Score: 90/100
This wine by Laurent Miquel is a rigorous block selection of old vines (up to 90 yrs) from Saint-Chinian appellation, blended mainly from Syrah with Grenache, complemented with Mourvèdre.
After going through traditional vinification, it went through partial maturation in stainless steel tanks, while about 45% of the blend was aged in used (2 and 3 years old) oak wine barrels for 12 months.
Tasting Notes
This Languedoc red wine comes in a pretty dark and intense red color, nearly black to the core, and intense red with purples hues to the rim showing we’re here still with a young wine that doesn’t look like it’s evolved much.
The nose is reasonably intense too, though more intense and deep than simply upfront-exuberant.
Sure, there are some cherry liqueur and blackberry aromas, but it’s mainly spicy (black pepper and clove) and also earthy (forest flour) with a touch of leather.
On the palate, the wine displays some solid body, coating and generous, together with tannins that show a bit of a sharp edge, although they are at the same time somewhat silky and fine. Acidity is here present and marked, underlining the zesty red berry notes.
Flavors are herbal, on typical Languedoc-style thyme and rosemary, and black pepper also shining through.
Overall
A juicy, yet rich and dense Languedoc red from old vines that seems to have a lot of stories to tell.
The old vines the grapes came from, through their baby of a wine, not only talk about their brilliant youth, with vibrant fruit freshness of delicate and explosive fresh red berries. They also tell about their terroir: Provencal herbs, mineral, dry, and rough growing conditions sometimes delivering a certain austerity to the feel.
They speak the language of the sun as well: richness, opulence of body and flavors.
Enjoy 🙂
Check Out the Video of my Last Visit to Laurent Miquel
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