Grés Saint Paul — Côteaux de Languedoc

We first encountered the wines of Grés Saint Paul at the Vancouver Playhouse Wine Festival (06) and were immediately impressed by their high quality and by the wine making philosophy that guides them. The vineyards, situated in the Grés de Montpellier terroir that lies halfway up the slope between the Mediteranean and the mountains of the Languedoc, have been the property of the Servière family since 1830. The ancient terroir is pebbly and gravely — reminiscent of Châteauneuf du Pape — and Syrah works especially well here.
In 1997, Jean-Philippe Servière invited Philippe Salasc, the former owner of Domaine Capion, to run the domaine with him. Their formula is simple: great terroir, low yields and healthy fruit. The results are well balanced, concentrated, fruit driven wines that won’t disappoint.

The delicious dry Muscat 'Libertine' 2006 — fresh, complex and intense flavours of white peach, citrus fruits, and anise on the nose. Fresh, full in the mouth with mineral and smoke on the finish;

‘Antonin’ Côteaux du Languedoc Rouge 2004 — 80% Syrah, 10% each of Grenache & Mourvedre. “Black fruit mingled with flowers, torrefied notes and spices. The mouth is rich and full with lovely smoothness and balance.
Beautiful intensity and aromatic complexity with notes of liquorice, mint, blackcurrant, of blackberry... The structure is supported by fine tannins and bituminous mix. Silky and persistent finale.

‘Bohémienne’ Muscat Moelleux 2005 — This unfortified, naturally sweet wine for aperitif or dessert was a show-stopper at the  Vancouver Playhouse Wine Festival 2006. The grapes are harvested late and then dried on straw; this wine astonishes with gorgeous fresh fruit aromas that follow through onto the palate over remarkable weight and substance. Perfectly balanced, the finish is very long and luscious — no one at the seminar left a drop in their glass!