Notes de dégustation
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CUVEE OCCITANIA 2021
JAMES SUCKLING – LANGUEDOC REPORT Score: 91 Points 6 Sep, 2022 –
A fresh and vibrant 100% mauzac. Mineral and bright with aromas of lemons, apricots, beeswax and ripe pears. Medium body with crisp acidity and plenty of pears and thyme on the palate. Delicious and balanced with some white pepper to the finish. From organically grown grapes. Drink now.
JANCISROBINSON.COM – LANGUEDOC COUPS DE COEUR – 17.5 POINTS – drink to 2028 – Tasted by Tamlyn Currin
Pure Occitania: white honey, white flowers, white citrus, lace and white ribbons. It’s a wine that, like the imp of a frosty morning, etches crysticals across window panes. (Yes, there is no such word as crysticals, but some people will know exactly what I am talking about.) Salt crunch; lemon oil; zest bitter; lemon thyme cracked under snow. It’s a wine that snaps at me, one moment, with wit and sharp impatience, then scoops under my chin with languid yellow-citrus honeyed-hand charm in the next. Hints of grapefruit marmalade and the dry floral warmth of newly mown meadow hay. This will be beautiful for a while to come. The Panman’s wilful wild-child faerie-spirit wine. VGV (TC)
CUVÉE OCCITANIA 2020
LE GUIDE HACHETTE DES VINS 2023 ★
Le Mauzac seul à l’œuvre dans cette cuvée qui associe la noisette à la pomme verte, et qui offre un bel équilibre fraîcheur-sucrosité en bouche.
Pure Mauzac at work in this cuvée, which associates hazelnut with green apple, and offers a nice balance between freshness and sweetness in the mouth.
GUIDE DES VINS DUSSERT-GERBER 2023
Leur Limoux blanc Occitania 2020, 100% Mauzac, tres vieilles vignes, soigneusement vinifie en fûts de chene, a une réelle personnalité, un bouquet puissant ou dominent le chèvrefeuille et l’abricot, d’une grande richesse au palais, de charpente très équilibrée, c’es.t un vin racé, marqué par son territoire, avec une finale puissante et savoureuse.
TERRE DE VINS January-February edition Languedoc Wines of Altitude Blind tasting 18 points, Coup de ❤
JANCIS ROBINSON MW JancisRobinson.com, tasted September 2020. 17 pts.
Gloriously varietal on the nose. Almonds and tension on the pallet. Neat and long with great purity. It has such exuberant fruit that it almost kids you there is some residual sugar, but instead it is pure extract. Verging into marzipan and a bit of cooking apple. Great stuff! So alive!
CUVÉE OCCITANIA 2019
JANCIS ROBINSON.COM Languedoc-Roussillon tasting, June 22, 2020 by Tamlyn Currin (16.5+ points)
100% Mauzac from one parcel at 300 m on a plateau of Eocene molasse (marl, sandstone, schist, pebbles). In final year of conversion to organic certification, natural cover cropping. Yields 32 hl/ha. 60-year-old vines. Hand-sorted, only best free-run juice used. Fermented and aged in seasoned oak barrels with occasional bâtonnage. RS 0 g/l, TA 3.39 g/l, pH 3.29.
Such a vibrant wine – I tasted this blind, along with 10 other Languedoc whites, and I wrote, ‘This wine ZANGS!’. There’s no such a word, but it was the only way I could think of to describe the way it sang out the glass with such zing that it tasted gleefully zealous. Lime peel and honey, grapefruit pith and wild flowers and early-summer elderflower blossom. Yet for all these bright, light-filled flavours, there is a gentle earthiness. As if it’s connected to the soil it came from. Don’t drink it too cold. Lovely now, but will be even more interesting in a year or two. VGV (TC)
DE GROTE HAMERSMA by Harold Hamersma (tasted November 2021)
Volgens oude boeken zijn er zeven soorten mauzac: jaune, vert, côte de melon, gris, rose, roux en noir, maar de moderne wetenschap heeft onromantisch ontdekt dat er slechts witte en roze mauzac bestaat, waarbij roze niet meer dan een kleurvariant van de witte is, en dat de druif die mauzac noir heet geen familie is. Wel melden de druivenprofessoren dichterlijk dat mauzacwijn geurt naar gedroogde appelschil.
Mauzac blanc groeit al een eeuw of vijf in Zuidwest-Frankrijk (hij wordt voor het eerst genoemd in 1525) en veel is er niet van. Dat is jammer, want je kunt er bijzondere wijn van maken. In Limoux is mauzac er voornamelijk voor belletjeswijn, maar zonder mousse is mauzac ook een groot plezier.
