Wine Club Notes: Daumas Gassac estate
Wine is dead?’ Let’s Hope Not!
‘Vin est mort’, dramatically claims Aime Guibert as he is introduced in the 2004 film Mondovino, director Jonathan Nossiter’s transcontinental meditation on the global wine industry. Throughout the film (including the ‘wine is dead’ comment), Guibert becomes easily its most memorable character. This month we are tasting two wines from this larger than life figure’s estate in Southern France.
To understand Guibert’s position requires a deeper range of investigation than we have time to get into here. Suffice it to say that he’s none to impressed by the sort of ‘progress’ that most of the Wine World takes for granted. Under his guidance, the Daumas Gassac estate rose in just a few decades to the level of critical respect and consumer demand unheard of for the Languedoc. How was this achieved you ask?
In several ways. Firstly, the domaine sits on a stagerringly diverse range of soil types. This allows for the growing of several varieties that otherwise disagree with the region, or in several cases, country. The top wine is a blend of roughly 20 (twenty!) grape varieties, including cabernet and nebbiolo (?!) Secondly they maintain a level of attention to detail reserved for the top handful of Bordeaux chateaux, and visionary non-interventionist cellar techniques, to name a couple of factors.
So is wine dead? That’s up to you I guess. But even Aime must not be as convinced of this as he comes off. As his eldest son Samuel (now officially the boss) told us when he visited last month – his father, now in his mid 80’s, even with the whole family (pictured above) involved– is the first to arrive at the winery every morning, and the last to leave, every night.
2007 MOULIN DE GASSAC ‘Guilhem’ $12
A selection from some of Languedoc’s best terroirs.
HOW IT CAME ABOUT :
Disastrous Brussels subsidies meant that the best hillside vines were being dug out. It had to be stopped. For as the old vines disappeared, the typically Languedocien vineyards were being submerged in a wave of standardised mediocrity which was swamping the world wine markets at the end of the last century.
In 1991 the Guibert family, who were violently opposed to the digging out of the old vines, formed partnerships first with the vignerons of Villeveyrac then those of Paulhan. The agreement was very precise; the aim was to create wines true to the Languedoc.
THE WINES
The Moulin de Gassac range sprang from this battle and the partnership of two Languedoc villages, Paulhan on the banks of the Herault, and Villeveyrac, to be found in a splendid amphitheatre overlooking the Mediterranean and the port of Sète. Both terroirs incarnate the character of the area, producing traditional wines drenched in the Languedoc sun.
Moulin de Gassac wines from mostly uncloned grapes produce a symphony of aromas which reflect the individuality of the 7000 small parcels of land in which they grow. Seven thousand patches of vines loved, cultivated and fussed over by 800 vignerons ! Truly, each sip of Moulin de Gassac wine wafts the soul of an ancient civilisation to your lips!
The Revue du Vin de France - February 1997 : "Never has there been anything to match this quality at such a reasonable price. The Vins Terrasses are a world apart from soulless international wines, they truly mirror the region."
Blanc
Soils Clay and limestone, flint and clay.
Grape varieties Blend of 50% Sauvignon Blanc, 30% Grenache Blanc,
20% Clairette.
Vinification 100% De-stemmed - Skin maceration of all grape varieties together for 2 to 3 hours in refrigerated tank.
Harvest Mechanical. Yield 55 hl/ha. Alcohol 12.5 % Vol.
Production 80 000 bottles.
Eye Attractive clear, bright, pale gold.
Nose Powerful and seductive fruity expression.
Mouth Good acidity, lively.
End Full and fresh.
Rouge
Soils Jurassic limestone slopes; arid and dry.
Grape varieties A blend of typical Languedoc grapes : Syrah (30%), Grenache (30%), Carignan (25%), Cinsault (15%) – 25 year old vines.
Vinification 100% De-stemmed. All grape varieties mixed together.
Maceration 10-12 days between 26°C and 32°C. No filtration.
Maturing 5 to 6 months in stainless steel tank.
Harvest 80% Manual. Yield 50 hl/ha.
Alcohol 13 % Vol.
Production 350 000 bottles.
Eye Deep, brilliant red
Nose Vinous, complex aromas, with hints of red berries (cherry, blackberry, and strawberry) and spice.
Mouth Opens soft and fruity with gentle tannins. Delicate and sophisticated.
End Long and smooth; a touch rustic reflecting its terroir.
Way back in 780 CE, Charlemagne’s advisor, Saint Benedict of Aniane, founded the first vineyard in the Gassac valley. Indeed, there are good reasons to believe that he introduced Charlemagne to some of the valley’s early wines. Thus, in common with most truly great wines, the Daumas Gassac Grands Crus were born under the aegis of a prestigious Abbey.
Daube Lan guedocienne
Throughout the region, you’ll find many variations of this traditional stew, made either with wild boar or beef. I first made this version many years ago at my aunt’s home after a day of foraging for cèpes in the Hauts Cantons. (Serves Six)
7 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound beef shoulder, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 pounds beef shank, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 carrots, thinly sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 leek, thinly sliced
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1 bottle red wine
1 cup crushed tomatoes
4 ounces pancetta, cut into ¼-inch dice
1 large strip of orange zest
Bouquet garni: 1 large sprig of thyme, 1 laurel leaf, 1 sprig rosemary,
2 sprigs parsley, 1 teaspoon whole peppercorns and 3 cloves,
wrapped in cheesecloth
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
½ pound wild fresh mushrooms (cèpes, chanterelles, oyster mushrooms or shitakes), sliced
2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
In a large heavy skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat and sauté the meat in batches until brown on all sides. Transfer the meat to a bowl as you go along.
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy cast-iron pot over high heat. Add the pancetta, sauté for a few minutes, until the fat starts to render. Add the carrots, onion, leeks and garlic and cook for 5 to 8 minutes, until the vegetables are soft and golden brown. Add the meat to the pot, making sure to include all the accumulated juices in the bowl.
Stir in the crushed tomatoes, the wine, orange zest, bouquet grani, nutmeg and cinnamon. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add enough water to just cover the meat. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to a very low simmer, cover and cook for 11/2 to 2 hours, until the meat is tender. Cool to room temperature and refrigerate overnight.
When ready to serve, bring the daube to a low simmer over medium low heat. Remove and discard the bouquet garni and orange zest.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining olive oil and sauté the mushrooms for 5 to 10 minutes until golden. Add them to the simmering daube and cook for another 30 minutes.
Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve immediately with steamed or mashed potatoes, pasta or stewed white beans.
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