Latest updates on France, French Wine, Food, Travel, Holidays and Events
FrenchDuck UK - Latest
Les Clos Perdus is a small winery founded by an unlikely combination of an Australian dancer and a Wiltshire farmer. Paul Old and Hugo Stewart estabished the vineyard in the village of Peyriac de Mer (34 Herault, Languedoc–Roussillon).
The name Les Clos Perdus (Lost Vineyards) reflects the discovery of select parcels of old vines, scattered throughout the hillsides.
Many of the small vineyards had been disregarded by larger producers because of their isolation, their low cropping potential and their inability to be machine worked.
The selection of grape varieties on particular soils, in differing locations gives the wine the complexities we are looking for.
Our aim is to produce distinctive well balanced wines of the highest quality.
The wines produced are within the Corbieres appellation from various blends of Mourvédre, Carignan and Grenache and sometimes Syrah - big rich wines which retail from £8.00 a bottle upwards. They are clearly getting it right, with their wines featured on the wine lists of restaurants such as Gordon Ramsay at Claridges, Club Gascon and Tate Britain.
Les Clos Perdus will be at the Bristol Wine and Food Fair 11-13 July 2008
Deep in deepest southern France the wine cooperative of Mont Tauch is in the heart of the Fitou and southern Corbieres appellations - this is not, rugged country which can produce excellent rich reds, and some surprisingly fresh white wines. You have to take a detour off the main autoroutes and explore narrow country lanes to reach them, but the effort is well worthwhile. The scenery is impressive and the wines have never disappointed.
In many ways Mont Tauch is the antithesis of what we usually look for in a wine producer - firstly it is a co-operative, which can be very variable in ethos and quality; and secondly it is a big, and too often size can undermine quality and distinctiveness in the quest for more commercial (i.e. bland unoffensive) wines.
However Mont Tauch will open its new visitor centre in Languedoc at the end of July 2008. The centre, located at the winery in Tuchan (11 Aude, Languedoc) and
aims to educate visitors about the cooperative and its wines, as well as about the surrounding Fitou appellation.
Visitors will be able to learn about a range of themes, including the diversity of vineyards and village life; soils and grape varieties; vinification; and sustainable agriculture and environment. Tutored tastings in both French and English will teach visitors about the cooperative’s range of wines, and tours of the winery and vineyards will also be available later in the year.
The centre includes a shop, which will sell up to 96 different wines made by the Mont Tauch cooperative, including rare vintages, premium products, vins doux naturels and bag-in-box wines. In addition, visitors will be able to purchase local produce and will have access to tourist information on the surrounding Fitou appellation.
Katie Jones, UK Sales & Marketing Director at Mont Tauch, comments, “We decided to build a visitor centre and offer tours and tastings as wine tourism is something that we feel is very important and works well in other countries, but France has so far lagged behind. We think the new centre and shop will be a great way to attract more visitors to Mont Tauch and to introduce them to our wines and the unique way of life at the cooperative.”
Mont Tauch also has a good informative website about the wines and the region - see www.mont-tauch.com
In the UK numerous merchants stock these wines - e.g.Majestic Wine, who offer Fitou AC Les Hauts de Montluzy from £4.49 and the Fitou AC L’Exception from £9.99.“This characterful Fitou reveals rich, warming textures. Its lushness and power demands hearty food. ‘a powerful and seductive red with lovely fruit. Gutsy, well-balanced and complex.’ (Steve Pryer, ES Magazine) ‘A serious demonstration of Haut-Fitou’s potential.’ (Joanna Simon, The Sunday Times)”
Another very good co-operative in the region is at Embres-et-Castelmaure - about 12 miles south - making some expcetionally good Corbières AC wines - see MORE . In the area you can also explore the Cathar castles at Peyrepertouse and Queribus.
Jancis Robinson in the Financial Times (12 May 08) talks about the growing number of Brits who have followed their dream and bought a vineyard in France.
It is hardly surprising then that a substantial proportion of the hundreds of thousands of Brits who own French property have been tempted by the apparently bucolic life of a vigneron……
Are there any French winemakers left down there?
