Anthony Rose: 'Jean-Claude Mas is determined not to be outflanked by the New World'
A number of Mas's wines performed well in the recent Languedoc-Roussillon Top 100 competition that Anthony was involved in
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Your support makes all the difference.As a source of variety and quality at a fair price, few regions in the world can hold a candle to the South of France. If you're driving to the Languedoc-Roussillon region this summer and bringing it all back home, not only is visiting a select winery or two an enjoyable adventure, but fretting over whether the wine will travel or not is a thing of the past.
I recently mentioned Jean-Claude Mas as an example of the new forward-looking producers determined not to be outflanked by the New World. It was no surprise that a number of his wines performed well in the recent Languedoc-Roussillon Top 100 competition that I was involved in. From a total of 600 wines entered from 178 producers, Mas's wines featured prominently and included the crisply refreshing 2014 Côte Mas Vermentino, £8.49, Waitrose, and delicately floral, peachy 2014 Paul Mas Nicole Viognier, £9.99, Majestic.
The renaissance of négociants and co-ops includes Gérard Bertrand, Laurent Miquel, François Lurton, Jeanjean, Cave de Roquebrun and Abbotts et Delaunay. Gérard Bertrand's 2013 Terroir Minervois, £9.99, Waitrose, scored highly for its rich, sweet blackberry succulence, while his luxuriously rich and nutty dry white 2014 L'Indomptable de Cigalus, £25, Majestic, is a model of southern French star quality. Laurent Miquel's 2013 Vérité Viognier, £14.99, Majestic, is one of the South of France's best, all smoky honeysuckle and vanilla-scented peachiness. Make a diary date with Majestic for Cave de Roquebrun's superb 2014 Terrasses de Mayline when it arrives on the shelf in September.
This improvement in the bigger brands is important, but the smaller estates bring kaleidoscopic diversity to the region. Picpoul de Pinet has become the latest supermarket fashion accessory but it also needs standard-bearers such as the Domaine des Lauriers' 2014 Picpoul de Pinet Classique, £7.95-£9.10, from vineyardsdirect.com, Tanners, L'Art du Vin, which brings appley bite and a grapefruity, saline-crisp zing to seafood. Calmel & Joseph's Villa Blanche Syrah, £9.99, Avery's, Vagabond Wines, Red and White Wines, won the Syrah trophy for its incomparable spicy, chocolatey dark-berry richness and savoury edge.
At the annual London Wine Fair in May, I came across first an excellent Grenache-based white in the opulently honeyed yet delightfully refreshing 2014 Domaine Py Corbières Blanc "3ème Cuvée", £10.75, Yapp Bros, and caught up in person with the talented English vigneronne, Katie Jones. Jones makes a superbly full white in the 2013 Domaine Jones Blanc Grenache Gris, £14.95, The Wine Society, and a satisfyingly full-bodied garrigue-herby and spice-infused 2013 Fitou by Mademoiselle Jones, £13.99, Majestic.
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