Extract from “La Vigne” - N°280 - November 2015

To expand its range of wines, Pierre Cros imported grape varieties from Italy and Portugal (Nebbiolo and Touriga nacional). He also rehabilitated traditional Mediterranean varieties long decried. [...]

“When I wanted to plant them in 1998, these two varieties were not yet enrolled in the French catalogue. I had to spar me for authorization in an experimental setting,”says the former rugby player who does not let adversity stop by.

Pierre Cros cultivates today seventeen varieties on the 22.5 ha of his farm located in Badens near Carcassonne. Being curious of what others are doing, he would just not do with the traditional varieties of the appellation Minervois, Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre. In 2001, he planted 1,5 acres of Nebbiolo and 2,5 acres of Touriga Nacional.

“I fell in love with the wines from Barolo, made from Nebbiolo. This grape has silky tannins and a lot of finesse and that’s what I am looking for,”he notes. He discovered Touriga nacional, known for its roundness and aromatic complexity, while travelling in the Dao region, in Portugal,. “It’s more powerful, more generous than Nebbiolo.”[...]

However, he fumbled quite a bit around to find the proper way of wine making. Carbonic maceration has not been successful. “Today, fermentation is done the traditional way, in wooden barrels, and aging is done in bottles.”

Field study with the Chamber of Agriculture

The Chamber of Agriculture has supervised the experimental plantations of Touriga Nacional and Nebbiolo from Pierre Cros.
“We bought grafts in from Italian and Portuguese nursery and produced the plants,” says Didier Viguier, head of plant production at the Chamber of Agriculture.
After accumulating the agronomic and oenological observations, the Chamber of Agriculture filed a registration for the French catalogue.

“Since 2012, these two varieties have been registered and can be planted by all in France,” Pierre Cros notes, not without satisfaction.

Burgundy is widely recognized as the wine region, that made Pinot Noir to what it is today: The probably most noble grape variety in the world! Worshipping its taste and flavors has driven winemakers to spread the grape variety around the globe, and to mainly grow it in cool, Burgundy-like areas: New Zealand, Victoria and Tasmania in Australia, Oregon in the United States ...Therefore, probably not any reasonable person would get the idea planting Pinot noir in the Minervois with its Mediterranean climate. And yet it grows there...



Pierre has planted his Pinot noir vineyard many years ago. Just for the love of the grape variety and the wine. And ... it grows, making shoots, leaves and pretty grapes every year! I admit that the first years were not easy. Due to the rocky, dry terroir, he had to wait five years to pick the very first grapes, instead of the usually three years. But it was worthwhile to wait. Now, the vines seem to have found balance under the Mediterranean sun for some years, producing delicate, fine wines.

Last night I opened a bottle from the vintage 2010. A pure Pinot Noir, fermented in open vats and matured in oak barrels. A touch of old leather on the nose, mixed with fragrants of sweet cherries and some spices. Soft and round on the palate, with fresh acidity and a hint of sweetness. Pleasant length, beautiful perfume, the taste buds really enjoy!

As a side dish for CARNIVORES & HERBIVORES, I recommend to have look at all sorts of medium-mature soft cheese. Or why not try a simple chocolate cake with cherry-liquor flavoured whipped cream?

This wine “entirely made by hand” exists since 14 years. The vineyards which he comes from accumulate almost 400 years. Its composition almost was heresy in the beginning of this millennium, as proves the story that sounded the death warrant of its predecessor: an AOC MINERVOIS from the vintage 1999, made only from PICPOUL NOIR. Sales of this product were officially banned, due to the grape variety it was made from. PICPOUL NOIR however is an official grape variety of MINERVOIS and several other prestigious appellations, such as CHATEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE. A stroke of luck, finally, because this incident aroused the envy of PIERRE to go even further and create this unique blend, entirely made from prohibited, unpopular and unloved varietals (PICPOUL NOIR, ARAMON, ALICANTE & CARIGNAN).

Today, some of these varietals almost have disappeared from the map. They were partly replaced by other varieties, so called « improving varieties ". This seems to have led to a reduction of the diversity in French vineyards and in consequence to a certain loss of variety in tastes over the last 40 years. Only 10 grape varieties now cover 70% of the vineyard area cultivated in France, with a total of 40 varieties playing an important role economically.

On Vinparleur we defend a very simple policy: we love all grape varieties, without any exception. The more, the better!

To convince those who are still in doubt, please find here our impression of PIERRE CROS’ MAL AIMÉS (THE UNLOVED) 2012:

Clear garnet color, slightly hazy due to bottling without filtration, this Vin de France (formerly Vin de Table) impresses with its intense and bright bouquet of red and black fruits, especially marked by the luscious fruity-vegetal character of Cassis and a handful of black olives. In bottles for two years, it opens in a few minutes, enriching its bouquet with aromas of pastry and a little cocoa. The mouth is rather light and smooth with a refreshing acidity. Low in tannins, this wine still has a beautiful silky structure and slight tanin grip giving length and character. Drink now, or cellar for another 2-3 years.

