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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% |
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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.
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Vintage Chart Mentality
Vintage Chart Mentality
Trust the great winemakers, trust the great vineyards. Your wine merchant might even be trustworthy. In the long run, that vintage strip may be the least important guide to quality on your bottle of wine.—Kermit Lynch