Millésime Bio: dinner with four producers@La compagnie des comptoirs

 Thierry Jullien, président de l'Association Interprofessionnelle 

des Vins Biologiques du Languedoc-Rousillon (AIVB-LR) (above and below)

Last night I was kindly invited to join the first night dinner of the press trip to this edition of Millésime Bio at La Companie des Comptoirs. This year the invited journalists etc. are from North America and include Tim Teichgraeber (freelance writer), David Rosegarten, Sue Straight and Michael Apstein, whose other job is a liver specialist.

The four growers included Thierry Jullien of Mas de Janiny and who is the president of l'Association Interprofessionnelle des Vins Biologiques du Languedoc-Roussillon. Thierry told me that numbers for the Salon are slightly up on last year. "We could have accepted more," he said, "but we prefer to grow slowly and remain at a manageable size. We don't accept anyone unless they are certified organic. This includes natural wine producers – they, too, have to be certified." 

Every exhibitor at Millésime Bio has the same sized table, so there are no fancy stands. For Languedoc-Roussillon producers the price is 1300 euros for the three days and 1800 for producers from elsewhere. Thierry has fond memories of the first edition in 1993 when there were just a handful of producers present.  

 

 Mme Jullien

 

2009 Les Hauts de Laborie, Grés de Montpellier, Mas de Janiny 

Soft and well balanced

The other producers were Christian Leperchois of Domaine des Carabiniers making Tavel and Lirac. 

 Christian Leperchois – a wearer of interesting shirts and wine producer

2011 Tavel, Domaine des Carabiniers: full bodied rosé with the alcohol in balance

 2010 Lunar Apogé, Lirac, Domaine des Carabiniers: peppery, spicy black fruited Rhône

Christian's domaine usefully offers the opportunity for Terroirists to give themselves up!

Virgile Joly – says he is Nicolas' elder brother but I have my doubts!

 

2011 Joly Blanc – lives up to its name 

made mainly from Grenache Blanc with some Roussanne

Unfortunately Virgile's red was too warm for a fair comment

André Leenhardt, Château de Cazeneuve, Pic Saint Loup

André Leenhardt of Château de Cazeneuve, who I visited last year on the Sunday before Millésimé Bio, came with magnums of excellent three wines. The rich and concentrated 2010 white Coteaux du Languedoc – mainly Roussanne and Grenache Blanc plus Viognier, Rolle and Muscat. For me the wines of the evening.

2007 Le Roc des Mates, Pic Saint-Loup (100% old Syrah)

2005 Le Sang de Calvaire, Pic Saint-Loup (pure Mourvèdre): lovely texture and balance

 David Rosengarten looks to auction what is left of the 2007 Roc des Mates

Freelance writer Tim Teichgraeber

Millésime Bio 2012: visit to Château de Cazeneuve (Pic Saint-Loup)

Name plaque@ Château de Cazeneuve

André Leenhardt: owner of Château de Cazeneuve

After a morning spent tasting at the Natoli & Coe (details to be posted later) we headed off for lunch and a visit to Château de Cazeneuve in Pic Saint-Loup. André Leenhardt and his wife bought the property some 20 years ago. In the 19th century the property had produced wine that was used to make vermouth but then there had been a switch to the production of table grapes. When the Leenhardts bought Cazeneuve the cellars hadn't been used for 20 years.

Today they have some 40 hectares, which includes nine hectares which their son has rented recently and goes into their early drinking cuvée – Carline. They started to convert their vineyards to organic production in 2007 and received their certification in 2010. Cazeneuve has an impressive range of wines including a white made from mainly from Roussanne and Grenache Blanc with the addition of some Vermentino and Viognier.

2005 Le Roc des Mates, Pic Saint-Loup, Château de Cazeneuve

Amongst the reds I was very impressed by the spicy and structured 2005 Le Roc des Mates with 65% Syrah completed by Grenache and some Mourvèdre, which has had time to soften and evolve in bottle. The rich and powerful 100% Mourvèdre – 2007 Le sang du Calvaire – was also impressive but needed time to soften. Later a magnum of the 2005 was opened and the additional two years showed how good this cuvée can be with some bottle age.

2007 Le sang du Calvaire, Pic Saint-Loup, Château de Cazeneuve

Typical view of vines dominated by the limestone plateau above.

Trees (including olive) in the bright January sunshine

Pruning done now waiting for spring (above and below)

Good that our organisers recognise the high quality of the journalists on this trip...