Michel Smith started his career as a journalist in Paris and began to write about wine. His well storied career has led to his being one of the leading proponents of wines from both the Languedoc and Roussillion regions, and unquestionably is one of the most well informed and witty wine and food writer/critics around. Much like Jonathan Livingston-Learmouth, Smith's encyclopedic knowledge and true journalist style always put the story ahead of himself.
That's why yesterday's lunch, where Michel brought along two magnums of his Roussillion Carignan reds from 2012 and 2014 were such a treat. Michel and his colleagues only make about 1500 bottles a year, and sells everything he makes. It's not a wimpy wine, as Carignan is never a wimpy grape. It's also not a wine that is ready shortly after bottling. Working with Carginan takes time, and once in the bottle, it takes time to let the grape do its own magic.
The 2014 was a delightful wine. It was, for such a young Carignan, so easy to drink, that some would say it was a charming quaffer. But its more. In many ways it reminded me of those stunning Loire red from Chinon that have a few years of bottle age and tons of pure fruit. This is the type of wine that once you start tasting it, you want to try it more and more. It has layer upon layer of clean fruit, soft and gentle fruit tannins and because it never sees any oak, the wine is gentle yet fruit firm first.
As great as the 2014 was, the 2012 was what stole my heart, and really made me realize just how dynamite, understated and restrained the power of Carignan is all by itself.
The deep purple color, the spicy white pepper. A bit of rosemary in the bouquet and then gobs of big, blackberry, black raspberry and black plum fruit all came charging through. WOW!!!! WOW!!!! WOW!!!
Puch is a tremendous red wine, that has never, in all the times I've tasted them on trips to the L-R, ever disappointed me. Sadly there's no USA importer or these wines would forever have a spot in my cellar for many years to come, as not only are they good today, they will be even better next decade..
That's why yesterday's lunch, where Michel brought along two magnums of his Roussillion Carignan reds from 2012 and 2014 were such a treat. Michel and his colleagues only make about 1500 bottles a year, and sells everything he makes. It's not a wimpy wine, as Carignan is never a wimpy grape. It's also not a wine that is ready shortly after bottling. Working with Carginan takes time, and once in the bottle, it takes time to let the grape do its own magic.
As great as the 2014 was, the 2012 was what stole my heart, and really made me realize just how dynamite, understated and restrained the power of Carignan is all by itself.
The deep purple color, the spicy white pepper. A bit of rosemary in the bouquet and then gobs of big, blackberry, black raspberry and black plum fruit all came charging through. WOW!!!! WOW!!!! WOW!!!
Puch is a tremendous red wine, that has never, in all the times I've tasted them on trips to the L-R, ever disappointed me. Sadly there's no USA importer or these wines would forever have a spot in my cellar for many years to come, as not only are they good today, they will be even better next decade..
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