this one a solid 8.5, as I thought it was a lovely example the the wonderful wines of the Languedoc, at a price that wasn't too outrageous (this one was was just under $18 and will be a future office wine club selection).  Bon appetit!

2011 Rose des Karantes

I have been a big fan of this producer since I met the winemaker at a tasting event in Grand Rapids in 2008, and at that time I bought a half case of the 2005 Diamant des Karantes, which to this day is one of the best examples of the Languedoc wine, aged for 18 months in new French oak and vinified in the tradition of La Clape, what a wonderful wine that truly brings out the terroir of the south of France.

Well, tonight we have a bottle of the 2011 Rose des Karantes, a wonderful blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre, of my!  Well for those of you familiar, the GSM blend is foundation for many of the most wines from the south of France, including the wonderful Châteauneuf-du-Pape!  Well needless to say, wince I love the traditional red GSM blends, why wouldn't I like a rose?  After all, when it's 100 degrees outside, I could use a nice chilled wine with my meal!


The wine itself has a wonderful nose of fresh strawberry, green apple and melon.  The taste is clean and refreshing, with citrus tones and ripe summer fruit, particularly notes of strawberry and some kiwi, but it is not sweet!  Oh no!  This wine is very dry and crisp, the perfect accompaniment to any hot summer evening, like the one I'm enduring, I mean enjoying tonight!  For this wine, I easily rate it an 8, it is by far my favorite rose of the few I've tasted, and for a sale price of $9 how can you go wrong?


Speaking of accompaniments, tonight I am enjoying this wine with a meal inspired by my friends from Schuler Farms, who were at G.B. Russo's today where I bought this wine.  I love the folks at Schuler Farms as they always have the most wonderful produce that inspires the best in my cooking.  Thanks to them, I got some fresh dill today, and that inspired me to make some lemon dill cream sauce, but what could I put that on?  How about some alder planked salmon?  And maybe add some Klondike fingerling potatoes and some steamed purple asparagus and there you have it, the perfect meal to accompany this wonderful rose!