Wine Guides

The renowned French wine Guide Bettane & Desseauve 2011 praises the Terrasses du Larzac as Appellation of the year. Extract:

A thirty-year long work. The denomination Terrasses du Larzac was born out of the imagination of professional winemakers, when they decided to distinguish some deserving terroirs from the wide AOC Coteaux-du Languedoc. This geological area of fracture between the Larzac plateau and the Mediterranean sea, located in the North of the Hérault department, has an incredible potential for winegrowing.

A true terroir. At this time, a precise cartography of the best terroirs is being defined in Languedoc. This sudden raising of the Massif Central mountains, has given birth to a land that has many assets: hillsides and terraces exposures, diversified soils and subsoils (clayey-calcareous, granitic sands, schistes…) and a medium altitude that favours fresher nights than in the heart of Languedoc.

Obvious talent. A great terroir is nothing without great winegrowers and winemakers to interpret it. There is no shortage of such men and women in the area. Many styles of great wines are represented in the Terrasses du Larzac.

Charles Pacaud discovered the Terrasses du Larzac terroir while he was studying viticulture and oenology in Montpellier. His dream came true in 1999 when he bought this vineyard created by the Benedictine monks of Gellone Abbey in the Xth century. He manages the vineyard by applying eco-friendly methods : harvesting by hand, local yeasts, no chemical products. Here is a superb dark purple rosé with fuchsia glints, its nose is powerful and complex with aromas of red fruits ( raspberry, wild strawberry). It is round, soft and rich in the mouth. A slightly bitter final touch brings freshness and complexity. This is a charming rosé which can accompany a meal. Great combination with a fish pie from Sète ( tielle sétoise) or with grilled fish.

The style of this rosé will please those who do not like rosés. With a touch of caramel when you first taste it, it may puzzle some people and delight those who appreciate a rather sweet final touch.One more year gives it surprising complexity.

Rather deep golden colour. Fine nose with hints of hazelnut, almond and vanilla. Definitely round and lush in the mouth. A mellow, juicy texture, very distinctive aromas of dried fruits. A white wine fit for a meal, it will go well with poultry in a cream sauce.

A concentrated colour with glints that bespeak evolution. A mature nose exhaling plum, black cherry and spices. The same impression of maturity is present in the mouth where stewed fruit is dominant. A straightforward and balanced Languedoc to accompany roasted meat or meats in sauce.

A concentrated colour with slight orangey glints. Aromas of stewed fruit, spices and undergrowth in the nose. Perfectly mature mouth which is balanced and round and puts forward distinct and typical aromas. Strength is present too, this is a fully achieved vintage indeed, ready to drink.

An estate spreading over of 25ha of vineyards and 10ha of woodland. The different plots, ideally situated a few hundred yards from the cellar, are hand-harvested by a team of around fifteen people. Thus, the first sorting out of the grapes can be carried out in the vineyard. Although the owners previously worked in wine-making companies known for their innovations, they do not hesitate to revive the tradition when the latter can bring about improvements quality-wise. Hence, the red wines are the result of long macerations,of the natural decantation due to winter frosts and of a second fermentation when the first sunrays appear in Spring. Traditional ageing in oak barrels goes along with regular topping up.

Fine Coteaux du Languedoc cuvée Déodat de Séverat 2006, low-yielding Syrah with a tinge of Grenache and Carignan. Every year, one or several plots are especially prepared for low yields (17 to 25 hl/ha).

Coteaux du Languedoc Les Sigillées rosé 2009 which displays a bright colour and a delicate nose with aromas of citrus and fresh fruit is indeed mellow and persistent.

Fine Clairette du Languedoc Vieilles Vignes 2008 Clairette Blanche, aged in new oak barrels (30%) and in tanks on lees (70%) which exhales undertones of ripe citrus fruit and narcissus, this wine is both mellow and lively.

Delicious Coteaux du Languedoc Les Sigillées Blanc 2010, a fine wine in which overall mellowness backs up a final touch characterised by aromas of fresh citrus fruit.

