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What We Say 2006 Clos des Vins d'Amour 1+1 = 3
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Looking for a perfect wine for your Mother’s Day Brunch? Well, this is it! A beautiful fresh and lively wine with a great label that makes this wine a lovely gift.
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Mission Codename: Only love can make 1 + 1 = 3
Operative: Agent White
Objective: Find a perfect wine for Mother’s Day
Mission Status: Accomplished!
Current Winery: Vignobles Dornier
Wine Subject: 2006 Clos des Vins d’Amour 1+1 = 3
Backgrounder:
The Côtes du Roussillon Villages is home to many fresh and exciting wines of great value as are many of the wines of the Languedoc-Roussillon. This region, located just south of the Corbieres region produces exclusively red wines unlike the Côtes du Roussillon (further south) that has Whites, Reds and Rose. These wines must contain at least three of the following Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, Carignan, Mourvedre and a few others; opf which no two can exceed 90% of the blend.
Today’s selection is a perfectly balanced blend of old vine Carignan, Grenache Noir and Syrah.
Wine Spies Tasting Profile:
Look – Brilliant dark garnet purple with bright ruby red reflections through its clear core. Along the edges, the color lightens to garnet with violet hues and when swirled, tightly spaced medium thick legs race down tot he wine below and a secondary ring of slow tears hangs on.
Smell – Medium bold in intensity, this wine’s bright and fresh aromas of red and black fruit including red and black cherry and plum integrate well with spice and soft pepper notes.
Feel – The attach of this wine is soft and plush initially and with a slight kick of spice on the tip and edge of the tongue. Fine broad tannins and balanced acidity gives this wine a pleasant mouth-coating quality without being to aggressive.
Taste – Rich and plump with generous red fruit including cherry and plum with characteristic spice, pepper and a earthy and brambly smokiness.
Finish – Long and clean with this wine’s lovely fruit fading gently and then leaves its balanced texture and mouth-coating tannins and acid gripping the palate and inviting another sip.
Conclusion – The 2006 Vignobles Dornier Clos des Vins d’Amour 1+1 = 3 Côtes du Roussillon Villages is a delicious wine with exceptional balance and is very approachable. Soft and pretty with finesse, a lovely blend that is fresh and light (unlike many New-World Syrah blends) making this wine a perfect red for enjoying at a lingering brunch or lunch.
Mission Report:
After our recent visit to France we were happy to have met the French families of some close friends I have here. This of course gives the double benefit of being able to visit great off the beat path places while we traveled but also the joy of having our French friends visit us here in the United States.
Just recently we had a great visit by one of our new friends. Originally from northeastern France, these covert operatives now lived in the southwest, along the Mediterranean coast. While visiting Southern California we had the joy of take a short flight in the spy plane (a Cessna R182) up and over the vineyards of Santa Ynez just after bud-break. It was one of those perfect Southern California days that perhaps is only topped by a perfect day in the outhwest of France.
Not to be outdone, (and after the flight), we exchanged our impressions of the flight and a couple bottles. I had brought a bottle of California’s classic, an fantastic Santa Barbara Pinot Noir (soon to be featured, this week in fact), and they had brought today’s featured selection from Vignobles Dornier as representative of the Languedoc-Roussillon and specifically the Côtes du Roussillon Villages.
While the wines were completely different in style, tradition, varietals and just about everything else, the one thing they had in common was the fact that there is no better way to toast good friends and share the good life than with a lovely bottle of wine.
A votre santé
Wine Spies Vineyard Check:
The location of the Vignobles Dornier in the Languedoc-Roussillon can be seen in this satellite photo.
What the Winery Says
Vignobles Dornier
About This Wine:
Fruitiness and crispness of the Grenache Noir, Syrah and Carignan.
Because they are issued from the exceptional terroir of Maury, 1 Carignan + 1 Grenache noir express 3 times as much tenderness: because it is the fruit of the love and attention of Nicolas & Christine and their 3 children and of Christophe & Laurence and their 3 children, you will love this wine!
TASTING NOTES: very dense dark red colour. Intense nose of red fruits and grey pepper. The mouth has a gentle attack that gives way to a good balance between the strength, roundedness and finesse of the tannins. Finishing on flavours of very ripe black fruits. Drink with charcuterie and grilled meat or fish. Serve at 18-20 °C.
About The Winery:
Family owned since 1860, the Clos des Vins d’Amour is run with love and passion by Christine, Laurence, Christophe and Nicolas.
The vineyard is today spread over 21 hectares on the three magical schistous terroirs of Tautavel, Maury and Saint-Paul-de-Fenouillet overlooked by the Château de Queribus.
At 70% the Grenache Noir is the dominant grape variety and expresses itself through the gentleness of its fruit and the tenderness of its tanins. Syrah, Mourvèdre, Carignan, Grenache Blanc complete the range of grape varieties.
Technical Analysis:
Varietals: 40% Carignan, 30% Grenache Noir and 30% Syrah, Selected from old vines with very low yields of 30-35 hl/ha.
Appellation: Côtes du Roussillon Villages (Maury)
Alcohol: 13%
Terroirs: issued from the terroirs of Tautavel and Maury on shale and clayey limestone soil.
Vinification: The harvest is carried out by hand with the use of small crates; grapes are sorted in the vineyard. The Grenache noir and Syrah are destalked and vatting lasts between 15 to 20 days at 25-26 °C. A carbonic maceration is carried out on the Carignan during 10 to 12 days at 28 °C, the fermentation finishes in tanks at 24°C.
Ageing: in tanks during 5 months.
Treatment: filtered and fined before bottling.
Storage: a young wine to be drunk immediately, but can be laid down for 2 to 3 years.
