France | Postcards From Here and There

Saint Guilhem Le Désert

Saint Guilhem Le Désert is a small, picturesque village in the Hérault Valley in the Languedoc region of Southern France. It sits on the pilgrim route (The Way of Saint James) to Santiago de Compostela in Spain and is regarded as one of the prettiest villages in the country and it is easy to see why. Home to a population of only 250 people it can trace its origins back well over a thousand years, it is truly a medieval village. It has narrow, winding streets which offer some shade from the hot Languedoc sun and which are perfect for wandering. Many of the shops are now selling principally to visiting tourists but you do get a flavour of how it once was.

The village sits at the place where the Gallone river valley meets the Hérault River gorge.The approach from the Devils Bridge (Pont du Diable) is dramatic with the steep sides of the gorge and the fast flowing river.

The centre piece of the village is The Abbaye de Gellone which was founded in 804 although the building you see today dates from the middle of the eleventh century. The abbey fell into decline in the eighteenth century but has been restored back to its former glory.

The village can get very busy, especially in the summer months and there is little parking available. A better option is to park at the large car park for the Pont du Diable and beach which you approach on the D27 when travelling from Aniane. There is a visitors centre, café and toilets here as well as a free shuttle bus which will take you directly to the village. Buses run every 30 minutes and the journey takes just a few minutes.

The Pont du Diable is well worth having a look at. It was built by Benedictine monks to link together the abbey in nearby Aniane with the abbey in the village. It crosses the river as the Hérault gorge ends and begins to widen out. Downstream from the bridge, at the visitors centre, you can hire kayaks to explore the area.

Mas de Daumas Gassac

Mas de Daumas Gassac is an iconic estate in the Herault Valley and has been called the Languedoc’s first growth. Aimé Guibert bought the property from the Daumas family in the early 1970s. He was advised by a Geography professor at Bordeaux University that the area was ideal for the growing of grapes and the first vines were planted here in 1972. The first vintage was produced six years later under the guidance of renown oenologist Emile Peynaud.

The Languedoc gets very hot during the summer months but the estate has a unique micro climate. Vines are planted on north facing slopes so avoiding the extremes of day time temperatures, grapes are also cooled during the night by a cooling breeze which blows down the valley. As a consequence grapes ripen slower and harvesting is later that much of the Languedoc region.

The vines are all low yielding clones and for red the principal planting is Cabernet Sauvignon but Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Merlot, Syrah, Tannat, Petit Verdot and Carmenere are also grown along with some very rare varieties. For the white wine Chardonnay, Viognier, Petit Manseng and Chenin Blanc make up 90% of the planting but the remaining 10% includes some fourteen other, rare varieties.

The cellar has been built on the site of an old Gallo-Roman mill. Two natural cold water springs run underneath the foundations to produce a cool environment without the need for expensive air conditioning.

Red wines are aged in oak barrels, one seventh of which are replaced on a rolling programme each year. This means that only a small percentage of the wine sees new oak in any given year.

The tasting room is open everyday from 10.00-1200 and 14.00-18.00 except Sundays and Public Holidays. Tastings are conducted in both French and English.

The property is not easy to find using satnav, ours initially took us to the centre of Aniane. If you are heading from Gignac towards Aniane on the D32 you are looking for a right turn onto the D32E2. From here you will pick up signs to the estate which is about a 2Km drive on a road which is quite narrow in places.

Mas de Daumas Gassac. Rosé Frizant. 2018. A blend with 70% Cabernet Sauvignon from young vines. Salmon pink and crystal clear. Fresh with red fruits and some residual sweetness. Gentle carbonation. A very nice aperitif.

Mas de Daumas Gassac. 2017. A blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon along with almost twenty other varieties.Black fruits, savoury, spicey, with a hint of chocolate and herbs. Has freshness but is well balanced. A great wine.

Mas de Daumas Gassac 2016. A blend with 73% Cabernet Sauvignon. Fruit driven with black, plummy fruit and a rich savoury spice. Elegant and complex. Excellent

Mas de Daumas Gassac Blanc. 2018. Viognier 35%, Petit Manseng 22%, Chardonnay 16% and Chenin Blanc 10% with the remaining 10% mad up with fourteen other rare varieties. Peach to the front and then apricot and orange join in. The balance and texture are lovely. It is complex and has an incredibly long finish. Excellent.

Mas de Daumas Gassac. Vin de Laurence. 2011. Only made in exceptional vintages, this is only the fourth since 1997. Produced by a double fermentation, firstly with Serial grapes and then with late harvested Muscat Petit Grains. The blended wine is then aged for between 8 and 10 years in oak barrels. Sherry like with masses of sweet peach, apricot, honey and orange marmalade. The serial gives it a lovely freshness. Complex and very drinkable .Excellent.

Chateau de Pennautier

Chateau de Pennautier is located just 5Km from the medieval city of Carcassonne.and sits in the relatively new appellation of Cabardès. The current owners, Nicolas and Miren de Lorgeril, are tenth generation winemakers and took over the estate in 1987. They currently manage 102 hectares producing AOC Cabardès and 80 hectares producing vin de pays. The family also have estates in other Languedoc appelations. Vineyards are largely on the slopes of the nearby Black Mountains between 230-360m of elevation. Vineyards are planted to Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot, Chardonnay, Cinsault, Grenache and Syrah.

Cabardès is a relatively new appellation having been created in 1999 for the production of red and rosé wines. It is the only appellation in France that allows the blending of grapes from Mediterranean climates, such as Grenache and Syrah, with grapes from Atlantic climates, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Estates must grow 50% of its grapes from each region and wines must be a blend of both.

Chateau de Pennautier is well geared up for visitors. There is a wine trail trough the property, daily cellar tours, wine tasting in the boutique and an excellent restaurant. Tours take place twice a day in the summer months but are very popular and should therefore be booked in advance. The restaurant, La Table du Chateau, is open for lunch and dinner every day in July and August but has restricted opening out of the main holiday months. It is therefore well worth checking opening hours on their website.

Wine tasting is available in the boutique between 10.00 -19.00 Monday to Saturday and 10.00 – 17.00 on a Sunday.

La Rosée d’été. Vin de Pays d’Oc. 2018. Pale sale,on pink in appearance. Red fruits with floral notes. The palate is crisp and fresh with a finish of soft red fruits.

Chateau de Pennautier Rosé. Cabardès. 2018. A blend of Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cinsault. Nice weight and balance with strawberry, cranberry and blackcurrant fruits.

Petit Marquis de Pennautier. Vin de Pays d’Oc. 2018. A blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier and Chardonnay Fermented in stainless steel. Nose is aromatic and peachy. Dry and crisp with a lovely lime citrus finish.

Marquis de Pennautier. Terroir d’Altitude Chardonnay. 2015. Vin de Pays d’Oc. Fermented in oak for 3 weeks then aged in oak for 10 months. The nose is delightful, tropical, stone fruit, honey and vanilla. Nicely balanced with lovely fresh acidity backed with a buttery texture. Very nice indeed.

Chateau de Pennautier. Terroir d’Altitude. Cabardès. 2014. A blend of Syrah, Merlot, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Aged for one year in second season oak. Nose is very Bordeaux blend in nature with a savoury core. The palate is medium bodied with nice freshness. Very drinkable.

L’Esprit de Pennautier. Cabardès. 2015. A blend of 50% Merlot, 40% Syrah and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. A good depth of colour showing hints of maturity at the rim. Plummy black fruit, tobacco with a hint of mint. Palate is round, rich and complex. Tannins are softening. Nicely balanced. Very good.