Coteaux du Languedoc Terrasses du Larzac Cuvée Charles 2008 ( about one third of each variety Grenache, Syrah and Carignan grown on soils of rounded stones and pebbles with some red clay) is harmonious in the mouth with noticeable tannins and complex aromas of small stewed fruits.

Cuvée Charles 2008

- hints of leather, of flower and ripe red fruits, of licorice. Softened and aromatic mouth with round tannins and freshness. Will go well with roasted beef.

Les Terrasses 2007

- nose on the wild side, hinting at leather, “garrigue” and laurel. Fruity and aromatic mouth with peppery tannins and a spicy final touch. Will go well with stewed game.

Clairette du Languedoc 2009 - undertones of very ripe peach but also smoky aromas along with a smooth and round, spicy and mature mouth. Will go well with salt cod puree.

Clairette blanche 2008 - 90/100 intense, bright and clear golden colour and fine aspect. It has a great potential for evolution and shows great complexity with, in the nose, hints of roasted grapes, floral aromas (acacia), aromas of dried fruits, of butter, of beewax and a smoky final touch. It is rich in the mouth and its attack is powerful, ample and rich. Its evolution conveys a welcome freshness and hints of dried fruits, the wood is perfectly mellow. The final taste is long and spicy verging on cinnamon and vanilla.

Cuvée Charles 2006 – 89/100 bright, clear, deep garnet-coloured red with a few traces of evolution around the rim. The nose hints at blackberries such as almost macerated morello cherries combined with tinges of mild spices and garrigue. The mouth is ample and rather well-rounded to start with. The tannic structure is perfectly integrated and harmonious. This cuvée is well-structured and displays a double-faced character with a silky aspect and a great strength.

Les Terrasses 2007 – 89/100 Deep cherry red colour , fine, bright and clear aspect. A nose which reveals hints of eucalyptus, garrigue and spices as well as almost stewed red and black berries. After longer contact with air, tinges of animal smell and undergrowth appear. The mouth is surprisingly fresh and the overall impression is pleasant, rather well-rounded and well-balanced. The tannins are harmonious within a firm texture. The final touch is spicy.

Smooth approach of the Terrasses du Larzac – To be drunk : up to 3 years from now.

An estate spreading over 25 hectares of vineyards and 10 hectares of woods .
This Coteaux-du-Languedoc cuvée Les Origines Déodat de Séverat 2006 is a success with its low-yielding Syrah blended with a tinge of Grenache and Carignan. Every year, one or several plots are more thoroughly prepared for producing low yields of 17 to 25 hl/ha. According to the vintage and the results obtained, one or several exceptional cuvées are made from one of the three varieties as its/ their main ingredient : Carignan, Grenache or Syrah. Each of the 3 varieties in this trilogy “ The Origins” is related to a character or an event that marked the beginning of the history of the estate.
This wine is very good in the mouth , with tinges of blackcurrant and pepper ; it is concentrated both in colour and texture with a pleasant spicy final touch which foretells an excellent evolution (18 €).

Great Coteaux-du-Languedoc cuvée Les Origines Seigneurie de Cambous 2005 issued from very low-yielding Carignan combined with a touch of Grenache and Syrah. This wine is really well made, colored and full-bodied, dense, with both mature and powerful tannins. It combines charm and structure with aromas of red fruits, spices, and touches of undergrowth.

Along with the above wine, the Coteaux-du-Languedoc Les Sigillées Blanc 2008 (7€) is very pleasant as is the Clairette-du-Languedoc Vieilles Vignes 2007 ( White Clairette, aged in new oak barrels for 30% of it and in tanks on lees for 70%), a smooth as well as lively wine (8€).

The Coteaux du Languedoc Terrasses du Larzac cuvée Charles 2006
(approximately one third of the 3 varieties Grenache, Syrah and Carignan on soils made of rounded stones and pebbles with some red clay ; hand picked harvest with 30 to 40 days of vatting for each variety and 23 months of ageing (at least half of it in barrels), the wine is unfiltered) has aromas of cooked red fruits and a nuance of truffle and humus in the nose, it is four-square and long on the palate. (12 €)

The Coteaux-du-Languedoc Terrasses du Larzac red 2006 ( traditional vinification with a short period in barrels) is in its youth an ideal accompaniement to grilled meat (8€).

