France - Languedoc

Question 1

Medium ruby

Med intensity, aromas of blackfruit (blueberry, blackberry), savoury (wet leaves, mushroom umami), fig, resin; spices (nutmeg, cinnamon)

Dry, high acidity, high alc, high tannins (very ripe and silky), med(+) body, med intensity, aromas mirror nose, ripe fruit character; good fruit concentration, well defined aromas and varietal character; med (+) finish, which is lingering however simple.

Very good wine.

Answer 1

Wine:

100% Carignan, 60yo vines.

Yield: 30hL/ha

Manual harvesting.

Unfiltered, unfined.,

Producer’s website says “traditional winemaking” which in this region could mean old / inert large oak vats

Racine means “root”

Producer:

1st haverst in 2001

Winemakers: Roland & Annie-Marie

Area under vine: 12ha

Georges and Lucette were vinegrowers for the whole life, producing grape of a very high quality but selling them to the coop.

His daughter and husband took over the state and decided to stop selling grapes to the coop and make wines themselves.

Question 2

Deep ruby

Silky vanilla, cooked black and red fruits, chocolate, dried herbs and pencil shaving.

Answer 2

Other info:

60% Syrah; 10% Grenache; 20% Mourvèdre; 10% Carignan

150 - 350m ASL, going up on the foothills of the Massif Centrale.

Hand-harvested grapes, long fermentation (30-40 days)

12 months: 40% in tanks, 60% in French Oak

Producer:

Vidal family has been making wines in Faugeres since 1700’s

Jean Vidal was instrumental in the first steps of the creation of the Faugeres AOC