Beautiful vines to produce beautiful bottles. Midi Libre – JEROME MOUILLOT
Which local wines to enhance your tables during the end-of-year celebrations ? Discover the selection of fourteen wine merchants from the Thau basin.
1. The white carignan of Mas de la Draille (côtes-de-thau)
On the heights of Montagnac and on its clay-limestone soil composed of yellow marl, sandstone and puddingstone, Audrey and Laurent Paillet continue, step by step, to raise their Mas de la Draille upwards.
Between the shape of the bottle and the grape variety, the Caridou embodies the originality of the 23-hectare family estate. This white Carignan in IGP Côtes-de-Thau does not deceive with its pale gold color the white version. With its nose of pineapple, pear and citrus, its minerality and its freshness, it will display its versatility for your festive meals. You will present it as an aperitif but can also serve it with fish or raclette. “It will also be perfect with oysters au gratin”, notes Maryse Niarchos, from the Cellier Occitan, who has made it her favorite at a low price.
9 €. At the Cellier Occitan, 6 rue Longuyon, in Sète.
The white Caridou from Mas de la Draille. ML – PE
2. The Path of Life of In Vinhys (Côtes-de-Thau)
In Florensac, Sonia Médard and Christophe Guirao have “a little bit of madness and a lot of determination”. The young couple has been lovingly and passionately cultivating the five hectares of vines of the In Vinhys estate for around ten years. This reveals in particular this Path of Life which embodies well the philosophy of the place and its winegrowers.
Produced on clay-limestone soil in IGP Côtes-de-Thau, this is a 100% Syrah tamed by supple wood. This 2023 vintage is young but ready to drink, crisp but also complex with its palette of black fruits refreshed by a hint of eucalyptus. A favorite of Julien Vieira, a wine merchant in Frontignan, this very local red will pair well with a capon with chestnuts, duck breast with orange or quail stuffed with foie gras.
€20. At Le Flaconneur, 5 rue de l’Hôtel de Ville, in Frontignan.
The Path of Life 2023 by In Vinhys. ML – P.E.
3. Muscat Mil’Or from the Domaine de La Plaine (Muscat-de-Frontignan)
At the family estate of La Plaine, between Frontignan and Vic-la-Gardiole, Christophe Sala is one of the youngest winemakers in the appellation. His Mil’Or vintage (1,000 bottles) is a great success of the work on Muscat à petits grains.
This vintage was aged in a Marie-Jeanne for a year. Exposed to the sun, it benefits from accelerated aging, which has transformed day after day the muscat aromas into complex aromas of nuts, candied fruits, dried fruits… This Soléra produces an orange, madeirized wine. “A perfect wine for the holidays”, underlines Nicolas Casano, a wine merchant in Frontignan for 20 years.
You can discover this pretty bottle on foie gras toasts. But the perfect match would be with a dark chocolate-cherry dessert. Come on Mil’Or, sit at my table!
€12. At Nico's cellar, 51 avenue d'Ingril, in Frontignan.
The Mil'Or vintage from the Domaine de La Plaine. ML – P.E.
4. The picpoul of La Croix-Gratiot (picpoul-de-pinet)
The Domaine La Croix-Gratiot, between Mèze and Montagnac, needs no introduction. On this 35-hectare family estate where passion has been passed down from father to daughter and where great care is taken of nature and the terroir, Anaïs Ricome, who learned her trade in New Zealand, produces little marvels of bottles using biodynamic methods.
A dozen grape varieties are cultivated. Wine merchant on Quai Lemaresquier, in Sète, since 2008, Christophe Combes has been selecting the estate's classic Picpoul-de-pinet for the holidays. “It's fine, floral, elegant, with notes of citrus, lemon, grapefruit, with a lovely minerality. You'll drink it with your eyes closed on a platter of shellfish but also with a fish casserole, or even as an aperitif”, he assures us.
€9.50. At La cave de Thau, 3 quai Lemaresquier, in Sète.
The piquepoul of La Croix Gratiot. ML – P.E.
5. The First Stone, of the Mas des Disciples (terrasses-du-larzac)
On the terroir of rolled pebbles on limestone resurgence, here is the First Stone. This vintage from Mas des Disciples is a red wine from Terrasses-du-Larzac selected by Caves Notre-Dame for “its suppleness, generosity, complexity and roundness”. “A fairly rich, fruity, mentholated and liquorice wine. It is very well made”, enthuses the Sète wine merchant.
