2022 ChevernyDomaine du Salvard
France | Loire
$22
Producers
Lately you may have noticed a rise in freshness, a burst in aromatics, and a softness of texture in La Roque’s wines. One secret to this development (winemakers, take note!) is that, upon harvest, the grapes—picked into small crates—are stacked up in a cold room and left alone for a full thirty-six hours. What this does is chill them down to the seed, and when the juice is then pressed and the indigenous yeasts wake from their cold-induced slumber, they take it nice and easy for a slow ferment. Some say that historically in Burgundy, for example, the region’s reputation for great blanc came about partly because of the cellars’ deep natural chill, which forced the yeasts to slow down and take their time, allowing for greater complexity and bouquet. You could call it Slow Wine.
—Chris Santini
Wine Type: | white |
Vintage: | 2021 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | 30% Marsanne, 30% Rolle, 25% Grenache Blanc, 15% Viognier/Roussanne |
Appellation: | Languedoc |
Country: | France |
Region: | Languedoc-Roussillon |
Producer: | Château La Roque |
Winemaker: | Cyriaque Rozier |
Vineyard: | 30 years, 6 ha for both white wines |
Soil: | Clay, limestone scree |
Aging: | Aged in cement tanks (80%) and demi-muids (20%) for 6 months |
Farming: | Biodynamic (certified) |
Alcohol: | 13% |
Château La Roque France | Languedoc-Roussillon | Pic Saint Loup
Château La Roque France | Languedoc-Roussillon | IGP Pays d'Oc
Château La Roque France | Languedoc-Roussillon | Pic Saint Loup
Château La Roque France | Languedoc-Roussillon | Languedoc Pic Saint Loup
Château Fontanès France | Languedoc-Roussillon | Pic Saint-Loup
Domaine Leon Barral France | Languedoc-Roussillon | Faugères
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.
Mas Champart France | Languedoc-Roussillon | Saint-Chinian
Mas Champart France | Languedoc-Roussillon | Saint-Chinian
Mas Champart France | Languedoc-Roussillon | Saint-Chinian
Domaine La Tour Vieille France | Languedoc-Roussillon
Domaine d’Aupilhac France | Languedoc-Roussillon | Languedoc
Château Fontanès France | Languedoc-Roussillon | Vin de Pays d’Oc
Domaine Les Mille Vignes France | Languedoc-Roussillon
Domaine La Tour Vieille France | Languedoc-Roussillon | Banyuls
Domaine Les Mille Vignes France | Languedoc-Roussillon | Vin de Pay de l’Aude
Domaine d’Aupilhac France | Languedoc-Roussillon | Languedoc Montpeyroux
Domaine La Tour Vieille France | Languedoc-Roussillon | Collioure
Domaine Leon Barral France | Languedoc-Roussillon | Faugères
When buying red Burgundy, I think we should remember:
1. Big wines do not age better than light wine.
2. A so-called great vintage at the outset does not guarantee a great vintage for the duration.
3. A so-called off vintage at the outset does not mean the wines do not have a brilliant future ahead of them.
4. Red Burgundy should not taste like Guigal Côte-Rôtie, even if most wine writers wish it would.
5. Don’t follow leaders; watch yer parking meters.
Inspiring Thirst, page 174
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