Blanquette de Limoux Brut Calmel & Joseph
A pale yellow wine with lively, harmonious bubbles and a nose that opens with floral notes, developing after a few seconds in the glass into more fruity aromas dominated by white peach and green apple. On the palate it is creamy and well-balanced, with a pleasantly bitter finish. Perfect as an aperitif or with a meal.
Cabernet Sauvignon “Grain d’Automne” Pay’s d’Oc IGP Domaine Bergon, 2017
Dazzling garnet ruby colour with a good intensity. Plenty of ripe blackcurrant and green-pepper flavours on the palate to balance the generously rich tannins.
Calmel & Joseph – Chardonnay Villa Blanche, 2017/18
Tasting Note
Very expressive with white flowers and fruity aromas of apricot and vineyard peach, along with dried fruit and nut overtones. Straightforward, clean, full and well-balanced on the palate, with a fresh and fruity finish revealing mango and citrus overtones. The oak is subtle and very smooth. This vintage shows lovely acidic tension: elegant.
Ageing
Chardonnay are aged for three months in oak barrels (30% of the vintage).
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Calmel & Joseph – Syrah Villa Blanche, 2017/18
Tasting Note
Deep purple red colour. This vintage is fresher than the 2013 with aromas of red fruits, blackcurrant, blackbery and spices. The mouth is well balanced, round and fruity. Notes of truffles and gunflint. Tannins are soft with a generous finish of spices. Very nice balance on this vintage clearly elegant.
Ageing
10% of the wine is aged for three months in oak barrels of 2 vintages. The remaining 90% is raised in tanks on fine lees.
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Guide Gilbert & Gaillard 2016
Gold Medal
Calmel & Joseph, Corbières, 2016/17
Ruby-red robe and a pronounced nose of black fruit, fresh figs and prunes. Clean and crisp on the palate, with notes of garrigue scrubland, spices and quince. Fine tannins, ending with a hint of truffle. Well-balanced and elegant, with very good ageing potential.
16.5/20 Jancis Robinson.
“Syrah, Grenache and a bit of Cinsault. Pure delicious red fruit on the nose. Sweet rounded cherry and plum swathed in a sinewy, slightly rugged, leather strap of tannins. The taut refined acidity, that is such a hallmark of Calmel & Joseph, strims through the sweetness of the fruit like a blade, leaving freshness and just a hint of earthy spice in its wake. Just a little Cinsault, and yet it brings it distinctive soprano note into the deeper alto and bass tones of the Syrah and Grenache.”
Côtes du Roussillon Villages AOP Calmel & Joseph, 2016
Deep purple red colour, almost black. The nose is pronounced with hints of ripe red fruits, almost jammy. Cherry, fig and dried plum dominate. The attack is concentrated but soft. Natural sugar envelops soft tannins. Aromas of candied fruits cover the back of the palate. Nice balance and good length.
Faugères AOP Calmel & Joseph, 2015/17
Beautiful cherry red hue with dark black tints. Aromas of undergrowth, garrigue and a touch of mint on the first nose. The wine is honest and clean on entry, with notes of game and mushrooms. Spicy notes of thyme, rosemary and lavender come through after the glass is swirled a few times. The tannins are prominent and reveal ripe fruit aromas. This wine has a very strong personality yet expresses itself with finesse and elegance.
La Ruffe “les Cuvées Rares”, Calmel & Joseph, 2015/16
Purple-red robe. A very expressive nose that opens with notes of chocolate and spice, followed by citrus fruit and white flower aromas. There are also hints of pure fruit, reminiscent of freshly-picked, crushed grapes. On the palate this is a clean and lively wine with subtle notes of small red berries and scrubland herbs. The tannins are elegant, discreet and well-integrated. The balance and originality of this wine gives it its “cuvée rare” status.
Terroir
Clay limestone and blood-red “ruffes” soil typically found in the Terrasses du Larzac.
Jancis Robinson 201617 + / 20 : A sleeping dragon …
Merlot “Grain d’Automne” Pays d’Oc IGP Domaine Bergon, 2017
Plummy dark fruit flavours combine with subtle toasty notes. A medium to full bodied wine, displaying smooth overtones and a lingering finish.
Minervois AOP Calmel & Joseph, 2015/16
The colour is an intense crimson with purple hints. In the mouth it is powerful but with a soft finish. Notes of ripe fruits, prunes and dried figs cover the taste buds after the first mouthful.
Picpoul de Pinet Villa Blanche Calmel & Joseph 2017/18
Tasting Note
A clean, bright appearance, with the lightest hint of green. The nose is intense, with notes of white blossom, citrus fruit (kiwi) and fresh mint. On the palate it is generous, mouth-filling and well-balanced, with a mineral finish. Elegant and easy-drinking in its youth, this wine will age well, developing notes of spice and a certain iodine/saline character. A Picpoul de Pinet that could grace a dining table or be enjoyed as an aperitif, with seafood or cheese.
Jancis Robinson 2016 15 / 20 : Crisp and clean, melon and papaya!
Saint Chinian AOP Calmel & Joseph, 2015
Tasting Note
This wine is made from a blend of grapes, 70% of which come from vines planted on a clay-limestone soil and 30% from vines planted on schist. Deep red hue. Intense on the nose with harmonious ripe aromas: cherries mingling with plums and slightly peaty notes. It is clean and straightforward on the palate with a nice hint of bitterness which lifts the finish which has an iodized touch. The wine is tauter than the preceding vintage. Lovely overall balance and a gorgeous tannic grain. A lovely vintage best appreciated in the next 7-8 years.
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Sauvignon “Grain d’Automne” Pay’s d’Oc IGP Domaine Bergon, 2018
This wine is sourced from vineyards near the town of Beziers. Very fresh grassy Sauvignon grape character. Full rich flavour with good acidity.
Terrasses du Larzac “les Crus” AOP Calmel & Joseph, 2016
Tasting Note
Ruby-red hue. The nose is as remarkable as ever with pronounced fruity notes of blackcurrant, elderberry and a hint of fruit cake. Slightly woody and liquorice-like aromas then start to come through. On entry to the palate, the wine is clean, with a silky elegance and good balance. The 2014 preserves the characteristic style and attractive personality of the previous vintages. There are notes of menthol and spice on the palate, while the Mourvèdre provides a strong typical character and a nice complexity to the whole. A beautiful vintage with good cellar-ageing potential.
Ageing
12 months in oak barrels (30 % new wood, 40 % barrels used for one vintage, 30% barrels used for two vintages).
Jancis Robinson 2016
17.5 – / 20 : Glossy intensity spreads across the palate …
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