Winemaker Notes
#78 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2019
The robe is dark with hints of ruby. Complex, elegant nose with red fruit aromas. Structured, well balanced with supple tannins.
Pair this blend with grilled meats with Mediterranean dishes.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
Polished, supple tannins support the black cherry, red plum and wild raspberry notes of this juicy red, with savory touches of mineral and herb on the clean finish. Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre.
Best Buy -
Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2015 Gérard Bertrand Art de Vivre Languedoc Red is nicely textured and delivers a pleasing experience on the palate. TASTING NOTES: This wine shows up with aromas and flavors of black fruit and savory spices. Enjoy it with a mildly-seasoned beef stew. (Tasted: July 22, 2021, San Francisco, CA)
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.
An extensive appellation producing a diverse selection of good quality and great values, Languedoc spans the Mediterranean coast from the Pyrenees mountains of Roussillon all the way to the Rhône Valley. Languedoc’s terrain is generally flat coastal plains, with a warm Mediterranean climate and frequent risk of drought.
Virtually every style of wine is made in this expansive region. Most dry wines are blends with varietal choice strongly influenced by the neighboring Rhône Valley. For reds and rosés, the primary grapes include Grenache, Syrah, Carignan, Cinsault and Mourvèdre. White varieties include Grenache Blanc, Muscat, Ugni Blanc, Vermentino, Macabéo, Clairette, Piquepoul and Bourbelenc.
International varieties are also planted in large numbers here, in particular Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon.
The key region for sparkling wines here is Limoux, where Blanquette de Limoux is believed to have been the first sparkling wine made in France, even before Champagne. Crémant de Limoux is produced in a more modern style.