Wine Notes. Domaine Laborie These wine notes were created on 08-Jun-2018.

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1 page 1 Domaine Laborie 2012 Genius and flair still flourish in the Languedoc, where the combination of climate, geology and wider boundaries allows for some wonderful wines to be made, often with much character and a great aptitude for food matching. Value for money here remains second to none. This is a simple, unpretentious red made from grenache, carignan and syrah and comes from two co-operatives, one in St Chinian and one in the Minervois. Product Code FC24121 Dominant Grape Carignan Grenache Product Type Red Wine Drink Dates 2013 to 2014 Origin Languedoc - Roussillon Alcohol Level 12.5% Style not applicable Closure type Screwcap Producer : LGI LGI was the brainchild of Alain Grignon, formerly of the Foncalieu co-operative group, who had the vision of making inexpensive wines designed specifically for the export market. In this he was helped at the beginning by English merchant, and ex- Waitrose buyer, Mark Lynton. Most of the wines are sourced from a number of cooperatives, mostly along an axe between Carcassonne and Béziers with some fruit also coming from Limoux and from further away in Gascony. The winemaking and bottling is supervised by Xavier Roger, a Sancerrois and recently promoted to chief executive. The core business remains at entry-level prices, which, for The Society, means delicious wines like Domaine Laborie, Domaine Raynier and the marsanne-viognier blend, Pierre Borde, but LGI is also able to act as broker for several top estates. For The Society, this includes Domaine Barroubio in Saint-Jean de Minervois and Christophe Barbier in La Clape.

2 page 2 Saint-Chinian, Domaine Raynier 2012 Fresh, clean and crunchy with lovely red-fruit flavours from this large and somewhat diverse appellation between Minervois and Faugères. The countryside is hilly and sometimes quite wild, and in the extremely high temperatures of August and September grapes can reach very high levels of sugar, high enough to encourage a race between man and boar, as to who gets the grapes first. Product Code FC24111 Dominant Grape Carignan Grenache Product Type Red Wine Drink Dates 2013 to 2015 Origin Languedoc - Roussillon Alcohol Level 13.5% Style Medium-bodied Closure type Cork, plastic The Society s French Full Red, Côtes Catalanes Quite rightly one of the most popular wines in our entire range. It comes from sunkissed Roussillon and is a blend of very ripe grenache, carignan and a little syrah, bought from a small co-operative in the well-situated valley of the Agly river. It is full-flavoured, fruity and round, and ideal for everyday drinking. Stunning quality at any price. Product Code FC371 Dominant Grape Carignan Grenache Product Type Red Wine Drink Dates Within two years of purchase Origin Languedoc - Roussillon Alcohol Level 14.0% Style Full-bodied Closure type Screwcap Vintage 2015 Price No longer for sale Producer : Château de Pena - See next page.

3 page 3 Producer : Château de Pena This is one of the smallest co-operatives in the region which has been able to survive thanks to good management and a belief in quality over everything else. Like many co-operatives and estates in the Roussillon, production had historically been geared towards fortified wine but they were able to anticipate the downturn and realign themselves towards table wine which includes their flagship red from Château de Pena. Very wisely, they resisted the temptation to replant with other grape varieties and so kept their large holdings of old carignan and grenache, a good amount of it planted not on appellation land but nonetheless very good. Over the years these vines have formed the base for the very successful Society's French Full Red. There has been a change of cellarmaster in the last two years but if anything that has been wholly positive.

4 page 4 Luberon Rouge, Notre Dame de Cousignac 2012 For many of us, the hills of Luberon represent Provence at its best, and it is certainly an area that attracts a huge number of tourists throughout the year. Tourism aside, agriculture plays an important part in the lives of the people here, and the higher slopes especially are often given over to vineyard. It is an area that has improved a great deal, and these improvements started when the Luberon was included in the area of Côtes-du-Rhône. The nights here are relatively cool and that is one reason why it is so good for planting the syrah grape. Here is a delightful syrah-grenache blend for everyday drinking. Product Code RH33911 Dominant Grape Grenache Syrah Product Type Red Wine Drink Dates 2013 to 2016 Origin Other Southern Rhone Wines Alcohol Level 14.0% Style not applicable Closure type Screwcap Domaine du Bosc Merlot 2011 Round, ripe Languedoc merlot with a hint of sweet plum fruit. Very easy-going. Product Code FC22551 Dominant Grape Merlot Product Type Red Wine Drink Dates 2012 to 2014 Origin Languedoc - Roussillon Alcohol Level 13.5% Style Medium-bodied Closure type Screwcap Vintage 2011 Price No longer for sale Producer : Domaine du Bosc - See next page.