Geurend naar ouderwetse appels, bloesem, kruiden. Rijp van fruit, rank van zuren. Een nobele, karaktervolle wijn, waar je langzaam van geniet terwijl je ‘m steeds beter leert kennen. Maar nooit zo goed dat er niet reden is voor nog een slok.
ROSEMARY GEORGE MW author of The Wines of Languedoc (tasted October 2020)
We shared this bottle with friends, and it was delicious. A light colour. A fresh herbal note. And on the palate, some herbal notes and some saline hints, with some fresh acidity and juicy note. Jan and Caryl are one of the few estates to make a pure Mauzac, which is a shame as it is an important part of the heritage of Limoux, and if it is as good as this, it certainly deserves a much better reputation. The vines are 60 years old and the wine is fermented and aged in old oak barrels. with some occasional lees stirring.
PERSWIJN by Ronald de Groot, August 2020 (15 pts)
Honing, bloemen, rozijnen, vanille, zacht en sappig, fijne zuren, bitter, weelderig
Honey, flowers, raisins, vanilla, soft and juicy, fine acidity, a touch of bitterness.GUIDE
GUIDE DUSSERT-GERBER DES VINS 2022 ❤❤❤❤❤
Au nez fleuri, d’une très belle persistance d’arômes en bouche, avec des nuances de pêche et de tilleul, idéale pour accompagner un pain de poisson.
Flowers on the nose, very persistent aromas in the mouth, with nuances of peach and linden.
GUIDE DES MEILLEURS VINS DE FRANCE 2022 (91 pts) par La Revue du Vin de France
Ici le Mauzac est roi: c’est dans ce domaine que l’on trouvera la plantation de ce cépage la plus diversifiée au monde, avec pas moins de 40 clones!
CUVÉE OCCITANIA 2017
LE GUIDE DESSERT GERBER VINS 2020
Rond, bouqueté avec des notes de noisette, de bouche souple et fraîche à la fois, sur une finale finement boisée
Round bouquet with hazelnut notes, a mouth that is supple and fresh at the same time, with a finely oaky finish.
By Rosemary George MW, Taste Languedoc, May 2019
Light golden colour. A herbal, honeyed nose, with a hint oak. Rounded and firm, with dry honeyed and acidity. Rich and concentrated, with rounded texture. They are replanting some Mauzac, choosing several different clones, to make for more diversity. There is a big difference in harvest dates, for the still and sparkling wine. They pick for the Blanquette at 10-11º and for the table wine at 13º, about a month later.
JANCIS ROBINSON MW October 2018 www jancisrobison.com (16 pts)
Shy nose that opened up to notes of honey and green apples. Marked acidity but good substantial mouthfeel
WEGWIJS IN WIJN 2019 Belgian consumer wine guide ( TASTE TEST: *****)
Light and fruity. Clear and bright yellow with green highlights, medium tears. Nose still discreet, but refined with citrus fruits. Sappy and fine, fruity in the mouth (grapefruit), fresh. Medium long finish.
Licht e fruitig. Helder en licht, geelgroen, gemiddelde tranen. Neus nogal discreet, maar verfijnd me citrusvruchten. Smaak is sappig en fijn fruitig (pompelmoes) met frisse zuren; middellange afdronk.
CUVÉE OCCITANIA 2016
IN VINO VERITAS Belgium. July 2019 “Great white wines of the Languedoc” tasting
Voici un 100% mauzac, cépage ancestral de Limoux (et de Gaillac par ailleurs). On retrouve à l’attaque la propension du cépage à s’envoler tant il peut être aérien. Puis de délicats arômes d’agrumes et une fine minéralité cheminent vers une finale à la légère salinité et fine amertume. Du même domaine, on retiendra aussi la cuvée Trilogie 2017, plus de volume mais aussi de la tension.
Dit is een 100% mauzac, een ouderwets druivenras van Limoux (en Gaillac). In de aanzet lijkt het alsof dit druivenras wil wegvliegen, zo luchtig is het. Vervolgens komen er fijne aroma’s van citrusvruchten vrij en banen fijne minerale indrukken zich een weg richting een licht zilte finale met een fijn bitter.
Van hetzelfde domein is eveneens de cuvée Trilogie 2017 erg goed, meer volumineus maar met ook een mooie spanning.
FALSTAFF Magazine “Top Languedoc Wines », July-August 2019, 90 pts
Stammt zu 100 Prozent aus der Lokalsorte Mauzac. Ananas und Mandarine, Pfirsichund pflaume. Etwas Kokos. Kraftvoller Alkohol am Gauman, merliche Holznote, gute Dichte, voll und fast würzigem Abklang, ein guter Speisenbegleiter zur mediterranen Frischeküche.
