Tasted Tuesday, July 7, 2009 - Thursday, July 9, 2009 by NiklasW with 1,217 views
I made a trip to the La Clape massif to visit 5 wineries, during two days. All 5 were positive experiences and the wines were good.
l'Hospitalet is a big winery on the road to Narbonne Plage, can't miss it. The tasting room is also big with lots of staff. I was served by a very pretty sommelieress, who perhaps made me feel positive about the wines? I tried to be as objective as possible. I also tasted the rosé, but it left no impression on me, so I make no notes of it.
Chateau Camplazens is the winery that first got me interested in the La Clape region, this was my first visit to the winery. Kind of out of the way, and the person who was at the winery was a bit surprised that I'd found my way there. He was very friendly, opened three bottles for me to taste, and as I was leaving gave me the open Premium bottle to take for dinner! Very nice experience.
Negly, the premier cru of Languedoc. Their best wines go for 80-90 euros. I had been wanting to visit for a while and now made it. I was a bit apprehensive as I don't have that much buying power, but the guy in the tasting room was very friendly and we tasted through a whole range of wines (including some that I do not note below, as I didn't have my note book with me). There were two bottles without labels in the corner, and after we had tasted through the normal range, with the guy giving me lots of interesting info about the wines and how they are made, the two bottles were pulled up and introduced as the iconic wines of Negly. Both were simply stunning, and if they had had them for sale, I would have taken the plunge and bought a bottle of at least one of them.
My final stop for the day, and again a very friendly reception. I also tasted their Jason cuvée, but as it is not in CT and I made no formal notes, I decided to leave it out.
Went to the beach at Narbonne Plage and stopped at Rouquette sur Mer on the way home. The chai had a bit more commercial feel to it than the previous three reported here, and the prices were also much higher. They probaly get a lot of tourists coming through as they are accessible.
La Clape continues to fascinate me. I shall return next year to visit more wineries!
2008 Gérard Bertrand Coteaux du Languedoc La Clape Château l'Hospitalet Blanc
France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Coteaux du Languedoc La Clape
(7/7/2009)
Tasted at the chai. Very nice honey melon nose and crispy apple on the palate. Dry and would be nice on a hot day in the garden.
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2007 Gérard Bertrand Coteaux du Languedoc La Clape Château l'Hospitalet La Reserve
France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Coteaux du Languedoc La Clape
(7/7/2009)
Tasted at the chai. Quite a reticent nose, some blackberry, plums. On the palate this is soft and velvety, kind of dies off quickly, almost no finish at all. This is not the first time I've experienced this with this wine, although in an earlier vintage. Rather puzzling, how can the finish just finish without leaving anything on the palate? Didn't get any.
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2007 Gérard Bertrand Cigalus
France, Languedoc Roussillon, Vin de Pays d'Oc
(7/7/2009)
Tasted at the chai. A Cabernet-Merlot blend. Powerful nose of cassis, very fruity, also on the palate. Very nice, but for €25, perhaps a Bordeaux would be better.
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2005 Gérard Bertrand Coteaux du Languedoc La Clape Château l'Hospitalet Grand Vin
France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Coteaux du Languedoc La Clape
(7/7/2009)
Tasted at the chai before purchasing. Very expressive nose of rounded blackberry and plums. Powerful palate, lots of black fruits and tannins, long finish. Very nice. Should be a winner in a few years.
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2006 Gérard Bertrand Coteaux du Languedoc La Clape L'Hospitalitas
France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Coteaux du Languedoc La Clape
(7/7/2009)
Tasted at the chai before purchase. A bit of a reticent nose of black fruits and mint. Palate very nice with black fruits, eucalyptus and mint. Very good! Give it a few years in the cellar.
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