Away with the fairies

MY FAVOURITE rainy-day reds come from the Languedoc. There is something immensely satisfying about the wines. Warming, but not over-ripe or sweet, they have an earthy, rugged, sometimes herby touch, usually with a tannic kick on the finish. These are wines that call out for food. With most red and white meats, hard cheeses, as well baked mushrooms and bean dishes, they provide a perfect foil. The best thing is, they don’t cost a fortune.

There is no shortage of wines priced at €10-€15 (I have featured several in recent months), and at under €25, you can find some truly great wines.

Many readers will be familiar with the Languedoc, a giant swathe of land sweeping up from the Mediterranean coast into the garrigue-covered mountains beyond. Historically, it provided massive quantities of cheap red wine to refresh the thirsty palates of the French worker. But in recent years, all has been transformed, and the entire Languedoc-Roussillon area, stretching from Montpellier in the east to the Banyuls on the Spanish border, provides us with some of the most exciting, best-value wines in the world.

There is no shortage of wines made from the well-known grape varieties, but for me it is the local grapes – Syrah, Mourvèdre, Grenache, Carignan, and Cinsault – that are the most interesting. At the cheaper end, the basic wines compete reasonably well in the world market. Move up a few notches, and there is no shortage of quick-fix merchants, producers who soup up their wines to alcoholic monsters, usually plastered with masses of new oak, and charge a fortune. You will be told that they need time; in my experience, they need to be poured down the sink. There is also a fashion for making softer, riper wines. These can be easier to drink on their own, but don’t always have that bite that all good food-wines have.

There are, however, plenty of great producers, true artisan winemakers who deserve much more attention in this market. The best sources for these wines include Terroirs in Donnybrook, Wines Direct, Le Caveau and the Wicklow Wine Company. All of these have good websites, and sell over the internet. Recently I tasted a range of wines from Domaine d’Aupilhac at a very enjoyable wine evening in The Village at Lyons in Celbridge, Co Kildare.

Sylvain Fadat is a fifth-generation vigneron from Montpeyroux, a small village high up in the hills above Montpellier. The family holdings had become dispersed amongst various relations over the years, and Fadat’s father owned less than two hectares of vines. Fadat slowly bought back land from various cousins that had belonged to his great-grandfather. He now owns 25 hectares, which he says is quite enough. In fact, he rents some out, as he does not want to expand any further. There are two vineyards: Aupilhac, which is on a south-facing slope; and Cocalières, which is north-facing, and has more Syrah planted. It offers more acidity and more elegance, “more fresh than fat”, says Fadat. Both are farmed organically.

As a child, he noticed that local shepherds would bring their sheep to Cocalières during dry weather, because it retained a covering of green scrub. He discovered that it had a rare moisture-retaining blue clay found also in Bandol in Provence and the famous Pétrus in Bordeaux. To begin with, Fadat had no winemaking facilities. For the first few years, he had to make do with an old milk lorry cut in two – basically, making wine in the open air. Locally, he says it caused much hilarity. In French, Fadat means “away with the fairies”, and some did fear for his sanity. These days, Aupilhac is recognised as one of the great names of the Languedoc. They are not easy, flashy wines that impress straight away. They are wines with a real personality, hewn out the stone and sun of the Mediterranean.

Fadat is largely responsible for bringing the Carignan grape back into fashion. Once dismissed as a workhorse variety fit only for the cheapest wines, his pure Carignan, made from very old vines, was a revelation when released some 20 years ago. “It is not as difficult to grow as people say,” says Fadat, “provided you prepare the soil properly and use low-vigour rootstocks – these are essential. You also have to pick it at exactly the right time. The taste is very pure and honest. It is a natural taste, not as explosive as Syrah, but I like it. It changes and develops as it ages. It does not always deliver early – you have to be patient.” Despite this, we tasted his 2007 vintage, which was amazingly drinkable, followed by the 2003 below.

The village of Montpeyroux is close to his heart. There are 17 small producers there, and one co-operative (the co-ops are a major influence in the Languedoc). Geologically, it is very interesting. It is the first village as you go up into the mountains and there are four different soil types. Largely thanks to Sylvain Fadat, it is now starting to garner a reputation for serious wines.

WINES OF THE WEEK

Le Carignan 2003 Domaine d'Aupilhac, 13.5%, €22.55.Lovely fragrant aromas of crushed cherries float up gently; in the mouth there are the same cherries, but with a distinct herby touch and a strong mineral finish. Brilliant wine. 2003 was one of the most difficult recent years in France; this wine seems unaffected, largely thanks, says Fadat, to the unique soils. Stockist:Wicklow Wine Co, Wicklow

Montpeyroux, Coteaux du Languedoc 2004, Domaine d'Aupilhac, 13.5%, €21.95.Made from a blend of 30 per cent Mourvèdre, 25 per cent Carignan and 25 per cent Syrah, this is one of my perennial favourites. Drinking beautifully now, but will age very gracefully. Lovely brooding dark fruits with a delicious spicy herby element. It is worth buying a case, and watch it develop over a few years. Perfect with roast red meats and barbecued food. Stockists:Bin No 9 Clonskeagh; French Flair, Tralee; Red Island Wines, Skerries; Probus Wines, Oughterard; The Wicklow Wine Co, Wicklow; Listons, Camden St; Deveney's, Dundrum; Fork Wine, Newbridge; Redmond's, Ranelagh; Avoca Handweavers, Rathcoole; Florries Fine Wines, Tramore; Wolfes, Capel Street.

Château Hauterive le Haut 2006 Corbières, 13%, €13.95.Delicious, ripe, maturing dark fruits with a lovely slightly rustic edge, and a mineral finish. I have shared a bottle of this several times over dinner, and each time it has sung. Try it with grilled pork or lamb. Stockists:Deveney's, Dundrum; Mortons, Dublin 2; Michael's Wines, Mount Merrion; The Corkscrew, Chatham Street; Cellars, Naas Road; Bin No 9, Goatstown; Fallon Byrne, Exchequer Street; Wicklow Wine Co, Wicklow; Castlebar Florists, Castlebar.

Clos des Canilles 2007 Coteaux du Languedoc, 13.5%, €12.75.Good, chunky, perfectly ripe strawberry and liquorice fruits, with a nice, firm finish. The sort of wine you could open up with most red and white meats. Stockists:Deveney's, Dundrum; The Wicklow Arms; McCabes, Blackrock; The Kitchen Project, Clonakilty.

Domaine La Terrasse d'Elise Le Pigeonnier 2004, 14%, €21.50.A ripe nose of mulberry and blackcurrants; very piquant redcurrants, ripe, but with a lively acidity and freshness; finishes a little rounder and sweeter than the Aupilhac version, but with a very strong mineral streak. Even better late on, or polished off with a garlicky roast shoulder of pork. Stockists:Jus de Vine, Portmarnock; Vanilla Grape, Kenmare; Donnybrook Fair.

TWO UNDER €10

Marks Spencer Fitou 2007, 13.5%, €7.49.Fitou is two large regions south of Narbonne, with a long-established name for decent wines at a very fair price. The Mont Tauch co-operative, which dominates production, is largely responsible for this reputation, and this is a slightly rough, earthy wine with cool herby fruits. At this price, very acceptable indeed. Stockists:Marks Spencer

Château Remaury Minervois 2007, 13.5%, €9.99.Decidedly classy wine with nice, lifted, dark-fruit aromas, elegant but concentrated blackcurrant fruits, good length and some real style. A great all-rounder for mid-week suppers. Stockist:O'Briens