Welcome to the June 2009 Edition of
Quaff Drops
One day at the beginning of May I woke to find the sky clear and a pale yellow sun rise beckoned me out of my cozy cottage here in the Languedoc. I set off in the direction of La Livinière, the stone built village renowned for its delicious wines produced in and around the commune. On the way I spotted a sign to a village called Felinès-Minervois and turned off the main road and followed the lane that wound its way through vineyards and olive groves to eventually arrive in the sleepy village. I followed my nose and my instincts and after a short while I spotted a sign for a domain and turned the car off to the right and arrived at Borie de Maurel.
Opening the door I was welcomed by a very handsome young man who I later found out is called Max. He was shortly joined by his just as handsome and very charming brother Gaby and between them they 
introduced me to the wines they and their father produce from the 35 hectare estate. They produce Minervois wines and also a Minervois La Livinière which is the only cru of this region. Their range of 9 wines were stunning. From the quaffable and refreshing ‘Nature’ blanc made from Marsanne and Muscat to the muscular 100% Mourvèdre named Maxim after the youngest of the brothers. I was impressed over and over again.
It all began in 1989 when their father Michel Escande abandoned his passion for sailing and came inland with his wife. They borrowed the money to buy 5 hectares of vines, a wine cellar and a superb but tired house which they set about restoring before turning their attention to the vines. With the tenacity of the sailor he had once been and the faith of a peasant farmer (his words) Michel learned about his land, he listened until he understood that he was in possession of a real treasure. This showed from the first cuvees of Sylla named after his eldest son which the international press picked up at the beginning of the 90s. After this they re-named him “the wizard of Felines”.
The wines at Borie de Maurel are grown on to the rocky slopes of the Black mountains known as the petit Causse. Here they have invented nothing, they get by with good sense and the immense knowledge inherited from the previous generations. There is no place here for fertilisers and pesticides, what’s more, in the vines where they gather wild leaks each year, the ground is naturally enriched with horse manure from their two Percheron mares Luna and Ninon, who started their first season of work in 2005 ploughing and aerating the soil amongst the vines.
The family Escande have written a creed, a philosophy that guides them. It is based on heaven, earth, energy, blood and wine. The wines really have a sense of the place they come from and as one of the boys said ‘We are Terroir-ists’ which sums it up nicely.
Borie de Maurel wines can be bought from Les Comptior le Vins in Carcassone and Terroir Languedoc in England
This months edition of Quaff Drops brings you news of a vineyard tour special offer of only £299 for a 3 day tour in the Languedoc where amongst others you will meet the men and taste the wines of Borie de Maurel. We also bring you news of our WSET results and forthcoming courses. I have written about La Clape – please don’t let the name put you off, the wines from here are fabulous, and Sarah is reviewing a Syrah from Argentina. We hope you enjoy ready this month's news letter.
Wendy Gedney AIWS
August Vineyard Tour – Special Offer
If you are on a budget but would like to come and visit the wonderful region of the Languedoc and join us on a vineyard tour then we can offer you a special 3 day tour staying in delightful B & B's close to Carcassonne.
The tours begin the moment you arrive in Carcassonne either by air, rail or road where you will be met by Wendy and whisked off on your first vineyard tour. Each day you will visit at least 2 vineyards in different parts of the Languedoc including Borie de Maurel mentioned above. There is also an optional vineyard walk across the Causse with its wonderful views and pungent smell of wild herbs released with every step you take. Over the 3 days you will enjoy a typical French lunch with a vigneron, a picnic in the hills above Minerve and lunch at one of the lovely restaurants the region has to offer. The evenings are your own to explore 
the area, take a walk or just relax and enjoy the Mediterranean climate.
The price for this 3 day tour is £299 per person based on 2 people sharing and all you need to do is get yourself here which is easy with Ryanair offering such amazing prices for a flight from East Midlands airport. For instant if you fly out on July 31st and return on August 3rd they are currently advertising a return flight including taxes for £45.62 (price checked May 29th). Our price includes 3 nights in a B & B (2 people sharing), at least 2 vineyard tours each day, transport throughout the visit and lunch on each day.
You can choose any dates and days to suit you during August, weekends or weekdays.
This offer closes on June 30th and places are limited so hurry and book by choosing the dates you would like to visit during August (including July 31st) and call Wendy on 07880 796786 or email wendy@thewinewisecompany.com
Vin en Vacances - One Day Tours – Minerve, Corbières and Limoux
For those of you already in the region on holiday or living here Wendy will be running tours throughout the summer.
The day trips are normally for a maximum of 6 people or if you wish to organise a larger group just let us know. Prices range from 50 euros per person and include lunch, either a picnic amongst the vines or at one of the lovely restaurants the area has to offer. For more
details take a look at our web site and to arrange your tour call Wendy on +33 (0)6 42 33 34 09 or email wendy@vinenvacances.com
Minerve One Day Tour Friday June 12th
We have 4 places available on this Minervois Vineyard Tour which includes 2 superb vineyards, a picnic on the Petit Causse and a visit to the village of Minerve. Only 60 euros per person. We will pick you up and drop you back at the end of the day so that you can sit back and enjoy the wine and the views.
