Tasting a Languedoc Great....in The Netherlands.

Mas de Daumas Gassac Rouge
VdP l’Herault 2002
France - £20.00 – various



I tasted this during a family visit to The Netherlands in July 05. A bottle was brought back directly from the Aniane-based estate a month earlier. The blend is about 80% Cabernet Sauvignon. What remains reads like a who's who in the grape world and is made up of Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Merlot, Syrah, Tannat, Petit Verdot, Carmenere, to name but a few. Furthermore another 10 unnamed, but allegedly ancient varieties.

Yields are reassuringly low at around 35 hl per hectare.

Already drinking beautifully, the 2002 comes across quite confident. Lovely fresh berry fruit and very herby almost minty on the nose. The mid-weight palate shows fresh fruit and moderate tannins make it very pleasant to drink. No doubt this would keep quite easily. The winemaker suggests about 7-14 years for the bouquet to develop properly. Can you wait that long? We certainly couldn't.

I look forward to November's Decanter Magazine Tasting, assuming Daumas Gassac is going to be there again and tasting a few older vintages. Last year I didn't get around to tasting them until about 3.00 pm, after my taste buds had virtually given up. I'll plan them in before 11.00 am this year, I think.

My Dutch hosts had also tasted the 2000 and 2001 at Daumas Gassac, which they still found quite unapproachable in comparison with the 2002.
Incidentally, the second label, Moulin de Gassac, is also wonderful and a fraction of the price at around €8.00 a bottle from the cellar door. Direct wines (Sunday Times Wine Club, Laithwaites et al) sell the Reserve de Gassac (2003 is vintage currently available) at around £6.50, which is also very nice. Not sure if this is effectively a relabelled 'Moulin' or specially made for the UK market.
 

www.daumas-gassac.com