A blend of Syrah (60%), Grenache and Mourvèdre, vinified biodynamically, the 2022 vintage is “quite sunny”. Decanted and served between 16 and 18 degrees, this bottle at a low price for the appellation will perfectly accompany small grilled or stewed red meats such as poultry, including, for example, a medallion of Bresse poultry supreme!
€15. At the Notre-Dame cellars, 2 rue Frédéric-Mistral, in Sète.
The First Stone of the Mas des Disciples. ML – P.E.
6. L’Estagnol, from the villa Exindrio (languedoc)
A stone's throw from the cathedral of Villeneuve-les-Maguelone, between the Mediterranean and the hills of Moure, Clément and Mathilde Veyrac maintain the agricultural vocation of the villa Exindrio. Gourmet, aromatic and charming, this Estagnol 2022 will be perfect with white meats at your parties and will also be an excellent companion for a dinner aperitif.
Round, persistent in the mouth, displaying notes of red fruits and combining both Carignan (40%), Grenache (30%) and Syrah (30%), this signature wine of the estate was rated 88/100 by the Revue des vins de France. “It is frankly worth very good Bordeaux”, assures Cyril Boucher, who opened Brocavin almost a year ago and has therefore selected this bottle at a very reasonable price.
€11 at Brocavin, 1 avenue Max-Dormoy, in Sète.
L’Estagnol 2022 de Villa Exindrio. ML – P.E.
7. The Joseph vintage from Mas de Jacquet (sweet Muscat)
Between the Mediterranean and the Gardiole, between dry and sweet and between gourmandise and freshness, here is the Joseph cuvée from the Mas de Jacquet, in Vic-la-Gardiole. From his vines in the Bois des Aresquiers, Vincent Solive, firmly established since 2002, produces here a lovely, organic, soft wine, lighter in sugar (35 g/l) and alcohol (12°).
This 100% Muscat Petit Grain unfolds notes of apricots and peaches in the mouth, keeping the rare promise of giving it back to you while making you feel it! “It's better than a Jurançon”, assures Sabine Nadal, wine merchant at Placard à pinard, in Vic, who selected it.
With foie gras, Roquefort or a chocolate dessert, this Joseph will not make any mistakes! Gold to the eye and to the palate.
€9.50 at Placard à pinard, 6 rue du Labech in Vic-la-Gardiole.
A soft cake that is ideal for foie gras, Roquefort cheese and chocolate. ML – P.E.
8. The Léma vintage from the Roquemale estate (Montpellier sandstone)
In Villeveyrac, Valérie and Dominique Ibanez have been running a Roquemale estate for 23 years, a ‘‘bad rock’’ that produces good wines here on 12 hectares managed using organic farming methods.
Thus this Lema vintage, in Montpellier sandstone, was selected by Alex, who has passionately run the eponymous Chai on the Corniche for 10 years. “Syrah and Grenache make up the majority of this blend, completed by a little Mourvèdre and a hint of Cinsaut. This wine, with a nose of black fruits and scrubland, has a smooth but powerful palate. The light aging in oak barrels gives it a little more tannins but remains silky with a nice length”, explains the Sète wine merchant.
This Lema will go wonderfully with traditional Christmas poultry, Armorican lobster tails, or veal osso bucco with citrus fruits.
€17 at Chai Alex, 1481 promenade Maréchal Leclerc, in Sète.
The Lema vintage from the Roquemale estate in Villeveyrac. ML – P.E.
9. A Frigoullas 100% Syrah vintage (vin de France)
Review, rare wine! This Frigoullas 100% Syrah ‘‘vin de France’’ is vinified in Nizas, near Pézenas, with a low yield of 25 hectolitres per hectare.
About twenty cases per year, at most. Aged 18 months in barrels, it unfolds aromas of red and black fruits on the palate. “It is deep, very concentrated. The tannins are present but polished thanks to the barrel, with a vanilla side at the end of the mouth. It has a very nice length, without astringency. It is the ideal wine for game, meats in sauce and mature cheeses”, explains Olivier Perez, who has been at the head of La Cave d’Olivier in Balaruc for three years.
And which he is not a little proud to select for your festive meals since he is the only wine merchant in the region, with a fellow wine merchant from Piscénois, to offer it.
€14, at La Cave d’Olivier, 6 route de Sète, in Balaruc-les-Bains.
A frigoullas that will create a surprise on your tables. ML – P.E.
