Notify me
2017 Saint-Chinian Rouge “Causse du Bousquet”
Mas ChampartJust as there is a world of difference between a moderate suntan and a sunburn, there is a gulf of pleasure between wines that show their warmth and solar exposure in subtle ways and those that scream “I’ve been out in the sun too long!” Mas Champart’s 2017 Causse du Bousquet, from the rugged, windswept appellation of Saint-Chinian, west of Montpellier, has a handsome tan. The summers here are hot, and 2017’s was no exception, but the combination of Matthieu Champart’s expert work in the vines and his wife Isabelle’s deft touch in the cellar creates reds that are earthy and spicy on one hand, and still fresh and vibrant on the other. They transport you to a gently sunny afternoon on a terrace in the south of France. Made mostly of Syrah, the Causse du Bousquet makes me imagine warmed black olives gently pressed with a mortar and pestle. With your southern French lunch table topped with a bowl of blackberries and just-poured, fragrant espresso, you have a sense of the magic aromas and flavors of this quintessentially southern rouge.
—Tom Wolf
Wine Type: | red |
Vintage: | 2017 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | 74% Syrah, 6% Grenache, 4% Cinsault, 6% Mourvèdre, 10% Carignan |
Appellation: | Saint-Chinian |
Country: | France |
Region: | Languedoc-Roussillon |
Producer: | Mas Champart |
Winemaker: | Isabelle & Matthieu Champart |
Vineyard: | Syrah: 15/25 years, Grenache: 25 years, Mourvèdre: 15/25 years, Carignan: 60-110 years |
Soil: | Marl, Clay, Limestone |
Aging: | The syrah is aged in barrels, the others grapes are aged in demi-muids for at least 12 months, and then blended and aged in cuve for 8 months |
Farming: | Lutte Raisonnée |
Alcohol: | 14.5% |
More from this Producer or Region
2022 Languedoc Blanc
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
February Club Gourmand ~ Lately you may have noticed a rise in freshness, a burst in aromatics, and a softness of texture in La Roque’s wines.
2019 Saint-Chinian Rouge “Causse du Bousquet”
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
A Syrah-based blend from rocky limestone vineyards—tremendous value!
2020 Pays d’Oc Rouge “Les Vieilles Vignes de Mourvèdre”
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
Cherry-cheeked and ebullient, this old-vine Mourvèdre acts anything but its age. Pure fun and drinkability; black cherry, citrus and stone. Age ain't nothing but a number!
2020 Saint-Chinian Rouge “Clos de la Simonette”
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
A Mourvèdre-majority masterpiece, lots of pleasure and even more soul.
2020 Collioure Rouge “Puig Ambeille”
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
A stony, spicy cuvée full of Mediterranean sunshine, aromatic garrigue, and a hint of salinity that offers a perfect match for grilled rosemary lamb chops.
2021 Monts de la Grage Blanc
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
These ancient hillside vines yield very little, giving an intensely concentrated juice with great acidity and a textured finish. Open it alongside seafood or as an apéritif.
Cap de Creus “Ranci Sec”
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
Evaporation over time has concentrated the wine, giving it considerable strength to go with its trademark rancio aromas of walnuts and brine.
2021 Saint-Chinian Blanc
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
Showcasing impressive texture and flavors of citrus, stone fruit, and spring flowers, this offers a great pairing for grilled fish or seared scallops.
2022 Saint-Chinian Rosé
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
This Languedoc beauty could easily be taken for its Provençal cousin—that is, until you see the price tag.
2021 Corbières Blanc“La Bégou”
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
Just different and obscure enough to deliver the thrill of introducing someone to a gorgeous wine that is familiar, but new.
About The Producer
Mas Champart
About The Region
Languedoc-Roussillon
Ask wine drinkers around the world, and the word “Languedoc” is sure to elicit mixed reactions. On the one hand, the region is still strongly tied to its past as a producer of cheap, insipid bulk wine in the eyes of many consumers. On the other hand, it is the source of countless great values providing affordable everyday pleasure, with an increasing number of higher-end wines capable of rivaling the best from other parts of France.
While there’s no denying the Languedoc’s checkered history, the last two decades have seen a noticeable shift to fine wine, with an emphasis on terroir. Ambitious growers have sought out vineyard sites with poor, well draining soils in hilly zones, curbed back on irrigation and the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, and looked to balance traditional production methods with technological advancements to craft wines with elegance, balance, and a clear sense of place. Today, the overall quality and variety of wines being made in the Languedoc is as high as ever.
Shaped like a crescent hugging the Mediterranean coast, the region boasts an enormous variety of soil types and microclimates depending on elevation, exposition, and relative distance from the coastline and the cooler foothills farther inland. While the warm Mediterranean climate is conducive to the production of reds, there are world-class whites and rosés to be found as well, along with stunning dessert wines revered by connoisseurs for centuries.
More from Languedoc-Roussillon or France
2019 Faugères “Valinière”
Domaine Leon Barral France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2022 Languedoc Blanc “Cuvée Sainte Agnès”
Héritage du Pic Saint Loup France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2022 Corbières Rosé “Gris de Gris”
Domaine de Fontsainte France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2019 Corbières Rouge “Campagnès”
Maxime Magnon France | Languedoc-Roussillon
Banyuls Vinegar
Domaine La Tour Vieille France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2022 Languedoc Blanc
Château La Roque France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2020 Pays d’Oc Rouge “Les Vieilles Vignes de Mourvèdre”
Château La Roque France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2021 Languedoc Blanc “Les Cocalières”
Domaine d’Aupilhac France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2022 Pays d’Oc Cabernet Sauvignon “Les Traverses”
Château Fontanès France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2020 Collioure Rouge “Puig Ambeille”
Domaine La Tour Vieille France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2021 Pic Saint Loup Rouge
Château La Roque France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2019 Saint-Chinian Rouge “Causse du Bousquet”
Mas Champart France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2019 Faugères “Valinière”
Domaine Leon Barral France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2022 Languedoc Blanc “Cuvée Sainte Agnès”
Héritage du Pic Saint Loup France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2022 Corbières Rosé “Gris de Gris”
Domaine de Fontsainte France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2019 Corbières Rouge “Campagnès”
Maxime Magnon France | Languedoc-Roussillon
Banyuls Vinegar
Domaine La Tour Vieille France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2022 Languedoc Blanc
Château La Roque France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2020 Pays d’Oc Rouge “Les Vieilles Vignes de Mourvèdre”
Château La Roque France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2021 Languedoc Blanc “Les Cocalières”
Domaine d’Aupilhac France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2022 Pays d’Oc Cabernet Sauvignon “Les Traverses”
Château Fontanès France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2020 Collioure Rouge “Puig Ambeille”
Domaine La Tour Vieille France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2021 Pic Saint Loup Rouge
Château La Roque France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2019 Saint-Chinian Rouge “Causse du Bousquet”
Mas Champart France | Languedoc-Roussillon
Kermit once said...
Kermit once said...
You don’t have to be rich to cellar a great wine.