I am currently living down in the Languedoc-Roussillon region of the south of France learning about wine. Possibly the biggest winemaker in the region is Gerard Bertrand. He buys grapes from various private vineyards around the region and then makes several wines from all of the grapes. He also has his own grapes. We went to his private estate called Chateau L'Hospitalet, where there is also a hotel and restaurant.
We visited his tasting rooms and tried several Roses and Reds. It was interesting to try a range of wines that also ranged in price quite heavily, and I enjoyed tasting a Rose at a higher price as it is good to see the quality of a more expensive Rose. They had very smart tasting rooms, and we also saw some of the winery and the grapes that had just been pressed. These were going to be sent away to be distilled to make Brandy and other spirits.
Below is the hotel part of the estate, which has a rustic French feel to it. I love the pistachio green of the shutters, such a popular colour in the south of France.
These are the pressed grapes that were being sent off to be distilled. It was interesting to see what they looked like once they had been pressed- a little like raisins!
Below you can see part of the winery and the vats where the wine was fermenting.
This is the main tasting room and where they had all of their different wines on sale. It was interesting to the see the vast array of wines that Bertrand produces. The prices ranged from about €7 to well over €100.
Wines we tasted:
Chateau La Sauvageonne 2012: €16
This is the first Rose that I tried, and it was an unusual Rose as it had been oaked. It has more body than usual Roses, due to there being a few tannins present as well. It would be a good wine to go with cured meats and salads, nothing too overpowering.
Gris Blanc, 2012: €7
This is a very pale Rose, with a similar taste to a White wine. It is a little thin on the palate though. It is one of the most popular Roses on sale in France now, due to its price and easy availability. I think it would be good as an aperitif with a few canapes, as it is more of a palate cleanser before drinking a stronger wine with a meal.
Cigalus, 2011: €28
This Rose is an IGP wine (Indication Geographique Protegee), which means that the grapes used to make the wine have to come from one particular geographic region, and the producers have to submit their wine for analysis and tasting before selling it. It has a complex taste on the palate, it was oaked and more similar to a white wine than a Rose. It has a mineral taste with a slight saltiness, but a long and crisp finish. The more expensive taste comes from a low yield of grapes used to make the wine.
Domaine de L'Aigle, Pinot Noir, 2011
This is a fresh tasting red wine, quite light on the palate with not much body. It would be a good wine as an aperitif with some canapes before having a fuller bodied wine with a meal.
Chateau Laville Bertrou, 2010: €11
This is a wonderful dark red wine with a jammy flavour of dark fruits and a heavy oak. It is a full bodied and tannic wine. As it is a powerful wine it really needs to be paired with a red meat and sauce so that the flavours match. I was really impressed with this wine and I therefore bought a bottle!
Domaine de Villemajou, 2011: €11.50
This is another fantastic red wine at a reasonable price. This wine is from Gerard Bertrand's Fathers vineyard, which he took over, so it has a family connection. It has an earthy, almost dusty taste to it, with the smell and taste on the palate of a forest floor. It is spicy with a hint of earthy mushroom. It is a medium bodied Red wine, that would pair very well with an earthy dish. Such as something with mushrooms, Game and a creamy sauce.
Chateau La Sauvageonne, 2011: €25
This is a fruity wine with slight vegetal hints, it has a strong blackcurrant and dark fruit flavour with some sweet notes. It is a fresh Red wine that would be good as an aperitif or alongside a dish like risotto or something creamy as it would act as a contrast to cut through the creamy consistency.
Gerard Bertrand, Aigle Royal, 2011: €43
This is a more special wine as the grapes are grown at 500m above sea level. It is a very ripe tasting wine and therefore has a sweeter note. It has a spicy and fruity taste, along with notes of leather and black pepper. This would be a good wine alongside an earthy flavoured meat dish.
Gerard Bertrand, L'Hospitalitas, 2011: €43
This is a spicy wine with a definite heat to it. It has earthy notes and I think that it would go well with something like risotto, polenta or a creamy pasta dish as it would give a good contrast in flavour and consistency.
Cigalus Rouge, 2011: around €30
This is a complex tasting wine with lots of different flavour hints, this is because it is made from several different grape varieties. It is a very dark wine with a subtle smell of liquorice, and on the palate there is a vegetal, almost mouldy hint. It would go well with a sweet savoury dish, something like Pork with prunes or dates.
Here I am tasting some of the wine!
And below you can see some of the wine caves, where you can see the barrels.
It is certainly an impressive estate that has made the most of its grounds with a hotel, restaurant and various art displays around the estate. It is definitely worth a visit if you happen to be down in the Languedoc-Roussillon region of France!
xXx