100 percent Mauzac, the local grape variety. Aromas of pineapple and tangerine, peach and plum. Some coconut. Powerful alcohol on the palate, with notes of wood; good density, full and almost fiery, with well-integrated acidity and spicy notes, a good wine to accompany food.
VOICI Novembre 2018 by Lionel Bret
…ce vin ample et frais exhale le lis, la pomme, le genêt avant que naissent quelques notes herbacées. Ample, goûteux, gourmand, ça swingue en bouche.
This full and fresh wine exudes lilies, apple, and broom , giving into some herbaceous notes. Ample and very moreish, it really swings in the mouth.
WILL LYONS FOR THE SUNDAY TIMES October 2018
What a wonderful white wine, brimming with character. This is produced down in the Languedoc from the mauzac grape and appeals with its creamy, oily texture. Once sipped there are notes of lemon zest, peach and dry herbs. Would pair well with mezze or fish.
GUIDE DES MEILLEURS VINS DE FRANCE 2019 14,5 pts
Le mauzac Occitania est un vin rond, aux notes de fruits blancs biens mûrs et de fleurs d’oranger en finale
The wine is round, with notes of ripe white fruits and orange blossom in the finish.
GUIDE DESSERT GERBER VINS 2019
100 % Mauzac, a des petites notes de pêche jaune et de lis, c’est un vin ample et harmonieux.
A touch of yellow peach and lily, full and harmonious.
THE TELEGRAPH MAGAZINE July 2018
This is a brilliant wine full of preserved lemon, flint and ripe pear. It will be good with bold flavours such as barbecued monkfish or even a creamy fish curry.
PERSWIJN BY PETRI HOUWELING July 2018
De stille mauzac, de Occitania genaamd, is ook hoog in de lucht bij de KLM te bestellen. Hij heeft een zacht, boertig mondgevoel, wit fruit als abrikoos en perzik en frisse zuren. Een elegant glas, gastronomisch zeer goed inzetbaar.
DECANTER MAGAZINE « MY TOP 30 LANGUEDOC WINES » BY ROSEMARY GEORGE MW August 2018
A fresh nose with some herbal notes and salty fruit on the palate, with the typical bitter finish of Mauzac.
Une fraîcheur au nez avec quelques notes herbacées et des fruits salés en bouche, avec une finale amère, typique du Mauzac.
TERRY KIRBY for THE INDEPENDENT June 2018
This is fragrant, with light, tantalising flavours of apricots and peaches and well suited to simple grilled prime fish like sole or John Dory; there is a subtle touch of oak to give complexity.
JANCIS ROBINSON August 2017 – 16.5 pts Drink 2017-2020
From the Panmans’ lowest vineyard, at 250 m on silt, clay and sandy soils on a south-facing slope plus another block at 300 m. 40 hl/ha, vines aged 55 years. Hand picked relatively late on 10 and 11 October. Fermented and aged in used oak barrels. Partial malo, partial indigenous yeast. 13,400 bottles filled in June 2017. Clear glass.
Pale straw. Very direct, bright-fruited nose. Then a little grip on the palate as befits a Mauzac Blanc, traditional for almost 700 years in Limoux, which is the only appellation that allows 100% Mauzac. Very much a unique product of a special corner of France that, for better or worse, in the 1990s fell head over heels for Chardonnay rather than the indigenous grape variety. This is less chewy than most Mauzacs, perhaps because the Panmans are determined to put the variety’s most attractive foot forward. Very sensitive winemaking. Local but civilised.
LE GUIDE DES MEILLEURS VINS DE FRANCE 2018 14.50/20
LA REVUE DU VIN DE FRANCE Janvier 2018
« Exubérante et fine, toujours riche en arômes de foin, de tisane, soutenue par l’amertume « douce », oxymorique, du cépage… »
JANCISROBINSON.COM BY TAMLYN CURRIN December 2018 17 points
Rich, earthy, honey nose. Seriously broad and interesting. Honeycomb note. A welcome change. Distinctive. Drink 2018-2023.
LA REVUE DU VIN DE FRANCE Juin 2016 Spécial Millésime 2015 Les Meilleurs Vins de l’Année
Pur mauzac aux belles notes de tilleul, d’angélique, de poivre. Original et sapide, il conserve une appréciable fraicheur.
THE SCOTSMAN Food & Drink Brian Elliott, June 2016
Frankly superb. Its light, perfumed, peach components (vaguely resembling viognier but with less viscosity) are embellisehd by mint, nutmeg and a firm prickle of apple acidity.
