Yesterday I had the pleasure of meeting “Sophie from Chateau Mourgues du Gres and the pleasure of tasting wines from there range.
It is always a pleasure to meet the people behind the wines and to have the chance to talk to them as they have a depth of knowledge and the ability to bring you to that magic place where the call home and where some really interesting wines originate from. The can transport you there via photo’s , there ability to answer the questions you field in a most interesting way and to help you understand there ethos.
The Chateau is situated in Southern Rhone, not many miles from the banks of the Rhone River. The estate stretches over 65 hectares of vineyard slopes and terraces. It is set in the midst of orchards, olive trees and cyprus trees, and garrigue and ideally situated on southern slopes.
Sophie first explained the image to the right which is center stage on the front labels of the three wines which we tasted.
“SINE SOLE NIHIL” is the motto of the Chateau, which can be seen on the sundial of this ancient property. In this region the sun shines all year long, ensuring that the grapes reach optimun maturity. This motto means (nothing without sunshine) how true!
Also of note the wines are shaped by the wind, as it a precious, health-bringing ally for environmentally-friendly vineyards as it keeps the vineyards dry and free of disease.
“The terroir is composed of “Galets” flat like pudding stones as seen here on clay and lime-stone marls, enabling the vines to draw freshness and moisture from the depths of the soil. They Galets pebbles protect the soil from evaporation and add a touch of minerality and freshness to the taste of their wines. The “Galet” range is evocative of our terroir, since the pink, white and red hues of the stones correspond to the colour of the wines.”
There wines benefit from the diversity of the terrior and rich character of the local grape varieties. Grenache provides fruitiness and roundness. Syrah adds colour and finesse. Mourvedre displays peppery notes, tannic structure and intense aromas. Carignan, a typically Mediterranean variety, gives the wines fruity notes ( cherry) and a firm palate. Roussanne brings floral aromas and vivacity. Grenache Blanc citrus and mineral notes and Viognier provides aromatic strenght (peaches, apricots), colour and body. The perfume of Vermenino.
The winery is ran by Francois and Anne Collard. Francois is an agricultural engineer and oenologist, and is passionate about the family estate. He combines traditional with modern methods, in the vineyards and in the winery, in order to favour the emergence of the natural character of the grapes and the nuances of the different terriors. And the wines are a credit to this team and are regularly featured in wine publications such as the “The Wine Advocate, Robert Parker,The Decanter, Guide Hachette.”
I first came across these wines in article in the Decanter Magazine and was most impressed at the time with the white which was there wine of choice in the particular review.
“One of the most impressive estates in the Costieres de Nimes”. Robert Parker
And to the Wines them selves, we tasted a white, rose and red from there Galets range.
First up was
Les Galets Dores 2008/9 which is created from a blend of Grenache Blanc, Vermentino and Roussanne grapes. We tasted the 09 vintage as it as just been released but there is still some 08 available which is drinking very well.
Pale gold in appearance with a youthful expression, a complex wine on the palate with floral notes and notes of citrus fruit as well as some white stone fruits, balanced acidity medium plus body with a mineral finish and the finish is long. The recommend served chilled as an aperitif, or serve with some grilled fish or seafood, or white meat. A wine I have tried on many occasions and each vintage improves on the last and becomes more individulistic and complex a great value wine.
Next up was the Les Galets Roses 2008/9
We tasted the 2008 vintage which is a blend of Grenache and Syrah.The “Saignee” method is used in the creation of the rose,”French term meaning “bled” for a wine-making technique which results in a rose wine made by running off, or bleeding, a certain amount of FREE-RUN juice from just crushed dark-skinned grapes after a short, pre-fermentation Maceration (in this case there is 8-10 hours of skin contact). The aim of this may be primarily to produce a lightly pink wine.”Oxford wine Companion.
A medium coloured rose, medium bodied with plenty of red fruits, red currants , red cherries, it is fresh balanced acidity and a long aromatic lenght.
Best served chilled and goes well with salmon, or chicken dishes, drinking now or keep for up to two years.
And finally we came to “Les Galets Rouge 2008″
A blend of Syrah (65%), Grenache(25%), Mourvedre(5%) and Carignan(5%).
A nice deep ruby colour, youthful nose with aromas of red fruits, mild spices and a hint of liquorice. A balanced wine with soft tannins , pack with fruit notes and a hint of spice, a smooth elegant wine which can be served on its own or served with lamb or beef. Compared to the 07 vintage which was more tannic and a bigger wine and 09 is shaping up to be the same , but this gives us a constant interest in how a vintage can change. 07 and 08 are two very individual styled wines and well worth trying. Enjoy now or keep it for up to 3 years.
