Les Terres Salées de Christophe Barbier

In august the shop shuts and we go away on holiday; this year in desperate search of sunshine.  The first part of our quest took us to Valras Plage where indeed we did discover the heat of summer, along with many thousands of others.  We went knowing that this would be the case but we were going to be joining our very good friends from the UK who had booked their accommodation and asked us along.  For me this was an excellent opportunity to visit some vineyards and show my friend around. 

The first place we visited was Domaine Preignes the home of Petit Pont.  Situated close to the airport at Bezier this is where Jerôme Vic and his team make one of the best value wines around.  Petit Pont Rouge is certainly a bestseller and has every reason to be.  The domaine is very welcoming and there are tours available.  I took a look around and was impressed with what I saw.

The next area we visited was the rocky lump known as La Clape.  This chunk of land, that was once an island but is now joined to the mainland due to the deposits laid down by the Aude, is one of the hot properties of the Languedoc.  Amongt the big names exploiting the mineral rich land, it was good to meet Christophe Barbier who is creating a few gems of his own at Château Bouisset.  The first wines we tried go by the name Les Cabanes named after the little fishing shacks that line the banks of the Aude as is it welcomed by the Mediterranean.  There are red, white and rosé versions.  The wines are simple yet they have character that is so often lacking in entry level wines.  Les Cabanes Rouge, a blend of Syrah, Merlot and Grenache, is what I call typically French.  I have a friend (I know that makes two) who is a purveyor of some of the finest wines known to man; he enjoys this wine, “that country wine” as he puts it, said with the greatest of respect.  It was extremely hot outside the tasting room and the refreshing fruit of the Cabanes Blanc was delightful, again this is a no frills white, 100% chardonnay, which is perfect with some freshly caught fish at lunch time.

 Moving on to the more serious stuff we tried the Domaine Simonet Bourboulenc.  Firstly a few words on the grape variety that maybe unfamiliar to some of us.  It most likely originates from Greece but now resides in southern France where it is used in blends in Provence, Rhone Meridonal (including Châteauneuf-du-Pape) and Languedoc.  During the 1970s the number of hectares planted with Bourboulenc diminished but has been increasing of late due to the developing importance of wine from Minervois and Corbieres and particularly the wine coming from La Clape.  It is a late ripening grape that maintains its acidity, enjoys life on the plateau at the foot of the hillsides and often isn’t harvested until October.  The grapes are large on a tightly packed bunch, it is susceptible to rot but the risk is minimal for the Domaine Simonet vineyards due to the proximity to the sea.  This wine has charming floral aromas with a touch of almond on the palate.  The balance is impeccable, the zesty quality and the ripeness of the fruit reminiscent of pear and apple crumble, combine perfectly.  It is very easy to drink with a salade pêcheur or a sole lightly grilled with a sprinkling of caramelised onion.

So logically we then tried Les Terres Salées Blanc.  This is a Vin de Pays des Coteaux de Pérignan, Pérignan being the old name for the town of Fleury, the commune which is the gateway to La Clape. Again this wine is 100% Bourboulenc, however the vineyards for this wine are on the flood plains next to the Aude, 1ha of ancient salt marsh.  The lower layers of the soil are therefore rich in salt and to prevent it rising, during the winter the sluice gates are opened, flooding the area with freshwater.  The combination of flooding and the salt prevents the bug phylloxera creeping in.  This gives Christophe Barbier the opportunity to plant vignes that are franche de pied, that is, not grafted onto American root stock.  This wine has the same qualities as its younger brother and then some.  The nose is gently floral – hawthorne in spring; the fruit is mixed with a touch of honey.  The careful use of new barrels gives richness and a creamy finish coupled with the obvious mineral structure making this a wine that definitely deserves your attention.  If you have the time and the finances try making a bouillabaisse as the perfect partner to this wine.

Christophe Barbier also produces a red wine on the planes, Les Terres Salées Rouge, no prizes for guessing the name.  Made from 100% Merlot, the vines are subjected to the same treatment as the Bourboulenc.  The grapes are hand picked and then carefully sorted.  Malolactic fermentation takes place in barrels as the wines rests on the lies until spring before it is transferred to new barrels where it matures until bottling in January.  The aromas are magnificent, full of ripe dark fruit with a punch of spices; on the palate the fruits combine with the soft vanilla tannins and a touch of liquorice, the length has the obvious saline tang.  These were our impressions of a newly opened bottle.  Then we tried the same wine after it had been decanted in to a carafe 1 or 2 days before.  What a difference, but does it improve?  That depends on your preference and highlights the fact that wine drinking is subjective.  Had it got better with this time in the decanter?  I’m just saying it certainly changed.  The spices had softened and the fruit flavours became more complex but equally pronounced, as did the finish which showed nuances of cinnamon and aniseed and possibly got longer, hard to say.

Before the Terres Salées Rouge we tried the Château Bouisset Les Bécassines (AOP Coteaux du Languedoc La Clape).  This wine comes from vines that are up on the slopes.  It is a blend of Grenache and Syrah; a generous wine with plenty of freshness and ripe fruit on the nose.  In the mouth the wine is vibrant but doesn’t over do the lively characteristics.  It is a wine that is ready to be enjoyed.

We left Château Bouisset, having tried the complete range, Les Cabanaes, Domaine de Simonet, Les Bécassines and les Terres Salées, back out into the midday heat to find some shade for us to pontificate the afternoon away, we are good at that.