October’s Superstar Wine of the Month

Every month a member of the Noble Vines team chooses a special wine to write about.  This month Simona has chosen the 2008 Camplazens La Garrigue.  Read what she has to say about it!

I first tried this wine in the summer of 2008, and it still impresses me.  It fills me with the whimsical desire to own my own vineyard, to stroll through the vines at sunset, pick my own fruit in the little orchard alongside the estate, collect fresh eggs from the happy, roaming chickens, and produce a wonderful, critically acclaimed wine… Oh the possibilities! (Stop me now!)

But it can happen, and one of my most interesting meetings at the London International Wine Fair in recent memory was with Susan and Peter Close, owners of the Chateau Camplazens Estate and makers of a super wine called La Garrigue. Originally from the North of England, this couple moved to La Clape in Coteaux de Languedoc to pursue their passion for wine (and great food) in this idyllic location.

Their mission was to develop this beautiful estate and produce wines with real personality, full of the flavours and aromas of Mediterranean France. The Closes have put heart and soul into this wine, adopting low yield, organic viticulture and modern vinification techniques.

La Garrigue is used to describe the low-growing, scented vegetation particular to the Mediterranean coast. Bushy, fragrant plants grow wild on the limestone hills and fill the air with herbal aromas. The wine of the same name is made from a blend of 60% Syrah, 30% Grenache, and 10% Carignan – the three grape varieties that dominate this part of France. Pungent aromas of thyme and myrtle alongside red plum flavours and a sweet, spicy note make this a juicy, well-balanced wine that you won’t forget in a hurry.

It would go wonderfully well with a summer barbeque, but if you’re feeling intrepid, why not try it with some cured cheeses, and let us know what you think!

Price approximately £ 12.00 per bottle.  Available online.  Click here to visit the Camplazens website.

Posted on 1st October 2013 by Simona.