This is not the Carignan blend, but I can’t seem to edit the descriptor. This is the 2012 La Joupatiere and it is one of the most unique and interesting wines. Thank you Colline de l’hirondelle. As their website explains, “The oldest vineyard in the village! Planted at the end of the 19th century, it miraculously escaped phylloxera and the uprooting of old vines that has plagued the Languedoc; this tiny one-acre plot is a conservatory of rare and disappearing varieties. A local vine scientist has identified the following 13 varieties: Carignan noir, Grenache noir, Cinsault noir, Mourrastel Boucher noir, Rivairenc noir, Grand Noir de la Calmette, Mourvèdre noir, Terret noir, Terret gris, Terret blanc, Olivette blanche, Chasselas doré, Valencin rose and two mysterious varieties are still unidentified.” What a blend. — 3 years ago
2014 Magnum Ch. Faugeres — 10 months ago
2018, Mas Lou, Angaco,
Faugeres, Carignan centenaire, Lledoner Pelut. corsé, puissant — 3 years ago
Deep garnet color. Not very tannic. Bright with red fruit and spices. Paired really nicely with a lentil stew that had both cinnamon and lemon. — 4 years ago
The notes below are all from the Grand Fete de Saint-Jean in Faugeres (well, this year it was in Laurens, which was a bit of a shame as Faugères itself is a stunning place with a great atmosphere). My general impression was that this appellation is going from strength to strength - it will be interesting to see where it will be in 10 years’ time. The wines were all generally of a very high level (the best from the producers that attended are listed below); from the most traditional bottlings to the more modern efforts (though even the most modern is by no means an ‘international’ wine). I’ve been coming here for more than a decade and the wines were very good back then as well. However, now there is clearly more of a sense of pride in the terroir and finely tuned craftsmanship across the board. There are a few older producers that have always made stunning wines but joining their ranks recently are a bunch of young winemakers who have discovered the untapped potential of the region. Definitely an AOP to watch out for!
Slightly disappointed that they didn’t bring out the current vintage of Fossibus but can understand why, as the oak tends to dominate for a few years. This is in a better place right now; the oak is more integrated and, although I preferred the GR (below) for current drinking, this will probably be in a better place in 10-12 years’ time. — 4 years ago
Samuel Danthine
Fruit meets earthiness in a relatively round way — 3 months ago