THE SIMPLE SOMMELIER Maxwell Allwell July 2016
In many ways this is the most interesting wine in this producer’s range of Limoux AOP wines. It is composed entirely of Mauzac (an ancient local variety which is rarely seen as the sole component of a still wine) from a single 2ha vineyard block. The vines are old at 55 years, so they don’t yield much, but the fruit they do produce is pretty special. 2015 looks like a good year for this wine. I found it to be aromatically on point, distinctive of Mauzac with notes of sweet apple, blossom and apricot. It smells riper than other recent vintages, with some hints of tropical fruit too, complimented with a little sweet spice from the oak. On the palate it has great concentration and complex fruit, tasting almost like preserved apricots, lemon curd and sweet pear. Delicious and esoteric, I can’t see many people not enjoying this once they discover it.
HUBRECHT DUIJKER Top 50 Wines Augustus 2016
Een uit de streekdruif mauzac bereide wijn die vergist en gelagerd werd in eiken vaten (5 procent nieuwe). In de 2015 zijn de opwekkende zuren van mauzac mooi bewaard gebleven, samen met wat frisse citrus en een vleugje tropisch fruit (à la ananas), terwijl het geheel omkaderd wordt door subtiele roostertonen waaronder de allerlichtste hint van karamel.
ROSEMARY GEORGE MW Taste Languedoc August 2016
From sixty year old vines, grown on clay and limestone. 5% of the Mauzac is fermented in new barrels to provide a little more body and weight. A light golden colour, with a rounded slightly herbal nose and quite soft fruit on the palate. The grapes are picked four weeks later than for Blanquette
JANCIS ROBINSON MW JancisRobinson.com September 2016 – 17 pts Wine of the Week
Light bruised-apple nose. Then real grip and structure on the palate. This is a wine that builds towards the finish. Perfect for anosmics?! Real explosion of fruit and acidity on the finish. Hint of coffee bean even but mainly passion fruit and great crunchy kumquat sensation in the mouth. Very long. Bravo! I suspect this will last well. It’s certainly very unusual, although two more Limoux producers are now making varietal still Mauzac.
Drink 2016-2020
WINE ENTHUSIAST November 2016 EDITOR’S CHOICE 90 pts by Lauren Buzzeo
A young wine that needs time to flesh out, this currently offers intense notes of garrigue and fresh, green herbs that are framed by fruity tones of green plum and lime leaf. Tart citrus, pear and underripe stone fruit flavors unfold on the medium-weight palate, with hints of hay and beeswax on the finish. Drink 2018–2022.
FINANCIEEL DAGBLAD « In het glas » Dec 3, 2016: Hilary Akers
Dit is uniek, een wijn als een bourgogne maar dan anders. Hij staat als en huis … lekker sappig en heeft body en structure, je kunt je tanden inzetten. De houtrijping zit mooi in de wijn en zal de komende jaren nog iets afnemen. De geur zuigt je de wijn in, zo aangenaam, vol en rijk en tegelijk vol vrisheid. Limoenblad, limoensap, grapefruitschil, kruiden en wat honing.
JOHN WILSON WilsononWine Ireland
Occitania Mauzac Blanc 2015, Limoux, Ch. Rives-Blanques is made by a very nice Dutch-English couple, the Panmans, who have now been joined by their son. A delicious wine and quite unusual to see a pure Mauzac. Most of it goes into blends or the local fizz, Blanquette de Limoux. Floral, herbal nose, quite rich tropical fruits with yellow apples too, and some peach. All held together very nicely by good acidity
LA REVUE DU VIN DE FRANCE Juin 2015 Sélection du Millésime 2014:
De la gourmandise, du gras, de la matiere. De fines notes poivrées évoquent l’angélique confite. C’est l;’un de meilleurs blancs de l’année à Limoux, et c’est un pur mauzac! (14.5-15) Un des 10 bouteilles à boire sur le fruit.
LA MARSELLAISE Par Pierre Galaud (16 July 2015)
Cette uvée est le fruit du seul Mauzac. Un vin tranquille assez rare vendangé en sur maturité. C’est plein, profond, tres bien fait ne concédant que peu de place au bois et doté d’une belle fraicheur minérale. Remarquable!
FRENCH MEDITERRANEAN WINE.COM Richard Mark James
Aromatic and clean, lots of sweet citrus and peach with buttery edges, attractive crisp bite.
