“Olivier Coste” is a new wine series from Domaine Montrose, made by the son, who is the next generation in a line of winemakers that goes all the way back to 1701. Olivier is already today considered one of the most promising cellar masters in the area and is Among other things, prime mover for the development that has been initiated on the entire property towards a more sustainable, organic production.
In Languedoc, Carignan Noir must be said to be an “Old Star”, as it was for a long time the area’s most cultivated grape variety, but unfortunately also the most reviled, as it was often made responsible for the area’s poor red wines and famous wine lake. Today it is known that high yields and poor vinification were in fact to blame for the misery, and many young producers have therefore taken it to heart and given it a true renaissance. Through lower yields and more modern fermentations, they can produce excellent Carignan Noir wines, not least when – as at Domaine Montrose – they have older vines available.
The grapes for this Carignan Noir are obtained from vines that are cultivated according to the traditional “Gobelet” (bush) pruning, on a very stony sedimentary soil. It gives a small yield, but a good concentration. Fermentation takes place in temperature-regulated steel tanks with frequent stirring, and lasts for a full 3 weeks. After fermentation, the wine is allowed to rest in steel tanks until the end of winter, when it is bottled. All this to ensure good fruit, good freshness and the typical spicy notes that you find in the wine.
In the aroma, Carignan Noir “Old Star” has a delicious character of cool, freshly picked grapes, with lots of crisp and delicious notes of red berries. The taste is very juicy and appetizing, with discreet spicy notes and a finesse that surprises in a red wine with approx. 14.5% in alcohol. A very harmonious, modern and at the same time very full-bodied Carignan! Perfect for southern cuisine.
Domaine Montrose in the southern French Languedoc region, Côtes-de-Thongue, is situated on top of a slope (“mont” in French) above the village of Valros (“valley of the roses”), which thus explains its beautiful name. Biodiversity is not an empty word here, as both the property and the approx. 85 ha. vineyards are surrounded by small forests, thickets and almond trees, which ensure a “terroir” that also helps to give the wines their distinguished structure and complexity.
Bernard Coste and his son Olivier cultivate their vineyards according to the regulations of “Agriculture Raisonnée” (integrated agriculture). All fertilizer is thus organic from e.g. own compost, where part of the grape pomace from the pressing is integrated. When necessary, weeds are removed mechanically and not with chemical products, and only environmentally friendly pesticides are used in case of disease attacks.
The wines from Domaine Montrose are stylistically related to the slightly more refined wines from Provence, and are thus excellent alternatives, as they also have a very attractive ratio between price and quality.
Languedoc is located in the south-east of France, with the Mediterranean Sea as its neighbour. The area is one of the most important wine regions in France in terms of production quantity and size, and in recent years it has undergone a fantastic development in terms of quality. A new generation of wine producers has been adept at exploiting the opportunities that new wine regulations have provided, i.a. with the use of better grape varieties, lower yields and more adapted vinification techniques.
In addition to classic AOC/AOP districts such as Côteaux du Languedoc/Languedoc, Corbières, Fitou, Minervois and Faugères, Languedoc has long been known for no less than approx. 60 protected land areas, so-called IGP districts (Indication Geographique Protegée). They were previously known as Vin de Pays (VdP – country wines), but in 2009 they were changed to IGP, at the same time as opening up the possibility of writing on the label which grape varieties are used in the wine. IGP Pays d’Oc is a so-called “regional IGP” and covers the whole of Languedoc (Hérault, Aude and Gard). Good producers know how to utilize soil, climate, grape varieties and modern equipment to make excellent and characterful wines – often at reasonable prices.
