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The Languedoc-Roussillon is France's principal wine region with over 600,000 acres producing nearly 350 million cases. The region can be broken down into four major appellations; Corbi?res, Minervois, Coteaux du Languedoc and C?tes du Roussillon. The western Languedoc shows a temperate climatic zone with very stony, chalky-clay soils producing very dense, aromatic wines. Here is where the Syrah in our blend is grown. The climate and soil combine to make an imposing wine showing strength and character beyond its price, The central Languedoc boasts a hotter climatic zone and earlier ripening. Two types of soil are found here: a gravelly clay soil giving well-structured wines with noticeable tannins and a richer soil with limestone fragments giving softer wines with coated tannins. The Northeast has a cooler, later-ripening climate, with limestone soils providing fruitier wines. The Mourvedre shines here producing a lovely, aromatic wine that feels so luscious in the mouth. When matched with Syrah the combination is flawless. A forerunner in the Languedoc, Gerard Bertrand understood the evolution in consumer behavior towards expressive, well-balanced and elegant wines. By offering great wines at fair prices his success was insured. He quickly became the quality reference in the opinion of the professionals. In the footsteps of his father, Gerard has been contributing to the epic story of the Languedoc. Our selection, though not as well-known in the US, is a classic combination of grapes in the Southern Rhone. Since the Languedoc-Roussillon is very close to Southern Rhone, that combination works very well here. Syrah supplies the backbone, color and intensity of the blend. Sometimes it may be too intense, which is where the Mourvedre comes in. With all the fruit adjectives used to describe wines, the one you almost never hear is "grapes." We get plum, raspberry, cranberry and the like and it seems odd that you never hear that a wine tastes like grapes, which of course is what it's made from. Mourvedre is that grape. It has a fresh, grapey aroma and taste that is almost unmistakable. This wine could easily be confused as a sensational Chateauneuf du Pape costing three times more. But because it comes from Languedoc-Roussillon instead of Chateauneuf du Pape, we get the benefit. February 2010 Limited Series Newsletter (.pdf)
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