HERBIVORE SUPPORT eggplant lasagna, without an hesitation!
CARNIVORE SUPPORT You’ll be spoiled for choice: grilled lamb chops, black pudding, roast pork, raw ham, boar pâté, coq au vin ...

PS FOR THE CURIOUS, here are some figures for these varieties:
ARAMON: 150 230 hectares planted in 1958 - 9084 hectares in 2004.
Carignan: It covered 43% of Languedoc-Roussillon’s vineyards in 1979, against 13.5% in 2010.
PICPOUL NOIR: some residual 200 hectares planted in 1990.
If you add details of these varieties with the surfaces of CINSAULT NOIR, TERRET and GRENACHE BLANC, ALICANTE BOUCHET and MACABEU these traditional varieties of the Mediterranean vineyards add a drop of 260 000 hectares between 1979 and 2010 ...

Wine from Champagne becomes popular at the French and the English court during the XVII. Century. At this time the wines are without any bubbles and sometimes red.

Rather light and poorly structured, their storage in oak barrels doesn’t always work out as desired. A major dilemma for the wine growers. Fortunately, the British diplomat Sir Kenelm Digby invents the wine glass bottle in 1632. A great relief for the winemakers, who trust cork sealed glass bottles for wine storage rather than unreliable oak barrels from now on. Furthermore, early bottling of the wines has the advantage that freshness and flavours are well preserved. But there are also disadvantages. The wines tend to finish fermentation of residual sugars in the spring. This liberates carbon-dioxide in the bottles and the still wines mute to sparkling. At least as long as the cork resists to the rising pressure the bottles will not explode. Due to this “suicidal tendencies” the wines acquire the title of “the Devil’s wine” amongst producers. But the English love those new wines! That much, they bring it over to England in barrels, just to re-ferment it in bottles. They even add in sugar to get more “bubbles”. Thus, we might admit, that English wine-lovers lay the foundation for a second fermentation, still used in modern “Méthode Champenoise” (with a little more expertise than 400 years ago of course).

It was the famous monk from Hautvilliers Dom Pérignon (1638 - 1715) himself, who began to organise the manufacturing process of sparkling wines, bringing home some ideas he got on a pilgrimage to Limoux in southern France, where the still famous “Blanquette de Limoux” was already made for quite some time. For instance, he generalizes the use of “assemblage” in Champagne (assemblage = blending different grapes, origins or even vintages. In France, the latter is only allowed for Champagne!). He also orders pressure-resistant bottles made of thicker glass and fixes the cork during secondary fermentation with a string of hemp. Despite all this, it takes another two centuries, before Louis Pasteur reveals the mystery fermentation and to improve the process of making Champagne…

Nowadays, Champagne mainly uses three varieties to make its wines: Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay. The wines are blends for a large part: Different varieties, different terroirs, several vintages. Of course varietal champagne also exists (the famous “blanc de blancs” for example, only made from Chardonnay), as well as vintage Champagne, made from grapes exclusively picked in a specific year (about 10% of total production).

Geographically, we distinguish 4 terroirs, which may all produce Champagne:

The “Montagne de Reims” with its chalky subsoil and Pinot Noir planted as the main grape variety.
The “Vallée de la Marne”, whose soils of limestone, clay and marl (“marnes” in French) are planted mainly with Pinot meunier.
The “Côtes des Blancs” south of Epernay, whose chalky soils point out the excellence of Chardonnay grapes.
The “Côte des Bar”, situated in the more southern department “Aube”, with its marly soils and Pinot noir vines.

After uncorking the bottle I stay perplex, even thinking I took the wrong bottle. But after studying the label again there is no doubt: This is the first vintage of Pierre Cros’ Pinot noir. Let me explain: The first vintage of this Pinot was 2003. A small cuvee of only 3 barrels, that Pierre filled at the same time as his pure Grenache. In the beginning, both wines were labelled “Pierre-Henry”, with only one difference: On the Grenache label the vintage and the AOC Minervois were mentioned, whereas the Pinot was filled as a Vin de Table without vintage. Today the Grenache is still labelled Pierre-Henry, while the Pinot noir forms the Liberté-trio with Pierres Nebbiolo and Touriga nacional.

Back to the wine. The 2003 vintage was often told to be too hot for great wines, even more for Pinot noir. But the wine in my glass just proofs the opposite: A beautiful slightly orange garnet colour, a intense and elegant nose of dried apricots and currants, cedar wood, liquorice, cherry and a hint of mint. I just can’t take my nose off the glass!

