Score: 93/100
This Languedoc Red wine by Clos des augustins is a blend made from low-yielding vineyards of Syrah (95%) and Grenache.
During harvest, the ripest grapes are directly selected in situ on the vineyard. Winemaking consist of a cold maceration at low temperatures over a few days before fermentation. Follows a soft extraction of tannins to respect the aromas.
After fermentation, the wine was transferred into new French oak barrels for 18 months of aging.
The winery’s consulting winemaker is Pascal CHATONNET.
For more perspective on this wine check the next vintage with 2013 Clos des Augustins l’Ainé.
Tasting Notes
This Languedoc red comes in a rather dark, red indeed, color: black to the core, cherry-red bright and intense to the rim.
The nose strikes by its upfront fruitiness, juicy, and ripe red berries aromas. More importantly: its depth.
Beyond the dominant red cherry liqueur intensity, there is deep spices and dark cocoa adding positive weight and some sort of solemnity to the aromatic profile. You have no choice as a serious wine lover but to pay attention and wonder what’s behind this depth. At this point, you already know this is not only about simple upfront fruit. There’s something more ready to be discovered. At least smelling it is the impression you get (the one I got…).
And OMG, does this wine not disappoint on the palate!
Putting it in your mouth, it’s an absolute explosion of bursting intense flavors. Yes, the rich red berry fruit is here and there’s a wealth of it, the juicy but sweet type: blackcurrant, blackberry, dark cherry again, and somewhat of raspberry.
But you’re captivated by the wine’s juiciness and complexity of flavors. It’s meaty and feeling savory despite the lusciousness of the fruit.
More importantly, the concentration of spices and well-integrated oaky flavors is almost mind-blowing as you feel there is so many different flavors packed into it: nutmeg, black pepper, thyme and rosemary, vanilla, clove, cocoa, coconut, bourbon and so much more!
It’s dry, but you’ve picked this very rich and opulent, with dense but smooth tannins, and solid mineral juicy acidity.
Overall
A stunningly rich and complex Southern-France wine filled with ripe fruit goodness, a wealth of oak that is perfectly controlled and balanced (especially considering the wine’s young age), but also a unique typicity of herbal scents and luscious red berry flavors, typical of the grape’s local expression.
For lovers of characterful rich and intensely flavored reds, probably more of the oaky type, but with so much local personality and juicy, somewhat mineral, personality.
Best of richness and typicity worlds? Clearly that’s what l’Ainé suggests!
Enjoy 🙂
1 Comment
Leave your reply.