The Pinot Noir of the Languedoc

2005 Domaine Sainte Eugenie Corbieres Red Wine; other red varietal; Languedoc-Roussillon; $11.49

$9.76 per bottle with case discount.

This wine tastes nothing like Pinot Noir.But sometimes a wine hits me in a way that has nothing to do with the flavors and everything to do with impressions. And out come these semi-contradictory statements. I was talking to a customer the day after drinking a bottle of this, trying to explain why I liked it so much, and out came the title of this email. Call it new wave, call it false advertising, I call it sometimes my notes are more intuitive than logical. It’s the experience of the wine that conjures similar sensations. This Corbieres is medium bodied with less tannin than wines in its peer group, and it pairs eerily well with all sorts of meals. Though it’s not a muscle wine, it still has the ability to impress, and it is texturally pleasing. Pair this with the pepper and sandalwood of the south and you have an intriguing, dynamic wine. It’s one of those bottles that you pour without fanfare, but by the end of the bottle everybody is asking for more and complimenting your wine buying saavy. All for less than $120 a case. Another way to frame it is that this is a wine that people who like Pinot Noir can enjoy as a substitute for what is passing for the variety in this price range. Why? It’s a wine that is fun to smell. I put it in one of those big bowl Burgundy glasses, and I was having a great time. It has a soft, caressing mouthfeel, and there’s no palate bruising. Then there are the flavors: Rhone, and South of France, yes, but instead of rusticity you have soft tannins and a thoroughly enjoyable experience. It’s a best of both worlds situation except for the fact that there’s another world to take into account, and that’s value. When’s the last time you had an under $10 Pinot that you thought was any good at all? The under $10 Burgundy days are long gone, but this Corbieres marches on. This wine is a great deal by the bottle, but a case gets our discount. That’s $9.76 per bottle, a price that makes me proud to work here. With all the talk of the down dollar and expensive imports, this Corbieres is having none of it. To me this is exactly the kind of wine that makes adventurous, small companies (like us) so valuable to the wine consumer. We have 25 cases from our LA warehouse scheduled to arrive tomorrow (Monday). We have more coming late Spring/early Summer. If you miss out, please email us with your needs and we will contact you when it arrives concerning price and availability. – Ben Jordan

2005 Domaine Sainte Eugenie Corbieres Red Wine; other red varietal; Languedoc-Roussillon; $11.49

$9.76 per bottle with case discount.

Tasting Notes
I pretty much went over this earlier in the email, but I really like the aromatics on this wine. It has peppery, herb, spice mélange thing going on and it really does draw you in like good Pinot Noir does. It’s like having the flavors of the southern Rhone with the subtlety and class of Burgundy. I’ve had this wine four times now, and I keep coming back. Peter and I served it at our dinners with Subculture Dining Friday and Saturday nights. Every time I was impressed with the quality and versatility of this wine. For the curious: This is mostly old vine Carignan finished with Grenache and Syrah.

Tags: 2005, Carignane, Corbieres, Domaine Sainte Eugenie, Grenache, Languedoc, Old Vine, Pinot Noir of the Languedoc, Syrah