GUIDE HUBERT 2016 (Pierre Casamayor, Nadine Adenis) 
« Un nez floral de miel d’acacia, de la fraicheur d’eucalyptus et une touche de citron. De la vivacité en bouche, et une matiere feutrée avec une trame citronnée jusqu’en finale avec une note grillée. »
GUIDE HACHETTE 2017 *
Nez bien typé du cépage, sur la fleur blanche, la pomme et la poire, avec des touches épicées. Bouche perlante, fraiche et consistante, teintée de vanille et de noisette par l’élevage en fut. A boire 2016-2020.
Jancis Robinson MW Purple Pages September 2014
Very crisp, bright fruit. Very pure apple-skion aromas with a suggestion of icing sugar. Pure and super-clean. Wonderfully precise textbook example of Mauzac Blanc. I may well have underestimated this wine’s life expectancy. 16.5. Drink to 2016
JANCIS ROBINSON PURPLE PAGES September 2015 (16.5 pts)
Gently creamy oak aroma intertwined with fresh apple and pear, a touch of cedar, deliciously fragrant. Rich and generous on the palate, the oak felt more in a creamy caressing texture than in oak flavour. Delicious sour-fresh finish. (JH) Drink 2015-2017
FRENCH MEDITERRANEAN WINE.COM Richard Mark James
Fairly voluptuous and oily then turning steely, creamy and lush vs fresher side to finish; lovely wine and different too.
Made from local Mauzac variety, this offers a fruity, supple style to go with lots of melon, white peach and citrus blossom on the nose. It has vibrant acidity and good purity, and should drink nicely for a couple of years (I suspect, as I have zero experience with the age-ability of this variety).
Plus en finesse, Occitania retranscrit le toucher particulier du mauzac, peu acide, sutilement amer, c’est une réussite. 14.5
CUVEE OCCITANIA 2012
MARC DUBERNET
Nez à la fois vanillé, de fruits à chair blanche (poire), bouche équilibrée avec une bonne présence.
JANCIS ROBINSON, PURPLE PAGES (September 2013)
Wine making rather trumps the fruit here. Mauzac is quite a delicate grape is I do wonder whether this heavy oaking is to its advantage. A green edginess. Refreshing and very accomplished smooth texture. Very tangy. Long. Still quite chewy on the finish. ROSEMARY GEORGE MW Taste Languedoc (Feb. 2014) Lightly grassy, rounded nose. A nicely textured palate, with youthfully layers of flavour.
GUIDE DES MEILLEURS VINS DE FRANCE 2015
Occitania 2012 s’exprime avec subtilité
GUIDE DES VINS BETTANE & DESSEAUVE 2015
Couleur paille, boisé élégant, belle matière, fruit préservé. Note: 14.0 Apogée: de 2014 à 2018
GUIDE DES VINS DUSSERT GERBER 2015
Parfumé, aux connotations florales, de finale ronde, allie intensité et souplesse.
DECANTER WORLD WINE AWARDS Bronze medal
Fresh nose of walnuts and oak. Creamy vanilla oak characters with green apple and a firm mineral finish.
WINE SPECTATOR Kim Marcus (85 pts)
This offers plenty of citrusy notes to its green apple and unripe melon flavors, with green herbal details appearing on the finish. Drink now. 700 cases made. –KM
LA REVUE DU VIN DE FRANCE (Best Bottles of Vintage 2011, barrel sample)
Ce pur mauzac évoque la pomme verte; la matiere est droite, tendue, stricte, mais élancée
LEON STOLARSI Mauzac.
Quite oaky on the nose, but with plenty of orange blossom, fruit and herby notes too. Rich and again oaky on the palate, but nicely integrated.
HET LAATSTE NIEUWS (Xtra) Luc Meyermans, Belgium
Fris geschonken, ontwikkelt de Occitania fijne aroma’s van lindebloesem en acacia, groene appel en kweepeer. Behoorlijk mollig maar ook fris complex, uitmondend in een aangename afdrink.
THE WINE DOCTOR Chris Kissack
A vibrant, pale straw gold here. Fresh orchard fruits on the nose, lightly polished with the grey sheen of oak. Very stylish, feeling rather harmonious. A full, supple, fleshy and yet also bright and defined character on the palate. There is a good texture to it, with a good weight of fruits, partly from the orchard, partly citrus, but certainly fresh and defined. Plenty of good depth and substance here; a rich and characterful rather than delicate wine. This feeling is reinforced by a pithy bite to it in the end which I like, a bright and crunchy grip, and a long finish. 16.5/20 (December 2012)
GUIDE HUBERT 2013 (Pierre Casamayor)
Un nez de poire au four, miel, fleurs blanches. Bouche ronde, avec une matiere mure et épicée, une finale grillée, presque structurée. Pour une volaille au four.
