Domaine Gayda called one of their ranges of wine “Figure Libre”, understand ‘Freestyle’ as a reference to the ‘freedom of creation and expression’ the estate has been willing to infuse into their cuvées, combining the subtle grapes originating from the Loire valley (Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc) with the bold character of Languedoc’s climate and terroir.
Away from the rigors of the Languedoc AOC/AOP appellation, in 2004, Gayda planted these ‘foreign’ grape varieties which felt ironically perfectly suited to the local conditions.
Here at home in Brugairolles, in the heart of the Southern French Languedoc wine region, Winemaker Vincent Chansault believed the local sandstone terroir would give Cabernet Franc and Chenin Blanc a real chance to shine.
Let’s find out by tasting his wines. Find my detailed ratings, reviews and tasting notes below.
Domaine Gayda Figures Libres Reviews & Tasting Impressions
Here’s how Domaine Gayda explains the ‘Freestyle’ wines, red and white, within the Figures Libres range: “‘Figure Libre’, understand Freestyle, is the name given to an ambitious range of wines designed to shake up conventions and break new ground for expressing the inherent style of Languedoc and Roussillon. Turning its back on appellation rules, it favors freedom of choice in terms of varietal range, both single varietals and blends. Figure Libre Freestyle reflects a desire to think outside the box and bring together grape varieties that would otherwise never have met in the same bottle.”
2017 Domaine Gayda Figures Libres Blanc ‘Freestyle’ White, Pays d’Oc
Score: 91/100 points
Overall Review Notes & Tasting Impressions
A white wine with a shiny and vibrant yellow color.
It boasts very clean and precise fruity characters to the nose. It’s very floral, somewhat muscaty with aromas of elderflowers and blossoms, fresh stonefruit, juicy apricot and white peach with delicate grassy and earthy tones, like boxwood and anise. Extremely pleasing to smell at, thanks to the diversity of scents, the precision, and the freshness of the aromatic profile.
This is a dry white with virtually no perceptible sugars, and a zingy mineral acidity. Yet it is also oily and textural for a seamless balance.
The fruity flavors literally explode on your palate helped in their enthusiasm by the wealth of floral expression. Layers of cream and buttery dough, amplified by the lemony undertones, makes for a succulent, fresh and zingy crisp and mineral yet mouth-coating whole.
A truly charming citrusy, peachy and vibrant tasting expression with a remarkable textural component.
2017 Domaine Gayda Figures Libres Freestyle Rouge, Pays d’Oc
Score: 91/100 points
Overall Review Notes & Tasting Impressions
A red wine with a deep and intense red color with a wealth of vibrant purple hues, looking young, healthy and dark.
The nose proudly boasts about its dominant proportion of Syrah.
It’s a little tight and meaty, profound and papery to start with, with hints of reductive character like Syrah loves to portray. But it dissipates quickly with aeration, revealing layers of cooked apple and rich ripe berry characters of Grenache, the earthiness of Mourvèdre, and the zingy minerality of Carignan.
This is a dry and very textural red wine, juicy and acidic with loads of granulous and slightly vegetal tannins.
Yet the whole feels balanced and energetic. A red wine with an abundant personality that seems to overflow both your wine glass and your taste buds. There is so much enthusiasm and positivity into this wine. Bursting acidity with crisp tannins, explosive ripe red berry flavors, a heap of spiciness.
For a wine with an apparent rusticity, it’s actually layered, surprisingly long and very complex.
The appearance of a simple wine to an inexperienced taster this may feel like. But the careful connoisseur will appreciate the depth and complexity of meaty, fruity, caramely, and spicy layers, augmented by the juiciness of a wine that appears to be a genuine expression of its terroir…
2017 Domaine Gayda Figures Libres Cabernet Franc, Pays d’Oc
Score: 88/100 points
With a vibrant bright and shiny red color and some purple hues to the rim, this is a red wine that looks and smells youthful and fruity.
The wine features the classic violet tones, the fresh raspberry and redcurrant we love in a good Cabernet Franc’s aromatic profile. The precision of the red berry fruit expression is a standout to the nose.
Bright, dry and acidic, with bursting flavors of fresh blackberry, ripe strawberry delicate savory laurel leaf notes, this cabernet Franc delights by its dry juiciness well balanced by an oily texture and rather dense but smooth tannins.
This is a juicy Cab Franc with a pure and precise varietal expression. While a ripe and generous example, it is yet one that provides the impeccable and vinous character of a well-crafted wine with no artifacts. A raw but exciting expression of the grapes it was made from.
2017 Domaine Gayda Figures Libres Chenin Blanc, Pays d’Oc
Score: 91/100 points
Overall Review Notes & Tasting Impressions
A young Chenin white wine, one with a rather intense color, deep lemon yellow and hints of golden hues deepening its appearance.
With a vibrant, slightly oxidative character to the nose, dominant notes of honey and discretely waxy (beeswax), the wine features a wealth of floral tones to the aromatic profile. Daisies and other flowers, somewhat like a flowery paddock in a warm day of spring. Pleasing to smell at!
This is a dry white wine with a crisp and marked acidity, yet an oily body bringing in enough texture for it to be well balanced. The feel comes through as primarily mineral overall.
Salinity and explosive lemony buttery flavors, like a zingy lemon tart without the sugar and the richness, augmented by a teasing but pleasing grassiness.
A wine that screams ‘organic grapes’.
The slightly oxidative well controlled wax character, the precision in the floral and fruity expression of the grapes, the mineral overall feel, the salinity to the finish.
A little surprising at first, as a phenolic feel to the finish appears a little rustic. But the wine is easily forgiven from the second sip onwards, thanks to its generosity and vibrant fruity and floral honesty.
Well crafted Mr Domaine Gayda!
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