Dinner with Aime Guibert, Proprietor of Mas de Daumas Gassac

An enjoyable evening which marked the first visit to Hong Kong by Aime Guibert, owner of one of the wineries in the vanguard of the "new wave" of wine in the South of France. A group of around 25 people enjoyed a superb 6-course dinner prepared by Chef Patrick Goubier of Chez Patrick. which matched the wines very well indeed.

The "Albaran" was so good we ended up asking for it also to be served with the dinner.

• 2007 Moulin de Gassac Eraus Vieilles Vignes 86 Points

  France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Pays d'Hérault

  Pale, almost clear. Grassy, minerally nose. Sharp, quite refreshing palate. Rather tart on the back end.

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• 2007 Moulin de Gassac Albaran Vieilles Vignes 88 Points

  France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Pays d'Hérault

  Deep, bloody barely translucent colour. Huge nose......very sweet and oaky with some blackberries poking through. Succulent mouthful, high glycerin, very sweet fruit on the palate. No real length. Very well made. Good to drink whilst you wait the 10+ years for its bigger brother to mature. Great with food. Outstanding quality for the price of around US$13.

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• 2007 Mas de Daumas Gassac Réserve de Gassac Blanc 89 Points

  France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Pays d'Hérault

  Semi-golden, melony colour.. Nose of cats pee,, wallpaper paste and white flowers. Attractive palate of ripe pineapple but very well balanced by refreshing acidity. Reasonable length. Better when it warmed up slightly. Very good indeed, which is high praise because white Viognier doesn't usually do anything for me. This wine is a confusing misnomer because it is actually the "second wine" of Mas de Daumas Gassac Blanc but I'm sure a lot of merchants and restraunteurs will pass it off as the "Reserve" and I can't help but wonder why Aime Guibert, the owner, has labelled it this way.

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• 1996 Mas de Daumas Gassac 92 Points

  France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Pays d'Hérault

  Lovely deep red tranlucent colour. Wow.......super welcoming warm nose, earthy, saddle leather, sweet blackberries, pleasant barnyard, warm red earth and later giving out lavender and thyme- complex, lovely. Slightly tannic lean and taut structure with lots of acid but very pure fruits and red liquorice behind it. Good backbone. Good length, rolls on with some resonance. Loads of grip. Still years ahead of it. Apparently this was the vintage with the highest ever acidity, which should make it even longer-ageing than usual for what is already a very long-ageing wine. Very nice indeed.

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• 2002 Mas de Daumas Gassac 90 Points

  France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Pays d'Hérault

  Dark red but translucent colour looking younger than its 8 years. Forward nose of cream soda and fresh sweet red fruits, ripe strawberries. Not much black fruit evident. Very structured on the palate; tannic but approachable, lots of backbone and grip and with some very tight but distinct blackberries on the back end. Some length. Opens up with more time (6 hours after decanting). Good but needs another 5 years to drink at its best.

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• 2006 Mas de Daumas Gassac 90 Points

  France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Pays d'Hérault

  Black, brooding and tannic with a very acidic backbone. Huge potential but is just like drinking blue fountain pen ink at the moment. Has hardly evolved beyond a barrel sample. I doubt it will be drinkable before 2020, which makes it poor value compared to the similarly-priced 1996, which is just starting to drink well and has 20+ years ahead of it.

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My takeaway.........I think these wines, although extremely well made, are somewhat over-hyped not least by the owner (he doesn't score well with me for misleadingly labeling his second wine "Reserve de Gassac") but the Moulin de Gassac wines are extremely good quality and superb value for their very low price.