Charming Coteaux-du-Languedoc Les Sigillées rosé 2008, is fresh, fruity, subtle and very aromatic – No hesitation whatsoever-

A monk from Gellone Abbey created the vineyard of the estate of Cambous in the early Xth century .
In 1999, Charles PACAUD revived this “ terroir” of rounded stones on the “Terrasses du Larzac”. He offers here a “cuvée” whose main variety is Syrah and whose mineral nose is moderated by overtones of ripe fruits and pepper. Its ample and fresh mouth is structured by tannins that will require a year or two to melt.
Its persistent finish reveals strength and richness.

Red : Les Origines - Déodat de Séverat 2006
Mineral and smoky nose with overtones of liquorice and candied black fruit . The mouth is full-bodied, really fruity with a refined texture and round tannins. A long and aromatic finish.17,50 €

Red : Cuvée Charles 2006
In the nose, a bouquet of leather, “garrigue” plants and peppery black fruits. The mouth shows supple body and is aromatic with spicy fruit and well-refined tannins. 11,50€

Dry white : Clairette du Languedoc 2007
A roasted and smoky nose with overtones of mature white fruit and baked apples. The mouth is round with tinges of caramel and a spicy finish.
A white wine for gastronomy. 8 €

Clairette du Languedoc A.O.C - Clairette Blanche 2007 : 81 out of 100
A bright pale gold colour . an intense woody and roasted nose with a citrus background.
The mouth is full, rich, dominated by the wood. The fruit is still in the background. This wine still has to assimilate its ageing process.
Approximate price : 8 €
Where to find it : at the estate cellar- in wine shops- in restaurants.

Coteaux du Languedoc - Terrasses du Larzac A.O.C
- Les Origines- Déodat de Séverat 2006 : 86 out of 100
A concentrated colour with highlights connoting its youth . A fine woody nose with overtones of vanilla, blackcurrant and black cherry.
In the mouth, its texture is supple, silky and smooth, its tannins fine ans its vanilla woody taste combines with the fruits. A refined Languedoc.
Approximate price : 18 €
Where to find it : at the estate cellar- in wine shops- in restaurants.

- Cuvée Charles 2006 : 84 out of 100
A deep colour with highlights connoting its youth. A ripe nose with overtones of spices, stewed fruits and fruits in brandy.
In the mouth, it is smooth, supple and with a distinctive fruitiness –A well- balanced and fruity Languedoc. It is ideal to accompany a couscous.
Approximate price : 12 €
Where to find it : at the estate cellar- in wine shops- in restaurants.

- Les Terrasses 2006 : 83 out of 100
A deep colour with highlights of garnet. A blooming nose evoking undergrowth, leather and sugared fruits. The mouth confirms this evolved aromatic overall impression. It is on the whole straightforward and rounded. Ideal with small game.
Approximate price : 8 €
Where to find it : at the estate cellar- in wine shops- in restaurants.

BETTANE ET DESSEAUVE 2009 : 2 stars - pg 780
After an earlier career in the wine business for a big company, Charles Pacaud has built his Domaine to produce very specific, greatly charming wines that definitely get off the beaten track. The Rosé wine, close to a “Clairet”, does not yield to fashion, it combines charm with a very resilient character. As regards red wines, the production is at a high quality standard.
Anyway, you will have understood that the wines from this Domaine deserve to be chosen for their incredible capacity for fitting dishes.

Coteaux du Languedoc 2006 Rosé
( ageing 2008 to 2010) 6,90€ 14/20
This rosé is full of character and will go well with spicy dishes from North Africa but it is not suited to « aperitf ».

Coteaux du Languedoc Cuvée Charles 2005
Red ( ageing 2008 to 2012) 12 € 16/20
The structure is dense, salty with light tannins.
This full-bodied wine with powerful flavours will go along perfectly with a grilled beef rib.

