Previous readers of my blog will know I have a slight soft spot for the wines of Languedoc & Roussillon. It was due to these wines - particularly the reds - discovered during family holidays to the South of France in my teenage years that I first fell in love with wine, and began my ongoing journey of vinous voyage and discovery. It's always comforting to know you're in good company - and the lure of France's Deep South has also proved irresistible for many great winemakers and château owners over the years. This certainly holds true for perhaps the most famous name in French wine - Baron Eric de Rothschild - who purchased Château d'Aussières just before the turn of the millennium. So attracted to the region was he, the Baron commented that Aussières was "a place of wild, natural beauty, that emanates tremendous power, and whose terroir has exceptional potential". Thus, the modern day Château d'Aussières was born, with its first vintage released in 2003.
Compared to other estates, Château d'Aussières is a relative behemoth. At 550ha in size, Aussières is certainly one of the larger estates you'll come across in the Corbières appellation, although the rugged and wild nature of the estate means that only (!) 170ha is suitable for viticulture. In the vineyards, the varieties planted include the traditional Languedoc varieties of Syrah, Grenache, Carignan and Mourvèdre, alongside the Bordeaux varieties of Cabernets Sauvignon and Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Roughly two-thirds of the vineyard is utilised in the production of AC wine, whilst the remaining third is given over for the estate's 'Pays d'Oc' wines - Aussières Rouge and Blanc (from Chardonnay).
The eponymous wine of the estate represents the
grand vin, of which 10,000 cases are produced each vintage. It is classified as AC Corbières, meaning the Bordeaux varieties don't play a part in the blend. Around 40% of the wine is aged for 12-16 months in 50% new oak, allowing for a lengthy and balanced aging process before release. The defining viticultural factor of Aussières is its majority north-facing vineyards, meaning that the estate produces wines slightly atypical to the generally warm climate Corbières region. Due to the cooler site, the winemaking team are conscious that acid retention in the grapes is never an issue, yet the grapes require additional time on the vines to reach full sugar and physiological ripeness.
I'd long been eager to sample Château d'Aussières since I came across the estate in reading, and I managed to snap up a couple of bottles of the 2010 vintage through fine wine merchants Lay & Wheeler. 2010 was a standout vintage across much of France and this was no different in Languedoc & Roussillon: Robert Parker gave the region an impressive 94 points. On the 2010 Aussières itself, Andrew Jefford in Decanter magazine was highly complementary. In a vertical tasting across the estate's vintages, he reserved his highest score of 93 for the 2010 vintage, remarking: "The nose is packed-out with ripe, warm black fruits which are promisingly understated at this stage and will continue to develop and build; the palate has real weight, drive and grandeur, with soft, ample tannins and resonant, liquorice-root depths."
On sampling the wine myself, I was immediately struck by its quality and craftsmanship. A deep ruby in glass, the wine's aromas reminded me of everything I love about Corbières: rich, jammy blackcurrant; heady, liquorous notes of cassis and nuances of wild herbs. These flavours were mirrored on the palate, with hints of black pepper perhaps reflecting the wine's high Syrah content (65%). Looking back through my tasting notes, one word I kept repeating was 'balance' - a quality which can sometimes be overlooked in the region's rustic, hearty wines. In this sense, the Aussières was atypical: yes, the flavours were intense, the body full and the alcohol present, but all these elements were in perfect harmony with the acidity, which brought a marked freshness to the wine and which brings such promise of longevity in the future. Tasted seven years from vintage, the 2010 Aussières is silky, luscious and hedonistic. Seven years hence, it may well be even more spectacular.
On reflection, the 2010 Château d'Aussières serves to reinforce a commonly-held theory that a combination of great terroir, great winemaking and a great vintage will only ever result in great wine. The fact that this particular wine displays the assets and attributes of the viticultural paradise of Languedoc & Roussillon only serves to make it more special for me. As Baron Eric said after purchasing the Château, Aussières is an estate that emanates "exceptional potential". On the basis of tasting the 2010, it seems as if the Baron's predictions have been realised.
Although still a relatively recent phenomenon, the concept of a
'second wine' in Bordeaux is nevertheless now firmly established. With
the astronomical sums being demanded for the region's top classed
growths, the second wine really does make sense: invariably, these are
wines with an earlier drinking window, perhaps crafted from younger
vines or using a higher percentage of Merlot, and which spend less time
in oak and are consequently lighter in style. In short, the second wine
should offer the consumer a taste of the estate's showpiece offering,
without burning too much of a hole in the pocket.