5 page 5 Producer : Domaine du Bosc Situated in the Hérault department in southern France s Languedoc region, Domaine du Bosc is not far from the beautiful seaside resort Cap d Agde. It is a winemaking region steeped in history: Agde has actually been home to vines since the 5th century BC. This long winemaking history has been attributed to Agde s port, which meant that, unlike those in many areas of France, growers were able to export their wines to various Mediterranean countries from very early on. Their proximity to the sea provides the vines with a wonderful Mediterranean climate, with hot, dry summers and mild, sometimes wet autumns and winters. This part of the Languedoc sits on ancient lava flows that are very positive for the wines, allowing them to retain a good deal of freshness. The Besinet family were vine growers for many generations, originally owning vineyards in Montpellier. Pierre Besinet had trained as a chemical engineer and for many years worked in the north of France, far away from any vines. He returned on the death of his father, but very quickly decided to sell up and start somewhere else. Pierre became attracted to the volcanic soils around Agde and that is where he settled, creating Domaine du Bosc. At the time, the vineyard was planted with all manner of red grapes, and geared up for mass production; however, Pierre had the vision to start from scratch and planted other varieties. Starting with cabernet sauvignon and merlot, he was among the first to plant Bordeaux grapes, and then also planted grenache blanc. In time, he would add many more varieties, and to this day is still experimenting: recent additions have included petit verdot and petit manseng. Pierre made his reputation on fresh, clean-tasting, fruity wines. His background helped him make some quite radical changes, especially in the cellar, which was one of the first in the Languedoc to be thermo-regulated. He was also one of the first to adopt night time harvesting, especially for white grapes as a way of preserving fruit flavours and freshness. Today he is helped by winemaker Jean-Etienne Cros, a good friend of the Wine Society who used to manage his family s estate in Gaillac. The day to day running of the business is in the hands of Pierre s daughter Dominique though Pierre now well into his 80 s, still looks in.

6 page 6 Domaine de Gournier Cevennes Rouge 2012 A full-flavoured red from the Cévennes. Deeply coloured, vibrant and utterly gorgeous. Great for the price. Product Code FC24641 Dominant Grape Carignan Product Type Red Wine Drink Dates 2013 to 2015 Origin Languedoc - Roussillon Alcohol Level 13.0% Style not applicable Closure type Screwcap Producer : Domaine de Gournier - See next page.

7 page 7 Producer : Domaine de Gournier Domaine de Gournier is a large estate located off the beaten track in a relatively unknown part of southern France. It is situated in the foothills of the Cévennes mountains, which form a triangle in shape, with the medieval town of Uzès at its apex and its base comprising the city of Nîmes and the Pont du Gard. Its current owner, Maurice Barnouin, was born in Nîmes, and followed in his father's agricultural footsteps. Like him, he started his career growing fruit trees and vegetables, and opened a nursery that he still owns today. His father first bought Gournier in His agricultural career had led to him become something of an expert on vine rootstock and cloning, and he bucked the trend of using local hybrid grapes, choosing instead to plant international varieties. One of the first in the Cévennes to plant merlot and cabernet sauvignon, over time Maurice's father expanded the range to include sauvignon blanc and chardonnay. At the time, there was no cellar on the property, and the grapes were all being sold to the local co-operative. When Maurice took control of the domaine in the 1980s, he continued this practice, and remained focused on the vineyard. However, by 1983 disagreements with other members of the co-op meant he decided to stop working with them, and embarked on his own adventure. Of course, this meant he needed to build a cellar, and he took this as an opportunity to explore the technology available that could heighten the poor reputation of the region's winemaking. Over the years, he used his experience of working in wineries abroad to introduce methods that would increase his wine's quality levels. In September 2002, tragedy struck: a monumental flood destroyed much of the region's homes, vineyards and businesses. Maurice and his team had to be airlifted from the roof of the cellar, and when they returned, once the water had receded, they found that most of the domaine had been destroyed. Against considerable odds, Maurice remained positive, and although many of the houses are still being rebuilt, he has worked hard to create a new, stateof-the-art cellar.

8 page 8 Cotes du Roussillon Villages 2011 Ch de Pena A welcome burst of Midi sunshine from one of the Roussillon's leading co-ops. The varied make-up of the region's soils brings both complexity and a certain minerality to the wines. Product Code FC23211 Dominant Grape Carignan Grenache Product Type Red Wine Drink Dates 2012 to 2015 Origin Languedoc - Roussillon Alcohol Level 14.5% Style Medium-bodied Closure type Screwcap Vintage 2011 Price No longer for sale Producer : Château de Pena This is one of the smallest co-operatives in the region which has been able to survive thanks to good management and a belief in quality over everything else. Like many co-operatives and estates in the Roussillon, production had historically been geared towards fortified wine but they were able to anticipate the downturn and realign themselves towards table wine which includes their flagship red from Château de Pena. Very wisely, they resisted the temptation to replant with other grape varieties and so kept their large holdings of old carignan and grenache, a good amount of it planted not on appellation land but nonetheless very good. Over the years these vines have formed the base for the very successful Society's French Full Red. There has been a change of cellarmaster in the last two years but if anything that has been wholly positive.

