Winemaker Notes
Production Area
Wines taking the name Vin de Pays d'Oc may come from any of the four departments that make up what is known as Le Midi: the Gard, the Aude, the Herault and the Pyrenees Orientales. As a wine region the area, also referred to as the Languedoc-Roussillon is one of the oldest in France, having been planted by the Romans. For most of the 20th century the region produced vast quantities of very common wine, and it was only with the creation of Vins de Pays in 1973, an appellation that encouraged the promotion of good regional wine from all parts of France, that the area began to attract investment both in veineyards and wineries. By the mid-1980s, the success of varietally labelled wines from the New World persuaded growers to plant the noble grape varieites of Bordeaux, Burgundy, the Loire and Rhone Valleys in the Midi with increasing recognition. The Vins de Pays d'Oc represents around three-quarters of the total of all French Vins de Pays, with an average annual production of one billion bottles. Laboure Roi's production of Shiraz averages 1,000 cases.
Grape Varieties
Shiraz
Vinification
Grapes are machine harvested and brought to the winery to be de-stemmed to avoid any harsh vegetal flavors coming from the stalks and then cooled to allow gentle color extraction to begin. The alcoholic fermentation then takes place in tanks at a controlled temperature, with the juice being pumped over once a day to increase color and flavor. After the malolactic or secondary fermentation, the wine will spend 4-6 months in tank before bottling.
Color
Purple red
Bouquet
Blackberry, black currant, spicy
Taste
Ripe berry fruits, natural jammy sweetness
Alcohol
12
Serving Suggestions
Serve usually at 65 Farenheit, but cool down to 60 Farenheit on warm days. Drink with cold cuts, all barbequed meats, pasta, poultry, pork and game.
Setting the standards for red wine production worldwide, France holds rank as the source of the world’s most popular red grape varieties. Famous for their elegance, grace and longevity, the red wines of France come in a variety of styles.
Burgundy claims some of the most desirable vineyard real estate on the planet and remains a source of the world’s most coveted Pinot noir. A powerhouse producer of red wines based on Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, Bordeaux sits on France’s western side, separated from the Atlantic Ocean by a coastal pine forest. The region’s mild, maritime climate and gravel-heavy soils are perfect for the production of highly structured, cellar-worthy red wines. In the south, the long and narrow Rhône River Valley produces full-bodied, flavorful reds. Syrah makes its home in the Northern Rhône where a continental climate and steep hillside vineyards create some of the best in the world. Southern Rhône’s Grenache-based blends easily charm most any wine enthusiast. For those after a more delicate red, the Loire Valley’s Cabernet Franc maintains a loyal line of followers.