To grab these places before anyone else does call Wendy on 06 42 33 34 09 or email wendy@vinenvacances.com
WSET Courses
At The Wine Wise Company we are passionate about teaching WSET courses and this is expressed by our students excellent results. Over the last 12 months we have taught these qualifications to more than 75 people and have over 98% pass rate many of which reached Distinction. Earlier this year we were nominated for WSET Educator of the year an accolade that we are very proud of. We will be publishing our students results twice a year in our newsletter starting this month.
Intermediate Level
DistinctionHelen Stallard Angus Walker Andrew Stanley Underwoods WinesGraham Todd NEC GroupDeon Wagener |
MeritFrances Chatfield Adam Sutheran Karen PereiraNEC Group Jane McNulty David Wing Avril Dent Karen Dawson Daniel Thombs
|
PassPaul Lord Shobna Makwana Lynn Lewis Denise Beaumont NEC GroupDanny Jenks Stephen Leach Lee Sansome Charlotte Grant Network RailMichael Hallam Cheryl Kapusta Jonathan Ayers Lee Paterson Richard Whitfield |
Advanced Level
DistinctionNina Smith Gareth Jones ABS Wine AgenciesKatie Patterson Richards Wolford & Co LtdMadeline Mehalko |
MeritFrancis Chatfield Mike Allen Majestic WinesTim Calcroft Piques Cocktail BarGavin Troman Richards Wolford & Co LtdBenjamin Ireson |
PassChris Vaughan-Jones |
If you are interested in joining a WSET course we can offer either a web based distance learning course at Intermediate level or you can join one of our courses scheduled to take place in either Birmingham or Leicester. We also offer group training for like minded friends or for companies wishing to train their staff and these courses can take place at any location. Please take a look at our scheduled courses and book on-line or call Wendy on 07880 796786.
Birmingham WSET Courses
WSET Intermediate 3 consecutive Tuesday commencing October 13th
WSET Advanced 5 consecutive Saturdays commencing October 17th
Leicester WSET Courses
Languedoc Masterclass – AC La Clape
The vineyards of La Clape are planted around a rocky promontory, the 
Massif de la Clape, which was once an island off the Roman port of Narbo now known as the city of Narbonne. The area is just south of Narbonne and receives some of the highest total sunshine hours in France.
The terroir is a mixture of limestone, red clay and gravel and with its position so close to the sea it naturally has a maritime climate. Vineyards are found at various altitudes, which can differ as much as 200m. These conditions are ideal for white wines and in particular for the Bourboulenc grape, which is now rare in most parts of the Languedoc however for white La Clape wines it must make up at least 40% of the blend. Whites are in the minority here as the majority of wine produced is full bodied red and it is hard to differentiate between a La Clape red and a maritime Corbières wine.
I recently tasted a superb example produced by Mas du Soleilla and called Les Bartelles. It is made from 80% Syrah and 20% Grenache and matured in casks of varying ages including some new oak. It was full of concentrated black fruit, powerful and muscular yet still elegant. It was ripe, silky smooth and with notes of coffee and liquorice perfumed with aromas of herbs. Superb!
Article by Wendy Gedney AIWS
Sarah’s Wine of the Month
Following the popularity of our recent South American Wine Course, I have chosen a delicious Syrah from Argentina as my Wine of the Month; Luigi Bosca, Finca La Linda Syrah 2006.
Luigi Bosca was founded in 1901 by the Arizu family who still own and manage the vineyards. The main winery is based in Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza and there are other vineyards, such as Finca La Linda, dotted around the area. Finca La Linda is around 30 hectares in size and located at an 
altitude of 960m above sea level, quite low by Argentine standards.
As with many of the vineyards in Mendoza, the vines at Finca La Linda are irrigated using melted snow from the Andes, which tower above the vineyards to the west. Luján de Cuyo has a very favourable climate for grape growing with hot summers and fairly cold winters. Another advantage of Luján de Cuyo are the wide fluctuations in temperature between daytime and nightime. This allows the grape ripening process to be much steadier, therefore helping to maintain many of the aromatics of the grape and producing a much more delicately flavoured wine.
This wine is 100% Syrah and has been aged for around 3 months in oak barrels. On the nose, there are hints of black pepper, some spice and vanilla and fairly intense ripe black fruits.
The palate is full of deliciously ripe blackberries, a hint of vanilla and even some dark chocolate which gives the wine a lush, velvety mouth-feel. The wine is well rounded with a great balance of soft tannins, fruit and a good level of acidity. It finishes well and, interestingly, despite the intensity on the nose, it is a lot less ‘meaty’ on the palate. This was a pleasant surprise which makes the wine extremely approachable.
I tasted this wine with a delicious piece of barbequed belly pork and it was an excellent match. My food match for this was actually a bit of an experiment as I would normally have paired a slightly lighter weight wine than a Syrah with belly pork. However, as there are some slightly smoky and spicy hints in the wine, from the influence of the oak, and as the pork was full of the richness of smoky barbeque flavours, the two combined extremely well. I also found that the levels of acidity in the wine worked very well by cutting through some of the fattiness of the pork belly.
For a typical food and wine pairing, this wine would be fantastic with the Argentine staple of red meat. However, I would also recommend a rich casserole (perhaps game) or Italian style garlic and herb sausages.
Luigi Bosca, Finca La Linda Syrah 2006 is available from www.southamericanwinesonline.co.uk for £7.20 per bottle.
Article by Sarah Long AIWS