LE GUIDE DES MEILLEURS VINS DE FRANCE 2014 LA REVUE DU VIN DE FRANCE
au relief citronné empreint d’une fine amertume
KLM WORLD BUSINESS CLASS MENU:
Occitania is made from barrel-fermented regional mauzac. The 2011 vintage has quite a full taste, with juicy notes of pear and mild citrus, while also offering some nuttiness and a touch of vanilla and a soft spiciness.
GUIDE DES VINS DUSSERT GERBER 2014
J’ai beaucoup apprécié cette cuvée, ou s’entremelent des notes d’amande, de peche et bruyere, vraiment réussi, harmonieux en bouche.
ROSEMARY GEORGE MW TasteLanguedoc.blogspot.com
A pure Mauzac, from grapes that are picked at the end of the harvest, so three weeks than for the sparkling wine. Caryl is very enthusiastic about Mauzac; she loves it and people had stopped making it. ‘It’s a real Cinderella’, and not really appreciated, so they decided to have a go at a still Mauzac back in 2003 and it has now become a regular part of their repertoire, but so far only one other producer has followed their example. The wine has only just been bottled, so oak does dominate the palate for the moment, but with a satisfying mouthful, with good acidity, a herbal hint and some nutty notes. It will be intriguing to see how it develops.
LEON STOLARSKI LeonStolarski.blogspot.com
100% Mauzac, aged in older oak barrels. There is actually some creamy, quite coconutty oak showing at the moment, but with bags of exotic fruit salad aromas. The palate has real depth and complexity – lime, apple, peach and apricot flavours, with soft spices and a touch of herbiness thrown in for good measure. Rich and delicate at the same time, and with really excellent length. A pure Mauzac table wine is a rare beast, even in Limoux, but this one doesn’t need bubbles to show its class.
GUIDE DES MEILLEURS VINS DE FRANCE 2012 La Revue du Vin de France
Ne manque pas de finesse et de fraicheur dans ses saveurs de poire.
SOMMELIER WINE AWARDS (GOLD MEDAL)
Perfume and a ‘beautiful structure’ won the day with this elegant white. A fresh nose of nectarines and fresh citrus mingles with mimosa blossom, nuts and a light butteriness, while the multi-layered palate is long and well balanced. Think Dover Sole or other aristocratic white fish
GUIDE BETTANE & DESSEAUVE DES VINS DE FRANCE 2013
D’une couleur paille claire, le nez possede une grande finesse aromatique. Notes citronnées en bouche. Elégant par sa fraicheur, ce vin ne manque pas de droiture.
DE DUIZEND VAN DUIJKER by Hubrecht Duijker
… de milde roosteraroma’s en andere houtinvloeden zijn heel beheerst, en de bijna gulle smaak wordt vooral getypeerd door sappig fruit van witte vruchten en citrusfruit. ~
THE LEON STOLARSKI BLOG by Leon Stolarski
This is 100% Mauzac, once again fermented and aged for 6 months in oak barrels. The aromas suggest very ripe/cooked apples, spices, vanilla and cream. The palate is bone dry and quite neutral (i.e. not overtly fruity) but nevertheless very “winey”, with a refreshing zestiness and minerality. Long, too.
DECANTER MAGAZINE (February 2011)
Pear, apple and floral notes on both nose and palate. Barrel fermentation gives a smooth, round, supple texture. Dry finish. (***) ANDREWJEFFORD.COM By Andrew Jefford (February 2011) Fresh, light scents: apple blossom, cucumber, celery. On the palate, fresh, acidic, tonic, with a prim, mineral-salt finish. Taste this, and you suddenly realise why sparkling wines make sense around here. It’s not that it’s been short of hang-time: the alcohol is 13.5%. The eight months in (seasoned) oak and twice-weekly batonnage have brushed a kiss across the surface of the wine, yet so gothic and upright is its spirit that you might never even notice. A fascinating curiosity.
JANCIS ROBINSON PURPLE PAGES
Very pale. Vital, green aromas – very fresh and beautifully tense. Lots of acidity. Quite long. Seems as though it lasts quite well. (16pts)
STEVEN SPURRIER DECANTER MAGAZINE (Steven Recommends …)
A fine example of the mauzac grape, planted only in Limoux and nearby Gaillac and used mostly to give acidity to the local sparkling wines: lovely florality and fresh apple fruit, refreshing and original.
LA REVUE DU VIN DE FRANCE Les Plus Beaux Vins du Millésime 2008:
Bon volume pour ce mauzac au fruit croquant, ample, pur et grais, très belle vivacité, c’est savoureux, très bien construit. Un blanc nerveux et séduisant.
