Score: 95/100
This red wine from the North-end of the Languedoc wine region, or the Pic Saint Loup appellation to be precise, is an organic wine, blend of 50% Syrah and 50% Grenache.
The Madeleine cuvée is a single vineyard wine, a very limited production (about 100 bottles per year only!) part of the ‘Les Secrets de Lascaux series (3 different single vineyard wines).
Madeleine is sourced from a small vineyard nestled between garrigues and pine woods, benefitting from a warm microclimate making it one of the very earliest ripening blocks of Chateau Lascaux.
The wine was aged for 12-14 months in French oak barrels, before a further 6-month maturation in stainless steel tank.
Tasting Notes
This Languedoc red comes in a very dark and deep red color. Deep from the intensity, but also from its dark red hue tainted by hints of purple as well as orange. The hue of an 8-year-old wine that seems to have evolve a little, but that is still looking strong and generous in its color.
At first smell, you know you are here with a seriously deep wine, complex and profound, that it is going to take a little while to get through its flavor profile’s components.
What strikes first and most, are the wine’s generous cooked fruit and dark berries components. Although the spices are not far behind in terms of dominance.
Prune and cooked apple, together with blackberry jam and raspberry coulis aromas captivate your senses as you sniff deeply into the wine. They are made even more gorgeous and tempting by a wealth of complex vanilla, dark chocolate, and buttery notes. Pepper, clove, nutmeg, and other sweet spices make the whole somewhat smell like the most decadent red berry, plum, and apple crumble, that would be generously spiced up with vanilla and sweet spices, and topped up with warm dark chocolate. Just… delectable to smell at!
From there, believe it or not, the palate doesn’t disappoint!
It is opulent, filled with enormous cherry liqueur and prune liqueur flavors, bursting in black pepper and nutmeg spiciness. Yet, the wine feels quite dry, it’s not like it tastes like a liqueur, having the flavors and the aromatic power of them, but nowhere near of having the sticky sugary feel to it.Instead, it delivers a harmonious overall balance, with solid acidity, a round and rich body, and just the slightly sweetening effect of the ripe and cooked fruit flavors.
The finish even delivers a sense of savoriness, with a juicy and meaty salivating feel. Tannins are all suave and very soft, yet again, a slight edgy granulous feel to the finish, just to make things interesting!
Overall
An absolute standout of a Languedoc wine. 9 years after its creation, it seems livelier that it’s probably ever been. It would be hard for me to believe it could have been better than it is now.
Rich and generous from an outstanding fruit concentration, winemaking and ageing also have infused to it layer after layer of spiciness, notes of torrefaction, length and smooth harmonious balance.
Put simply, a wine with great power and concentration. Yet, a wine you do want to have another glass of, or two, in the hope that you can try to capture more of why it provides such a charming, tempting, and salivating tasting experience.
When to drink?
Well, you’ve read my words. It is an absolute delight to drink now.
It will surely stay this way, combining freshness and depth from the bouquet it’s acquired, for at least 3-to-5 years (say 2020). It will most probably remain excellent and develop further leathery characters some might look for. It could start getting a little drier and less generous though. Your choice, I just love it how I tasted it here at the end of 2017!
Enjoy 🙂
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