Winemaker Notes
Pair with arugula and goat's cheese salad, a breast of lamb, a carpaccio of beef, a charlotte of courgettes or assorted tempura.
Professional Ratings
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Wine & Spirits
According to Yves Laboucarie, this is the vineyard that convinced Kermit Lynch to begin importing his Domaine's wines some 30 years ago. "He came and tasted, tasted, tasted, even though it was late at night, and then said he'd be back in the morning. We waited. At eleven he arrives in his raincoat, mud caked on his shoes. I asked, 'who are you, Inspector Colombo? Where have you been?' He said, 'Je cherche Demoiselle.'" The carignan vines in that vineyard were planted in 1904; Yve's son, Bruno, now tends them, and likes to show the Roman coins he still turns up in the dirt, left behind by the land's earliest vintners. He uses carbonic maceration to avoid the bitterness Carignan can give, and a blends the juice with a little Grenache and Moruvedre. The result is lush and dark fruited, with a woodsy, wild-strawberry center and a growl of earthy tannins to balance.
With bold fruit flavors and accents of sweet spice, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre form the base of the classic Rhône Red Blend, while Carignan, Cinsault and Counoise often come in to play. Though they originated from France’s southern Rhône Valley, with some creative interpretation, Rhône blends have also become popular in other countries. Somm Secret—Putting their own local spin on the Rhône Red Blend, those from Priorat often include Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. In California, it is not uncommon to see Petite Sirah make an appearance.
The Corbières AOC, established in 1985, is the largest in the Languedoc, and represents the South of France in transition. Though viticulture here dates back to the Romans, only within the last twenty years have Corbières wines begun to reclaim their reputation. Approved for reds, rosés, and whites, the region's vineyards cover a wide variety of elevations, soil types, and exposures. Hilly terrain and the Atlantic Cers wind moderate the Mediterranean heat, giving the wines balance and complexity; the best will go ten years or more in the cellar.
Reds represent 88% of the AOC’s production and are an assemblage of the sun-loving grapes of southern France. Carignan’s briars, Grenache’s berries, Syrah’s cherries and Mourvèdre’s plums allow for a wide range of styles, which are often influenced by the wild herbs of the garrigue. Corbières rosés, though only 9% of production, are serious wines and the small production of Rhône-variety whites are fresh and sea-influenced.
With eleven sub-appellations, Corbières is an AOC in the process of refinement. Corbières-Boutenac attained Cru status in 2005, one of only five in the Languedoc to achieve this highest ranking.