Coteaux du Languedoc Seigneurie de Cambous 2005
Red ( ageing 2008 to 2010) 18€ 15,5/20
Fine tannins indeed within a silky structure with a level of acidity that will allow remarkable associations with a North American type of cooking.

Table wine Vendanges du 17 octobreNaturally Sweet White
(ageing 2008 to 2010) 12,50 € 15,5/20
This table wine is made from botrytised grapes. It is elegant in the nose, with a powerful body and intense sugar content.

HACHETTE WINE GUIDE 2009 : 1 star - pg 757
Domaine La Croix Chaptal Terrasses du Larzac Cuvée Charles 2005 *
The label shaped like a keystone is a reference to the stones of the great cellar of the Domaine.
By combining Syrah, Grenache, and Carignan equally, this cuvée is highly representative of the Terrasses du Larzac thanks to its aromas of fruits, pepper and toast – After giving a first impression of smoothness, the mouth appears firm, structured by well-coated tannins that are already mature . Serve with a beef rib or a cassoulet from Castelnaudary.

DUSSERT GERBER 2009: 1er Grand Cru Classé - pg 474
An estate spreading over 25 ha of vineyards and 10 ha of woods.

Fine Coteaux du Languedoc Cuvée les Origines Seigneurie de Cambous 2005 made from a very low – yielding Carignan combined with a touch of Grenache and Syrah, a very well matured wine that is dense, coloured and full-bodied with both ripe and powerful tannins, it combines charm and structure with aromas of red fruits and spices and hints of undergrowth.

By its side, the Clairette du Languedoc Vieilles Vignes 2006 ( Clairette blanche, maturing in new oak barrels for 28% and in tanks on lees for 72% ) is a smooth as well as vigorous wine (8€).

The Cuvée Charles Terrasses du Larzac 2005 (approximately one third of the 3 varieties Grenache, Syrah and Carignan on soils made of rounded stones and gravels with some red clay, hand-picked grapes left in tanks for 30 to 40 days for each variety, and 23 months of maturing with at least half of the time in oak barrels, the wine is unfiltered ) has aromas of cooked red fruits, of truffle and humus ; it is well-structured with a lengthy final touch in the mouth. (12 €).

The Coteaux du Languedoc Terrasses du Larzac 2005 ( traditional vinification with a short stay in barrels) is ideal in its youth for accompanying grilled meat (8 €).

Charming Coteaux du Languedoc Les Sigillées Rosé 2007 fresh, fruity and subtle, a wine full of aromas indeed (7€).

We have also loved this astonishing Naturally Sweet White wine, mainly made from Roussanne ; it is smooth and generous (12,50€).

Therefore, have no hesitations.

Our domaine la Croix Chaptal confirms its presence in this guide for the 7^thyear in a row.

Terrasses du Larzac Cuvee Charles 2004: one star. In 1999, Charles Pacaud took over this very old vineyard created in the X th century by the Benedictine monks of Gellone Abbaye. On this terroir, equal shares of Syrah, Grenache and Carignan have produced a wine tinged with a slightly wild taste completed by aromas of toast and garrigue. Firm tannins support this wine in its development and also guarantee that it will favourably evolve over two to three years. To be drunk with a bull stew.

After working as a business manager for a famous wine company, Charles Pacaud has been building his domaine in order to produce very specific, greatly charming wines that are decidedly meant to wander off the beaten track. The production of white is limited but the Clairette is so pure that it hardly has any equivalent in France. The rosé adopts a vinous style close to a claret and does not give way to fashion. It combines charm with a strong character.

The red wines are quite good. To put it in a nutshell, you must have understood that the wines from this Domaine deserve to be tasted for their incredible adaptation to gastronomy.

The Clairette may no longer be a very fashionable variety because of its being prone to oxidation.

But try it with your meal when it reaches that level of purity and it will surely show you how good it is at enhancing the most refined gastronomy!!

Hints of mint and rosemary in a well-structured wine with a remarkable aromatic charm. Its tannins are smooth and steadily present.