10. The Viognier from the Domaine Les Yeuses (Pays-d’Oc)
Built during the 13th century by the Order of the Knights Templar on the site of an ancient Roman villa, the Domaine des Yeuses. The 80-hectare vineyard highlights the fruitiness characteristic of coastal wines.
The cuvée selected by Xavier Lacape-Nadau, manager of the Voltaire cellar, is a very aromatic 100% Viognier. Floral with a beautiful roundness, notes of dried fruits and a subtle finish on hazelnut, this single varietal with golden highlights can be used in different ways on your festive tables.
It would be the ideal companion for an aperitif prepared around baked peppers and mozzarella sprinkled with candied berries. A quail salad with grapes would also highlight it well.
€9, at Caveau Voltaire by Xavier, 4 bis rue Voltaire, in Sète.
The Viognier from the Les Yeuses estate. ML – P.E.
11. The Drya vintage from the Inebriat estate (pic-saint-loup)
Here is a little-known pic-saint-loup. On an Inebriat estate of only 9 hectares in organic and biodynamic since 1994, Victor Beau pampers his vintages. Syrah, cinsault and grenache make up this Drya vintage which smells good of the Corconne terroir.
“This wine is characterized by a lot of finesse, delicacy and depth, explains Corine Escaffit, who has run the Au bon vivant winery in Sète for 8 years. Even young, it is ready to drink. It is also very digestible. When tasting, we will find black fruits, liquorice in the finish and of course aromas of garrigue.”
This real “fruit basket” will go perfectly with grilled or sauced meats, but its finesse also allows it to accompany delicate dishes and poultry.
21 €. At the Cave Au bon vivant, 6 rue André Portes, in Sète.
The Drya vintage, a little-known and delicate Pic-Saint-Loup. ML – P.E.
12. The Saint-Jean vintage of Clos du Serres (terrasses-du-larzac)
In Saint-Jean-de-la-Blaquière, the Clos du Serres estate produces organic wines. A wine merchant for 15 years at Cellier Mézois, Jean-Jacques has chosen the 2022 Saint-Jean vintage, a blend of six grape varieties: Cinsault, Œilade, Grenache, Syrah, Carignan and Mourvèdre.
A beautiful synthesis of schist, ruffes, pebble and sandstone terroirs, this Terrasses-du-Larzac is “powerful and structured, dense in the mouth, very fragrant, with aromas of undergrowth and round and silky tannins”, explains Jean-Jacques.
Young, it should be decanted for a good two hours. It will then pair very well with winter dishes, especially all red meats accompanied by mashed potatoes and mushrooms, or even a capon with morels or a pan-fried veal with mushrooms.
20 €. At Cellier mézois, 10 avenue de Montpellier, in Mèze. 04 67 18 02 92.
The Saint-Jean vintage from the Le Clos du Serres estate. DR
13. Le Saut de l’Aigue du Mas du Novi (grès-de-montpellier)
Between Montagnac and Villeveyrac, a stone’s throw from the Valmagne Abbey, the Mas du Novi extends over around fifty hectares. Composed of Syrah (85%), Grenache and Mourvèdre, lightly wooded, the Saut de l’Aigue cuvée is in the grès-de-montpellier appellation. Opening with notes of kirsch and faded violet, with a hint of liquorice and bay leaf on the finish, this red offers character and a beautiful balance.
“With its ripe tannins, this 2020 vintage is ready to drink”, explains Thierry Lazzarelli, who has run the Nicolas boutique in downtown Sète for 25 years now. The wine merchant recommends it with capon with morels, other tasty poultry accompanied by mushrooms, or even game.
€11.95 (on sale). At Nicolas's, rue du Général-de-Gaulle, in Sète.
The Leap of the Aigue du Mas du Novi. ML – P.E.
14. Le Soleil des Cigales, the sweet option (muscat)
This 100% muscat à petits grains is vinified like a traditional white wine. Produced by the Frontignan cooperative winery, bottled and distributed by the Cellier des Cigales, this sweet wine is a little less sweet and alcoholic than a classic muscat. “It's a bit like the local tariquet”, explains the Balarucois wine merchant, who selected it for the holidays.
Like its companions in the range, this Soleil des cigales should be served very cold. It will go very well with foie gras, Roquefort, a chocolate dessert or, why not, lobster tails Armoricaine or a spicy dish. Its other advantage is its price: also very reasonable.
€5.95 (€10 for two bottles) at Cellier des Cigales, 95 avenue des Thermes romains in Balaruc-les-Bains.
Le Soleil des cigales will be able to shine on your tables in soft version. ML – P.E.
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