They wines are beautifully crafted with care and attention to detail and the aromas and nuances are delicate but structured at the same time. Wines well worth trying!
COSTIERES DE NIMES – Chateau Mourgues du Gres
Yesterday I had the pleasure of meeting “Sophie from Chateau Mourgues du Gres and the pleasure of tasting wines from there range.
It is always a pleasure to meet the people behind the wines and to have the chance to talk to them as they have a depth of knowledge and the ability to bring you to that magic place where the call home and where some really interesting wines originate from. The can transport you there via photo’s , there ability to answer the questions you field in a most interesting way and to help you understand there ethos.
The Chateau is situated in Southern Rhone, not many miles from the banks of the Rhone River. The estate stretches over 65 hectares of vineyard slopes and terraces. It is set in the midst of orchards, olive trees and cyprus trees, and garrigue and ideally situated on southern slopes.
“SINE SOLE NIHIL” is the motto of the Chateau, which can be seen on the sundial of this ancient property. In this region the sun shines all year long, ensuring that the grapes reach optimun maturity. This motto means (nothing without sunshine) how true!
Also of note the wines are shaped by the wind, as it a precious, health-bringing ally for environmentally-friendly vineyards as it keeps the vineyards dry and free of disease.
There wines benefit from the diversity of the terrior and rich character of the local grape varieties. Grenache provides fruitiness and roundness. Syrah adds colour and finesse. Mourvedre displays peppery notes, tannic structure and intense aromas. Carignan, a typically Mediterranean variety, gives the wines fruity notes ( cherry) and a firm palate. Roussanne brings floral aromas and vivacity. Grenache Blanc citrus and mineral notes and Viognier provides aromatic strenght (peaches, apricots), colour and body. The perfume of Vermenino.
The winery is ran by Francois and Anne Collard. Francois is an agricultural engineer and oenologist, and is passionate about the family estate. He combines traditional with modern methods, in the vineyards and in the winery, in order to favour the emergence of the natural character of the grapes and the nuances of the different terriors. And the wines are a credit to this team and are regularly featured in wine publications such as the “The Wine Advocate, Robert Parker,The Decanter, Guide Hachette.”
I first came across these wines in article in the Decanter Magazine and was most impressed at the time with the white which was there wine of choice in the particular review.
“One of the most impressive estates in the Costieres de Nimes”. Robert Parker
And to the Wines them selves, we tasted a white, rose and red from there Galets range.
First up was
Les Galets Dores
2008/9 which is created from a blend of Grenache Blanc, Vermentino and Roussanne grapes. We tasted the 09 vintage as it as just been released but there is still some 08 available which is drinking very well.
Pale gold in appearance with a youthful expression, a complex wine on the palate with floral notes and notes of citrus fruit as well as some white stone fruits, balanced acidity medium plus body with a mineral finish and the finish is long. The recommend served chilled as an aperitif, or serve with some grilled fish or seafood, or white meat. A wine I have tried on many occasions and each vintage improves on the last and becomes more individulistic and complex a great value wine.
Next up was the Les Galets Roses 2008/9
We tasted the 2008 vintage which is a blend of Grenache and Syrah.The “Saignee” method is used in the creation of the rose,”French term meaning “bled” for a wine-making technique which results in a rose wine made by running off, or bleeding, a certain amount of FREE-RUN juice from just crushed dark-skinned grapes after a short, pre-fermentation Maceration (in this case there is 8-10 hours of skin contact). The aim of this may be primarily to produce a lightly pink wine.”Oxford wine Companion.
A medium coloured rose, medium bodied with plenty of red fruits, red currants , red cherries, it is fresh balanced acidity and a long aromatic lenght.
Best served chilled and goes well with salmon, or chicken dishes, drinking now or keep for up to two years.
And finally we came to “Les Galets Rouge 2008″
A blend of Syrah (65%), Grenache(25%), Mourvedre(5%) and Carignan(5%).
A nice deep ruby colour, youthful nose with aromas of red fruits, mild spices and a hint of liquorice. A balanced wine with soft tannins , pack with fruit notes and a hint of spice, a smooth elegant wine which can be served on its own or served with lamb or beef. Compared to the 07 vintage which was more tannic and a bigger wine and 09 is shaping up to be the same , but this gives us a constant interest in how a vintage can change. 07 and 08 are two very individual styled wines and well worth trying. Enjoy now or keep it for up to 3 years.
They wines are beautifully crafted with care and attention to detail and the aromas and nuances are delicate but structured at the same time. Wines well worth trying!
Until next time , keep tasting!