We expats and europeans have to celebrate thanksgiving as we can….
Overcast day with a few droplets of rain.
The very last leaves on the grenache vines flaming yellow and orange.
A good and productive tasting of almost everything in the cellar from vintages 2013 and 2014.
Time for the highlight of the day: provencal lunch concocted by Lucienne and Eve who always surprise us with something different.
Meanwhile Luc rummages in the cellar of older bottles. He found a 1994 blanc reserve – still with a lot of freshness despite the round texture. Sort of burgundian. Then he shows a blanc 2003- it too has surprising freshness given the vintage (but mas de gourgonnier harvested so early , and in 2003 the white really didn’t suffer from the ‘canicul’. This wine proves that….)
The Menu is composted of an appetizer of green salad with truffles harvested the day before by Luc and his dog Diablo.
Local Pork rack of pork cooked at a low temperature with stewed fennel. With the porc, Luc and Lucienne who had just returned from the reunion island served a hachard, a condiment made with Ginger and heart of palm – delicately and aromatically spicy, a touch of exotic sunshine tinging the provencal cuisine. And it went wonderfully with the 1982 red that was still kicking with perfumes, truffles and spice.We finished off with local goat cheese.
2014 is globally a good vintage for Mas de Gourgonnier wines – both quantity and quality. Slightly later harvest than usual. Full phenolic ripeness and also comfortable acidities
In 2013, mas de gouronnnier suffered 35% less production across the bord because of cool weather during the flowering of the grenache vines.
Baux de provence blanc 2014
70% roll, 30% sauvignon. Tank made and aged.
Nose: very aromatic with crushed peach pits. Poachec peaches and pears.
Mouth: not as strict as in previous years. Red fruits topping salad of pears.Seems less sauvignon signatured. Very small harvest, limited quantity will be sold first come first serve. Only 100 cases total available for US. A rounder, fatter more southern styled wine than recent years More voluptuous and longer.
Les baux de provence Rose 2014
58% grenache, 22% cabernet sauvignon, 9% mourvedre, 6% cinsault, 5% syrah
Color: pink gold
Nose: a little closed because of recent (2 days bottling) bottling. Pink and black fruits. Thyme. Grapefruit.
Mouth: pink flowers, grapefruit rind. Meaty pink roses. Longer in the mouth than usual. 1.8 grRS/L= dry for French wines especially down south. End of mouth gives a suggestion by association of aromas of jelled raspberry and red current of sucrosity
Les baux de provence rouge 2013 (PV blend)
34%Grenache, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Syrah, 10% Carignan,1% Mourvedre
Nose: smoky and peppery. Black cherries. Olives and spring time garrigue as if the thyme and rosemary were fully flowering. A touch of black truffle.
Mouth: peppery red and black cherries. Purple plums. Spices and black olives drive the length. A gastronomic wine, where the first glass will call for a second one. A little more fruit drier than 2012 and a little less garrigue, except for the end of the mouth
Les baux de provence rouge Sans SO2 2013
Nose: chocolate and black olives
Mouth: concentrated, smooth tannins. Long and peppery. The best they have ever made. The 2014 is lighter in style.
There will be no Cle de paradis 2013 because of the small size of the crop.
Les baux de provence rouge Reserve 2012
Nose: lots of purple things. Liquorish and black pepper. Forest floor and black mushrooms.
Mouth: supple. Spicy purple plums. Less over ripe than usual
Les Baux de Provence Olive oil 2014
Spring frost almost decimated the entire crop. They say there is not enough to export. A few bottles may make it though…
(from left to right, Fred Cartier, Eve Cartier, Luc Cartier, Lucienne Cartier, PV, EV, and PL)
Saltpepperlime 