This is a powerful rosé which has not given way to softness as it is really straightforward and clear-cut as far as its aromas are concerned. It is cut out for gastronomy in the same way as the Clairette.

A pleasant dense and refined texture with very round tannins. The freshness of this greatly charming cuvee is indeed invigorating.
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A 25- hectare vineyard where you find this côteaux du Languedoc Cuvée Charles Terrases du Larzac 2004( 36% Grenache, 32% Syrah and 32 % Carignan on soils made of rounded stones, gravels and some red clay) the grapes are hand-picked then allowed to ferment and rest in tanks for 30 to 40 days for each variety before ageing for 23 months ( half this time in barrels), the wine is unfiltered.

It is still very young, very firm, with hints of cooked red fruit, truffles and humus in the nose. It is well-structured and has a lasting final taste. (11.70 €). The Clairette du Languedoc “Vieilles Vignes 2005 (Clairette blanche, 25% matured in new oak and 75 % in tanks on lees) is full of aromas and both mellow and vigorous (7.50 €).

The Cuvée les Origines, Seigneurie de Cambous, made from low-yielding Carignan combined to a note of Grenache and Syrah, is a dense, very well matured wine with aromas of spices and candied fruit as well as ripe and powerful tannins;it is firm, coloured, fleshy and will age well ( 18 €). Do not hesitate either.

A golden colour. A superb nose with very ripe fruit (apricot, grape) on a slightly smoky backdrop. A fine roundness in the mouth; a full; fresh and aromatic wine.

The second best mark in Côteaux du Languedoc (vintages and terroirs combined)

Red cherry colour. A superb nose with very ripe fruit (cherry, morello cherry). The mouth is crunchy, fruity, fresh, framed by well-integrated tannins. Nose and mouth combine in a long, harmonious and somewhat mineral final touch.

Hachette guide 2007 : Seigneurie de Cambous Les Origines (Red) 2004 obtains one star (p 745).

Charles-Walter Pacaud tends to his vineyard and his wines as delicately and thoroughly as the Benedictine monks who preceded him on this estate in the X^th century. In this wine, subtlety rivals with strength. From the garnet colour tinged with dark purple, one can guess at the complex aromas: toast, spices, dried fruit and a gentle hint of vanilla. Its velvety touch on the palate combined with powerful tannins will allow this wine to accompany a hare in chocolate sauce.

HACHETTE guide 2006 (p 737): Cuvée Charles 2002 is awarded one star.

This wine, grown on a soil made of gravel and rounded stones resulting from the fossil river beds of Hérault and Lergue, perfectly mirrors the quest of genuineness pursued by Charles Pacaud who claims the status of craftsman-wine-grower on his label. The colour of this 2002 is crimson tinged with orange. When tasting it, you find yourself in spring when the scrubland (garigue) plants are blooming : in the nose as well as in the mouth, you find a blend of thyme, rosemary, juniper, along with spices, black pepper and mocha. You will appreciate the elegance of the mouth characterised by subtle though conspicuous tannins, especially with lamb and vegetable stew (navarin). The Clairette du Languedoc Vieilles Vignes dry white 2004 must also be noted for its dried fruit aromas and above all for its mouth balanced between freshness and fruit.

For the fifth time in a row since its creation, Domaine La Croix Chaptal has been mentioned in the Hachette Wine guide; its Cuvée Charles 2001 is awarded 2 stars in the 2005 edition :

“On the age-old terraces of the river Lergue where multicoloured basalt and quartz pebbles combine to form the soil, the vineyard of this estate is cultivated with the utmost care as this “terroir” wine shows. Its intensely red colour is as deep as its nose in which aromas of cade, juniper and stewed fruit bloom. However it is above all a real treat in the mouth with much richness, volume, harmony and an extraordinary lingering finish. It is already well-matched with stewed boar and will keep improving as time goes on”.

The Hachette Wine guide 2004 thus comments on the tasting of Domaine La Croix Chaptal Seigneurie de Cambous 2001 * (awarded one star).