9 page 9 Cabernet Franc, Domaine du Bòsc 2012 Sometimes cabernet franc really shines in the Languedoc. The 2012 vintage was ideal for it. Soft raspberry fruit, succulent and delicious. Product Code FC24171 Dominant Grape Cabernet Franc Product Type Red Wine Drink Dates 2013 to 2015 Origin Languedoc - Roussillon Alcohol Level 12.5% Style not applicable Closure type Screwcap Producer : Domaine du Bosc - See next page.

10 page 10 Producer : Domaine du Bosc Situated in the Hérault department in southern France s Languedoc region, Domaine du Bosc is not far from the beautiful seaside resort Cap d Agde. It is a winemaking region steeped in history: Agde has actually been home to vines since the 5th century BC. This long winemaking history has been attributed to Agde s port, which meant that, unlike those in many areas of France, growers were able to export their wines to various Mediterranean countries from very early on. Their proximity to the sea provides the vines with a wonderful Mediterranean climate, with hot, dry summers and mild, sometimes wet autumns and winters. This part of the Languedoc sits on ancient lava flows that are very positive for the wines, allowing them to retain a good deal of freshness. The Besinet family were vine growers for many generations, originally owning vineyards in Montpellier. Pierre Besinet had trained as a chemical engineer and for many years worked in the north of France, far away from any vines. He returned on the death of his father, but very quickly decided to sell up and start somewhere else. Pierre became attracted to the volcanic soils around Agde and that is where he settled, creating Domaine du Bosc. At the time, the vineyard was planted with all manner of red grapes, and geared up for mass production; however, Pierre had the vision to start from scratch and planted other varieties. Starting with cabernet sauvignon and merlot, he was among the first to plant Bordeaux grapes, and then also planted grenache blanc. In time, he would add many more varieties, and to this day is still experimenting: recent additions have included petit verdot and petit manseng. Pierre made his reputation on fresh, clean-tasting, fruity wines. His background helped him make some quite radical changes, especially in the cellar, which was one of the first in the Languedoc to be thermo-regulated. He was also one of the first to adopt night time harvesting, especially for white grapes as a way of preserving fruit flavours and freshness. Today he is helped by winemaker Jean-Etienne Cros, a good friend of the Wine Society who used to manage his family s estate in Gaillac. The day to day running of the business is in the hands of Pierre s daughter Dominique though Pierre now well into his 80 s, still looks in.

11 page 11 Côtes-du-Rhône La Friande, Domaine Jaume 2012 Lovely youthful grenache-dominated blend from Vinsobres. Easy and eminently quaffable. Product Code RH34241 Dominant Grape Grenache Syrah Product Type Red Wine Drink Dates 2013 to 2015 Origin Other Southern Rhone Wines Alcohol Level 13.5% Style not applicable Closure type Twin top Producer : Domaine Jaume Domaine Jaume, which celebrated its centenary in 2005, has been supplying The Wine Society with Côtes-du-Rhône since The wines are among the best-selling red Rhônes on our list. The domaine is based in Vinsobres, a beautiful hillside village in the southern part of the Valley, blessed with extremely well-exposed vineyard sites. The Jaumes worked hard to get cru status for Vinsobres and in the end won the argument based on their Cuvée Référence.Though geographically close to villages like Cairanne or Rasteau, the climate here is quite different with particularly interesting potential for the syrah grape. The Jaumes also own plots of vines high above village at an altitude of some 420 meters which inspired the name for another of their cuvées Vinsobres Altitude 420. Brothers Pascal and Richard Jaume are highly committed vignerons and strongly believe that wine should be highly enjoyable and approachable so the style they look for is smooth, round and satisfying. Pascal is often found in the vineyard and his wife Isabelle does much of the pruning. Richard divides his time between the cellar and the office. A warm welcome awaits visitors here, especially Wine Society members, with Richard s wife Laurence on hand to meet and greet with genuine pleasure.

12 page 12 Côtes-du-Rhône, Rive Droite Rive Gauche, 2012 A syrah-grenache dominated blend from the southern Rhône. The syrah comes from vines near Domazan which has gained a reputation for the grape. Full, vibrant and fruity. Product Code RH34201 Dominant Grape Grenache Syrah Mourvedre Product Type Red Wine Drink Dates 2013 to 2016 Origin Other Southern Rhone Wines Alcohol Level 14.5% Style not applicable Closure type Screwcap

Wine Notes. The Society s French Full Red, Côtes Catalanes. These wine notes were created on 31-Jan-2018.

Wine Notes. The Society s French Full Red, Côtes Catalanes. These wine notes were created on 31-Jan-2018. page 1 memberservices@ The Society s French Full Red, Côtes Catalanes Quite rightly one of the most popular wines in our entire range. It comes from sunkissed Roussillon and is a blend of very ripe grenache,