Wine with Leslie: Beer overtakes wine in France, but French wine is not going anywhere
Though French beer consumption has overtaken that of wine, the good stuff will still get made Picture: iStock
In case you missed the headlines last week, the French now drink more beer than wine. Cue Gallic wringing of hands but don’t despair, the good stuff will still get made, the vines due to be grubbed up will not be from Grand Cru vineyards, far from it.
Yes, growers in the south west (Bordeaux, Gers) and south east (Hérault, Aude) are applying for compensation to remove vines, but to be honest these grapes won’t be missed. The Languedoc-Roussillon was once the source of oceans of vin de table, feeding the French habit of 120l of wine per person per year and the EU wine lake. It then pivoted and became a major exporter of varietal wine, allowing France to compete with New World merlot, chardonnay, and even viognier.
One Languedoc producer I’m optimistic for is Famille Fabre who have been growing grapes in the region since 1605, although it was only in the mid-20th century that they began bottling under their own name. Clémence Fabre visited Ireland in mid-May to conduct some tastings for Matsons who import their wines, and we sat down for a chat and tasted some wines.
Fabre now have five wine estates and are mostly growing organically and biodynamically (in parts), their best wines coming from Minervois, Corbières, and Corbières-Boutenac. Besides the two wines below, I liked the Grande Courtade Rosé (€14 this month) for its tangy raspberry fruits and dry finish, and Château de Rieux Minervois (currently €19) for its lush black fruits and layers of complexity. Matsons import direct so can offer generous discounts: Keep an eye on prices.
Fabre’s top wine Ch Fabre-Gasparets (€42) is one of the gems of the Languedoc, just 4,000 bottles are made. It’s ageworthy and delicious: Expect leather, spice, and baked berry fruits that linger and linger.
Surely we are over our distrust of chardonnay by now?
If not ,this might bring you back into the fold. Yes, this has oak contact but just to provide depth not blousiness; this is rounded, ripe and fruity with melon and pear flavours, a hint of spice, and a crisp lemon-fresh finish.
Grand Courtade Sauvignon Blanc and Rosé are also worth trying.
- Matson’s Bandon, Grange & Youghal, matsons.ie
Corbières is probably the best-known Languedoc region, famed for its garrigue landscape, punchy reds, and increasingly for rosé and whites.
This blend of carignan, syrah, grenache and mourvèdre has herbal and blackberry jam aromas, a palate that is creamy, voluptuous, fleshy and layered, concentrated black fruits, and spice notes.
- Matson’s Bandon, Grange & Youghal, matsons.ie
Once the ‘house wine’ of the family as it came from grapes picked at the end of the harvest from the cooler slopes.
These days its exactly the kind of wine Languedoc-Roussillon can do well, a co-fermented field blend with bright juicy berry fruits and lots of flavour.
I like this lightly chilled which brings out the red and black fruits, perfect for pizza, barbecue and friends.
- JJ O’Driscolls; 1601 Kinsale; 64 Wines; Baggot St. Wines; Martins; thenudewineco.ie
The first 10 year release from Drumshanbo, the first (legal) distillery in Connacht in 101 years (est. 2014).
Limited to 3,000 bottles, triple distilled and aged in bourbon and acacia casks.
Spice, dried fruit, almonds and a touch of butterscotch on the nose; the palate has creamy tarte-tatin flavours with a hit of pepper and spice and a lingering hot honey finish.
Excellent.
- O’Briens; Dublin & Cork Duty Free; Independents