Everything contributes to the expression of the terroir Terrasses du Larzac : the old vines planted on round pebbles and stones, the small yields, the carefully sorted out grapes, the carefully done vinification. Here comes this ink-coloured wine with aromas of stewed cherry and toast. Its powerful tannins do not exclude the sensation of a full body in the mouth. A wine with great potential which is expected to open up even more.

The Domaine La Croix Chaptal was formerly an estate belonging to Gellone Abbey and was planted with vines as early as the tenth century. It now belongs to a man who is passionately fond of his very fine “terroir” made of pebbles and gravel. Even if the nose of this cuvée is a little slow in coming up, it develops very fine aromas of kirsch, spices and jam. In the mouth, “terroir” and maturity are clearly present. A “gardianne de taureau de Camargue” is recommended but also more basically a “cassoulet”.

The guide Hachette des Vins 2002, (Hachette Wine published by Hachette Cassell) (Hachette Weinfûhrer Frankreich2002 – Hallwag) comments on the tasting of Coteaux du Languedoc:

Domaine LA CROIX CHAPTAL Cuvée Charles 1999 ** (which was awarded 2 stars).

« What a great way of entering the Guide for this estate exploited by Charles Pacaud since 1999! This wine draws its specificity from terraces made of rounded stones and pebbles between the Larzac plateau and the Mediterranean sea: a deep-red robe, aromas of spices, ripe fruit and undergrowth. It is soft, fat, full-bodied in the mouth. In a word, it is velvety and unmistakably powerful. Hachette bets on this wine-maker. .

In the GUIDE HACHETTE des Vins 2001, the CLAIRETTE DU LANGUEDOC appears with the following comments : Domaine LA CROIX CHAPTAL 1999.

"M Pacaud used to work in a large company, known all over the world for its gris wines. Himself a wine lover, he has been seduced by wine-making. Success is coming with this wine with a beautiful brilliant yellow dress, with an intense buttery, grilled although floral nose, with aromas of peach, lemon, exotic fruits along with a touch of “garrigue”. In the mouth, its vivacity comes as a surprise, but shows a good balance thanks to roundness and fatness. Good persistence."

Côteaux du Languedoc rosé 2005 (Carignan, Grenache and Syrah, ageing on lees) intense colour, candied morello cherry in the nose, spicy, full-bodied with harmonious and balanced tannins (6,90 €).

Clairette du Languedoc Vieilles Vignes 2004 (Clairette blanche, traditional vinification on lees. 25 % in new oak and 75 % on lees in tanks) is both mellow and vigorous (7,50 €).

Côteaux du Languedoc Red Cuvée Charles Terrasses du Larzac 2003 (38 % Syrah, 37 % Carignan and 25 % Grenache, aged for 22 months, unfiltered), powerful, intense colour, flavoursome tannins, full of aromas (blackberry, blackcurrant, spices...), a promising wine (11,50 €)

Les Origines Déodat de Séverat 2004 (Red). This cuvée is intense and complex (18 €).

Second-ranking great wine****(*) likely to rank first great wine in the years to come.

Fine Coteaux du Languedoc Terroir du Larzac Cuvée Charles 2002, intense, powerful in the mouth where one finds black berries, warm rich colour-wise as well as substance-wise. Outstanding Clairette du Languedoc white 2003 derived from old wines in a soil made of gravel and rounded stones (hand-picked grapes, destemmed, crushed, short skin-contact maceration, free-running juice and first press, cold clarification, temperature control, traditional vinification on lees), a pale golden-coloured wine, very aromatic (dried fruit), full-bodied and persitent in the mouth, indeed very successful, both dry and mellow. Along the same line, the Coteaux du Languedoc white 2004, 60 % Roussane, 30 % Clairette and a small amount of Grenache. Do not hesitate.