Great volume in this crunchy-fruit mauzac, it is ample, pure, fat with lovely vivacity – very savoury and very well made. A nervous and seductive white wine.
DE TIJD, Belgium; Frank van der Auwera’s Bottle of the Week:
« Een originele, hyperfrisse wijn. Schitterende strogele kleurspiegel met groene glans, kristal-helder. Boeket nog relatief gesloten, maar toch al met perzik en groene pruim, lichtjes floraal. In de mond bijzonder pittig en fris, met impressies van groene en gele pruimen, perzik en mineralen, levendig qua aciditeit. De eik is absoluut niet dominant. Nog enorm strak en vif, maar uit ervaring weet ik dat deze cuvée prima kan verouderen en pas dan zijn complexiteit toont. »
« An original, hyper-fresh wine. Gorgeous green-sheened straw-yellow in colour, crytal clear. Bouquet a bit closed, but still with peach and green plums, lightly floral. In the mouth, very feisty and fresh, with impressions of green and yellow plums, peaches and minerals, lively in acidity. Oak absolutely not dominant. I know from experience that this cuvée ages well, and then its true complexity will express itself. »
GUIDE DES MEILLEURS VINS DE FRANCE 2010 Gerbelle & Maurange RVF :
Franc, croquant, avec une fraîcheur citronnée
FINANCIELE DAGBLAD Hubrecht Duijker :
« … milde roosteraroma’s en andere houtinvloeden heel beheerst aanwezig zijn en de bijna gulle smaak vooral getypeerd wordt door sappig fruit van witte vruchten en citrus »
… gentle smoke aromas and other influences from the wood are very discreet, so that the generous taste is primarily driven by the juicy fruit flavours of citrus and white fruits
JANCIS ROBINSON
Green tinge. Interesting, correct varietal expression with real verve on the finish. Apples and density and great balance. Really tastes relaxed and as though it belongs here. Good individuality. 13% 16.5 Drink 2009-12
WWW.THEWINEDOCTOR.COM by Chris Kissack
This cuvée, 100% Mauzac, is sourced from a 2 hectare plot just below the main plain where majority of the Rives-Blanques vines sit. The plot is nearing agriculture biologique certification. Fermented and raised in oak, for 6 months in total, with bâtonnage twice per week. The label declares Nostra terra mentis pas (our soil doesn’t lie). Very aromatic on the nose, with white peach and other stone fruits. A lovely, full style on the palate, better defined than the VdP above. Full, fresh, substantial but dry and fresh. A good example of this indigenous variety. 16.5+/20 (July 2009)
GAMBERO ROSSO by Giuseppi Carrus (April 2010)
» Al naso emergono note de cereali, albicocca e frutta secca. In bocca è ricco carnoso, ma mostra mineralità e fresschezza che lo rendono nitido, pulito e dalla beva elegante. »
JANCIS ROBINSON PURPLE PAGES (May 2010)
Lots of intensity! Perfumed, like burying your nose in yellow mimosa blossoms. Minerality and lemon citrus with honey-tinged saffron and acacia, gorse flowers and delicate spice. Quite defined texture, almost tactile. So unusual. Richly curved and creamy but finishing long and lifted and fine. I know I get a bit romantic, but sipping this is like turning the pages of an ancient story book complete with hand-painted pictures. I fell in love with this wine! (TC)
VINUM MAGAZINE GERMANY (May 2010) Verfuehrerische Aromatik, zeigt Fuelle, endet angenehm fruchtig und mineralisch. Zuverlaessig und gefaellig. 2010-2012
GRAND GUIDE DES VINS DE FRANCE 2011 Bettane & Desseauve
Limoux avec une acidité épurée, long et fin. La finale est soutenue par une pointe d’amertume présente.
LES MEILLEURS VINS DE FRANCE 2011 Gault & Millau
Limoux apparaît ici sur des touches de fruits blancs pochés et de miel d’acacia. La bouche se remarque par son amplitude et un fumé délicat délivrant une minéralité séduisante.
OCCITANIA 2007
LES MEILLEURS VINS DE FRANCE 2009:
Il associe la richesse sudiste et la fraîchure des amers limouxins. 2007 montre pour la première fois une grande fraîchure, délicat dans la finale amandée.
HUBRECHT DUIJKER, Netherlands Wine Writer:
Discovering this rare Limoux is an extraordinary pleasure. The 2007 tastes both firm and full, with juicy fruit of apples, pears and some citrus, while also offering mild vanilla, a soft spiciness, a hint of liquorice and some toast – a refreshing alternative for the ever-present chardonnay.