On the palate it’s even gets better: Smooth and fresh, almost refreshing, with an astonishing structure of fine and soft tannins, slightly mellow, with aromas similar to the nose, spices and cocoa in addition.
After 24 hours, the wines tastes as magic as the day before. The range of flavours has become more complex, showing honey, thyme and blond tobacco, showing a tad of oxidation. But that’s neither surprising (it’s Pinot a last…) nor bothering at all.

Fragrance, power and taste made me think of a Grenache wine at first, suggesting I took the “wrong” Pierre-Henry. But after all, it’s not the first time I find similarities between old Grenache and old Pinot wines. Is Grenache the Pinot noir of the south, or Pinot noir rather the Grenache of the north? I don’t know, but for sure this southern Pinot noir 2003 is a great wine from a great vintage!

A Pinot noir from the South, growing in a rocky place called “Les Aspres”, which means “arid” in Catalan. I promise that he doesn’t smell like a Pinot from the north. It’s not an substitute for Burgundy wines and you still will find many reasons to purchase wine from the vineyards around Beaune…

The wine has its peculiar style, its own character. A lot of fruit, Kirsch, black and red currant… a slight smell of yeast, pastry, vanilla and cinnamon. A couple of months of ageing in used oak barrels might be the reason for this. I have always been impressed by the ardour and power of this Pinot, without getting heavy or thick. Some vintages may present a little warmth, but not this 2011.

After 24 hours of opening, the wine still tastes very well: powerful fruit, sweet spices and some fresh green aromas, as well as a very high “drinkability”.
In its youth, this Pinot noir is THE perfect wine for a Saturday lunch or a Tuesday night dinner! But you may as well leave it in your cellar for several years. You’ll be surprised…

Although one of the most planted grape varieties in the world (around 200.000 hectares), Grenache is still unknown to a great number of wine drinkers, being in the shadow of the star varieties for the last decades – Cabernet & Co. Probably originating from Spain (named Garnacha there), it spreads all across the Mediterranean area during the late 19^th century, where it produces some highly renowned wines today: Gigondas and Chateauneuf-du-Pape in the Rhone Valley, Priorat and Rioja in Spain, the wines from the Languedoc and Roussillon area, Provence…

Indeed, a great number of the world’s Grenache vineyards are based in France and Spain (some 85%), but also with growing success in other wine countries and regions, like South Australia and in California. Here the Rhone Rangers are advocates for this traditional Mediterranean grape variety as a great source of good wine.

Grenach wines often have a reputation of being powerful “fruit bombs”. This, in many cases istrue: Smooth and pleasantly mellow and smells of raspberry and strawberry… But they can be different, and a lot of wine lovers appreciate Grenache for its ability to ally power, delicacy, high aromatic complexity, fine tannins and an endless final.
To create these wines, you need great terroirs and attentive wine makers besides an interesting grape variety.

Lonesome rider and team worker

In certain wine regions, like the Rhone Valley for example, Grenache dares to overshadow Syrah and Mourvèdre. But even if it seems to rule out all other grapes in the Rhone Valley, it also appreciates good company. In many wines you will find Grenache accompanied by “old” and “new” grape varieties, really appreciating their characters: The fruitiness of Cinsault, the straight acidity of Carignan, the serious tannins of Mourvèdre in red and rosé wines, but also the powerful aromas of Viognier or the citric character of Vermentino in white wines.
But Grenache seems to have a particular affection towards Syrah. This highly appreciated grape variety seduces by its dark, mysterious colour, by aromas reaching from violet and raspberry to truffle and tobacco in old wines, and its legendary elegance that may temper the ardour of a Mediterranean Grenache.
But Grenache blends also popular outside of France. One of the best examples are the Australian “GSM” wines, inspired by the Rhone Valley and made of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre.

The Pinot noir of the south?

Grenache has indeed some aspects in common with the famous grape variety from Burgundy.
First: Both grape varieties are grown in three different colours - blanc, gris and noir, or white, grey and black – and their grapes are processed to white, red and rosé wines.
Second: Both are very delicate grape varieties and their entire potential of taste and odour may be only unveiled by skilful hands.
Third: Characterized by light colour and powerful fruit aromas, both varieties may surprise by smells of spices and flowers in white and red wines.

But let’s turn back to our sunny Grenache. It’s true that Grenache wines may be high in alcohol in warm wine regions, with 14 to 15 % by Vol. frequently being found. But luckily for us, the alcohol content is not that important, as the taste of the wine mainly depends on balance.
Yves Gras, a wine grower and maker from Gigondas once told me, that “the secret of a great terroir is to preserve acidity in our Grenache grapes”. Just another secret of great wines…

Finally, I can’t but warmly recommend having a look on Grenache wines. Just taste them and make up your own opinion. Your taste buds surely will appreciate the experience!