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Languedoc-Roussillon & Provence – autumn collection

Friday 15 November 2013
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See this guide to our autumn collections for how to get the most from our regional assortments of recent wine reviews.

We still maintain that the Languedoc-Roussillon is the source of many of France's best-value wines shaped by human hand and distinctive geography. 

The wines are grouped by colour, and then in declining score order to try to help you pick out the best value wines. Search for GV to identify those that struck us as bargains when we tasted them.

WHITE

From Tourbes, near Pezenas. Spritzy. Just a little watery. Not...

Good Viognier typicality: apricot, peach, lots of blossom...

Grenache Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc. Curious mix of fleshy stone...

Viognier and Marsanne. Real zest and interest on the nose...
Gosh, quite a price! I assume there is some smart oak involved...
The vines here grow on clay and chalky soils on the hilltops of...
Not much varietal aroma – a bit industrial on the nose. Then...
100% Chardonnay. Pneumatic press, cold settling, and 25%...
Two varieties of Clairette with a little Ugni Blanc and raised...
'The best parcel of Roussanne at Mas Christine'. Sweet and a tad...
50% Grenache Blanc, 30% Grenache Gris, 20% Maccabeu. Rather...
66% Grenache Gris, 34% Grenache Blanc. A really good mouthful...
40% Chardonnay, 42% Chenin Blanc, 18% Mauzac. Light nose and...
Bit light on the nose and a tad dull. (JR)
50:50 Roussanne and Vermentino. Smoky, off dry, with real...
Very neutral nose and broad palate. Could do with a bit more...
Easy and off dry. Well made but pretty industrial. (JR)
Old-vine Grenache Gris and Macabeu (average age 30 years)...
45% Grenache Blanc, 35% Grenache Gris, 20% Macabeu grown on clay...
Not much Viognier character. Too old? (JR)

ROSÉ

Soft and powdery nose. Just off dry. Very pretty pale pinky...
75% Mourvèdre with 15% Cinsault and 10% Grenache. Made in a tiny...

RED

Crimson and not that dense. Mid crimson. Treacle notes with...

Very pure cordial style fruit. Smells like it needs dilution...

Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah. Sweet oak, ripe...

Pretty quiet nose. Some black cherry and blackcurrant leaf on...

Quite suppressed and slightly hot. Decent enough as a house wine...

Merlot, Grenache, Carignan. Juicy blackberry jam fruit, sweet...

60% Syrah and 40% Carignan, harvested with a yield of 35hl/ha...
60% Cabernet Franc, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, grown organically...
Sweaty, reductive, rustic, tender and intriguing. Stylish –...
Slightly wild nose: flirting with dirtiness. Better black fruit...
60% Cinsault. Mid crimson. Very fruity and pretty – sweet and...
Very dark crimson. A bit reduced with a chewy end. Hard work –...
Luscious, intense, and fantastically concentrated. Lots of...
Ch Pibarnon's winemaker. Dense and not reduced. Solid and warm....

Concentrated and just a little chunky and youthful. Brooding for...

Very dark. Seductively well knit with a real beginning, middle...
Sweet and transparent. Correct but a little austere at the...
Succulent and dry on the end. Good texture. It would be fab at...
From a single vineyard of centenarian vines. Unfiltered and...
80% Syrah, 20% Grenache. Classic low-temperature vinification...
20-year-old Grenache, 20-year-old Syrah, 45-year-old Carignan...
A blend of 30-year-old Carignan, with 40-year-old Cinsault...

100% Syrah. From an organically farmed vineyard. The fruit is de...

Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre blend from Narbonne-Plage. Blackish...
Mid crimson. Lightly cheesy. Then lots of richness and kerpow...
Demeter. Grenache and Syrah blend from vines grown at 400 m...
Mostly Mourvèdre and Syrah with Carignan and Grenache in support...
Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. Dark ruby. Some evolution at the...
Lovely sweet richness – surely Grenache? Yes 65% (with 20% Syrah...
60% Syrah, 20% Grenache, 20% Carignan. Robust and well made...
Carignan. A bit tarted up and over the oaky top. Chewy end. (JR)
Polish and sinewy and lively. See earlier tasting note. (JR)
85% Syrah with 15% Grenache from vineyards planted on hard and...
50% Syrah, 40% Carignan and 10% Grenache and Mourvèdre. Vines...
40% Carignan, 30% Grenache Noir, 15% Syrah and 15% Mourvèdre...

Round and gentle – fully evolved. Very firm finish though after...

55% Syrah, 45% Grenache. Sweet and scented with a suggestion of...

Hint of oak on top of the fruit. Not especially distinguished...
From Tautavel. pH 3.83. Grenache and Carignan co-fermented in...
A blend of Carignan, Syrah and Grenache. Deep crimson. Ripe...
Schist, slate and chalky soils soils, 60% old-vine Grenache, 30%...
75% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 10% Carignan grown on schist, clay and...
Organic wine. Grown on acidic schistous soils on the slopes of...
'Tiny bunches of' Grenache and Carignan' according to the back...
Also owned by Catherine Roque of Domaine Clovallon. Sweet gentle...
Brigitte Chevalier. Soft ruby. Sweet and round, very juicy and...
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