I asked Walter McKinlay, whose Domaine de Mourchon southern Rhône wines are some of the most successful from a British domaine, whether his Domaine de Mourchon wines were financially viable. He frowned. “Just about,” he said cautiously, then smiled. “But it’s a lovely lifestyle though.”
My own observation would be that it can be incredibly hard work and despite the attractions of the climate, landscape and the French way of life, it can also be very stressful. And as with all winemakers, a bad harvest, particularly in the early years can be devastating.
So, here’s our list of British vineyard owners (and 1 Irish couple) - that we are aware of (not an exhaustive list I am sure). Visits can be much more informative if the language is no barrier:-
Domaine de Laroux - Cotes de Gascogne, Armagnac (32 Gers, Midi-Pyrenees) - Nick and Karen Kitchener
Chateau Haut Garrigue - Bergerac, Saussignac AC (24 Dordogne, Aquitaine) - Sean and Caroline Feely (the Irish couple running an organic vineyard also known as Wild Earth Vineyards)
Domaine de Fontenay - Cote Roannaise AC (42 Loire, Rhone-Alpes) - Simon and Isabelle Hawkins
Chateau Richard - Bergerac, Saussignac AC (24 Dordogne, Aquitaine) - Richard Doughty
Domaine de Merchien - Coteaux du Quercy and beer! (46 Lot, Midi-Pyrenees - David & Sarah Meakin
Clos d’Yvigne - Cotes de Bergeac, Saussignac AC (24 Dordogne, Aquitaine) - Patricia Atkinson
Chateau des Milles Anges - Premieres Cotes de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, Cadillac AC (33 Gironde, Aquitaine) - Heather van Ekris
Chateau Lezongars - Premieres Cotes de Bordeaux, Bordeaux AC (33 Gironde, Aquitaine) - Philip and Sarah Iles
Chateau Teyssier - Saint Emilion Grand Cru AC (33 Gironde, Aquitaine) - Jonathan and Lyn Maltus
Chateau de Sours - Bordeaux AC (33 Gironde, Aquitaine) - Esme & Sara Johnson
Domaine Gourdon - Cotes de Duras AC (47 Lot-et-Garonne, Aquitaine) - John Coulthard
Domaine du Grand Mayne - Cotes de Duras AC (47 Lot-et-Garonne, Aquitaine) - Andrew Gordon
Domaine de Begude - Limoux AC (11 Aude, Languedoc-Roussillon) - Catherine and James Kinglake
Domaine de Mourchon - Cotes du Rhone Seguret AC (84 Vaucluse, Provence) - Walter McKinley
Maison des Bulliats - Regnie AC Beaujolais (69 Rhone, Rhone-Alpes) - Fred and Helen Lockwood
Chateau Méaume - Bordeaux Superieure AC (33 Gironde, Aquitaine) - Alan and Sue Johnson-Hill
Domaine a Sauvageonne - Coteaux du Languedoc AC, Vin de Pays d’Oc (34 Herault, Languedoc - Roussillon) - Gavin Crisfield
Domaine Sainte Rose - Vin de Pays d’Oc (34 Herault, Languedoc-Roussillon) - Charles and Ruth Simpson
Chateau Bauduc - Bordeaux AC (33 Gironde, Aquitaine) - Gavin and Angela Quinney
Domaine Sainte Croix - Corbieres AC (11 Aude, Languedoc-Roussillon) - Jon & Elizabeth Bowen
Chateau Monplaisir - Bergerac AC (24 Dordogne, Aquitaine) - David and Helen Baxter
We keep coming across gites and Bed & Breakfast (Chambres d’Hote) on vineyards in France, but there are obviously some domaines that also offer camping, whether canvas or motorhome.
One such is Chateau de Pennautier in the Cabardes appellation (11 Aude, Languedoc-Roussillon) north west of Carcassonne. (see map). We have mentioned this chateau before, partly because its wines are a crossover between the Mediterranean and Languedoc to the east and the Atlantic and South West to the west and also because unusually for a domaine in one of the lesser known appellations, it has really worked on making a visit to the vineyard an all-round experience - rather more than a dank cellar with old vineyard tools and some stainless steel tanks.