Second best great wines ****

“A 35-hectare estate including a 25-hectare vineyard. Great Coteaux du Languedoc, Seigneurie de Cambous red 2001 Terrasses du Larzac (80% Carignan, 10% Syrah, 10% Grenache) of a lovely garnet colour, with touches of humus, prune, blackcurrant, a full-bodied wine with rich tannins (15.50 €). The Coteaux du Languedoc red Terroir Terrasses du Larzac, Cuvée Charles 2001 is a wine which charmed me with its very typical and lingering touches of smoke and spices and with its powerful but very elegant tannins, it is indeed harmonious and will keep well (11.50 €). The Coteaux du Languedoc rosé 2003 has a lovely hue and a strawberry nose, it is fruity, very charming and goes well with a pâté (7.20 €). Taste the Clairette du Languedoc 2002 made from very old vines of the Clairette blanche variety hand-picked, matured on lees, with a floral lingering taste in the mouth (7.20 €). It is very good. So, do not hesitate.

A fine Coteaux du Languedoc red Terroir Terrasses du Larzac Cuvée Charles 2001 charmed me with its very typical and lingering touches of smoke and spices and with its powerful but very elegant tannins, it is indeed harmonious and will keep well (11.50 €). Alongside, there are the Clairette du Languedoc white with citrus fruit in the nose, a fine smooth wine which is really a success as well as this Coteaux du Languedoc Rosé with its lovely hue and strawberry nose, it is fruity, very charming and goes well with a pâté. It is good and indeed affordable, which cannot but please us. Do not hesitate.

An estate spreading over 35 ha, 25 of which are planted with vines. This Coteaux du Languedoc rouge Terroir Terrasses du Larzac Cuvée Charles 2000 is rich in colour as well as aromas, it is a spicy, well – built most approved wine.

Along with the above, the Clairette du Languedoc blanc 2001 is as successful as the Coteaux du Languedoc rosé 2001 with its pretty shade, its strawberry nose and its vividness; it is attractive when drunk with a pâté. Reliable indeed.

The DUSSERT –GERBER guide 2002 comments on the first wines from Domaine La Croix Chaptal:

« An attractive Clairette du Languedoc 99 (vinification on lees) with tinges of fresh fruit and linden blossoms, mellow and fruity excellent red, very reliable”

The Domaine La Croix Chaptal Seigneurie de Cambous 2001 red gets a 7 out of 10 mark; a powerful wine with a very dark garnet colour which fully expresses ripe fruit. The dense and full mouth is supported by solid tannins with no coarseness though and so develops into a generous and full-bodied wine !

The Clairette du Languedoc “Vieilles vignes” 2001 White : 7,5/10. This wine is pale coloured with a light nose based on notes of spices and fruit. Its elegant mouth perfectly balanced in acidity develops a persistently harmonious lingering finish.

A note tinged with balsamic notes, oak, spices and black berries. The mouth is fleshy with spicy tannins, this wine has to assimilate the oak.

An unobtrusive nose verging on ripe white fruits and tinged with aniseed-flavoured notes. The mouth is round, rich with a spicy, slightly bitter final touch.

Cuvée Charles 2000 ****(*) : a smoky and mineral nose with a touch of leather and stewed red fruit. The mouth is velvety with notes of cocoa, mild spices, soft and spicy tannins. A charming wine.

Dry white Clairette du Languedoc 2000 *** : a nose based on white fruit with notes of fennel. The mouth is round, a little languid with notes of honey. Very typical.

82 out of 100 for Clairette Vieilles Vignes 2004 (p 308). Light yellow colour. A very expressive nose combining flowery and citrus fruit (grapefruit) hints. Fat and full-bodied in the mouth. A very smooth, rather long-lasting style. To be appreciated with cooked fish. Approximate price: 7,50 €.

· Our Cuvée Charles 2003 and Clairette du Languedoc 2004 are pushed to the front on page 309 in the 2006 Guide Hubert :

Red Cuvée Charles 2003 : 4 glasses out of 5. Licorice combined with stewed red fruit and a touch of leather in the nose. In the mouth, this wine displays wild notes, a smooth structure, a spicy and peppery final touch.

Dry white Clairette du Languedoc 2004 : 4 glasses out of 5. A ripe nose with hints of honey, dried fruit and oven-baked apple. The mouth is round and toasted, fruity and mature.