8CUVEE OCCITANIA 2006 No independent tasting notes exist for this vintage, as it was entirely bought by KLM for their World Business Class.
CUVEE OCCITANIA 2005
HUBRECHT DUIJKER; Flying Dutchman:
Een Limoux, Cuvée Occitania gedoopt, die dankzij het hout een zachte kruidigheid kreeg plus wat vanille en specerijen, allemaal extra’s die mauzacs eigen fruit van appel, peer en citrus completeren, wat dimensie geven.
Thanks to its vinification in oak, this Limoux called Cuvée Occitania, gets extra dimension and some vanilla and spicy complements to the mauzac’s natural fruit of apple, pear and citrus. »
JANCIS ROBINSON MW
Bravo! It has aged very convincingly – not unlike Chenin at this age. Dense, a bit toastier with a little bit more honey. This Mauzac character can certainly age in bottle. Really interesting. Their last bottle apparently… (tasted in 2009)
MIDI LIBRE based on jury’s verdict of the Concours des Grands Vins du Languedoc Roussillon:
« Beautiful nectar! From the very tops of its towers, Chateau Rives-Blanques has produced a Cuvée Occitania blessed with a beautiful robe of gold shot with light nuances of green. The nose is fine, elegant, subtly buttery. Notes of white flowers, gorse and ripe apricots dominate. The mouth is complex, with a touch of honey in the finish. Pure pleasure! »
Beau nectar! Du haut de ses tours, le chateau Rives-Blanques a produit, en 2005, une cuvée Occitania dotée d’une belle robe or avec des nuances vert très clair. Son nez est fin, élégant, subtilement beurré. Des notes de fleurs blanches, de genêts et d’abricots mûrs dominent. Sa bouche est complexe, avec une pointe de miel et une finale légèrement toastée. Que du bonheur!
LE GUIDE DES VINS 2008 – PATRICK DUSSERT-GERBER:
Joli Cuvée Occitania franc et floral, de bouche friande avec ces senteurs de garrigue.
DECANTER WORLD WINE AWARDS Jury’s Notes:
Lovely weight of fruit with floral hints and some peach. Good acidity.
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THE WINE DOCTOR (Chris Kissack)
A fascinating cuvée made from 100% Mauzac, barrel-fermented in French oak followed by ten months in same, a treatment very much in evidence when tasting. A well-coloured almost shimmering golden hue in the clear bottle and in the glass. A nose of oiled oak barrel with an appealing, honeyed, oatmeal character; this sort of seasoning may very well be necessary with this fairly neutral high-acid variety, although as this is the only example of pure Mauzac in existence I naturally have no prior experience! Very fresh impact on the palate, despite the overlay of mealy oak, helped by the expected but very well defined acidity. Nicely filled out on the palate, underpinned by some fairly obvious grippy oak tannin. Slowly fading finish. Good quality is evident here. Likely to show some benefit from a year or two in the cellar, I think.
FRANK VAN DER AUWERA; DM Magazine Belgium:
Wow! a 100% mauzac made from grapes that swing. Intensely straw-yellow, with a fine oak-touched bouquet, filled out with acacia-honey, apricots, Cape apples and nougat. Lovely and creamy in the mouth, with alot of peach and apricots, vanilla in the finish.A delicious food wine.
Wow, een 100% cuvée van Mauzac – druiven die swingen. Intens strogeel, met een naar fijne eik geurend boeket, aangevuld met acacia-honing, abrikozen, Kaapse appelen nougat. Lekker romig in de mond, met veelperzik en abrikoos, uitlopend in een vanillefinale. Heerlijke maaltijdwijn.
THE IRISH INDEPENDENT; Catherine Donnelly:
‘A full-flavoured white wine reminiscent of orchard fruits and nuts with good acidity’
DECANTER WORLD WINE AWARDS 2005 Judges’ Tasting Notes:
« Fresh lemony apple nose, pure, clean precise palette, well-crafted wine. »
LE GUIDE DES MEILLEURS VINS A PETITS PRIX 2006, la Revue du Vin de France:
« Doré aux nuances vertes, ce pur mauzac est un vie de culture qui ne plaira pas à tous, avec sa bouche très riche, son absence totale d’acidité et ses notes d’amande amère en finale. Une cuvée originale à servir jeune et fraiche. » (8/10)
LA REVUE DU VIN DE FRANCE:
« Bouche grasse, riche, tendue en fin de bouche. Le mauzac le plus équilibre…»
Full in the mouth, rich, lingering length. A most balanced mauzac