They offer a wine bar/restaurant/shop as well as a cellar (not dank!) and now offer a campsite and mobile homes to let as well.
The wines are pretty good too - Majestic Wine (amongst others) stocks the red Château de Pennautier 2006 Cabardès AC, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Syrah and Grenache - a true south/southwest blend.
“Aromas of fresh raspberries and mulberries follow through to a firm, tannic palate, showing the Cabardès appellation at its best.” £5.99
See our customised map of the Aude département.
| April 24, 2008 | to | April 27, 2008 |
Amongst the wealth of good organic produce at the London Real Food Festival (24-27 April 08) several French wine producers will be in attendance offering tastings of their organic wines.
This includes Domaines Schlumberger from Alsace,the Irish-owned Chateau Haut Garrigue (or Wild Earth Vineyards) from Bergerac (South West France) and from the Languedoc Les Clos Perdus.
Les Clos Perdus is a small winery founded by Paul Old and Hugo Stewart based in the village of Peyriac de Mer (11 Aude, Languedoc-Roussillon) in the Languedoc region of the South of France.
The name Les Clos Perdus (Lost Vineyards) reflects our discovery of select parcels of old vines, scattered throughout the hillsides. Many of our small vineyards had been disregarded by larger producers because of their isolation, their low cropping potential and their inability to be machine worked.
The selection of grape varieties on particular soils, in differing locations gives the wine the complexities we are looking for.
Our aim is to produce distinctive well balanced wines of the highest quality.
They certainly seem to have hit the mark with recommendations from the likes of Jancis Robinson and listing at Gordon Ramsay at Claridges and the Club Gascon in London.
Interestingly they also list a rare white wine made from the Terret grape - (although currently sold out)
For more info on Les Clos Perdus see www.lesclosperdus.com
For more info on the Real Food Festival see www.realfoodfestival.co.uk/
| April 12, 2008 | to | April 20, 2008 |
Leucate (11 Aude, Langedoc) is a peninsula which juts out into the Mediterranean and encompasses an inland sea south of Narbonne and is the gateway to the Parc Naturel Régional de la Narbonnaise en Méditerranée. With 16km of Mediterranean coast on one side and ponds and lakes on the other, this is a rich marine environment.
It’s exposure to the sea makes it an ideal place for wind-sports such as wind- and kite-surfing and the world championships (Mondial du Vent) from the 12-20 April 2008.
The area is quite exposed to the winds off the sea and the Tramontane wind down from the Pyrenees - great for the surfers, but not so ideal if you want to explore the park or take advantage of the many cycle paths available.
Nearby you’ll find the vines of the coastal enclave of the wines of Fitou AC (excellent rich reds) and further south the wines of the Cotes du Roussillon AC, including some good Muscats from Rivesaltes.
For more info see www.mondial-du-vent.com and
for info on Leucate see www.leucate.net
| July 18, 2008 |
The Tour de France 2008 (21 stages, 3500 km) Stage 13 is on Friday 19 July 2008 and starts from Narbonne (11 Aude, Languedoc-Roussillon) and runs for 182 km to finish in Nimes (30 Gard, Languedoc-Roussillon) via the Pic St Loup wine region (34 Herault, Languedoc-Roussillon)
For more on the Tour de France 2008 see www.letour.fr/
For details of coverage on ITV see www.itv.com
| July 17, 2008 |
The Tour de France 2008 (21 stages, 3500 km) Stage 12 is on Thursday 17 July 2008 and starts from Lavelanet (09 Ariege, Midi-Pyrenees) and runs for 168.5km through the southern Languedoc and Cathar country and Fitou and Maury (66 Pyrenees-Orientales, Languedoc-Roussillon) to finish in Narbonne (11 Aude, Languedoc-Roussillon)
For more on the Tour de France 2008 see www.letour.fr/
For details of coverage on ITV see www.itv.com
The medieval city of Carcassonne (11 Aude, Languedoc) is both the setting and backdrop of a fantatic light and firework show to celebrate Bastille Day
