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Corbières is a wine region to the west side of the south of France, within the Languedoc. Red wines are made from the usual suspects of Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault and Mourvedre. There are some very impressive winemakers in the region, turning out really excellent and top quality wines, but generally, the wines are pretty average, although with interesting, herbal flavours. These flavours come from the blending of grapes, but also from the lavender, rosemary and other gnarled bushes that dot the arid garrigues and do transmit some of their aromas to the grapes.
The vast majority of wine produced is red, but Marks and Spencer sent a bottle of white, which we really enjoyed. It smelt of lime flowers, honey and grapefruit pith and was interestingly spicy and very tasty. It’s made from Grenache Blanc and Roussanne.
Our favourite red was Domaine Madelon 2004, which is £5.49 from Majestic, or £4.49 if you buy 2, until 30th October. It smelt of toasty oak. We weren’t able to say that it tasted of anything in particular, just that it was better than the others – perhaps more balanced. The acidity was fresher, it had a touch more sugar, the flavours were deeper and we just liked it more.
Morrisons Organic Corbières 2004 is £5.79 and it had a very attractive smell of oak and herbal blackcurrant. It was spicy and oaky in the mouth and Alex found it comfortably warming. Most wines were around 13% and only one felt hot in the mouth.
Marks and Spencer’s Red Corbières 2004 is £5.79 and smelt of sweet vanilla and chocolate. The smell promised something rather New Worldy and so the taste, which was very French and dry, was almost a disappointment. It was herbal and just as it should be, but the smell led us to expect more.
Chateau Pech-Latt 2004 is £5.99 from Waitrose. This was different from the other wines. The aroma was intense and concentrated – rather like bramble syrup. It was powerful in the mouth with high tannin, rich flavours and 14% alcohol, which we found hot, when compared to the others. We felt it was made with attitude and perhaps a higher budget. Atypical and not really what we wanted, but perfectly well-made.
Our fifth favourite (out of 9) was Sainsbury’s own, which is £2.99. For that price, it wasn’t too bad. It smelt medicinal and of dark chocolate and tasted baked. This smell turned to something quite burnt over the evening. Mont Tauch, from Somerfield smelt falsely of crème soda and vanilla. It was dry and short in the mouth. Domaine de la Perriere from Waitrose smelt of rubber and tasted baked. Our least favourite was Threshers’ own, which smelt like bags of frozen fruits of the forest and felt rough and dry in the mouth. Lorraine said it seemed to have been made in a lab.
Domaine Padelon 2005 – Majestic - £5.49/£4.49
Morrisons Organic 2002 - £5.79
Marks & Spencer’s 2004 - £5.79